Epistemology Theory Research design

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Chapter 3 Research Methodology

3.1 Introduction

The previous chapter outlined the literature related to teacher self-evaluation. It also elaborated on how Vygotsky’s sociocultural and Bourdieu’s sociological theories were used to frame this study’s research questions. The research questions in this study are: 1. What is the nature of Indonesian English language teachers’ pedagogic habitus dispositions and beliefs? 2. To what extent are Indonesian English language teachers’ pedagogic habitus capable of change as a result of engagement in mediated self-evaluation? This chapter presents the methods through which the above research questions were addressed. The chapter first describes the research design used in this study. This includes an outline of epistemology, theory, approach, strategies and analysis. The second section of this chapter then outlines the research procedures, including details pertaining to sampling, entire data collection process, and teacher self-evaluation activity. Lastly, this chapter discusses research ethics including researcher position and other ethical considerations.

3.2 Research design

This section includes five main discussions: 1 epistemological position; 2 theory; 3 approach; 4 strategies; and 5 analysis, which are discussed further below.

3.2.1 Epistemology

All research studies make a particular claim about knowledge. According to Dimitriadis and Kemberelis 2005, p. 13, “Epistemologies are concerned with knowledge and how people come to have knowledge”. There are two principal epistemologies: objectivism and constructivism. Objectivism postulates an objective world in which meaning is independent of what is ascribed by human beings and their cultural systems. Alternatively, constructivism postulates meaning as a function of our engagement with the world. In addition, Kundi and Nawaz 2010, p. 30 assert that 55 constructivism is not “predictable in total, rather most of it depends on the human interaction with the situation resulting into human perception which in turn draws the picturesimage of reality”. This implies that the meaning of reality is likely to be constructed differently as a function of the position or perspective taken by culture, a social formation, or an individual person. Hence, this study is guided by constructivism as the epistemological position because the meaning of reality in this study is not only considered an individual construction; it is also considered a social construction pervaded by common sense. Dimitriadis and Kamberelis 2005, p. 14 assert, “it has only been in the last couple of decades that qualitative approaches to social science rooted in constructionist epistemologies have gained scientific legitimacy, and the struggle for legitimacy continues in many domains, including language and literary studies”. Therefore, in adopting social constructivism as the study’s epistemological position, and in assuming that how the knowledge is constructed or generated in this study depends on particular action, belief, and contextual challenges, the researcher is mindful of the need to address the concerns of a potentially sceptical audience. Every effort is made to do so throughout this study.

3.2.2 Theory

Dimitriadis and Kamberelis 2005 claim that a qualitative inquiry needs to involve theories, which are defined as “abstract sets of assumptions and assertions used to interpret and sometimes explain psychological, social, cultural, and historical processes and formations” p. 15. Positivism and interpretivism are two broad abstract theories that underlie sociological research. On the one hand, positivists assume a meaningful reality that is independent of experience and can only be revealed through empirical observation and experiment Dimitriadis Kamberelis, 2005, p. 15. Positivists, therefore, are concerned with testing theories and hypotheses and presenting the reality by empirical means. The goal of positivist research is to produce objective generalizations because human actions can be explained as a result of real causes that precedes their behaviors Carson et al., 2001; Hudson Ozanne, 1988. On the other hand, interpretivists believe that realities are relative and multiple, and are perceived through socially constructed and subjective interpretations Carson et al., 2001; Hudson Ozanne, 1988. The central assumption of interpretivist research is that social actors generate meaningful constructs of the social world in which they 56 operate. Hence, the interpretivist research aims to understand and interpret human behavior including how they think and feel, and how they actre-act in their contexts. This study is conceptualized within interpretivism since I examine, understand, and interpret the instructional practice of Indonesian teachers through their pedagogic habitus and to what extent those habitus are capable of change following engagement in self-evaluation as a mediational activity. In addition, I use Vygotksy’s sociocultural and Bourdieu’s sociological theories, which are compatible for interpretivism. The next subsection of this chapter discusses the research approach used in this study.

3.2.3 Approach