Gathering Data - 6B

The third campus session was about gathering data for our professional enquiry. We discussed the effectiveness of a number of tools with regards to merits and limits of each.

We first looked at Observation. There are different forms of observation which may carry different advantages and disadvantages. Often during an observation you are a spectator, with no control over the situation. The limits to using this tool are that students may react differently when being observed, therefore it may not be a truthful reflection. Are we witnessing the normal reality of what we are observing? Which raises the question: how valid is this tool? However the merits can be valuable, sharing good practise with other teachers, observing and assessing students (can compare my own students behaviour and skills in a different environment) and the observation could raise/ highlight further questions for my enquiry.

Interview. A interview is one on one and therefore a more personal tool for gathering data. You can ask deeper questions and get a more thorough answer with less chance of mis-understanding. The answers you receive are going to be more honest and precise and you can ask for further explanation. The answers may also lead to new questions, as the person you are interviewing is likely to be an expert in the field with a vast amount of knowledge to share. However interviewing is time consuming and the limits include the practical challenge of getting others to agree to offer you enough time required to use this tool effectively. It requires good technical interviewing skills to ask the correct questions and to receive the desired response, using this tool which is not anonymous so could feel intimidating to some.

A Survey. The benefits of a survey is that it is quick to distribute to a wide number of participants who can complete it in their own time. It is taken anonymously so the data gathered maybe more honest and precise, giving quantitative results. The limitations are that many recipients may simply not complete and return the survey. Interpretation of the data from surveys maybe somewhat remain subjective due to lack of personal interaction. The questions may not ask the right thing to get the desired answers, reducing the quality of this tool.

Focus Group. This could be formed of a mixture of people (teacher, students, parents). It is a tool which enables individuals to share their opinions on a subject and Ideas can flow freely. Therefore you don't need pre-formed questions. It is a discussion with people who are most likely interested in the subject with good knowledge and who maybe directly affected. The other merits include the data being valid. The limitations will vary dependant on the people in the group, but one voice may dominant/influence the group. People may not be completely honest and feel peer pressure to agree with others/a particular view. A focus group also needs careful management to remain on track.

When using these tools to gather data it is also important to understand who is the voice for each.

Observation - The Researcher makes conclusions what what has been observed.
Interview - The expert Participant is the main voice for this tool however the researchers voice also has a presence in leading the interview/questioning.
A Survey - The Participants are the voice of a survey and the data gathered is quantitative.
Focus Group - The main voice in focus groups will be the Participants / experts (although this will be influenced by the researchers hypothesises and opinions brought to the discussion).