Perception of E-Learning by Parents in Tertiary Education in Malaysia

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY1

Introduction1

Research Design1

Research Philosophy2

Research Approach2

Data Collection Method3

Research Instrument4

Sample of questions5

Sampling Method5

Participants and Sample Size6

Rationale for selection of sample6

Variables of the Study7

Data Analysis8

Reliability/Dependability8

Validity10

Ethical Consideration10

REFERENCES12

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY

Introduction

The main focus of this thesis is to examine the perception of E-learning by parents in tertiary education in Malaysia. This chapter presents the brief description of the research methodology which is selected to accomplish the proposed research aim. In this chapter the first section presents a brief description about the selected research design. In the following sections of this chapter the selected research approach, data collection methods, research instruments and data analysis techniques were elaborated. In the final section of this chapter the reliability/dependability, validity and ethical considerations were discussed.

Research Design

To conduct a research study the plan to carry out a research work is extremely important as the research plan specify the path to conduct the research study. For this research study the quantitative research design is most appropriate research design. The quantitative research design is selected as this research design utilizes facts and figures to craft the findings (Saunders et al., 2007). The quantitative research design follows a formal and systematic process for collecting the quantifiable data about the selected research topic. In this research design the research data has been presented in numerical format and analyzed by utilizing the statistical techniques (Creswell 2008). This research design is suitable for examining the relationship tests among the variables. According to Creswell (2008) the quantitative research design is an effective research design as it concern with the numbers, statistics and relationships among the events or numbers.

Research Philosophy

The research philosophy is basically providing a scientific path to collect the research data. The research is an endless process which requires the search for an optimum level of the knowledge and information being taken for the sake of the research study (Saunders et al., 2007). It is necessary to understand the common experiences of those that have experienced a phenomenon and the assumptions that they hold, in order to practices and policies which drive desirable behavior (Strauss and Corbin 1998). The main focus of this research study is to examine the perception of E-learning by parents in tertiary education in Malaysia.

The positivism philosophy is selected for this particular research study as this approach has an optimistic philosophy. In this approach there is a compulsion of an exact approach for the current research since the chosen topic had to be investigated for the perception of parents for the E-learning tertiary education in Malaysia.

Research Approach

There were two research approaches has been widely utilized by the researchers. One of the research approaches is known as the inductive research approach. This research approach allows the researcher to examine the proposed research aim by utilizing the existing theories. Whereas, the second research approach is known as deductive research approach (Creswell 2003). This research approach allows the researcher to examine the proposed research aim by examining the proposed theories as well as hypothesis ...