CHAPTER THREE

METHODOLOGY

Introduction

This chapter presented the approaches and techniques the researcher used to collect data and investigate the research problem. The arrangement of the chapter was as follows: research design, study population, sample size, data collection methods, data collection instruments, data quality control, data analysis and measurement of variables.

Research design

The study used experimental research design. This included the adoption of Solomon Four Group Design research method that included the creation of two groups in the school and the experiment was carried out.

Study population

A population is the aggregate or totality of objects or individuals having one or more characteristics in common that are of interest to the researcher and where inferences are to be made, Amin (2005). For Sekeran(2003), it is the abstract of a large group of many cases from which a researcher draws a sample and to which results from a sample are generalized. The study consisted of a population of 80 pupils and these were from one school and this included only pupils from primary one  lower primary school.

Sample size

The study was drawn based on a sample size of 66. The sample size was selected based on the sample size table by Krejcie and Morgan (1970 pp. 607-610). Assert that where a total population is 80, a sample size 66 is sufficient.

Sampling procedures and techniques

Simple Random Sampling

The researcher used probability (simple random sampling) because of the nature of study, which required getting particular information from the respondents. Best and Khan (2003) explain that this type of technique ensured that all the elements in the population had equal chances of being selected. Before applying simple random sampling, the researcher constructed a sample frame with all the elements and then randomly select the sample using simple random sampling.

Data Collection Methods

Both primary and secondary data which is both qualitative and quantitative will be obtained for the particular study.

Primary Data

Primary data was got through test questions given to pupils in lower primary one class. This enabled the researcher to get answers that relate to the questions asked; therefore the information got was in line to the study.

Secondary Data

In the secondary analysis of qualitative data, good documentation cannot be underestimated as it provides necessary background and much needed context both of which make re-use a more worthwhile and systematic endeavor. Secondary data was obtained through the use of published and unpublished documents. Various publications, past dissertation and reports, magazines and newspapers reports, historical documents and other sources of published information will be reviewed by the researcher. According to Amin (2005) secondary data can be helpful in the research design of subsequent primary research and can provide a baseline with which the collected primary data results can be compared to other methods.

Data Collection Instruments.

The study was experimental in nature and the researcher used Test Questions to collect data.

The researcher supplied test questions to the pupils to get an insight into study questions. This helped in getting a deeper understanding of the study topic.

Data quality control of instruments

The data collection tools was pre-tested on a smaller number of respondents from each category of the population to ensure that the test questions are accurate and bring out the required information from the respondents.

Validity

Validity is defined as the extent to which results can be accurately interpreted and generalized to other populations (Oso & Onen, 2008).

Validity is the extent to which an instrument like an interview guide, Test questions or questionnaire measures the intention of the researcher.

Validity was tested using content validity index which involved judges scoring the relevancy of the questions in the instruments in relation to the study variables.

The formula for Content Validity Index was;

CVI =

Where CVI = content validity

n= number of items indicated relevant.

N = total no. of items in the instrument

Content validity index

C         =

Content Validity Index = 0.918919

The content validity index was 0.918919, therefore the instrument was deemed valid since the Content validity index is more than 0.7 or 70%.

The researcher gave the instruments to the two experts who made an assessment of whether what the researcher is trying to bring out actually does come out. The instrument was then to be tried out on selected individuals of the same characteristics as those that was in the study to assist in identifying deficiencies in the instruments such as insufficient space to write responses, wrong numbering, vague questions, (Mugenda & Mugenda, 1999).The variables should have a CVI of above 0.70 or 70% as the recommended value for the instruments to be considered relevant (Amin, 2005).The researcher analyzed the data collected and where need arose, the instrument was re-adjusted and re-design to improve reliability and validity.

Reliability

Crobach’s coefficient alpha (a) as recommended by Amin, (2005, P.302) was used to test the reliability of the research instrument. The instrument was deemed reliable at 0.7 and above was obtained and therefore, it was adopted for use in the data collection.

Formula for reliability was

=       ( )

Where  = alpha reliability co efficiency.

K=Number of items included in the questionnaire

= sum of variance of individual items

= variance of all items in the instrument.

To ensure credibility and trust worthiness of quantitative data the researcher ensured that only the pupils in primary one were given the test questions.

The coefficient ranges between a=0.00 for no reliability, a =1.00 for perfect reliability. The closer alpha gets to 1.0 the better. If the study findings result to Cronbanch’s Alpha of 0.7 and above, this will signify that research instrument is good enough for the study. According to Amin (2005), all the measurements in the instrument that show adequate levels of internal consistency of cronbach’s alpha of 0.7 and above are accepted as reliable. On finding out the Chronbach value obtained was 0.83, and then the researcher took the reliability as reliable for use in data collection.

Data Analysis Techniques

Data was analysed both qualitatively and quantitatively.

Quantitative Data Analysis

Data was sorted using the Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS) method. The researcher employed univariate analysis techniques in analyzing his data. Univariate analysis is the simplest form of quantitative (statistical) analysis. The analysis is carried out with the description of a single variable in terms of the applicable unit of analysis. Univariate analysis is commonly used in the first, descriptive stages of research, before being supplemented by more advanced, inferential bivariate or multivariate analysis. In addition to frequency distribution, univariate analysis commonly involves reporting measures of central tendency (location). In summary the researcher will apply the Pearson correlation coefficient test (to test the degree of relationship between the study variables. The researcher also analyzed the raw data using regression analysis. The background variable was analyzed using both the two-way and one way analysis of variance.

Qualitative Data Analysis

Qualitative data was analyzed using both thematic analysis and content analysis. Content analysis involved coding the data and later processing it. This is because the two approaches complement each other since the theme emerges from the researcher and the description summaries from the responses.

Ethical Considerations

There are several reasons why it is important to adhere to ethical norms in research. First, norms promote the aims of research, such as knowledge, truth, and avoidance of error. For example, prohibitions against fabricating, falsifying, or misrepresenting research data promote the truth and avoid error. Second, since research often involves a great deal of cooperation and coordination among many different people in different disciplines and institutions, ethical standards promote the values that are essential to collaborative work, such as trust, accountability, mutual respect, and fairness. In order to promote ethics in the proposed study, respondent’s names were withheld to ensure anonymity and confidentiality in terms of any future prospects. In order to avoid bias, the researcher will interview the respondents one after the other and ensured that she informs them about the nature and extent of her study and on the other hand she gave them reasons as to why is interviewing them.

Limitations of the Study

The researcher encountered the following challenges;

The researcher faced a challenge of organizing the lower primary children to be considered in the study. The cost of acquiring the different computer games was high and this was solved by down loading the computer games by the researcher.

CHAPTER FOUR

PRESENTATION OF FINDINGS

4.0 Introduction

4.1.1 The effect of participation as a computer games strategy on literacy skills development

Computer games

 ItzaBitza

Designed to help children develop their creativity, reading, and vocabulary skills, “ItzaBitza” features written prompts for children to draw what the character on the computer screen is asking for. For example, a farmer might be looking for his barn and asks the pupil to draw one. After the drawing is complete, it comes to life onscreen to add a little fun.

These tests were carried out in a period of one week. sThe pretest and the post test, the post test was carried out after one week to compare the results in Group A for which one involved the use of participation computer games strategy.

Test Results from the group A

Pre-test, treatment, post-test, in Phonemic awareness and alphabetical awareness

Table 1: Pre-test, treatment, post-test, in Phonemic awareness and alphabetical awareness

Source: Primary Data

Using the pre-test, treatment, post-test the results shows that the average performance in Phonemic awareness was 35.7 before the use of computer games strategy. The results also sindicates that the average mark for the children in alphabetic awareness was 38.7, while the average mark was 28.7 in comprehension these results indicated that pupils performed poorly without the use of computer games strategy.

The findings also further indicated that when the pupils were introduced into computer games strategy there was a big improvement in performance. The results further shows that the improvement in performance of students was high as indicated that in the Phonemic awareness was 65.1, while for alphabetic awareness was 66 and the results for comprehension was 58.9.

Relationship between numbers of times a pupil attends a computer lab and total marks of pupil performance

Source: Primary Data

The results in the study indicates that the Pearson correlation coefficient 0.436 indicates that there is a small relationship between number of times a pupil visited the computer lab and the n number of times the total level of academic performance of pupils.

This result further indicates that the pupil performance is to some extend affected by the number of times a pupil attends the computer lab.

Regression analysis of the number of times a child attends a computer lab and the mean value of performance

Source: Primary Data

The findings in the study further shows that R-square value of 0.190 indicates that 19% of the performance of the pupils after the use of computers. This results shows that though the number of times affects the performance of pupils in alphabetic awareness, comprehension and phonemic awareness.

Findings on the significance of the pupils’ attendance of the computer lab and their average performance

Source: Primary Data

The findings indicate that P-Value 0.000 indicates that there is a strong significance between pupil lab attendance and performance in phonemic awareness, alphabetic principles and comprehension.

These results shows that it is essential for the pupils to attend the computer lab to enable them be in position to learn.

Source : primary data

The results shows that the P-Value 0.000 indicates that there is a strong significance between number of times the pupil attendance a computer lab and the mean value of performance.

Correlation analysis for

Source: Primary Data

According to the results indicates that there is a negative relationship  between the use of computer games in class and not using computer games in class, this findings further indicates that the more the organization computer games to pupils the better performance of the pupils.