Quantitative research as defined by Bryman (2004) is a deductive, objectivist and integrates a natural science model of the research process, one influenced by positivism, nevertheless quantitative researchers do not always refer to all of these three approaches. He further stated that quantitative research strategy has integrated the norms and practices of the natural sciences model and of positivism in particular. It could be said that quantitative research regularly laid stress in collection and analysis of data leading to measurement of data. However, it also could lead to pre-disposed mindset of respondents to the survey. Creswell (2007) state that quantitative data consists of closed ended information obtained on attitude, behaviour, or performance instruments. The collection of quantitative data may include the use of closed ended checklist, against which the behaviour observed is checked and are characterized to be hard, reliable, and unambiguous, depending on the accuracy of their measurement.
The researcher’s study is primarily based on adoption of quantitative approach in form of questionnaires leading to point of view structured the research in a quantitative approach. It is generally observed that given the human frailties, it is rather difficult to visualise respondents’ opinions and views during the replies tendered to questionnaires. However, researchers by virtue of their training are largely uninvolved and remain distant and neutral to the various opinions expressed. This could be mainly due to the emphasis laid on objectivity of the study. Accordingly, the very principles of the researcher gave impetus to conducting the research among the various respondents chosen for the study and test the hypotheses.
The researcher by virtue of enabled literature reviews used the existing analysis to set up aim, objectives, concepts and identification of research problems. These were co-related and included in the questionnaires.
3.4.1.1 Questionnaires
The questionnaire method as stated by Selltiz (1976) is an inexpensive, easy and quick to administer, requires little explanation, can be sent by mail, or electronically by e-mail. It is also short to reduce “respondent fatigue” and the researcher’s effects are eliminated. It is further stated that questionnaires are sometimes handed out by the researcher and collected after they have been answered. This is usually referred to as self-completion questionnaires which were used for this research study. In this context, Williams (1996) opined that when that when a questionnaire is delivered by a researcher, it helps respondents to overcome difficulties of questions and that personal persuasion is used to ensure a high response rate. It is observed that questionnaires usually have a comprehensive standardization in nature of questions, wording and necessary guidelines or instructions. It invariably leads to differing perspectives and interpretations among respondents. This in turn may have different interpretations for different people. Nevertheless, wording could be considered to be revised so as to achieve meaningful uniformity of questionnaire.
Five set of questionnaires were prepared for this study. The research instrument named as ‘appendix – A’ tagged as ‘ICT competencies of university library personnel’ meant for faculty/ experts is to collect data regarding the opinions about the ICT based course contents in LIS curriculum, ICT skills/ competencies of the LIS professionals working in university libraries and other aspects which consists of open ended questions. Appendix – B is meant for only supervisory professionals to collect data regarding the opinions about the ICT competencies of the LIS professionals working under them with different level of qualifications. Appendix – C is meant for library professionals to collect data regarding the opinions about their ICT competencies and also other aspects like Continuing Education Programmes (CEP) and Staff Development Programmes (SDP), working environment, educational and information needs, lacunae (if, any) in the LIS course contents considering the topics in ICT and related areas, handling of ICT based library functions and services and related issues. Appendix – D is meant for library users/ members/ visitors to collect data regarding the opinions about ICT based library services, comments or suggestions regarding the ICT related services of the library etc. Appendix – E is meant for Librarian/ Head of Library is to collect data regarding the ICT infrastructure/ components in university library, professionals, educational qualifications etc.
Also an analytical study would be made of ICT course content offered by 40 LIS departments under (selected) university system (for both streams) and by 02 Institutes of national importance i.e. DRTC, Bangalore and TISS, Mumbai. Finally open ended unstructured questions would be asked through conducting the interview with librarians/ HOD’s and other staff like ICT training, publications, curriculum, ICT services, tools etc. The collected data would then analyse using descriptive statistics (percentages).
3.4.2 Qualitative Design
In qualitative research, David (2004) opined that the point of view of the participants structures the research. That is why the researcher looks for close involvement with its participants, so that the researcher understands the world through their view. The researcher’s intentions, is to learn the participant’s view about a certain phenomenon. The review of related literature in qualitative research is used to provide evidence for the purpose of the study and is usually short and not much detailed. Thus, in qualitative literature reviews, because the intent is to learn from the participants, the questions are open ended. This allows participants to answers questions differently from their own point of view and the understanding of these open ended questions will lead to different and complex answers. To obtain the needed data the researcher needs to focus on a single phenomenon and learns about it in depth.
As qualitative data consists of open ended questions gathered through interviews with participants, allowing participants to answer in their own words, therefore the researcher had combined open ended and fixed questions during the interview process. This gave a leeway to the researcher to gauge opinions of the respondents and elicit their view points about the questions. Although it is a possibility that some of the replies may or could not reflect the true views or opinions of the respondents, however combined with the objectivity of the researcher and documentation, data analysis were arrived at during the course of research study. Personal interview method can be applied on almost all segments of the population and interview questions can be easily clarified if misunderstanding appears before the answer is written. Interviews in this study were carried out with LIS professionals spread across five universities and ascertained the proficiency of ICT skills and learning abilities, penetration of ICT in academia syllabus as ascertained through the study.
3.5 Research Sampling
The main aim of the research is to re-examine, re-evaluate the existing ICT syllabus in the academia and explore the proficiency of ICT skills among LIS professionals in five universities selected for the research study. The main targeted population for research that serve to achieve the aim were LIS professionals, faculty and staff of the five universities in Delhi. The brief description of the professionals working in the universities are mentioned here-in:
Srl No. Name of University Number of LIS Professionals
Libraries LIS Department
1 University of Delhi 113 07
2 Jamia Millia Islamia 56 01
3 Indira Gandhi National Open University 23 05
4 Jawaharlal Nehru University 93 –
5 Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University 15 –
Total 300 13
3.6 Analysis of Data
Data collected through interviews’ and questionnaires’ would be collected and fed in the computer for the purpose of consolidation and analysed to find the results by using Microsoft Excel along with software SPSS Statistics package. The method of coding the fields would be used for data entry. Questionnaire replies would be based on 'prima facie' study, various points in support of the hypotheses would be sought to be picked up and finally data in the form of tables obtained for analysis. The hypotheses would be tested using the data. Descriptive analysis shall be aimed to be written form based on the findings of analysis. In testing the dependency between the attributes, the ‘chi-square’ test and P-value for independence of attributes would be used.
If the calculated P-value is less than the 0.005 (with related significant value of chi-square at given degrees of freedom), we then accept null hypothesis and conclude that they are independent. Otherwise we shall reject the null hypothesis and conclude that there is a significant dependence between the attributes. Chi square test can be applied in case the sample groups are randomly and independently selected, or the data are of interval or ratio type also if there is normal distribution in the population from which the sample is selected. ALA has been used for bibliographical references with slight modifications given at the end of the chapters and also for bibliography. For providing abbreviations to the journal title used for the study, the abbreviations as given in the ‘Library Literature and Information Science’ have been used.
3.7 Limitation of Research Methodology
The study is limited to only five selected Central/State Universities of Delhi. The other Central/ State/ Deemed/ Private/ Open Universities of Delhi are excluded from the purview of this study because their library activities and services differ from the conventional universities. The limitation concerns the time dimension of its coverage as it is difficult to study all the universities in limited time and further in some of the university the professionals are very less in number, the reason being their recent establishment. Another limitation is of financial and administrative constraints, as the state is vast in area and the universities are spread in different corners of the state. Yet another limitation is that the scope of the study is limited only to the LIS professionals i.e. university librarian, deputy librarian, assistant librarian, professional assistant, semi-professional assistant, library attendant (and their equivalents posts) working in five selected university libraries. For viability and for effectiveness of collection of information from the respondents this study is confined to these above mentioned LIS professionals only.
3.8 Conclusion
As seen from the above preceding paragraphs, an attempt had been made to define the research study, identify the nature and mode of establishment of the analysis. In this chapter, the research’s philosophy, design and methods were enumerated in a cohesive manner. The research was conducted as depicted in the framework. The research was based on both quantitative and qualitative research methods. Additionally, the limitations were also highlighted as observed from the area of research by the researcher.