CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY AND RESEARCH DESIGN 3.1 Survey Objectives of this Research The survey objectives are related to the twelve research questions given earlier and the survey would seek answers to those questions. The objectives are broadly spelt out as follows: a) To investigate the types of ICT tools currently used by teachers in the school curriculum and to establish the need to integrate ICT tools in the teaching and learning of English language b) To find out if there is adequate IT infrastructure facilities to facilitate ICT integration in the teaching and learning of English. c) To ascertain if English option teachers have adequate ICT skills to carry out ICT integrated teaching and learning activities in the classroom. d) To find out the extent on the utilization of common ICT tools in lesson preparation, lesson delivery and assessment of pupils. e) To find out the usefulness as well as the frequency of use regarding the teachinglearning materials in the form of CD-ROMs supplied by the Ministry of Education. f) To find out problems that English option teachers face as regards ICT skills, infrastructure facilities, attitudes and teaching oral communication skills. g) To find out how ICT integration can enhance oral communication skills.

3.2 Survey Instrument The aim of survey instrumentation is to translate the information needs of the researcher into a form that will elicit data from respondents (Alreck and Settle, 1995). To meet this objective, a questionnaire is developed as the research instrument. This questionnaire has 92

seven sections namely Demographic Information, Background Information, Teacher's ICT skills, Usefulness of Teaching Learning Materials provided by the Ministry of Education, Use of other ICT tools, Utilization of ICT tools in lesson preparation and a section that has important open ended questions on suggestions. The questionnaire used open-ended questions as well as questions using Likert Scale answers. The items in the questionnaire were measured using either a five point or four point rating scale. Besides the questionnaire, personal interviews were conducted to seek clarification on some of the responses given by the 109 respondents. The first section (i.e. Section A) of the questionnaire gathered the respondents’ demographic characteristics such as their job specification, age group, gender and highest qualification obtained. The second section of the questionnaire collected the respondents’ background information which focused on the infrastructure facilities in their school. Section C of the questionnaire highlighted the ICT skills of the respondents and their ability to use the skills in teaching and learning English. Section D of the questionnaire was designed to find out the usefulness of the teaching-learning materials in the form of CDROM, teachers’ guide and worksheets provided by the Technology Division, Ministry of Education. The next section of the questionnaire focused on ICT resources available to teachers and ICT tools used by pupils. Section F of the questionnaire was specially included to find out the extent of ICT integration in lesson preparation, delivery and assessment of pupils. In the last section of the questionnaire (i.e. Section G), open-ended questions were included to request respondents to give their genuine suggestions on ways of promoting ICT integration, obstacles encountered in the integration of ICT tools in the teaching and learning of English, reasons for poor oral communication skills, suggestions on how to improve the communicative skills, types of listening and speaking activities

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given to pupils and the frequency of group activities given to your pupils. 3.3 Pilot Test The survey questionnaire which consists of 85 questions was first piloted to a sample of 13 English Language teachers in Sekolah Kebangsaan Olak Lempit, Banting in early August 2004. The comments from the respondents were taken into consideration during the process of refining the questionnaire. The primary reason for this is to develop questions that are relevant and which could be understood easily by the respondents. The questions were further thoroughly checked for reliability and validity. The final product is a 7 page questionnaire that was used for the survey. The questionnaire is shown in Appendix A. 3.4 Summary of Research Methods A broad set of qualitative and quantitative research methods were identified after a thorough study. The six research methods that were identified are summarized in Table 3.1. This includes both the positivist and interpretive approaches (adapted from Galliers, 1991; Galliers, 1993; Orlikowski and Baoudi, 1991; Martin and Turner 1986). Table 3.1: Summary of Research Methods Research Method Surveys

Case studies

Descriptive research that includes literature search Personal interviews Grounded theory

Action research

Description Test hypothesis on data systematically collected from a known population via questionnaire administered in writing. Use either cross-sectional or longitudinal survey Direct interviews of subjects Intensive evaluation of small samples using multiple methods. Control group which uses a product or tool over a period of time. Interpretive research studying literature or past research or events. In-depth review of phenomenon Review all readily available materials Interviewing another person for personal or detailed information. Interviewer asks questions from written questionnaire and record answers. Seeks to develop theory that is grounded in data systematically gathered and analyzed. Researcher participates in the intervention or action studied. Researcher biases explicitly identified.

Use/Example Studying a fairly large sample. Hypothesis development and testing Interpretation, explanation and hypothesis formation Understanding a phenomenon; looking at the experiences of other countries Explanation, hypothesis formation Explanation of a phenomenon or process Theory building Theory development and testing 94

Based on the research methods and techniques tabulated in Table 3.1, the researcher has chosen to carry out the research programme using three different approaches that finally result in five research outcomes.

3.5 Theoretical Analysis

This part of the research is dedicated to building a theoretical case for the acute need for ICT integration in enhancing English Language teaching and learning. It will concentrate on the first, second, third and sixth objective of the research programme and will include the following. •

Examine the existing ICT tools used in the teaching and learning of English, the benefits of using ICT tools and the need for ICT integration in promoting English Language teaching and learning.

•

Investigate past research done in other countries on how ICT integration has brought about higher attainment in examinations.

•

Look at some of the e-learning initiatives undertaken by the Malaysian Government.

•

Examine some of the Learning Management Systems which are used in other parts of the world in promoting English language teaching and learning in particular the listening and speaking skills.

•

Examine the infrastructure facilities needed for ICT integration and the factors which obstruct ICT integration.

•

Examine how ICT integration can enhance oral communication skills.

•

Develop and evaluate an e-learning prototype tool that enhances English Language teaching and learning in particular oral communication skills.

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3.6 Quantitative Analysis

Within the last 30 years, there has been increasing use of technology in teaching and learning English Language. The Technology Division of the Ministry of Education has so far given out about 408 English lessons in the form of CD-ROMs to Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Form 1, Form 2 and Form 3 classes (Educational Technology Division Report, 2005). Some teachers are using the CD-ROMs but however a sizeable number are not using it due to infrastructure problems. There is therefore a clear and an immediate opportunity for a piece of quantitative research in this domain. In this research, two types of information are needed from primary and secondary schools. Firstly, there is a need to find out the level of ICT integration in the teaching and learning of English language in Malaysian schools. Secondly, the researcher needs to obtain information on how English is taught in Malaysian schools in particular the teaching of listening and speaking skills. In addition to these, the researcher needs to find out the reasons for the poor communication skills among Malaysian students and the user requirements necessary to create a virtual e-learning tool (VELT). In order to obtain the information mentioned above, a questionnaire survey was designed. This part of the research focuses on the first four objectives of the research. Galliers (1992) has recommended that surveys can provide a reasonably accurate description of events in the real world. Generally, in a survey research, a variety of survey techniques are used to obtain data to determine specific characteristics. There are four basic ways to collect data in a survey i.e. by administering the survey instruments “live” to a group, by mail, by telephone or through face to face interviews (Fraenkel et al., 2000). In this research study, data is obtained by administering the questionnaire “live” to the respondents and through interviews. The questionnaire used in the survey was designed to seek valuable information 96

on the utilization and integration of ICT tools in the teaching and learning of English in Malaysian schools with reference to e-learning. Obstacles faced by teachers in ICT usage were further noted. This was done through school visits and by holding structured and semi-structured interviews with key teachers and school administrators. Though interviews are part and parcel of the qualitative approach, they are nevertheless included to facilitate this research study. Interviewing is an important way for a researcher to check the accuracy – to verify or refute the impression one has gained through observation (Fetterman, 1989). Based on the results of the analysis of the survey, interviews of students and teachers and teacher observations, valuable user requirements were identified which could later be used in designing a prototype called the Virtual English Language Tool (VELT).

3.7 Qualitative Analysis

This part of the research focuses on the fifth and sixth objectives of the research and the development of the Virtual English Language Tool (VELT) is the main activity. As a long term plan, there is a need to create an ICT integration framework that could be used by both trainee teachers as well as trained teachers in their quest for greater ICT integration in the teaching an learning of English. This ICT integration framework could be used as a reference model in teacher training institutions in Malaysia. Teacher and student interviews, teacher observations and a study on previous modes were used to create the ICT integration framework.

As part of the case study, VELT was used by 3 schools i.e. Sekolah Kebangsaan Sri Langat in Banting District in 2005, Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Tamil in Ampang District and Sekolah Menengah Sri Sentosa in Kuchai Lama in 2007. In each of these schools a group was chosen as an experimental group where pupils used the e-learning tool for period of 97

eight to nine months (one academic year). Interviews too were carried out to find out the problems faced by pupils in using the prototype tool at home. Figure 3.1 shows how the structure and model of the research programme is divided into three parts. 3.8 Summary This chapter has discussed the research design that was adopted in order to accomplish the research effort. In essence, this study employed a mixed model research design integrating quantitative and qualitative approaches by using a questionnaire survey that included both open-ended and closed-ended questions. In addition to these, in-depth interviews of Heads of English Department, in-depth interviews of pupils and teacher observations were done.

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Theoretical Analysis Common ICT tools and applications used by teachers in Malaysia and in other countries

E-learning initiatives in Malaysia and abroad

Obstacles on the use of ICT tools in Malaysia

Infrastructure facilities in Malaysian schools

Benefits of utilizing ICT tools in English TL

Research studies done in other countries –ImpaCT2

Literature Review Learning Management System – free and commercial

The need for ICT integration and appropriate pedagogy; ICT integration framework

Poor communication skills

Quantitative Analysis

Qualitative Analysis Interview students and teachers on ICT integration. Observation of 10 inservice English Option teachers in 10 different BPPT training centres in Malaysia.

Cross-sectional survey (Infrastructure facilities, ICT integration in TL, ICT skills of teachers etc)

Build Prototype (VELT). Test and refine prototype

Evaluation of VELT (3 case studies)

RESEARCH

Survey Analysis/Findings/ Determine User Requirements

OBJECTIVES

Figure 3.1: The Structure of the Research Programme

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