Homeschooling, a rich education resource for research
Homeschooling is a simplified educational model which at its most basic level consists only of the parent, usually the mother, and the child. Unlike other models, such as a class, a school or a university, homeschooling avoids the complexity that comes with the other models due to the sheer size of students, teachers and other participants involved. There is absence of organisational matters such as standard operating procedures, maintenance of school grounds, quality control, efficiency, communication, differences in opinions and other matters that usually turn up in an organisation.
While education professors, institutions, teachers and curriculum writers may turn up their noses at the thought of it, this also means that issues connected to schooling such as teaching to the test, absenteeism and home-school values gap are also avoided. Homeschooling presents the perfect opportunity to school a child in the manner that best fits both the child and the family. The family can thus regain autonomy over how their children are educated as opposed to passive, or grudging, acceptance to whatever is accessible to them.
Assuming a situation where parents have full control over the education of their child, a parent is able to teach her child immediately in her own way. The parent decides the foundations of the homeschool, the contents and the pedagogy that will be used, facilitating the stages between planning, application, assessment and feedback. Hence, they provide a micro-picture or a form of pilot project of tailored learning and teaching experiences, minus the environmental noise.
This presents a more holistic picture of what is being studied as when compared to other methods such as laboratory observation or field visits, because homeschooling is a long-term process that provides researchers with the opportunity to study for example the effectiveness of a teaching approach over the years, instead of just getting a snapshot.
Challenges to using homeschooling as a source of education research
Objectivity
It may be argued that with the parent as the teacher, teaching cannot be carried out in an objective manner. For example, the public may question the integrity of assessments carried out by the parent. This may come in the form the assessment is carried out or in how the homeschooling parent grades the child.
Laws on Education
In reality, parents may be subjected to legal requirements that influence how their homeschooling is carried out and thus not have full autonomy over their child’s education. Examples include rulings on compulsory education, child welfare and formal requirements for homeschooling.
Multiplicity of Approaches
There can be as many methods as there are homeschoolers. While there are homeschoolers who do so because they are driven by a specific approach to learning, there are others who do so because of their dissatisfaction with the education system. Furthermore, homeschoolers may not use just one single approach, but instead combine various approaches to suit their lifestyle. On the opposite side of the spectrum, there are homeschoolers who merely ‘school’ their children at home with minimal difference from a traditional school.
Environmental Factors
Even if families have total freedom in how they homeschool their children, they are bound by the demands of society such as the need for formal qualifications for employment and entrance to higher institutions of learning, knowing cultural norms and traditions and being adapt with technology used both at work and institutions.
Conclusion
While there are shortcomings, homeschooling should be considered alongside other research methods in education. Instead of simply rejecting this source, researchers should consider the tolerable level for a valid research, the opportunity to study a method in a controlled manner, and the opportunity to study approaches unthinkable at school level being carried out in a timely manner.
