Validation Phases. The Development Phase Entails Initiating

¶ … validation phases. The development phase entails initiating the constructs to be covered in this study, so as to answer the primary and perhaps secondary research questions. The constructs include the demographic factors, cognitive factors, behavioral and affective factors, and achievement. The development phase specifically involves the generation of two new instruments, and the assessment and revision of the current instrument. This will be used in the subsequent implementation and validation phases of the study (Eiselen, 2006). The implementation phase entails the collection of data to be used in the study.

The implementation phase is itself broken down into two stages: The issuance of measuring tools that were developed in the first phase (three questionnaires) to a selected sample of students through a survey. This initial implementation stage, therefore involves, the collection of primary data. B. The second stage of the implementation stage involves the collection of data related to the students' achievements (in English and Math) from their academic records. Thus this stage essentially involves the collection of secondary data.

The third and final phase of this study is the analysis/validation phase. In this phase the data collected in both stages of the implementation phase will be statistically analyzed in order to answer the primary as well as the secondary research questions. Additionally, the integrity of the questionnaires adapted from the development phase will be ascertained by taking into account the validity of the construct and dependability of these questionnaires. The statistical methodology that is to be adopted in the analysis/validation phase is addressed in that section (Eiselen, 2006).

Sampling Observation The sampling strategy used in any study affects the extent to which the results can be interpreted to a larger population. This strategy has implications with regard to the external validity of the research study. In this current study a survey is carried out in the first stage of data collection and this can be referred to as a census, i.e. A 100% sample of the targeted population.

All the students officially enrolled for Mathematics in a degree program in SET (Stratum A) as well as all the students enrolled for English in the SET (Stratum B) will be specifically targeted. In a holistic context, the sample can be regarded as a random sample of students enrolling for English and Mathematics at the University entry level. Therefore the results obtained in this study can be generalized to all students who join the university and enroll for English and Mathematics in the subsequent years (Eiselen, 2006).

Furthermore, the main objective of this research study is to predict student achievement in mathematics at the university entry level. The second stage of data collection pertains to obtaining the first semester results in mathematics from all first year students who have enrolled in both stratums from their respective departments. This study will only involve students who have obtained valid 1st semester marks in Math to be considered for this assessment.

Students who end up dropping out of these programs will not form part of this study regardless of whether they participated in the survey or not. The resulting sample in both sets A and B. will thus only be composed of students who obtained a valid mark in the first stage and who participated in the survey (Eiselen, 2006). Data Collection Data collection is done in two phases. The first phases involve a survey of the sample population.

A survey is often utilized in quantitative models as it enables the researcher to collect data from the participants. During the survey, primary data - relevant to the research question - will be collected from the students. The survey involves giving three questionnaires to the students in the sample population. In our study, the data provided by the students serves as independent and/or explanatory variables - data to be utilized to predict achievement.

The second phase of data collection involves the collection of secondary data regarding the academic achievements of the students in English and Mathematics through getting their scores from the relevant departments. The data collected serves as the dependent variables in this study (Eiselen, 2006). Analysis of Data This study involves a framed research paradigm, such that the analysis of the validation phase entails the analysis of data in the implementation stages. The main objective of the analysis is the ability to give answers to both primary and secondary research questions.

To enable analysis of the data collected from respondents in both strata A and B, in the two stages of data collection; the information will be saved in the form of SPSS data files. Each item collected brings about a variable within the data file whereas each student respondent is regarded as a specific case. Data files of the two stages of data collected will then be combined and the final resulting data file will be 'cleaned'.

Data cleaning is the selection of only those students who participated in the survey and got at least a 1st semester valid mark. Before initiating analysis of the resulting data file, any missing data at the item level will be attributed utilizing expectation maximization (EM) methods. This will however only be done where it is justifiable. Frequency distributions, percentages, will be utilized to analyze quantitative data. Qualitative data will be analyzed through classifying responses into themes (Eiselen, 2006).

Data Presentation Students in the final sample (in both strata) will be described based on their responses in the questionnaire. Due to the background questions, the items contained in the questionnaire result in categorical variables - variables that are determined either at ordinary or nominal levels; these can then be described utilizing frequencies, percentages, or graphs (Eiselen, 2006). Data Interpretation Cognitive factors linked to previous learning in English and Mathematical skills were evaluated using a questionnaire. The academic achievement of.