Mouton (2008:108) states that data analysis involves “breaking up the data” into manageable themes, patterns, trends and relationships. This notion is supported by Cohen et al (Cohen,2007:81).The researcher started with the literature review in order to learn how the scholars have theorised and conceptualised on the principals’ implementation of instructional leadership, what they found empirically and what instrumentation they used and to what effect (Mouton, 2008:81).
After the data had been collected, the researcher read through the data that was collected by means of focus group interviews and literature study.
After the data was interpreted, the results were presented in the form of sentences and paragraphs quoted verbatim from the participants’ responses.
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The trustworthiness of the research is established when the results of a study approximate reality and are judged to be reasonable. The researcher used the following strategies to deal with threats to the validity of this study.
3.6.1 Observer effect or researcher bias
According to Cohen et al (2007:150), bias in research occurs when there is a tendency for the interviewer to seek answers that support preconceived ideas. To prevent researcher bias from occurring, the researcher wrote out her potential biases about the topic before the study begins to ensure trustworthiness of the findings.
3.6.2 Inaccuracy of the data
The researcher poses a threat to the validity of the research findings when he starts to interpret what the participants said during the interview in his own words. To ensure validity, verbatim accounts of the participants’ conversations during the interview are important. The researcher tape-recorded the participants’ expressions of their thoughts, beliefs and ideals on the topic being studied so that accurate data would be rendered. According to McMillan and Schumacher (2006:432), tape recording the interview ensures completeness of the verbal interactions and provides material for reliability checks.
3.6.3 Misinterpretation of data
Sometimes the researcher attaches his meaning to the words and actions of the respondents. Neumann (2000:369) states that a project is member valid if members recognise and understand the researcher’s descriptions as reflecting their intimate social world. To avoid the misrepresentation of data, the researcher took the field results back to the respondents so that they could judge their adequacy.
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3.6.4 The researchers’ use of non-threatening data collecting methods
According to Neumann (2000: 369), ecological validity is the degree to which the social world as described by the researcher matches the world of members. To ensure ecological validity, non-obtrusive, non-threatening and non-manipulating methods of collecting data were employed by the researcher. The researcher asked for the respondents’ permission to use the tape recorder and to take notes, and did that in a non-threatening manner to the respondents. Ethical considerations are discussed in the next section.
3.7 ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS 3.7.1 Voluntary, informed consent
To ensure voluntary participation, the researcher began this study by establishing relationships and rapport with the participants (Babbie & Mouton, 2001:521; Cohen et al., 2007:382). To accomplish this, the researcher delivered the letters by which she was requesting the participants to co-operate in the study personally. The researcher asked the would-be participants to be part of the study voluntarily.
Each participant was requested to read his letter in the researcher’s presence so that the researcher could give clarity where it was required. The researcher then explained that the study which was on the secondary schools principals’ implementation of instructional leadership in the Amajuba District would be of great help to the schools in the district, in the whole country as well as internationally. During the dialogue with the prospective participants, the researcher explained to them that they have the right to withdraw from this study at any time they deem it fit (McMillan & Schumacher, 2006:398).
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To ensure anonymity of the participants and their schools, letters of the alphabet and numbers were used for the names of the schools as well as for the participants as explained in section 3.4. According to Burgess (2004:10) and Mouton (2001:167), when the participants are assured of anonymity, they become free to express themselves openly and provide “too much” data because there is no threat of being identified.
3.7.3 Confidentiality
Before the participants became involved in the study, the researcher assured them of confidentiality, anonymity and non-traceability in the research (Cohen et al., 2007:318).
The researcher also explained to the participants that the data would be audio-taped then transcribed into text. During that dialogue, a relationship of trust was formed between the researcher and the participants.
3.7.4 Respect of participants’ privacy
In order to ensure respect of participants’ privacy, the researcher refrained from asking them questions about personal and intimate issues which could evoke guilt and anxiety. The researcher asked for permission from the participants before she started to collect information from them or about them (Burgess, 2004:10; Mouton, 2001:167).
3.7.5 Deceiving subjects
The researcher revealed her identity to the participants before the study commenced. The researcher also told the participants explicitly that she was conducting research. The researcher did that so that the participants could decide whether to be part of the research study or not. The researcher explained to them that they would be involved in a research project, what the study was about and for whom as well as its significance (Babbie &
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Mouton, 2001:525). The researcher explained to the participants that the results of this study will benefit the Amajuba District and the country as a whole.
3.7.6 Honesty in reporting result
When the results of the study were published, the researcher took care to protect the identities of the participants as anonymity was guaranteed prior to the commencement of the research. The researcher did not falsify or fabricate data in her findings, and did point out the limitations in her findings (Terre-Blanche & Durrheim, 1999:70; McMillan & Schumacher; 2006:399).
In order to render an honest report of the results, the researcher tape recorded and wrote verbatim accounts of the participants’ comments, descriptions and interpretations, beliefs and thoughts on the secondary school principals’ implementation of instructional leadership ( McMillan and Schumacher, 2006:399).
3.8 CONCLUSION
Chapter Three focused on the research design and research methodologies which were employed in the collection of the data. The researcher elaborated on her choice of the qualitative approach to the study. Data collection strategies and the procedure that was used to select the participants for the study were also presented in this chapter. The strategies that were used for the processing and analysis of data strategies were also discussed in detail. The next chapter will focus on the analysis and the interpretation of the data that was collected by means of focus group interviews.
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CHAPTER FOUR
DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION