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- Be selected according to the type of skills training (technical and/or entrepreneurial) obtained on the one hand and the type of micro-enterprise activity on the other;
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A survey questionnaire was a suitable method for this type of the study because it allowed the researcher to collect data from a sufficient number of adult graduates and to get relevant answers for a specific set of questions on training delivery approaches (Creswell, 2014). Therefore, the survey questionnaire involved asking graduates about their opinions on the challenges facing their NFE centres in terms of human and material resources, the mode of teaching and learning, and the extent of skills acquisition. The questionnaire contained three types of the questions in order achieve the research objectives. The questions were binary or dichotomous with ‘yes or no’
responses. Dichotomous questions were useful because they provided clear and explicit responses.
Moreover, following the view of Creswell (2014) and Ponce and Pagán-Maldonado (2015), it was possible to code responses quickly. The questionnaire also contained multiple questions serving to capture the range of choices of respondents to give statements. For example, the researcher might ask a sequence of question about all vocational skills training course a learner studied at his/her NFE centre. The other type of the questions was rating scales. This consisted of a set of four categories namely, ‘strongly agree’, ‘agree’, ‘neutral’, ‘disagree’, and ‘strongly disagree’ (see Appendix 1A: Questionnaire for Graduates).
However, as Fouché, Delport, and De Vos (2011) also pointed out, the questionnaire presented some limitations when collecting the data. It was impossible to probe on some questions related to processes and causes pertaining to the variables being examined. The closed-ended questions within the questionnaire appeared to be inadequate to cover complex issues, such that the researcher could not explain them during the data collection process. Another limitation of the survey questionnaire was its incapacity to deal with controversial issues. Respondents could not provide a precise answer to a question because of difficulty to remembering the specific information related to their NFE centres.
3.5.2 Qualitative methods of data collection
The researcher utilised qualitative methods of data collection administered to five graduates in order to supplement quantitative data by probing questions related to processes and causes pertaining to the variables being analysed. The closed-ended questions could not cover complex issues during the data collection process. Thus, semi-structured interviews shed more light on complex variables. Specifically, semi-structured interviews were useful in providing a detailed description of respondents’ opinions and experiences on the effectiveness of the training approach and skills acquisition.
36 3.5.2.1 Semi-structured interviews
The researcher conducted one-on-one semi-structured interviews with five self-employed graduates. Laverty (2016, p, 12) explains that in semi-structured interviews, researchers pre- determine a set of questions; however, they have the flexibility to probe into questions for clarity or make a follow-up on issues revealed by the respondents during the interviews. The reason for selecting five self-employed graduates only was that the researcher wanted to obtain valid and reliable information from very knowledgeable and suitable informants. The semi-structured interviews focused on the components of training delivery environments. This means, the conceptional framework of the study, discussed in Chapter Two, guided the questions of the semi- structured interview.
3.5.2.2 Document analysis
Document analysis entailed primary documents, which were those directly related to the NFE centres under investigation. According to Kumar (2011, p.163), document analysis is “a form of qualitative research in which documents are interpreted by the researcher to give voice and meaning to an assessment topic”. Though there are diverse types of document analysis, for the purpose of this study, the researcher utilised descriptive content analysis, which deals with identifying and describing the main content of data, chronologically and thematically (Kumar, 2011).
The research analysed documents, directly related to a specific training programme. By permission of the NFE centre manager, the researcher had access to the training curriculum or course templates, the training application forms, NFE manuals, annual reports, the guideline of the course implementation and monitoring documents and memoranda. In this study, the purpose of using document analysis was to identify information related to training objectives, learning materials, teaching tools, instructional equipment and content of the knowledge contained in the curriculum.
The curriculum of each training centre was also viewed because it serves as an education system’s roadmap. The research views the curriculum in terms the outlines both the objects of the learning, such as subjects, topics and planned activities.
Furthermore, the analysis of documents also helped identify elements of the training delivery approach for skills acquisition. The data related to training approach were the combination of
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technical skills with business skills, the use of workshops and project-based training similar to the world of work, the visits to the workshops, businesses and industries. Following the advice of Nieuwenhuis (2012), the researcher compared all these data from document analysis with responses from questionnaires and interview schedules.