Understand lecturers’ reflections on the use of Moodle to teach Physical Science module
Explain the lessons that can be learned from teachers’ reflections on the use of Moodle to teach Physical Science module
Explain what informs lecturers’ reflections on the use of Moodle when teaching Physical Science module
15 1.10 Research Questions
What are the lecturers’ reflections on the use of Moodle in teaching Physical Science module?
How do lecturers’ reflect on the use of Moodle to teach Physical Science module?
Why do lecturers’ reflect in a particular ways on the use of Moodle when teaching Physical Science module?
1.11 Research design and methodology 1. 11.1 Qualitative research
The study adopted a qualitative approach. In a qualitative approach the researcher is given an opportunity to try to understand and describe the ways in which different individuals make subjective sense of their lives as outlined by Christiansen, Bertram, and Land (2010) as well as Cohen*, Manion, and Morrison (2011). Further to this, “qualitative researchers study things in their natural settings, attempting to make sense of, or interpret, phenomena in terms of the meanings people bring to them” (Denzin, Lincoln, & Giardina, 2006, p. 3). This approach also attempted to gain an in-depth understanding by asking questions that not only informs the researcher but also stimulates participants to reflect on why they engage in particular activities (Mouton, 1996). Qualitative researchers deal with socially constructed realities and qualities that are complex (Creswell-, 2012). Their task, therefore, is to attempt to describe, understand and interpret how various participants in a social setting construct the world around them (Maree, 2007). Babbie' (2004) also asserts that the aim of qualitative research is to promote better self- understanding (empowerment and transformation) and to increase insight into the human condition. This suggests that the qualitative approach was appropriate for this study because it might drive me to explore the social phenomenon (reflecting on the use of Moodle), in a social context (teaching a module), while involved with social elements (lecturers). I might also have had the opportunity to understand and interpret lecturers ‘autobiographical lived experiences (currere) on the use of Moodle (Pinar-, 2005). As a result, lecturers may make subjective sense of their lives when using Moodle as a learning management MLP since “qualitative research is about action not about a practitioners” (Bradbury, 2010, p. 2). This means that, lecturers (participants) might undergo an emancipatory process during this study and be transformed after constructing the world around them (Moodle platform) through their actions.
16 1. 11.2 Research Paradigm
This study was conducted in a critical methodological paradigm. A critical paradigm is described as a paradigm or research philosophy in which a researcher aims to not only describe and understand, but also to change society in order to become more just (Cohen', Manion, & Morrison, 2013). Further to this, it is emphasised that the study in a critical paradigm focuses on bringing social change which will help those groups of people who have little power, and few opportunities or choices because of their sex, race, and class (Creswell', 2013). It is assumed that, in a critical paradigm, the nature of reality (ontology) is subjective and constructed on the basis of issues of power (authority) whereas the nature of knowledge (epistemology) is constructed by involving participants reflectively in order to bring justice and transformation (Creswell-, 2012). As a result, I chose this paradigm because I wanted to understand lecturers’ reflections on the use of Moodle after the directive given by the DVC who is in power in terms having authority. This might assist lecturers who are oppressed (decision-making) to integrate technology and curriculum in order to transform and improve their technological knowledge and skills since Moodle is mandatory in their university. Given the purpose of this study and its focus, I therefore opted to use the critical paradigm as the most appropriate paradigm in this study on the assumption that within an ontological perspective, reality is characterised by social, political, cultural, and economic values as well as the history of the society.
In fact, we may all have “different beliefs or perceptions, but ultimately, there is only one reality and one truth” (Christiansen et al., 2010, p. 28) since the research findings from the critical paradigm are subjective and are not replicable (the results would be different if the same study was done in a different context). This suggests that the findings of this study may expose social injustice via reflections so that participants can be transformed whilst using Moodle. The results of this study were not generalised but other university lecturers have referred to the findings and recommendations from this study. The literature indicated that most studies used an interpretive paradigm in exploring lecturer’s reflections. Thus, to bridge the gap, I saw the need to use a critical paradigm to explore lecturers’ reflection, specifically on the use of Moodle.
17 1. 11.3 Research style
Furthermore, this study employs the qualitative action research style in the critical paradigm as it is defined by Reason and Bradbury (2001). Action research is a research process which is participatory and democratic, and is concerned with the practical knowing of human actions. It seeks to bring together action and reflection, theory and practice, in participation with others in order to find the practical solution to issues of pressing concern in the society. Further to this, Stenhouse (1979) believes that action research should contribute to the practice and theory of teaching used by lecturers. This suggests that, action research encourages the collaborative or participative approach in finding a solution towards the practical problem experienced by participants (Maree, 2007). In other words, when lecturers are acting and reflecting collaboratively with others, it may lead to community transformation, organisational transformation and most importantly, personal transformation.
In addition, action research is unlike any other research style; it is unique since “it is done by researchers on their own practice” (Christiansen et al., 2010, p. 45). As a result, this indicates that I researched my own practice on the use of Moodle in order to increase my own awareness, improve practice, and to change the lecturer’s reluctance on the use of Moodle for the better.
Action research in education assumes that lectures/teachers know best what is happening during the teaching and learning process (Creswell', 2013). Therefore in this study, I took lecturers as the best people to participate in order embrace the action research principles of participation, reflection, empowerment, and emancipation. Berg and Lune (2004) Outline three approaches of action research: technical collaborative approach (researcher comes up with a research problem to participants); practical collaborative approach (both the researcher and participants come up with a research problem); and emancipatory collaborative approach (both researcher and participants come up with a problem from a political point of view). This study chose emancipatory collaborative approach.
Furthermore, Christiansen et al. (2010) termed the above-mentioned approaches as participatory action research which involves four stages: strategic planning (stage 1), implementing the plan (stage 2), observing of the plan (stage 3), and reflecting on the plan (stage 4). As a result, in stage
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1, I worked together with lecturers and we formulated questions based on the given reflective activity on the use of Moodle, and the problem was identified in order to come out with an intervention. After finding answers to questions, stage 2 propelled us to implement the solutions/intervention towards the identified problem (action to implement the plan). Stage 3 then assisted me to observe lecturers’ attitudes/interaction towards the intervention. At stage 4, we therefore shared the results from the intervention with each other to see if the intervention did work or not work and this may lead us to another cycle/phase. Moreover, the study had two cycle/phase in order to ensure that each participant performed all allocated duties that may led to the improved use of Moodle. Thus, in all stages, participants were expected to perform a particular duty that may contribute towards the emancipation of using Moodle during the teaching of Physical Science Moodle.
In addition to the above, Freire (1985), believes that solutions should not come from the oppressors but from the oppressed. This means that solutions towards the reluctant use of Moodle might come from lectures (no authority) not from the DVC or management (have authority). In others words, involvement of lectures in this participatory action research may assist them to solve their own problems on the use of Moodle for transformation and emancipatory purposes in order to improve teaching and learning practices. One of the weaknesses of action research is the difficulty of conducting the research on a large-scale basis (Reason & Bradbury, 2001). As a result, I intended to overcome this weakness by localising this action research in a local context of Edgewood campus lectures who are using Moodle LMP to teach science modules at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
1. 11.4 Sampling
Sampling is described as making decisions about which people, setting, events, or behaviours to observe or study (Creswell', 2013). Kerlinger (1964) reveals that sampling is referred to as a process of choosing a smaller, more manageable number of participants to take part in the research.
Factors such as expense, time and accessibility often prevent researchers from using the entire population to gain information needed. Therefore, a small group or a sub-set of the population was used in such a way that it was representative of the whole group. This suggest that, in this study, I
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used non-probability sampling in order to select a manageable number of five lecturers from the School of Education’s Science and Technology discipline. My specialisation in teaching science modules enhanced me to choose those lecturers who were offering these science modules at a university. Specifically, I used purposive sampling in order to include lecturers whom I knew were offering science modules. However, sampling was also convenient because I chose easily accessible and available lecturers in the very same university. Hence, sampling in this study had no intention of generalising findings, as it was intended for the purpose of changing the status quo.
(Christiansen et al. (2010). Bias in sampling is one of the core weaknesses in research. As result, in overcoming this weakness, I ensured that the lecturers that were reluctant to use Moodle and those that maximised the usage of Moodle were equally represented in the sample.