RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

CHAPTER - III

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

India has large educational system comprising thousands of Colleges and hundreds of Universities along with several institutes of higher learning and centers of excellence. The college and university libraries, being the nerve centers of the higher education and learning, play a vital role in support of all the activities such as teaching, research and publication. Our higher education system is passing though lot of problems due to economic recession and cost recovery concept. In India’s the college and university libraries are facing the challenges to meet the user requirements due to various reasons such as exponential growth of knowledge, price escalation, budget restrictions etc. The incising growth in the enrolment of students and researchers, lack of proper and adequate infrastructure further aggravates the overall problems and challenges for the college and university libraries. This situation has paved the way for serious thinking on the capabilities to compensate for reduced budgets. E-learning is one of the emerging ways for libraries to survive in the present circumstances. Potential advantages of this approach for developing countries are clear. E-leaning can match the need of non-traditional students, increase the educational facilities available to traditional students, provide cost-efficient yet effective training options, and give learners in developing nations an invaluable means of gaining a first world education tempered by third world experience.

The increased use of technology in education has generated considerable innovation and debate over benefits and disadvantages. The economic oriented motivation of ICT relates to the possible increase of efficiency in educational tasks, saving labor. The emergence of network computers marks a significant development in educational opportunities with teachers and learners beyond the classroom, school, university or college. Information technology can be used to compensate for what conventional systems cannot afford to offer. If this is done, the reach of serious education can be extended to reach populations who otherwise would have much poorer quality instruction or none at all. Alternatively, information technology can be used in conjunction with factors that are scarce and expensive, such as highly trend and motivated teachers.

Objectives of the study:

E-learning seem to be the best invention since sliced bread one should realize that the transition from classroom to on-line learning means fundamental paradigm shift teacher- centric to learner-centric learning. It is now the learner who is decision maker with the instructor merely acting as the facilitator. The main objectives of the study are-

  1. To find out the provision and available recourses by DULS for e-learning.
  2. To find out the library services that promote E-learning.
  3. To find out the utilization of on-line services by the users.
  4. To assess the benefits of the users after availing E-journal services.
  5. To find out coordination between library and teaching department regarding E-learning.
  6. To find out role of DULS staff in E-learning.
  7. To find out future prospects and planning.

Scope of the Study

There are many gateways providing links to rich sources of E-learning materials for teaching development. There are agencies, which are developing E-learning sources such as UNESCO (Paris and Moscow) BECT (British Education and Communicational Technology Agencies) London. They have developed multi educational sources, National grid of learning, Knowledge sources and education network. The material like Research publications, theses, electronic books and newspapers may be accessed online. Online tools and web-teaching/ learning material may be resources for learners.

The study will be limited to general provisions of e-learning in DULS and it’s impact on users.

Sources of study – The study will cover library resources and e-learning provisions and facilities provided to students including e-text, e-book, e-journal, e-mail, e-web and etc.

The DULS is rich in resources and providing facilities to students to develop their skills and make them self sufficient to access information of their need. The study will highlight the e-learning resources provided by universities and provisions made for academic development.

Hypotheses:

This study is being undertaken with the following hypotheses:

  1. E-learning can effectively take place in digital libraries.
  2. E-learning support system may above as a means of training for academic staff.
  3. A change from the passive to active users helps to develop E-learning environment.
  4. The internet facility to the library users (including teachers) promote E-learning.
  5. The consortia developed by UGC INFONET facilitated E-learning.
  6. The satisfaction level will be higher among the faculty members and research scholars.
  7. Web based E-learning system through internet facility has great impact on library activities and information services.

Methodology of the study

Designing a good research project always depends upon the choice of the sample as well as define methodology for both collection and interpretation of data. The most important methods are:

(i)User studies

(ii)Questionnaires

(iii)Interviews

(iv)Direct observations and analysis of data.

For objective assessment the situation, there is a tendency to use several methods together.

For the research work investigation has been comprised of following tools:

  • Documentary sources for the purpose of literature. Documentary sources act as a feed back to whole research work. It clears overall picture of research work that to be carried out. It clears all the concept of related subjects and it makes the investigator to think about the problem that takes the shape of research problem.
  • Questionnaire for getting accurate and quantitative information.
  • Observation and survey is must for a good research work. It is needed because the real condition must be taken to improve overall situation and to get rid of different problems.

Primary data regarding the status, development and services of DULS were collated through-

  1. Two detailed questionnaire, which are appended as appendix 1 and 2;
  2. Personal visit

Types of questionnaire

  1. Questionnaire for Librarian
  2. Questionnaire for Users of Library

Content of the questionnaire

  1. Aspects covered in the questionnaire of librarian
  2. General information
  3. Man power of the university library
  4. Acquisition and position of E-recourse in university library
  5. Use habit of E-resource of the users
  6. E-learning pattern of users from E-resources and services
  7. Budget of E-resource
  8. Infrastructure facilities and utilization of resources and services

The last section of questionnaire has been designed to measure librarian’s attitude and perception towards E-learning.

  1. Aspects covered in the questionnaire of users
  2. Uses and services of E-resources
  3. Perception, attitude and satisfaction
  4. Feedback

Sample:

Our motto is to study the E-Learning initiatives and impact of library services on E-Learning by the clientele that includes the Faculty members, Research Scholars & Students of Post Graduates & Graduate programmes in the university. The sample consisted of DULS Central library and science library. The sample on random basis is about 331 users out of which nearly 102 teachers of all categories, 105 Research Scholars of various subject fields, 84 P.G & 40 graduate students of different disciplines included.

ANOVA:

The statistical method known as the t-test is applied to a situation in which there are two conditions or treatments of the independents variable and, hence, there are only two groups to be compared on the dependents variable. But, experiments are not confined to only two treatments or groups. In many situations, an independent variable is required to be varied in more than two ways. In this case, then, there are more than two groups to be compared. For example, in studying the relationship between the level of motivation and exploratory behaviour of young children, the researcher may like to vary the independent variable, motivation, in three ways such as highly motivated, ordinarily motivated and poorly motivated and may like to compare them on exploratory behaviour measures. The t-test though applicable, is not an appropriate method in this situation. The method which is used in situations is called the Analysis of Variance originally developed by the late Sir Ronald A. Fisher1. Instead of the difference between the two means, it is the various components of the total variance which form the basis of comparison in case of analysis of variance. It is shortly written as ANOVA. The assumptions underlying its use are the same as those underlying the t-test. Like the t-test, ANOVA is also a parametric- test of significance. It is a very versatile technique which can be used in many situations of research. In situations where there more than two groups formed on an independent variable or groups on more than one independent variable to be compared, it is the ANOVA which is used. The simplest form of ANOVA is the one-way analysis of variance, also called Simple Analysis of Variance or Completely Randomized Groups Design.

One Way ANOVA F-Analysis:-

Analysis of variance is useful technique for compression of means of several groups. Simple one way ANOVA is extension of student’s”t” test to more than two groups. This method was originally developed by R.A. Fisher in 1920. Some examples where comparison of several groups is of interest are:

i)Response of four different treatment’s of anaemia.

ii)Energy intakes of individuals engaged in different activity levels.

iii)Enhancing power of 3 different chemical preparations to improve performance of athletes.

iv)Comparison of body built of individuals by grades of severity of clinical nutrition status or ages & so on.

The linear model for one way ANOVA – F test is given by

i=1,2,-----m

Yij = µij + ţij ,

j = 1,2,------n

The linear equation is given by:

[T.S.S. = S.S.G. + S.S.E.]

i.e. [Total sum of squares = sum of squares due to groups + sum of squares due to error]

Where

T.S.S. = (Raw Sum of Squares) – [Correction Factor]

(Group Total)2

S.S.G. =- C.F.,

No. of observation in each group

(Group Total)2

where, C.F.=

No. of observation in each group

& [S.S.E. = T.S.S. – S.S.G.]

The one way ANOVA – F table is given below-

S. No. / Source of Variation / d.f. / Sum of squares / Mean sum of squares / F-ratio / F crit.
1 / Between group / r-1 / S.S.G. / S.S.G.
r-1 / S.S.G.
r-1
S.S.E.
n-r / F(r-1, n-r, .0α)
2 / Within group / n-r / S.S.E. / S.S.E.
n-r / -
3 / Total / n-1 / T.S.S. / - / -

If, F(r-1, n-r, .0α) < (F-ratio)

Then a significant difference among the groups is observed & hence null hypothesis is rejected at α% level of significance may be .05 or .01

REFERENCE:

1.Fisher, R. A. (1925).Statistical Methods for Research Workers. Oliver & Boyd, London,248-298.

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