VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY

Cohen et.al, (2007) indicate that it is important in the construction of any research methodology based on ‘social reality’ to ensure that assumptions are not made prior to investigation. They caution that other paradigms may arise that may be identified through the differences, between understandings and beliefs and which can be related specifically to definite groups. They further indicate that within a post-positivist research model the need is to replace the notion of ‘validity’ with that of ‘authenticity’. This research falls within the

‘social reality’ paradigm described by Cohen et.al, (2007) therefore case validity is attached to the accounts, rather than to the data or methods, “It is the meaning that subjects give to the data and inferences drawn from the data that are important” (p.134).

Reliability

Cohen et.al, (2007) notes a research project’s strength is founded on the cornerstones of reliability and validity. The reliability is developed with the assurance that results from one setting can be replicated in another. The methodology must ensure that results are credible and dependable. Ensuring reliability required an establishment of consistency across the three settings in which this research project was conducted. A generalised consistency was also provided between the three school leader interviews and those of the two Year 7 teacher focus group interviews through the organisation of the various interviews, the consistent questioning and the similar school contexts. This assured meaningful and comparable data. Davidson and Tollich (2003) define this accordingly, “A measure is

‘reliable’ if it produces the same results when repeated at a different time, in a different place, even when used by other researchers” (p.32).

The data collected from the interviews was reviewed throughout the research process and used to test and retest perceptions and assumptions. Data collected from the school leaders was used as the basis for the questions for the teachers and for cross-checking for the

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analysis of transcripted data and the documentation. The same four questions formed the basis of all the semi-formal interviews with the school leaders. These same questions again, with minor adjustments based on the information collected from the school leader interviews within specific school settings, were used for the focus group interviews with the Year 7 teachers.

Validity

The selection of schools in which to conduct this research project was a primary consideration. The researcher invited the school leaders in schools that catered for communities where students are most at risk. It was therefore important to select schools located in lower socio-economic community with high numbers of Maori, Pacifica and immigrant students.

The next consideration was to identify the school leader who was to take part in the research interview. In the schools where the research was conducted, two of the principals identified themselves as being the pivotal person whilst in another the principal deferred to another senior leader, an Associate Principal, who had delegated responsibilities to work across the school and between settings to support transition.

It was important to check this as those principals who saw themselves as the pivotal person were knowledgeable about how the systems for transition worked, whereas the one principal who deferred to another allowed that person to lead and described themselves as a ‘follower’. The defining of the person ‘responsible for transition’ was fundamental to ensuring the validity of the school leader interviews. Further validation was assured by the voluntary nature for participation and the opportunity for interviewees to check their transcripts. Additions and deletions were easily accommodated. Finally was the selection of the Year 7 teachers who wanted to be involved; who were supported by their principal to be released, allocated a place to meet and were not disadvantaged by being involved.

Validity was also increased by the researcher typing the transcripts. [The researcher understood who was speaking and the intent of the conversation]. The teachers were happy

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to provide further information to clarify inconsistencies. The provision of the supporting documentation from the three schools enabled the researcher to triangulate the findings.

The documentation provided included enrolment packs, prospectus and information given to primary schools and parents wanting to enrol their year six students for the following year to the intermediate school. It was considered alongside the findings of the interviews with school leaders and teacher focus groups and uncovered only supporting information with no conflicts being highlighted.

This project focused on working with principals and school leaders as they examined, through the vehicle of this research project, their understandings and knowledge regarding the risks and the interruptions posed by the transition of students from Year 6 primary school into their intermediate schools at Year 7.

[The researcher has experience and knowledge, as a principal of an intermediate school, within the research area and needed at all times to set aside her own thoughts and feelings regarding this investigation.]

Triangulation

Due to this being a qualitative research project it did not seek to generalise findings across the whole population (Denzin, 1982) or even across intermediate schools per se. The focus, in ensuring validity and reliability, was to triangulate data (Hill et.al., 1997). This triangulation was achieved through consistency of questions between the school leader interviews and the Year 7 focus group interviews and the resulting comparative data collected.

Triangulation of method was achieved by using three types of data collection: school leader interviews, focus group interviews and the provision of supporting school documentation.

The school leader interviews, transcription and analysis of the data collected, was undertaken before the teacher focus group interviews. This provided information to inform and review the focus group questions. The data was gathered, transcribed and analysed from the focus group interviews and cross referenced with the school leader interviews.

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Finally with all the data collected, analysed and referenced the school documentation was used to cross-check the findings.