Qualitative Theoretical Framework

As discussed earlier in the chapter, the consideration of a personal philosophical position by the researcher determined the theoretical framework guiding the investigation. A constructivist epistemology focused on participants’ construction of meaning within their world was considered suited to the type of investigation being commenced. From an ontological perspective, from wishing to understand what is, an interpretivist position, which seeks understanding of the actions of the individual, was believed to be the best suited to addressing the questions being asked.

Phenomenology is an approach contained within the interpretivist view. It focuses on the lived experience of participants, indeed, of all stakeholders in the research process, thereby allowing meanings and interpretations of phenomena to speak for themselves. A

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phenomenological approach enables the “careful and systematic reflective study of the lived experience” (Usher & Jackson, 2014, p. 181). Preconceived assumptions must consciously be laid aside by the researcher. A methodology that aligns well with allowing participants’ experiences to speak independently is grounded theory. Grounded theory came into prominence with the publication of Glaser and Strauss’ seminal work The discovery of grounded theory (1967), in which the attempt was made to close the gap between theory and research. The authors intended to develop guidelines suited to the discovery of theory in social research (Glaser & Strauss, 1999, p. viii). More work on the generation of theory from data followed as a community of grounded theorists emerged, led by the research and writings of Glaser, Strauss, Corbin and Charmaz.

The two main forms of qualitative data analysis are content analysis and grounded theory. Content analysis can be employed equally in qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods studies. As a method of textual analysis, researchers quantify, analyse presence, meanings and relationships of words and concepts, code and categorise and make inferences from this. The basic analytical methods incorporated within this technique are conceptual or relational analysis which can be used to attain a higher level of interpretation (Devi, 2009).

Grounded theory has a long history of being recognised as one of the best ways of conducting qualitative analysis and has as its underlying principle the emergence of theories from the area under study and empirical data collected rather than the existence of theories prior to the data analysis (Baskerville & Pries-Heje, 1999, p. 5; Charmaz, 2000, p. 522; Glaser & Strauss, 1999, p. 3; Strauss & Corbin, 1990, p. 24). While not without its critics regarding its applicability to social science, and specifically library and information science, research (Seldon, 2005), many of the studies examined as background to this investigation, although not openly stating their analytical approach, have used grounded theory as a methodological design (Mbambo-Thata, 2010; Mills, 2009; Walton et al., 2005). The benefit of grounded theory in the qualitative approach is the ability for themes to emerge from the stories told to the researcher and the drawing of these themes into coherent and meaningful form. The richness of the data is preserved through the structuring process. The emerged theory, based on data rather than assumptions has longevity, “[as it] is too intimately linked to data, it is destined to last despite its inevitable modification and reformulation” (Glaser & Strauss, 1999, p. 4).

The constructivist grounded theory approach uses the variant terminology of initial, focused and theoretical coding (Mills, Birks, & Hoare, 2014, p. 114) and takes the stance that the researcher enters the field of enquiry with their own understandings which will be used in the

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construction of the analysis. Such an approach requires sensitivity, possibly even discipline, on the part of the researcher to acknowledge the influence their own perceptions and background are having upon the data and eventual findings. As the researcher was employed within the field under study, she considered such an approach allowed for the influence of her own understandings to be acknowledged rather than ignored.

The intention of employing grounded theory for data analysis through the technique of coding and comparison was to allow meaningful constructs to emerge from the raw data. This method required the collected data to be analysed through a process of close, systematic immersion by the researcher, through constant re-reading and study to ensure an accurate account of the information was provided through the coding. The preliminary analytical step broke the data into small segments which were then coded. As the process of constant comparison progressed, with additional interview and survey data being added and analysed, categories or “abstractions of phenomena observed in the data” (Chenitz & Swanson, 1986, p. 94), started to emerge. The gradual development of conceptual themes formed the next intermediate, or focused, coding phase. During the focused coding phase, the emergence of impacts occurred. These impacts, while not a necessary component of grounded theory analysis, proved crucial in the present investigation. They were identified as external pre- emptive factors influencing the abstract themes, each containing potential for disruption and uncertainty within the affected area/theme under consideration. The more abstract themes continued to be compared with other themes, with relationships and meanings being sought. The theoretical concepts that resulted formed an integrated theoretical explanation of the phenomena under investigation.

4.10

Chapter Summary

This chapter sampled previous research in the fields of technology acceptance, library professional competencies, and library user behaviours in relation to technology to examine the range of methodologies employed. The examination informed the decision to conduct a constructivist grounded theory methodological approach employing an interpretive perspective within an overall qualitative inquiry approach. The use of triangulation in the data collection and analysis stages was employed to enable comparison of responses and add to the depth and range of interpretation. A purposive sampling strategy was employed to gather data from a representative section of the Australasian VET library sector.

The development of the interview schedule and questionnaires was informed by previous, large-scale investigations into the use of technology within higher education institutions. Care was taken to ensure the instruments developed were valid through rigorous assessment

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by an expert review panel. The use of technology was demonstrated in the collection and transcription phases and this provided both benefits and limitations.

The research design, methodologies and procedures documented in this chapter offered a qualitative approach which builds upon previous studies in the field. The research design could be considered reliable if the connections between those studies that have informed the methodologies of the current project and the outcomes described in later chapters can be clearly identified, considered logical and seen to be both possible and of value in replicating or modifying in subsequent investigations. The findings generated are reported on in Chapter Five.

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CHAPTER FIVE

FINDINGS

5.0

Introduction

The overarching focus of this research was the competencies required of Australasian VET sector library staff to deliver services to mobile technologies. The response of library staff to the concept of the mobile technology library, their perceived levels of confidence and their capability within this environment were investigated. As noted in Chapters One and Four, the approach taken in the present investigation was constructivist and interpretivist. Through application of the constructivist, grounded theory approach described in the preceding chapter, sufficient quantities of data were collected to enable examination of the preparedness of library staff to deliver mobile services. Collected data were analysed through a process of close, repeated, comparative engagement. A three-stage approach was taken:

1. The preliminary stage of initial coding, breaking the data into small segments, then comparing, coding and re-analysing leading to the emergence of categories

2. The intermediate, focused coding stage of continuing comparison, furthering theory generation through the development of more abstract themes

3. The development of a theory grounded in the data and serving to explain the phenomenon under investigation.

The analytical process addressed the introduction of technologies into the library environment and its impact upon required knowledge and competencies amongst VET library staff, the perceived requirement for capability development training and the preferred methods for delivering such training. Patterns and relationships were analysed for their effect within their particular area of analysis and also for their effect on other patterns. Data analysis included a description of incidents, discussions, examples, relationships, exclusions, unanticipated classes of data, and alternative explanations. This analysis resulted in a range of categories being formed. These categories were then subjected to continuing analysis during which, related patterns were revealed and reconfigured in increasingly-abstract, conceptual themes. The development of conceptual themes formed the second analytical level; the intermediate, or focused, coding phase. The emergent, more abstract, conceptual themes and, in the present investigation, the crucial presence of impacts, nine in total, upon these concept themes, allowed comparison within and between one another and, as analysis continued, moved into the third, advanced theoretical coding stage. Continual comparison of themes and the emergence of theory eventually reached the point, termed by Glaser and

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Strauss, of “theoretical saturation” (Glaser & Strauss, 1999), whereby further analysis adds no new understandings. The insights obtained by the researcher during the final high-level analysis of abstract concepts solidified into an integrated theory, grounded in continual questioning of the data. The researcher believed this theory encompassed the diversity and similarities within the collected data, and offered an interpretation at a theoretical level, enabling connection to past research and suggesting possibilities for further research. The development of a continuum of themes and impacts is discussed in the present chapter; the resulting integrated theory is presented and discussed in the following chapter.

The findings are presented in seven parts. The investigation collected and presented some quantitative data for the purpose of examining and comparing findings from several angles and also to compare with previous technology acceptance findings employing similar demographic features. The first part includes most of these data and presents the profile information of VET library staff participants while also providing context for the later responses. The second part provides details of how the coding and grounded theory analysis was conducted.

The findings in Parts 5.3 to 5.5 are presented under the three major umbrella terms that contribute towards the developing theoretical model. This is intended to assist understanding of the interrelationships that were highlighted and the emergence of the impacts contributing to the theory that will be presented in Chapter Six. Therefore, in the third part, discussing environmental impact, the results of the constant, comparative analysis of the interview data are examined. In this part, the voices of the 42 participant library staff emerge, responding to questions 1 to 4 of the complete set of 12 that comprised the semi-structured interview. The changing technology environment and its impact upon library staff and students were examined. The categories identified through the initial process of repeated reading and immersion in the data by the researcher are presented to demonstrate the issues participants believed were important. At the conclusion of this part the themes that emerged during the intermediate, focused coding stage are presented. This pattern is repeated for Sections 5.4 and 5.5, prior to being presented in total in Section 5.6.

The fourth part, knowledge generation, presents the themed data relating to new knowledge generation and includes participant staff responses to questions 7 to 9, which sought information on workforce competencies and skills, both their identification and acquisition. It includes the findings that relate to the skills that VET library staff viewed as critical and necessary to meet the new technologically-enhanced environment. The section also presents

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the findings on the best methods both to identify if skills are lacking and to address any skill deficits.

Part five presents the capability development component of the investigation, questions 10 to 12 – specific training required to develop identified technology competencies, best methods for delivering such training and the impact technology has had upon staff roles and relationships within the organisation and the profession.

Part six presents and explains the continuum of conceptual themes that contributed to the theoretical model. These resulted from the constant comparative methods undertaken throughout the present investigation. The presence of impacts is discussed in preparation for the presentation and discussion of the resulting integrated theory in the following chapter.

Part seven examines the student perception of the library and the delivery of mobile services. Part eight provides a comparison of VET library staff awareness of service delivery and highlights gaps between the student findings and the library staff responses respectively

The final section of the chapter reviews validation of responses.