ABSTRACT
Involving children in research has been advocated for many years for the valuable insights it can offer into their educational, social and personal lives and perspectives. Reflecting in particular on children’s contributions through questionnaires, interviews and observation to the author’s own investigation into pedagogy for gifted learners, this chapter explores the benefits, obstacles and hazards of collecting such data. Three specific issues are considered in critical detail: the adult researcher’s understanding and interpretation of children’s data; the balance of ‘power’ between child participants and adult researcher; and ethics, including informed consent, ethics of observation, confidentiality and anonymity, and dealing with sensitive issues. The chapter concludes with advice for readers wishing to include children in their own research project.
