CHAPTER 5
IN SEARCH OF UNDERLYING THEMES :
PHENOMENOLOGICAL APPROACH
5.1
INTRODUCTION
This chapter describes the core of the research project which included the
administration of the interview instrument developed in Chapter 4 to 50 physics
students from the University of Sydney, and the concurrent and subsequent
analysis carried out during this phase of the study.
The identification of the underlying themes comprised two distinct stages.
The first, entitled Initial Coding of Interviews, utilised a set of coding strategies
which culminated in the identification of a set of five themes; and the second,
entitled In-depth Categorisation, took these themes back to the raw transcript data
and individually investigated each, which resulted in a comprehensive coded and
structured dataset for each theme.
A summary of the final exhaustive description and fundamental structure
analysis for each of the five themes completes the chapter.
5.2
INTERVIEW PROTOCOL
In all, 48 interviews were conducted and involved 50 students. The sample
comprised 12 second year, 12 third year, 11 fourth year and 15 postgraduate physics
students from the University of Sydney.
Interviews were held in a specially
prepared interview room within the School of Physics.
The interview room was designed from feedback gathered during the
grounded stage of the study and was located on the ground floor of the physics
building; this provided a safe, non-threatening environment and was fitted with
suitable furniture, lighting, refreshments, reference books and audio recording
equipment.
The research project was announced in lectures and laboratory sessions
calling for volunteers, a list of names was taken and subjects were invited to
participate in an interview at a time convenient to them. Information about the
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interview and the guide questions was provided to subjects in advance. Before each
interview the subject gave informed consent. To create a relaxed atmosphere and
form a rapport with the students, I commenced each interview by discussing their
studies and/or research interests in physics.
This was followed by a short
discussion about this research study which led into the interview proper. The
interview was brought to a close after 40 minutes with a series of reflective
questions. The students were thanked for their participation and provided with the
offer of follow-up information on their interview.
Each interview took approximately 50 minutes and basically followed the
guide questions developed during the grounded stage of this study.
As
interviewer, I would tune the ordering and the depth of probing of individual
questions in order to further investigate issues raised, but essentially the questions
asked of each subject were the same. Students were engaged in a conversational
style of questioning rather than rigidly asking each question.
This style was
adopted to encourage student to articulate their knowledge of quantum mechanics
in their own words.
The questioning predominately comprised descriptive,
structure, opinion and probing type questions, and the subjects were encouraged to
draw or sketch as a part of their responses. Each interview was transcribed from
tape immediately following the interview.
5.3
DESCRIPTION OF CODING
As mentioned above, the coding process comprised two distinct stages. The
first entitled Initial Coding of Interviews, utilised a set of coding strategies which
culminated in identifying a set of themes; and the second, entitled In-depth
Categorisation, took these themes back to the raw transcript data and investigated
each individually resulting in a comprehensive coded dataset for each theme.
Although commercial software products were available for qualitative data
analysis, none were employed. As researcher, I found the ability of these products
to merge, cross reference, analyse, backup and manipulate data cumbersome and
restrictive in relation to this study. Instead I developed a research tool which
utilised Microsoft Word to store the transcript documentation, Microsoft Excel
spread sheets to store the data coding in flat data structures; and utilised the
functions within Word, Excel and Microsoft Visual Basic to manage datasets and
assist in the analysis of data. As a professional computer programmer and data
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analyst I found this system allowed me the freedom to manipulate easily the large
datasets and cross check results, and the datasets could easily be viewed by
research colleagues in the non-educational research faculties using standard
available software products.
The data analysis conducted during the grounded phase of the study
provided me with an in-depth appreciation of and sensitivity to the type of data
this phase of the study would produce. I was advised by the majority of my
education research colleagues to develop a coding scheme to reduce the data
quickly and efficiently. Although this advice seemed sensible on the surface I felt
uncomfortable for the following reason. The exploratory nature of the interviews
would generate a huge variety of responses to the questions, and the contexts in
which each response was provided could potentially flavour the meaning within
that response. I felt strongly on this point and discussed this matter with a wider
group of colleagues; the only negative points raised concerning delaying reducing
data were that my datasets would become very large, unwieldy and processing
them would take longer.
With this advice in mind I spent three months experimenting with a variety
of coding schemes. The result was a coding, grouping and analysis strategy which
comprised a set of processes that mapped and covered the seven steps prescribed
by Coliazzi’s for phenomenological research (refer to Chapter 3, Sections 3.6.2 and
3.7). The strategy struck a balance which maintained the richness of the data versus
manageable dataset sizes - ensuring that the contextual meanings associated with
the codes where kept separated. The grouping processes allowed tentative-themes
to emerge and be identified; and the final phase of analysis contrasted, compared
and collapsed separated datasets to identify the final set of themes.
Six separate coding schemes were used that looked at aspects of the data
from different angles:

Personal Log Coding

Learning Teaching & Understanding Coding

Attitudinal Coding

Response to Questions Coding

Identification of Important Statements Coding

Analytical Log Coding
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The preliminary analysis processing of these codes utilised a set of grouping
mechanisms which supported the premise of not collapsing the data too early but
still allowed themes to emerge. Three grouping mechanisms were employed:

Scheme Grouping

Analytical Log Grouping

Key Feature Grouping
The coding, grouping and analysis was initially recorded on the transcript
documentation (Word), then transferred and stored in their appropriate
spreadsheet (Excel). These coding and analysis strategies were developed against
the chosen methodological backdrop of Colaizzi’s seven steps of phenomenological
analysis described in Chapter 3. Each coding, grouping and analysis process was
carefully mapped against one of the seven steps to ensure the process strategies
appropriately covered the stated requirements prescribed by Coliazzi.
The following table provides a summary of the mapping against the seven
steps and the following sections provide detailed descriptions of each.
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Phenomenological Analysis Mapped Against the Coding and Analysis
Colaizzi’s Seven Steps
of Phenomenological Analysis
Coding Steps, Grouping and
Analysis
1. The researcher reviews the collected data and
become familiar with it. Through this process
they gain a feeling for the subject’s inherent
meanings.
2. The researcher returns to the data and focus on
those aspects that are seen as most important to
the phenomena being studied. From the data
they extract significant statements.
3. The researcher takes each significant statement
and formulates meaning in the context of the
subject’s own terms.
4. The meanings from a number of interviews are
grouped or organised in a cluster of themes.
This step reveals common patterns or trends in
the data.
5. A detailed, analytic description is compiled of
the subject’s feelings and ideas on each theme.
This is called an exhaustive description.
6. The researcher identifies the fundamental
structure for each exhaustive description.
7. The findings are taken back to the subjects who
check to see if the researcher has omitted
anything. This is called a member check.
Personal Log Coding (Interview)
Inherent Meaning Coding (Interview)
Identification of Important Statements
Coding (Interview)
Analytical Log Coding (Interview)
Scheme Grouping (Interview)
Theme Identification (Entire Dataset)
Analytical Log Grouping (Interview)
Final Categorisation (Entire Dataset)
Key Feature Grouping (Interview)
Final Categorisation (Entire Dataset)
Post Interview Follow-up meeting
Table 5-1 : Colaizzi’s seven steps of phenomenological analysis mapped against the coding
and analysis steps employed in this study
5.4
INITIAL CODING OF INTERVIEWS
This section provides a detailed description of each of the initial coding and
grouping processes utilised to generate the dataset from which the final five themes
were identified. A number of coding methods, skills and techniques developed
during the grounded phase of the study were adapted and carried forward. Most
notable were the design and layout of the transcript documentation, and the use of
constant comparison techniques which played a pivotal role in the categorisation
and grouping scheme processes throughout this study.
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Figure 5-1 : Representative Interview Transcript Document – Cover Page
Figure 5-2 : Representative Interview Transcript Document – Transcript Page. Please refer to
Table A4-1 in Appendix 4 for coding details
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5.4.1
Description of Coding
Personal Log Coding
The first column of the interview transcript page was reserved for recording
my own reflective notes concerning the questions, responses and highlighted areas
for improvement and development in the interview process. No rigorous coding
was developed for the personal log entries. They were simply recorded in plain
English and reviewed as a set of diary notes. Please refer to column 1 in Figure 5-2
for a representative example.
Inherent Meaning Coding
This coding process allowed me to become familiar with the data and served
as a classification and recording mechanism for two coding sub-schemes. The first
sub-scheme covered characteristics which were Attitudinal/Learning (AL) in
nature and included Teaching, Learning, Understanding, Personal Experiences, Self
Reflection and Feeling is Case. The second sub-scheme named General Coding (GC)
addressed each of the eight specific question topics asked during the interview;
Double Slit Experiment, Wave Particle Duality, Uncertainty, Tunnelling, Explain in terms
of Quantum Mechanics, Quantaroo Analogy, Difficulties Learning and Teaching and
Advise New Lecturer, thus segregating the coding within the context of each question
topic.
The codes generated through these sub-schemes provided suitable datasets
that allowed quantitative analysis to be carried out to assist in identifying possible
trends and themes within the transcript data.
Columns 4 through 10 of the
interview transcript pages were reserved for recording these codes. Please refer to
Figure 5-2 for a representative example. The seven columns formed a data record1
and each column stored a field, please refer to the table entitled ‘Inherent Meaning
Coding Description Sheet’ Appendix 4, Table A4-1 for a detailed description of the
coding for each sub-scheme.
Although the Inherent Meaning Coding’s primary function was to allow the
researcher to become familiar with the data, it was recognised that the initial coding
For example Record AL-TCH-DIF-8-T38-P047-L5 indicates that the interviewee’s response had
been identified and coded as Attitudinal/Learning (AL) in nature, the topic of Teaching (TCH) was
discussed and the specific aspect concerned Difficulties (DIF) and the discussion was in-depth (8).
1
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schemes could be extended to generate comprehensive datasets. Therefore during
subsequent readings of the transcripts the schemes were developed and refined.
The resultant dataset generated by this process provided me with a tool that
allowed: easy cross referencing; the ability to compare and contrast developing
theme elements; and quick location of sections of transcripts that related to ideas
being investigated.
Identification of Important Statements Coding
Following the initial readings and coding of the transcripts I returned to the
data and focused on statements within the discourse that related to the scope of the
study. The aim of this coding process was to focus on those aspects that were seen
as most important to the phenomena being studied.
As researcher, I was mindful that my preconceptions could potentially bias
this critical step. To minimise this possibility, statements were carefully reviewed
and transcripts were discussed with several research colleagues. The process of
extracting significant statements included consideration of the following questions:

Was the statement related to the research questions outlined in Chapter 1?

Was the statement said with confidence by the subject?

Did the statement raise additional research questions?

Did the statement raise an important contextual point?

Was the statement backed up by supporting evidence?
To check the validity of this process, statements selected were reviewed by
the subject during the Post interview follow-up meeting as a component of the
member check step.
The extracted significant statements were directly copied or paraphrased to
provide context, and recorded in lowercase text in the last column (column 11) of
the interview transcript pages.
Please refer to Figure 5-2 for a representative
example.
Analytical Log Coding
The aim of the analytical log coding process was to provide a platform for
discovering and organising ideas contained with the interview transcripts.
As
The discussion can be found in Transcript 38 (T38), paragraph 47 (P047) commencing 50% (L5)
through the paragraph.
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researcher I firstly recorded reflective notes concerning the questions and
responses, and developed a coding system that paraphrased the key element into a
short contextualised statement. This identified the topics discussed and allowed the
codes to be analysed and grouped in order to uncover trends and points of
convergence both internally within the transcript and externally across the other
interviews.
Reflective notes were recorded in lowercase italics; and the final analytical
log codes were recorded in uppercase text and contained both a transcript and
paragraph reference number in column 11 of the interview transcript pages. Please
refer to Figure 5-2 for a representative example of analytical log coding.
Post Interview Follow-up Meeting
At the conclusion of each interview the subject was asked if they would like
to review their transcript once the initial coding processes were completed. The
majority of subjects, 41 of the 50, indicated they would like to view their transcripts.
The aims of the post interview follow-up meeting were threefold. This
process provided a validity check where the coding was taken back to the subjects
to check if I had omitted, misrepresented or misinterpreted their responses. The
meeting provided the people who participated in the study feedback and insight
into the process associated with this style of education research. Subjects could see
that the points and issues that they raised were recognised and valuable to the
study. The meeting also allowed the subjects to add to and discuss their responses.
Over the period of the study 22 subjects participated in post interview
follow-up meetings and were held between 2-6 months after their original
interview.
These meetings were informal.
Meetings were held at a time and
location convenient to the subject. At the meeting the subject was provided with a
copy of their transcript document complete with coding, grouping and notes.
Meetings ran between 15 to 55 minutes.
The most common point of discussion concerned the question “Can you
name three things quantum mechanics has given us?”.
The students at these
meetings unanimously commented that it was either ‘scary’ or ‘outrageous’ that the
quantum mechanics courses they had taken had not adequately prepared them to
answer such a ‘simple’ question.
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Notes, ideas and corrections taken during these meetings were simply
annotated on the printed transcript document and transferred after the meeting.
5.4.2
Description of Rationalising and Grouping Main Points
The analysis plan mapped Scheme Grouping against Clustering of Themes
(Step 4), Analytical Log Coding against Exhaustive Description (Step 5) and Key
Feature
Grouping
against
Fundamental
Structure
(Step
6)
of
Colaizzi’s
Phenomenological Analysis. As earlier discussed, the preliminary coding schemes
were not collapsed or refined, in order to preserve the contextual information.
Therefore final identification of the themes and an exhaustive description of each
were not possible at this point.
These grouping mechanisms instead were preparatory analysis steps that
would allow emerging themes to be identified when viewed holistically across all
datasets. A description of the grouping mechanisms follows and a description of
the final theme identification and categorisation are presented in the following
section.
Figure 5-3 : Representative Interview Transcript Document – Grouped Analytical Log
Coding Page
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Figure 5-4 : Representative Interview Transcript Document – Inherent Coding Attitudinal
Learning Matrix Page
Scheme Grouping
The inherent meaning coding comprised two coding sub-schemes and these
processes generated several hundred categories. To assist in the identification of
trends within the categories and for the provision of organisational structures for
the presentation of the categories the following formats were devised.
The matrix was developed to summarise the Attitudinal/Learning coding
along one axis included the characteristics Teaching, Learning, Understanding,
Personal Experiences, Self Reflection and Feeling is Case and the other axis had up to 29
categories grouped under the titles of Interview Question Related, Learning Related,
Mathematically Related, Setting Related and Delivery Related. The matrix elements
included: the number of occurrences of the particular category with the transcript; a
weighting from 1-9 which indicated the importance of the category as expressed by
the subject; and the nature of the category which indicated whether the category
was positive (P) and supportive, negative (N) or whether both (B) sides were
expressed. Please refer to Figure 5-4 for and example of an Inherent Meaning
Coding Matrix.
The General Coding sub-scheme already possessed an enforced category
grouping format based upon the eight specific question topics: Double Slit
Experiment, Wave Particle Duality, Uncertainty, Tunnelling, Explain in terms of
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Quantum Mechanics, Quantaroo Analogy, Difficulties Learning and Teaching and Advise
New Lecturer, and therefore required the development of a set of headings
specifically to group the categories contained within each question topic. A set of
headings were developed for each as the numbers of categories increased. For
example, in ‘Difficulties Learning and Teaching’ quantum mechanics the following 9
grouping categories were developed: Contact, Difficulties in Learning, Difficulties in
Teaching, Conflicting Concepts, Key Ideas Concepts and Tools, Postulates, Examinations,
Assignments and Analogies. Please refer to Appendix 4 pages A4-120 through A4127 for details of the final groups.
Analytical Log Grouping
Transcript documents varied in length from 22 to 76 pages in length, the
analytical log coding was recorded next to the transcript paragraph, and a method
of categorising and presenting these codes was required in preparation for the final
identification of underlying themes.
Early in the data collection and analysis a natural set of five grouping
categories emerged that encompassed the range of analytical codes being generated.
These grouping categories were entitled View of Quantum Mechanics, Learning,
Problem Solving, Teaching and Assessment. These were adopted and were used as
headings on the Grouped Analytical Log Coding Sheet which followed the Cover
Sheet in the Transcript Document. Please refer to Figure 5-3 for an example of a
Grouped Analytical Log Coding Sheet.
Key Feature Grouping
To provide an overall accessible summary to the interview, a selection of
around ten representative statements or paraphrases were brought forward from
the coding onto the cover page of the transcript document. These were presented in
point form, and during the course of the study an ordering sequence to allow easier
comparisons between transcripts was adopted. The general sequencing conformed
to the following guideline: views concerning the quantum entity; thoughts and
skills relating to mathematics; other key points; conceptualisation and analogy
related points; and finally points relating application of quantum mechanics. Please
refer to Figure 5-1 for an example Transcript Cover page complete with Key Feature
grouping.
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5.4.3
Theme Identification
The Clustering of Themes, (Step 4 of Colaizzi’s Phenomenological Analysis)
was initiated during the process of Scheme Grouping and now the process of Theme
Identification revisited and completed this step in order to reveal overall common
patterns and trends within the data. This section outlines this process and presents
the five identified themes.
In support of the holistic approach to analysis and to help the three research
colleagues who provided assistance during this theme identification process, I took
the decision that the research questions and the dataset be brought together. As a
result the research questions would inform the theme identification process. Recall
that, as stated in Chapter 1 the aim of this research was to isolate key concepts,
identify learning difficulties, identify teaching difficulties and so provide both
teachers and curriculum developers with a valuable resource.
Familiarisation of the research team with the dataset
Two experienced education research colleagues were invited to assist in
identifying potential underlying trends and possible themes. These colleagues were
aware of the nature and scope of the research project but were not involved in the
interviews or coding processes.
I met with each colleague separately and discussed the research project. The
transcription, coding and grouping processes were outlined and each of the coding
and grouping procedures were examined and discussed in detail. The duration of
each meeting was approximately 90 minutes. The primary aim of the meeting was
to orientate adequately and prepare each colleague so that they could confidently
examine the data privately in their own time, and identify trends and emerging
themes. To minimise the impact of biases that I possessed in relation to the data I
did not at these meetings discuss emerging ideas that I had identified.
Each colleague was provided with a set of transcripts and associated
documentation which included: the key feature grouping, grouped analytical log
coding sheet, personal log, inherent meaning coding, analytical log; together with
an inherent meaning coding description sheet, an inherent coding attitudinal
learning matrices, a tallied summary of the inherent meaning general coding and
the original interview questions (please refer to Appendix 4 for a representative set
of this documentation).
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Identification Process
A second meeting with each colleague was held after approximately five
weeks to discuss their thoughts and analysis of the dataset. During these meetings
each idea was debated, the supporting evidence discussed resulting in the
following list of nine underlying threads/ideas that where considered to be key
components of the final underlying themes.

Issues concerning mathematical skill and ability

Identifiable attitudes and feelings toward the subject

A range of perceptions concerning a quantum entity

Understanding of specific terminology

Understanding of Potential Wells and Potential Barriers

Contextualisation concerning the links both internally and externally to the
subject

The attitudes to and the role of analogies in teaching and learning

Perceived and experienced difficulties

An identifiable set of key ideas
Following these meetings, I returned to the dataset with these nine
threads/ideas and proceeded to re-examine the supporting evidence debated
during these meetings.
The goal was to identify a set of final themes that would
provide an encompassing description of the dataset by linking, combining and
refining these threads and ideas.
After further consultation and discussion with my two research colleagues
five themes emerged.
A meeting was arranged with another senior education
research colleague who was familiar with the research project and it was suggested
that each theme should be expressed in terms of a research question.
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Identified Themes and Associated Research Questions
The following table (Table 5-2) summarises the five identified themes and
the associated research question.
Identification of Major Themes
Theme
Types of Students
1
Description
Profile of the student
What is the student’s base skill set and attitude towards the
subject?
Entity
2
Initial Viewpoint
What picture/idea is the starting point for that individual?
Potential Diagrams
3
Specific Understanding of an Operational Tool
What is the students understanding of these diagrams?
Contextualisation
4
The Teaching/Learning Process
How do students make sense of the subject?
Difficulties
5
The Teaching/Learning Process
What are the difficulties students face when studying quantum
mechanics?
Table 5-2 : Summary of the five identified themes and their associated research questions.
5.5
IN-DEPTH CATEGORISATION - IN TERMS OF THE FIVE THEMES
The Initial Coding of Interviews utilised a set of coding strategies which
culminated in the identification of the five themes. As researcher, I recognised that
these themes were broader and deeper than the coded dataset they were drawn
from; thus recognising additional supporting information was still contained within
the raw transcript data that had not been captured during the initial coding stage.
To address this issue and to fully satisfy steps 5 and 6 of Colaizzi’s
phenomenological analysis within the context of this study the second In-Depth
Categorisation stage took each of the five identified themes individually back to the
raw transcript data. This process of re-coding the data provided a detailed analytic
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exhaustive description of the subject’s feelings and ideas on each theme; and
identified the fundamental structure for each exhaustive description.
5.5.1
In-depth Coding Procedure
The 48 transcript documents each averaged approximately 35 pages in
length, the process of scrolling and annotating them on a computer screen was
difficult and cumbersome, especially when comparing and contrasting different
sections of text separated by several pages or between different transcript
documents. Based upon my experiences during the initial coding of interviews
stage I decided to complete the analysis utilising a mix of paper based and
computer analysis processes.
A procedure was developed where the coding for each theme was carried
out by hand using paper-based transcript documents and the identified
codes/categories were transferred to a spreadsheet for analysis and consolidation.
An outline of the In-depth Coding procedure carried out for each theme
follows:

Each paper-based transcript was read and sections of text which related to
the theme under investigation were highlighted with a fluorescent marker.

A preliminary set of codes were developed to identify different aspects
associated with the theme under investigation.

Constant comparisons between transcript documents were made and codes
were consolidated into broader categories.

Broader categories were refined to embrace the entire set of transcript
documents.

These categories and any associated codes were transferred to a spreadsheet
for further refinements.

A recursive process of refinement and consolidation continued until a
detailed analytic exhaustive description of the subject’s feelings and ideas
for each theme was completed, and the underlying fundamental structures
were identified.
The following section provides a summary of the final exhaustive
description and fundamental structure analysis. Please refer to Appendix 6 for a
copy of the final coding spreadsheet and Appendix 7 for a detailed description of
the analysis, statistical data and representative student responses.
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5.6
RESULTS SUMMARY OF EXHAUSTIVE DESCRIPTION AND
FUNDAMENTAL STRUCTURE ANALYSIS
Five Major Themes – Outline of Fundamental Structure
1
Theme
Types of Students
Description
Profile of the student
What is the student’s base skill set and attitude towards the
subject?
Students are most usefully classified by their level of
interest in physics and their skill level in mathematics.
The exhaustive description revealed four categories:
1) high level mathematical skills and high level of
interest in physics,
2) high level mathematical skills and a low level of
interest in physics,
3) pass level mathematical skills and a high level of
interest in physics,
4) pass level mathematical skills and a low level of
interest in physics.
2
Entity
Initial Viewpoint
What picture/idea is the starting point for that individual?
When students think about quantum systems they have a
preferred (default) starting view of what a quantum
entity is.
Exhaustive description revealed 7 categories:
1) a wave or particle depending on the situation
2) something “fuzzy”
3) a wavicle (ie. some other third entity, neither
wave nor particle)
4) a wave packet
5) a probability wave
6) a wave function
7) a completely abstract theoretical construct
Table 5-3 : Outline of the results of the exhaustive description and the fundamental analysis
process for each theme - 1 and 2 (Table 1 of 3)
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Five Major Themes – Outline of Fundamental Structure
3
Theme
Potential Diagrams
Description
Specific Understanding of an Operational Tool
What is the students understanding of these diagrams?
When students think about potential wells/barriers, there
is a huge range of understandings of and attitudes about
them.
The exhaustive description revealed five aspects of this
question (each of which were further categorised):
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
4
Contextualisation
drawing diagrams
associated terminology
application of the diagrams
classical understanding of the diagram
interpretation of an unfamiliar diagram
Teaching/Learning Process
How do students make sense of the subject?
There is an identifiable set of tools students use to make
sense of the subject which they tend to embrace strongly.
The exhaustive description identified three aspects to this
question – Analogies, Context and Application which
were further categorised:
1) Analogies
a) Listing of analogies
b) Attitudes to analogies
2) Context
a) Listing of key ideas/concepts
b) Listing of key experiments
3) Application of the tools to a specific example
Table 5-4 : Outline of the results of the exhaustive description and the fundamental analysis
process for each theme - 3 and 4 (Table 2 of 3)
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Five Major Themes – Outline of Fundamental Structure
5
Theme
Difficulties
Description
Teaching/Learning Process
What are the difficulties students face when studying quantum
mechanics?
There is a discrete, identifiable set of items which caused
students difficulty in studying the subject.
The fundamental analysis identified five aspects under
which these items could be grouped:
1) Analogy related
a) Poor analogies hinder and confuse students
b) The particle concept blocks learning
c) Tutors have difficulty finding good analogies
2) Context related
a) Doesn't see where this fits in
b) Lectures/texts are often insufficient to
complete assignments
c) The contextualising of information (Tutor)
d) The tying together mathematics and
concepts (Tutor)
3) Mathematically related
a) Weak maths skills hinder some students
b) Some students cannot visualise the
mathematics
4) Delivery related
a) The concepts are often not linked together
b) The material is often taught with
mathematics only and no concepts
5) Content related
a) Students have particular difficulty with the
Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle
Table 5-5 : Outline of the results of the exhaustive description and the fundamental analysis
process for theme - 5 (Table 3 of 3)
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CHAPTER 5 ........................................................................................................................................83
IN SEARCH OF UNDERLYING THEMES : PHENOMENOLOGICAL APPROACH ................................................83
5.1
INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................83
5.2
INTERVIEW PROTOCOL .....................................................................................................83
5.3
DESCRIPTION OF CODING ............................................................................................... 84
5.4
INITIAL CODING OF INTERVIEWS ...................................................................................87
5.4.1
Description of Coding ..................................................................................................................89
Personal Log Coding .................................................................................................................................89
Inherent Meaning Coding ..........................................................................................................................89
Identification of Important Statements Coding..........................................................................................90
Analytical Log Coding ..............................................................................................................................90
Post Interview Follow-up Meeting ............................................................................................................91
5.4.2
Description of Rationalising and Grouping Main Points .............................................................92
Scheme Grouping ......................................................................................................................................93
Analytical Log Grouping ...........................................................................................................................94
Key Feature Grouping ...............................................................................................................................94
5.4.3
Theme Identification ....................................................................................................................95
Familiarisation of the research team with the dataset ................................................................................95
Identification Process ................................................................................................................................96
Identified Themes and Associated Research Questions .............................................................................97
5.5
5.5.1
IN-DEPTH CATEGORISATION - IN TERMS OF THE FIVE THEMES .............................. 97
In-depth Coding Procedure ..........................................................................................................98
5.6
RESULTS SUMMARY OF EXHAUSTIVE DESCRIPTION AND FUNDAMENTAL
STRUCTURE ANALYSIS ..................................................................................................................99
Figure 5-1 : Representative Interview Transcript Document – Cover Page ......................................... 88
Figure 5-2 : Representative Interview Transcript Document – Transcript Page. Please refer to Table
A4-1 in Appendix 4 for coding details ......................................................................................... 88
Figure 5-3 : Representative Interview Transcript Document – Grouped Analytical Log Coding Page 92
Figure 5-4 : Representative Interview Transcript Document – Inherent Coding Attitudinal Learning
Matrix Page .................................................................................................................................. 93
Table 5-1 : Colaizzi’s seven steps of phenomenological analysis mapped against the coding and
analysis steps employed in this study ........................................................................................... 87
Table 5-2 : Summary of the five identified themes and their associated research questions. ............... 97
Table 5-3 : Outline of the results of the exhaustive description and the fundamental analysis process
for each theme - 1 and 2 (Table 1 of 3) ........................................................................................ 99
Table 5-4 : Outline of the results of the exhaustive description and the fundamental analysis process
for each theme - 3 and 4 (Table 2 of 3) ...................................................................................... 100
Table 5-5 : Outline of the results of the exhaustive description and the fundamental analysis process
for theme - 5 (Table 3 of 3) ........................................................................................................ 101