Pilot study 75

The pilot study not only provides an opportunity to identify confusing, ambiguous language and misunderstanding, but also to obtain information about possible patterns of results (Wiersma and Jurs, 2005). Pallant (2005: 5) confirmed that validity and reliability of an instrument can influence the quality of the data obtained. She clarifies that no matter how good the reports are concerning the validity and reliability of the scales, it is necessary to pilot-test them with the intended sample.

The pilot study was carried out on 6 - 20 July 2012 in two nursery schools in Bangkok, Thailand. Details of participants in the pilot study are shown in Table 3.5 below. Initial meetings were arranged with headteachers of preschools to discuss and distribute information on the pilot study and clarify any concerns. Invitations to preschool teachers to participate in the pilot study were subsequently made after agreement from the heads teachers. These meetings were provided for preschool teachers to explain the process of interviews, observations in the classroom and questionnaire and to ensure no disruption occurred to all activities

Table 3.5 The details of participants in the pilot study

Positions School A School B Total

Head teacher 1 1 2

Preschool teacher 8 7 15

Preschooler 14 11 25

Ethical approval for the study was given by the Liverpool John Moores University Research Ethics Committee. Written informed consent was obtained from head teachers and preschool teachers. Observations of children’s behaviour involved both individual children and observation of the whole class; therefore, parental consent was obtained prior to the pilot study.

Conduct of the pilot study

There were five research tools to pilot validity, reliability and the understanding of questions. Details of conduct in the pilot study were explained, as follows (see Table 3.6), - In total there were two head teacher and five preschool teacher interviews conducted. All of the seven semi-structured interviews took place during a two-week period at a location within the work place of the participants and lasted between 30 and 45 minutes. All of the interviews were tape recorded with the participant’s approval.

- The questionnaire was given to 15 preschool teachers to complete all of whom returned the questionnaire. They completed every question with the average time taken being 25-30 minutes. The teachers were requested to complete and return their questionnaire within one week; nine returned their questionnaire the same day, six teachers required reminding once and then returned the questionnaire within one week.

- The classroom observation took place in three classrooms: one K1, one K2, and one K3, for a whole day per classroom.

- The child behaviour checklist was given to five teachers to rate their children’s behaviour. In total there were 25 children who were observed and checked in the checklist form. The teachers were requested to complete and return the child behaviour checklists within two weeks; one teacher returned five child behaviour checklists forms the next day, and four teachers returned another 20 child behaviour checklists in two weeks.

- Fifteen teachers were asked to rate their behaviour using the teacher behaviour checklist. All teacher behaviour checklists were returned to the researcher within two week of being received.

- Three classrooms were observed using classroom observation. While the researcher was observing the whole class, she also observed the prominent behaviour of some teachers in promoting children’s self-discipline and filled in the semi-structured

domains of the semi-structured observation form. In addition, five children in three classrooms were selected randomly by the researcher to observe individually in order to fill in the semi-structured observation form.

Table 3.6 Summary of Instrument used and the number of participants

Research Instruments No The participants in the pilot study Approach

Head teacher interviews 2 Head teachers from school A and B Qualitative Preschool teacher interviews 5 3 preschool teacher from school A

2 preschool teacher from school B Qualitative Teacher questionnaire 15 8 preschool teacher from school A

7 preschool teacher from school B Quantitative Classroom observation 3 2 classrooms from school A

1 classrooms from school B Qualitative Teacher behaviour checklist 15 8 preschool teacher from school A

7 preschool teacher from school B Quantitative Semi-structured observation on

teacher behavior 3

2 preschool teacher from school A

1 preschool teacher from school B Qualitative Child behaviour checklist 25 3 preschooler from school A

2 preschooler from school B Quantitative Semi-structured observation on

children behavior 5

3 preschooler from school A

2 preschooler from school B Qualitative

Feedback on pilot study

The comments from the pilot study for developing the research instruments; there were 10 teachers who made further comments on the questionnaire and the preschooler behaviour checklist. The most interesting of these were:

- Three teachers who commented on the questionnaire said that there should be more than three choices per question. Moreover, four teachers recommended that there should be a space for writing an open answer in case they felt there was no appropriate choice for a teacher‘s reaction in each scenario.

- Three teachers pointed out that some behaviours on the preschooler behaviour checklist do not appear in their preschoolers’ behaviour. For example, question 3.2 can

he/she use the toilet independently? In fact, all children can use the toilet independently, but they do not flush the toilet after use.

- Four teachers who commented on the preschooler behaviour checklist said that some questions were unclear and misunderstood, particularly in the issue of problem solving, such as question 6.1 does he/she make choices for solving problems? And question 6.2 can he/she choose appropriate ways to solve problems?

All amendments were made and the final version of all research tools before conducting the main study.