Fundamental Pedagogy Jana Doležalová

participant observation where the observer becomes one of the 
participants. Records can also be made additionally after observation, but 
many aspects can thus remain uncaptured. High-quality observation requires 
an experienced observer. 
Note: For detailed information, see e.g. Svatoš: 
Kapitoly z pedagogické a 
sociální komunikace (In English: Chapters from Educational and Social 
Communication) which provides more detailed information on observation (see: 
Hradec Králové: Gaudeamus, 2009, and others). 
Sociometry
This method is used to establish the current 
interpersonal relations. One can 
basically measure the degree of 
liking (preferences or rejection of individual 
persons by others) and the 
social status (or prestige) of individual group 
members (it enables to unveil the leader in the group or isolated individuals).
This method is often used to solve serious educational problems (such as 
bullying). 
The selection of items (formulation of questions) can be positive (such as: With 
whom would you want to sit?; With whom would you like to sleep in a 4-bed 
room during a class trip?; etc.), but also negative (With whom would you 
definitely not like to spend leisure time?; Next to whom would you not want to 
sit during the school year?, etc.). If the negative choice is used, the researcher 
must carefully heed that the information is not disclosed and the relations in the 
group (class) do not get worse. The data acquired is recorded in sociometric 
matrixes (tables) or can be depicted in charts and graphs and converted into 
sociograms.
Experiment 
This method is applied in educational research only to a limited extent. It is 
always difficult to experiment with people. It is of utmost importance that no 
one is harmed and that regular conditions are established. The experiment is 
based on the verification as to whether the influence exerted on one 
(independent) variable results in changes in the other (dependent) variable.
This means that only one condition at a time should always be changed, which 
is very difficult in the educational process. For instance, we can observe how a 

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new system of playing affects performance of players in the field, but can 
hardly exclude the impact of the current mental and physical condition of 
players. Sometimes, it is impossible to exclude the impact of factors of which 
we even have no knowledge (so-called intervening variables). The classic 
experiment assumes two groups (experimental and control group). They should 
be balanced in a way to allow for objective comparisons. Therefore, the status 
of the phenomena under study must be established first and only then the 
observed variable can be changed in one (experimental) group (e.g. we check 
up on a new procedure in instruction). The traditional approach is applied in the 
other (control) group and finally, we compare the results (e.g. of an output 
test) with the initial level. For completeness’ sake, we can differentiate between 
two types of experiments: laboratory experiment and natural experiment (in the 
field, performed in natural conditions).