Data-generation methods - Exploring teachers’ experiences of teaching fractions in grade 6 in t

To generate data in this study I used reflective activity, semi-structured interviews and focus group interviews to explore teachers’ experiences of teaching fractions to Grade 6 learners.

Firstly, the participants (teachers) were asked to reflect on their experiences of teaching fractions in Grade 6. The reflective activity was followed by semi-structured interviews, which allow flexibility and afford interviewees the freedom to relax enough to provide rich information as the researcher probes for more responses (Cohen et al., 2011). Finally, focus group interviews were done in order to triangulate data. Triangulation is a method used by qualitative researchers to check and establish validity in their research (Mettetal, 2012).

3.7.1 Reflection activity

Valli (2009) defines “reflection activity” as an activity that looks back at the educational goals, purposes, subject matter, curriculum, school organisation and structure to ensure that they are logical. Before their interviews all of the participants were asked to reflect on their experiences of teaching fractions to Grade 6 learners. Cohen et al. (2011) and Millan (2008) state that a reflective activity is a written activity that asks participants to complete a small series of questions about the issue being studied. Therefore, this activity allowed these teachers to reflect on their experiences of teaching fractions to Grade 6 learners. Flores and Day (2006) assert that reflection is a revisiting of past experiences to inform the meaning of present or future experiences. Boud, Keogh and Walker (1985) agree that reflection is an important human activity in which people recapture experiences and assess them. According to these definitions, reflection is the process of learning from experiences so that the findings can be applied in new contexts.

To the contrary, Clarke (2003) states that reflection is a process of internal dialogue that is facilitating by thinking or writing and, through an external dialogue, is compared with others.

Reflection is defined by Dewey (1960, p.9) as an “active, persistent and careful consideration of any belief or supposed form of knowledge in light of the grounds that support it and the further conclusions to which it tends”. This suggests that teachers should be provided with a

range of reflective experiences when teaching. Furthermore, Spalding, Wilson and Mewborn (2002) assert that doing reflective exercises prepares teachers to identify and analyse the many complex issues that arise in classrooms.

Schön (1987) divided reflection into two main processes: reflection-on-action (looking at the past to shape the future); and reflection-in-action (occurring in the course of teaching). Hatton and Smith (1995) divided reflection into three processes: technical reflection (the process of beginning to examine one’s use of essential skills or generic competencies as often applied in controlled small-scale settings); reflection on action (which itself includes three forms:

descriptive, dialogic and critical reflection); and reflection in action (dealing with on-the-spot professional problems as they arise). This theory suggests that teachers should be involved in all such kind of reflections in their teaching practice.

The reflection activity in this study allowed the teachers to describe their experiences in their own time, for a period of two weeks, without my presence, thus allowing them to feel “free”

while reflecting on their teaching of fractions. I then collected the outcomes of the reflective activity from the participants before we started with the semi-structured interviews, so that I had time to scrutinise them.

3.7.2 Semi-structured interviews

According to Merriam (1998), a semi-structured interview permits a researcher to respond to a situation as it unfolds. However, according to Churton (2000) semi-structured interviews also tend to provide valid data, thus creating opportunities for reflection, probing and clarifying ambiguity. In addition, Cohen et al. (2011) argue that semi-structured interviews allow flexibility, giving the person being interviewed the freedom to relax and give more information as the researcher probes for more responses. The researcher allows participants to respond in the language in which they are most comfortable.

Semi-structured interviews are useful for producing rich descriptive data that help to understand how participants construct knowledge and their reality (Nieuwenhuis, 2007).

Nieuwenhuis further states that the semi-structured interview is commonly used in research projects to validate data emerging from other sources. In this study, semi-structured interviews were a follow-up to the reflection activity, and I probed the participants following the outcomes of the reflection activity. The data received from the reflective activity were

complemented by the data received from the semi-structured interviews. This data collection technique allowed me to obtain information from individual teachers away from the influence of other teachers, as each was interviewed alone (Bertrand & Hughes, 2005). This suggests that the participants should have been open, comfortable and able to express their experiences freely. Therefore I met with the participants in a quiet place and took notes during the interviews. This note-taking helped me to probe for more information. I conducted semi- structured interviews with all four Grade 6 teachers.

The advantage of using semi-structured interviews in this study was that the process encouraged the participants to speak freely about their experiences of teaching fractions to Grade 6 learners. When conducting the interviews with the teachers I tried to prevent bias.

Interviewing the teachers helped me to generate the required data. All the participants answered the same questions but these questions were open-ended to allow for probing. The advantage of these interviews is that they were open-ended, therefore allowing me to follow up leads and thus generate more data. During probing I received more details from the participants on their experiences of teaching fractions to Grade 6 learners.

One of the weaknesses of the semi-structured interview process is that it is time-consuming (Pool, Montgomery, Morar, Mweemba, Ssali & Gafos et al., 2010). To address this weakness, in addition to taking notes, I recorded the 30-minute-long interviews to transcribe them at a later date. The interviews were conducted during breaks and after school hours, so that the academic programme of the school was not disturbed. The semi-structured interview process took a week to conclude and I then organised a focus group discussion to generate even more detailed data.

3.7.3 Focus group interview

According to Salkind (2012) a focus group interview is an interview of a group of participants by a researcher. Thus, a focus group interview could be described as a purposeful discussion of a specific topic or related topics, taking place between people with similar backgrounds and/or common interests. These interactions bring various viewpoints together. I used a focus group discussion with the Grade 6 Mathematics teachers to get a collective view of their experiences of teaching fractions. Niewenhuis (2007) argues that a focus group is a two-way conversation in which interviewers ask the participants questions in order to generate data and the participants also ask questions in order to increase their understanding

of the questions. During this interview, some participants were uncertain of how they should respond as they had not before been exposed to this approach (Cohen et al., 2007).

Cohen et al. (2011) believe that, in a focus group interview, the participants should interact with each other rather than being dominated by the views of the interviewer. A lot of data can be obtained when the interviewees stimulate each other to interact with the group (Flick, 2006). In sharing and comparing their experiences and views, participants generate new insights and understandings. The four participants of this study were involved in a group discussion and were able to discuss their experiences of and share their views on teaching fractions to Grade 6 learners. The advantage of a focus group is that it offers a researcher an opportunity to gather information from a situation in which participants are interacting with one another. However, the weakness of a focus group is that it is time-consuming. To overcome this weakness the focus group in this study lasted for approximately an hour and all the participants had an opportunity to express their views.

A group view was established on the same questions that were used in the semi-structured interviews, thus helping to strengthen the responses received from the other two data- generation methods (reflective activity and the semi-structured interviews). The focus group discussion was recorded and later transcribed. Table 3.2 shows the generation methods used in this study.

Table 3.2 Data-generation methods and sources

Data-generation method Source

1. Reflective activity Reflection sheet

2. Semi-structured interview Transcription

3. Focus group interview Transcription

Table 3.2 demonstrates the data-generation methods and resources that were used to generate/produce data in this study: reflective activity, semi-structured interviews and a focus group interview. Firstly, the participants reflected on their experiences of teaching fractions to Grade 6 learners. This process was followed by semi-structured interviews with the teachers and, finally, a focus group interview was done in order to triangulate the data. I utilised multiple sources of data because I wished to pursue some form of methodological triangulation to corroborate and substantiate the findings (Merriam, 1998). Table 3.3 shows

how data were generated. I will demonstrate a strategy for my data generation by following the guidelines of Vithal and Jansen (1997).

Table 3.3 Data-generation plan

Objective 1 Objective 2

Why are the data being generated?

Identify and understand teachers’ experiences of teaching fractions to Grade 6 learners (CAPS): A study in one rural school.

Understand why teachers have particular experiences of teaching fractions to Grade 6 learners CAPS: A study in one rural school.

What is the research strategy?

I will use a reflection activity, semi-structured interviews and a focus group interview to generate data.

Who (or what) will be sources of data?

Four Grade 6 Mathematics teachers.

How many of the data sources will be accessed?

Four Grade 6 Mathematics teachers by means of a reflective activity, semi- structured interviews and a focus group interview will be used to generate data.

Where are data to be generated?

Four Grade 6 Mathematics teachers at a rural school in Ndwedwe Circuit.

How often will the data be generated?

One per participant in semi- structured interviews for about 30 minutes, one per participant focus group interviews for about 30 minutes and one reflection activity per participant.

How will the data be generated?

The data will be generated through reflection activities, semi-structured interviews and a focus group interview, all of which will be recorded for easy transcription.

Justification of this plan for data generation

The reflection activities will allow the teachers to reflect on their teaching experiences of teaching fractions. The semi-structured interviews with discussions will enable

The reflection activities will allow the teachers to reflect on their teaching experiences of teaching fractions. The semi- structured interviews with discussions enable the

Dalam dokumen Exploring teachers’ experiences of teaching fractions in grade 6 in the curriculum and assessment policy statement: a case study of one rural school in Ndwedwe circuit. (Halaman 65-70)