Creswell and Clarke (2007) define paradigms as world views that we bring to our research and which influences how we design and conduct our project. Bertram and Christiansen (2014) argue that a paradigm is a framework that symbolises a precise world view that describes to the researcher what is acceptable to research and how to do it. Three basic principles define as to how one views the world and how relationship is built (Merriam, 2009). These principles include epistemology; ontology and methodology. Epistemology refers to how the creation of knowledge is theorised, ontology specifying the form and nature of reality and methodology defining how the researcher goes about studying whatever is to be known (Bertram & Christiansen, 2014).
According to Guba and Lincoln (1994), Creswell (2012) and Nieuwenhuis (2012), there are three major paradigms that underpin research, namely; positivist, interpretive and critical theory. Each one of the three paradigms implies different way of social theorising. The study is located on interpretive paradigm. Interpretive paradigm endeavours to pick up human experiences in the world (Cohen, et al., 2011). Nieuwenhuis (2012) concurs with this view arguing that it is the meaning that individuals or communities assign to their experiences. To get real information, Cohen, et al. (2011) argues that it is good for the researcher to listen to
64 the voices of people concerned and understand from within. Post-positivism believe in multiple perspectives from participants rather than a single reality (Creswell, 2012).
Based on the focus of the study which is on the School Management Teams and teachers‟
perspective in implementing Inclusive Education policy, this study is located in the interpretive paradigm. Interpretive paradigm is concerned with meaning making and it seeks to understand the subjective world of human experience (Henning, Van Rensburg & Smit, 2004; Bailey, 2007; Cohen, et al., 2011). Through the use of the interpretive paradigm, I had an opportunity to capture the experiences of the School Management Teams and teachers in implementing the policy. This was viewed by Maree (2003) when arguing that interpretive approach offers a perspective of a situation and analyse the situation under the study to provide insight into the way in which a precise group of people make sense of the situation they enter.
Neuman (2011) defines the interpretive paradigm as a whole system of thinking and further elaborates arguing that it is an analysis of socially meaningful action through the direct detailed observation of people in natural settings in order to arrive at understandings and interpretations of how people create and maintain their social world. Interprevist paradigm assumes that people cannot be separated from what they know. Bertram and Christiansen (2014) maintain that the truth is created through dialogue. The study‟s epistemological view was that knowledge is created in the interaction with the researcher and the participants.
Exploratory qualitative approach was used. By using this approach, I was able to interact with participants and through that process, I believe that multiple realities that participants have, new knowledge would be generated as there is no one single truth (Cohen, Manion &
Morrison, 2007). Interpretive approach revolved upon factual representational methods such as interviews; observations and documents analysis (Bertram & Christiansen, 2014). A researcher and participants are joined together in the exchange of words and opinions.
Methods used for data generation ensures that there is enough dialogue between the researcher and the participants to understand social world and the meanings these participants attach to it.
65 4.3 Research design
A research design can be regarded as a detailed outline of how an investigation will take place. Research design includes how data is gathered, instruments used, how are they going to be used and the intended means for analysing gathered data (Cohen, et al., 2011). Labaree (2009) sees a design as an overall strategy chosen to integrate the different components of the study in a logical way to ensure the effectiveness in addressing the research problem.
Research design defines the study type.
Cohen, Manion and Morrison (2011) further argue that research design can be qualitative, quantitative and can be mixed methods. Terre-Blanche and Durrheim (2006) define it as a strategic framework for action that links research questions to the implementation of research. Terre-Blanche and Durrheim (2006) also elaborate on this stating that research design provides a detailed overview of plan of study of the study and how the data is generated and analysed. McMillan and Schumacher (2006) define research design as descriptive methodology that is used to obtain answers to the questions of the phenomena.
I framed this study within qualitative approach. Denzin and Lincoln (2011) conceptualise qualitative research as an investigation which is useful for examining a topic of study.
Caudle (2004) explain that qualitative research design is a process of making sense of data gathered from interviews, on-site observations, documents and other then responsibly presenting what the data reveal. Again, qualitative research design is defined by Creswell (2007) as an inquiry process of understanding where a researcher develops a complex, holistic picture, analysis words, reports detailed views of informants and conducts the study in a natural setting.
Bamberger, Rugh and Mabry (2006) emphasise that qualitative research can enhance the understanding of participants‟ experiences. Bogdan and Biklen (1998) argue that this enhancement is done through techniques that give voice and articulate participants perspectives. Miles and Huberman (2009) are of the idea that qualitative research design is largely an investigative process where the researcher makes sense of a social phenomenon by contrasting, comparing and classifying the object of study. Miles, et.al (2009) elaborate on this debate stating that in this method a researcher builds abstractions, concepts, hypothesis and theories from details. Mouton and Marais (2008) concur with this and further state that
66 qualitative research designs begin with specific observations and build towards general patterns. McMillan and Schumacher (2001) see qualitative research design as a plan for selecting subjects, research sites and data gathering procedures to answer the research questions.
Questions in qualitative research are broad as compared to quantitative research but they need to be specific enough to tell the reader what is being investigated. The format of the research questions must be able to answer the research topic. The qualitative research design involves the procedure that researcher is going to follow, procedures like how data will be gathered and how it will be analysed (Rule & John, 2011). Qualitative research helps the researcher to gain understanding of the social world through direct personal experiences in real world settings Cohen, et al., 2011). In this study, I personally visited selected schools and participants to generate data. This means that the factors of focus that were being explored were studied where they naturally occurred not in researcher-controlled environments under researcher-controlled conditions as it is the case with quantitative study (Van Zyl, 2012).
Burgess (2009); Creswell (2014) are of a similar view as Van Zyl (2012) that qualitative research studies share qualities and characteristics of humans within their natural environment. In this study, I interacted with the participants in their specific schools to generate data. This involvement in a natural setting helped me to elicit meanings that the participants attached to their behaviours; how they interpreted situations and what their perspectives were on the particular issues. As situations can influence perspectives, so people can also re-define and construct situations (Van Zyl, 2012). In the context of this study, I was sensitive in the way that I used my research methods. For instance, I tried to the best of my ability to bracket my biases and preconceived ideas and I focus on the research problem.
Scram (2003) emphasises this aspect and argues that qualitative research is context sensitive.
It proceeds from the assumption that ideas, people and events cannot be fully understood if isolated from the circumstances in which and through which they naturally occur (Scram, 2003).
Qualitative research design furthermore aims to accumulate information via fieldwork where the person in the form of the researcher plays an important role. This is referred to as ethnographic research. In this case, I worked closely with the participants and their schools in order to better understand their work life without exerting any influence on them or their
67 behaviours. I exploded the nature of their interests and understood their relationships (Mc Millan & Schumacher, 2006). Qualitative research design is fundamentally interpretive (Schulze, 2002). This means that experiences in qualitative research do not speak for themselves nor do features within a research setting directly or spontaneously announced themselves as worthy of the researcher‟s attention. As a qualitative researcher, I did not view my task simply as a matter of gathering facts about what happened. Rather, I was engaged in an active process of interpretation that involved noting some things as significant but ignoring others as not significant, and constantly checking my interpretations with the participants.
Qualitative research methods are important because they focus on process (Bazeley, 2007).
Qualitative researchers are interested in finding out how understandings are formed, how meanings are negotiated how roles are developed, how a curriculum works out, how a policy is formulated and implemented, how learners become defiant and so forth (Woods, 1999).
This means that the social life is on-going, developing and fluctuating. Some forms of behaviour may be fairly stable, some variable and others emergent. I took some time immersing myself in the field in order to cover the whole processes and produce a thick description that would encompass this richness of the descriptions of what I was observing.
Qualitative research methods are important because they are based on inductive analysis and grounded theory (Khosa, 2002). This means that the study would not start with a theory to be tested and proved or disapproved, but the other way round is true. In the context of this study, I gradually developed my understanding and explanations of what was emerging from the analysis of interactions with my participants. In qualitative research methods, data generation and sampling are emergent as opposed to predetermined (Khosa, 2002). This means that as I gain more insight into the phenomenon, I might re-define sampling as the study unfolds.
Furthermore, data generation process continues until the data are saturated. Results were based on targeted schools. This means that results were confined to three visited schools in two circuits.