3 Design of Study

Design of research is the layout of any research including the consideration

of how the study is to be done. It is in the form of blueprint for the collection of

data, interpretation and its analysis, keeping in view of the research

questions and

dictated) by the method, and is responsive to the context and the participants. Creating

J.M., 2007, p.74).

In the present research, the inclusion of SC and Muslim girls in the school

teaching learning process is to be examined. This study examines the factors that

influences the teaching learning process of the SC and Muslim girls and also

determines their social inclusion. It also examines the factors that influence the

relationship of SC and Muslim girls with their peers and teachers.

3.1 Research design

In seeking the answer to these questions, researcher has opted a qualitative

social behaviour that

examination of a specific phenomenon such as a program, an event, a person, a

, p.9.cited by Willis J.2007).

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 In the study, general guidelines are more appropriate than specific technical

requirements, because each situation and process is unique. With the help of various

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tools this study tends to look the matter of social inclusion in holistic and wider

context, in which, it resides. Thus it covers almost all aspects of the school teaching

learning process, which influences the inclusion of SC and Muslim girls. A multiple

tool method, was developed in the study that can help to make a holistic and wider

understanding of social inclusion of SC and Muslim girls in teaching learning

process and the factors that influences the relation of SC and Muslim girls with their

peers and teachers. Thus the data was collected in intensive and detailed form.

Triangulations: Triangulations (Methodological triangulation and

triangulation of respondents) were developed in the study to make a holistic

understanding of various aspects of teaching learning process and to determine the

factors that influence the relationship of SC and Muslim girls with their peers and

teachers. The important aspects that emerged out during the interviews with the SC

and Muslim girls, were further studied intensively with the observations and

interviews with the teachers. For example less participation (in the teaching learning

process) of SC girls was observed in classroom, was also discussed with SC and

Muslim girls, with teachers and also with parents in semi-structured interviews to

are often the strengths of another by combining methods, observers can achieve the

best of each, while overcoming their unique deficiencies. (Denzin, 1970, p.308,

cited by Willis J.2007).

Triangulation of Respondents: In this study population of elementary level

(class VI to VIII) girl students of scheduled caste (SC) and Muslim category of a

government setting school located in Delhi is considered. Triangulation of

respondents (three source of information) -SC and Muslim girls, teachers and parent

were used e.g. all three type of respondents were asked about the issue of regularity.
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 All Muslim and SC gir

setting school located in south Delhi, were chosen through purposive sampling.

School that was selected for the field work is situated in the South Delhi and helped

to provide an understanding of an average government school of Delhi.

As it is known that a single school is selected and its various aspects have

been studied intensively. The students of class VI, VII & VIII of this school comes

under the population of study. Different size of the population was considered with

respect to different tools of the research work , so as to examine the various

factors(religion, caste, class, colour, educational background of parent, occupation

of parent, teachers and peers attitude) that influences the inclusion of SDC, which is

quite complex in its nature.

3.2 Respondents for the study

The strength of respondents for the interviews is as follows:

Table 3-1 : Strength of respondent for Interview

Type of Respondents Numbers of Respondents

SC Girls 32*
Muslim Girls 78*
Parents ( CSDG) 20
Teachers 20
Head of school 01
Total 151
(*78 Muslim Girls and 32 SC Girls (Total-110 SDC) out of 188 SDC were included in conversation)

Non Participatory Observations consists of 431 students (total students are

598) studying in class VI to VIII in the government setting school. 70 observations

were done on 431 students.

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3.3 Description of Tools:

For the Data collection, Six (06) Tools were designed by the researcher and

the same was send to experts (6 experts) for their suggestions /remarks. The

remarks

/Suggestions given by the experts were incorporated in the Tools and then Pilot

study was conducted on 05 SC and 15 Muslim girls to find out the suitability and

appropriateness of the tool (conversation tool). Before pilot study, researcher also

visited in the homes of 2SC and 2 Muslim girls (studying in selected school for case

study) to make an understanding on the social and economic aspects of these girls.

Researcher also conducted 3 day classroom observations, in another public school and

also conducted one focussed group discussion in another government school to

make basic understanding about the issue of social exclusion inclusion of SC and

Muslim girls. After that, data collection was started by researcher from the field.

The following tools were used for the research study:

1. Document Analyses (School Records).

2. Semi-structured interviews of SC and Muslim girls.

3. Observation schedule at Elementary level (VI to VIII class).

4. Semi-structure interviews for teachers.

5. Semi-structure interviews for Principals /HOS.

6. Unstructured interviews of parents of SC and Muslim girls.

3.3.1 Document Analyses (School Records):

It consists of four parts, which were filled by the following school records:

admission records (last six years), Examination result records (last six years), class

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register, monitor diary (VI to VIII class). The parts of the document analyses (School

Records) are as follow:

A. General information about school.

B. Information about Students.

C. Information about the basic facilities of the school.

D. Information about teaching & other staff of the school.

A. General information about school:

This part consists of general information about the school. The information

regarding the establishment of school, its HOS, about Management, school

affiliation, location etc. were included.

B. Information about Students:

This part was filled with the help of school admission records and records of

examination results. There were four main points regarding information about

Students. In first point, it includes the information regarding the number of students

enrolled from General, SC and Muslim category under Class VI to VIII and how

many of them appear in the summative assessment. The information about the drop-

out students was also known from this point.

Second point, gives the information about the total numbers of students

enrolled under SC category in the elementary level(from Class VI to VIII) from 2012-

2017 and how many of them get passed and promoted from 2012-2017 at

elementary

n any student got failed in one

or more subjects , then she will automatically get the admission in the next class

under

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minimum marks in every subject and get transferred in the next class.

Under third point, the same data for Muslim girls was collected as it was

collected in the second point for SC students.

In the fourth point, categorisation of the performance in the Summative

assessment in form of Grades was done for elementary level (Class VI to VIII) in

the academic session 2016-2017, for all students.

Table 3-2: Grading of marks

Grade Marks (%)

A 80-100
B 60-80
C 40-60
D 33-40
E Below 32

C. Information about School:

Under this point, the data was collected for the fundamental facilities

provided by the school. The distance through public mode of transportation from

the school, number of classrooms in the school, average number of students in each

classroom, other facilities like- playground, drinking water, power supply, toilet

facilities, fire-

aid facility, library, Science, Social -science , Home

science, computer & Mathematics laboratories, sports room, yoga room. Work-

experience room /vocational room, staff-room , canteen, Auditorium, common room

for students, parking facility, telephone facility for students in emergency and other

related data was collected. In addition, the data was also collected on co-curricular
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activities- drama/acting, painting & drawing, music& dance, debate, community

services, poem recitation, essay writing and other related activities. Types of sports

activities ongoing in the school were also collected in data under this section. In the

second column of the same section, the information regarding the health services

provided in the school was also collected. Thus, in this section the Quality of school

infrastructure was examined.

D. Information about staff:

Through this section the information regarding the teaching staff and the

management committee of the school was collected. The data includes the number

of teachers, their nature -permanent, ad-hoc, guest, number of vacant positions,

constitution of SMC, and the meeting of the SMC was collected.

3.3.2 Semi-structured interview schedule for SC and Muslim Students

There are various items under this schedule that has been further categorised in the

following manner:

1. Section-I- (A) - Personal profile & Family profile.

(B)- Civic services availability.

2. Section II- (A) School & Classrooms

(B) Friends / Peer relation with child.

(C) Teachers.

(D) Co-curricular activities and Programs.

(E) Special day celebration.

1. Under Section I (A) (see annexure II), data was collected about the

personal life of the SDC. Their age, mother tongue, their residential address, their

religion & community, residing status-nuclear/ joint family, total number of family

members&
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detailed information about their education and occupation, who help them in their

Home-work, study atmosphere at home, who encourages them to study, who

prevent them from going school, pattern for taking leave from school and whether

they are compelled to do house hold work or not etc.

Thus, through this section, the data regarding the economic condition, locality and

favourable and unfavourable atmosphere in education for SDC was collected.

Under Section I-(B) (annexure II), the data was collected regarding the basic

amenities availability for these SDC was collected. Own / rented accommodation,

bathroom facility, separate lavatory or public toilet usage, availability of drinking

water & electricity, mode of entertainment-television, radio, mobile phones etc. and

their control and other related data was collected.

There is a direct impact of separate bathroom, toilet & drinking water facility

on the regularity in the school of the student. Those student, who has no toilet

facility at their residences has to use either common toilets or Public toilets (which

is paid) and has to be in queue for the same, and therefore either they took leave

from the school or they got late for the school and stand in the line of late comers

and misses the morning assembly program. Mobile & Telephone acts as the mode

of entertainment, and the control over these, help in understanding about the gender

factor.

In section II: In this section detailed conversation was done with these SDC,

regarding their class, their sitting arrangement, their friends/peers relation, relation

with their teachers, their participation & non-participation in co-curricular activities

and other functions of the school. This section is directly related with the 3rd

objective

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& also presents the clear picture of their social inclusion. It also imparts light on

fourth objective of the study.

3.3.3 Class room observation schedules

The observation schedule covers several aspects related to socially deprived

children, their social inclusion in the teaching learning process in the class room,

teachers & peers behaviour, their sitting arrangement, task given by teachers, asking

group of the class, information about the group leader or monitor, task assigned to

the students, various activities of the school and their participation etc. Some focus

was also imparted on the teacher-student interaction and peer interactions. Methodology

of teacher, methods for maximum involvement of the students in the teaching

learning process, motivation, discipline maintenance in the class and other aspects

were also focussed. Observation also includes that whether any specific group was

treated differentially or not? This tool throws light on third and fourth objective of the

study.

3.3.4 Semi structured interview for teachers:

There are seven main parts of this tool. In first three parts, tool help to

understand the understanding of teacher about social inclusion. In the third section

of this tool, investigator asked about the regularity, irregularity of any child, reasons

of irregularity, dropout & absenteeism related questions. In the fourth part, teacher

asked about those SDC, who takes part in the classroom co-curricular activities and

also asked the reason from those students who does not take part in these activities.

Selection procedure of class representative or monitor and their responsibility were

also enquired.

In the fifth part, the investigator enquired from the teachers regarding the
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efforts made by them to ensure the participation of every student of the class in

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teaching learning process and co-curricular activities and to make the class socially

inclusive.

In the sixth part, there were questions regarding the relation of student &

basis of their academic performance were also asked? Through the questions

regarding punishment and discipline, the behaviour of teacher with the students was

examined.

In the seventh part, the relation between the teacher and the parent was

examined, and tried to know the problems and cautiousness of parent regarding the

studies of their ward.

This tool is directly related to objective four of the study. It helps to identify

3.3.5 Semi-Structured interview for the Principal/HOS:

Principal is the centre of any school. The personality and the attitude

towards education of any Principal totally influence the educational atmosphere of

the school, its achievement also have impact on the teachers of the school. Though

every school has the same educational policies, similar programmes and the

initiative given by the government are also uniform, yet their proper transformation

and implementation entirely depends upon the Principal and the teachers.

For the research study, semi-structured questionnaire for the interview was

made, which has four sections. In the first section general information regarding the

Principal like age, teaching experience, highest qualification was sought. The question

was asked regarding her view and understanding about the social-inclusion (in

reference to SDC). Some questions regarding the legislation, policies and

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government

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funding framework that supports social-inclusion of socially deprived children (SDC),

were also included in the questionnaire.

In the second section, her understanding with respect to the various aspects

related with the concept of social inclusion was observed.

In the third section, there were questions regarding the atmosphere faced by

the SDC in the school. problems faced by SDC, reasons for their social-exclusion,

discriminatory behaviour(if any) by any teacher or peer, their drop-out rate,

measures taken to reduce their drop-out ,initiative steps taken to motivate these

SDC, steps taken to make the classroom socially inclusive, motivation by the teachers

and parents awareness etc. were included in the questionnaire.

In the fourth section, the questions regarding the involvement of the parent

in the school and school management committee (SMC) was asked. Establishment

of SMC, its composition, its role in the preparation and implementation in school

development programme, role of SMC in making the socially inclusive environment

were sought.

3.3.6 Semi-structured interviews with parents

This conversation schedule was divided in several sections. It was quite

important to have conversation with the parents to know about the favourable and

unfavourable atmosphere of SDC home and also know how this atmosphere

influences their education. The connectivity of the parents with the school and the

issues related with their participation in the fundamental facilities of the school

along with the school process, were included in the conversation schedule.

The first section of this schedule, was on the family profile, that consisted

the questions regarding the information about their age, sex, native-place, mother-

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tongue,

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religion, community, family type(nuclear or joint), description of family members

(their education, occupation, income etc.), neighbourhood, availability of basic

amenities and other related questions.

A separate section was there, regarding the choice of school by the parent,

process of admission and related experience. Whether the student likes or dislikes

the school , they face any sort of problem in the school, their regularity in the school,

they takes mid-day meals or not, facilities of drinking water & toilets and any other

complain regarding the school were also examined through this conversation schedule

with parent.

The participation of their child in co-curricular activities and other activities

organised in school were also asked. It was also tried to know about the behaviour

of the teacher with their child, punishment or any disciplinary action taken with this

conversation schedule. Questions were asked from the parents about the friends of

their child and their home-work. Whether they are satisfied with the progress and

achievements of their child in the school and what are their expectations from their

children, were also asked through this conversation schedule.

3.4 Data collection process

In view of the qualitative nature of the research, purposive sampling was

used. Investigator requested to the Head of the school to conduct interviews,

observations. Permission was given by the Principal of the school with the condition

that, the name of the school will not be revealed and this study should not disturb

the studies of the students and the interviews of the student should be done either

during their free periods or with the prior permission from the concerned teacher.

Principal co-operated in providing the school record with respect to the enrolment

and performance of SDC

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in the last six years (2012-2017). These records were essentially required to know

about the trend of their enrolments and performance and for the analysis purpose..

Thus, this field work, which started in September 2017 get completed in February

2018.

The task of data collection was started after the prior permission of Head of

the school. Semi-structured interviews of Schedule caste and Muslim girls were

conducted in the first stage. Researcher took interview of all students, who came to

school regularly and agreed to be interviewed. The task of data collection of school

records from different sources also started along with the semi-structured

interviews. Student's enrolment related data of the past six years was collected from

the attendance register and result registers. After this, examination related data was

recorded. Data of enrolled students, appeared students, passed students and

promoted students were collected in the performance and summative assessment.

Along with this, the grading data of the last year examination (2017-18) was also

collected. The data related to basic amenities providing by the school and school

infrastructure were also collected as primary source, through observations, while

data related to co- curricular activity , sports, Yoga , Medical record and SMC were

collected with the help of teachers-in charges and other school records. Teaching

staff related records were collected from the attendance register. However

researcher was allowed to record all data in writing, but the school authority denied

providing any written copies of any records officially. The permission for

observation was granted on the condition that, this would not disturb the classes and

teaching-learning process and prior permission was also sought from concern

teacher. Sometimes few teachers did not allow the researcher to observe, so the

observation took a long duration from September 2017 to February 2018. In

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preliminary stage of observations, teachers

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acted artificially in the classroom. For instance, a teacher began her class by reading

a book in conventional manner, but suddenly she switched to take dictation, when

she noticed the presence of the observer in the classroom. She clearly said, Are main

to bhool gayi thi ki aaj aap class observe karogi (I forgot that you will observe my

class

kind of artificial behaviour. In this manner, teachers were used to the observation

and taught in her natural way during the observations. Observations were not

limited to the classrooms only, but it was continued in lunchtime, playground and

staffroom, so that, it covers all the aspects. Researcher had collected open-ended

notes and insight on the spot. The observations were completely non-participant.

Researcher did not interact with student and teachers during observation. If the

researcher had a query about any student, it was done only in the next period.

Interviews of teachers were also started along with the observations. Interviews of

those teachers, who teach class VI to VIII were conducted either in free periods or

after the school working hours. During the interviews, a serious and sincere effort

was done to make teachers feel that, she could express herself free in her views and

thoughts that would contribute in the understanding of the issue related to the

problem of Schedule caste and Muslim girls in their participation in the classroom,

teaching-learning process and participation in co-curricular activities. A teacher

became very annoyed during the interview. She was upset due to changes related to

Chunauti programme and other issues. According to her, the government has

considered teacher as a machine; a teacher should have a degree of freedom in

teaching. Conversation mode was maintained with the teachers. During

observations and after completion of some teachers interviews, the disparity in the

role of teachers in teaching-learning process (to make social inclusive classroom)

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in theory and in practice was clearly visible.

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were interviewed at their home. Utmost care was taken, so that parents feel easy

with the interviewer and express themselves freely. Parents were interviewed in

their dialect. Only in one case researcher faced language problem, but it was

overcome with the help of a language translator.( Parent-20 was answering in

Bhojpuri language and help of a translator was sought to understand some difficult

words.)

3.5 Data analysis

The analysis of data is qualitative in nature. Researcher organised the data

into units such as sentences, events. After that researcher associated similar units

and create categories for the data. Researcher looked link between categories and

developed theme, then developed broader theme. The data has been analysed by

using percentage calculations, tabular formations, graphical representations and

explanations. The qualitative notes and narrations from the interviews of SC and

Muslim girls, teachers and parents and classroom observations helped to provide

concrete example for descriptive analysis. More general explanation was done from

the themes and looked relationship between themes. Major themes were confined with

the objectives of the study.

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