CHAPTER III

METHODS AND PROCEDURE

3.0. INTRODUCTION

Before much Progress can be made in any field, scholars most

possesses description of the phenomena with which the y work.
Earlier development in the educational research, therefore, as in
other disciplines have been concerned with making accurate
assessment of the incidence, distribution and relationships of the
phenomena in the field, is explained. The present study was
designed to investigate The Effectiveness of Video-Conferencing
Programme in Imparting Training to the Teachers' Through
EDUS AT Netw ork at SCERT Solan (H.P.). Infect, it was planned to
explore the effectiveness of this programme for the benefit of the
teachers working at the various regions of the state. Hence, the
present investigation includes brief description of the research
method, population, sample, tools used for data collection and
scoring, tabulation of the data and statistical techniques applied.
Hence, the present Investigation was carried out b y using the survey
method of search. The details of methodolog y and research
procedure followed in conducting the present study have been given
as under.

3.1 RESE ARCH METHOD

For conducting an y research it become inevitable to select the

appropriate research method. Depending upon the objectives of the

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stud y the survey method was deemed appropriate and suitable and
was used to the study.

The surve y method gathers data from a relativel y large number of

cases at a particular time. It is not concerned with characteristics of
individuals as individuals. It is concerned with the generalized
statistics that resulted when data are abstracted from a number of
individual cases. It is essentially cross-sectional (John, W.Best
1963)

“Survey studies are conducted to collect detailed descriptions

of existing phenomena with the intent of employing data to justify
current conditions and practices or to make more intelligent plans
for improving them. Their objective is not onl y to analyze, interpret,
and report the status of an institution, group, or an area in order to
guide practice in the immediate future, but also to determine the
adequacy of status by comparing it with established standards”
(Lokesh Koul-1997).

3.2 POPUL ATION

A population refers to an y collection of specified group of

human being or of non human entities such as objects, educational
institutions, time units, geographical areas, prices of wheat or
salaries drawn b y an individual. Some statisticians call it universe
the merit of such concept is that results obtained are representative,
accurate and reliable and hence the question of error becomes
almost insignificant. It is the population from which a sample is
selected. Therefore, before drawing a sample, the population to
which it belong is defined the population of the present stud y

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consisted of all the different SCERTs, SIETs, RIEs Centers all over
the country.

3.3 S AMPLE

A ‘sample’ is a portion of a population which is selected for the

purpose of study or investigation. The essential requirement of any
sample is that it is a representative as possible of the population
from which it has been drawn. The scope of generalization of the
findings depends on the representation of the sample. A good
sample is marked b y three characteristics freedom from bias,
representativeness and adequacy in terms of its size.

In the present stud y, the sample consists of 207 participants

teachers drawn from SCERT Solan Himachal Pradesh.

The detailed structure of the sample is given in table 3.1

Table 3.1

Gender wise structure of the sample

Gender No. of Participant teachers

Male 112
Female 95
Total 207
3.4 TOOLS USED

Tools are the means of data collection. Suitability,

appropriateness, relevance, reliability, validity and language are the
main criteria which serve the basis for selection of research tools.

In the present stud y, two tools were used for data collection. A
brief description of these tools are given as under.

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3.4-1 Questionnaires

Questionnaires feedback developed by the NCERT (CIET)

was used for the present research study as mentioned earlier to
collect the requisite informations. The investigator personally
visited SCERT Solan to observe the operational process of Video-
conferencing.

Questionnaires were handed over to the participant teachers

after brief instruction. The investigator also request them to fill up
the questionnaires at the spot and collected the papers after
completion.

3.4- 2. Participative Observations

The investigator himself visited the SCERT, SOLAN w.e.f.

August 1 s t to 20 t h August 2006 and observed the reactions of the
participant teachers, participating in the video conference
programme along with the operational aspects of the programme.

3.5 D ATA COLLECTION

The data were collected by administering the tools used.

Before administering the tools, however, the participants were told
the purpose of the study. They were motivated and inspired to
extend their co-operation in the process of data collection.

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3.6 TABUL ATION AND ORG ANIZ ATION OF D ATA

The data were tabulated and organised according to the

purpose of the study. The major classifications were question-
answer session, groups discussion, panelists discussion, the
language, speed and visual shown on TV etc. Therefore, the score
of each type were tabulated and organized accordingl y.

3.7 STATISTIC AL TECHNIQUES USED

In order to anal yse the data a ‘ χ 2 ’ test was applied. The chi-
square test is used with discrete data in the form of frequencies. It
is a test of independence and is used to estimate the likelihood that
some factor other than chance accounts for the observed
relationship. Since the null h ypothesis states that there is no
relationship between the variables under study, the chi-square test
merely evaluate the probability that the observed relationship resells
from chance.

Σ (O-E) 2
χ2 = --------------
E
Where

O= frequency of occurrence of observed or experimentally

determined facts.

E= expected frequency of occurrence.

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