phenomenological study

phenomenological study

The purpose of the phenomenological study is to describe the bilingualism experiences in higher education among international students and how it influences performance, social aspects of inclusion, and diversity. The phenomenological study of bilingual education for international students in the United States needs to be studied through effective research methodology. This section will explain the method used in understanding the phenomenological study by using a qualitative research design, the data collection method, sampling, and the analysis. The transcendental phenomenological approach following Moustakas is highly mainly because it elaborates on the participants’ lived experiences. The paper will restate the research questions and provide a suitable setting/site to carry out the study. It is important to understand how participants’ live experiences influence phenomena. The importance of this particular design of the study provides the researcher with knowledge about bilingual education towards international students and discover what influences their experiences in second language acquisition and their performance. The reason as to why this research design is appropriate is because of its capacity to determine the type of methods used in collecting information or data from the participants ( Usher & Jackson, 2019 ). The data analysis concerning the phenomenological inquiry into the specific group’s lived experiences would involve transcendental phenomenological approaches like bracketing to answer the research questions.

Design

A qualitative study is appropriate because it helps better understand the views and perceptions ( Peterson, 2019 ). Another rationale is that this type of study offers visions to various problems and assists the researchers in developing concepts, and the analysis provides deeper insight into the issues. The qualitative approach is appropriate as it helps in discovering new thoughts and people’s views. Phenomenology is appropriate as it helps understand the in-depth meaning of people’s lived experience ( Adams & van Manen, 2017). The reason for using phenomenological study is that it gives a pathway to explore what people experienced and focuses on their experience of a phenomenon. However, transcendental phenomenology is very important and appropriate to use in this study. This methodology provides logical, systematic, and coherent design elements that are essential in the description of a particular experience. Transcendental phenomenology aims to add dimensions to the study of human experiences through qualitative research (Moustakas, 1994).

The reason for choosing a qualitative study is providing depth and detail in the study explaining attitudes, feelings, and behaviors concerning the phenomenological design. Another benefit of this study is understanding participants’ attitudes and incorporation of human experiences. The selection of the phenomenological design is fundamental in understanding people’s meaning and lived experiences. Phenomenology is a well designed qualitative design that discovers specific phenomena and explains new concepts or issues ( Neubauer et al., 2019 ). The reason for using this design is for the primary purpose of exploring the various experience and meanings of phenomena. Besides, the impact of uncovering knowledge gives the researchers a better understanding of the possibilities embedded in the experience of phenomena. Transcendental phenomenology brings added dimensions to the study of human experiences through qualitative research.

Additionally, transcendental phenomenology is a philosophical method to qualitative research methodology that aims to understand human experience (Moustakas, 1994). The fact is that the transcendental phenomenology allows the researcher to strive to get an unbiased description of the collected information. In this type of design, it is characterized by the researcher bracketing their personal bias. The study’s design would enable the researcher to discover how experiences lived in the bilingual education program influence international students in their performance and achievement. The concept of an individual’s perceptions and experiences are the key aspects according to (Moustakas 1994). In his text, Moustakas’s main aim is to comprehend the critical role of phenomenological research methodology in particular research.

Research Questions

1. How do students’ attitudes in bilingual education improve their performance?
2. What are students’ perceptions of socio-cultural factors on bilingual education within the United States education system?
3. What are students’ perceptions of inadequate bilingual teachers within the United States education system?
4. What are teachers’ perceptions of bilingualism?
5. How do teachers’ practices address the needs of bilinguals?
6. Do bilingual teachers’ perceptions of themselves change from the beginning to the end of the course, how do students feel about the bilingual program, and do university students’ perceptions of bilingual teachers change from the beginning to the end of the course?

Setting

The study’s setting is the National Public Library. This is the appropriate location for the presence of exchange-students and international students from different countries with varied linguistic levels. This site is selected because it offers a calm environment to conduct an interview. The primary objective is to use this site to learn how these students could gain English proficiency either in this University or other American learning institutions. Their experiences would help comprehend how dual language usage is beneficial to such students and how perceived attitudes from institutions impacts their performance and achievement. This selected setting is essential for this project because it is familiar to the participants, therefore providing an opportunity for unbiased information. The researcher would quickly get raw information directly from the university students, reducing transportation costs and ease for IRB approval from school management ( Chappell, 2020).

The institution’s leadership is exemplary and visionary as the management of the facility is flexible and interactive. The large space and conference rooms make it a selective location to engage the participants. The facility’s demographic involves the 150 staff members, over 50 spacious conference rooms, and ultra-modern study cubicles. The two majority ethnicity associated with this site is African Americans and Hispanic Americans. The nickname used to describe this site includes The Point and Wisdom Palace as the pseudonym.

Participants

In the Participants section, the sample pool is a survey operations term commonly used by statisticians in referring to the designated sample size. On the other hand, the sample size is referred to as the number of participants who, in most cases, is 12 – 15 in a qualitative study ( Taherdoost, 2017 ). It is imperative to state that the number is represented by ( n ) whereby the size of a sample influences the statistical elements, which estimate the study’s precision and weight in drawing conclusions ( Anderson et al., 2017 ). Theoretical sampling is well known as the data collecting process used for generating theory whereby the researcher has the task of collecting, code the data, and analyze before deciding to look for another set of data to develop his theoryCopnellr Copnell & Hall, 2018 ). Theoretical sampling usually entails selecting participants based on specific characteristics. Sampling is defined as the technique of choosing a particular sub-group from a population to participate in the study.

In most cases, selecting several individuals enables the study so that the participants represent the large group from which they were selected ( Thomas, 2017 ). The type of sample used is purposive, which can be explained as the non-probability sampling that aims to choose the characteristics of a particular population and the objective of the study. The importance of purposive sampling is the benefit of convenience, whereby a selective approach is used to choose the right individuals to be questioned.

A convenience sample is the type of non-probability approach whereby the sample is gotten from a specific group of individuals easy to engage and reach. In snowball sampling, the recruitment technique in which research participants are asked helps the researcher identify other potential subjects ( Etikan, Musa, & Alkassim, 2016 ). Moreover, maximum variation ( heterogeneous ) sampling is a purposive sampling technique mainly utilized to capture various perspectives concerning the phenomenon being studied ( Sharma, 2017 ). This sampling procedure for this study would allow the researcher to apply when they want to access a specific subset of people who, in this case, are international students studying bilingual programs ( Campbell et al., 2020 ).

Demographic involves the age of the participants of 18 to 35 years. The ages of the five participants are 19, three individuals are 21, and the rest are 22, 23, 24, 26, 27,28, and 30 years. This specific age bracket is convenient as it would include students who have recently passed through the bilingual program. The pseudonyms are words given to participants or another way of describing them in this phenomenological study; Code Switchers and Dual Dynamite. The names describe bilinguals students who have mastery of dual languages ( native and English). The number of participants is 12 – 15, which requires written approval from a research consultant.

Procedures

In the Procedures section, the steps necessary to conduct the study are outlined. It includes, but is not limited to, information about securing Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval, eliciting participants for the study, gathering the data, and recording procedures ( Cypress, 2018). According to Moustakas’ text, the transcendental phenomenological approach involves procedures of bracketing and phenomenological reduction ( Walton, 2020 ). The other step that would be utilized in delineating aspect of meaning. The next procedure consists of the clustering of units of meaning with the intent of forming themes. Later on, it summarises each interview, as well as validating before modifying it. In this phenomenological approach, the research aims to providing description instead of explaining. The first step is the freedom of thinking whereby perspective, specific hypotheses, and preconception phenomenological research methods are presented. The next step focuses on conducting interviewing the participants to understand their lived experiences and attitudes towards the bilingual program in higher learning institutions, transcribing the interview information through analysis of the units. The development of structure presents it to the research group before reporting the participants’ findings and preparing the final research report. The researchers have to secure an Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval to provide a platform and freedom to ask questions and conduct the study. When elicited data is required from the participants, the researcher can use structured interviews and production methods to elicit perception and techniques ( Félix-Brasdefer & Hasler-Barke, 2017 ).

The Researcher’s Role

In this study, the data are collected with permission and regard to participants. For a qualitative study, the researcher’s main role is to ensure that the data are mediated through this human instrument instead of inventories or questionnaires. The researcher’s role is to interpret research specifications and has the task of developing a work plan. As the researcher, the primary task is to find how bilingual programs affect international students’ linguistic aspects who ate foreign, immigrants, or exchange students. The participants’ relationship is unbiased as there is no personal attachment while researching as there is no control over them. The research site’s role has no bias or assumptions as the institution has ethical standards and approvals that bring to the study, making it credible ( Cumyn et al., 2019). The researcher’s relation with the site cannot influence the collection and analysis of the data. The phenomenological design in this study correlates with the flexibility of researching within site. The core implication of this role on the data collection and analysis procedures understands the phenomena. Another result is the provision of precision analyzed data that is not biased or inaccurate, therefore increasing credibility to the readers.

Data Collection

This study’s data collection would involve three main approaches: interviews, questionnaires, and focus groups. The 12 – 15 participants would be asked a series of questions that would include engagement and obtaining the relevant information (Mkandawire, 2019 ). Understanding perceived attitudes towards bilingual program would help gain knowledge about the lived experiences of international bilingual students. The selected data collection method has the importance of attaining raw data and conclusive experiences of the phenomena studied. Moreover, interacting with the 12 participants in the chosen site would better understand how socialization with non-bilingual impacts their perception and performance. Interviewing is another data collection method that is effective in answering the research questions. The researcher can locate individual participants who have shared experiences and have different characteristics and personal experiences.

Interviews

An interview is a conversation for gathering information. A research interview involves an interviewer who coordinates the conversation process and asks questions, and an interviewee responds to those questions. Interviews can be conducted face-to-face or over the telephone ( Roulston, 2019 ). Interviews are known as qualitative research method mostly involves using open-ended questions that are asked to the respondents. In a research study, interviews are important because it leads to in-depth understanding and exploration of the research experiences, and phenomenon. The interview questions are usually open-ended so that in-depth information will be collected.

1. Please introduce yourself to me, as if we are strangers.
2. Please walk me through your understanding of bilingualism.
3. What are your most significant experiences in a bilingual program either directly or indirectly.
4. What made these experiences meaningful, and did it change your attitude?
5. How were you able to be successful in learning the second language?
6. Share an experience in which gaining bilingual knowledge has changed your perceived attitudes.
7. How would you rate your writing skills?
8. Why was a dual language program important to you?
9. How did your native language impact your understanding of English as a second language?
10. What are your impacts on neglecting your native language?
11. What are the challenges in grammar and sentence structuring you experienced?
12. Do adults have an accent when they are bilinguals?
13. How would the bilingual program improve your interaction with others?
14. What are your thoughts on socialization impacts brought by bilingual education?
15. What does it mean to be bilingual?
16. Is it wrong to mix languages inside sentences?
17. How can teachers support their bilingual student’s language acquisition?
18. On a scale from one to five, how has a bilingual education program impacted your school performance and achievement in school?

Question one to two are knowledgeable inquires about the participant concerning the study. These questions aim to know how the individuals understand the phenomena and basic terms used to describe it. Bilingual education is learning the second language by acquiring mastering in another linguistic aspect other than the native one ( Henderson & Palmer, 2020 ). Question three invites the participant to explain how bilingual education has influenced their lives and how they reacted. This question gives a framework of how the individual felt during the bilingual program, such as the teachers’ attitudes and the entire school management towards bilingual education ( Sommer, 2019 ). Questions four to six help gain more insights into how the perceived behaviors and attitude impacted their acquisition process. These questions are fundamental as they further explore bilingual students’ lived experiences in different countries ( Sánchez, García & Solorza, 2018 ). Question seven finds the impacts of dual languages in a bilingual, for instance, mastery in writing in another language. Bilingualism has various educational importance as it enables the individuals to gain more mastery in the second language with positively improves their cognitive and mental growth ( Klein, 2019 ). Question eight to nine aims to understand the reasons for the participants to learn the second language. These two questions prove a basic of critically learn why people decide to join a bilingual program ( Simon-Cereijido, & Méndez, 2018 ). Some of the rationales for such decisions, according to the participants, are connecting and increasing ease to integrate into the U.S. educational system. Other reasons are to boost academic performance, the advancement of careers, sharpen memory, and brainpower. Question ten gives the participants the chance to identify linguistic impacts like grammar and sentence construction ( Dam et al., 2020 ). Questions twelve to fourteen enable the researcher to ask a deeper question about language accents and how people view bilinguals’ pronunciation. Bilinguals interactions with others are unique as they have advanced thinking, understanding, and decision-making. Question fifteen to seventeen gives an in-depth meaning of who a bilingual is and how the participants can view themselves ( Paap et al., 2019 ). In these questions, the participants would explain how learning a second language impacts their first native language. The phrases and grammar mistakes are common issues inside sentences, either verbal or written, made by bilinguals. Teachers can support the bilingual student’s language acquisition through practice and extensive classroom activities. Question eighteen allows the participants to show how the bilingual program has impacted their lives and their performance. The participants can elaborate on how bilingual education was instrumental in achieving their set goals ( Kelly, 2018 ).

Questionnaires

A survey is defined as the evaluation of experiences of a particular group of individuals questions compared to a questionnaire, which is viewed as a collection of written selected questions with an answer choice made to conduct a survey ( Martínez-Caro et al., 2018 ). A questionnaire as a set of questions would help this study provide elicited data crucial for analysis. Survey/questionnaires aim to provide the researchers with the required information about the participants to answer the research questions related to this phenomenological study.

1. Do you find the bilingual program helpful?
2. Has bilingual education helped you in gaining more knowledgeable and coping skills?
3. Can you recommend other students to learn a second language?
4. Did you gain any decision-making skills after the program?
5. Can you forget your native language when you have learned another?
6. Do you mix meaning during your conversations?
7. Is second language more important than native /first language?
8. Did you integrate smoothly after completion of your bilingual program?
9. What are you advise current bilinguals engaging in the program?
10. Why is bilingualism important to society.

Questions one to ten are open and closed questions that help the participants directly engage with the researcher by giving them more details about bilingual education. The questions aim to understand why students prefer to learn another language. It helped comprehend bilingualism’s effects on society and the students ( García & Lin, 2017 ). The questions are fundamental for the participants. It provides a platform for participants to be honest and open to the researcher about the bilingual program’s impact in higher learning institutions.

Focus groups

According to Morgan (2018 ), the focus group method is defined as a research tool to measure the potential impact of a study and determine how best to present the data to the public. In a phenomenological study, the researcher tends to use collective focus questions to elicit the participants to reflect on themselves and address the behavioral aspects.

1. What are the importance of studying a second language?
2. What are the limitations experienced during the acquisition of the second language?
3. Explain your thoughts about bilingualism and how society views bilingual students.
4. What are the problems experienced during the bilingual education?
5. Do you forget your learned language?
6. When should a second language be learned?
7. Why should higher learning institutions encourage bilingual programs?
8. What are the cognitive and behavioral benefits of learning a second language?
9. What makes you stand out from other bilinguals?
10. How you solve any bilingual related issues during the program?

Questions one to four would allow the group to identify the various benefits of studying English as a second language. The cognitive benefits increase the level of accuracy and processing of students. Bilingualism is viewed as an educational approach that allows the students to master academic content material. Students’ importance to become proficient in two languages has the benefit of adding valuable skills that are useful in economic opportunities. The group would have further converse the implication of bilingual education to students and how they promote linguistic progression and other intellectual benefits ( Rosenthal, 2016 ). Question five to seven allows participants to elaborate on how to maintain their language acquisition aspects. It is important to note that learning a second language is not restricted to adults and young individuals. Learning another language can improve cognitive thinking; hence school management should encourage such programs ( Timmermeister et al., 2020 ). Question eight to ten further explores the need to learn another second language. Many international students learn English when they come to America so that they can get integrated into the educational system. The social problems like interacting with others can be experienced as some word meaning cannot be understood. The fact is that bilingual education is instrumental to students to enhance their communication and coping skills ( Blom et al.,2017 ).

Data Analysis

The transcendental phenomenology stated the certain steps which entail investigating and making meaning of experiences. The transcendental aspect in this study involves viewing the particular phenomenon with openness, and accuracy leading to acquiring new knowledge derived from the essence of experiences (Moustakas, 1994). For the epoche is to allow the researcher to disclose their personal experience and feelings (Moustakas, 1994). Bracketing is the process where preconceived beliefs and opinions concerning the phenomenon research are identified, allowing the researcher to brackets out any form of presuppositions that might interfere with the data ( Miller et al., 2018). The next step of the analysis is intuition in which allows the researcher to be focused and concentrate on the attributed meaning of the phenomenon. In this step, there is a sense of shared understanding of a phenomenon; therefore, the presence of data variance is needed to further comprehend. The third step is analyzing in which coding is applied to entail categorizing, aiming to make sense of the significant meanings of the phenomenon. The last critical step is where comprehension and definition of the phenomenon meaning to the research. The aspect of communicating distinctive and critical descriptions in both written and verbal are imperative for the study. The data collected through the open-ended closed, and semi-structured questions showed that two out of 12 participants depicted an aspect of biasness and discrimination due to the bad past experiences in a bilingual classroom ( Lowe et al., 2018 ). The data explains the importance of gaining mastery of the second language in order to get incorporated into the U.S. educational system. It is imperative to state that the link between students’ lived experiences and their behaviors toward bilingual education influenced their performance, achievement, and socialization—the transcendental phenomenology aims to focus on the raw information that got acquired during the data collection process ( Serban & Apostolescu, 2020 ). The Moustakas’ text further proves that human experiences are required to study and understood in a qualitative approach. The various theoretical approaches used in this study enabled the understanding of data collected about international bilingual students’ experiences more practical. From the interviews, the social interaction with bilingual instructors influences students’ experiences in a bilingual classroom.

Furthermore, the transcendental study gives the chance to examine participants’ experiences so that it can mitigate judgment and biases in the research (Moustakas, 1994). In this research, the transcendental-phenomenological reduction will be used for the purpose of describing the importance of the phenomenon. The data collected in this case involve the perceptions and feelings of the phenomenon. It is essential to note that imaginative variation is applied to deduce the structural essence of experiences. Therefore understanding these steps, which are noema (phenomenon) and the noesis (meanings), requires any phenomenological research question that should be recorded and analyzed simultaneously.

Bracketing is known as the method utilized in qualitative research for the purpose of mitigating any adverse effects of preconceptions, which may influence the research process ( Willis et al., 2016 ). Bracketing, in other words, is referred to a researcher’s identification of particular interests, personal experience, assumptions, cultural aspects, and factors that would influence how they look at the study’s information. In phenomenological reduction, the primary aim is describing the individual experiences through textural language. In this perspective, the researcher has to consider the external object associated with their perception when they describe exactly what they view (Moustakas, 1994). In this procedure, the researcher has to consider the internal act of consciousness, whereby it is a rhythm and relationship between phenomenon and self. To describe the overall traits of the phenomenon, there is a need for the researcher to remove all elements that are not directly within conscious experience. The need to reduce the data of experiences to the invariant constituents is needed through this elimination process. In a phenomenological reduction, the researcher’s task is to remove the overlapping, repetitive, and misunderstood expressions.

Memoing is identified as the act of recording reflective notes concerning information being studied by the researcher. Memos aim to accumulate in written records concerning concepts and their relationships ( Sohn, 2017 ). The Memoing aspect mostly takes place during the interview. Therefore it is not a process or an approach that occurs after the interview. Memoing is a method that allows the researcher during an interview to gain more additional information concerning what they have seen, heard, and as well as experienced during the entire time of collecting and reflecting on the process ( Cypress, 2018 ).

Nevertheless, coding is an analytical process whereby collected data in qualitative form like interview transcripts are analyzed categorically. Before a researcher starts coding, an annotation scheme needs to get defined. The primary entities include codes or tags. The researcher has to understand that coding is a process of identifying a passage in the text or images, then one finds and understands the concepts and be able to relate to them ( Angelino, 2019 ). The primary goal of coding in research is mainly to produce numerical patterns to confirm or disconfirm theoretical propositions. For example, survey questionnaires are one of the precoded structured responses.

Trustworthiness

Trustworthiness in this context aims to address the credibility, dependability, transferability, and confirmability of the research study. The importance of this section is to identify the methodology elements in achieving the aspect of trustworthiness. One standard method is triangulation, which refers to using many methods and sources in this qualitative research. The reason is to develop a comprehensive understanding of the lived experienced bilingual students in higher learning institutions ( Connelly, 2016 ). Triangulation is essential to this study as a qualitative research strategy to test validity through various sources’ convergence of information. In this phenomenological study, applying a methodological triangulation, which entails using multiple methods in getting data, would be applicable in this phenomenon ( Noble & Heale, 2019 ). This particular method would increase the trustworthiness that the study requires to be acceptable and accurate.

Credibility

Credibility is described as an aspect or something that can be trusted. The study has to follow all the processes, and through the usage of appropriate methods, it would increase a high level of accuracy of the data required. A study needs to be unchanged and unbiased so that it does not favor any results. Reliable research has to attain full credibility for the intention of being used for further studies. The collected data’s content and depth are vital, and the researcher’s analytical tools and abilities ( Rubin, 2020 ).

Dependability and Confirmability

The concepts of dependability and confirmability are fundamental in assisting the study to have a sense of assurance and consistency regarding the other types of quantitative studies. For a study, there is a need to have a vast knowledge of interrelationships of concepts and sources to maintain high accuracy ( Korstjens & Moser, 2018 ).

Transferability

According to ( Lyle 2018 ) avers, transferability is an essential element in a research study. It is viewed as the relations of an aspect of concepts and how they are connected and related. This type of qualitative research has to adhere to procedures and in-depth consideration of the study investigated.

Ethical Considerations

The ethical considerations or implications of this research include data storage, which was affected by losing physical documents. The locking of the filing cabinets is one way of solving losing vital information—the enhancement of password protection in the computer enables the researcher to store data effectively. The use of electronic files enables the research to be more accurate. The researcher’s influence was not forced or biased, as it helped collect the necessary data. Participant confidentiality is one of the issues that involve the privacy of their names, which was solved by making them anonymous. The site and participant pseudonyms usage were ethical and morally guided to avoid resistance and any cultural conflict. The importance of a research study maintains a high degree of standards and respects the participants’ rights and will in any investigation. The various collection of information processes and the data analysis need to be ethical in misusing the participants. In this research, all requirements, data tools, and equipment were used appropriately and effectively in the study. There are no moral issues or considerations in this phenomenological study, as all regulations and guidelines get followed during the data collection and analysis.

Summary

This section explains the research tools and analytical methods that were used in the gathering of the information. The importance of collecting data in this phenomenological study was relevant and ethical as it portrayed effective and respective data collection methods. The fact is that the data analysis was instrumental in answering the research questions and helping the readers further comprehend the lived students’ behaviors and experiences towards bilingual education in higher learning institutions. A reliable study aims to follow all the necessary procedures or steps of research processes and procedures. The credibility and validity of this phenomenological study depend on the methodological principles applied by the researcher.