Data Organization

Moving on from data collection, my focus now shifted to a database for analysis and the issues of tools and concepts for that analysis. The database for analysis constitutes two major types of data sources. In line with the linguistic ethnographic perspective (Tusting, 2013), the first type of data is linguistic data in the form of texts, i.e. VQ written assignments and Facebook written texts, whereas the other type is ethnographic data generated in the form of field notes from participant observation and, possibly, unstructured interviews, and, most importantly, transcripts of semi- structured interviews after a longitudinal data collection process.

Table 3.4 presents an outline of the data analysed in my research. My research gathered evidence about the extent to which the claims made in research can be substantiated in the context of VQ programmes in a UG.

Table 3.4 Examples of Texts Analysed for Each Writer

Participant Examples of Texts Analysed and Research Fields Routine volunteering activities Facebook

Example 1 Example 2 Example 3

1 Sam Tong Squadron’s training base and meeting venues Reflective Report for the GCGI Transcript of Semi-structured Interview 1 (Date: 10 March 2013) 1. Transcripts of Semi- structured Interview 2 2. Facebook tour 3. Screenshots of data 2 Jayden Ku Training and

meeting venues

Thesis for the MCGI Transcript of Semi-structured Interview 1 (Date: 16 December 2013) 3 Chris Wong Footdrill training courses: base and meeting venues

Thesis for the MCGI Transcript of Semi-structured Interview 1 (Date: 18 January 2014) 4 Holiday Ho Squadron’s training base Reflective report for the LCGI

Transcript of Semi-structured Interview 1 (Date: 23 August 2014)

Two types of data were collected: researcher-generated and participant- generated. Researcher-generated data include interview transcripts and audio recordings after interviews were conducted in the research field, the researcher’s fieldnotes from observations and photographs taken by the researcher in the research field, while participant-generated data cover VQ writers’ own written work submitted to the awarding body as well as other related documents issued by the uniformed group and the awarding body.

The following table (Table 3.5) lists data collected between December 2012 and December 2014.

Table 3.5 Research Participants’ Major Literacy Activities Participant Rank &

Position Data Collected

Data Generated Date Data Collected Date 1 Sam Tong Flight Lieutenant and Squadron Leader Major type of writing

Reflective report for the City & Guilds Graduateship in Youth

Management and Training (Level 6) 01/08/2010 01/12/2012

Sam’s Major Unit Commander Feedback Form 01/08/2010 01/12/2012

Other

text types Email correspondence

01/10/2009– 31/12/2014

01/12/2012– 31/12/2014 First semi-structured interview on 1) second language learning

experience and 2) vocational qualification and transcript 10/3/2013 10/3/2013 Second semi-structured interview on 1) technology-related life

history, 2) Facebook’s current practices and 3) Facebook social networking and interaction and transcript

30/11/2014 30/11/2014

Collection of all Facebook postings from 2007 to 31/12/2014, copied to Word.

Occasional observations on Facebook’s literacy practices and screenshots related to volunteering

2007– 31/12/2014

20/11/2013– 31/12/2014

Participant observation on the fourth Group meeting in 2013 and a

summary of report items 21/11/2013 21/11/2013

Participant observation on the second part of the Wing meeting of the

cohort of 2014/2015 and field notes 19/03/2014 19/03/2014

Participant observation on the third Group meeting in 2014 and Sam’s

2 Holiday Ho Flying Officer and Flight Lieutenant Major type of writing

Reflective report for the City & Guilds Licentiateship in Youth

Leadership and Training (Level 4) 13/03/2013 13/01/2014

Holiday’s Major Unit Commander Feedback Form 13/03/2013 13/01/2014 Other

text types Email correspondence

01/10/2009– 31/12/2014

01/03/2013– 31/12/2014 First semi-structured interview on 1) second language learning

experience and 2) vocational qualifications 23/8/2014 23/8/2014

Second semi-structured interview on 1) technology-related life history, 2) Facebook’s current practices and 3) Facebook social networking and interaction

23/8/2014 23/8/2014

Collection of all Facebook postings from 2007 to 31/12/2014, copied to Word.

Occasional observations on Facebook’s literacy practices and screenshots related to volunteering

2007- 31/12/2014

20/11/2013– 31/12/2014

Participant observation on a routine training activity at a local school 23/8/2014 23/8/2014 Participant observation on a pre-departure briefing session and field

notes recording the interaction about three parts of the CVQO Graduation Ceremony 2014 in England: pre-, during and post-trip stages. 29/7/2014– 22/11/2014 29/7/2014– 22/11/2014 3 Jayden Ku Squadron Leader Major type of writing

Thesis for City & Guilds Membership in Strategic Youth

Management (Level 7) 17/7/2011 22/09/2013

Jayden’s Major Unit Commander Feedback Form 17/7/2011 22/09/2013

Other

text types Email correspondence

01/10/2009– 31/12/2014

01/03/2013– 31/12/2014 First semi-structured interview on 1) second language learning

Collection of all Facebook postings from 2007–31/12/2014, copied to Word.

Occasional observations on Facebook’s literacy practices and screenshots related to volunteering

2007– 31/12/2014

20/11/2013– 31/12/2014

Second semi-structured interview on 1) technology-related life history, 2) Facebook’s current practices and 3) Facebook social networking and interaction

17/09/2014 17/09/2014

4 Chris Wong Warrant Officer

Major type of writing

City & Guilds Membership in Strategic Youth Management (Level 7) 15/07/2011 22/09/2013

Chris’s Major Unit Commander Feedback Form 15/07/2011 22/09/2013

Other

text types Email correspondence

01/10/2009– 31/12/2014

01/03/2013– 31/12/2014 Semi-structured interview on 1) second language learning experience

and 2) vocational qualifications 18/01/2014 18/01/2014

Participant observation on the fourth Group meeting in 2013 and a

summary of report items 21/11/2013 21/11/2013

Online questionnaire on 1) technology-related life history, 2) Facebook’s current practices and 3) Facebook social networking and interaction

30/8/2014 30/8/2014

Collection of all Facebook postings from 2007–31/12/2014, copied to Word.

Occasional observations on Facebook’s literacy practices and screenshots related to volunteering

2007– 31/12/2014 20/11/2013– 31/12/2014 5 David Harris Assessor and Operations Manager Major type of writing

Assessor’s feedback forms for all my research participants 09/09/2010–

22/11/2013 12/12/2013 Other

text types Email correspondence

01/09/2009– 31/12/2014

12/12/2013– 31/12/2014

Video on thesis writing workshop – transcript 09/03/2011 1/5/2014

Unstructured Skype interview 17/07/2014 17/07/2014

Semi-structured interview on 1) second language learning experience

and 2) vocational qualifications 09/10/2014 09/10/2014