CHAPTER 2

METHODOLOGY
Research Design

This paper will use the phenomenological study as a design because this

approach is used to describe the phenomenon and not explain the phenomenon,

including any emerging phenomena such as emotions, thoughts, and actions of

human beings and as such. Phenomenology means to describe something to the

"thing itself." Supposition becomes unnecessary since the objective is to

investigate as it happens (Avery & Sheikh,2011). It is often used to narrow an

immense field of research to one or few easy research examples.

Phenomenological study as the research design of this study is find suited for it is

focusing on phenomena within the context of a real-life situation.

In this study, researchers aim to write this piece to provide insight into

when to consider employing this approach and an overview of key methodological

considerations concerning the design, planning, analysis, interpretation, and

reporting of case studies. These approaches provide a better understanding of

parents' challenges as they become a facilitator of learning.

Role of the Researchers

The role of the researchers in qualitative research is to assess the thoughts

and feelings of the participants in facing the issues and challenges in online and

traditional learning.

This study helps the researchers as future educators to have an excellent

knowledge of the learning environment with the indicator of parents as facilitators

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of the student. The study will benefit Parents, Students, and Stakeholders.

Research has found that the learning environment, such as Parents as an

indicator, play a crucial role in student success. Students who study in a positive

learning environment with Parents facilitating are more motivated, engaged, and

have a higher overall learning ability (Hendrix, 2019).

The study will employ the interview method of data generation. Many

researchers claim that using interviews as a research method has numerous

advantages. Savin-Baden and Major (2013) emphasize that one strength of

interviews is their ability to yield information that directly answers the research

questions. One benefit of using interviews is that they provide flexibility to the

researchers, who can prove and follow up on the interviewee’s answers to yield

deeper information. In a like manner, interviewees can also ask for clarification

from the interviewer if they do not understand the question. This way, the

researcher can gather more accurate information from the interviewees (Menter et

al., 2011).

However, Yin (2013) cites that one of the dangers of employing interviews

is the tendency for participants only to provide information that they think the

researcher wants to hear or to put themselves in a good light instead of providing

accurate information. To avoid this, the researcher must have a “good background

of information, to follow up with questions that reflect knowledge of a different

interpretation, and, if all else fails, to triangulate response through other interviews

or document reviews” (Newby, 2010, p.44).

The semi-structured interview is employed in this study to engage

respondents in a conversation still while ensuring that it is kept systematic. One

feature that all qualitative interview formats share is that questions are usually
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open-ended (Ary et al., 2014). It means that questions are not answerable by a

yes or a no, but they allow respondents to reveal more comprehensive answers.

The study uses semi-structured interviews because it gives the researcher

flexibility to probe through these answers. The interviewer also has the

opportunity to tailor the questions to adapt to what the interviewee is saying. The

questions may have been formulated to guide the interviewer in covering the

whole topic, but the interviewer can modify the questions during the interview

process (Ary et al., 2014; Menter et al., 2011).

Research Participants

The participants will be the parents of grade school-level students currently

enrolled in the public School of San Francisco, Agusan Del Sur. There will be 5

participants to be interviewed. Participants are selected who can best inform the

research questions and enhance understanding of the phenomenon under study

(Creswell, 2009; Kuper et al., 2008).

The interviews will be conducted thru face to face employing the necessary

interview protocol. However, the interview may take place outside the school,

depending on the availability of the participants. The idea to determine the

number of participants was sought from the criteria set forth by Creswell (2003)

when he mentioned that the participants must not be less than one but more than

five as the minimum requirement to be included.

We will conduct more interviews to reach data saturation. Interviews are

one method by which one’s study results reach data saturation Bernard (2012).

Data Collection

To start the data collection, the researchers will follow the steps:
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1. They will employ interactive and non-interactive techniques for gathering

data.

2. Conduct an appropriate questionnaire that will make or search on the

internet.

3. The researchers will interview the participants facing these issues and

challenges face-to-face and in online interviews.

4. The researchers will prepare all the essential things used in conducting a

pen, paper, and smartphones for documentation.

Before the interview begins, prayer should be done, and it should be closed

with a thank message to the participants who volunteered and shared their time

and effort to make the study success.

The qualitative researcher could employ interactive or non-interactive data

generation methods. Interactive techniques require the researcher to interact with

the subjects being studied, such as conducting an interview, while non-interactive

techniques lack such interaction, as in a review of documents (Wiersma & Jurs,

2009). The researcher intends to use data-generating techniques through

interviews and document analysis in the study.

Data collection will start with looking for the appropriate questionnaire for the

study and the appropriate questionnaire search from the internet. The items will

be contextualized in the local setting.

Data Analysis

The study will employ a data analysis procedure that involves coding and thematic

analysis.

Data collected through qualitative methods such as interviews and

observations will mean something once analyzed and evaluated (Bell, 2010).
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Researchers point out that the complex nature of qualitative research entails a

rich repertoire of techniques that can be applied to data analysis (Burton &

Bartlett, 2005; King & Horrocks, 2010; Punch & Oancea, 2014).

In the study, managing data will begin with transcribing field interviews and

organizing field notes. It is done to help the researcher familiarize themselves and

engage with the data (Ary et al., 2014). Lochmiller and Lester (2017) suggest that

it is also better for researchers to listen and re-listen to audio recordings even

before transcribing data, as it also allows them to reflect on possible analytical

questions that they can refer to as they progress through the analysis. During

transcribing data, the researcher will simultaneously take notes to capture key

ideas and great thoughts in his head. This written reflection of the data is called a

memo or an ongoing conversation between herself and her data (Clarke, 2005;

Lochmiller & Lester, 2017). Besides memoing data, researchers also use codes,

labels, annotations, charts, and summaries to manage and organize data (Ary et

al., 2014; Blaxter, 2010). After familiarizing with and organizing data, Ary et al.

(2014) point out that the qualitative researcher’s next step is coding.

Thematic analysis is a qualitative approach to data analysis, where themes

or patterns within the data are identified, analyzed, and reported (Braun & Clarke,

2006). Unlike codes, which refer directly to the data, themes are “almost entirely

based on the analytic interpretation of the data” (Lochmiller & Lester, 2017, p. 46).

King and Horrocks (2010) define themes as “the recurrent and distinctive features

of participants’ accounts, characterizing particular perceptions and experiences,

which the researcher sees as relevant to the research question .”Aronson (1995)

argues that thematic analysis is the best way to understand the ideas that emerge

from the conversations for a study that uses ethnographic interviews for data
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collection. With this in mind, the study utilizes thematic analysis to piece together

the themes from participants’ stories to create “a comprehensive picture of their

collective experience.”

Trustworthiness

Trustworthiness is one-way researchers can persuade themselves and

readers that their research findings are worthy of attention (Lincoln & Guba,

1985). Lincoln & Guba (1985) refined the concept of trustworthiness by

introducing the criteria of Credibility, Transferability, Dependability, and

confirmability.

In this study, trustworthiness established the research study findings based

on these four things:

Credibility: The researcher will ensure each participant's credibility, which

will be determined and examined accurately. Guba & Lincoln (1989) claimed that

the credibility of a study is determined when co-researchers or readers are

confronted with an experience they can recognize. Credibility addresses the "fit"

between the respondent's views and the researcher's representation of them

(Tobin & Begley, 2004 pg,88). Credibility will be employed as we gather data from

our participants. We will ensure that all findings from our participants' responses

are authentic and were not just made by us. Rest assured that the researcher will

only place truth value in every piece of data we will collect.

Transferability The nature of transferability, the extent to which findings

are helpful to the person in other settings, differs from other research aspects in

that readers determine how applicable the findings are to their situations (Polit &

Beck, 2014). Our study will also assess how research findings can be applied to

different respondents in other contexts or settings.

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Dependability To achieve dependability, researchers can ensure the

research process is logical, traceable, and documented (Tobin & Begley, 2004).

When readers can examine the research process, they can better judge the

dependability of the research (Lincoln & Guba, 1985). To achieve dependability,

our findings or results must come from trustworthy sources. We must ensure that

all of the data we collect is consistent so that our investigation yields consistent

results. We can be confident that our research is reliable because of this.

Confirmability Is concerned with establishing that the researcher's

interpretations and findings are derived from the data, requiring the researcher to

demonstrate how conclusions and interpretations have been reached (Tobin &

Begley, 2004). Koch (1994) recommended that researchers include markers such

as the reasons for theoretical, methodological, and analytical choices throughout

the study so that others can understand how and why decisions were made.

Aside from our recorded data, we shall keep a log of our entire study

process to ensure confirmability. This data will serve as a record of our

investigation's progress. Furthermore, confirmability will ensure we do not tamper

with our data, conclusions, or results. The researcher will be objective and free of

prejudices.

Formulated research questionnaires for the study will be subjected to

content validity by the panel of experts. Validation of questionnaires by experts is

essential (Whiteland, 2014). The term "validity" applies more to quantitative than

qualitative approaches. "Trustworthiness" is a more appropriate concept to apply.

To measure the trustworthiness of the qualitative questionnaire schedule, the best

approach is a team expert review of the questions to reduce ambiguity leading to

emotive and stressful questions.

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After the expert validation, the interview questionnaire will be revised, and

the final copy will be presented to the adviser. Upon approval, the researcher will

draft the letter of permission to conduct the study addressed to the concerned

institutions. After approval has been sought from the approving agencies, the

interview will commence. The researcher will personally conduct the interview.

The researcher will observe the necessary ethical considerations in gathering

data through the interview method. Ethical considerations mean that the

researcher is responsible for caring for the welfare of the participants participating

in the research process. In behaving ethically, chances of maintaining positive

rapport between the researcher and participants are increased for the duration of

the study (Burton et al., 2008 )

Ethical Considerations

This study was conducted with a firm adherence to the ethical protocols

and guidelines the school ethics committee set forth. The researchers will

religiously request and secure the corresponding permission from key school

officials to complete this research. Proper authorization and consent will also be

obtained from the sample of the study, in which they will be assured that all their

rights would be fully protected, specifically in handling the data such as, but not

limited to:

Voluntary Participation. The researcher will ensure that the study's

respondents voluntarily agree to participate without penalty. The objectives of this

study were carefully explained and presented through formal consent to ensure

that the respondents fully understood how they could contribute to the study. Only

those who accepted the invitation to participate were given survey questionnaires.
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Privacy and Confidentiality. In line with protecting the rights of the study

participants, all the information gathered from this study will be kept private and

confidential.

Informed Consent Process. The survey questionnaire utilized in this

study will be clear and comprehensible, and the researcher will ensure that the

respondents are fully aware of the benefits the school may get from the study.

The survey will be conducted with the approval of the concerned school

authorities and the respondents' permission.

Risks. This research will not involve high-risk situations that the population

may experience regarding physical, psychological, or socioeconomic concerns. It

will protect and secure the rights of the individuals in the study.

Benefits. The results of this study can help critical officials and

stakeholders since the findings will give them new information in planning and

implementing new methodologies based on the recommendations. Also, parents,

guardians, caregivers, and students will better understand online and traditional

learning. Lastly, administrators can also gain new insight from this study since

they have long been exploring new mechanisms and factors in enhancing the

learning programs to facilitate the student's academic performance and

achievement through the help of parents' involvement.

Biosafety. This undertaking will not involve scientific experiments that

harm biological and environmental subjects. Moreover, concerns about the

process of authorship will be observed in this study.

Plagiarism. The researchers will ensure that the correct and accurate way

of citing ideas from other writers and scholars is fully observed. To be able to do
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this, this paper will undergo grammar and plagiarism checking via Grammarly and

Turnitin software.