Anexo 12. Plan de Prevención de Riesgos Laborales

A variety of research methods were used to provide the rich nature of data sources. These strategies include in-depth interviews, focus groups discussions and documentary analysis. Documentary analysis included policy documents, teachers’ and pupils’ artefacts and school records. Throughout this research, these multiple methods were adopted for analysing and interpreting data, to culminate in research

findings. The use of multi-methods helps in examining the particularity of each case. The bulk of the case data analysis is interpretive coming from multiple sources. Analysis of this data will interrogate teachers’ experiences and perceptions of national education standards.

i. In-depth Interviews

A series of in-depth semi-structured interviews with selected teachers, administrators and community board members, parents and selected students was conducted. These semi-structured interviews allowed flexibility for the researcher in prompting further clarification of the responses. The justification of semi- structured in-depth interviews is that it helps to unpack participants’ perspectives on the topic under discussion. In-depth interviews also allow the participants to discuss deeply their meaning and perspectives (Yin, 1989).

ii. Focus Groups

Focus group discussion was the main data collection strategy. The strengths of a focus group involve the interaction between individuals who share common interest in a topic of discussion (Goldman, 1962; Lidstone, 1996). Furthermore, focus groups provide a good setting to observe large amounts of interaction in a short span of time involving a group of individuals.

Focus group discussion is relevant to the Papua New Guinea traditional method of discussing common concerns and issues. This method is appropriate and legitimate to gain access to information in this study because culturally, a one-to-one interview would be morally wrong if the to information has to benefit the community. This is important when an “outside idea” introduced by government and non- government organizations may involve community participation and decision making. Using a focus group approach has an immediate end benefit to the community, as well as serving the researcher’s study purpose. Focus group interviews, adjusted to meet local conditions, will positively build participants’ confidence in thinking about the importance of education as they construct meanings to new experiences. This is a socialisation process. The issues can be vetted and understood by the whole community as an individuals’ perceptions are allowed to be heard.

In this study, this context and the locations of the rural and urban schools dictated the processes and nature of focus group discussions. These are explained below.

• Case one: Rural School focus groups

The researcher is a member of the ethnic group and has local knowledge of how the community is organised. At Soniliu primary school, the researcher used community discussions as a focus group research strategy. In such situations, the elder traditionally introduces the discussion topic. Normally, spokespersons for family groups would take turns to discuss the topic. In this traditional model of discussion (focus) group or “knong na yapan” (Nali vernacular language) only those who have been accepted to speak in colloquia and can use abstract forms of language would discuss the topic. Many perceptions would be formed, but only those with imaginative thinking skills, who are sensitive to the issue under discussion, are able to construct appropriate knowledge. Meanings are not even watered down, since the issue is at this level of understanding involves use higher level thinking skills. When “yapan” (meaning an important event) takes place, spokespersons normally have the final word, taking into consideration various perceptions discussed. However, communication of decisions made at this group discussion is then transmitted by the spokesperson to other interested agencies.

In this study, this ethnic group discussion strategy was followed. The researcher adapted a traditional protocol to establish communication, convey the purpose of the study and the need to obtain their perceptions of education standards as relevant to their school and community context. A community approach facilitated this data collection strategy.

• Case two: urban school parent focus groups

In the urban school, the researcher used parent and guardian focus groups. One group involved employed parents, the other was unemployed, and both took place at the school site. This was done consciously because of traditional cultural beliefs that may influence participants’ perceptions. Teachers provided information and suggested names of parents who would be useful participants. The researcher communicated with these parents and invited them to participate in the focus group discussions.

This method solicited useful information from parents and members of the boards because it allowed them to participate in discussing issues and concerns that were important to them. As they expressed themselves freely on introduced issues, the researcher was able to depict different perspectives they have on the discussion topic, which was later corroborated by other stakeholders.

• School based professional learning teams

A number of focus groups was organised within each school to discuss concerns and issues surrounding teacher performance, curriculum content and balance, teacher supervision, and students’ performance of assessments and examinations, school facilities, and community participation. The purpose of these focus groups was to enable the researcher to get a better insight into teachers’ perceptions and understanding of national education standards. This discussion depicted teachers’ implementation of education policies as experienced through a classroom first approach.

In this study, teachers’ focus groups took the form of a professional development exercise within each of the two schools. The discussion topics were initiated by teachers. Some of these topics included the national standards, school leadership, curriculum, education reforms, professional development strategies, resources, student assessments and teachers’ terms and conditions. A moderator was appointed to lead the discussions while the researcher observed teacher dynamics within these professional development exercises. The moderator provided the researcher with some feedback on the emerging issues from the discussion topic. A tape and electronic (digital) recording was also made of these workshops.

In a manner of reciprocity, the researcher conducted a series of professional development workshops. This allowed the researcher to assume his professional role as an Assistant Secretary with the National Department of Education to clarify issues which teachers had raised during the professional development workshops. In the rural school, teachers from neighbouring schools also attended these workshops. In the Papua New Guinea context, the concept of reciprocity is crucial in building genuine relationships (Kulwaum, 1995; McLaughlin, 2002). Within the context of this research, the researcher’s input demonstrated a sense of maintaining partnership between policy makers and practitioners of education.

• Pupils’ Focus Groups

As a result of teachers’ suggestions, the researcher selected five students from each class to engage in a pupils’ discussion session. The discussions allowed students to express their perceptions about teaching and learning processes. Based on their experiences, pupils talked about the importance of education and its role in shaping their future pathways.

and learning, classroom practice, professional development and curriculum. Emerging issues from these observations were further explored in teachers’ professional development exercises. Observations also were useful for corroboration with other data sources as an indicator of validity.

iv. Field notes

Descriptive field notes were employed during the data collection process. The researcher captured a word-picture of the setting, people, actions, such as during observation of meetings, group discussions, and conversations (LeCompte & Schensul, 1999). Field notes were useful to guide follow up and cross- checking by adding additional information from the research participants. Field notes became reflective documents, used by the researcher to record meaningful occurrences during observations which implied connotations as speculative, emotions, problems, ideas, hunches, and impressions or even prejudices. Field notes enabled the researcher to see emerging patterns, connections between data collected and probe further explorations. Field notes assisted the researcher to reflect on associated concerns during data collected which allowed for a constant review of research strategies.

v. Documentary Analysis

In addition to recent nation-wide reviews and research on the education issues and concerns (Chapters 1 & 3), official letters, policy and curriculum statements, instructional guidelines, term and yearly programmes were examined. These documents assisted the researcher to analyse teachers’ and stakeholders’ perceptions, understanding of national education standards and their local implementation. This analysis assisted the researcher to consider exploring issues which emerged from comparing and contrasting these documents with actual implementation of national policies and guidelines at the school level. Further, this analysis was useful to the researcher for probing in-depth questioning in subsequent discussions and interviews.

vi. The Researcher

The practitioner researcher is a policy maker responsible for teacher education functions in Papua New Guinea. As a practitioner, this researcher has knowledge of national and local-level policies and practices which are crucial to this study. This being the case, the role of practitioner researcher through the whole of this exploratory research process was significant in a number of ways. First, it provided an insider perspective on what is considered as reality when interpreting participants’ perceptions obtained through this study. Second, the researcher became the main instrument (Fetterman, 1998). Therefore, the researcher’s perceptions are instrumental to understanding and accurately analysing the situations and behaviours demonstrated during the study.