2.2.9 MÉTODOS TRADICIONALES UTILIZADOS EN ANÁLISIS DE CARGOS

An interview is an approach to gathering information in which the researcher asks a series of questions based on a specific subject area and the interviewer looks for responses that are open-

ended (O’Leary, 2012:194). Though time consuming, subjective and sometimes too emotive to allow free sharing, the interview is ideal to use because the researcher is directly in contact with the concerned parties and could seek immediate clarification where needed (Shergill, 2010:59). As recommended by Scotland (2012:14) and Padill-Diaz (2015:104), the researcher will use two semi-structured interviews with eight teachers and four head teachers comprising open-ended questions rather than closed ones. The selection of this instrument will allow the researcher to interact directly with the teachers and head teachers who are considered to have rich information on learner performance and teaching as social phenomena. World Health Organization (WHO) (2016:1) advances that semi-structured interviews are flexible interviews characterised by written lists of questions or topics that a researcher uses as a guide in a face-to-face interaction with the intended group. The researcher prepares a set of questions covering the topic under investigation which a specific group of people are expected to provide answers to. The researcher will normally refer to the list of questions for guidance but he or she is at liberty to adapt the questions where necessary.

The use of open-ended questions is in line with the recommended data collection methods in interpretive research where, as argued by Creswell (2014:4), the focus is exploration and comprehension of “...the meaning individuals or groups ascribe to a social or human problem”. The open-endedness in the interview allows the interviewees to provide as much detailed information as they wish and allows the researcher to ask probing questions as a way of follow- up (Turner,2010:756). Open-ended interviews aim at learning about individual behaviours, experiences, opinions, perspectives or thoughts on specific issues under investigation (Van Esch & Van Esch, 2013: 226).

According to Sloan and Bowe (2014:12), interviewing the selected individuals for the study provides the researcher with information for transcript analysis. Eddles-Hirsch (2015:254) advises that in-depth interview transcripts are the sources of information in a phenomenological study because the participants’ descriptions of the event allow the researcher to gain insight into the essences of the investigated phenomenon.

In this study, the researcher is also interested in the participants’ personal description of learner performance and teaching as experienced individually and therefore, using semi-structured interviews with individual participants is necessary to allow the researcher collect individual descriptions. Englander (2012:15) posits that semi-structured interviews are among the most recommended instruments used to collect data in phenomenological qualitative researches, because such studies are preoccupied with other people’s subjectivity and therefore they provide an opportunity to gather subjective descriptions. Getting descriptions of a lived experience from different people is a subjective exercise because experiences will differ from person to person and situation to situation, thereby requiring an approach that is open in nature.

Rao (2012:63) argues that semi-structured interviews do not follow a strict pattern, chronology or language in asking questions because the interviewer could ask a new question based on a response given to a previous question in order to seek clarification, thereby making the approach flexible. The interview is open rather than closed so that where possible the researcher could make changes as long as the answers being sought can be obtained from the interviewee. Quinlan (2011:310) notes that the type of knowledge derived from studies that are phenomenological in nature is based on the personally and subjectively lived experiences, because they target individual experiences through a detailed one-to-one interview. Therefore, semi-structured interviews stress the role of the human encounter in knowledge production (Cohen, Manion & Morrison, 2011:409), and they allow human interaction which forms a basis for qualitative human sciences research (Englander, 2012:14).

Scotland (2012:12) posits that interpretive data collection methods such as open-ended interviews, focus- groups and open-ended questionnaires are important since they provide insight into human behaviour, explain actions from the perspective of the participants and allow participants to freely express themselves rather than dominating them. Thus, the use of open- ended questions, through the use of interview guides, ensures flexibility and allows free expression by individual participants on their particular experience of a phenomenon. Rao (2012:64) notes that, semi-structured interviews are meant to collect points of view, personal perceptions and beliefs, and to reveal the links and connections in the information that could go unnoticed under more mechanical interrogation such as surveys. Semi-structured interviews also

allow for as much time as possible for one to express themselves regarding their personal world of experiences.

The interview guide that is used in a semi-structured interview guarantees a systematic flow of themes which the study aims to address and because of its provision to seek clarity, where possible, the researcher has the opportunity to derive as many perspectives as possible from the participants’ lived experiences thereby, providing rich information for the study (Scott & Garner, 2013:283).

3.4.2.1.1 Organisation of the semi-structured interviews

The interview guides which were used for both teachers and head teachers (Appendices I and H) are divided into four parts: background information, key factors related to good performance, key factors related to poor performance, and recommended strategies for improving learner performance.

In the first part of the interview (background information), the researcher asked questions that relate to the participants in order to gain insight into the participants’ qualifications and how long they have been in their various capacities. This was intended to help the participants to settle down and be at ease with the interviewer. As recommended by Punch (2012:174), creating rapport and asking general questions at the beginning of the interview rather that controversial ones, is important in ensuring participants feel at ease in the interview process.

In the second and third parts, the researcher focused on factors that relate to good performance and those that relate to poor learner performance, respectively. The researcher was interested in establishing the views of the teachers and head teachers on factors that affect learner performance either negatively or positively. Szombatova (2016:2) suggests that the key aim of a semi-structured interview is to determine the current ideas regarding particular topics or to reveal current insights into them. In order to fulfill this goal, the researcher outlined a number of questions that helped to reveal the opinions of the participants on the area of focus.

This is important because, according to Quinlan (2011:303), the idea of using semi-structured interviews in a phenomenological study is to derive the individual lived experience on a particular topic and as such, the set of questions need to elicit rich information on learner performance and teaching in public secondary schools in Zambia. Szombatova (2016:3) emphasises that interviews are the most outstanding techniques in understanding perceptions and daily encounters of people because they “merely make the accounts of practices accessible”.

In the final part, the researcher attempted to draw out personal views on what can lead to improved performance and any other comments they wished to make about the topic being investigated. O’Leary (2012:205) advises that in closing an interview, it is necessary to ask the respondents if there is anything else they would like to add to whatever has been discussed regarding the subject matter to ensure coverage of a comprehensive range of information.