Chapter 3: Basic components of Mission Duo with integrated references

CHAPTER : METHODOLOGY

Introduction

The purpose of the study is to understand school leaders’ perspectives about how policies and procedures reduce truancy and improve student attendance. By interviewing key school leaders from Charter Secondary School (CSS), a public charter school with low truancy levels, information on effective policies and procedures can be gathered (Brinkmann & Kvale, 2015). The research method that will be used for this study will be a qualitative case study. Merriam & Tisdell (2016) stated, a case study is an intensive, holistic description and analysis of a single, bounded unit. In a case study, the researcher focuses on the exploration of an activity, event, process, or individuals (Creswell, 2014). The following research questions will guide the study:

1. Why does CSS have a low truancy rate?

2. What theoretical framework serves as the foundation for policies at CSS?

The researcher will use interviews to collect qualitative data. “The interview has today become one of the most widespread knowledge-producing practices across the human and social sciences in general and in critical psychology more specifically” (Brinkmann, 2014, p. 1008). Interviews can range from formal interviews or informal interviews. They can be done face-to-face, over the phone, or over the internet (Brinkmann, 2014). Formal interviews have a structure to them where the researcher asks a question and the participant answers. However, in informal interviews, there can be discussion and does not have to stick to the questions asked (Brinkmann, 2014).

Qualitative interviews often have some structure to them, with many labeled, ‘semi-structured’. (Brinkmann & Kvale, 2015). “Most qualitative interviews, however, are semi-structured. In a semi-structured interview, the researcher provides some structure based on her research interests and interview guide but works flexibly with the guide and allows room for the respondent’s more spontaneous descriptions and narratives” (Brinkmann, 2014, p. 1008).

There is a need to understand from the staff and school leader’s perspectives at Charter Secondary School what kind of school environment is in place to reduce truancy, and how current policies promote strong attendance. Their responses to interviews can give a good picture of what is being done to achieve positive outcomes for the student population attending. Similar studies using interviews have gathered a significant amount of insightful information that allows for the ability to answer important questions (De Witte & Csillag, 2012)

Face-to-face interviews will be conducted with 8 school leaders from Secondary Charter School located in one large school district in the Southeast United Stated. Interviews will be conducted to gain an understanding of their perceptions and beliefs why Secondary Charter School have low truancy rate. While the sample size is small, in qualitative studies, the experience of the participants and the meaning derived from said responses can be a valuable tool for analysis in understanding the complex situations in education and the world (Marshall, Cardon, Poddar, & Fontenot, 2013).

People have in the past tried to set a number on the amount deemed acceptable for sample sizes even in qualitative studies. “The quota of contexts, circumstances, and social relations will start with a number for practical reasons. It is asserted that a particular size of sample is adequate to investigate a research question” (Emmel, Seaman, & Kenney, 2013, p. 185). Many qualitative methodologists aim for a large number sample because of a seemingly ‘allure’ of number. However, there exists no tests of adequacy, power calculations, or guidelines to establish the proper sample size for qualitative research (Emmel, Seaman, & Kenney, 2013). Therefore, it is important to choose a sample size that can answer what is needed within this study and provide meaningful dialog for analysis. Eight participants are a practical number for this small study.

Research Design and Approach

For this case study, qualitative data will be collected to gain insight, meaning, and understanding of leaders’ perceptions and beliefs about Secondary Charter School’s low truancy rate. The aim is to gain an understanding of leaders’ perceptions and beliefs as to why Secondary Charter School has low truancy rate oppose to similar public charter schools. I will be focusing on specific scenarios, so the case study is defined as particularistic (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). The data that will be collected are the open-ended questions that will be given to each school leader being interviewed. Each participant had the opportunity to conduct a member check of his or her own transcript. Once member checks are completed, each transcript will be entered to the website, Atlas.ti for coding, organization, and interpretation.

The questions are six in total. They served the purpose of guiding some of the literature review portion of this study as well as act as gate markers for discussion with study participants. The questions are:

1. How do the policies in effect at Doctors Charter School discourage truancy?

2. What policies and procedures are in effect in other public charter schools where attendance is high?

3. To what degree do staff at Doctors perceive they adhere to the written policies and procedures?

4. How do school leaders describe attendance? Anti-truancy? Policies and procedures?

5. What policies and procedures are in effect in other public charter schools where attendance is high?

6. To what degree do staff at Doctors perceive they adhere to the written policies and procedures?

The interview questions will not be mandatory but will require informed consent. By providing participants with information leaflets and having them sign a consent form or accept to consent verbally through the phone or written via email, the participants will be aware of their right to privacy, anonymity, and can get a better understanding of the questions developed for the study (Edwards & Holland, 2013). Without informed consent, interviews may not be deemed acceptable regarding response validity (Edwards & Holland, 2013).

Setting

The setting will be Charter Secondary School of Miami Shore. CSS is a public charter school built on 5 acres of property (Great Schools!, 2017). It is in Miami Shore, an area of Florida. The current enrollment number stands at 599 and the campus type is suburban (Great Schools!, 2017). The school serves students from grades 6-12 (Charter Secondary School of Miami Shores, 2007). The school has 31 full-time teachers for a student population of 598 students that reflect a ratio of less than 20 students per teacher (19:1) (USNEWS, 2017). The school is part of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, the fourth largest school district in the nation.

Sample

Research participants will be eight (8) school leaders. The school leaders come from different parts of the school. These include two administrators, four teachers, a parent and a board of director. The parent is a leader because of the advocacy done in the school. The teachers provide leadership to their students and are recognized as exemplary in their profession. The other administrators and board of director have experience handling problems regarding school policy. For the participants to qualify for the study, all participants must have been part of SCC family for at least one year prior to being selected. Through face to face interviews, the participants will share their perceptions and beliefs regarding the low truancy at SCC. The participants ranged from veteran to novice teachers, to board of director, and a parent to gain a wide perspective. Although there is an inclusion of novice teachers, these teachers demonstrate excellent work ethic and are excellent in helping to understand why CSS does so well regarding truancy.

Ethical Protection of Participants

Several measures will be taken to ensure the protection of the rights of the participants. Creswell (2012) described three basic principles of federal guidelines for protecting participants. These principles include (a) maximizing good outcomes and minimizing risk; (b) protecting autonomy and ensuring well-informed, voluntary participation; and (c) fair distribution of risk and benefits (Creswell, 2014, p. 22). Prior to conducting data collection, an institutional review board (IRB) request will be submitted to University of New England for approval to conduct the study. The Executive Director/Principal of the School will be involved in the study and will be asked to provide a letter of cooperation. Once approval is granted, the use of a purposive sampling strategy to select participants will be used due to the nature of the topic.

Measures for ethical protection of participants include informing participants of the purpose of the study (informed consent), sharing information with participants, respecting the research site, using ethical interview practices, maintaining confidentiality, and collaborating with participants (Creswell, 2012). The interview format allows for participants to be candid about their perceptions and beliefs about technology integration. Confidentiality was of the utmost importance; therefore, participants will be protected by assigned pseudonyms as a means of protecting their privacy (Brinkmann, 2014). The researcher will ensure all participants that they are in full control of the interview and they can stop the interview at any time.

Data

Selected study participants will be interviewed for 45 minutes. The interviews questions will be used to help the researcher understand the participant’s perceptions about the low truancy rates at SCC. According to Stake (2010), interviews are used to fill in the blanks of what researchers cannot observe.

Conducting an interview allows the researcher to ask meaningful questions and still allowed for flexibility in the conversation to take its natural course. The researcher will ask the participants probing questions to delve into further detail to either clarify a point or explain a comment further (Brinkmann & Kvale, 2015).

Merriam & Tisdell (2016) noted that audio recording an interview is common practice among researchers to capture all the audio data while allowing the researcher to jot down key notes. During the interviews, with consent of all participants the researcher will audio-record for accuracy of the responses and verbatim transcription. Open-ended questions will be included in the interview so that the participants would be able to “best voice their experiences unconstrained by any perspectives of the researcher of past research findings” (Creswell, 2014, p. 218). Brinkmann & Kvale (2015) suggested using an interview guide to serve as the base of the interview. Interviews will be conducted during a time that is convenient for the participants, and outside of school instructional time.

A schedule for one-on-one interviews will be designed based on participant availability. Once each participant’s schedule is available, a calendar invite will be sent to all participants and their scheduled interviews. In the event the participants were unable to meet in person for the interview, they had the option of a phone interview (Brinkmann & Kvale, 2015).

Data Analysis

After each interview, the researcher will transcribe the audio files using Rev.com. After the transcription of the interview, a check will be conducted. During this process, the participants will have an opportunity to review the transcription prior to data analysis and provide clarification if needed. As previously mentioned once member checks are completed, each transcript will be entered into Atlas.ti for coding, organization, and interpretation.

Role of the Researcher

As a former classroom teacher, the researcher understands the critical role to

protect the identity of each participant. That is why the researcher chose Secondary Charter School, because of the lack of relationships with anyone within the school to maintain professionalism and formality. Regarding qualifications, the researcher serves an elected official in a city less than a mile from the selected setting. Therefore, it is imperative to define the role of researcher rather than as a former colleague. The researcher has no authority or evaluative power over the potential participants, as a former teacher in the district and has no supervisory role at any of the schools. Lack of association or relationship provides the foundation for an effective and professional study (Brinkmann, 2014). The researcher has worked in the same school district as the participants for over 15 years in various capacities including paraprofessional, secretary, Instructional Coach, and a teacher.