AN ANALYSIS OF THE VISUAL IMAGES OF WOMEN IN GRADE 12 3.1 Introduction
3.2 The Research Design
The research design applied in this study will set the scene on how the research questions were answered. It will also explain how the methodology and research methods were employed in the process of producing the findings of the study.
The literature revealed that there has been much confusion between the ideas behind research design and research methods in educational research. Researchers at times confuse them with one another. According to Durrheim and Wassenaar (2002, p.6) “research design is different from research methods by which data are collected”. It is not uncommon to see the research design treated as a mode of data collection rather than as a logical structure of the enquiry. A research design is a working plan on how the research will look before the research methods are applied.
Creswell (1994) explains that, the function of a research design is to ensure that the evidence obtained enables us to answer the initial question as unambiguously as possible. The research design makes it clear how the study will proceed and how it answers all the research questions. It gives clear signals on what methods to use after the selection of a research design. Durrheim (2002, p.29) warns that a research design is “not just a work plan. A work plan will flow from the projects research design. Yin (2006, p.89) explains that“ before a builder or architect can develop a
39 work plan or order materials they must first establish the type of building required, its uses and needs of occupants. Then a work plan will flow from this.” In other words one can never start research without designing first how the study will look. Creswell (2011) points out that in social research a researcher needs to ask herself what kind of evidence needs to be collected. He suggests that, without attending to research design matters at the beginning, the conclusion drawn at the end of the study will normally be weak and unconvincing and fail to answer the research questions.
Durrheim (2002, p.29) explains that, “essentially the research design is the plan of how the researcher will systematically collect and analyse the data that is needed to answer the research questions”.
To avoid weak and unconvincing results, this study has employed a phenomenological research design because in its true nature it deals with human experiences. The phenomenological design in this study is used as a way to understand the phenomenon of the visual portrayal of women in textbooks. It is the search for essences that cannot be revealed by ordinary observation. Since the focus of the study is the visual portrayal of women in history textbooks, the phenomenon that guided me is the concept of visual images of women. In this case, the human experience which this study focuses on is the visual images of women in selected history textbooks. According to Sanders (1982) phenomenology can be described as a qualitative research technique that seeks to make explicit the implicit structure and meaning of human experience – the case of this study in history textbooks. According to Edie (1962) cited Ehrich (2005) by point of the phenomenology is to cut straight to the pure and unencumbered vision of what the essential experience is. Therefore, phenomenology will be used to tackle how women are depicted in history textbooks and how I understand the human experience of this depiction within the three selected South African history textbooks for Grade 12. My research questions drove this study to be a phenomenological research design and led me to choose the critical paradigm as my research paradigm which I will discuss later.
3.2.1 Critical paradigm
40 A paradigm is viewed by many as a broad plan that guides the researcher and it flows from what the design of the research has outlined. According to Taylor, Kermode and Roberts (2007, p.5), “a paradigm is abroad view or perspective of something.” In addition to what the three authors have shared in terms of a paradigm, Weaver and Olson’s (2006, p. 460), argue that “a proper definition of a paradigm is, a paradigm reveals how the research will be affected and guided by a certain paradigm, ” In this study I have adopted the critical research paradigm to reveal how the research will be guided.
The reason I have chosen the critical research paradigm is because I am curious to understand the ways in which power works in society. According to Dimitridadis and Kamberelis (2006, p.132) “in more complex organisations of society the way power plays out is not always easy to see”. Therefore the critical paradigm focuses on bringing about some kind of change that will benefit those groups who are understood to have little power or few opportunities or choices open to them. This may be due to their gender, race or their class. The critical paradigm best fits the focus of my study which is, analysing the visual images of women in history textbooks. I am hoping to discover what exists in the selected textbooks regarding women’s histories and visual images. Lincoln and Guba (1994, p.109) explain that the “critical challenges both post-positivist and interpretivist paradigms because the critical exposes how political ideology is inextricably, interwoven with knowledge but problems exist. Secondly the critical paradigm can be seen as an umbrella term for set of different orientation to research.” Giroux (2011) argues that the critical paradigm has an agenda of change. In addition Guba and Lincoln (1994) argue that the critical paradigm is historically realism. Historically, realism is the view that reality has been shaped by social, political, ethnic and gender values. This is why this study has adopted a critical paradigm because it will reveal why women are depicted and positioned socially, politically and ethnically the way they are in the history textbooks studied.
However, there are weaknesses concerning the critical paradigm. It is viewed as labelling participants as belonging to certain groups. Furthermore, according to Cohen, Manion and Morrison (2007) the critical paradigm stereotypes participants in
41 two ways. Firstly, it often labels participants as belonging to a particular marginalised group; therefore homogeneous notions of identity are superimposed. Secondly, the critical paradigm does not acknowledge that different participants enter the research at varying levels of conscientisation.
3.2.2 Ontology and Epistemology
The research design, paradigm and the methodology in this chapter have been influenced by ontological and epistemological positions because my study deals with power and values relations. Marsh and Furlong (2002) cited by Richard (2003) state that ontology is the science or theory of being. It concerns the questions of how the world is built and ‘is there a real world out there’ that is independent of our knowledge of it? Marsh and Furlong (2002) take this further by explaining that two distinctions can be made; there is a real world that is independent from our knowledge and secondly there is no real world but the world is socially and discursively constructed and hence dependent from a particular time or culture. It is especially the second idea I have used in finding out what really exists in terms of the visuals in history textbooks as I agree with Marsh and Furlong that the world is not independent, and is socially constructed. In other words the world is dependent on what surrounds it in terms of time and culture. In the case of this study it is mostly the South African context related to gender relations as explained in chapter 1, the NCS, textbook publishers and the constitution. This is where the question of power and domination originate regarding the textbooks. Who has the final word in deciding what should be included and what should be omitted from history textbooks?
Miller (2010) in turn views ontology as the study of the way things are and the form and nature of reality. Miller also provides us with three usable concepts regarding ontology, namely it is:
• The study of the nature of existence
• The specification of concept(s)
• The body of knowledge describing a domain of knowledge that is commonly known
42 These concepts assisted me in developing an ontological position namely: reality is socially constructed and in the case of this study textbooks are socially constructed by various stakeholders; within this reality concepts such as power, feminism and textbooks are key and lastly the body of knowledge is textbook research.
On the other hand epistemology is, according to Casey (1996), concerned with
“ought” rather than “is”. This is settled by reasoning rather than investigating.
Richards (2003) declares that epistemology is the theory of knowledge. One’s epistemological position reflects the ‘view of what we can know’ about the world and how we know it. Harvey (2010, p.15) puts it as follows – “epistemology is the study of knowledge and knowing based on well justified beliefs”. Therefore, epistemologically in this study about the visual portrayal of women is used to find out how and why they are portrayed, by reasoning.
However, some critics feel that ontological and epistemological positions are not always spelt out and are implicit rather than explicit but show themselves in the matter of methodological approach. According to Marsh (2002) these stances shape the approach to theory and the methods utilised and are grounded deeply in the researchers’ beliefs about the world, resulting in the effect that positions taken on these issues cannot possibly be changed. Marsh and Furlong (2002) feels that they are like a skin not a sweater, they cannot be put on or taken off whenever the research sees fit. In the case of my study I have tried to align my methods, and my theoretical framework, with the ontological and epistemological positions taken.
3.2.3Theoretical framework - Feminism
According to Casey (1999) a theoretical framework is a compilation of concepts such as thoughts. Martens (1995, p.3) argues that a “theoretical framework refers to how the researcher reports, questions, ponders and develops thoughts or theories on what possible answers could be”. Creswell (2012, p.13) “simplifies this by explaining that a theoretical framework influences how researchers design the study and collect the data and how they analyse the data”. Thus a theoretical framework works as a conceptual tool that has been used during a research investigation on how the topic,
43 research design and other methods fit together. In this study, I have used the theory of feminism as a way of framing my study and as a way of deepening my analysis.
This was decided upon as my study is grounded in the reality of human experiences where the representation of images of women in history textbooks is concerned.
This study draws on feminism as a narrative framework for analysing visual images of women in South African Grade 12 history textbooks. This will allow women’s voices to be heard and acknowledged in the visuals hence feminism deals with developing and promoting women in all spheres of life. According to Schoeman and Fardon (2010) a feminist theory offers an alternative theoretical framework for the study of gender bias in history textbooks. It focuses on multiple perspectives and opens interpretations, opens up female voices of the past and present and deconstructs realist historical narrative. Warner (2001) feels that, feminism is an appropriate theory for someone who is working with women’s experiences. From some feminist theorists such as Hartstock (1990), Jackson (1992), Weissen (1993) and Johnson (2004) cited by Subakir (2012) this theory was viewed as suitable as it did not invalidate women’s knowledge and experiences. According to Whitehead (2000) the relationship between men and women has never been an equitable one, in most societies. He emphasises that, whatever is spoken of, by and about men, hides other agendas, other philosophies and masculinities.
According to McNab (2012) for centuries men have dominated the academic, administrative managerial career fields; most of these areas was designed and conducted by men for male readers. Hence, the extensive and important role of women in society was often ignored. It has been revealed that foe centuries women have taken a back seat and men were the drivers of all spheres of life. By this factor, from generation to generation men have viewed themselves as a better and strong gender compared to women because from the beginning women were viewed by the society as weak and not capable as men. Men have been given by the society the glory and power to control over women. McNab argues (2012) argues that for centuries women were forced to accept a lesser status in academic and political spheres. These are among hundred factors of why feminism was then constructed.
44 The reason I chose feminism is, as a woman dealing with gender issues I have to look at how feminism emerged and how it was used in the promotion of women’s written histories and the ways that they were and still are depicted in history textbooks that exist, in other words what is written about women experiences in history textbooks and how visual images of women are depicted. Furthermore, this study attempts to discern if gender equity is implemented in history textbooks through visual images. Hollingsworth (2006) explains that feminist activist research consciously seeks to break up social silences to make spaces for fracturing the very ideology that justifies power inequalities.
Smith-Fullerton (2004) argues that feminist analysis is much more than just an effective tool which seeks to deconstruct the cultural processes responsible for constituting structures of oppression and perspectives. It can also lead to a greater recognition and connection among people who hold competing viewpoints and could ultimately even prompt social and educational transformation.
3.2.4 Sampling methods
Choosing a sample is a challenging task, and as a researcher I had to find ways of arriving at possible situations. Choosing three South African history textbooks out of the approximately ten sanctioned for use needed careful and logical consideration.
According to Kerlinger (1986) sampling means taking any portion of a population or universe as representative of that population. Similarly, Grove (1993) cited by Pingel (2008) says sampling refers to the extent to which a sample reflects the ‘truth’ for the whole population in the study. The sampling technique should have the aim that the views of the population are reflected by the sample. Of all the history textbooks that are published and cleared for use in schools by the DoE and used in schools (population), I have purposefully selected only three history textbooks used in Grade 12 which were all published in the same year (2007).
Sarantakos (2005, p.118) explains that with purposive sampling, researchers
“purposely choose subjects who, in their opinion, are relevant to the project.” The selection of the textbooks I used was based on informal conversations with fellow
45 students and teachers on books which are commonly used in schools in the area where I live and work. Additionally, I also looked at the authors, publishers and the date of publication since I am dealing with what were then the most current history textbooks in Grade 12. The reason I have looked at authors is that I needed to know if they are gender balanced. I wanted textbooks that represented both genders so I will know from which perspective they were writing and also to check if there was any promotion of gender equity in the way they have used the women and men visuals in their textbooks. The reason for considering the date was to ensure that the textbooks were current. Consequently, I have therefore, based on the above criteria, purposefully selected three books that are commonly used and have rich usable data. See Table 3.1 below for a list of the books sampled
Table 3.1 The purposive research sample - The three chosen South African History textbooks for Grade 12
Authors Year Title Publisher
J. Bottaro, P. Visser and N.
Worden
2007 In Search of History - Grade
12 Learners’ book Oxford H. Claire, R. Deftrereos
C. Dugmore,D. Ramaroka, V. van Reenen and V. Titus
2007 Making History - Grade 12 Learners’ book
Heinemann
N. Dlamini, S. du Rand, S. Haw, J. Karumbidza, P. Macallister, T.
Middlebrook. P. Olivier and A.
Rogers
2007 Shuters History - Grade 12 Learners’ book
Shuter &
Shooter
I have also conducted a pre-analysis in order to choose the books I wanted to use.
This was done to obtain an idea of what visual images are present in the textbooks in general and more specifically in the chapter that I wanted to focus on for the analysis – South Africa becoming a democracy – since it is contemporary history, I argued it should be richly illustrated by visual images. The idea for a pre-analysis is based on Nicholls’ (2009) suggestion that the researcher should review the textbooks first before choosing a sample. For this pre-analysis activity, I looked at visual images of women in the Grade 12 history textbooks. Based on the pre- analysis and the target content of South Africa becoming a democracy in mind I have analysed the three chapters as listed in Table 3.2 below within the selected textbooks.
46
Table 3.2 The three chapters chosen for analysis
Title Publisher Chapter Pages
In Search of History - Grade 12 Learners’ book
Oxford Chapter 4, How did South Africa emerge as a democracy?
175- 230 Making History - Grade 12
Learners’ book Heinemann Chapter 5, How did South Africa emerge as a democracy from the crisis of the1990’s
201- 241 Shuters History - Grade 12
Learners’ book
Shuter&
Shooter
Chapter 5, Democracy in South Africa
212- 244