4. CHAPTER FOUR: RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY
4.4 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
4.4.3 Data Generation Instruments
In the study I used multiple sources of evidence. According to Maree (2008) the principles of data gathering include that the researcher does not manipulate the phenomenon of interest because the research is carried out in real-life situations. I adopted three data generation instruments namely; questionnaire, individual interview and focus group interviews, and document analysis. Below I discuss each one of them.
4.4.3.1 Questionnaire
According to Neuman (2011) a questionnaire is a tool used to describe and explain the status of the phenomena, to trace change and to draw comparisons. It is relatively cheap and easy to do, respondents and can be reached across long distances. Patton (1999) explains that a questionnaire is good for gathering descriptive data. It can cover a wide range of topics and can be analysed using a variety of existing software. However, a questionnaire may lead to biased reporting, data may provide a general picture but lack depth and may not provide adequate information on the context (Patton, 1999).
The perspectives of Head Teachers (Appendix 12) and of Heads of Department (Appendix 15) on educational resource generation and management were gathered through administering a questionnaire. The questionnaire sought to find out the availability, condition, procurement and maintenance of educational resources. It also tried to find out any factors affecting the effective management of physical and material resources and effective strategies of resource generation and management as HTs and HODs are local school managers.
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The questionnaire was based on key issues that were prioritised during the literature review in Chapter Two, namely: availability and adequacy of resources; factors influencing the process of mobilising and managing educational resources; and strategies to effective resource generation and management in secondary schools. I obtained other inputs towards the construction of the questionnaire from officers at the National Curriculum Centre (NCC) Evaluation Department who had experience in research. Suggestions from these experts helped me eliminate irrelevant items and to beef up sections that were not covered adequately. After I revising the questionnaire I then gave them to a smaller group at the NCC for final comments.
The instrument adopted the likert-type of rating scales.
4.4.3.2 Interviews
Maree (2008) defines an interview as a two-way conversation in which the interviewer asks the participants questions to collect data and to learn about ideas, beliefs, views, opinions, and behaviours of the participants. I adopted a semi-structured individual face-to-face interview approach (Appendix 13). The interview discussions were centred on the following themes: a) mobilising and managing educational resources b) factors affecting mobilisation and management of educational resources and c) sustainable practices for generating and managing educational resources in schools. The aim of utilising an individual interview tool was to see the world through the eyes of the participants and to obtain rich descriptive data that would help one understand the participant‟s construction of knowledge and social reality (Mengistu, 2014). Interviews usually yield rich data, new insights, details, and provide opportunity to explore topics in depth. They allow the interviewer to experience the affective as well as cognitive aspects of responses. Interviews allow the interviewer to explain or help clarify questions, thus increase the likelihood of useful responses and allow the interviewer to be flexible in administering the interview to particular individuals or in particular circumstances (Patton, 1999).
Utilising the interview tool allowed me room to probe for more information and get clarification of answers from the participants. Interviews allow the researcher to identify new emerging lines of enquiry that are directly related to the study then explore and probe them.
They could guide participants to focus on aspects related to the study in case they get side- tracked by trivial aspects (Maree, 2008). Conversely, interviews can be expensive and time- consuming. The interviewee may distort information through recall error, selective perceptions, desire to please interviewer and flexibility can result in inconsistencies across interviews
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(Patton, 1999). In this case, the interview schedule was also meant to complement data from the other methods.
Focus Group interviews (FGI): a focus group interview involves a small homogeneous group gathered to study or assess a problem. It can be used as a primary evidence-based technique in evaluation and policy studies and can be employed in any phase of planning, implementation, or in policy management (McMillan & Schumacher, 2010; 2014). The focus group interview schedule (Appendix 16) followed the same procedure as that of individual face-to-face interviews with HTs as mentioned in (Section 4.4.3.2) above. I conducted focus group interviews with HODs all of whom had a teaching experience of five years and above. The focus group interviews consisted four to six (4-6) participants from each of the selected schools.
Patton (1999) argues that focus group interviews help stimulate a richer response or new and valuable thought. They challenge the thinking of participants‟ illuminating conflicting opinions and participants do not withhold information but say all that is relevant or all that they know in less time. In this case, I was alone in conducting the data gathering, the volume of issues to cover was not so extensive and it was an acceptable number of targeted participants assembled in one location per school. Although interviews generally are sometimes criticised for possibly being deceptive in that participants may give information and perspectives they want the researcher to hear, (Creswell, 2008; McMillan & Schumacher 2010). The desire to please the interviewer and flexibility in interviews can result in inconsistencies (Patton, 1999). Other investigators (Agabi, 2010; & Mengistu, 2014) have continued to use interviews in their studies on resource management. This is because semi-structured interviews have the advantage of allowing the researcher to obtain detailed responses from the participants through probing (Creswell, 2008).
Each session of the interviews was planned to last for about thirty to forty minutes. In actual fact these took forty minutes per session. Focus group interview participants sat on a round table so that they could have a clear view of the facilitator and other members of the discussion group. I tape-recorded all the interview sessions. In addition, I also took notes to review answers and for additional questions and answers at the end of the interviews where necessary.
Tape recording helped me with the transcriptions for analysis purposes.
99 4.4.3.3 Document Analysis
McMillan and Schumacher (2010) define document and artefact viewing as a non-interactive strategy for obtaining qualitative data with little or no reciprocity between the researcher and the participant. Documents are tangible manifestations that describe people‟s experience, knowledge, actions and values. They require imaginative fieldwork to locate relevant data.
According to Patton (1999) documents are particularly useful in describing institutional characteristics, such as backgrounds and academic performance of students, and in identifying institutional strengths and weaknesses. They can help the researcher understand the institution‟s resources, values, processes, priorities, and concerns. Documents are also useful for determining value, interest, positions, political climate, and public attitudes. They provide information on historical trends or sequences and provide opportunity for study of trends over time (Patton, 1999). However, it is worth noting that some documents may be incomplete, inaccurate or of questionable authenticity and their access may be difficult. In this study I analysed the schools strategic or development plans and departmental stock books. These are official documents that describe the functions, values of an organisation and how various stakeholders define, in this case, the schools under investigation.
Stock books (Appendix 17): A stock book shows formation recorded in the school regarding inventory of resources allocated or utilised in the schools. It acts as a primary source for the management of educational resources in each of the schools, for evaluation purposes (Mengistu, 2014). According to SGRP (1978) the head of school is responsible for the care and maintenance all school stock (books, stationery, equipment, furniture, tools, etc). A stock book must be kept listing all contents of the school, giving an up-to-date and accurate record of stock. The SGRP (1978) further indicates that: a) the stock book must include all school owned property and a stock check must be taken at the beginning of each term; b) all existing school stock must be recorded and when stock is obtained, it must be entered in the stock book with date of receipt and the source. Columns must record the number or quantity of each item and losses or damages at the time of the stock check. These records and information aid in making requisitions; c) unless the stock book is kept and up-to-date, the MoET will not supply further materials or equipment to the school; d) a full stock check must be made at the time of an official hand-over (SGRP, 1978). The stock book was analysed to gather information on how school owned property is recorded; number and quantity of school resources available, and item losses or damages of the stocks or how schools keep track of their resources. Viewing on the maintenance and disposal of physical resources were also a matter of concern.
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The School strategic plan (SSP), (Appendix 14). Reeves (2008) defines a strategic plan as a process operating in an extended time frame between three to five years which translates vision, mission and values into significant, measurable and practical outcomes (Gumbi, 2009).
A strategic plan helps a school define what it intends to achieve when it comes to their learner success objectives and organisational goals. A combination of good planning and communication will ensure that all stakeholders including parents, teachers, administrators, principals, board members and community are all striving for the same goals. Successful strategic plan implementation requires proper management of budgetary and time resources, the creation of high-output teams and the consistent monitoring of all progress (Reeves, 2008).
Strategic planning for schools therefore is critical because of the following reasons as expressed by Denscombe (2008). a) The SSP expresses a shared vision, mission and values which enables all stakeholders to work towards a common vision. With a well communicated and executed strategic plan, everyone is informed of the school‟s goals and how their actions are contributing to the achievement of the goals, thus it encourages collaboration. b) A strategic plan effectively organises schools and their staff. This means that the plan encourages commitment by showing staff members that their work is essential to help the school succeed.
c) A strategic plan defines how success is measured. A school with a strategy can monitor its progress toward key outcomes and evaluate where and how it may have gotten off track including its physical and material resources. d) A strategic plan aids a school‟s board with governance decisions and provides direction for the future. It means that if a strategic plan is in place, the school committee has a roadmap which it can track, evaluate and modify to facilitate better governance decisions and provide direction for the future of the school holistically. e) A strategic plan increases communication and engagement. So, communication in schools is critical so that everyone understand their responsibilities and departments are effective in coordinating their efforts. The plan also helps with fundraising, and donors would be more likely to support a school that has a clear vision and a strategy to make it happen. f) Strategic planning also provides a framework so that the most important priority of the school, the students‟ educational achievement is taken care of (Denscombe, 2008). This implies that a strategic plan draws attention to each school‟s great priority which is that of learners‟ high achievement and school performance.
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Basically, the school strategic plan was analysed to understand the management of budgetary and time resources, the creation of high-output teams and the monitoring of progress is attained in schools regarding the physical and material resources for sustainability. Document analysis in this study was used to complement the questionnaire and interviews‟ findings in terms of additional data.