an investigation into the institutional factors that affect student performance of CRE in Secondary Schools
The methodology chapter focuses on the discussion of the research methods used to complete an investigation into the institutional factors that affect student performance of CRE in Secondary Schools in the Mt. Elgon region. In view of this focus, a number of subsections are considered for this chapter; these include research approach, research design; data collection methods; data analysis methods. Through these research methods, the direction taken to pursue this research is not only explained and understood, but also individual choices of methods are justified within the context of the research objectives.
3.2 Research approach
Based on theoretical perspectives by Bell, Bryman, and Harley (2018) and Gravetter and Forzano (2018), researchers can choose to utilise either an inductive or deductive research approach. Whilst the inductive approach is largely beneficial in research generalisation founded on specific findings being generated from a given study, it thus can prove useful in studies seeking to collect large volumes of data to set up trends amongst volumes of data. On the flip side, deductive approaches are deemed beneficial in the formulation of specific findings drawn from a volume of generalised data for the purpose of confirming or disapproving of a particular theoretical framework. Nonetheless, scrutinising the choice of the two research approaches, one can observe that the deductive approach stands to be the most effective. Based on the nature of the research objectives that appear to be explanatory in nature, one would observe that they seek out more data on the influence of institutional-based factors and how they affect student performance in the CRE subject in the Mt. Elgon region. Consequently, the deductive approach provides the most appropriate mechanism for the completion of this research.
3.3 Research design
Adams and Lawrence (2018) contend that researches can utilise a variety of research designs ranging from qualitative, quantitative and mixed research designs. Theoretical perspectives by Privitera (2018) intimated that the use of a mixed research design was advantageous for any study because it made it possible for researchers to overcome the individual challenges of the qualitative research design or the quantitative research design. Being able to avoid these shortcomings was perceived to be instrumental in raising the objectivity and the quality of the research undertaken. Nonetheless, Lindlof and Taylor (2017) add that the particular choice of research design is often informed by the nature of data that research seeks to utilise to not only add value but also complete their research. Consequently, the present study topic is the institutional-based factors and how they influence student performance of CRE at Mt. Elgon secondary schools. In view of this topic, a quantitative research design appeared the most appropriate because it would be useful in identifying how various institutional-based factors interact with each other to inform outcomes of student performance of CRE at the Mt. Elgon region. Therefore, in light of this, this research opted to utilise quantitative research designs.
3.4 Target population
According to Bell, Bryman, and Hailey (2018), a research population denotes individuals fitting a particular criterion and are interested in a project. For the purpose of the present study, the target population will be drawn from a selection of principals and teachers drawn from 10 public schools in the Mt. Elgon region. As such, the target population will comprise of 112 teachers and ten principals drawn from public secondary schools within the Mt. Elgon sub-county Bungoma County.
3.5 Sampling methods
In identifying the sampling population from a total population of 112 teachers and ten principals, convenience sampling will be used. As captured by Privitera (2018), convenience sampling provides a mechanism for collecting data from participants that are easily accessible. In view of this, the sample size will be 20%of the teachers and the principles that would yield 22 teachers and five principals as the sample size that will be utilised by this research.
3.6 Research instruments
This study utilised the questionnaire for data collection from the teachers and principals. The questionnaire used was standardised and posed uniform questions to all the research participants (Adams and Lawrence, 2018). The questionnaire will be structured into six distinct parts that also represents the research objectives of this research and personal information of the research participants. Through this approach, the questionnaire will not only be structured but also provide great ease in understandability by the research participants.
3.7 Data collection methods
The data collection method that was used in this research was the questionnaire data collection method. This was informed by choice of the primary data that was to be used in this study. Theoretical perspectives by Chambliss and Schutt (2018) aver that questionnaires are effective in collecting a large volume of data to investigate various perspectives regarding a population. As such, the questionnaire was to be used to collect data from secondary school teachers and principals in the Mt. Elgon region. This also corresponded with theoretical perspectives by Gough and Richardson (2018), in that primary data provided the best value in terms of collecting a large volume of in-depth data that could be used to answer research objectives in-depth. In preparing for the use of the questionnaire, the researcher identified a two-week period would be adequate to start and complete the research data collection process. After the process of data collection was completed, the next stage of the research, which was data analysis, was swiftly ushered in.
3.8 Validity of the instruments
In ensuring the validity of the research, content validity will be used to measure the degree to which the sample of tests represent the content for which the tests were designed for. To demonstrate the content validity of a set of test scores, one must show that the behaviours to be demonstrated in testing constitute a representative sample of behaviours to be exhibited in the desired performance domain. Validity will also be established by the use of expert judgement where the supervisors will assess the validity of the instruments.
3.9 Reliability of the instruments
Reliability is a measure of the degree to which a research instrument yields consistent results after repeated trials; (Coolican, 2017). Test-retest reliability is the variation in measurements taken by a single person or instrument on the same item, under the same conditions, and in a short period of time. To enhance the reliability of the instruments test re-test method will be used. The researcher will administer the instruments to 2 principals and three teachers and then administer again after an elapse of two weeks. The relationship between the respondents’ scores from the two different administrations will be estimated, through statistical correlation coefficient (r), to determine how similar the scores shall be. This will demonstrate the extent to which a test will be able to produce stable, consistent scores across time.
3.10 Data analysis methods
The research will yield both qualitative and quantitative data from the structured and unstructured items. Quantitative data will first be coded and then will be entered into the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) (Veal, 2017). The data will be presented by the use of a frequency distribution table. The software will yield frequencies (f) and percentages (%), which will be used to analyse the data. Qualitative will be analysed following the three steps suggested by other scholars (Coolican, 2017). The first step will be to reduce and organise data, where the researcher will have discarded all irrelevant information. The researcher will then proceed to draw conclusions from the qualitative data. Lastly, the researcher will use the data to develop conclusions regarding the study.