Data Collection, Instruments, and Procedures
Data for Collection
Data collection is the most vital part of any research study. These data can be extrinsic or intrinsic as this depends on the mode and subject of data collection. This research focuses on how learners from low-income families can get the necessary aid to succeed in the classroom. Therefore, this research primarily uses qualitative (experienced-based) data collection methods, mainly interviews. Qualitative data is essential and provides a researcher with important details participants share (Tavory, 2020). Since qualitative data describes characteristics or qualities, using interviews will help collect data on why learners from low-income families are unsuccessful in the classroom (Tavory, 2020). Subsequently, this will help find the solutions to these problems and finally come up with the strategies that can be used to support these learners from low-income families to be successful in the classroom.
Some data I would collect include the number of family members, children attending school, ages of children and parents, family income, the grade the children in the family are in, and how often children attend school. Others include the number of meals they can afford during the day, the most significant challenges in the family affecting learners’ learning, parents’ occupation, cultural background, and student performance. All these data, when collected through interviews and survey questions, would ease the process of collecting data. The reason for collecting these data, such as the age of learners and parents and occupation of parents, will help identify where the primary problems of learners from low-income families lie or originate. Thus, collecting such data will make it easy to analyze them and develop appropriate solutions to the issues and ways of supporting these learners to succeed in class.
Data Collection Procedure
As stated previously, data collection is the most vital aspect of research. Therefore, different steps will be taken to collect data on this research in data collection procedures. First, as stated in the previous assignments, the data collection will start by identifying the study area. This will then help identify the issues or opportunities for collecting data. The second stage is to use survey questions for the participants; after filling them out, there will be an interview session. The survey questions that participants will fill will help identify the primary issues in low-income families. Once they are placed, focused strategies and solutions for assisting learners from less privileged families to be successful in class will also be identified (Mills, 2014). The survey questions stage will be like an eye opener as they help to realize the real issues and opportunities in these families.
The second procedure will be an in-depth interview session. The interview stage will be the most important because, at this stage, the researcher can have one-on-one conversations with the participants as they express their experiences and challenges. This session will require note-taking because, from the interviewing process, the researcher and I will be able to select issues and opportunities and then set goals for the success of this research. Interviewing different families concerning the matter will help plan a proper approach and methods to solve the problem facing learners from low-income families.
The interview process eases the data collecting time, ensuring one gathers enough data from the sampled group. The interview process will remain confidential and provide freedom of expression to the participants. Tavory (2020) insists that qualitative data collection is the most significant and appropriate. It ensures a researcher gets the rich details shared by participants, is exceptionally powerful in thinking through complicated systems, and can demonstrate how the strategies are implemented and workable in real life, eventually resulting in change. In-depth interviews were selected for data collecting because they allow more personal communication between the researcher and the partakers.
The other procedure accompanying the two stages of filing surveys and in-depth interviews is observation. While interviewing these families, it would be prudent to observe the environment, the living conditions, or even the entire family household, especially the family population. Such factors will help in accurately analyzing the information that the participants fill in the forms and even the information they share through interviews. After collecting and putting all the data together, the last procedure is to analyze and interpret them to ensure that all the data collected are credible and dependable.
Data Collection Considerations
In establishing trustworthiness in action research, Guba and Lincoln made strict criteria in qualitative research: credibility, dependability, confirmability, and transferability. The four aspects were then named the four dimensions criteria. Hence, it is paramount to ensure that all four elements of trustworthiness are achieved in research. Therefore, how can I accomplish these four credibility aspects in this action research? Credibility is the degree to which a study account is appropriate and believed with specific reference to the level of agreement between the researcher and participants. Forero et al. (2018) state that for research to be credible and dependable or generally trustworthy, qualitative researchers must show that data examination and analysis have been performed in detail, dependably, and exhaustively. It is achieved by unveiling the approaches of analysis, systemizing, and recording with comprehensive information to help the reader decide whether the course of research was credible. Therefore, I will ensure credibility by registering the interview process, disclosing the analysis methods, using survey questions and providing extensive research.
Transferability will be ensured in this research action by performing thorough work describing and defining the research background and the fundamental assumptions of this study. As such, anyone wishing to transmit the outcomes to a diverse setting is liable to decide how practical the transmission is. Confirmability will be demonstrated by providing every detail of every data analysis phase and showing that the findings are never coloured by unconscious and conscious bias but correctly show the participant’s answers (Forero et al., 2018).
Intervention Plan
The data collection procedure starts with identifying the area of research. The location of research means the population to be researched, whether parents or students and the exact area of conducting and collecting data. The second stage is using survey questions for participants to fill out. This stage will help identify the real opportunities and issues in low-income families, which will help set the research goals. The stage uses in-depth interviews where the sample participants will be interviewed to provide more exhaustive information about low-income learners and families, especially the challenges affecting their performance and studies. The other procedure is observations, which will be used with survey questions and interviews to understand and analyze the situation and credibility of the information given. The final stage is analyzing and interpreting the data to ensure the correct action plan is premeditated.
The research proposal concerns how learners from low-income families can get the needed support to succeed in the classroom. Therefore, this research focuses on learners from low-income families and the support they need to be at par with learners from fortunate families. This research will use qualitative methods of collecting data, such as interviews, surveys, and focus groups. The research question to be answered is, what strategies can be used to support children from low-income families to get the necessary support to succeed in the classroom? The preferred intervention plan for this research is for teachers to work closely with the parents or guardians to support the learners from low-income families to improve in class. In addition, the data collection method will reflect trustworthiness by recording the interviews, ensuring the data collection analysis and methods are exposed and ensuring I collect detailed and thorough research that is dependable and transferable. I will implement various security measures for anonymity and confidentiality, such as using codes to mark data instead of names. I will ensure the computer files are encrypted for the computers or phones used. I will have a locked cabinet to keep the signed consent forms and other essential documents safe (Surmiak, 2018). Finally, I will remove personal identifiers from participants’ documents to ensure they are anonymous.
Conclusion
Notably, data collection is a vital part of any research. If data collection methods are not correctly chosen, the fundamental research will likely be flawed. This research will use qualitative data collection methods. The data collection procedure will involve using survey questions, interviews, and observation to ensure the fundamental research is successful. During data collection, I must ensure I meet Lincoln and Guba’s trustworthy criteria of credibility, dependability, confirmability, and transferability. This will be achievable by explaining every detail of the research, especially data collection and analysis. Besides, I will also ensure participants are kept anonymous and their information is confidential by implementing different strategies such as using codes, eliminating personal identities, encrypting documents, and having a cabinet for storing the documents safely.
References
Forero, R., Nahidi, S., De Costa, J., Mohsin, M., Fitzgerald, G., Gibson, N., & Aboagye-Sarfo, P. (2018). Application of four-dimension criteria to assess the rigour of qualitative research in emergency medicine. BMC Health Services Research, 18(1), 1–11. https://Doi.org/10.1186/s12913-018-2915-2.
Mills, G. E. (2014). Action research: A guide for the teacher researcher. Prentice-Hall, Inc., One Lake Street, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458.
Surmiak, A. (2018). Confidentiality in qualitative research involving vulnerable participants: Researchers; perspectives. In Forum: Qualitative Social Research (Vol.19, No. 3, pp. 393–418). Freie Universität Berlin.
Tavory, I. (2020). Interviews and inference: Making sense of interview data in qualitative research. Qualitative Sociology, 43(4), 449–465.
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Question 
This week, you will work on the next section that will contribute to your Final Action Research Proposal by examining both qualitative and quantitative approaches to data collection, generating one instrument you can use to collect data in your study, considering how you will establish trustworthiness in your research, and planning your procedures for data collection. Please carefully review the Instructor’s Guidance and course readings for this week to inform the development of this assignment. For more information, watch the ECE660 Week 4 video.
Data Collection, Instruments, and Procedures
Write: Content Expectations
What data would you collect? In one to two paragraphs,
Justify one qualitative (experience-based) or quantitative (number-based) instrument that would be used in your proposed study to collect data on the effectiveness of your intervention in answering your research question.
Provide support from the research, literature, and textbook to explain why this would be an effective method for data collection.
Data Collection Procedures: In one to three paragraphs,
Describe your procedures for collecting data in your proposed action research study. This is where you explain how you use your intervention to collect data.
Data Collection Considerations: In one to two pages, discuss credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability.
Discuss how you will establish the trustworthiness of your action research study using Lincoln and Guba’s Quality Criteria for Trustworthiness (Links to an external site.).
Intervention plan: In one to two pages, provide your proposed timeline,
Describe your data collection procedures and provide a narrative description of your proposal (elevator speech). Be sure also to address how your data collection will reflect trustworthiness and the ethical considerations related to anonymity and confidentiality.