NON-PARTICIPANT OBSERVATIONS

• Fly on the wall approach


  The researcher observes groups/individuals without getting involved
• Covert observation


  • Participants don't know they're being watched
• Overt observation


  • Participants know they're being watched
• Field diary


  The notes taken whilst doing the research
• Types of data


  • Primary
  • Secondary
  • Qualitative
  • Quantitative
  • Reliable
  • Valid
• Examples of observation studies

  • Flanders: interaction analysis categories
  • King: all things bright and beautiful (Wendy house man)
  • Troyna and Hatcher: racism in children's lives
• Practical considerations of observation

  • Some groups may be difficult to access
  • Can be difficult to observe some groups
  • Less personal skills needed as you only need a tally chart (structured)
  • Greater flexibility to record interesting information (unstructured)
• Ethical considerations of observation

  • Deceiving participants (covert)
  • No right to withdraw (covert)
  • No consent forms (covert)
  • Good, informed consent, no deception and right to withdraw (overt)
• Hawthorne effect


  May occur and reduce the validity of findings (overt)
• Structured observation


  Gains quantitative data which is favoured by interpretivists
• Unstructured observation


  Gains qualitative data which is favoured by positivists
• Strength


  firsthand view of what behaviour is like in the classroom
• Strength of using non-participant observations to study anti-school subcultures

  • Gives the researcher a firsthand view on what behaviour is like in the classroom
  • Means their data will be valid as its primary data
• Limitation


  using covert observations may be difficult
• Limitation of using covert observations to study anti-school subcultures

  • Finding a researcher who could fit in a classroom and look like a student who is fully qualified to be a researcher is exceedingly difficult, impossible
• Limitation


  using overt participant observations creates socially desirable answers
• Limitation of using overt observations when studying anti-school subcultures

  • The students may display behaviours which they do not normally
  • This may be to look more socially desirable to the researcher
  • As a result of this it decreases the validity of the findings
• Limitation


  non-participant observations are unethical when studying minors
• Limitation of using non-participant observations

  • Observing minors in a classroom may be seen as unethical
  • This is because they are young, and this may have an impact on them
• Limitation


  access to students may be difficult
• Limitation of using non-participant observations to study behaviours in the classroom

  • Access to the students may be restricted due to them being children
  • This makes the research harder to carry out