How do I research the relationships that are
created within my primary classroom?
Word Count: 4216
Relationships – emotional association between
two people
Research – systematic investigation of
materials, sources etc. To
establish facts
I have the most important job
in the world. I build
relationships, I model relationships, and I teach children to relate with one
another.
I know what the children in
my care need. I have built
relationships with them and I believe that this helps them to progress both
academically and socially. But how
can I validate this? How can I
research something that I believe to be true? Is it possible to research this in scientific terms? Why should I feel bound by scientific
methods that I am concerned could stifle my enquiry and values for
education? Is it possible to
validate something that is immeasurable?
Validate…. Prove….. Before even starting my research I feel
limited by the language available to me.
Eisner (1988) advocates the need of a new language to tell the stories
that teachers have. We need to
become more creative in the use of methods of research to facilitate our
understanding of the process of education. Through this enquiry I will try to reconcile the need for
rigour in my research, with the new methods of research available.
Currently, the General
Teaching Council is promoting teacher research. In a recent leaflet (2006), it promotes the ideas of schools
and individual teachers taking on small or larger research projects to enable
staff to get a better understanding of education and individual practice. It promotes it as a clear and flexible
part of continued professional development. It is clear through this leaflet that the research should be
enquiry led – that it would impact on the teaching with immediate
effect. It ends with the following
quote (p 11)
All the evidence suggests
that research engagement is a source of energy and excitement for teachers.
This is what I want from my
research. I do not want it to be
an added extra; I want it to be part of my daily work. I want to feel excited by the research,
not feel that it is an added weight on already heavily laden shoulders.
Initially, when starting a
research project, I felt it important to find out about the different types of
research I could use in an educational situation. There seemed to be two major methods of research that seemed
applicable: the quantitative methods versus the qualitative methods. This is also referred to by Cohen and
Manion (1994) as the traditional or positivist views of education as opposed to
the anti-positivist.
Cohen and Manion (1994) view
positivist research methods as quantitative data collecting and anti-positivist
methods as a mixture of both quantitative and qualitative methods. (Appendix 1)
My own reading into the
methods open to me introduced me to many new ideas for research. From studying for my B’Ed at university
I felt that research needed to be based on my reading of objective accounts by
various authors in the educational field I was interested in. I now feel, that these methods,
although have their place, are not personal enough for the type of research I
am interested in carrying out. I
need to be more active and find a personal and appropriate method to research
the teaching and learning in my own classroom. And while this needs to be rigorous, it also needs to meet
the needs of me as a professional - a teacher, not a researcher.
Quantitative research is a
scientific and traditional type of research. The researcher often has a range of static methods,
including questionnaires and surveys, focus groups and control groups. As
Manion and Cohen (1994: P7) highlight, researchers who use a traditional
method, a “positivist” approach, view the world as “real and external to the
individual” and therefore would use research methods such as surveys and
experiments. However, researchers
who choose the “anti-positivist” methods see a more social and personal world
and therefore will choose methods that are only just emerging, for example, the
use of personal accounts and observations.
There are positive aspects to
this type of research (appendix 2) it can be quick and anonymous; it is easy to
analyse and there can be a lot of data scrutinised. Valerie Reyna (www.ed.gov/nclb/methods/whatworks/research/page_pg3.html)
discusses research in education.
She believes that education should and can be researched in a clinical
trial, such as in medicine. She
believes that this will give concrete information to the researcher to analyse
and use in their own practice. She
goes on to say that science is not in opposition to values, and that in fact,
our values are based on what we already know – scientific fact.
I find this view of research
and education as strictly scientific difficult to digest. As with Bowen (1996) I believe that
research within the social sciences is more complex that Reyna would have us
believe. “quantitative research
designs including measurement, prediction and casual inference do not always
fit in isolation with the world of social science where perceptions, feelings,
values, and participation are frequently the variables we are attempting to
measure.”
Although scientific methods
are still preferred by many, it however is not personal enough for the type of
research I am interested in. As a classroom practitioner, I need research that
allows a more personal and reflective process. I have been particularly influenced by Winter (2003) and his
assertion that the teacher-researchers and the context in which they are
working are so specific, that they cannot be replicated – a desire in
scientific research. Repeating,
replicating, fair testing – these are not necessary in educational
enquiry.
Through this enquiry, the
only quantitative method I used was a survey or questionnaire for parents. I was intrigued to find out what the
parents felt were important qualities for a teacher working with their
children. A range of these is
included in appendix 3. In writing
a questionnaire or survey, it was important to avoid leading questions, I
therefore decided to keep the questions open and to allow the parents to share
their views with me. Through
analysis of these questionnaires, I discovered that the majority of parents
felt that a positive relationship was vital between the child and adults
working within the classroom. I
was pleased with this result, but was left intrigued as to the children’s
opinions.
To find out what the children
thought was important, and whether they valued relationships within the
classroom, I needed to use qualitative methods of research. These newer methods seem to be a more
appropriate range of methods for me to choose from, as education is a creative
and human process, not a scientific one.
Qualitative research methods
such as interviews, observations, video/photographic evidence, case studies and
discussion groups are often referred to as “anti-positivist” or more modern
methods of research. In his 2003
article Buddhism and Action Research, Winter refers to qualitative research
(and Action Research in particular) as an actual form of research that
encourages participants to learn about themselves and the context they are
working in, with a view to make changes.
It encourages discussions between participants and the “validity and
generalisability are those of diplomatic and caring communication”.
I feel that qualitative
research is a more appropriate method for educational research, as it allows me
to use my own values (which I will discuss later) and concerns to make changes
in my classroom to have immediate effect on the teaching and learning within
that context.
There are some concerns
raised to a more qualitative research being used in schools. Cohen and Manion (1994), Bogdan and
Birkin (2003) and Rudduck and McIntyre (1998) all raise concerns about the
subjective data drawn in this type of research and question its place in
educational research.
Rudduck and McIntyre (1998
Page 7) are heavily aware of the criticism of educational research and the
opinion of Barry McDonald that those who undertook in this type of research
“indulged in ‘unholy methodological improvisation of a mainly qualitative
nature’”. I hope to show that
qualitative research is not improvised and certainly not, in any way, shape or
form “unholy”.
In his 2001 article Action
Research As a Form of Social Inquiry, Winter reminds critics of qualitative
research methods, that people undertaking this type of research are not in the
practise of ignoring the more traditional and scientific methods of research,
but are actually taking part in a process of “addressing real philosophical
difficulties” and validating them with like-minded individuals who have an
agreed consensus.
Many people question whether
qualitative data and research is subjective enough. This is certainly a concern I had when starting enquiries
within my own classroom. I needed
reassurance from colleagues on my course that subjective data was useful
|
The researcher’s primary
goal is to add to knowledge, not to pass judgement on a setting. |
Bogdan and Birklen (2003) P33
|
This quote from Bogdan and
Birklen really summarises the reasons why I am undertaking any type of research
or enquiry within my class. I am
not a scientist or sociologist. I
am a teacher and my research has to be directly related to my professional development and the
children I teach. I am not
interested in making huge changes at policy level. I want the children in my care to progress socially and
academically. I want them to be
happy and to feel comfortable and confident within education with a thirst to
learn more. I have embedded
knowledge, hold values dear to my heart and I have come to value my own living
educational theories (Whitehead 1993) and need to recognise what I know and
what I feel as important factors in any research I may do. These values are shown in the every day
teaching and learning within my classroom. I feel that I make a difference to the children I teach by
the relationship I create with each and every one of them. It is through my knowledge of them that
I am able to help them make the progress in all areas of the curriculum and the
broader curriculum in school.
I find myself trying to
defend using more ‘modern’ or anti-positivist methods in research within my own
classroom. Why should I have to
defend the choice of methods I use?
I need to use the methods that are applicable and appropriate to the
task in hand; I need to make sure my research is ethical and rigorous but this
does not mean it has to be ‘scientific’.
Walford (2001) chooses to present his research methods in a very modern
way, through anecdotal evidence and an informal journal, almost an
autobiography of his research. In
the introduction of his guide to research he says (when discussing many other
texts still used to inform students of types of educational research) that many
people within ‘the academy’ still see research as a serious process that static
methods such as questionnaires and response rates are solely used. This, of course, is an “idealized
conception of how social and educational research is designed and executed”,
where methods are decided in advance of the actual data being collected and are
then carried through precisely. The researcher is constantly thinking of the answer. This
type of research heavily depends on the research methods of the sciences and
tries to use these methods within an educational enquiry – even though
these methods may be heavy handed.
Like Walford, I believe that
we need to find new ways of researching in the classroom and I agree with him
that sharing our experiences with like-minded colleagues could be a new
starting point for new methods of research - and certainly a new way to share
practice. It is what Clandinin and
Connelly (1993) refer to as “The Secret Story of Teachers”. There is a secret story that teachers
tell in their classrooms; these are seldom shared with others – only
their “cover story”. This can make
it appear that teachers are not analysing and making the applicable changes to
their teaching and learning environment, when of course they are identifying
problems and making changes on a daily basis. There is a need for us to share our real stories and not be
limited by only sharing a small aspect of this. I am eager to share my real life story and not just my
‘cover story’, I want to share how I look for ways to improve my own practice,
I want to judge my own teaching and values, not ‘measure’ them in the conventional
ways.
I believe in teaching and
sharing knowledge, but also feel that as a teacher I need to create a
relationship with the children in my care. While they are in school, I am in loco parentis and therefore am responsible for each and every one
of them. This does not stop at
their academic needs, but also their social needs. I try to create a calm environment through yoga, meditation
and peer massage where their personal well-being is put above and beyond
anything else. Through creating
this atmosphere, I can then help them in their academic journey.
I try to live my values
daily. I strive to create the
environment in my class that I believe is vital to the children’s academic and
social growth. The research I therefore can do in my own classroom is very different
than the research someone else would do – it is personal.
When any teacher works with
children, they build a relationship with them. This must include trust and respect. Without these things the children are
unable to learn.
We cannot, therefore, ignore
what a teacher knows about their class and the children in it. In all areas of the curriculum, the
relationship that the teacher has plays a vital role. The teacher’s embodied knowledge of that child gives them a
deeper insight into their work, their achievements etc, that may not be visible
to an outside agency. This is
where I believe that teacher research can have greater impact than that an
outside researcher. I know the
stories of the children in my care.
A child in my own class could produce a piece of work that could be
analysed by an outside agency and myself.
The results could differ tremendously. Who has got the greater insight into this work? This is the
crux of my belief in teacher enquiry and research.
|
People may thus draw upon
their own individually accumulated body of knowledge and skills derived from
encounters and acquaintance with facts and events in their environment |
Cohen and Manion (1994) P1
|
In different fields of
research, there will be different methods that are appropriate. In historical research, oral history
will be collected and used. Many
primary schools make use of such research in topics about World War II, where
the experiences of people in that time bring the whole topic to life. Sharing stories is a vital resource
that has happened since time began in all cultures. This type of research should not be ignored in educational
enquiries. Sharing ideas and
practices with colleagues can be invigorating and informative.
Reyna (www.ed.gov/nclb/methods/whatworks/research/page_pg3.html)
believes that anecdotal evidence is not appropriate in research. She believes that anecdotes could be
misleading and false, although they could also be useful and representative, we
are in no way sure of the validity of them. This is, of course, an accurate description. Different people will interpret
anecdotes in different ways, and they could be used to prove or validate
different views or contexts.
I believe that anecdotes can
be used, but need to be highlighted as anecdotes and treated as such. Although they may not be the most
rigorous of research, they could be useful in explaining a particular point. An example of this is a recent
conversation with a child in my class.
Bill has ADHD, he is medicated daily and, particularly at home, can be
violent and aggressive. He finds
it difficult to express his feelings, other than being ‘angry’. Bill walked into the classroom just
before play, came straight up to me, he looked me in the eyes and said, “I
don’t know why but I’m feeling really sad today.” I took Bill’s hands and talked to him about this feeling,
that sometimes we find it difficult to explain the reasons behind how we feel,
how proud I was of him deciding to come to me to talk about it (instead of
acting out at play etc). I had
worked hard with the class, and this child in particular, to create an
atmosphere of calm, where I was available to talk to the children whenever they
needed to. I was surprised and
pleased that Bill had come to me, to talk to me about his feelings, that he had
been able to verbalise his ‘sadness’ and recognised that I would understand and
try to help him. My relationship
is integral in this anecdote; I know Bill’s background and when I shared this
anecdote with colleagues at work, one of which had observed the conversation,
they too were surprised by Bill’s openness and the verbalisation of his
concerns. The anecdote has special
resonance with me through my relationship with him. To someone who does not know Bill, they may not see the
importance of this conversation.
Another way anecdotal
evidence can be useful is through conversations with like-minded colleagues through
a focus group. I myself have found
the discussions and opinions raised at the weekly meetings of the Enquiry Group
both invigorating and exciting.
Hearing and reading about people’s experiences and ideas in what Walford
(2001 p 3) calls “semi-autobiographical reflexive accounts” has given me more of an urge to write my own
accounts. The excitement and
energy shown in discussions about the lives of other teachers and the enquiries
they are working on have influenced me in many ways, such as trying new
procedures in the classroom, reading recommended texts or simply the enjoyment
of hearing other people who love their job as I do. These stories, or anecdotes have been a vital part of the
work I have done in this and my previous enquiry, as well as the daily teaching
and learning within my classroom.
Video and photographic
evidence used in enquiries and research is a natural evolution of tape
recording made popular in the 1970s.
As I have discussed earlier, oral history can be a fountain of knowledge
for a teacher-researcher. What the
children say or do can give great insight into the questions being considered
by the teacher.
Walford (2001: P85)
identifies that more researchers within education are using data, which has
been gathered through interviews.
He found that many researchers limited themselves by ignoring what they
had observed themselves and only used the data they got from the interviewee. This data, therefore, is limited to
what the interview says and this is not necessarily what they say or do in
“naturally occurring circumstances”.
This is where video can be
useful to capture how children react in certain situations, but we need to
aware of the Heisenberg effect (where people act differently if they know they
are being watched).
Video footage –
although not necessarily used in an open forum, can be a very useful method of
research for a teacher. I have
used video footage of my class and myself and watched it within this safe environment. The children have all been asked if
they are happy to show the footage and have always assented. The footage also captures a huge amount
of interesting data that may not have even been the purpose of shooting the
video. I found the body language
used by people in my classroom illuminating, although it was not the reason I
was videoing in the first place. It showed me how the children see me, and
although I do not want this footage shown in a public arena, it has taught me a
lot about my relationships with the children and how I can improve these
relationships.
Although this was a difficult
thing to do, and something I put off doing for many months. The video was an integral part in my
own understanding of the relationships in my classroom. Not only between me and the children,
but also the other adults in the room and the relationships between the
children themselves. It gave me an
opportunity to discuss with a colleague how to work with the children by moving
to their level and using eye contact to ensure the child is ‘on task’, also to
use facial expressions in a positive way to help them feel confident about
their work.
I have also used video
footage of children in the class talking about teaching and what makes a
good/bad teacher. I found this did
not work as well as I had hoped, the children were too aware of the cameral and
felt as if they had to perform and say the ‘right’ thing. This style of videoing would need to be
integrated fully into the classroom so that the children were used to being on
film in this way. I have spoken
previously about research need to be rigorous if it is to be taken seriously
and used appropriately; the video footage I have of children’s discussions does
not comply with this at the moment.
They are too aware of the camera and certainly the Heisenberg effect is
prevalent. The video footage of
the classroom is less affected, as the children do not ‘feel’ the video
directly on them.
Whilst there is a place for
the use of video and photographic evidence in research, the children in the
class need to be used to these methods being used, so that they do not feel
under pressure to perform and then the video/photographs are a true reflection
of the class rather than a forced effect.
In conclusion, the research
methods I choose to use in educational enquiry within my own class need to have
a direct and immediate impact on my teaching. There are obviously methods I take from qualitative and
quantitative research methods, but I feel more comfortable with the methods of
teacher enquiry. I have been
heavily influenced by the opinions of Cohen and Manion (????:P186) that teacher
enquiry is diagnostic. It has a
particular context and is based on solving problems within that context. The researcher is able to use their
observations and make changes to the research or enquiry. The objective is not a final answer or
outcome, but instead, is a wish to improve the teacher-researchers own
practice. Quantitative research is
looking for an end product; qualitative (and action research in particular) is
more interested in the process. It
will not be completed, each step along the journey of the enquiry leads the
teacher-researcher to more questions to be explored, more ideas to be implemented.
Fundamentally, anyone
starting to research in their classrooms needs to consider the reason why they
are doing the research. Is it to
change policies school/LEA/nationwide?
Is it to make small changes to the classroom and the teaching and
learning? What are the aims? For me, I am interested in the
immediate concerns I have raised about my teaching and the learning within my
classroom. This allows me to
follow a reflective cycle, such as the Belle Wallace TASC Wheel (???), to
identify the concerns I have and to try different methods to improve the
situation. I can give myself
opportunities to try different methods, I can make changes and adjustments when
I feel it necessary – as long as I am involved in the process at hand not
working towards changes in the far future (Cohen Manion 1994).
I started this essay with a
series of questions:
How can I research
something that I believe to be true?
Is it possible to research
this in scientific terms?
Why should I feel bound by
scientific methods that I am concerned could stifle my enquiry and values for
education?
Is it possible to validate
something that is immeasurable?
It is impossible to find an
absolute and final answer for the questions I am asking. Action Research allows me to focus on
the areas I am intrigued by within my own learning and teaching. This has allowed me to focus on the
relationships between the children and adults I work with. I am fascinated by the complexity of
the relationships within my classroom and am interested in the journey we are
making; the process of the teaching and learning.
I am not looking solely for
an end product; I am just interested in continuing this journey.
* The names of children in
this enquiry have been changed
Bibliography
|
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|
|
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|
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|
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|
Appendix 1: - Diagram showing
differences between Quantitative and Qualitative methods of research.
Adapted from Cohen and Manion
(1994) P10/11
Dimensions of comparison |
Objectivist/Quantitative |
Subjectivist/Qualitative |
|
|
|
|
|
Philosophical basis |
Realism: the world exists
and is knowledgeable Organisations are real entities
with a life of their own |
Idealism: the world exists
but different people construe it in different ways Organisations are invented
social reality |
|
The role of social science |
Discovering the universal
laws of society and human conduct |
Discovering how different
people will interpret the world and context they are living in |
|
Methods of understanding |
Identifying relationships
which permit the collectively and understanding what these relationships are |
Interpretation of the
meanings which individuals place upon their own actions and discovering the
subjective rules for these actions |
|
Research |
Experimental or
quasi-experimental validation of theories |
The search for meaningful
relationships and the discovery of their consequences for actions |
|
Prescription for change |
Change organisations to
meet the needs of individuals and societies |
Find out what values are
prevalent Change the people or change
the values if you are able to |
Appendix 2: - Overview of
Basic Methods to Collect Information
Retrieved from www.managementhelp.org/research/ovvvvvverview.htm
on 21/9/06
|
Method |
Overall
Purpose |
Advantages |
Challenges |
|
questionnaires, surveys, |
when need to quickly and/or easily get lots of
information from people in a non threatening way |
-can complete anonymously |
-might not get careful feedback |
|
interviews |
when want to fully understand someone's impressions
or experiences, or learn more about their answers to questionnaires |
-get full range and
depth of information |
-can take much time |
|
documentation review |
when want impression of how program operates without
interrupting the program; is from review of applications, finances, memos,
minutes, etc. |
-get comprehensive and historical information |
-often takes much time |
|
observation |
to gather accurate information about how a program actually
operates, particularly about processes |
-view operations of a program as they are actually
occurring |
-can be difficult to interpret seen behaviors |
|
focus groups |
explore a topic in depth through group discussion,
e.g., about reactions to an experience or suggestion, understanding common
complaints, etc.; useful in evaluation and marketing |
-quickly and reliably
get common impressions |
-can be hard to analyze responses |
|
case studies |
to fully understand or depict client's experiences
in a program, and conduct comprehensive examination through cross comparison
of cases |
-fully depicts client's
experience in program input, process and results |
-usually quite time consuming to collect, organize
and describe |
Appendix 3: - samples of
questionnaire sent to parents in June 2006