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Ethnography has been recognized as an important research method in educational research for over 40 years, but has a longer history, as is shown in a four-volume set on ethnographic methods in education (Delamont 2011). It has roots in cultural anthropology, particularly in the United States, while the British and European tradition is more within the sociology of education (Delamont and Atkinson 1995): see also Kehily's chapter in this section. In both cases it involves research that takes place in or on educational institutions through observation and participant observation. Researchers are important tools in the research process, as they acquaint themselves with educational settings through immersion in the daily lives of the participants. The ethnographers' selves are implicated in the research process, as they observe, learn and understand local cultures through their own experiences in the field (Beach et al. 2003). Standards for ethnography have been put as follows by Geoff Troman (2006) in his inaugural editorial for the journal of Ethnography and Education. Ethnography:

DOI: 10.1007/978-94-017-9282-0_32

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