RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
4.2 RESEARCH PARADIGM
This study is located within the interpretivist paradigm. An interpretivist paradigm is of the view that knowledge about reality is socially constructed and can only be accessed through direct social interaction with people‟s shared meaning, language, experiences and consciousness (Myers, 2009). According to Cohen, Manion and Morrison (2011) the aim of an interpretivist paradigm is to understand the subjective world of human experiences. The purpose of the study is to explore if there is an interface between skills acquired by Technical College graduates and the skills required by automobile,
engineering, transport services and local Government Council with respect to their employability. This paradigm will enable me gain insight from stakeholders‟
perspective on employability skills required from Technical College graduates.
54 4.3 CASE STUDY
This study uses the case study design; as its purpose is to explore employability skills for Technical College graduates as defined by the National Policy on Education (NPE) (2004) and Senior Secondary Education Curriculum (SSEC) (2008), teachers, graduates and employers of Technical College graduates. According to Yin (2008), when the aim of a study is to provide answers to the „how‟ and why questions, where the researcher does not have control over the flow of information from participants, then case study is employed. Case study allows for an in-depth and detailed study of a situation rather than studying that particular situation in totality (Shuttleworth, 2008). Case study research is an investigation of multiple bounded systems conducted over time through detailed, in- depth interviews that involves several sources of rich in-context data (Creswell, Hanson, Plano, & Morales, 2007). Cohen, Manion and Morrison (2007, p. 170) see case study as
“an inquiry into a specific instance or phenomenon in its real-life context.” Kumar (2011), Cohen, Manion and Morrison (2011) support this view by adding that case study seeks a profound understanding of a situation with the determination of capturing the real life context of an event. The case in my study is a group of Technical College graduates who have completed their study and are employed in the industry, and they form the unit of my study analysis (Yin, 2009, p. 30). The study can been seen as an
“exploratory study” (Yin, 2009, p. 28), the reason being that my aim was to explore what the employers of labour requires in terms of skills for Technical College graduates to be fully employed.
Flyvbjerg (2011) argued that there have been so many criticisms on the use of case study as a scientific research technique due to its deficiencies for theory testing, validity and reliability, while others contended that case study lacks the capacity to exist as a methodology of its own since its usage is limited to smaller samples. These have led to misinterpretations with the use of the case study approach. Table 4.3 highlights the misinterpretations and improvements made
55
Table 4.3: Misinterpretations on the use of case study as a scientific research technique S/N Misinterpretation Misinterpretation revised
1 General theoretical knowledge is better than concrete case knowledge
Predictive theories and universals cannot be found in the study of human affairs. Concrete knowledge is therefore more valuable than vain search for predictive theories and universals.
2 one cannot generalise on the basis of a single case, the case cannot contribute to scientific development
One can often generalise on the basis of a single case, and the case study may be central to specific development through generalisation as a
supplement or an alternative to other methods. But formal generalisation is overvalued as a source of scientific development, whereas “the force of example” and transferability are underestimated.
3 While generating hypothesis, case study is considered the most useful method, while other methods are beneficial for hypothesis testing and building theories.
Case study is not limited to only research activities, but it can also be used for generating and testing of hypothesis.
4 The case study holds a bias toward verification-that is, a propensity to confirm the researcher‟s predetermined ideas.
Here the reverse is the case as the case study holds no bias toward verification of the researcher‟s predetermined ideas than other research
techniques. But from experience, it is discovered that the case study holds a greater bias toward falsification of predetermined ideas rather than toward verification.
5 It is often difficult to summarise and develop general propositions and theories of specific case studies
It is correct that summarising case studies is often difficult, especially the case processes. But it is less correct as regards to case outcomes. The problems in summarising case studies however are due more often to the properties of reality studied than to the case study as a research technique. Most times, it is not desirable to summarise and generalise case studies. Good studies should read as narratives in entirety.
Flyvbjerg, 2011, p. 302
The revised misinterpretations contended that case study as a research method can be used to gather and analyse data independently or in conjunction with other methods, the reason being that case studies and statistical studies are not in conflict, but rather they are complementary as statistical studies is detailed compared to case studies (Flyvbjerg, 2011). Besides, it will have a far reaching effect to understand a
phenomenon if it isolated from its backgrounds which dictates the use of inductive, qualitative approach in place of „hard‟ measurement (Ghauri & Gronhaug, 2010).
The main focus of this study is to explore if there is an interface between skills acquired by Technical College graduates and the skills required by automobile,
56
engineering, transport services and local Government Council with respect to their employability.