The Good Research Guide: For Small-Scale Social Research Projects
... The purpose of this report is to document a case study [1] conducted for data collection and the thematic analysis performed, as part of the research project outlined in [2]. ...
... This report is part of a doctoral thesis in which we design a conceptual framework for guiding the development of Command and Control (C2) systems in a system-of-systems context. Using a case study methodology [1], we assess the first iteration of the goal model (see Section 3, as outlined in [3], focusing on its relevance and effectiveness. Data is collected through Exploratory Focus Groups (EFGs) [4], [5], with military stakeholders, providing insights into how the models can be refined. ...
... Req. Description R2. 1 Evaluation criteria shall include the assessment of overall system performance, and interoperability R2. 2 Evaluation criteria shall assess legacy systems (technical, organisational, procedural) ability to adapt and integrate with newer systems, ensuring long-term effectiveness R2. 3 Criteria for human factors shall assess workload, system usability, and decision support capabilities, ensuring operator efficiency R2. 4 Interoperability standards shall measure system compatibility across different platforms and domains (land, sea, air, cyber and space) ensuring effective communication and integration between legacy and new systems. R2. 5 The algorithm shall integrate metrics from all evaluation dimensions (technology, processes, human factors, etc.) and allow for adjustments based on tactical priorities. ...
The purpose of this report is to document a case study conducted for data collection and the thematic analysis performed, as part of the research project.
We assess the first iteration of the goal model focusing on its relevance and effectiveness. Data is collected through Exploratory Focus Groups (EFGs) with military stakeholders, providing insights into how the model can be refined. Thematic analysis identifies key patterns and informs improvements, with the refined goal model and requirements.
... Phenomenology addressed my goals well: supporting contemporaneous exploration of lived experiences whilst investigating recurrent themes. Phenomenology is less structured than interpretative phenomenological analysis, thus facilitates participants' agency (Denscombe, 2021), important for those whose voices are typically marginalised. Additionally, phenomenology aligns with interpretivism by emphasising meaningfulness of social context perceived by individuals. ...
... Additionally, phenomenology aligns with interpretivism by emphasising meaningfulness of social context perceived by individuals. Furthermore, phenomenology necessitates bracketing out preconceived biases to maximise credibility, an important consideration as positivist approaches have historically been considered more credible due to objectivity (Denscombe, 2021). ...
... In exploring qualitative ideas outside of my current awareness, semistructured, rather than structured, interviews were appropriate. These have been successful for eliciting SLTs' views in similar studies (Karrim, et al., 2022;Mullis, 2021) and facilitate indepth understanding of lived experiences, particularly in interrelated contexts, e.g., being both SLT and autistic (Denscombe, 2021). Semi-structured interviews were effective for addressing my goals as they facilitate participants' ease, e.g., by providing questions in advance to reduce anxiety (Beardon, 2021). ...
... The method used to analyse the data for this study was thematic analysis. Thematic analysis is a method of finding themes in a dataset, where the researcher needs to determine what data is important and what data is not, transforming a large amount of data into a form of data that the researcher can understand (Denscombe, 2021). Qualitative researchers need a lot of time to make sense of the data, not just to go with their personal subjectivity to pick out the words from the data that fit their point of view, but to categorise the data according to the themes and thus understand the data in a holistic way. ...
... The second step is transcription. Transcription requires the researcher to convert what the participant says into textual form, which will help in textual analysis (Denscombe, 2021). The researcher needs to be highly focussed and listen carefully to recreate as much as possible the context and state of the situation. ...
... The third step is to familiarise yourself with the data. Denscombe (2021) argued that researchers need to re-read the data to deepen their attributes of the interview scene at the time. The researcher's first exposure to the data may be limited by factors that prevent him or her from discovering the key points that are important in the data. ...
The ability to manage emotions is critical to the development of higher education. In this study, in order to enrich the literature on higher education in China, a total of five students were interviewed about their perceptions of their own and their tutors' emotion management. The results showed that the impact of emotion management on teaching quality was significant. The study also found that there are many challenges in carrying out emotion management in the Chinese higher education environment, and strategies are needed to address emotions in order to improve the current situation.
... In total, 20 semistructured interviews with persons involved in the two incidents were conducted. The sampling was based on recommendations from incident investigators and those involved in initial interviews, known as snowball sampling (Denscombe 2017). In total, 17 of the respondents worked as incident commanders at different levels and the remaining three were an administrative capacity, an insurance representative, and a volunteer. ...
... Each interview involved two researchers; one researcher led the interview while the other was an observer. The observer was specifically given the opportunity to ask follow-up questions, using techniques such as prompting, probing, and checking (Denscombe 2017), at the end of each interview. Nine of the interviews were conducted in a hybrid setting where the interviewer was in person and the observer was online, with remaining interviews being fully online. ...
This study explored how the Swedish Fire and Rescue Service identifies problems and implements necessary actions during complex problem-solving in emergencies, aiming to increase our understanding of this process. Primary and secondary data from large-scale fire events were analyzed, including semistructured interviews and incident reports. The concept of “possibility space” is applied to identify factors affecting complex problem-solving. This refers to the scope of action available at a specific point in time for a particular operation. The study identified eight factors, including problem identification, incident development, capability, collaboration, management, legal framework, logistics, and time available, that could either decrease or increase the scope of action. The findings contribute to an increased understanding of complex problem-solving in real-world environments and suggest that the possibility space could be a valuable tool for practitioners in enhancing problem-solving during emergency response.
... This structured framework enabled a systematic and rigorous review, ensuring the data's validity and relevance to the research questions. Recognizing the potential limitations of documentary sources, often created for non-research purposes, such as prosecution (Denscombe, 2017), the research acknowledged that the case files were initially compiled for legal proceedings, which could introduce contextual limitations (Appleton & Cowley, 1997;Denscombe, 2017). Recent case files were prioritized to enhance data reliability, aligning with Blackstone's (2019) recommendation to use up-to-date documentation to reduce historical bias. ...
... This structured framework enabled a systematic and rigorous review, ensuring the data's validity and relevance to the research questions. Recognizing the potential limitations of documentary sources, often created for non-research purposes, such as prosecution (Denscombe, 2017), the research acknowledged that the case files were initially compiled for legal proceedings, which could introduce contextual limitations (Appleton & Cowley, 1997;Denscombe, 2017). Recent case files were prioritized to enhance data reliability, aligning with Blackstone's (2019) recommendation to use up-to-date documentation to reduce historical bias. ...
This article examines fifty case files of cybercriminals that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) convicted for online romance fraud. It profiles offenders and explores the value of the Space Transition Theory in understanding digital crimes. Through documentary analysis, the study identifies key patterns in victim demographics, fraudsters' operational strategies, and offenders' socioeconomic backgrounds. Findings reveal a high concentration of U.S. victims (56%) and a preference among offenders for Apple's iPhone (58%). Most offenders presented themselves as Caucasian American males (46%) or military personnel (12%), with some adopting Caucasian European male identities (10%). Victim demographics show a pronounced gender disparity: 70% of offenders primarily targeted female victims, 14% targeted male victims, 10% reached both genders, and 6% did not specify the victims' gender. The analysis also indicates that most offenders were university students (74%), with Facebook (46%) identified as the primary platform for these fraudulent activities. The study emphasizes the need for prevention strategies that genuinely consider the socioeconomic and political conditions that may make online fraud an appealing career option.
... For data collection, this research employed purposive sampling, a non-probability sampling technique that involves a researcher-influenced selection of samples. Purposive sampling was chosen due to its relevance and knowledge-based selection criteria (see Denscombe, 2017), which aligns with the research topic and questions of this investigation. This method is commonly used in qualitative research, allowing for a focused and in-depth examination of a relatively small number of samples (Schreier, 2018). ...
... The qualitative data obtained from the observation of each of the 22 selected experiences required processing and preparation to ensure their usability for analysis. As stated by Denscombe (2017), qualitative data in their raw form are often a challenge to systematically and meaningfully examine. Hence, in this research, the collected data were prepared and organized before the thematic analysis. ...
Virtual reality (VR) storytelling offers immersive experiences that engage viewers in unique and interactive ways. This study investigates the viewer's role within animated narrative-based VR and explores strategies and techniques employed to facilitate this engagement. Using thematic analysis, the authors examined 22 animated VR experiences and identified six key themes: viewer interaction, virtual body, viewer's spatial perspective, voice of the narrator, directed viewing and providing options. These themes encompass various strategies used to activate the viewer's role and enhance their immersion in the narrative. The findings reveal that interactive elements, such as viewer interactions and decision-making opportunities, contribute to a heightened sense of agency and immersion. Additionally, the incorporation of a visible and functional virtual body, strategic placement of the viewer and guidance from a narrator potentially shape the viewer's experience and understanding of the narrative. However, it is essential to strike a balance between directed viewing and viewer agency to ensure a satisfying and engaging storytelling encounter. The implications of these findings provide valuable insights for VR creators, highlighting the importance of considering these strategies when designing narrative-based VR experiences. By utilizing these techniques effectively, creators can craft immersive and engaging VR narratives that captivate and involve viewers in dynamic and meaningful ways.
... The online nature of the survey, and the structure of easy to answer questions (Clark et al., 2021), resulted in a sample of a hard-toreach group in a short period of time; this enabled a breadth of data to be collected and allowed for thematic analysis of the qualitative data. The study was possibly limited by being a self-completion survey, which did not allow for a researcher to probe for more detail or for ideas raised to be developed (Denscombe, 2021), therefore the information gathered could be incomplete in some areas. Furthermore, the self-selection nature of the sample, with no control over who participated, could mean there was bias towards a particular, more interested, group or type of respondent (Khazaal et al., 2014). ...
... Furthermore, the self-selection nature of the sample, with no control over who participated, could mean there was bias towards a particular, more interested, group or type of respondent (Khazaal et al., 2014). Future research conducted via one-to-one interviews would allow for issues to be discussed and ideas to be probed more fully (Denscombe, 2021). ...
This paper explores the perceived benefits of and barriers to, using puppets in early years classrooms and childcare settings. An online survey of 121 early years educators revealed that puppets are widely, but infrequently, used in the early years, and are largely found to be valuable pedagogical tools by those that use them. Puppets were reported to benefit play, teaching, wellbeing and the communication of behaviour requirements, as well as positively impacting engagement with learning and behaviour mediation. Frequent users were more positive than infrequent users. Barriers to usage included a lack of confidence or awareness of how to use puppets pedagogically (23%, n = 19), a lack of puppet resources (23%, n = 19) and a series of ‘sub-conscious’ decisions not to use puppets based more on apathy than dislike (49%, n = 40). A small minority (10%, n = 8) made a conscious decision not to use puppets because they were negative about puppets. Training and information are required to encourage more puppet use and raise awareness of the benefits; there is also a need for the provision of puppet resources to realise the pedagogical potential of puppet play in the early years.
... We used the coding system as described by Erlingsson and Brysiewicz (2017) and approached it with the grounded theory method (Charmaz, 2006;Denscombe, 2014). Lio read the transcripts and highlighted meaningful parts (meaning units) (Erlingsson and Brysiewicz, 2017) in the order of (1) students, (2) instructors, (3) SAs. ...
... Lastly, Lio and Niels selectively coded the axial codes to form our core concepts (Denscombe, 2014): (1) contact, (2) course, (3) learning environment, (4) SA and (5) instructor (see Table 2 for nested axial codes per category). The codes were subsequently discussed with and given clearance by Ivar. ...
Student Assistants (SAs) are generally regarded as support to the instructor's teaching agency in a course. This case study assesses SAs taking on the more autonomous role of mentor-participants in student teams during an advanced bachelor's co-design course, advancing our understanding of distributing leadership within such open-ended educational contexts. We use semi-structured interviews and grounded theory analysis to understand how students, teachers and SAs experienced and responded to this shift in SA role. We conceptualize that SAs combined the qualities of both the instructor in creating and holding space for learning based on their personal experiences (i.e., mentoring) and the student in being a pro-active learner and contributor themselves (i.e., participant). Herein they acted as models for students, redistributing the traditional hierarchy of teaching (with a fixed object and subject of teaching) across course participants (i.e., instructors, SAs and students) and into more nuanced roles (i.e., teaching, coaching, mentoring and facilitating). Taking on this role as SA allowed students to take charge while being closely and safely supported. Moreover, this arrangement nurtured a sense of community: students reported experiencing an atmosphere of trust, informality and closeness. Instructors took a more distant role in this constellation, taking responsibility for formal assessment. We conclude that this rearrangement of roles facilitated students' personal leadership and development, authentic undergraduate research and challenge-based learning - and outline course design choices that likely contributed to this.
... Purposive sampling was used to select the participants of this study. This sampling technique suited the current study for it increased the utility of data obtained from the small exploratory sample (Denscombe, 2021;Denzin et al., 2023). ...
Kenya has undertaken curriculum reforms by introducing a competency-based curriculum. Teachers who are key implementers need to be adequately equipped in terms of competencies to effectively deliver on the envisaged curriculum changes. This study sought to establish Kiswahili teachers’ pedagogical competence in lesson planning for the implementation of CBC in selected primary schools in Kenya. Desimone’s Core Conceptual Framework was adopted as a theoretical framework for this study. The relativist–interpretivism paradigm guided the study. It further adopted a qualitative research approach. Specifically, a multiple case study research design was used. The target population comprised teachers of Kiswahili. A purposive sampling technique was employed in selecting study participants. Specifically, teachers of Kiswahili at grade four were selected and studied. The qualitative data was collected using; a document analysis guide and interview guide schedule. It was then analysed using the grounded theory method of analysis. The study findings revealed that teachers of Kiswahili proficiently interpreted the subject matter but ineptly infused CBC-integrated content while lesson planning. This means that emphasis is still on subject matter that is often criticized for rote learning. The study thus recommends teacher capacity-building programmes that focus more on an infusion of CBC-integrated content in lesson planning
... As a result, students were less inhibited and spoke honestly, naturally, and confidently. As for the number of participants in each group, Denscombe (2007) suggests between six and nine participants because this "number allows for a fair range of opinions and experiences among the participants" (p. 181). ...
This study examines students’ comprehension of lecturers’ English (L2) and their preference as well as perception on the use of Vietnamese (L1) in EFL classes. Data was collected from questionnaires and focus-group interview with students. Data analysis revealed that students’ English comprehension level was relatively low while the majority of them had a positive attitude toward lecturers’ classroom English speaking. Meanwhile, findings show that a majority of students were motivated to listen to lecturers’ English, which was found to be contradicted to the general belief about non-English major students’ English learning motivation. The students perceived two main factors which influenced their comprehension of lecturers’ English speaking and their learning motivation. Those factors are divided into lecturer-related and student-related. Among those, student-related factors including students’ English vocabulary, strategies in listening to English, and listening practice were believed to be the most influential.
... In this research, the case study will be consist of interviews in five private sector companies in Saudi Arabia represented by (Alrajhi Bank, Souq.com, Saudi Electricity Company, Saudi Telecom Company (STC), and Saudi Airlines), However, it is believed that the case study may be more 'relatable' to other companies in the same fields [54]. ...
Many developing country firms are investing huge money in the sector of mobile commerce m commerce Simplifying and understanding the factors which can impact on m commerce success enables the organisations managers to focus their efforts on the key areas of their m commerce businesses thereby contributing to the successful implementation of m commerce This study provides a clear understanding of m commerce in the private sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and identifies the critical success factors of implementing m commerce within the local business environment A case study approach will be used for five Saudi companies which use mcommerce represented by Alrajhi Bank Souqcom Saudi Electricity Company Saudi telecom company STC and Saudi Airlines This study represents a research in progress and interviews based on the literature to identify the key success factors for these companies in particular and in Saudi Arabia s private sector in general
... The Geometric Mean is used, in the CMI equation, as it is able to measure the central tendency of data values that are obtained from ratios. Using the Geometric Mean insures the following two important properties [17,18,19]: ...
With the richness of present-day hardware architectures, tightening the synergy between hardware and software has attracted a great attention. The interest in unified approaches paved the way for newborn frameworks that target hardware and software co-design. This paper confirms that a unified statistical framework can successfully classify algorithms based on a combination of the heterogeneous characteristics of their hardware and software implementations. The proposed framework produces customizable indicators for any hybridization of processing systems and can be contextualized for any area of application. The framework is used to develop the Lightness Indicator System (LIS) as a case-study that targets a set of cryptographic algorithms that are known in the literature to be tiny and light. The LIS targets state-of-the-art multi-core processors and high-end Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs). The presented work includes a generic benchmark model that aids the clear presentation of the framework and extensive performance analysis and evaluation.
... A series of questions were asked on language use in everyday situations, knowledge of the Hakka dialect, and the respondents' perception on their Hakka identity. The 'snowball' sampling (Denscombe, 1998) process, based on recommendations and referrals from informants and the respondents themselves, was employed to gather the data. The survey was conducted at houses, shops, schools, restaurants, and churches/temples. ...
In the context of education in Malaysia, the challenges faced by the ethnic Chinese population consist of having to learn Malay and understanding the need to acquire fluency in English for economic mobility. Should they opt for vernacular education, they have also to deal with Mandarin, which is not their native/heritage language. Adopting a quantitative method, this study examines how Hakka communities in East Malaysia navigate the challenges and the consequences of their decisions on language use. Three specific questions are addressed: (a) What is the impact of medium of instruction in education on the language used by students at home and socially? (b) Has this impact changed across generations? (c) How has language use in school impacted identities? The findings show that Hakka language is used less in everyday conversations over time. The need to preserve Hakka language to retain their ethnic identity is perceived to be less important, more so among the younger generations. The issue is most evident among individuals who attended Mandarin speaking schools, particularly the Chinese independent schools. The findings suggest an association between the education language and the shift in both usage and knowledge of the heritage language toward the education language.
... This blending allowed the researcher to fill data gaps identified in interview outputs and have a deeper appreciation of issues raised by the research participants. Denscombe (2003) suggests that in this case the respondents' answers are open-minded, and it gives opportunities for the interviewee to elaborate on points of interest based on their experiences. For this study, 15 research participants were sampled using the purposive sampling technique, among them officials from the Parliamentary Committee on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Courier Services, Post and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ), media watchdogs such as the Media Institute of Southern Africa, Zimbabwe (MISA), the Media Center, the Media Alliance of Zimbabwe (MAZ), and selected citizen journalists in Harare. ...
... This allows researchers to shift their focus from choosing the data collection tool to conducting the research and analysing its results. The questionnaire is an ideal tool when a large amount of quantitative data, presented in a standardised way, needs to be collected (Denscombe, 2003). Roopa and Rani (2012) emphasise the economical benefit of questionnaire, as it is relatively inexpensive method that does not take a long time to administer. ...
The aim of this diploma thesis was to analyze three authentic English-language video game corpora to determine their readability level. Two readability formulas were used to measure their readability scores – the Gunning Fog Index and the Flesch-Kincaid Test. Each corpus, compiled from all in-game text, was divided into several context and use case categories. The purpose of this analysis was to determine the level of difficulty of the text included in the examined video games.
A questionnaire regarding the approach of students towards English-language video games and their possible use as foreign language teaching materials was conducted among high school students aged 15 to 18. They were asked about their preferred video game language, use of a dictionary during gameplay, and whether they regard playing English-language video games as beneficial to their skills in this language.
The data collected using both research instruments proved that video games are a diverse source of language. The level of in-game text difficulty depends on various factors, such as genre or the period of the plot. Teachers can easily find video games that are appropriate for the needs of their students due to the wide variety of available titles. An overwhelming majority of students who participated in the questionnaire expressed their preference for playing video games in English, which demonstrates the value of using such media as teaching materials. When asked about the influence of video games on specific aspects of English, students responded that such media improve their reading and listening comprehension as well as their vocabulary. However, students also expressed that difficult vocabulary and pronunciation hinder their comprehension of English while playing video games. The vast majority of participating students expressed the view that they learn English while playing games in this language.
... Bryman (2016) argues that phenomenological studies reveal the meanings participants attach to their experiences, which is crucial for developing targeted interventions. In the same light, Denscombe (2017) notes that although phenomenological findings may not be universally applicable, they can inform practice in similar settings by highlighting common themes and experiences. However, Saunders et al. (2024) argue that the context-specific nature of subjective experiences captured by phenomenological studies makes it challenging to apply insights from one group to another. ...
Effectiveness of Anti-Doping Systems: Developing a Strategic Roadmap Towards a Doping-free Sporting Environment in Zimbabwe
... The recruitment process involved contacting potential respondents by posting a link to the survey on WeChat. It is noted that online surveys can help reach larger numbers of participants and more relevant respondents by eliminating irrelevant ones through screening questions (Denscombe, 2014). The survey began with a cover letter that elucidated the aim of the survey, sought demographic information and provided an operational definition of micro influencers. ...
The present study enhances our understanding of followers’ perceptions of the information credibility of Chinese social media influencers. Employing the heuristic-systematic model, we examined the influence of source credibility and argument quality on the content credibility of micro-influencers and their relational impact on followers’ attitudes and behavioural decisions, with involvement as a moderator. Chinese respondents who follow beauty influencers on Sina Weibo were targeted. The respondents were contacted by posting a web link on WeChat to the survey created on Sojump. Structural equation modelling was used to examine the relationship between variables. The results revealed that argument quality (i.e. systematic cue) and source credibility (i.e. heuristic cue) are significantly affect the information credibility perceived by consumers. The findings also indicate that perceived information credibility has a significant impact on brand/video attitude and purchase intention. There are notable theoretical extensions to the literature on information processing, attitude and consumer behaviour.
... RTA is an easily accessible and theoretically flexible interpretative approach to qualitative data analysis that facilitates the identification and analysis of patterns or themes in a given data set (Braun & Clarke, 2012. RTA aids in generating themes such as forms of intimate partner violence, mental health and IPV, academic performance of students, and IPV and measures thematic analysis (Denscombe, 2014). Themes were generated manually from the transcribed interviews. ...
Currently, the commonest hidden form of abuse or violence that is connected to cultural beliefs and societal settings is intimate partner violence (IPV). The need to understudy intimate partner violence among female undergraduate students in Nigeria as well as the impact of IPV on females cannot be overemphasized. This qualitative study involved 15 undergraduate female students in the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers state, Nigeria. Fifteen in-depth interviews (IDIs) were conducted, and semi-structured questions were used for data collection, and Reflexive Thematic Analysis (RTA) was used to analyze the data. Themes such as forms of IPV, mental health issues and IPV, as well as the impact of IPV were generated for the study. Results revealed that emotional violence was the commonest form of IPV experienced while low self-esteem and depression were the mental disorders prevalent among female students experiencing IPV. These challenges lead to suicide, dropping out of school, lack of concentration, and poor academic performance. The study suggests that enlightenment and sensitization programs by social workers and other relevant professionals, as well as the introduction of compulsory courses that sensitize students on IPV, should be introduced.
... Whereas some other researchers argue that the sample size depends on the type of the research if the research is based on a large-scale, quantitative survey, then the sample should be large (Dawson, 2002). Though, it is stated that the large sample means less error in the study (Denscombe, 2003). The number of samples should not be too small so that they cannot provide enough data (Flick, 2006), at the same time, it should not be too large so that it fails to elicit the rich required information. ...
This is a small-scale piece of research that has been conducted to investigate the Kurdish students’ perceptions of CLT in Kurdistan. The samples involved in this study were 40 Kurdish undergraduate students; 6 out of the 40 were interviewed via Skype. The participants were chosen based on their knowledge regarding Communicative Language Teaching (CLT). These students have been taught the CLT principles for one year, and for almost three years they have been taught through CLT.
This study collected a mixture of qualitative and quantitative data using a set of questionnaires and semi-structured interviews to answer three research questions: (1) What are students’ attitudes toward CLT? (2) Do students think that authentic materials should be used by teachers in English classes? (3) What are the challenges that Kurdish students face when they are taught through the CLT method?
The findings of the study revealed that students have a positive attitude regarding the use of CLT, as it contributed much to real-world language. Moreover, the results showed that the students are in favor of the use of authentic materials because they are more captivating than other materials. The authentic materials involve real-life situations. However, teachers and students may encounter several challenges when implementing CLT in the Kurdistan context, including a lack of authentic materials, teachers' limited knowledge, grammar-based exams, and students' varying proficiency levels. Therefore, addressing these challenges can enhance the effectiveness of this approach in Kurdistan.
... Bryman (2016) argues that phenomenological studies reveal the meanings participants attach to their experiences, which is crucial for developing targeted interventions. In the same light, Denscombe (2017) notes that although phenomenological findings may not be universally applicable, they can inform practice in similar settings by highlighting common themes and experiences. However, Saunders et al. (2024) argue that the context-specific nature of subjective experiences captured by phenomenological studies makes it challenging to apply insights from one group to another. ...
Technical Research Report on: The Effectiveness of Anti-Doping Systems: Developing a Strategic Roadmap Towards a Doping-free Sporting Environment in Zimbabwe
... The final set of codes was then applied consistently to the remaining texts to ensure uniform coding of all collected documents. The counting of the frequency with which certain words occur is undertaken in content analysis (Berg & Lune, 2012;Bernard, 2013;Denscombe, 2010). The analysis process was conducted through a rigorous application of critical content analysis. ...
This paper presents a critical content analysis of the curriculum development process within the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IBPYP) using the Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) framework. As a part of the globally recognised International Baccalaureate (IB) framework, the IBPYP has undergone significant growth. The study comprehensively examines eight key documents related to IBPYP curriculum development, with a focus on cultural components. It explores the program’s historical evolution, educational philosophy, curriculum structure, and pedagogical approaches. Additionally, it analyses changes in cultural components. The research reveals that the transformation of the IBPYP from a theoretical framework to a practical curriculum signifies a strategic shift towards enhancing adaptability and relevance in diverse international contexts. The analysis identifies distinct phases in the IBPYP’s document development: introductory, explanatory, and expectant. These phases reflect changes in curriculum content, terminology, and instructional strategies over time. This paper discusses the IBPYP’s cultural components, evolution strategies, the transition from theory to practice, and challenges encountered. By shedding light on the IBPYP’s development, it provides valuable insights for the future of international education. In summary, this research offers a deeper understanding of the IBPYP and its ongoing evolution, serving as a reference for shaping the direction of international education.
... Current research on the assessment of STEM instructional design is still in the exploratory stage, with limited related studies. Furthermore, researchers have revealed that quantitative assessment methods allow for precise observation, measurement, and achieve generalised findings based on representative samples (Denscombe, 2010;Schilderman, 2011). However, there is a lack of quantitative assessment methods for STEM instructional design plans. ...
In recent years, the growing incidence of blended and online learning has highlighted instructional design concerns, especially STEM instructional design. Existing studies have often adopted observations, questionnaires, or interviews to evaluate STEM instructional design plans. However, there is still a lack of quantitative, measurable, and objective assessment methods. To close this research gap, this study proposes an innovative method for assessing STEM instructional design plans based on information flows. In this study, 20 STEM instructional design plans were designed, analysed, and assessed using the proposed information flow-based assessment method. The results indicated that the proposed method is feasible and effective for assessing STEM instructional design plans. STEM instructional design plans could be significantly improved based on the proposed method. The results and implications for instructors and practitioners are discussed in depth.
... Consequently, the qualitative interpretive approach (Arnett, 2007;Denzin and Lincoln, 2005) is given more weight. The research favours a thematic analytical approach, which allows for identifying and interpreting common threads and repeated patterns of meaning (Creswell, 2014;Denscombe, 2007). For comparison, the authors used descriptive statistics, and in particular, percentages were used to analyse closed-ended responses and open-ended responses that were quantified. ...
Education is the medium through which society can be transformed to ensure we live in a world free from discrimination and exclusion, where human beings coexist peacefully. One of UNESCO’s sustainable developmental goals is quality education that is inclusive and equitable. ‘Education for all’ and ‘places of belonging’ are therefore imperatives for educators if this goal is to be realised. This paper reports on selected educational leaders’ views on implementing inclusive approaches in teaching-learning activities. A qualitative approach was employed to collect data from 242 educational leaders from Caribbean Visionary Educators across 25 countries. Most respondents see inclusive education as beneficial. Others view it as a theoretical construct that increases workload. Lack of resources, infrastructure, administrative support and professional learning are viewed as barriers to inclusive education practices. There appears to be some incongruity between educators’ professional learning in inclusive education and their ability to implement inclusive education practices. Respondents revealed that despite receiving professional learning in inclusive education, their current level of training has inadequately prepared them to teach in an inclusive environment. Therefore, an inclusive approach requires educators to be prepared to teach all learners regardless of their challenges, and learners must become active participants in their schooling. The paper, therefore, concludes that it is necessary for leaders to operate in a transformative mode to promote inclusive education. This action should make schools become places of belonging that will benefit all learners.
... These methods are derived from different philosophical traditions, such as positivism, constructivism, post-positivist, and poststructuralist paradigms. It provides that its application yields insights of practical value in solving the research problem (Denscombe, 2017). Further applying the pragmatic approach in social science methodology, the mixed method research is the aspect of abductive-intersubjective-transferable combating between the inductive-subjective-contextual practice of qualitative research and deductive-objective-generalizing practice of quantitative studies (Plano Clark & Creswell, 2008). ...
Background and objective. In families with children with special needs, fathers play a crucial role in their growth and development. However, there has been a lack of research on the emotional impact on fathers when caring for children with special needs. The Department of Social Work and Social Administration, The University of Hong Kong conducted the first local study in Hong Kong called the "Father's Moral Emotions and Needs in Caring for Children with Special Needs Survey." This 1.5-year research used a mixed method design and took into consideration the influence of Chinese culture and traditional male roles on fathers in Hong Kong. The study aimed to understand the psychological and behavioural responses, such as shame and guilt, that fathers may experience when caring for children with special needs, particularly the stress that male caregivers/fathers may face.
Currently, there are no official statistics in Hong Kong on the number of fathers caring for children aged 2-12 with special needs. Based on this research, it is estimated that by mid-2023, there are 12,554 such fathers. The survey was conducted from May 2022 to September 2023 in two phases. The first phase involved qualitative research, conducting in-depth interviews with 31 fathers raising children aged 2-12 with special needs. The second phase developed scales based on the qualitative research results to measure fathers' shame and guilt and conducted quantitative research. A total of 437 valid questionnaires were collected to study fathers' involvement, moral emotions, explicit behaviors, and traditional male roles, resulting in key findings from the sample analysis.
Result. Qualitative results indicated that, according to the model of "Flagship of roles as fathers/men in rearing children with special needs", the roles of fathers and men in views of family and societal systems are somehow unique and mutually inclusive; (2) expanded the model of "Five stages of horseshoe-shaped emotional reactions of fathers rearing children with special needs" by highlighting that emotions of fathers in different stages of rearing their children with special needs are ambivalent, mixed and fluctuating; (3) proposed a unifying thematic framework of "Moral emotions (Shame and Guilt) and behavioural reactions of fathers and their children with special needs". Among fathers interviewed qualitatively, 71% experienced shame while caring for children with special needs, leading to avoidance behaviors in 80% of cases; 90% experienced guilt, resulting in compensation behaviors in 93% of cases.
Quantitative results highlighted the developing shame, guilt, avoidance, and compensation scales for fathers with children with special needs, validating the shortened form of assessing father involvement (Chinese version) and the Chinese Conformity to Masculine Norms Inventory. All proposed variables were significant, except the negative relationship between shame and father involvement. Path analysis results indicated that fathers of children with special needs, their Chinese masculine norms, and the dialogistic period of children had negative effects on their shame, but positive influences on guilt emotions, respectively. These effects were mediated by their avoidance and compensatory behaviour influencing father involvement. According to the relevant scales developed by the research team, only a small percentage of respondents in the quantitative study strongly disagreed with experiencing shame (9.8%), guilt (2.9%), avoidance (13.7%), and compensation (0.09%) behaviors when caring for children with special needs. The scale ranged up to 6 points, with average scores for shame (3.37), guilt (3.7), avoidance (3), and compensation (4.1) behaviors, showing that fathers experienced more guilt and compensation behaviors when caring for children with special needs.
The study also found that the reasons for fathers' experiences of moral emotions and outward behaviors can be divided into two main factors: social and family. Socially, when fathers and children with special needs exhibit socially inappropriate behaviors in public places (e.g., public transportation, playgrounds, malls) such as emotional outbursts or running away, they may feel shame due to negative reactions and remarks from others, leading to avoiding taking their children out and participating in social activities. Men tend to uphold their traditional male roles and faces, resulting in higher scores in relevant categories on the scale (shame – perceived negative reactions from others - 3.39; avoidance behaviors - reserved participation - 3.38). 5. In terms of family factors, interviewed fathers often feel extremely guilty about their intense emotional reactions when disciplining children with special needs. As men often value traditional male roles in discipline and tend to use harsh tones and punishment to control their children's abnormal behavior, these parenting methods often backfire, not only failing to help discipline special needs children but also lacking understanding and support from family members. This leads fathers to hope to reduce guilt through ongoing compensatory behaviors. Fathers' scores in relevant categories on the scale were also higher than the overall average (guilt - emotional wrongdoing - 3.86; compensation behaviors – recurrent compensation - 4.4).
In this study, the research team proposes the following recommendations:
Establish government-funded support centers for male/dad caregivers
In recent years, there have been tragic incidents involving caregivers of persons with disabilities under extreme stress, including many men/fathers' caregivers. Currently, services for caregivers of children with disabilities are often focused on women/mothers, while the needs of men/father’ caregivers are often overlooked, for example, group sharing sessions and service hours primarily during weekdays. This study illustrates the impact of moral emotions on men/fathers' caregivers' involvement in caring for children with special needs, both qualitatively and quantitatively. The government should consider funding non-governmental organizations to establish specialized services for men/fathers caregivers support centers, providing tailored service response strategies to meet the needs of men/fathers’ caregivers, such as incorporating moral emotion intervention theory, parenting courses for fathers, play/sports-based parent-child activities, and flexible open hours with mixed mode services to strengthen the support network for men/fathers’ caregivers and effectively relieve caregiving stress.
Promote father-friendly policies
The role of fathers in caring for children with special needs is irreplaceable, yet society still lacks sufficient recognition of this. The research team suggests that the government should promote the implementation of "father-friendly policies" and collaborate with various stakeholders (such as employers, policymakers, school administrators, etc.) to increase the amount of time fathers spend with their children and their involvement in caregiving through flexible work arrangements, incentives for father-child bonding, etc. This can enhance fathers' participation in family life, as well as increase public recognition of the unique role fathers play in caring for children with special needs.
Enhance community education to reduce stigmatization of children with special needs
The survey shows that when children with special needs exhibit social unaccepted behavior in public, fathers may feel shame due to onlookers' stares and negative reactions, leading them to avoid going out with their children and participating in social activities. If this situation persists, it may reduce fathers' involvement in caregiving and even affect the integration of children with special needs into society. In addition, reviewing the Disability Discrimination Ordinance (Chapter 487) and developing community education activities to promote acceptance of children with special needs can help eliminate stigmatization. The ultimate goal is to reduce fathers' feelings of shame and guilt when facing societal reactions to their children's abnormal behavior through these measures.
Conclusion. Previously, social science researchers and practitioners addressed the limitations of fathers' emotional expression and accessibility to social services. The results showed societal implications as showcasing the impact of shame and guilt emotions, and their reciprocal relationship influencing father involvement in rearing children with special needs. Fathers/men shared their views on expressing their emotions and underlying service accessibility issues. Stakeholders, including social workers, social science researchers, and policymakers, should echo this voice and review the research and services to address their needs.
... It is a technique that allows researchers to collect direct data regarding their subjects of interest, providing a comprehensive understanding of the context and phenomenon being studied. Another view on observation comes from Denscombe (2010), who argued that observation is not just seeing but also interpreting what is seen in a systematic and structured manner. Denscombe points out that observation can be structured or unstructured, participant or non-participant, depending on the research design and the researcher's level of interaction with the subject. ...
Vocabulary is the most important for students to learn and possess. Even though vocabulary is the basis of all English language skills, there are still students who find it difficult to have a variety of English vocabulary. The aims of this research are to find out the results of the analysis of the implementation of the vocabulary teaching method using songs and the LingoClip application as media, as well as to find out the advantages and disadvantages of this method. This research uses descriptive qualitative by using questionnaires and interviews. The results of this research showed that: (1) 44% of students felt interested in the implementation of this method, 88% of students felt helped by the effectiveness of this method, 92% of students found their ability to learn vocabulary increased, and 96% of students preferred this method (2) students get more advantages than disadvantages, including; this method is simpler for students, adds vocabulary skills, students are motivated to learn English, and this method is a method that is not boring for students (3) the disadvantages of this method that are felt by some students are the need for an internet network that must be stable, also suggestions from students are the need for a device that supports running this application.Keywords: Vocabulary, Songs, Language, Skill, LingoClip Application, Teaching Method.
... Thus, this sequential exploratory study employed the methodology of phenomenological study which was selected by Collaizzi (1978), due to the following reasons. First, it offers the prospect of an authentic account of complex phenomena which is a humanistic style of research; it's suitable for small-scale research, and the respondents' descriptions of their experiences can tell a full story of what they have gone through (Denscombe, 2007). To investigate the effectiveness of mentoring practices in the context of the fivefactor mentoring model, however, a survey method of data collection approach was used in phase two of the study (Hudson 2005a). ...
This study aimed to explore pre-service EFL teachers’ perceptions and expectations of their mentors’ pedagogical knowledge in light of the five-factor mentoring model. Data was collected in two phases during pre-service teacher field studies. The participants were 10 purposively selected pre-service EFL teachers and 5 cooperating teachers, and 107 pre-service teachers were purposively selected from one Teacher Education College. The five mentors also participated in a semi-structured interview. A questionnaire was administered to 107 pre-service teachers. The data gathered was analyzed based on descriptive statistics using SPSS version 16. The finding revealed that effective mentoring practices arm mentees with pedagogical knowledge that enhances their professional expertise. Besides, mentors who demonstrate well-organized pedagogical knowledge give mentees access to a lot of benefits. Nevertheless, some mentees felt uncertain regarding their mentor's pedagogical knowledge. This study proposed implications for pre-service EFL teachers mentoring programs and forwarded recommendations for improving the professional development of mentors' mentoring programs. Keywords: Mentors; pedagogical knowledge; perception; pre-service teachers
... The selected Sikh children's backgrounds were diverse. Purposive sampling served this need by 'hand-picking' (Rubin & Babbie, 2010;Denscombe, 2014) children, which does not aim to give a representation of society (Daniel, 2012) -this is not the focus of this research. The rationale for choosing preschool-aged Sikh children rather than those younger, was that their verbal/conversational skills were more established than the other age groups. ...
This thesis explores sacred Sikh music-Kirtan-as a pedagogical framework in Early Years (EY); research never undertaken in this context. The study reports the results of documenting spiritual experiences of Kirtan, by five children in a single Sikh nursery, over the course of one academic year. A multi-method, child-appropriate design was adopted, which includes audio-visual observations, researcher immersion, practitioner observation, and interviews. Data was interpretated using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to allow exploration of the individual experiences of Kirtan, and, subsequently, through cross-case analysis, highlight emergent themes. The findings demonstrate varying levels of: profundity; joy; awe and wonder; an emerging sense of 'self'; connection with others; an awareness of belonging; the desire to serve others and a sense of life-purpose. The data also revealed that children appreciated the 'sacred space' in which they experienced 'in the moment' spirituality.
... The interview similarly allowed me as the data collector to probe and get more information about certain aspects not covered in the interview questions. Additionally, the facial expression of the respondent can be studied when interviews are used in data collection [34]. With this number of participants, were enough to reach a conclusion about the use of Chromebook technology. ...
Through technological developments and scientific inventions, every walk of life has been transformed. Over the last few decades, the educational process has become part of this change after the introduction of technology in our lives was extended to this important sector. The goal of this study is to explore the use of Chromebook technology in the math and reading achievements of elementary students. The finding indicate that Chromebook technology has a positive effect on the math and reading achievement of elementary school students.
In this chapter, the spotlight falls on carrying out research into street gangs, specifically focusing on Hesketh’s (2018) study of Merseyside entitled “A critical exploration of why some individuals with similar backgrounds do or do not become involved in deviant street groups and the potential implications for their future life choices”.
The researcher examines how the working environment of the Department's districts influences job satisfaction. The study further examines the correlation between job satisfaction and employee turnover at the Department of Education, as well as how intrinsic and extrinsic motivational factors influence job satisfaction. A mixed method approach employed both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis.
The Republic of Biafra was created out of Nigeria on May 30, 1967. Consisting mainly of Igbo Christians, Biafra officially ceased to exist on January 15, 1970, following a 30-month war. Most studies of the contemporary demand among some Igbo people for Biafra’s restoration do not examine its religious dimension, and the minimal research on its religious drivers has paid less attention to the Igbo Christian identity, despite the significant position of Christianity in Igboland and Eastern Nigeria more broadly. Data obtained from July to October 2020 through 21 key informant interviews and 229 questionnaire respondents from Nigeria indicates that the present-day support for Biafra’s restoration is partially motivated by Christian identity, perceived realistic and symbolic threats from Islam and northern Nigerian Muslims, and a notion that Christianity and Islam are incompatible. To address separatism in Nigeria, a strategic response should take its religious drivers into account.
This research aimed to evaluate whether providing microlessons once a year at every stage of training is advantageous for student-teachers. The research was qualitative and used a phenomenological design to explore the perceptions, experiences and feelings of purposively selected B Ed students and lecturers regarding microteaching. The research population was Central University of Technology, Faculty of Humanities. The sample involved forty-two participants, twenty-four B Ed students and eighteen micro lesson assessors who are lecturers at the university. In addition to the literature review, focus group interviews and open-ended questionnaires were -used to collect data. The findings revealed that student teachers practice and gain different skills during different phases of micro lessons which lead to modification of their teaching behaviour. It was further found that microteaching improves students’ subject matter knowledge since they realize the importance of mastery of subject matter and their weaknesses in content. Moreover, the findings suggest that micro-teaching should not be scheduled once a year as it is currently happening but should be increased to at least twice a year at all levels. This is in spite of the fact that microlessons reduce the amount of time available for teaching and require extensive preparation. According to this discovery, the research suggests that students should arrange extra micros independently, during which they will assess each other, record videos, and hand in the videos for the lecturer to evaluate. Keywords: Microteaching, Microlesson, Student teachers, Teaching Practice.
This study investigated English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers’ beliefs concerning the use of an AI grading tool (CoGrader) for essay scoring and feedback. The study also explored the factors which contributed to those beliefs. EFL teachers (n = 10) from public universities (n = 3)in Saudi Arabia participated in this study. The study employed a mixed-method approach with a quantitative questionnaire followed by qualitative interviews. The results were further conceptualized within the Activity Theory (AT) framework to ensure a better understanding of the interrelation of teachers’ beliefs and factors influencing those beliefs. Findings indicated that CoGrader was perceived positively by the majority of the participant teachers as an assistant tool in scoring students’ written essays and in providing feedback. However, the dependability of such AI scoring software is still in question and it was not accepted as a complete substitute for teacher grading. Teachers and teacher trainers are therefore advised not to neglect AI grading but to engage with cautious use of it.
Native English-Speaking Teachers (NESTs) have long been assumed as monolingual, and the translanguaging practices and multilingual identity construction of NESTs have been under-explored. This study investigates how NESTs construct multilingual identity in online English teaching videos through translanguaging. Focusing on one NEST on a popular Chinese social media platform, a combination of multimodal video analysis and qualitative content analysis was conducted. The findings reveal that the NEST breaks linguistic barriers, incorporating gestures, body movements, signs, languages, and different speaking styles to share her experiences, evaluations, and emotions about language and language learning and teaching. These translanguaging practices empowered her to traverse the boundaries of distinctive L1 and L2 identities and develop multiple multilingual identities: an experienced English teacher with Chinese as an additional language, a foreigner valuing English language learning in China, and a passionate English speaker proud of learning Chinese. Findings reveal that translanguaging affords the NEST to construct trans-lingual, trans-cultural, and trans-national identities, while such multilingual identity construction is interwoven with her NEST identity. These findings call for a need to shift from viewing NESTs as monolingual models to multilinguals with translanguaging competences and reflect that nativeness and nonnativeness are not exclusive categories but mutually constitutive subjectivities.
Este artículo examina los resultados de una investigación sobre el impacto socioeconómico del empleo en la Región Enriquillo, influenciado por proyectos de desarrollo impulsados por la Universidad Católica Tecnológica de Barahona (UCATEBA) en el suroeste de la República Dominicana. Utilizando métodos de análisis lógico-deductivo, síntesis y técnicas estadísticas basadas en datos secundarios, se analizaron las condiciones laborales de la región. A pesar de los impactos positivos de los proyectos, las condiciones generales de empleo permanecen bajas. Esto resalta la necesidad de un análisis profundo de las perspectivas laborales en la República Dominicana para lograr una comprensión completa del fenómeno. El estudio también presenta un análisis detallado de casos específicos, concluyendo con informes sobre las tipologías empleadas en la formulación y ejecución de dichos proyectos.
This master thesis describes how rhetoric is used by politicians to persuade audiences during ethnic conflict. I propose that specific linguistic features employed by Albin Kurti and Aleksandar Vučić in speeches from different interviews for international media have affected the dialogue and conflict between Kosovo and Serbia. Based on qualitative analysis of the speeches and interviews with experts, the finding suggests that their rhetoric has polarized the division between the two societies. Following rhetorical theory, rhetorical situation Charteris-Black’s framework about metaphor I manually coded twelve Kurti’s and Vučić’s speeches (six each) and found different metaphors and linguistic features employed in their speeches. Apart from metaphor, Kurti and Vučić applied other linguistic features such as repetition, irony, pronouns and loaded language. Furthermore, I argue that all these linguistic elements employed by both politicians have helped them build their rhetorical strategies and heighten the rhetorical effect of their speeches. This thesis aims to provide valid insights into how politicians employ rhetoric during ethnic conflicts and I hope this work inspires other researchers to start working with rhetoric in conflict processes.
Most construction firms face many difficulties and problems due to the ineffectiveness of the quality management model, such as errors, delay, degradation, compromised quality and cost overrun, etc. in complementing their projects worldwide. The study aims to assess the effectiveness of quality control techniques in building production in terms of planning and control in Abuja, Nigeria, one hundred and seventy-five (175) sets of questionnaires were administered to practicing financially up to date Professionals in the Construction Industry within the study area through proportionate stratified random sampling. The survey records about 97.7% useful response rate. Descriptive statistics was used to analyse the data. Findings revealed that, the assessment of effectiveness of quality control techniques in building production in terms of planning and control resulted to a concise indication of cost of quality with the highest level of effectiveness and constructability of design assessment with the least. Based on these findings, it is recommended that all the quality control techniques in use should be put to practice rather than just a few, and should easily be accessible to ensure effectiveness in building production across all companies in the study area.
This guide will cover a range of topics, including the different types of research methods commonly used in social science, the importance of identifying and mitigating potential sources of bias, the process of obtaining informed consent from research participants, and the ethical considerations surrounding the use of human subjects in research. By following the guidelines and best practices outlined in this guide, researchers can ensure that their research is conducted rigorously and ethically.
Abstract Corporate real estate is a strategic resource generally undermanaged, particularly in the global south. This
study examines the current approach to corporate real estate management (CREM) within five sectors in
Ghana to explore whether the approaches differ across the sectors. A questionnaire survey supplemented
by semi-structured interviews and document analysis was adopted. Descriptive statistics and logistic
regression were used to determine if opinions on corporate real estate management practice differ by
manager level, years of experience, and sector. Findings reveals that CREM practice is reactive in the five
sectors with none of the organizations having a CREM policy that recognizes its importance in
organisational activities and provides a structured approach to its management. The CREM function is thus
not well integrated into corporate activities in the five sectors. The research has found that CREM is
reactive and unsystematic CREM and corporate activities in the five sectors are not well aligned from
corporate managers’ point of view. It draws corporate policymakers’ attention to the defective approach to
CREM and the need for change.
Any book is born from a passion that the author gradually assumes. This book is caused by a love that initially burned incandescently, springing from (uni)disciplinary isolation towards natural inter-, cross-, trans-, and (multi)disciplinarity, in an extensive approach of several four previous volumes, to extinguish in this last volume, thus concluding an extended cycle with the natural finality of holism.
Orice carte se naşte dintr-o pasiune pe care autorul si - o asumă treptat. Aceasta carte este cauzata de o pasiune care a ars initial incandescent, izvorând din izolarea unidisciplinară către inter-, cros-, trans- şi multidisciplinaritatea naturală, într-un amplu demers al unui număr de patru volume anterioare, pentru a se stinge in final în acest ultim tom si a incheia astfel un ciclu extins cu finalitatea firească a holismului.
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