Research methods

In the next section, I described, explained and justified the methodology that I used to obtain data for this particular study.

1.8.3.1 Literature review

I studied books, reports, various documents as well as electronic sources to gain more information on the research topic. McMillan and Schumacher (2010:117) are of the view that reviewing several sources provides a brief overview of the topic and helps the researcher to define the problem in more precise terms. Relevant literature was reviewed in order to establish what other researchers and authors have already established with regard to the research theme. In chapter two literature on learner behaviour, the whole school approach to behaviour management as well as the factors that contribute to physical abuse were reviewed. Leadership theories, management styles, disciplinary models and approaches to discipline were also reviewed in order to provide guidelines on how the SMT could manage learner behaviour in a constructive and proactive manner.

1.8.3.2 The pilot study

A pilot study is referred to as a feasibility study which is made up of a small sample of the planned study and it is a “practice run” of the planned method so that a methodological question could be answered and the development of the research plan guided (Prescot & Soeken 1989:60, Kim 2010:191). In this research a pilot study was carried out so that I could test and modify the questions if needed. The participants were selected according to the requirements of the research. The interview questions were pre-tested in a pilot study with a few learners and members of the SMT. The six learners were between fourteen and seventeen years of age. The selected site for this pilot study was similar to that of the final site, in that it took place at a girls school in a neighbouring area with very similar demographics of the school population. During the pilot study I took note of the time required to conduct the various interviews. The interview questions set out for the principal, the members of the SMT and the learner victims were clear and did not need restructuring. However, though the questions to the learner victims were clear, it became apparent that the victims want to voice the effect that physical abuse had on them and I thus included questions to that effect in my interview guide for learner victims. Question four asked to the learner offenders in the pilot study seemed to be unclear with regards to the manner in which they had to answer it. This then alerted me to make a note to explain further during the real interview as to what was required for this question.

1.8.3.3 Data collection methods

The methods that I used for data collection in this study were literature study, an individual, semi-structured interview with the school principal, a focus group with members of the SMT and interviews with the learner offenders and victims to gain insight in the management of learners physically abusing one another.

Individual, semi-structured interviews were conducted with learners (offenders and victims) as well as the principal of the participant school. Learners were interviewed in their capacity as either perpetrators or victims of physical abuse. I opted for individual interviews because it allowed me to enquire about unique problems and experiences which participants would not have been comfortable to share in a group scenario. Individual interviews allowed the participants to express themselves freely in a complete and honest manner. These interviews were carried out to determine the factors that prompt girls to fight with each other physically (objective 2). Since it is essential that any research, especially research that includes children, must be ethical, great care was taken not to harm the learner participants during the interviews (see section 1.9 on ethical considerations).

The principal was interviewed to give her viewpoints on the implementation of the legal prescripts regulating the management of physical abuse at the participant school (objective 1).

I have chosen to conduct a focus group with members of the SMT. Tape recordings of the focus group were used to have an actual account of what was said on record. The participants were informed that the recordings would be kept in a safe place and that only I had and will have access to them. Recording made it possible to transcribe the discussion for closer inspection later. The focus group was used to explore how the SMT of the participant school managed physical abuse among learners and considered the effectiveness of these management practices (objective 3).

Conducting a focus group with members of the SMT and semi-structured interviews with both the learners and the principal as well as analysing the records and recordings of disciplinary hearings dealing with physical abuse cases allowed me to cross-verify data collected. It also allowed me to comply with the requirement of single case study

design as expressed by Rule and John (2011:61, 63), namely that the researcher should consider multiple sources of information and multiple data collection methods.

Accessing the recorded disciplinary hearings on cases of physical abuse allowed me to explore how the SMT of the participant school managed physical abuse among learners and to consider the effectiveness of these management practices (objective 3). That, in turn, informed the recommendations I made on how the management of physical abuse at the participant school could be improved.

A literature study of the circulars and relevant policy issued by the Department of Basic Education as well as the Provincial Department of Basic Education was also used in drawing conclusions to this study. Where differences in the answers from the participants in the focus group and individual, semi-structured interviews occurred I used the data collected from the literature study and the document analysis to triangulate. Ultimately, the data collected was used to inform the recommendations on how the management of physical abuse at the selected school could be improved (objective 5).

1.8.3.4 Data analysis method

Creswell (2014:150-155) believes that the process of data analysis and interpretation can be represented best by a spiral image, a data analysis spiral, because the researcher moves in analytic circles rather than using a fixed linear approach. One enters with data made up of text or images, e.g. photographs and videotapes and exits with an account or a narrative. In this research the data consisted of literature study, document analysis, individual, semi-structured interview with the school principal, a focus group with members of the SMT, and interviews with the learners. The literature study was undertaken first as the content of various applicable laws and policy had a direct bearing on the analysis of documents which followed. The manner in which the documents were analysed had an impact on the type of questions that were put to the principal, the SMT and the learners.

In order to analyse the data I had to read and reread the transcripts in order to become familiar with the matter. The accuracy of the transcripts was also checked against the recordings made during the interviews and focus group in order to verify the accuracy thereof. I then had to analyse the data looking for common features, similar notions and

for shared characteristics. A note of these was made to record commonalities. Using the coding process, I grouped data together according to specific criteria, which made it more accessible. These categories and sub-categories were identified as natural themes. As categories and themes emerged they were colour coded (Schurink, Fouché & De Vos 2011:410).