Pilot Study and Phases of the Fieldwork .1 Pilot Study

According to Yin (2009), a pilot study helps the researcher to refine their data collection in relation to the content of the data and the procedures to be followed. He further elaborates that in general, the main criteria used in determining a pilot study are convenience,

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accessibility and geographic proximity (Yin, 2009: 93). Reflecting on Yin’s concept, I employed a pilot study for two reasons. First, it was critical for me as a novice researcher to understand both the substantive and methodological issues related to the learning experience of students in the workplace before the main data collection took place. Second, it was feasible for me to do a pilot study by virtue of accessibility to a particular VUSS in Palu (discussed in section 4.2.3.1).

This pilot study was conducted in the AD of a state VUSS (Sekolah Menengah Negeri 3 Palu - SMK3P) in Palu. The selection of the pilot study site was based on its accessibility and relevance. The pilot study began on 8^th September 2011. I was directed to meet a vocational AD (AD) teacher of SMK3P from whom information about the pilot study was gained. The pilot study took place over approximately two weeks. In the pilot study, three students gave consent and came for interview. Interviews were also conducted with two vocational teachers and the head of the AD department of SMK3P. In addition, an interview was conducted with the deputy head teacher, due to his position as the person in charge of implementing the apprenticeship programme. Thus, a total of seven interviews were conducted.

The pilot study revealed certain aspects that were used to inform the main study. First, the pilot study provided useful information about how to develop interview questions and conduct a better interview for the main study. Based on the information of the pilot study, I arranged thematic interview questions. The thematic questions were based on the research ones (see Section 4.2.4.1). Second, it provided important information regarding how to gain access to the participants, including some technical arrangements needed for this. These arrangements included how to determine the participants of the study, based on information required from them. To gain access to teachers needed for the study, it was important to identify the subjects they taught, their managerial positions, and their roles in the apprenticeship programme. In the same way, to gain access to instructors, the understanding of their position in the garage was important, so that data required could be obtained objectively.

118 4.2.2.2 Phases of the Fieldwork

The initial fieldwork was carried out from September 2011 to February 2012, while data regarding the accounts of instructors was collected between September and November 2012.

I collected a number of important documents during the fieldwork. These included all the ones related to the apprenticeship programme developed at SMK1GT and the SBCs for the AD (see Appendix 4 – 1b). During the fieldwork, I did not collect the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between SMK1GT and the workplaces under the partnership because this school had not developed the MoU. Instead, SMK1GT only used a letter of request sent to the workplace prior to the implementation of the apprenticeship programme.

I conducted the interviews of the SMK1GT students at school in November 2011 (see Appendix 4 – 1c). Teacher interviews took place at school within the same period of time.

The results of the interviews were later transcribed with the help of a colleague. Thereafter, I began my preliminary analysis, which took place throughout November 2011 until May 2012.

Being an insider, access was easily obtained. However, I had to abide by the rules and protocols applicable in this school. For example, the research participants had to give their consent.

In the initial phase of my fieldwork, I did not conduct interviews with the instructors. This was because I considered that the voice of the instructors might not be so important for the study. However, as I conducted my analysis and constantly discussed matters with my supervisor, I realised that the accounts of instructors were in fact very important for developing a better understanding about the issues of the study. This was especially true in relation to the roles that the instructors played in helping students learn and develop their vocational skills and knowledge.

119 4.2.3 Sampling

In a qualitative study, sampling is defined as a selection of individuals or units, or the setting of the study. It is the segment of population or unit of analysis that is selected for investigation (Bryman, 2004: 87; see also Yin, 2003). It is a subset of the population from which data are collected and is based on the potential of individuals to provide the data needed for the study (Glaser 1978, cited in Coyne, 1997). The main consideration of sampling is whether the participants being selected are able to provide a comprehensive insight and understanding of the issues being studied (Marshall, 1996; Patton, 1990).

Marshall (1996) notes that the convenience sampling technique is the least rigorous one used to find a sample of the study in qualitative research. He argues that this sampling technique may result in poor quality data and thus lack intellectual credibility (see also O’Leary, 2004).

In other words, convenience sampling simply requires procedures that are available to the researcher due to its accessibility (Bernard, 2000; Bryman, 2004; 2008; and Teddlie and Yu, 2007: 78).

In contrast, a purposive sampling technique or handpicked sampling (O’Leary, 2004; see also Cohen et al, 2007) is a strategy that allows a researcher to consciously select the most productive sample to answer a research question (Marshall, 1996: 523). Maxwell (1997) defines a purposive sampling strategy as a type of sampling in which “particular settings, persons, or events are deliberately selected for the important information they can provide that cannot be obtained from other choices” (p. 87 cited in Teddlie and Yu, 2007: 77). It is a strategy where a researcher judges whom and what he or she thinks appropriate for his or her study, based on its relevance to the theoretical focus of the study (Cohen et al, 2007).

Reflecting on the criteria required for a qualitative study, the present study used a purposive sampling strategy for two reasons. First, in Central Sulawesi the number of VUSSs is quite large: 107 schools (Table 3.3). Second, the research questions of the study (the influence of learning experiences of students on their vocational skills and knowledge development and

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the influence of instructors in the workplace) necessitates the selection of students, teachers and instructors, based on their potential to provide rich data for the study (Patton, 1990).

4.2.3.1 Selection of District and School

As mentioned in the previous section, the selection of the Tolitoli district of Central Sulawesi is based on the fact that the researcher lives in Palu and teaches in Tolitoli and therefore access to the district is easily obtained. I believe that the district of Tolitoli is able to provide interesting information regarding the subject matter of the study because it has a long experience in overseeing the implementation of the VUSS apprenticeship programme (see Chapter 3.8.1). In addition, the district was selected because the enrolment rates for upper secondary school is very low (see Table 3.1 and Table 3.4).

A purposive sampling technique, as discussed earlier, was employed in selecting the school.

The selection was based on the premise that I was able to develop and maintain a good relationship with this VUSS during and after the fieldwork due to my proximity in terms of distance and social relationship. In addition, this school has long implemented the apprenticeship programme and thereby interesting information could be obtained regarding the issues (the learning experiences of the AD students in school and the workplace and the influence of instructors on the learning experience of students) being investigated within this VUSS programme.

The rationale for the selection of the AD (AD) was mainly based on my on-going observations when I was teaching at SMK1GT as well as having opportunities to visit other VUSSs, especially in Tolitoli and nearby towns. I found it important because opening an AD in SMK1GT (rural) to train students to become skilled mechanics in general does not fully match the local needs of the district of Tolitoli. In fact, the need for motorbike mechanics is more urgent as the availability of motorbike workshop in the district is quite promising (see Chapter 3.7). I also considered that the enrolment rate of the AD is an interesting issue,

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because since it was opened in 2005 the enrolment rate fluctuated until 2009 (see Table 3.5) and then declined in 2010 by only 20 students (SMKN 1 Galang, 2011).

4.2.3.2 Selection of Students, Teachers and Instructors

The selection of students was based on a purposive sampling technique on the premise that the students being selected had to have completed their apprenticeship programme. In addition, the AD students had to have been registered at SMK1GT for two years before the apprenticeship programme. This is important for a better understanding of their in school learning experiences at this school, one issue being investigated in the study can be obtained.

Since the main concern of the study was the understanding of key stakeholders as individuals of the issues being investigated, nine students (nS=9), four teachers (nT=4) and six instructors (nI=6) were selected (Appendices: 4 – 1c, d and e). The total number of the research participants was nineteen (nTotal=19).

The selection of teachers was related to their managerial positions and experience. These teachers were selected because they had been teaching in the AD department for more than two years. Therefore, they were considered to have adequate experience to explain the learning experiences of students in the department. The experience of the selected teachers was particularly considered because this study investigates in depth the understanding of teachers about the learning experiences of students in the apprenticeship programme.

Moreover, these teachers are engaged in the school apprenticeship programme as either members or in charge persons on the apprenticeship committee. Three vocational teachers and one general subject teacher from the AD department were selected for the interviews.

One of them was selected due to their managerial position as the head of department. The voice of a teacher of a general subject was considered to provide a different perspective regarding the issues of the study. Hence, four teachers were selected for the interviews. The profiles of the teachers from the two selected VUSSs can be seen in Appendix 4 – 1d.

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Instructors were selected by virtue of the different roles that they had taken during the apprenticeship programme. In this study, the instructor is a person who, due to his or her experience, is nominated by a manager or head of a sub-division in the workplace to look after students during the apprenticeship programme. The instructors selected in the study had completed their instructional job task for the AD students attending the apprenticeship programme in their garages. The number of instructors is based on the number of workplaces where the selected students undertook their apprenticeship. However, a large sized garage;

for example, H of Makassar (see Appendix 4 – 1e) had appointed two instructors to look after students’ apprenticeship, and therefore the appointed instructors were selected for their experience and insights into their roles. A letter was then sent to the workplaces to obtain their consent. The instructors who gave consent for the interviews were six participants in total.