Abstracts
Abstract
This article identifies and discusses ethical dilemmas inherent when undertaking research with children or other vulnerable populations: power relations, risks and benefits, and informed consent and confidentiality (Maguire, 2005). Ethical dilemmas often arise when researchers attempt to merge the interests of their research and the interests of their child participants. Classroom ethnography is offered as one example of how research can be conducted with children in a way that minimizes these ethical dilemmas. A case study is described in order to exemplify specifically how children respond when fully valued as speaking personalities and co-investigators. Conducted over a period of eight months, the inquiry and its participants moved through five phases that included initiating, exploring, implementing, adopting, and reflecting. Results suggest that legitimate consent, minimized risk, maximized benefit, and shared power through ownership, choice, and social action are of paramount importance when researching with children or any other vulnerable population.
Résumé
Cet article identifie et explore les dilemmes éthiques potentiels dans un contexte de recherches effectuées auprès d’enfants ou d’autres populations vulnérables : relations de pouvoir, risques et bénéfices ainsi que consentement éclairé et confidentialité (Maguire, 2005). Des dilemmes éthiques font souvent surface lorsque les chercheurs tentent de concilier les intérêts de la recherche avec ceux des enfants participants. L’ethnographie d’une classe illustre une manière dont une recherche peut être menée auprès d’enfants en minimisant les dilemmes éthiques. Une analyse de cas est détaillée afin de montrer précisément comment les enfants répondent lorsqu’ils ont pleinement la parole ou agissent comme co-chercheurs. Pilotée sur une période de huit mois, l’enquête et ses participants ont passé par cinq phases distinctes : l’initiation, l’exploration, l’implémentation, l’adoption et la réflexion. Les résultats indiquent qu’un consentement valide, des risques réduits, des bénéfices maximisés et un pouvoir partagé – par l’appropriation, les choix et l’action sociale – sont d’une importance cruciale lorsque des recherches sont menées avec des enfants ou d’autres populations vulnérables.
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Appendices
Biographical note
MICHELANN PARR is Associate Professor in language and literacy in the Schulich School of Education at Nipissing University in North Bay, Ontario. Her research interests include text-to-speech technology and its impact on the reading process, writing as a way of understanding, family literacies, and the pre-service development of language and literacy teachers.
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Appendices
Note biographique
MICHELANN PARR est professeure agrégée et chercheuse de la langue et la littératie à l’école d’éducation Schulich à l’université Nipissing à North Bay en Ontario. Ses principaux champs d’intérêt sont le texte à la technologie de la parole et son impact sur le processus de la lecture, l’écriture comme moyen de compréhension, la littératie en famille, et la préparation professionnelle des enseignants de langue et de littératie au programme de formation initiale à l’enseignement.