Ethics and Education Research

Rachel Brooks is Professor of Sociology and Head of the Sociology Department at the University of Surrey in the UK and co-editor of Sociological Research Online. She has carried out a wide range of research projects on different aspects of education, with a particular focus on higher education and lifelong learning. Most recently, her research has focussed on: international student mobility; the funding of higher education; and a cross-national comparison of the experiences of university students with parental responsibilities. Rachel also has a strong interest in research methods. She co-authored Researching Young People’s Lives (Sage, 2009), and co-edited Negotiating Ethical Dilemmas in Youth Research (Routledge, 2013) with Kitty te Riele.  Kitty te Riele is Principal Research Fellow in the Victoria Institute for Education, Diversity and Lifelong Learning, at Victoria University in Australia. She researches educational policy and practice for disadvantaged young people, with a particular focus on alternative education initiatives. Her research has involved students, teachers and community members as participants. Kitty has supervised doctoral research students from both Australia and Hong Kong on research projects in primary, secondary and tertiary education. She has taught professional ethics for pre-service teachers and has experience as an active member of faculty and university human research ethics committees. Her most recent book Negotiating Ethical Dilemmas in Youth Research (Routledge, 2013) is co-edited with Rachel Brooks. They have also guest-edited two special issues (for Young and Youth Studies Australia) focused on research ethics.Meg Maguire taught for many years in London schools, including a period as a headteacher. Her research interests include education policy and practice, social justice issues, the life and work of school-teachers, teacher education and the challenges of inner-city schooling. She is Professor of Sociology of Education in the Department of Education and Professional Studies at King’s College London, UK. She has extensive experience of supervising research with undergraduate, masters and doctoral students in educational studies and has a long-standing concern with ethics in research. Her most recent book How schools do Policy. Policy enactments in secondary schools (Routledge, 2012) is co-written with Stephen Ball and Annette Braun. She is lead editor for the Journal of Education Policy.

′This book will become an indispensable resource for those engaging in research in educational institutions and with young people. It provides an even-handed discussion of the importance of ethical research while also balancing the needs of researchers and participants. More importantly, it moves well beyond an abstract discussion of ethics, by providing both novice and experienced researchers with invaluable hands-on advice on how to conduct studies that are ethical, responsible, empowering and meaningful. Anybody embarking on educational research or serving on Research Ethics Committees should read this book.′

• IntroductionEthical theories, principles and guidelinesRegulatory contextsResearch designInformed consent and reciprocityIdentity, power and positionalityData analysisDisseminationConclusions