Data-Collection Instruments

Data-collection instruments are tools that a researcher uses to collect data for the study he or she embarks upon. In this study, data was collected by means of a group- administered questionnaire, an individual administered questionnaire and an interview schedule to supplement the questionnaire. Although the participants were fluent in and well-disposed to the English language, the questionnaire was thoroughly explicated in IsiXhosa before it was distributed to targeted participants to fill in. Each participant was at liberty to respond in a language in which he or she was comfortable. The researcher had negotiated with all principals involved to bring the above-mentioned participants together at their respective schools and homes at appropriate times and places to hand out questionnaires. As mentioned above, only questionnaires and interview schedules

were used in the study and in order to be as unobtrusive as possible, no observation was done at the schools. A mixture of data-collection strategies was used in the study. There was a compilation of one focus group and some participants were interviewed individually at their homes. The focus group consisted of family and friends so no feeling of caution was experienced when they expressed themselves on the topics raised. Individual interviews were also excellent as each participant felt free to express his or her feelings without a fear of repercussions, especially when they were assured of confidentiality of the interview.

In cases of more sensitive issues, perhaps the researcher has to take a more or even totally unobtrusive role in order to achieve the objective of the study (De Vos 2002:280). Wilkinson and Birmingham (2003:10) postulate that a group-administered questionnaire is a useful instrument for collecting data from a sample of respondents who can naturally be brought together for the purpose. According to them, this type of instrument allows each member of a group to complete his or her own questionnaire and return it to the researcher after completion. Wilkinson and Birmingham (2003:10) say further that response rates using group-administered questionnaires can be higher than those for mail surveys, as the group is often assembled specifically for the purpose of assisting with the research, and the respondents feel personally involved with the work by being handed the questionnaire by a member of the research team.

3.6.1 The questionnaire

Questionnaires provide a way of gathering structured and unstructured data from respondents in a standardised way, either as part of a structured interview or through self-completion. Questionnaires may or may not be truly anonymised depending on the sampling strategy employed (Somekh and Lewin 2011:224). The questionnaire for this study was organised according to the summated or Likert scale. According to Welman and Kruger (1999:155), the Likert scale may be used for multi-dimensional attitudes, which is not possible with other scales. They further suggest that a summated attitude scale consists of a collection of statements about the attitudinal object. In respect of

each statement, subjects have to indicate the degree to which they agree or disagree with its content on, say, a five-point scale (for example, strongly differ, differ, undecided, agree or strongly agree).

3.6.2 Interviews

One of the most common data-collection methods utilised by researchers to inform them about social life is interviewing. According to Holstein and Gubrium (1995:1), interviewing can be regarded as the universal mode of systematic enquiry. Individual face-to-face and focus group interviews were used. To get more and elaborate responses, the researcher used open-ended questions so that respondents could have enough scope to express themselves. As was seen in this study, educators and principals did not only report about what they experience but also why they say so. This was essential in answering the objectives and aims of this study.

3.7 Gaining Access

In order to be accepted by education authorities, principals and educators, the researcher had to create a relaxed atmosphere to present the request to do research at the schools. It has been proven that the positive presentation of oneself is very important because it leaves a profound impression on the respondents and has a great influence on the success or failure of one’s study.

Since the study was done at schools which are government institutions and the principals and educators are government employees, permission was required for conducting the study. The researcher approached the Department of Education in the Uitenhage District Office to enquire about obtaining permission to conduct a study at the targeted schools. The researcher was advised to write a letter to the relevant DoE to request permission to do research at the schools. The researcher delivered the letter to the Uitenhage District Office of the DoE, which subsequently sent the request to the Provincial Department of Education office in Bhisho. The permission was eventually

granted with stern rules that mainly emphasised ethical conduct during research and the protection of participants’ rights in terms of confidentiality, anonymity and human dignity. After the attainment of the permission letter from Bhisho, the Uitenhage Regional Office advised the researcher to present the permission letter to the principals of the targeted schools for, firstly, their approval and secondly, for their awareness of the envisaged imminent study at their schools. The researcher had sensitised the principals about the objectives and aims of the research before the research was conducted; hence, it was easy for the principals to accede to the researcher’s request to conduct research in their schools and with their subordinate educators. Subsequently, written permissions were given by the principals at all schools. The permission granted by the Regional Office was silent on the age of learners that could be targeted for study. The Nelson Mandela Municipality University Ethics Committee advised the researcher that he needed to obtain permission to interview under-age learners. The researcher then contacted the Regional Director’s Office in Bhisho to this effect. The Regional Director’s Office advised that the researcher could obtain such permission by contacting the school governing bodies of the targeted schools. However, the researcher confined the study to only principals and educators, in which case, the permission was not necessary.