Some scholars advocate using little older children as “childhood researchers”. Some other raise ethical and methodological questions on the participation of children in research involving themselves.
Deepak Kumar Behera This depends greatly of what is being researched, if the processes are transparent, if it is voluntary, if the parents agree and if the children are given credit for their work. In many cases research can be a motivating strategy for learning. Children love doing real, important and usefull things. I have published an article together with my daughter age 13. She did the research and I facilitated. She Is also given credit as co-author. It is about exploring career possibilities for people with intellectual disabilities. You will find a full text of the article here on RG: Article Exploring Career Possibilities for People with Intellectual ...
Deepak Kumar Behera I seeked advice from NSD - Norwegian Centre for Research Data when I started the research menioned above and they had no objections. NSD is an important collaborator in ethical questions of this sort connected to research. Norwegian researchers are adviced to present difficult research questions to NSD.
Many thanks Kjartan for sharing your ideas and experiences. I am particularly impressed with the article that you have published with your 13-year old daughter as coauthor. It speaks volume.
If the purposes are of training for children to learn and share experiences in the research processes, taking care that their child's condition and the RBI processes are respected in the management and processing of information and protection of the identity of the participants . I consider the participation valuable and pedagogical because it is an enriching experience.
Yes Jose I entirely agree with you. However, some scholars doing ethnographic research on indigenous communities living in remote areas are of the opinion that the commonly accepted ethical issues are insignificant to those children and their community as they follow a different set of values and ethics. What is your opinion on this?
Deepak Kumar Behera Ethical questions must never be taken lightly. Researchers must be able to ask themselves: Will my research benifit those my research concerns? What is it to fully understand what you are participating in? ... is this even possible. In the special case with my daughter I needed professional councelling, advice and guidance. My motives needed to be explored by others. What ethical values do we agree on? Every new situation will challenge are ethical values in new ways, but this does not means that any adjustments to the new situation can be taken lightly. In new challenging ethical questions I often try to use the following process of reflection together with others: Are my intentions the benefit of those concerned? Will those concerned also experience this as beneficial? What does the reseach community say about similar cases? What is my own experience? How do I feel about this? How do those involved feel about the research? Doing research is never the same as thinking or feeling about research. Can I seek advice from other researchers who have done similar research and have experienced that their research actually has been beneficial to their participants. Even after having being finished with the research the ethical reflection does not end. What have been the consequences of my research?