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Data Collection Methodology

Data Collection Methods

Method

As a group we will focus on a qualitative data collection. Our method will be in form of interviews. We decided to choose interviews because of the sensitivity of our work. We wanted to understand the emotional and cognitive reasoning behind intergenerational child labor.  The article entitled, “Steps for Engaging Young Children in Research” describes interviews as way to, “allow exploration of an area that has been little explored and is not well understood” (p38) and ultimately that’s what we want to accomplish.

Population and Sample

Our population is families that have been affected by child labor. Our sample is the parents of children who are currently working or who have worked in the past; and also the child laborers. The differences in categories will include parents who have had more than one child working, parents who have experienced intergenerational child labor, and children who have worked more than two years. We chose these in order to see if the reasoning behind their work is varied or if there is a common ground. We will select ten families. The sampling technique will be non-probability and purposive.

Study Site

The article, “Steps for Engaging Young Children in Research” states that, “The facilitator needs to create a nonthreatening supportive and positive atmosphere in order for participants to discuss their perspectives openly” (p40).  With that in mind we understand that the topic can be emotional and hard to talk about for some individuals so we want our site of study to be in the homes of the participants. Therefore they feel comfortable and not threatened.  Participants will feel a sense of security and feel more liberty to speak freely in their homes than for example in a formal office like space. We purposely selected this site in order to ensure that participants feel comfortable and supported through the entire process. We will gain access first through permission from the selected families and if they deny us access we will ask them to provide us with an alternative space where they feel most comfortable.

Interview

A way I will recruit participants for this interview is by visiting locations where parents are whether it be schools, outdoors, or residents in my area. As a team we will be interviewing parents from different backgrounds to get a better perspective of how different ethnicities view child labor. Children would also be interviewed we will recruit them from school and stores; the interviews with the children would be for them to describe their work conditions and how they feel about working. Interviews with parents would be straight forward asking why do they believe children should work? For children it would differ by speaking to them in a language that they understand, asking them simple questions as what do you do at work. This interview would be semi-structured since we probably won’t be able to meet with the parents and children more than once due to work or other priorities they have. I would say the parents’ interview would be one-on-one and the children interview in groups because they would be able to open up more when others in there age group are there they don’t feel as intimidated. They group interview would be of 3 -4 children at most this way they can take turns and can relate to others resulting in opening up more. The way we would observe this interview is by audio recording and note taking because it’s better to save their interviews to remember what they said to compare and contrast them. Note taking can be used to write down physical gestures they were making as folding their hands, looking away, or looking down. I would say it would take 45 minutes to interview both parents and the children. Examples of my interview questions are below:

 

Parents:

Do you believe children should be working in family businesses?

Why do you believe child labor laws are implemented?

Are any of children working and receiving under minimum wage?

Do you know of any other children being exploited to work?

Do you believe children should be working at an early age?

 

Children:

Do you work with your mom and dad?

Do you like to work?

Do you think it’s mandatory to work?

Do you work or does mom and daddy work?

What kind of job do you do when you work?

Do you work a lot?

How many days do you work?

Do any of your friends work?

Works cited

Steps to Engaging Young Children in Research Volume 1 : The Guide , Vicky Johnson, Roger Hart, and Jennifer Colwell. Children, Youth and Environments, 171-173.

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