Probably the two books with which I have had most success, academically, are the following. I like to think that each has a flavour which contradicts the expectation of academic aridity.
The Compleat Observer?: A Field Research Guide
to Observation (Qualitative Studies Series, 2)
by Jack Sanger
ISBN: 0750705507
Falmer Press (1996)
Analyzes issues in observation for professional purposes in classrooms and other social settings, discussing ethical issues; theories on the nature of observation; interviews; seven types of creativity; observing training; and reporting observations. Includes numerous vignettes.
(Trans into German)
Young Children, Videos and Computer Games: Issues for Teachers and Parents
by Jack Sanger, et al (1997)
ISBN: 0750707011
Falmer Press, London
This book is based on two years' in-depth research, funded by the British Film Institute and the British Library, on a hundred children with entertainment screen technology in their homes, following them home to school and examining the difference in culture in two environments.
The question asked is:are children developing the necessary ICT and other skills required from the maturing learner as we approach the twenty-first century?
Issues such as gender, parenting, violence, censorship and the educational consequences of their screen-based experiences are at the forefront of the book's coverage.