Three data collection techniques were used in phase 1 and phase 2 of this study, namely video recordings, interviews and discussions. Each one of these data collection techniques will now be discussed.
3.3.2.1 Video recording
Part of this study is the trend towards naturalistic inquiries. Video-taping can, on the contrary, be perceived as an intrusive observation method. However to capture what had been said and taken place during the tutor-tutee interaction, and to capture interviews and discussions between the researcher and the tutors and tutees, video-taping appeared to be the method of choice. This choice also had the advantage that less descriptive - and more insightful observations could be made through video-recording. It also allowed for authentic and truthful data to be collected and presented, opened and made available for scrutiny. In order for the recordings to be least disturbing to the tutorial, a remote controlled camera setup was used as shown in Figure 3. 1. This setup allowed the researcher (8) to capture anything from the words written by the tutees (using the zoom and angle control on panel 6 to control camera 4 or 5) to the tutors actions (using the zoom and angle control on panel 6 to control camera 3). The movements of the cameras during their angle- and zoom control could hardly be noticed since they were positioned near the ceiling.
Figure 3. 1: Schematic representation of the video recording setup
During the video recording process more than one group were present in the room. The researcher, however, videotaped only one group. Neither the tutor nor the tutees knew which group was focussed on during the video recordings. The tutor, subsequently, had to interact with all tutees during the tutorial. Noteworthy is that opportunities were planned in the physics problem for tutees to be involved with the physics problem without the immediate attention of the tutor.
Three sets of video recordings were done. With every pre-tutorial meeting, tutorial and post- tutorial meeting a video recording was made. Transcriptions of these videos were then
prepared. The sequencing of the transcriptions of the video recordings was made based upon selective transcripts.
The tutorials itself involved the interactions of the tutor with the tutees, as well as interactions of the tutees with each other, and with the physics problem. There were three cameras for the researcher to use, meaning that the researcher could focus on all three aspects, i.e. the tutor- tutee interaction of the tutor with the tutee, the tutee-tutee interaction (through camera 2 and 3 zoomed out) and the tutee-physics problem interaction (through camera 2 or 3 zoomed in).
Although this study’s main focus was not on the learning events of the tutees, no need existed to transcribe those interactions. But these instances were however video-taped should the study later on require an exploration of these instances.
3.3.2.2 Interviews and discussions
The protocol of the discussions and interviews was designed with the research questions in mind. The discussions took place on two levels: level one involved discussions between the coach, the tutors and the researcher during the pre-tutorial and post-tutorial meetings; whilst level two involved the discussions between the tutor and the tutees. During the pre-tutorial sessions the discussion was mostly about the physics problem, difficulties experienced in solving the problem and ways how to address those difficulties. The post-tutorial discussions took the form of reflection about the tutorial. The interview generally aimed at getting tutors and tutees to talk about their expectations and experiences about the tutorials, their approach to learning, and their views on their meta-cognitive process developments. The researcher
played a participant role. A semi-structured interview-style was utilised to probe for contradictions in responses or to adhere to the original purpose of the study.
The social interview setting remained the same throughout the study to create a sense of familiarity.
3.3.2.3 Data analysis
In the light of the complexity of grounded theory the researcher aimed at understanding what was happening in the tutorial setting, and how the tutors managed and conceptualized their roles. This was done through observation, conversation and interviews (i.e. techniques for collecting data for grounded theorising). After each bout of data collected, the researcher identified the key elements, categorized the relationship/s of these elements to the context, and then derived a theory about the context in which the research took place.
The study comprised two phases. During the first phase the research methods were tested against the intentions of the study (see chapter 4 for a discussion on phase two). The data collected during this phase were from pre- and post-tutorials and from narratives of the actual tutorial classes.
The pre-tutorial meeting was an individual, video recorded pre-tutorial interview in an informal setting, conducted to investigate the tutors’ current understanding of tutoring; - current approaches to tutoring; tutoring style and objective/s for the tutorial. It was also used
during the post tutorial meeting to stimulate reflective conversation about the tutorial sessions
The tutorial was also video recorded and a transcription was then prepared reflecting the researcher’s observation of the tutors’ interactions with the tutees during the tutorial (see appendix B). An example of the physics problem that tutees were exposed to, can be viewed in appendix A.