Planning and implementation of the CBPAR intervention project encountered some challenges. It was difficult to get all the identified stakeholders to assemble for the intervention project. This study was conducted when Nigeria had some economic issues that led to non- payment of salaries. And as such, all government institutions embarked on a series of strikes. Even when the colleges resumed, some teachers were not willing to take part in the study. These problems affected the study with regard to money expended and the time consumed.
4.11.1 Research rigour
According to Long and Johnson (2000), every research study is subject to open critique and evaluation. Without this the value of the study, its soundness with regard to methodology, accuracy of findings and the quality of the assumptions made or conclusions reached could be questionable. The findings of my study were exposed to criticisms from other researchers familiar with the field of my study.
4.11.2 Generalisation
Generalisation, according to Polit and Beck (2010), is the act of reasoning that involves drawing broad conclusions from particular instances, that is making an inference about the unobserved based on the observed. This implies making conclusions on other study situations based on the findings of a study already conducted. From the findings of this study, and considering the focus which explored the relevance, effectiveness and efficiency of
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stakeholders’ participation in TVET provision in Nigerian technical colleges, this study cannot be generalised to other colleges in Nigeria since the intervention programme was only conducted in one of the TCs. However, it has shed some light on the REE of stakeholder partnership in TVET provision. In contrast, the findings on the efficiency on TVET provision can be generalized, since it covered four out of six zones.
4.11.3 Validity and reliability
Both reliability and validity are important concepts in research as they are used for enhancing the accuracy of the assessment and evaluation of a research study (Tavakol & Dennick, 2011, p. 53). According to Creswell (2014), there are different connotations to what both mean in the different methods of research. In quantitative research, reliability is referred to as the consistency, stability and repeatability of results; that is, the results from a study conducted by a researcher is considered reliable if it is consistent with identical situations, but in a different circumstance (Twycross & Shields, 2004, p. 36). Validity on the other hand is defined as the ability ‘…of a researcher to draw meaningful and accurate conclusions from all of the data in the study’ (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2007, p. 146). Ensuring objectivity is not an abstract activity, but encompasses all efforts undertaken to ensure accuracy (validity) in all evidences that the research is based on, and the determination to evaluate the trustworthiness (reliability) of the analytical claims made about the truth (Silverman, 2010, p. 366).
Since mixed method research involves a combination of complementary strengths and non-overlapping weakness of the quantitative and qualitative enquiry, assessing the validity of the findings can be particularly complex, yielding a problem of integration (Onwuegbuzie & Johnson, 2006). In view of this, Creswell (2014, pp. 223 & 225) posited that when mixed method is applied to a study, validity can be established through the use of a convergent approach, that is a strategy from the quantitative method, such as ‘content validity’, and another from the qualitative method, such as triangulation.
For the purpose of this study, content validity was used for the quantitative approach, while credibility and triangulation were adopted for the qualitative phase
4.11.1 Content Validity
Thatcher (2010, pp. 125 & 141) described content validity as the extent to which an empirical instrument reflects a specific domain of content. On the other hand, content validity
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refers to how accurately an assessment or measurement tool taps into the various aspects of a specific construct in question (Study.com, n.d).
To ensure that the study is content valid, the researcher ensured that the data collected, analysed and interpreted addressed the research problem (Thatcher, 2010, pp. 125 & 141).
4.11.2 Credibility
According to Polit and Beck (2012), credibility deals with the focus of the study and it refers to the confidence in how well the data collected and analysed responds to the purpose of the study. For a study to be credible, the researcher need to pay more attention in the selection of the appropriate (Graneheim & Lundman, 2004).
In other to ensure the findings of the study is credible, there were detailed descriptions of settings, interpretations of participants’ views, and themes that emerged in the study.
4.11.2 Triangulation
Triangulation is one of the ways to ensure that a study is valid in qualitative research. According to Creswell and Miller (2000) triangulation is carried out to increase the credibility and also to check how dependability of a study, which is accomplished through the generation of data from multiple sources. In agreement with this, Punch (2009) and Patton (2002) argued that triangulation strengthens a study by offering the possibility of the combined instruments and competing weaknesses of either instrument.
To conform to the submission of the scholars cited above, alongside improve on the trustworthiness of this study, the researcher triangulated data generated through the use closed- ended and semi-structured questionnaires, minutes of meeting, unstructured personal interviews, and focus group discussion (Bryman, 2008).
4.12 ETHICAL ISSUES
The issue of ethics in social science research according to Burns (2002) became inevitable due to the involvement of humans. Ethics is defined as “a set of principles with widely accepted morale suggested by and individual or group; ethics offers rules and behavioral expectations to subjects, respondents, employees, sponsors, researchers, parents and students (De Vos & 2002, p. 75). According to Miller and Brewer (2003) the issue of ethics hinges on moral justification in one’s sense of judgement in the act of doing either right or wrong while interacting with humans, animals or the environment, and must be given the adequate consideration at different stages as the research progresses. In agreement with this, Laws,
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Harper and Marcus (2003) concludes that in dealing with participants in a study, the following responsibilities must be considered: the rights of participants involved in the study; the rights of participants in data and publication; circumventing harm to participants; avoiding undue intrusion. Others include: interacting information and obtaining informed consent; right of privacy and camouflage; and fair return of assistance.
4.12.1 Gaining Entry into the Field
Prior to conducting the study, permission from the respective quarters was sought for. This was done to avoid the issues of ethics emanating from participants in the study. Firstly, in line with UKZN’s research ethics, after defending my proposal, and before proceeding to the field for data collection, I applied for ethical clearance from the UKZN Research Ethics Committee which was subsequently granted. Secondly, informed consent was applied on the field at all stages of the research. Informed consent is an expression of anonymity, privacy and confidentiality of the rights of participants/respondents that is involved in a research study (Cohen, Manion, & Morrison, 2011). This implies that the participants taking part in a study must be at will to either take part of withdraw, especially when the purpose of the study is not clearly made known to the participant. De Vos (2002) remarked that there are cases of deception when the purpose of the study is not made known to the study participants.
On the field, the purpose of the study was made known to the stakeholders involved in the CBPAR processes and other respondents involved. Their consent was sort through the use of informed consent letter, which stated clearly their anonymity, voluntary participation, and the right to withdraw at any point in the study. The issue of inducement was also discouraged, as to avoid the introduction of bias in the study.
However, despite the ethical measures put in place some issues bothering on ethics cropped up while on the field. Some of these issues and how they were resolved are discussed below.
Fear of being indicted for corruption: Respondents from some of the colleges visited refused to fill the questionnaires for fear of being indicted. They claim the content of the questionnaires are too sensitive, while some say that since the content is the same for the three respondents no need to complete the questionnaires. To mitigate this problem, I convinced some of the participants that I meant no harm in the study and assured them of confidentiality. In the end some participated, whilst those who refused were substituted
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Financial gratification: Due to the non-payment of salaries in some of the states, some of the respondents demanded for some financial gratification before they would take part in the study. This demand took place in three (3) states in two of the geopolitical zones. I considered this a corrupt act that would influence their response, thereby introduce bias in the study. In order to avoid such, I boycotted some of those respondents/participants from such technical colleges, and selected others that were willing.
Access to data sites: Originally, this study was designed to be conducted in the six (6) geopolitical zones, but in the North-West zone, my research assistants were denied access to administer the questionnaires in Jigawa, Kano and Katsina. The reasons being that “I (the researcher) am not an indigene (northerner) of the State, I have never schooled there, so divulging any information to me will be detrimental to them”. Since I was denied access to the colleges in the three (3) states listed above. I decided to cut- off that zone entirely, to avoid waste of time and resources.
Security Challenges: There were a lot of challenges in different parts of the country with regard to security, although more prominent to Northern part of Nigeria. My research assistant for Bornu went to trace the technical college in his state, only to discover that all schools and colleges were closed down. The only state where my research assistant succeeded was in Gombe, but the questionnaire was not retrieved because he could not go back there. Every individual has right to life, so I retorted to leaving Northern part of the country out of the study for the fact that I could not guarantee the safety of my research assistants.