Methodology
Philosophy and approach
This study focuses on the views of educators and students’ parents concerning effective teaching strategies, school experiences, administrative support, as well as educational policies established in Saudi Arabia. The research deals with various interactions that shape people’s behaviour and choices. Since social interactions and people’s behaviours are under consideration, constructivism has been chosen as the philosophical background for this research. Constructivism is rooted in the idea that “realities are local, specific and constructed” as they are created through the interaction between individuals (Punch 2013).
This study aims to identify the views of educators and parents on the quality of educational services provided. People’s worldviews have a great significance in the way any phenomenon exists. Thus, it is not sufficient to acknowledge the success of the school, but it is crucial to understand how this success is perceived and explained by the stakeholders involved. The opinions are experience-based as people often compare and contrast different trends, phenomena, and experiences. The constructivist approach is employed as the basis of the research, and the qualitative paradigm, which will be instrumental in achieving my research goals.
The qualitative approach has the necessary tools to elicit people’s opinions and interpret them to identify and describe (and even explain) some trends or phenomena (Silverman 2013). To reveal the factors behind the success of the Aljoudah School, it is important to identify the way educators and parents regard this success. Collecting quantitative data (for example, educator’s and students’ performance) may indicate the school is successful but will tell nothing about the reasons for the educational establishment’s performance.
However, people may share their experiences and attitudes towards key policies, trends, tasks, relationships and so on. All these factors have a considerable effect on the way the school develops and provides educational services. Thus, the qualitative approach will be employed to address the research questions that focus on the reasons for the efficiency of Aljoudah School, as seen by teachers and students’ parents.
Strategy and research design
This research addresses the following research questions:
- What are teachers’ opinions concerning the effectiveness of teaching methods used, assessment criteria and other standards utilised?
- What are parents’ views concerning the effectiveness of teaching methods used, assessment criteria and other standards employed?
To identify the participants’ views on the matter, the interview is the most appropriate technique. Interviews enable the researcher to elicit the most comprehensive information from the participants whose answers are not confined to a limited number of options (Corbin & Strauss 2014). Interviews also allow the researcher to create the necessary atmosphere and make the participants more relaxed and open to share experiences.
The conversational form of the interview makes people more cooperative (Corbin & Strauss 2014). Clearly, some people may conceal their true thoughts due to various reasons. During interviews, the researcher may develop the necessary rapport or ask similar questions with different focuses so that the exact ideas of an individual could be revealed.
It is noteworthy that the interview is one of the most flexible types of data collection methods (Cohen, Manion & Morrison 2013). The self-structured interviews were utilised to collect the data for the analysis. This type of interviews presupposes a great deal of freedom for the interviewee, who is asked a set of open-ended questions (Beaudry & Miller 2016). The participants were not limited in any way and were encouraged to answer each question in full.
As for the data analysis tool, thematic data coding is the most appropriate tactic to employ in this research as it will enable me to identify the key themes that relate to the research questions. The researcher uses codes to identify trends and patterns, to find some links, similarities, and differences (Mertens 2014). This study attempts to identify any factors behind the schools’ performance as seen by the educators and parents.
Therefore, it is important to focus on codes related to this aspect. Codes are instrumental in tracing recurrent ideas, which, in their turn, can be utilised as the background for the identification of factors affecting the school’s success (Mertens 2014). It is necessary to note that the researcher is able to obtain comprehensive information on the matter through multiple readings of the participants’ accounts.
Data collection and analysis
Sample
As has been mentioned above, the perspectives of teachers and students’ parents are under analysis. Mertens (2014) claims that, for a qualitative study, it is possible to focus on a narrow group of people who represent a larger population. The teacher performance and outcomes of teacher training are of specific interest. Therefore, four teachers were selected, and two parents were also recruited for the research. The number of participants is not large, but representatives of major stakeholders are involved, which makes the sample illustrative (Mertens, 2014). The major criterion was the period spent in the school.
It is crucial to ensure the sufficient knowledge and experience of the participants. The period spent in school will also be sufficient to identify any changes in the teaching practices used (if any). Other variables (for example, gender, age, ethnicity, employment, socioeconomic status) are less relevant. These criteria were not taken into account when selecting the participants. However, they were considered during the data analysis.
Convenience sampling method was used to select the participants. According to Mertens (2014), convenience sampling is effective when a (comparatively) small population is in the researcher’s lens. The teachers were recruited with the help of the announcement provided in the staff room of the school and leaflets that were given to all teachers who were present during a regular meeting. The handouts contained some information concerning the study (its purpose, criteria to comply with) as well as the researcher’s contact details. It was noted that those who have worked for 18 months or more were invited to take part in the research.
This is the major criterion as it is important to make sure that the participants are aware of the processes that are taking place in the school under analysis. The teachers could write an email or call the researcher to tell about their readiness to participate. Nine teachers agreed to participate while only seven of them were eligible since two of them had an insufficient working experience in Aljoudah School. The first four teachers to express their willingness to participate were chosen for the study to ensure the absence of any researcher bias during samples selection.
As to the recruitment of parents, parents entering the school were given handouts with some information on the study (its purpose, criteria to comply with, possible outcomes of the study) as well as the researcher’s contact details. The eligible participants were parents of students who have studied in the school for at least 18 months. This period is enough to develop certain ideas concerning the school and the quality of the educational services provided. The leaflets contained contact information, and those who were willing to take part and eligible were invited to contact the researcher. The first two eligible parents to contact the researcher were chosen as participants of the study.
The parents who participated in the research are females aged 43 and 35. The parents are employed. The age of the teachers participating in the study ranges from 27 to 35 (the mean age is 31). All the participants are Arabs, which means that they pertain to the same cultural group. All the participants are pertaining to the middle class. One teacher is male, and the rest of the teachers are females. The educators teach different subjects. For convenience, each participant received a fictitious name.
Data Collection
As has been mentioned above, the questions were divided into a number of sections: some background, experiences and policies/practices. The questions aimed at the identification of the setting, as well as the commitment of teachers and parents and their experiences. I also asked questions to reveal the participants’ views on the schools and their training, as well as the overall work at their school. The questions also addressed issues associated with the administrative component as well as the participants’ awareness of policies and practices existing in the country and used in other educational establishments.
Data Analysis
The use of self-structured interviews presupposes the analysis of a considerable bulk of textual information. This can be quite time-consuming, but technological development can make this process less time-consuming (Silver & Lewins 2014). There are various options available online, and many of them are free. All the interviews were digitally recorded. It is necessary to note that some field notes were also made during the interviews. These notes were later added to the transcripts. The field notes included the researcher’s impression, ideas as well as emotions.
The recorded interviews were transcribed with the help of the online resource Transcribe (Transcribe n.d.). The Word document format was employed to place the transcripts for my convenience. I read the transcripts and added the field notes where they belonged. The major codes were highlighted while reading. Those were preliminary codes, but they became the basis of this research. The transcripts were analysed several times.
The constant comparison method was used to ensure the relevance of each code. The approach involves comparing each new code with the passages and codes analysed earlier (Lichtman 2012). This tactic enables the researcher to make sure that each of the codes is relevant and consistent with the research goals.
To optimise the process of data analysis, the corresponding software was used. QDA Miner Lite was used to carry out the coding. This is a helpful tool as it helps to arrange data in many ways. First, it enabled me to export data to Word and XLS, which is helpful as these two formats can be used to manage data differently (QDA miner lite n.d.). Thus, Word documents are helpful to highlight important aspects and trace recurrent themes, while the XLS format enables the researcher to estimate the frequency of recurrent words, codes, and so on. This was a helpful option as it assisted in prioritising recurrent themes and codes as well as to identify the most relevant ones. The codes unveiled by the tool were compared to the ones found manually.
The codes were identified within the scope of the participants’ accounts and field notes that were made during the interviews. The codes identified were later developed into themes and concepts that were analysed to explore the factors contributing to the effective teaching and learning strategies utilised by the Aljoudah School.
Ethical considerations
It is necessary to note that every study should be ethical to make a true contribution to the knowledge base (Hammersley & Traianou 2012). My data collection, analysis, and representation were conducted in accordance with the main ethical principles of the research. The participants signed informed written consent forms. These forms included information on this study’s goals and aims as well as other relevant details. By signing this form, the participants also gave their permission to make the recording as well as use their accounts for the research purposes. The participants were informed that their confidentiality was ensured, and their accounts would not be provided to any third party.
The interviews were also conducted in strict accordance with major principles of the BERA ethical code and University of Roehampton ethical code of practice. Every participant could withdraw from the research at any point of the study (Ethical guidelines for educational research, 2011). The participants were allowed to keep any questions unanswered if they could find them confusing or disturbing, and so on.
The participants’ confidentiality was ensured through the use of codes that were used instead of the names. Thus, teachers were linked to such codes as Teacher and the corresponding number (Teacher 1, Teacher 2, and so on). The parents were coded in a similar way (Parent 1, Parent 2, and so forth). The researcher tried to eliminate any possible bias through the use of random selection methods. All methods and tools used are described in detail to ensure the reliability and validity of the research.
Reliability and validity
This study was associated with a number of issues related to validity: descriptive, interpretive, as well as reactivity and researcher bias (Martella et al. 2013).
One of the methods to reduce bias was asking similar questions to all the participants. Thus irrespective of their backgrounds, participants gave responses to the same set of questions, which meant that they addressed the same aspects. The participants were chosen randomly, which means that their personal characteristics (age, ethnicity, gender and so on) were disregarded. Furthermore, the thick description method was utilised to increase the transferability of the research (Packer 2010). Thick description involves the use of various details when analysing, interpreting and presenting results. This tactic enables the researcher to make sure that all the meanings receive the necessary amount of attention.
It has been acknowledged that reactivity is difficult to eliminate, but it is crucial to make sure that it is “identified and channelled in a positive way” to make sure that the influence of the researcher is minimal (Aurini, Heath & Howells 2016, p. 62). The most common effect is associated with the presence of the research as participants may often want to provide answers to please the researcher or any other stakeholders. Thus, I tried to make sure that participants had a feeling of a conversation rather than an interview.
Besides, to address these issues, the interviews were also digitally recorded. All the transcripts were sent to the corresponding participants who approved them. Only after this, the transcripts were analysed. The use of member checks increases the validity of the study as possible errors associated with transcription are eliminated, and it is possible to make sure that only correct and precise data are interpreted (Yin 2009). The researcher could use the exact words of the participants. Maxwell (2012, p. 127) stresses that it is “the single most important way of ruling the possibility of misinterpreting” participants’ words. More so, the field notes allowed the researcher to capture some important points.
The research validity was ensured through the use of open-ended questions that allowed the participants to reveal their views fully. More so, the participants were encouraged to provide any commentaries on the transcripts of their interviews. This enabled the participants to add more meaning to their accounts, explain their words or provide complete answers. The role of the researcher was minimal during the interviews. I collected a significant bulk of data: interviews, commentaries on interviews and field notes. The use of these different data provided valuable insights into the participants’ attitudes and views.
As far as the reliability of the study is concerned, it is associated with research variation (Ary et al. 2013). Variation is often regarded as a factor contributing to the reliability of the research as participants behave or view certain phenomena similarly in various settings, which means those actions and ideas are true and relevant (King & Horrocks 2010). As regards such qualitative tools as interviews, variation can be achieved through the use of contemplation.
King and Horrocks (2010) note that researchers often encourage participants to contemplate on their own behaviour or views under different circumstances. At the same time, it is possible to state that the focus of this study is the participants’ views on the present situation, and there is little interest in other settings or the way people could feel about these circumstances. Therefore, this threat to reliability will not undermine the validity of the present research.
The enhancement of the research’s reliability can be achieved through the use of the inter-coder tactic. Hartas (2015) states that inter-coder reliability is instrumental in the evaluation of the relevance of the coding system. I employed this method to ensure the reliability of the coding process. I asked two peers to code a quarter of the transcripts developed. Major codes I chose were consistent (70% and above) with the codes my peers pointed out. Hartas (2015) states that the degree of agreement between the codes chosen should be not less than 65%. In this research, the reliability of the code is checked.
Limitations
This study is implemented in terms of the major rules of qualitative research, which include the focus on interpretation and participants’ contemplation. The meaning and experiences of particular groups of people (educators and parents) are brought to the fore. It is necessary to note that there are certain limitations, including the fact that the school in question is located in a particular community (Dhahran, Eastern Province). Therefore, it is possible that the views of the participants can be affected by local context. Nonetheless, the strategies used in Aljoudah School and factors affecting the school’s performance can be further researched and analysed, which will enable scholars and practitioners to come up with some universal strategies that will contribute to the development of the Saudi educational system.
Appendix 1
The List of Questions
Introduction
- Would you like to start by introducing yourself?
- Do you want to tell me about a typical day in your week?
Your personal circumstances
- Would you like to tell me about your personal circumstances?
- Do you do any paid work?
- Are there any other activities you’re currently involved in?
Your experience with Aljoudh School as a student parent (Teacher)
- When they started, how well did they progress?
- What has been your general experience of Aljoudah School as a student parent (Teacher)? How satisfied are you overall with school achievements?
- Have there been any particular issues you would like to mention?
The support received (informal and formal) -e.g., policies)
- Do you receive or have received some support from the school?
- Among those sources of support you mentioned, which one is your main as a student’s parent (teacher)?
- If you need help as a student parent (teacher), who do you turn to first?
- How satisfied are you with being a student parent (teacher) in this school? / Do you feel that you receive the support you need?
- Are you aware of any school policies/practices in place to support student parents/teacher in this school?
- Are you aware of any general school policies that may be detrimental to student parents (teacher?)
- Do you have any suggestion to improve the experience of student parents (teacher)?
- Any questions, things you would like to add?
Appendix 2
An Example of a Transcript with Codes
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