My reading indicates that many scholars use the term method and methodology interchangeable. Nonetheless, there seems to be convergence of views that methodology is more than just methods in the sense that the latter has to do with techniques that researchers use to generate data while the former goes far beyond this. For instance, Harding (1987) argues that a research method is a technique for (or way of proceeding in) gathering evidence, whereas, a research methodology is a theory of producing knowledge through research and provides a rationale for the way a researcher proceeds. Therefore, a research methodology is broader and deals with what I can call philosophical issues that underpin the methods or techniques that researchers use to produce data.
A qualitative study such as the one being reported in this thesis takes place in a natural setting to develop an understanding of the context and the experiences of the participants (Denzin & Lincoln, 2003). Qualitative studies just like case study methodologies, allow the aspect of emergence, whereby there is no predetermined path to follow. These methodologies are also interpretive as researchers interpret the data, describing the setting and drawing conclusions from the emerging themes (Creswell, 2003; Denzin & Lincoln, 2003; Rossman & Rallis, 1998). This study is also concerned with generating and analysing qualitative data. A more detailed discussion of the specific methodology (case study) that I used for this study follows.
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A case study methodology is an empirical inquiry that investigates a contemporary phenomenon in-depth, and within its real life context, using multiple sources of evidence (Graham & Todd, 2004; Yin, 2009). Scholars concur that a case study is an intensive study of a single unit aimed at understanding a larger class of similar units, where a unit represents a spatially bounded phenomenon (Gerring, 2004; Graham & Todd, 2004; Yin, 2009). Furthermore, scholars assert that case studies investigate and report the real life, complex, dynamic and unfolding interactions of events, human relationships and other factors in a unique instance as contexts are unique and dynamic (Cohen, Manion & Morrison, 2011; Creswell, 2014; Yin, 2013). What is clear from these definitions is that whilst scholars converge on some aspects of the definition, they do not agree on all the aspects. Hence, what is deduced from these definitions is that the following attributes can be assigned to a case study; namely, that it investigates a contemporary real-life phenomenon; it focuses on a single instance of a phenomenon; boundaries between phenomenon and context are not clear and that it uses multiple sources of evidence.
Yin (2009) names five components of effective case study methodology, namely, research questions, proposition or purpose of the study, unit of analysis, login that links data to propositions and criteria for interpreting findings. The utilisation of the case study methodology is well suited for the purpose of this study, which was to explore the leadership experiences of principals who have successfully transformed their schools in deprived contexts from underperforming to performing schools. A distinctive feature of a case study is the detailed presentation it makes of the phenomenon in its real context (Hofstee, 2009; Johnson & Christensen, 2012; Kumar, 2005; Maree, 2010; Yin, 2013).
For purposes of this study, significance rather that frequency (Cohen, et al., 2001) is a hallmark of case studies and as a researcher, I wanted to gain insight into the real dynamics of the school situation and its participants. The seven principals are located in seven different schools which have different issues, socio economic factors, cultural backgrounds and are working in situations which are not the same in terms of size, academic performance, quintile and location to mention a few. This makes the schools to be different cases in the sense that the seven principals work in different contexts. The experiences that the seven participants shared were not the same; hence, a multi case study. In this study, the focus was on the role that principals played in transforming their schools’ performances in the uMgungundlovu District. I sought to draw and share lessons from their leadership practices. Hopefully, other principals facing
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similar situations may use such lessons and adapt them to their contexts as they address challenges that affect their school performances.
An important component of the case study research is the unit of analysis (Dodge, 2011). Yin (2009) describes the unit of analysis as the area of focus that a case study is analysing. He further contends that an appropriate unit of analysis occurs when primary research is accurately specified. For this research, principals constitute the unit of analysis as this area of focus is directly tied to the research questions I had developed. Case study research facilitated insights about the roles played by principals in turning around their schools performances, despite deprivations. Case studies involve researching an issue within a bounded setting and context (Creswell, 2007; Maree, 2007; Henning, 2010). In the context of this case study research, it is bounded by the following parameters: (a) Understanding of the leadership experiences of principals despite turbulent conditions; (b) The context of deprivation within which participating secondary schools are located within the uMgungundlovu District and (c) A timeframe encompassing the years 2015-2017.
The historical and contextual background of the principals in terms of their lived experiences and dynamics of which this case study emanates is on multi sites. Concerted efforts were made at understanding the transformational leadership of principals in turning around underperforming schools studied. In this endeavour, the study aimed to examine how the principals turned their schools around in those deprived contexts. Case study research can help to develop or refine theory (Crowe, Creswell, Robertson, Huby, Avery & Sheikh, 2011). Rule and John (2015) further broaden this assertion as they state that both theory-generating and theory-testing approaches embody values within case study research. Therefore, the adoption of the case study research methodology added value to this research and assisted in refining and generating the existing theory as well as a new one. Case study research uses a variety of evidence from different sources such as documents, artefacts, interviews and observation (Yin, 2014). This goes beyond the range of sources of evidence that might be available in historical study. This is well suited for this study because it used a variety of data-generating methods like semi-structured interviews, observation and document reviews, to generate data.