This chapter discussed the suitability of the research methodology and design that was utilised in this study. The characteristics of an interpretive, qualitative case study, data generation tools and strategies were explored. Further, the sampling strategy, and ethical issues that this study adhered to, and limitations of the study concluded this chapter. The subsequent chapter explores Intermediate Phase teachers’ responses with particular focus on their experiences when implementing an integrated NSTech curriculum. Chapter four forms the core of the study as it analyses and presents the discussion of findings for the study.
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CHAPTER FOUR
DATA ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION OF FINDINGS 4.1 Introduction
In the previous chapter, focus was on the research design and methodology used in this study.
This chapter focuses on the presentation and analysis of qualitative data gathered using semi- structured interviews and semi-structured questionnaires, which explored the experiences of six Intermediate Phase teachers implementing an integrated NSTech curriculum. This chapter unfolds by presenting biographical data obtained from the semi-structured questionnaires of the participants, as well as the introductory questions from their semi-structured interviews.
The presentation of biographical data shed light on the participants’ uniqueness and similarities with particular focus on their professional qualifications and experiences as NSTech teachers.
The presentation and analysis of the results obtained from the research study follows the presentation of biographical data of participants.
Data generated through the semi-structured interviews was transcribed and subjected to rigorous thematic analysis to assist in finding common themes across the data. Thematic analysis of data assured insight and trustworthiness of the findings (Nowell, Norris, White &
Moules, 2017). Thematic analysis is seen as the translator of qualitative research, and is a method that was used to analyse, organise, and describe the themes found within the data (Braun & Clark, 2006). Themes emerged through coding and Classification of the data, which highlighted participants’ views and experiences as accurately as possible. Additionally, the researcher included direct quotations, in italics, from the data generated in the semi-structured interviews, to capture the findings obtained from participants spoken words. The sections below discuss the experiences of Intermediate Phase teachers as they implemented an integrated NSTech curriculum. The discussions depicted how they dealt with their experiences in the classroom and showed the impact that their experiences had on their pedagogy.
The findings presented in this chapter responded to the research questions:
1. What are teachers’ experiences of implementing an integrated NSTech curriculum in the Intermediate Phase?
2. What are the factors contributing to teachers’ experiences of implementing an integrated NSTech curriculum in the Intermediate Phase?
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Being a teacher at one of the three schools and having previously taught at another one of the schools, the researcher was cognisant of participants’ academic and professional backgrounds;
the qualifications they held, their school and classroom situations, their home language and language of instruction, and the number of years of experience teaching NSTech. For this study, two participants from each school were chosen in terms of the specific criteria mentioned in the sampling strategies in chapter three. This study specifically focused on teachers who were teaching NSTech in the Intermediate Phase, as they were able to provide rich data as required by the researcher.
In this section, the terms ‘participants’ and ‘teachers’ are used interchangeably to describe the six NSTech teachers who participated in the study. The subsequent information is intentionally highlighted for the purposes of this chapter. Importantly, pseudonyms were used in place of participants’ names, in order to protect their identity and ensure anonymity. The selected teachers differed in their teaching experience in terms of the number of years teaching.
Teachers varied from seasoned to novice in terms of their experience; with Monica, Simon and Nancy being more senior teachers, whilst Gwen, Kerri and Ivy were newly appointed teachers.
Similarities were also drawn from the fact that all participants taught NSTech between three and six years due to NSTech only having been implemented since the inception of CAPS in 2012. The teachers also differed in their educational background which manifested in their ability to teach a subject like NSTech. The more senior teachers taught NS and Technology in the OBE and RNCS curriculum when these were separate subjects. With the implementation of CAPS, the senior teachers were required to homogenise their teaching, accommodating the integration of NS and Technology into NSTech. Despite the differences in school environments, teaching experience and educational backgrounds, all the participants were teaching NSTech using the integrated approach, as stipulated in the CAPS document, and recommended by the Department of Basic Education.
The subsequent section depicts the personal responses and opinions of the six teachers who were interviewed. Teachers responses highlighted their own experiences in implementing the integrated approach to teaching NSTech using the present CAPS curriculum. Teachers’
responses further reported on the effectiveness of their teaching methods and the reasons behind these experiences. There was a multiplicity of experiences emerging from the data, which are discussed under the first research question: What are teachers’ experience of implementing an integrated NSTech curriculum in the Intermediate Phase?
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