Document Type
Report
Publisher
London School of Economics
Place of Publication
London, UK
School
School of Communication and Arts / Centre for Research in Entertainment, Arts, Technology, Education and Communications
RAS ID
18239
Abstract
This report has been produced by drawing on examples of (self-assessed) innovative qualitative studies (or studies with a qualitative component) provided by researchers in the EU Kids Online network (see Annex 3). Its purpose is to offer an approach to qualitative research that balances methodological innovation with responsible, ethically sensitive attitudes towards research with and about children, and their online experiences. The anticipated audience of this report is an academic one, with at least some experience in qualitative social research. The report is intended to be useful to researchers with an inclination towards qualitative methodologies, to experienced qualitative researchers new to this domain, to researchers interested in ethical dilemmas, and to students and interested others. A series of EU Kids Online reports addressing key methodological issues in researching children and new media is freely available online at www.eukidsonline.net, such as the Frequently asked questions guides (Lobe et al., 2008; Ólafsson et al., 2013), together with resources and research materials (survey questionnaires, interview schedules, etc.) that provide examples of useful qualitative and quantitative research practices. The EU Kids Online methodological issues review (Lobe et al., 2007) contains up-to-date critical discussion of relevant methodological issues related to researching children’s experiences online, such as the main approaches to research, involving children in research and the challenges in researching ‘new’ media or in conducting cross-national comparative research. The present report does not aim to repeat the work already undertaken within the network, but to provide a deeper insight into relevant issues related to qualitative and mixed-method methodological approaches in the context of discussing what constitutes innovative approaches in researching children’s online experiences and their understanding of risks in new media. Instead of focusing on the most novel or experimental approaches at the level of methods themselves, various chapters of the report locate innovation at the level of theoretical and broader methodological design, focusing on examples of studies that offer new perspectives into specific research issues or enable participation in new ways. Furthermore, all authors involved in the writing of this report acknowledge the close link between methodological and ethical considerations. Rather than viewing ethical considerations just as a formal, dry aspect of the research process, the chapters offer valuable examples of how the principles of beneficence, protection and enhancing children’s participation in the research process shape and guide methodological choices towards an optimal conduct of research.
Additional Information
Research Report for External Body
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License.
Comments
Barbovschi, M., Green, L., & Vandoninck, S. (2013) Innovative approaches for investigating how children understand risk in new media: Dealing with methodological and ethical challenges.EU Kids Online, London, UK https://eprints.lse.ac.uk/53060/