RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY
4.7 Problematising methodology
Data production: theory and practical levels
The techniques of interviewing demands a variety of skills, for example, ability to open up the discussion and keep the interviewee interested in giving out more information, (Terre Blanche and Durrheim, 1999; Bogdan and Biklen, 1994). In concluding my conversation with one principal, I forgot to ask that critical question that would allow her to talk even about issues that were not covered by the interview. My later interview with an educator revealed a number of things
about the school, for example, no windowpanes had been broken since its inception five years before, general views about the Department of Education, and so on. When I asked the principal about some good things about the school she had not told me about, she retorted, "But you didn't ask me! I told you everything you asked!" I learnt and was reminded about the emphasis research literature put on the need to keep the conversation open, just as one closes it, otherwise, one might fail to see what is before one's eyes as this episode showed.
The use of tape recorders during interviews has advantages and disadvantages.
For Patton (1990) for instance, the tape recorder is "indispensable", (Patton, 1990 cited in Hoepfl, 1997). One advantage is the keeping of accurate and true records of interviews, (Powney and Watts, 1987), while one of its disadvantage is that some participants either withhold some of the information or play for the tape, (Terre Blanche and Durrheim, 1999). One of the common mistakes neophyte researchers make, is failure to ensure that all mechanical aspects are taken care of to avoid any distraction that may result, and also the shift of focus from the interview to paying attention to the recorder and its functionality.
However, I realised in one interview that no sooner had it started, my partner was looking at the tape most of the time, and I did the same too, checking if it was still running or not, and the technical glitches occurred, the tape stopped in the middle of the interview. I had to make a quick decision that would allow the flow of the conversation; I panicked. Thereafter, I took down notes and we continued the discussion, with less distraction. After we finished, I rushed back to the office and reconstructed the interview. I learnt few practical lessons that will make literature materials alive, and will stay with me for life.
Theorising the data presented its challenges as well. Much of the literature I have reviewed to frame the study is Western whereas the research is done in rural South African schools. Theories of learning organisations espoused by Argyris (1993), Senge (1990, 1995), Lashway (1995) and others, did not seem helpful for
the purpose of theorising the data. Strategic management theories also tended to assume that the environment within which schools operate is orderly and organised, and that schools basic infrastructure was in place in terms of basic functionality. Rural communities' uniqueness, complexities, histories, meant that what these theories espouse means a different thing for rural communities. For example the concept 'transformation' and 'learning organisation' meant a different things for them than what the tenets of each theory entail.
Each researcher chooses the strategy that is deemed fruitful. Before I chose the most appropriate technique, some questions I asked myself were: Who is the possessor of knowledge? And how best could I access that knowledge?" to introduce Gough's (1999) 'Ignorance reduction' theme into this picture, this question could be posed this way: "Whose ignorance is being reduced here?
And how best can the said ignorance be reduced?" In short, do I access the principal's feelings and experiences through him, the possessor of those feelings, or do I do it without his active participation? Surely, it is very difficult to think of the separation of the experience from the person who experiences them, (Wolcott, 1992). Implied here, is the whole notion of ontological-epistemological positions that deny the existence of knowledge/reality independent of the knower.
The technique used preserves the person's dignity as a subject, and does not use him as an object, (Powney and Watts, 1987).
Interpretative traditions acknowledge researchers' biases, for example, Coe (1994: 21); Erickson, (1984 cited in Wolcott, 1995:165). Researchers make choices about sites, designs, methodologies, participants, and so on, privileging certain techniques may not be unproblematic. For example, privileging a multi- method approach to view reality may be problematic, as it tends to exclude other approaches that are not inclusive. Co-production of knowledge and exchanging of roles has been advanced by some researchers, such as Johnson (2002), Malcolm (2001), where the researcher's role is as much as to 'search' as to 'research'. Johnson (2002, quoted in Henning et. al. 2004: 106) advances the
notion of interviewers as 'educators' and interviewees as 'students'. The question of 'insiders' and 'outsiders', is everywhere, there are insiders and outsiders within schools too. Educators can be 'outside' the management; the principal could even be 'outside' the school (hiding in his office for instance, or spending all the time attending meetings, and so on).