Methods in Context: Parents

Why can it be difficult to gain access to parents for educational research?

Researchers usually have to go through schools or request contact – and many parents, especially working-class, may be reluctant to engage.

What did Reay find about working-class mothers in education research?

That they were often under-confident or felt judged, affecting their willingness to participate openly in interviews.

Why might questionnaires be ineffective when researching parents?

Literacy issues or lack of time may mean that some parents don’t complete or understand them fully – especially among disadvantaged groups.

What method did Gerwitz et al use to research parental school choice?

Interviews with parents from different classes – showing middle-class parents were “skilled choosers” who used cultural capital to navigate the education system.

What is a practical advantage of interviewing parents over pupils?

Parents are adults and can give informed consent – which simplifies ethical approval.

What did Vincent et al. find about middle-class parental involvement?

Middle-class parents were more confident in engaging with schools and teachers, which could bias research if not considering social class differences.

How might social class affect rapport in interviews with parents?

Researchers from a middle-class background may struggle to build trust with working-class parents – as seen in Diane Reay’s studies.

Why is social desirability bias a problem in researching parents?

Parents may give the ‘right’ answers about how supportive they are, to appear responsible – reducing validity, particularly in structured interviews.

What ethical issue arises when discussing parenting practices?

Parents may feel judged or exposed, especially when discussing discipline, aspirations, or home routines – so sensitivity and confidentiality are vital.

Why are longitudinal studies useful when researching parents’ influence?

They track parental involvement and attitudes over time – as seen in Feinstein’s research on early intervention and long-term achievement.

What did Bernstein argue about parental language use?

Middle-class parents use elaborated code, which aligns with school language – giving their children an advantage.

Why might working-class parents be underrepresented in research?

They may lack time, feel alienated by formal methods, or distrust researchers – creating sampling bias, as highlighted in Archer’s identity research.

What method is useful for understanding how parents support homework?

Diaries or longitudinal interviews, though rarely used, could capture how consistently parents are involved across time.

Why might interviews with parents produce low validity in researching aspirations?

Parents may overstate their aspirations for their children to appear supportive – masking true attitudes.

What did Archer argue about parental influence and identity?

That working-class parents sometimes encouraged values and identities that conflicted with school success, especially among boys.

How might ethnicity influence research access to parents?

Language barriers, cultural norms, or mistrust of institutions may make ethnic minority parents less likely to participate – as seen in some of Gillborn’s and Mirza’s findings.

Why is it difficult to generalise from qualitative parental research?

Studies like Reay’s or Ball et al.’s involve small samples and detailed data – rich in insight, but low in representativeness.

How can schools act as gatekeepers in parental research?

They may limit researcher contact with parents, especially if the topic is sensitive or may reflect negatively on the school.

What kind of parents did Ball describe as “privileged/skilled choosers”?

Middle-class parents who used networks and knowledge to select the best schools – contrasted with disconnected/deprived choosers.

How might parental interviews be influenced by researcher characteristics?

Parents may be more or less open depending on the researcher's class, ethnicity, or perceived authority – especially in topics like aspirations and support.