Types of mixed method research design

According to Clark and Croswell (2008:376), mixed methods paradigm consists of four major types of mixed methods designs. They are concurrent/triangulation, embedded, sequential explanatory and exploratory designs. The designs are employed to address various research objectives and the timing of qualitative and quantitative methods employed in the study differentiates them. They also explicate how the qualitative and quantitative methods are integrated in a single study.

4.3.1 The concurrent/ triangulation design

The concurrent/ triangulation design is the most common approach in mixed method research. It helps the researcher understand the research problem and involves methods of collecting and analyzing quantitative and qualitative data concurrently. In this design, two or more data are combined to understand better the research problem that is under the study. In this regard, Ridenour and Newman (2008: 88) explicated that triangulation is the combination of several data resources or collection strategies in the same design in order to enhance validity. Concurrent design refers to the time order decision in which data are mixed. This means that, in the processes of mixing data; the emphasis can be given to a particular design. This means that the emphasis can be given equal status to both qualitative and quantitative designs; or either to the qualitative or quantitative one.

Accordingly, the concurrent mixed method of data collecting strategies can be employed to validate one form of data with the other form, to transform the data comparison, or to address different types of questions. In this sense, the collected data can be mixed and triangulated while processing the data for interpretation. In a social science, triangulation is defined as the mixing of data or methods so that diverse viewpoints cast light upon a research problem. For example, mixing the use of survey data with interviews is an exemplary form of triangulation as it refers to

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the mixing of methods. It seeks convergence and corroboration of results from different methods and designs studying the same phenomenon. Thus, it is a way of looking at the data from two or more angles in order to find out the results of the data.

4.3.2 Embedded/ nested research design

The embedded/ nested research design also focuses on the collection of both quantitative and qualitative data used to approach the research problem in experiment and intervention of the problems. It concentrates on the processes of collection and analysis of qualitative and quantitative data. The data that are collected before, during and after trials are analysed and then interpreted. The embedded design consists of inserting/embedding one method (quantitative or qualitative) within a large study guided by the other method (quantitative or qualitative), having a secondary method to address different questions and using the secondary method to enhance the implementation and/or interpretation of the primary method (Clark and Croswell, 2008:376).

4.3.3 Sequential explanatory design

The other types of blended methods design are the sequential explanatory design. It is a form of mixed methods research, which involves implementing the methods in two distinct phases, starting with quantitative data collection and analysis, connecting from the quantitative results of a qualitative phase, and using the qualitative data collection and results to follow up explain the initial quantitative results (Clark and Croswell, 2008:377).

4.3.4 Sequential exploratory design

The other form of a mixed methods design is the sequential exploratory design. It consists of two phases. It begins with the collection and analysis of qualitative data and builds from the qualitative results of a quantitative phase. It is also used when a topic needs to be explored qualitatively before it can be measured or tested quantitatively, and results of the findings are finally interpreted.

In conclusion, the researcher adopts triangulation or concurrent mixed methods design to carry out his study. The purpose of employing this triangulation or simultaneous mixed methods

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design is to investigate and understand the research question or problem that is under the study. This design employs as it enables the researcher to collect quantitative and qualitative data in order to understand more rigorously the research question. As pointed out by Hesse-Biber (2010: 67), triangulation/concurrent methods design enables the researchers “to gain a more vigorous understanding of quantitative results by integrating qualitative findings; to triangulate the research findings and to explore divergent or disparate findings."

Therefore, in this study, the researcher uses both quantitative and qualitative data. Then the quantitative data are combined with the qualitative one to check their validation. In order to collect the data for this study, the researcher uses survey questionnaire, interview, observation and document analysis to collect data from various resources.

The designs employed to collect and analyse data in this study are visually presented in the following diagram.

Figure 4.1 Concurrent mixed methods designs

Concurrent/Triangulation Mixed Methods Designs - visual

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Quantitative & Results _{Interpretation Qualitative Data &Results}

Quantitative Data Collection Quantitative Data Analysis Qualitative Data Collection Qualitative Data Analysis RESULTS (Comparing) Combined Model Interview, observation, document Text data, Image data Test statisti c -Coding - Thematic Analysis Code, themes, ground theory -Survey questionnaire -Statistical Analysis Numeric data

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