CHAPTER 3

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

3.1 Introduction

This chapter purposed on the procedures and methodology used to conduct this research. It is included the research design, population and sampling, research instrument, data collections and the data analysis. A  description on how the data analysis was used in assessing trainee teacher’s readiness and challenge towards teaching practice also was describe in this chapter.

3.2 Research design

The research design used in this study was quantitative in nature. This research focused on UiTM trainee teacher readiness towards becoming a teacher. The data obtained through the use of questionnaire.

3.3 Research method

This research used a descriptive research method. This technique used where the data was collected, gathered and analyzed. This research purpose was to get information about the trainee teacher’s readiness before and after teaching practice. It was also used to know the challenges faced during their practicum session and the needs of improvement that were need to overcome the problems they encountered in teaching practice. This survey method that was used in this research applies on questionnaire to obtain the data.

3.4 Population and Sample

The target population of this research was full time of education students in semester 7 and semester 8 of Faculty of Education. The survey was given to these respondents because they were already undergoing their teaching practice in school. These students of Faculty of Education undergo their course in UiTM Puncak Alam.

3.5 Instrumentation

This research was used a quantitative research that is a questionnaire as an instrument. The questionnaire is self-constructed and not adapt to any sources. However, some of items in this questionnaire were being modified twice and few of it is excluded after reliability analysis test. From the population that was mention above, 30 students were selected as respondents for a pilot study. This research was basically conducting a pilot study first for reliability purpose.  Besides that, the instrument are well ready after conducted a pilot study for students of Faculty of Education in each courses and it’s about 180 respondents were involve in answering of 85 items. Each of items acceptability getting through reliability and validity by using the “SPLITT-HALF” Reliability model and within IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software Version 23. The instrument that was used in this research is a questionnaire. The instrument has drafted and attached in appendices.

            3.5.1 Questionnaire

The questionnaire purpose was to fulfill all the research objectives which is first research question is to measure the level of readiness among UiTM trainee teachers on teaching practice and also second research objective; to investigate trainee teachers teaching related abilities during practicum, the third research objective is to identify the trainee teacher’s challenges encountered during teaching practice and the last one the fourth research objective is to investigate the needs of trainee teachers.

The questionnaire consists of several sections which are Section A, Section B and Section C with 85 questions in total. The sections are section A: demographic background, section B (RQ 1): What are trainee teachers’ general readiness to teach prior to practicum, (RQ 2): What are teaching related abilities during practicum, Section C (RQ 3): What are the trainee teachers’ challenges encountered during teaching practice? And (RQ 4): What are the needs of trainee teachers?

            3.5.1.1 Section A: Demographic Background

Wyse (2012), demographic background is about the particular characteristics of respondents. This section; Section A: Demographic background consists of 5 items. The demographic background is focused on these five items which are gender, part, program, name of school and CGPA.

Three items which are gender, part and program are using close format question which means the list of answers already provided and respondents just need to choose only one option. On another hand, another two items which are name of school and CGPA apply open format question which means that the answer is not provided thus respondents have to fill it themselves. The example of one open format question and one close format questions are as follows:

1.         GENDER:      (     ) FEMALE      (     ) MALE

2.         AGE: __________

Item 1 above is the example of close format questions and item 2 shows the example of close format questions.

3.5.1.2 Section B (RQ 1): What are the level of general readiness UiTM trainee   teacher’s towards teaching practice?

There are 64 items in Section B which aims to measure the level of general readiness among UiTM trainee teachers towards teaching practice. Respondents need to answer the side-to-side matrix – scale between 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 and 100.

However, these items was divide into several aspects which are Section B, Part A on general readiness before teaching practice (item 1 to item 18), Part B teaching-related readiness before teaching practice (item 19 to item 46) and Section C: Challenges encountered during teaching practice (item 47 to 61) and two items of open-ended question.

3.5.1.3 Section B (RQ 2): What are trainee teachers’ teaching related abilities during practicum?

Items in Section B in Part b (RQ 2) there are 46 items. This part purpose is to fulfill the second research objective which is to investigate trainee teachers teaching related abilities during practicum. Respondents also need to answer the side-to-side matrix - scale between range 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 and 100. This section exposed more about 21^st century learning skills knowledge.

3.5.1.4 Section B (RQ 3): What are trainee teachers’ challenges during teaching practice?

Items in Section B in Part b (RQ 2) there are 14 items. This part purpose is to fulfill the third research objective which is to identify the trainee teachers’ challenges encountered teaching practice. Respondents also need to answer the side-to-side matrix between 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 and 100.

Challenges that are being focus in this section are divided into two aspects which are working inside classroom and working with others.

Examples of items are as follows;

3.5.2 Research Question 4: Open-ended question

Open ended question was posed to respondents to know their opinion and views on what are aspects that need to improve for the teaching practice before they undergo practicum session and the needs of trainee teachers that a faculty can help in order to increase the readiness.

Examples of items are;

1. What are the aspects that you feel you still need improvement before your teaching stint in schools?

_______________________________________________________________________

2. How can faculty help?

_______________________________________________________________________

3.6 Instrument’s validity and reliability

The instruments used in this study first had been validated by a research supervisor who is a lecturer from Faculty of Education, UiTM Puncak Alam. Some of the items were corrected through the process of validation based on the suggestions of the instrument’s validator.

For validity and reliability of the instrument, pilot test will be conducted to seek the Cronbach’s Alpha value and the questionnaire will forward to the experts in the field. The acceptance level of Cronbach‟s Alpha values as shows in the table below.

Cronbach’s Alpha	Internal Consistency / Reliability Indicator
a > 0.9 / >0.9	Excellent / Very highly reliable
0.7 ≤ a < 0.9 / 0.8-0.9	Good / Highly reliable
0.6 ≤ a < 0.7 / 0.70-0.79	Acceptable / Reliable
0.5 ≤ a < 0.6 / 0.60-0.69	Poor Marginally minimally reliable
a < 0.5 / <0.60	Unacceptable / Unacceptably low reliability

            

  Sources from Lee Cronbach (1951)

Table 1: Shows the Cronbach‟s Alpha Values and Internal Consistency

Next, the data obtained from the questionnaire was running using Cronbach Alpha analyzed in order to know the consistency reliability of items. Based on the test, the result for the reliability for the overall instrument is 0.883 which indicates the instrument was reliable to measure respondents’ response in answering the items.

                                                Table 3.7: Reliability Statistics

______________________________________________________________________

            Cronbach’s Alpha     Cronbach’s Alpha Based on Standardized      Items  N of items

____________________________________________________________________________

                      0.880                                           0.897                                                    ____________________________________________________________________________

Table 3.7 shows the Cronbach’s Alpha for overall items used in questionnaire

Later, data obtains from questionnaire were analyzed. Finally, all the results obtained and analyzed into the report and study was completed.

1.1  Data collection

 Data collection will be set up at Faculty of Academic Contemporary Islamic Studies (ACIS) in UiTM Shah Alam. The questionnaires will distribute to the respondents in the class according to the cohort. Verbal explaining will give to the respondents on the purpose of the study, confidentiality and consent. Participant also will be informing of the right to participate or not to participate in the study. They will also brief explain about how to complete the questionnaire. The participants will need to answer the questionnaire immediately. 15 minute to 20 minutes will be allocating to the participant to answer the questionnaire. Participant will advise to clarify any ambiguity on the spot.

3.8 Data analysis procedures

Generally, all the data gather from the questionnaires that will collect and evaluated using the Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS) version 18. By using this software, a lot of time can be saved as it helps the researcher by just keying in the data and the data will be automatically processed and the results instantly tabulated. Afterward, the data will analyze to see whether the results correlate with the research objectives. Then researcher will make conclusion within recommendation based on the analysis. 

The questionnaires consist of three section, which section A (demographic data of the respondents), Section B, Part A (General Readiness Dimension) and Part B (RTeaching-related readiness) and Section C (Challenges Encountered during Teaching Practice). Section A consists of items pertaining to the demographic characteristic of the respondent and data will calculate and presented in the frequency table. For the section B and C likert scale test questionnaire will be use that start from scale 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 and 100. Marks will be allocate and code according to selection of respondents. The test will use for each of research objectives as showed in the table below.

Research Objectives	Sections	Data Analysis
1. To find out trainee teachers’ general readiness to teach prior to practicum.	Section B   Part A   Questions 1 – 18	Mean and Standard Deviation (Dimension of general readiness)
2. To investigate trainee teachers’ teaching skills abilities during practicum	Part B Questions 19 – 46	Mean and Standard Deviation (Dimension of teaching-related readiness)
3. To identify trainee teachers’ challenges encountered during teaching practice	Part C    Question 47-61	Mean and Standard Deviation (Dimension of challenges encountered during teaching practice)
4. To investigate the needs of trainee teachers to undergo teaching practice	Section C Open-ended	Mean and Standard Deviation (Dimension of the needs of trainee teachers to undergo teaching practice)

      Table 2 : Shows the research objectives and data analysis will use to conduct the study

3.9 Summary 

Overall, this chapter, researcher will choose Faculty of Education in UiTM Puncak Alam. This research will choose quantitative descriptive study and probability simple random sampling strategy technique. The sample will involve all the undergraduates Bachelor of Education and survey questionnaires will use as the main instrument to collect data in this study.