Research Design on leadership and job satisfaction of teachers
The descriptive survey study design was used in this study. According to Kothari (2014),
the descriptive survey study design is used for gathering social and personal facts,
attitudes, and beliefs; it entails measurement grouping, examination, appraisal, and
elucidation of data, which leads to the establishment of critical philosophies of
knowledge and the resolution of significant problems. According to Lubbers, Verdery,
and Molina (2020), descriptive survey design involves asking sample population
questions on a topic to investigate their perspectives, approaches, and knowledge on the
subject. The descriptive study design was appropriate because it allowed the researcher
to collect and analyze data as found in the field, without having to use any variables,
while also soliciting feedback from the headteachers and teachers on the impact of the
headteacher's leadership style and the teacher's job satisfaction. For the study, the
researcher used a survey approach. The researcher acquired quantitative data from this
survey, which was evaluated quantitatively using descriptive and inferential statistics.
Research Site
The importance of the research site is to identify the site and where data will be
collected. The study was done in Nairobi County’s several international schools. All the
four stages of international school education: kindergarten, primary, junior high, and
senior high were considered in this study.
Target population
A population is made up of all elements, individuals, or things that have comparable
observable traits (Stangor, 2011). Nairobi County has 32 international schools,
according to the International Schools Database (2020). In this study, 32 head teachers
and 2340 teachers were targeted. The head teachers were chosen since they are the
leaders in international schools and thus play an important role in the school's
operations. Teachers were also targeted because they provided valuable insight into the
school's leadership style.
Sample Size and Sampling Techniques
Babbie (2014) defines a sample as a subset of the population. A sample size of 10% to 30%
of the population is required for a sufficient and reliable outcome (Gay, Mills & Airasian,
2009). As a result, nine international schools were chosen at random from a total of 32 for
the study, accounting for 28.1 percent of the total. The researcher chose the nine schools
using purposive sampling. According to Etikan, Musa, and Alkassim (2016), purposive
sampling is the deliberate selection of persons from the population to form sample
membership based on their characteristics. In this sampling strategy, the researcher used
their judgment in selecting sample members. All the head teachers from the nine
schools were scheduled for interviews.
The sample size for the teachers was calculated using the Krejcie and Morgan (1970)
formula. As a result, n = X2NP (1-P) d2 (N-1) + X2P. (1-P)
Where n denotes the sample size.
X2 = chi-square table value at acceptable confidence level for 1 degree of freedom (X2
= 3.841).
N = the number of teachers in the population = 2340
P denotes the proportion of the population (assumed to be 0.5 since this would provide
the maximum sample size)
d represents the degree of precision represented as a percentage (0.05)
As a result, there are 330 teachers: n = 3.841x 2340 x 0.5 (1-0.5) / (0.05 x 0.05) x
(2340-1) + 3.841 x 0.5 x (1-0.5).
The sample size for the headteachers is 30% of the 32 headteachers (= 9).
Table Sample Size Distribution
Category of Population Sample
Percentage %
Sampling
respondents
Technique
Headteachers
32 9 28.1
Simple Random
Teachers
2340 330 14.1
Simple Random
Total
2372 339 14.3
To get well-triangulated perspectives, a simple random sample approach was utilized to
pick 37 teachers from each school. As a result, there were 9 head teachers and 330
teachers in the sample.
Research Instruments
In this study, the teacher's questionnaire and the headteacher's interview schedule were
used. Surveys are popular because they are easy to administer, inexpensive, and time-
saving Barbie (2014). Furthermore, surveys are frequently free of interview bias because
the results are based on the respondent's personal beliefs (Kothari, 2014). Respondents
get the same amount of time to respond thoughtfully. Questionnaires also saved time,
and data from a broad sample was collected. Nonetheless, the interview schedule of the
headteacher was used to get detailed information on the headteacher's leadership style in
school management.
Teachers’ Questionnaire
The teachers’ questionnaire consisted of a Likert scale that gathered quantitative data
and open-ended questions that gathered qualitative type of information. The
questionnaire comprised sections A, B, C, D, E, and F (See Appendix II for more
information). Section A was used to collect general information from teachers, while
Section B was used to collect democratic leadership style, Section C was used to collect
autocratic leadership style, Section D was used to collect laissez-faire leadership style,
Section E was used to collect transformational leadership style, and Section F was used
to collect teacher's job satisfaction.
Head teachers’ Interviews Schedule
The interview strategy for gathering information is better than other methods because it
establishes a rapport between the respondent and the investigator. It also protects against
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difficult questions by allowing the examiner to clarify them to the respondent, allowing
them to react appropriately (Bhattacherjee, 2012). The headteacher's interview guide
sought in-depth information on how the head teachers' leadership styles affected the
teachers' JS when dealing with numerous areas in international schools. The research
objectives and questions were in sync. The data acquired was utilized to validate the data
from the instructors' self-assessment study, hence increasing the research's internal
validity.
Piloting Testing of the Research Instruments
An investigator needs to evaluate instruments before utilizing them to confirm their
validity, reliability, and practicability (Creswell, 2012). By analyzing the instruments'
lucidity of semantics, reaction time, management style, distance, and instrument
arrangement, steering was utilized to establish their reliability. The pilot test participants
must have similar qualities to the intended participants, according to Gay et al (2010). As
a result, Creswell (2012) suggested that 10% of each category of respondents take part in
the study's pilot testing. As a result, one headteacher and twelve teachers from a local
international school in Kiambu County were invited to participate. They were selected
through purposive sampling. Participants were urged to offer suggestions and comments,
which would be used to improve the items in the research instruments. The pilot study
increased the validity and reliability of the information-gathering instruments by
facilitating essential test item review and modification to verify that they assessed what
they were supposed to measure, resulting in trustworthy findings.
Reliability of the Data Collection Instruments
The term reliability refers to how well a research tool produces consistent results after
repeated tests (Orodho, 2012). When the research instruments meet the criteria, it is
therefore said to be reliable. It can be used several times to give a similar outcome
irrespective of the environmental setup. The test-retest technique was used to measure
the reliability of the teachers’ questionnaire. The questionnaire was administered to the
respondents during pilot testing again after two weeks. The data from the two sets of
questionnaires were then correlated using the Pearson Product Moment correlation
coefficient method. A correlation coefficient of 0.84 was obtained. According to
Creswell (2012), any study tool with a reliability coefficient of 0.6 or higher was
appropriate in the social sciences.
Validity of the Data Collection Instruments
The correctness, significance of inferences, and soundness of conclusion results based on
study data are all aspects of validity (Kothari, 2014; Saunders, Lewis & Thornhill,
2012). The researcher sought expert input on content and construct validity. Africa
Nazarene University supervisors reviewed the items in the instruments before and after
piloting. The results of the pilot study were also used to improve the validity of the data
collection equipment.
Data Collection Procedures
Africa Nazarene University provided the researcher with a letter of introduction. The
researcher obtained research permission from the National Council for Science, Technology,
and Innovation thanks to the introduction letter (NACOSTI). The permit was provided to the
Nairobi County Education Officer, who then gave a clearance letter to gather data from
the sampled schools. After presenting the official authorization papers to the head teachers
and establishing a connection with them, the researcher went to the sampling schools and
gathered the data. The surveys were personally distributed to the teachers by the
researcher via the head teachers. After that, the head teachers were interviewed in person.
The interviews took place in the offices of the head teachers. Before each interview, the
participants were asked to read and respond to the consent form's contents (Appendix
III). The interviews were videotaped and later transcribed by the researcher using a
smartphone.
Data Processing and Analysis
The data was meticulously updated and double-checked for accuracy and completeness.
The new data was compacted and categorized for easy understanding, allowing for a
more tranquil grouping. The data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social
Sciences (SPSS) version 22. Descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentages,
standard deviation, and mean were used to examine the data. The Pearson product-
moment correlation coefficient analysis was used to evaluate four of the formulated null
hypotheses. The strength and direction of correlations were determined using Pearson
analysis.
The interview data was checked after each session was completed. The notes made
during the interviews were swiftly edited for gaps to capture everything that could be
remembered, but they were not written down. An identifying tag was given to each
respondent, such as HT 1 for the first headteacher interviewee, HT 2 for the second
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headteacher interviewee, and so on. The interview process produced qualitative data,
which was subsequently structured into short narratives for easier understanding.
Nonetheless, verbatim excerpts and field notebook extracts were employed to augment the
material evaluated while keeping the message intact.
Legal and Ethical Considerations
In research, ethical and legal issues are critical since they help to ensure that no one is
harmed or experiences bad effects because of the study's activities. Because of the frequently
tense interactions that exist between the investigator and the respondents, sensible
precautions were included in the fieldwork research, which was based on appropriate ethical
criteria and methodologies. A letter of introduction was provided to the researcher by
African Nazarene University. Thanks to the letter, the researcher was able to secure research
approval from the National Commission for Science, Technology, and Innovation
(NACOSTI). The investigator reassured the respondents that their information would be kept
confidential and utilized purely for educational purposes, assuaging any fears or suspicions.
The subject was asked to sign a consent form (Appendix III) permitting the researcher to
audio and visually record the interview. Respondents were promised that they could opt out
of the data collection procedure at any moment with no consequences. They also had the
authority to examine and transcribe information, as well as to delete any sections that did not
adequately reflect what they meant. All information acquired from peer-reviewed journal
papers, textbooks, published and unpublished theses, and other study resources was credited
to respect copyrights and avoid plagiarism.
