Researching Teachers & Classrooms (AQA A Level Sociology): Revision Note

Exam code: 7192

Raj Bonsor

Last updated

Issues in researching teachers

  • Sociologists often research teachers to explore school-based processes such as labelling, streaming, expectations, and classroom interaction

  • While questionnaires and interviews are commonly used, direct observation of teacher–teacher or teacher–manager interactions is usually impractical

  • Staffrooms are less frequently used, and covert access is rare, making research with teachers both sensitive and methodologically challenging

Practical issues

  • Access and cooperation

    • Teachers are generally accessible once permission is granted by senior leadership

    • However, they may feel overworked, making them less willing to take part, even if they support the research in principle

    • To reduce the burden, researchers often keep interviews short, but this can limit the depth of data collected

  • Impression management

    • Teachers are accustomed to being observed (e.g., Ofsted inspections), so they may not resist being studied

    • However, they may adopt a ‘professional front’, altering their behaviour to protect their status and avoid negative judgment

  • Researcher status

    • If a researcher is seen as low status (e.g., posing as a teaching assistant), teachers may withhold information or fail to take them seriously

    • This can limit access to authentic insights into teacher experiences or school culture

  • Time constraints

    • Teachers work to tight schedules, balancing lessons, marking, meetings, and admin

    • As a result, they may lack the time or energy to fully engage with the research

Ethical issues

  • Power and authority

    • Teachers hold positions of authority and may feel scrutinised or judged by researchers

    • This can lead to stress, especially if research topics relate to classroom management, conflict, or failure

  • Confidentiality concerns

    • Teachers may be reluctant to speak openly about sensitive issues (e.g., labelling, misbehaviour, poor leadership) for fear of repercussions

    • Ensuring anonymity and confidentiality is essential to encourage honest participation

Theoretical issues

  • Validity

    • Teachers may offer socially desirable responses, especially on topics like labelling or pupil treatment, to avoid looking unprofessional

      • E.g., a teacher may deny stereotyping students based on social class

    • During observation, teachers may consciously alter their behaviour, making it difficult to capture genuine interactions with pupils

  • Representativeness

    • The teachers who participate may not reflect the full staff body

      • E.g., headteachers may select staff who present the school positively, introducing sampling bias

    • Findings may not be generalised to all teachers, particularly those who opt out or are excluded from the study

Issues in researching classrooms

  • Sociologists often use participant or non-participant observation to investigate what happens inside classrooms

  • This allows them to explore processes such as teacher–pupil interactions, pupil behaviour, labelling, and peer dynamics

  • However, researching in this setting presents several practical, ethical, and theoretical challenges

Practical issues

  • Access and gatekeepers

    • The classroom is a closed and controlled environment, so researchers need permission from multiple gatekeepers — including headteachers, classroom teachers, and sometimes parents

    • While the setting allows for focused observation of specific behaviours, gaining access is not always straightforward

    Timetabling constraints

    • Classroom research must align with the school timetable and avoid periods of exams or holidays, which limit flexibility

    • Lessons are often short, reducing the time available for sustained observation or interaction

    Researcher visibility

    • Classrooms are compact spaces, making it difficult for researchers to remain unobtrusive

    • Their presence may disrupt the natural environment, affecting behaviour

    Peer influence

    • Pupils may conform to peer norms during group activities or interviews

    • As a result, they may withhold genuine views or give socially desirable responses

Ethical issues

  • Consent

    • For pupils under 16, informed consent is required from parents or guardians and often the school itself

    • Researchers must ensure that pupils also understand their rights, even if consent has been granted on their behalf

  • Power imbalances

    • Pupils may confuse the researcher with a teacher or authority figure

    • This can create pressure to give the “right” answers or act in ways that please the adult

  • Confidentiality

    • In tight-knit classroom settings, it may be harder to guarantee anonymity, especially when recording specific incidents or behaviours

    • This increases the risk of identification, even unintentionally

Theoretical issues

  • Validity

    • The Hawthorne effect is a major concern: pupils and teachers may change their behaviour because they know they are being observed

      • E.g., pupils may act out for attention or become unusually quiet; teachers may perform more formally

    • This undermines the authenticity of the data collected

  • Insight

    • Although classrooms offer rich, real-life data, behaviours may be staged, controlled, or limited by school routines

    • This restricts the depth of understanding of complex social meanings or pupil motivations

  • Representativeness

    • Classroom studies typically focus on small groups in single settings

    • Findings are difficult to generalise to other schools, age groups, or educational contexts

You've read 0 of your 5 free revision notes this week

Unlock more, it's free!

Join the 100,000+ Students that ❤️ Save My Exams

the (exam) results speak for themselves:

Raj Bonsor

Author: Raj Bonsor

Expertise: Psychology & Sociology Content Creator

Raj joined Save My Exams in 2024 as a Senior Content Creator for Psychology & Sociology. Prior to this, she spent fifteen years in the classroom, teaching hundreds of GCSE and A Level students. She has experience as Subject Leader for Psychology and Sociology, and her favourite topics to teach are research methods (especially inferential statistics!) and attachment. She has also successfully taught a number of Level 3 subjects, including criminology, health & social care, and citizenship.