Longitudinal studies

What are the 2 types of longitudinal research?

qualitative longitudinal research

quantitative longitudinal research

What is an example of qualitative longitudinal research used within the educational context?

• ‘Choice, Pathways and Transitions Post-16: New Youth, New Economies in the Global City’ ~ Stephen Ball et al (2000)

• explored transition from compulsorary to non-compulsorary education

• longitudinal study of students from mixed comprehensive school & Pupil Referral Unit in London

• same students were interviewed over several years

• could analyse young people’s transitions over time & follow up issues from previous rounds of interviews

What is an example of quantitative longitudinal research used within the educational context?

• National Child Development Study has been running for decades

• examines educational, social + physical development of cohort born in 1 week in Britain in 1958 via survey

• investigates education, life chances + social mobility

• Boliver + Smith (2012): draw on survey data from NCDS to investiage whether WC children at grammar schools were more likely to experience upward social mobility than ones at comprehensive

KEY TERM

research involving the collection of statistical data from the same group of survey respondents over time

quantitative longitudinal research

KEY TERM

research involving the collection of qualitative data from the same group of survey respondents over time

qualitative longitudinal research

What are the practical disadvantages with using longitudinal research in the educational context?

• money, time + researchers

• gatekeepers may not agree to host studies because it would require a long-term commitment

• some participants will inevitably withdraw (teachers may move schools, students may lose interest etc.)

What are the ethical disadvantages with using longitudinal research in the educational context?

• at each wave of study, informed consent is required

• regular research may affect students' academic performance

• even anonymised, increases risk of re-identification due to the richness of the data

What are the theoretical advantages with using longitudinal research in the educational context?

• can build rapport over time —> rich data

• less likely for participants to have to rely on memory (eg. in study on career decisions, don’t have to recall experiences from years ago) —> increased validity

• show continuity/change over time

• interpretivists: studies over time link micro-processes to macro-processes (eg. teacher labelling to institutional prejudices)

What are the theoretical disadvantages with using longitudinal research in the educational context?

• difficult for researcher to remain independent if they have established positive relationships

• participant withdrawal —> original sample decreases in size; may become less representative so can’t generalise