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Abstract
Qualitative research in the social sciences has risen to prominence in recent years. Although there may be an impression that qualitative research is new to special education, its history can be traced back almost two centuries. Certainly, at present, the qualitative studies genre is broad, complex, and growing, hence settling on one definition is difficult. The idea of students researching their own education, school or community and developing their own questions as a precursor to action is recent and still rare. The emergence of Students as Researchers (SAR) reflects two things: a shift towards school-based research in collaboration with external researchers, and the fact that previous student voice initiatives had not gone far enough in cultivating agency in students. The purpose of this paper is to explore the concept of students as researchers and evaluate the implications of such concept in the field of research in Special Education.
Table of Contents
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION1
Research Aims and Objectives1
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW2
Engaging Students in Research2
Research as a Learning Activity4
Research for School Improvement5
Introducing 'pupil voice' and research7
Importance of Qualitative Methods in Special Education Research8
Types and Examples of Qualitative Research Approaches8
Ethnography8
Phenomenology8
Grounded Theory9
Case Study9
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY11
Search Technique12
Literature Search12
Inclusion and exclusion criteria13
Search terms - key terms14
Additional Online searches14
Reliability/Dependability14
Ethical Concerns15
Limitations and Suggestion for Future Research16
CHAPTER 4: DISCUSSION17
Consulting Pupils about Teaching and Learning17
CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION18
REFERENCES19
Chapter 1: Introduction
Special education researchers who draw on qualitative methods have responded by using this research paradigm chiefly to document stories of individuals with disabilities. However, rarely have these studies been extended to consider the broader socio-cultural contexts within which disability exists (Clark and Moss 2005, Pp: 12-15).
Research Aims and Objectives
The reason for conducting this research is to explore the concept of students as researchers and evaluate the implications of such concept in the field of research in Special Education. The main research aims and objective shall be:
To explore the concept of students as researchers.
To evaluate the idea of pupil voice in decision making.
To analyse arguments for and against the qualitative research in a further education setting with students as researchers.
Chapter 2: Literature Review
Engaging Students in Research
The idea of students researching their own education, ...