Welcome to Methods in Context: Interviews in Education
In your Paper 1 exam, you will face a 20-mark question that asks you to look at how a specific research method works within an educational setting. Today, we are looking at Interviews. This isn't just about what an interview is; it’s about how interviews behave when you take them into a busy school, a nervous headteacher’s office, or a playground full of pupils.
Why does this matter? Interviews are a "social interaction." In education, those interactions are shaped by power, age, and status. Understanding this is the key to getting those top marks!
1. The Different Types of Interviews
Before we dive into the school gate, let’s quickly recap the three main types of interviews you might use:
Structured Interviews: These use a fixed list of questions (a "formal interview schedule"). Every person is asked the same thing in the same order. Positivists love these because they are reliable and produce easy-to-count data.
Unstructured Interviews: These are more like a guided conversation. There is no set list of questions. Interpretivists prefer these because they allow the researcher to build rapport (trust) and find out what people really think (validity).
Group Interviews: This is where the researcher talks to several people at once (e.g., a group of pupils). This can be great for seeing how people interact, but one loud voice might take over!
Quick Review: Think of a structured interview like a job interview, and an unstructured interview like a deep chat with a friend. Which one do you think a nervous Year 7 student would prefer?
2. Researching Pupils: The Challenge of Power
When a researcher interviews a pupil, there is a massive power imbalance. Adults are usually "authority figures" (like teachers or parents). This creates several issues:
The "Right Answer" Syndrome: Pupils are socialized to give teachers the "correct" answer. In an interview, they might say what they think the researcher wants to hear, rather than the truth. This reduces the validity of the data.
Language and Vocabulary: Children may not understand complex sociological terms. A researcher must use simple language without "dumbing down" so much that they lose the meaning. Unstructured interviews are better here because the researcher can explain questions if the child looks confused.
Peer Pressure: In group interviews, pupils might try to "show off" or act tough in front of their friends. Alternatively, a shy student might stay quiet. However, group interviews can also make pupils feel safer—there is "strength in numbers" when facing an adult researcher.
Key Takeaway: To get honest answers from pupils, researchers often have to work hard to break down the "teacher-pupil" barrier. This takes time and skill.
3. Researching Teachers: The "Professional Mask"
Teachers are experts at impression management. They are used to being observed and are very careful about how they present themselves. This leads to specific problems:
The Professional Mask: Teachers may try to sound like "the perfect teacher." They might hide their true feelings about the school or their pupils to protect their jobs or their reputation. This makes it hard to get valid data about sensitive topics like labeling or teacher bias.
Time Constraints: Schools are incredibly busy. Teachers often have very little "free" time. A structured interview might be better here because it is quick and can be done during a break. An unstructured interview might be seen as a nuisance.
Access: Headteachers act as gatekeepers. If a researcher wants to interview staff about something embarrassing (like low exam results), the Head might simply say "no" to protect the school's image.
Did you know? Teachers are often more comfortable being interviewed in a neutral place (like a cafe) rather than in the staffroom where their colleagues might overhear them!
4. Researching Parents: Class and Culture
Parents are vital to education, but they can be the hardest group to interview.
Class Barriers: Middle-class parents may feel comfortable being interviewed—they often share the same language and "cultural capital" as the researcher. However, working-class parents might find the process intimidating, especially if they had a bad experience with school themselves.
Location: Where do you do the interview? If it's at the school, some parents might feel "judged." If it's at their home, they might feel more relaxed (better validity), but it takes a lot more time for the researcher to travel between houses.
5. Evaluating Interviews (PET Factors)
To succeed in the "Methods in Context" question, you must evaluate the method using Practical, Ethical, and Theoretical factors.
Practical Issues:
- Cost and Time: Unstructured interviews take a long time to carry out and even longer to type up (transcribe).
- Training: Researchers need high-level social skills to interview children effectively without leading them to an answer.
Ethical Issues:
- Informed Consent: When interviewing pupils, you often need the consent of both the child and their parent. This is a "double gatekeeper" problem.
- Vulnerability: Interviews about bullying or failure can be upsetting. The researcher must ensure the pupil’s well-being is protected.
Theoretical Issues:
- Reliability: Structured interviews are high in reliability because they can be repeated exactly. Positivists like this because we can compare different schools easily.
- Validity: Unstructured interviews provide "rich, qualitative data." Interpretivists argue this is the only way to truly understand the "hidden curriculum" or pupil subcultures.
6. Summary: Key Strengths and Limitations
Strengths:
- Unstructured interviews can uncover "hidden" meanings in schools that questionnaires miss.
- Group interviews can make children feel more comfortable and reveal how they influence each other.
Limitations:
- The "Interviewer Effect": The age, gender, or ethnicity of the researcher might change how a pupil or teacher responds.
- Schools are "artificial" environments; an interview is a controlled interaction that might not reflect real life.
Common Mistake to Avoid: Don't just talk about interviews in general! Always bring it back to the context. If you are talking about "rapport," explain why rapport is specifically needed when talking to a pupil who has been excluded from school.
Final Tip for the Exam
When you see the 20-mark question, ask yourself: "Who am I interviewing?". If it’s pupils, focus on power and language. If it’s teachers, focus on time and professional masks. If it’s parents, focus on access and class. Linking the method to the people is the secret to a high grade!