Lodico, Spaulding and Voegtle (2010, p. 119) define an interview as “a conversation with a purpose, conducted with a person or group of persons”. Maree (2009, p. 87) is more elaborative, defining an interview as “a two-way conversation in which the interviewer asks the participant questions to collect data and to learn about the ideas, beliefs, views, opinions and behaviours of the participant”. It is on these grounds that I decided to use semi-structured interviews to generated data. Fraenkel and Wallen (2008) emphasise that an interview is an important tool to generate data because when interviewing people (such as teachers in the case of this study), it enables the researcher to discover what is in their minds and what their feelings are about their situation.
I administered one semi-structured interview to each of the five participants before conducting the classroom observations. I decided to employ this method because it generated rich and thick data that responded to my research questions. Using semi-structured interviews aided me to engage in face-to-face interaction with the participants (Cohen et al., 2011). I therefore arranged the interview environment in such a manner that I sat face to face with each interviewee, as Scott and Usher (2011) argue that sitting face to face with participants enables the researcher to read non-verbal language such as facial expressions, thus allowing the interviewer to make judgements about significant signs and thereby locating authentic data from participants regarding their experiences and real-life situations.
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The interviews were conducted in pre-arranged venues which were the classrooms for second year students at LCE. The participants were interviewed on different dates and at times that were convenient to them. Before the commencement of each interview, I reminded each participant once again about the purpose of the study; the issues of confidentiality and anonymity; the use of audio tape; and their voluntary withdrawal. I used open-ended questions that allowed me to use hints and prompts and to re-phrase questions in order to ensure that participants understood what was being asked (Scott & Usher, 2011), thereby generating rich data on how teachers understood their teaching of mathematics in Grade R.
Maree (2009, p. 87) suggests that “a semi-structured interview defines the line of inquiry; as a result, the researcher must be alert to capture participants’ responses and have [the] ability to record unexpected emerging inquiries which are related to the study”. To supplement my notes and to capture all the needed information, I used an audio tape to record the interviews of five participants initially. Each interview lasted for approximately 20-30 minutes and all interviews were transcribed.
3.8.2 Observations
Creswell (2013) articulates that observation is a significant tool to generate data in qualitative research, cautioning that it involves the use of all the senses of the observer. I used observations to generate data because Fraenkel and Wallen (2008) advise that some research questions can be answered best through observing how people (in this case, teachers) act or how things look. I was a nonparticipant observer and observed all five teachers in the classroom. My observations were structured because I had planned a schedule which I used to observe teachers in order to explore their understanding of the teaching of mathematics in Grade R (Appendix B). Each participant was observed once and the observation for each participant lasted between 30 to 40 minutes. In each of the classrooms I made sure that I sat on the “sidelines and watch[ed]”, as suggested for nonparticipant observers by Fraenkel and Wallen (2008, p. 441). I took notes and made audio tape recordings because it afforded me the opportunity to replay the tapes several times while transcribing and analysing the data, thereby avoiding a distortion of the authenticity of the data (Fraenkel & Wallen, 2008). After each observation I ensured that my descriptive field notes summarised what I had seen and heard in the classroom and in the school environment at large. I also wrote reflective field notes that elaborated much on my feelings and thoughts about my observations, as suggested by Lodico et al. (2010).
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The third tool to generate data was document analysis. Maree (2009) indicates that data could be obtained by perusing published or unpublished documents, for instance documents like reports, minutes of meetings, and newspaper articles. Lodico et al. (2010) point out that the research questions of a study enable the researcher to decide on relevant documents to be analysed. Due to the suggestions by Maree (2009) and Lodico et al. (2010), I found the following documents relevant for generating data that would address my research questions:
teachers’ lesson plans; the Grade R Mathematics Curriculum called Integrated Early Childhood Care and Development [IECCD] Curriculum for Reception Class; this document is a final working draft which was developed in 2007 and the course outline for Mathematics/Numeracy course offered to teachers during their training at LCE. I found it worth clarifying that the course outline for Mathematics/Numeracy course is a document personally developed by the lecturer offering the course. It is developed through the guidance of the prescribed curriculum for CECE programme called Curriculum for the Certificate in Early Childhood Education [CECE] programme which encompasses content for all courses including Mathematics/Numeracy course. My analyses took cognisance of the following.
• Lesson plans: I looked at the general layout that the teachers had prepared; how mathematics was integrated with the theme; the logic and sequence of the presentation of activities; and the teaching methods which were used in teaching mathematics.
• Grade R Mathematics Curriculum: I analysed the five major areas of mathematical instruction in Grade R; the suggested activities which are supposed to guide teachers to plan interesting and exciting class activities; the long term goals of the curriculum;
and topics which teachers are to prepare and teach learners.
• The course outline for mathematics/numeracy: I analysed the content offered to teachers during their training; the time spent on content and practical; and the materials produced to serve as teaching aids.
Finally, I documented my analysis of all the documents.
3.8.4 The focus group interview
This method was not used because of unforeseen circumstances. Personal reasons prevented three participants from participating in such a process.
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