Data collection procedures

Permission to collect data for this study was received from the KZNDoE, Nelson Mandela University (NMMU), school principals and participants (copies are provided in the addendum). Three forms of data capturing such as quantitative structured questionnaire, qualitative semi-structured interviews and observation techniques were used to collect data. These three tools enabled me to gain a bigger picture and better understanding of what was taking place in RSSs regarding teachers’ job satisfaction and WIPDPs in KZN.

4.4.3.1 Individual semi-structured interviews

There were eighteen RSSTs’ individual interviews. Three RSSs participated in individual semi-structured interviews in each of the three targeted district therefore, and therefore, there were nine RSSs participating in individual interviews. The reason for selecting few schools and RSSTs was that the individual interviews need much time to be spent at each site. RSSTs were interviewed individually in their schools. Each interview was intended to last for one and a half hours. Furthermore, Bless and Hidson-Smith (2000:1) argue that this method of data collection is called “method of authority” because it regards the knowledge producers as authorities due to their ability to transmit the truth or knowledge about what they know or have experienced in their local environment. However, the interview guide was used in this study to guide me when interviewing participants. Semi-structured interviews were based on the four broad areas: multicultural education, including teachers’ expectations of rural learners and bias and racism; RSSTs’ job satisfaction, including experiences of RSSTs’ job satisfaction, WIPD needs, working environment and needs expected from the community, and job satisfaction and the new curriculum; and the RSSTs’ work-integrated professional

development programmes, including PD plans, PD theories, current PD strategies, how

WIPDPs are conducted and the impact of IQMS as the teacher development strategy.

4.4.3.2 On-site observation

School observation was conducted after semi-structured interviews. Creswell (2003:185) describes observation as the method in which the researcher takes field notes on the behaviour and activities of individuals at the research site. Since there are limitations as to how much can be learned from what participants say (Mbokodi, 2008:61), this study included qualitative observation of teachers to obtain rich description of teachers’ work environment (Sammons, 2010:698). Observation was conducted to investigate the natural occurring

behaviour of RSSTs and events in the participating schools, for instance the nature of classrooms, buildings, availability of resources, interrelationship, PDP plans, teacher and learners’ commitment, the climate and ethos of the school, the state of the school yard, isolation of schools from each other and the level of late coming (Mbokodi, 2008:61). Observation findings were jotted down as they were going to be useful in complementing closed-questionnaire and interview data and in interpretation of the various situations (Mbokodi, 2008:61). However, Best and Kahn (2003:300) caution that observation should be characterized with the following: it must be carefully planned, systematic and perspective. Observation instruments for this study were submitted to the NMMU statistician and my promoter for approval. This is because the researchers must know what they are looking for when they observe the research site and what is relevant to the study.

In this study, observation method was used to cross-check the data that has been obtained from the structured questionnaires and interviews with participants (Nsubuga, 2009:182). Cohen, Manion and Morrison (2007:396) refer to the data obtained through observation as “live.” Similar views about the observation method are expressed by Jones and Somekh (2006:138) who state that observation method entails being present in a situation and making a record of one’s impression of what takes place. The advantage of the observation method was that I was able to record the activities and behaviour of the participants related to job satisfaction and PD, instead of relying only on interviews for qualitative data collection process (Nsubuga, 2009:183). Observation guidelines of this study are provided in the addendum.

4.4.3.3 Structured questionnaire

For many good reasons, the questionnaire is the most widely used technique for obtaining information from subjects (McMillan & Schumacher, 2006:194). McMillan and Schumacher (2006:194) point out that the questionnaire is relatively economic, has the same questions for all participants, and can ensure anonymity. Questionnaires can use statements or questions, but in all cases, the subject is responding to something written for specific purposes (McMillan & Schumacher, 2006:149). In this study, the questionnaire was developed from the literature study in Chapter Two and Chapter Three of this study, using my experience as a rural school teacher. The questionnaire was submitted to the NMMU statistician for assessment. The statistician provided ongoing guidance. My promoter offered ongoing advice and guidance of how to compile a suitable, structured research instruments. The ongoing

advice was provided by my promoter. Selected seventeen RSSTs were asked to complete the questionnaire in order to test its relevance to the research objectives.

This questionnaire was divided into four main sections, namely; demographic variables, multicultural education, RSSTs’ job satisfaction and WIPDPs. Teddlie and Tashakkori (2009: 232) point out that when questionnaires are used in the study, the researcher is employing a strategy in which participants use self-report to express their attitudes, beliefs and feelings towards a topic of interest. Questionnaires have traditionally involved paper and pencil method for data collection. A major advantage of questionnaires is that researchers can mail or email them to their respondents. Mail surveys are less expensive to conduct than in-person interviews or questionnaires. Because of the time constraint, questionnaires for this study were delivered and collected personally from June to September 2012.

Leedy and Ormrod (2001:202-203) and Gray (2004:206-208) highlight the following advantages of questionnaires: the structured item response questionnaires fit the objective of the research and are suitable for a relatively large audience in a structured standardized question response. Questionnaires are ideal for an analytical approach exploring the relationship between variables’ low cost in terms of both time and money and the inflow of data rapid and from many responses. Further advantages of the structured questionnaires are that the respondents can complete the questionnaire at any time and place that suit them; data analysis of structured closed questions is relatively simple, and questions can be coded quickly; respondents’ anonymity can be assured; and respondents enjoy a high degree of freedom in completing the questionnaires (Leedy & Ormrod, 2001; Gray, 2004).

The four main sections namely: biographic information, multicultural education, job satisfaction and teachers’ WIPD in this questionnaire have a link with other research instruments of this study, including the semi-structured interview questions and the observation guidelines. Quantitative data was collected from PL1 and SMT members in the three districts in KZN. There were four hundred participants. Items in the questionnaire were written in simple language to avoid misunderstanding among participants. The following factors were taken into consideration when selecting respondents: gender representation, post level, age, teaching experience, level of education and the type of employment. Section A of the questionnaire focused on the latter demographic information. For completing sections A, B, C and D respondents were asked to put a cross (X) in the box appropriate to them on the

five-point Likert scale such as strongly disagree (1); disagree (2); neutral (3); agree (4); and, strongly agree (5).