Research Outline. A study of social class and educational achievement

A study of social class and educational achievement

Hypothesis/Aim

People do fall in various social classes; these are just but the hierarchy of status they are classified into based on prestige and esteem they acquired, majorly from amount of wealth owned, level of economic success, or educational level of the family (Maguire). Educational achievement of a child is largely influenced by the social class he or she comes from. There has been great variance in academic success of children from high class families, middle class families and low class families (Dickinson, 2009). Therefore, there is need to determine if such achievements have connection with the background the children came from or it is just unexplainable coincidence. It is widly consider how ‘social classes’ affected on educational achievement.

Context and Concepts

The findings of academics from Kings College London and those of University College London gives direction that performances of students in school is largely dependent on the student’s academics ability, the quality of teachers, the teaching methodologies, the management system of the school, the type of school one attends, or even the location of the school (Taylor, 2006). Students from high class families do perform better when subjected in same school environment with students from either low or middle classes families (Taylor, 2006). They show that all is based on the social status the student belongs to; concluding that there is great correlation between social background and one’s achievement in line of education (Taylor, 2006).

Richard Garner also in his article suggests that social class plays a role in academic achievement of students (Garner, 2008). His description on the actual conditions of a student from low class family in relation to what could make one perform better, clearly suggests that social class could have an influence on success of a student (Garner, 2008). He shares the opinion that if student are subjected in conditions where they are not directly affected by social background which include availing even to those of low class what they could not afford then that would create a leveled competing ground (Garner, 2008).

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This research calls for parents understanding of school performances of their children and also government action to reduce the great variance that exist. This is from the background that parents especially from low social status have in the past blamed their children for not doing well in school yet their own social status is what contributed to that (Brown, 2009). Government should also not just focus on building schools with good facilities thinking that that would increase chances of students performing better but should also try bridge the wide social status gap that exist which would in turn bring some level of parity in achievement of all students (Brown, 2009). Parents understanding are simply them coming to terms with the reality concerning actual causes of the observed performances of their children in school. On the other hand, government action is the steps the government would take to ensure they act well to address challenges that come with the same.

Main Research Method and Reasons for choosing method

For successful outcomes and with most appropriate data, a survey questionnaire needs to be designed while catering in all the vital questions that would give good answer to the hypothesis formulated (Statpac). Survey questionnaire not only help in getting quantitative data which include statistics and numbers but it can be used for larger samples (Statpac). The questions in questionnaire should by greater extent target views of teachers, students and parents supported with facts such as copies of academic reports form of students; the same group would act as the sample group where 10 parents, 10 teachers and 10 students from each of 10 different schools found in locations with residents of varied social status would be presented with printed questionnaires to fill. That sample size would be good enough to give the desired data for analysis to get good and viable results because it would give best platform to argue the findings, and also it would catering for challenges that may arise like wrong data from the sample group. The questions in the questionnaire too should be open ended so that it does not limit one from giving desired full details of what is needed since it is from that that one can make best conclusion.

Secondary resources from books, internet and journals among others would also be considered in determining the previous work done by various researchers and their findings; that would be critical in guiding the direction the researcher would take and compare if his or her findings supports what had been done earlier (Engle, 2009).

In getting data, the researcher will travel to schools and meeting the students and teachers. The head teachers of the schools would help in identification of the appropriate teachers and students to help in filling of the questionnaires. Parents however, researcher would get people living around the target schools and giving them questionnaires to fill.

The data found would then be subjected to analysis while looking at each element of the questions in the open ended questionnaire and giving comparisons in relation to the social classes that exist; that would give conclusions and answer the hypothesis of this proposal.

Potential Problems

The methodology used could be the best and simplest to use in getting data needed to make conclusion on this particular work but there are several potential challenges that could come with it (Pamment, 2011). Given the impersonal nature of questionnaires, it could be difficult for the researcher to understand the responses given by those that filled then, or worse, there are chances that questions could not be interpreted incorrectly thereby making answers not to have any value (Tampere University of Technology).

In some instances, there are people who would be feeling embarrassed to respond to particular questions in the questionnaire, or would go extra mile and fabricate the reality with the intention of pleasing the researcher; such data would misinform researcher thereby giving inappropriate deductions.

Collection of data using questionnaires from the sample population and analysis of the same especially given that the questions are open ended would be time consuming. It would be challenging to reach the entire target sample from a wide range of coverage, make them fill the questionnaires and then researcher doing analysis of the data.

For the research to be carried out, good amount of money needs to be in place which would cover the designing of questionnaires and printing them (Presser, 2004). Travelling cost to all the target locations would also be high. Also, one has to dedicate time and energy for the success of the conducted research.

References

Brown, C. (2009, February). Social class and education: changes and challenges. Retrieved March 10, 2011, from Beyond Current Horizons: http://www.beyondcurrenthorizons.org.uk/social-class-and-education-changes-and-challenges/

Dickinson, S. (2009, August 3). How does social class affect educational attainment? . Retrieved March 9, 2011, from Helium Education: http://www.helium.com/items/1539707-how-does-social-class-affect-educational-attainment

Engle, M. (2009, September 1). Critically Analyzing Information Sources. Retrieved March 9, 2011, from Cornell University Library : http://olinuris.library.cornell.edu/ref/research/skill26.htm

Garner, R. (2008, September 18). Social class 'determines child's success'. Retrieved 3 9, 2011, from The Independent: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/social-class-determines-childs-success-934240.html

Maguire, K. (n.d.). Social Class. Retrieved 3 9, 2011, from Sociologies of Health & Illness E-Learning Databank: http://www.ucel.ac.uk/shield/docs/notes_class.pdf

Pammenta, A. H. (2 March 2011). Overcoming the challenges of researching 'young offenders': using assisted questionnaires - a research note . International Journal of Social Research Methodology , 125 - 133 .

Presser, S. (2004). Methods for Testing and Evaluating Survey Questions. Rethinking China's Rise: a Chinees Journal of International Politics , 109-130.

Statpac. (nd). Questionnaire Design - Considerations. Retrieved March 10, 2011, from Statpac: http://www.statpac.com/surveys/questionnaire-design.htm

Tampere University of Technology. (n.d.). Questionnaires in User Experience Evaluation. Retrieved March 9, 2011, from http://research.nokia.com/files/public/VaatajaRoto-Questionnaires.pdf

Taylor, M. (2006, February 28). It's official: class matters. Retrieved 3 10, 2011, from The Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2006/feb/28/schools.education