The Role of Art as a Subject in the Iraqi Community - Essay Example

?Chapter 3 Methodology 3 Introduction This chapter outlines the methodology for the completion of the research at hand. Research methodology attempts to provide a framework within which an enquiry to a given topic is carried out (Simpson, 2011). This methodology provides the blueprint for sampling, data collection, data analysis and interpretation of findings for the research. For the sake of providing the best understanding, it will be appropriate to recap important elements of the research in order to make the research methodology meaningful. They following phases represent the objectives at hand: 3.1.1 Phase 1 To provide an understanding of the main objective of teaching and maintaining art in the curriculum of students in Iraq. 3.1.2 Phase 2 To identify the role that art has played as a subject in the Iraqi community 3.1.3 Phase 3 To understand and formulate an opinion on the reasons why art is not an important subject in Iraqi secondary schools. 3.1.4 Phase 4 Compare the approach to the teaching and learning of art in the UK with that of Iraq 3.2 Sample & Theorisation Sampling is an important element for the study of a representative body to acquire information about a subject that can be generalised over a wider population (Dodds, 2011). In order to understand each of the four phases, there will be the need to study a carefully selected proportion of the relevant populations to come up with findings that would be applicable to the objective identified. The wider population involves the education authorities in Iraq and the teachers and their classroom activities. In order to examine this, samples will be taken from schools in the UK and in Iraq. For the study in Iraq, students and teachers from two schools will be chosen from Baghdad and two drawn from the major cities of Basrah, Mosul and Al Sulaimanya. There would also be samples of four schools studied in the UK. Based on the responses that will be taken from these four schools in each country and the educational authorities, the research will arrive at conclusions that will be representative of the entire country. Since the samples taken would be representative of the country, the generalisation and theorisation would be more likely to represent people's attitudes towards art education and give information about the state of art education in Iraq. 3.3 Data Collection The main data for the research will be collected from questionnaires and secondary sources. 3.3.1 Secondary Sources (Documents) The secondary sources will include the collection of information about important documents which relate to the position of art education in Iraq and the United Kingdom. This will be done through the perusal of important documents that describe the position of art education in both countries. This will include an examination of current educational policies and important arrangements towards studies in both countries. In the examination of secondary sources, relevance will be the main guiding principle. In other words documents that provide relevant information about the state of Art education at the secondary level in the UK and Iraq will form the basis of the choice of documents to be studied in the research. 3.3.2 Questionnaires Questionnaires will be handed out to the teachers and students that will be chosen in the sample stage from the four schools in the UK and the four schools in Iraq. This will enable the researcher to identify significant information. The questions asked are available below in Appendix 1 and 2. The questionnaires are styled in a close ended format to provide quick and easy information about what the respondents think and state in their research. The questionnaires will be sent out to various respondents and their responses will be collated. For the purpose of easy analysis, the same questionnaires will be distributed both in the UK and in Iraq. This will ensure that the comparison would be easy and analyses can be completed at a much faster pace. 3.4 Data Analysis The findings of both the secondary source perusal and the questionnaires will be collated and summarized to show the trends and correlations. Again the analysis will be done in a sequence that will reflect the two data forms that are studied. 3.4.1 Secondary Sources The secondary sources will be analysed through a summary format. This will involve the compilation of summarized information about how the policy framework of the Iraqi system relates to the teaching and study of Art in secondary schools. Also, there will be the summary of secondary sources on the role that Art has played in the Iraqi community. These findings will create the broad framework through which the researcher will identify the position of Art in secondary education in Iraq. 3.4.2 Questionnaire Results The results of the questionnaires will be collated statistically and presented in a visual format. This will show the percentage of respondents that gave particular answers. This will be presented in a format that will give a visual impression to the viewer. This will be supported by strong descriptions of the trends and very obvious features to provide an aid to how teachers and students view the teaching and learning of Art in secondary schools in both Iraq and the UK. 3.5 Interpretation The research findings that are summarized in both the secondary and the primary sources will be collated and interpreted. This will involve an identification of what each component identified in the summaries above means to the entire research. This will give a good interpretation of what the research findings mean in relation to: 1. The main objective of teaching and studying Art in the curriculum of Iraq. 2. Identification the role of Art in the Iraqi community. 3. Provide an interpretation of how Art is actually viewed in secondary schools in Iraq. 4. And how the view in (3) above relates to the UK's view of the teaching and learning of Arts. 3.6 Theorisation Once dominant findings and conclusions are arrived at in the research, there will be the formulation of theories and concepts based on the dominant trends and systems identified in the research. This will be done through the statements of facts based on the findings. These facts would be meant to be applicable to the entire Iraqi and UK society. 3.7 Recommendations Finally, in the quest to make the research important and vital to the society, it is important for the research to make recommendations based on the findings and theories of the research. This will be done through the following: 1. A report on the importance of the teaching and study of Art to secondary school students in Iraq. 2. Design of a secondary school curriculum that would describe the best way of teaching and studying Art in Iraqi schools. References Dodds, O. C. (2011) Research Methodology and Social Science Mason, OH: Cengage. Simpson, M. (2011) Research Methods for Postgraduate Studies London: SAGE Publications. Appendix 1 Teacher Questionnaire Dear Sir/Madam, As part of my studies, I will need to complete a dissertation on the importance of art education in secondary school in Iraq and compare it with art education in the UK. In line with this, I am conducting the research. I will be very grateful if you could take a little time to fill out the questionnaire below. Please note that the information given here is confidential and as such, it will not be disclosed to anyone without your consent. The questionnaire takes just about five minutes to complete. Regards 1 What is your gender? [Male] [Female] 2 How long have you been teaching Art as a subject? [1 Year] [2 Years] [3 or More Years] 3 Do you think Art is an important subject to be delivered in schools? [Extremely important] [Very important] [Quite important [Not important] 4 Is Art a popular subject in your school? [Extremely popular] [Very popular] [Quite popular] [Not popular at all] 5 How easy is it to get the materials and aids you need to teach Art? [Extremely easy] [Very easy] [Quite easy] [Not easy] 6 How much support does the school give to Art subjects? [A great deal of support] [A lot of support] [A little support] [No support at all] Appendix 2 Student Questionnaire Dear Student, I will like to request for a little bit of your time to complete my questionnaire about the importance of Art as a part of secondary education in Iraq and the United Kingdom. In line with that, I will like you to spend a few minutes of your time to fill out the questionnaire below. Please not that the information you are giving will not be disclosed to your teachers or any other person without your permission. Thanks 1 What is your gender? [Male] [Female] 2 What year are you in? [Year 9] [Year 10] [Year 11] 3 Do you take Art as a one of your subjects? [Yes] [No] 4 How well does your Art teacher at your school support students? [Extremely well] [Very well] [Quite well] [Not well] 5 Does doing Art help you understand other subjects? [Extremely helpful] [Very helpful] [Quite helpful] [Not helpful at all] 6 Do you think Art is an essential subject to do in your school like other subjects? [Yes] [No] 7 Are you going to choose Art as one of your high school final examination (eg GCSE) subjects? [Yes] [No] 8 If your answer to question 7 above is 'yes', please explain why: ….................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 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