5th and 8th grade pupils’ and teachers’ perceptions of the relationships between teaching methods, classroom ethos, and positive affective attitudes towards learning mathematics in Japan

93

A group-administered questionnaire with teachers reading aloud, was conducted with 5^th
graders. This research method was trialled in the third pilot study with 5^th graders; and
was found to help the children to participate more easily. The questionnaire could be
completed within one class duration. This was ensured through the pilot study. Group-
administered questionnaires under the teacher’s supervision were administered to 8^th
graders. The researcher attended each administration to both 5^th and 8^th graders to
ensure that both grades took part in the survey without any difficulties. The teachers’
questionnaire survey employed a self-administered questionnaire. This method aimed to
ensure a high response rate, accurate sampling and a minimum of interview bias, while
providing necessary explanations and the benefit of a degree of personal contact
(Oppenheim, 1996).

The teacher interviews were conducted with individual teachers with no other colleagues
present. This aimed to reduce the possibility of social desirability bias (Oppenheim,
1996), which was more likely to occur in a group interview with colleagues than an
individual interview. The individual interview also aimed to minimise hesitation over
stating views. The individual interviews took from 20 minutes to one hour. All interviews
were tape-recorded.

3.6: The data analysis

The quantitative data obtained in the questionnaires were analysed using SPSS. The
data analysis was conducted, to focus on the comparisons between groups: between
teachers and pupils of each grade, teachers according to their teaching age groups, and
pupils according to their age groups.

Qualitative data were obtained from the responses to the open questions in the
questionnaire of 8^th graders and teachers of both age groups. The responses of teachers
of both teaching age groups were compared. The responses of 8^th graders and their
teachers were also compared. The qualitative data obtained in the questionnaire survey
were analysed adopting procedures, as proposed by Cooper et al. (1993). Cooper et al.
(1993) defines a seven-stage process for this analysis (Marton, 1990). The details of the
procedures will be presented at the beginning of the presentation of the data analysis.
Compared to quantitative analysis, qualitative enquiry has looser controls, may reflect

93

<<   <   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   >   >>