6
How Did We Find Evidence for LMS
Adoption?
6.1 Introduction
This chapter explains the chosen methodology by emphasizing the important features, strengths, and weaknesses of
various approaches and methods. It includes the research
design, survey instruments, data collection, and statistical
techniques for analyses. It also describes the procedure followed and the motives behind the specific techniques,
methods, and approaches of data collection. Finally, this
chapter discusses the reliability, validity, and associated
issues for the instruments used for data collection and
analysis.
6.2 What Is the Research Methodology?
In general, any research study is driven by the research
problem. The nature of the research problem generally leads
to the data required, how the data should be collected, where
the data should be collected, and the kind of statistical
analyses that will be carried out. Various definitions have
been used in the literature to describe the meanings of the
research process or methodology. Saunders, Lewis, and
Thornhill (2009) described that research is a process of data
collection in an organized way and then interpreting the
results to answer the research problem and to achieve the
objective of the research. Thus the main objective of any
research study is to answer specific research questions
(Yates, 2004). Robson (2002) classified research types into
descriptive, exploratory, and explanatory. The purpose of the
descriptive study is “to portray an accurate profile of persons, events or situations” (Robson, 2002, p. 59). Descriptive research is conducted to ‘describe’ the detailed
measurement and report on the characteristics of a phenomenon or population under research. Such studies are
usually conducted by surveys. The purpose of the exploratory study is to understand the issue, especially when the
reasons for the problem are unknown due to a lack of
research design or lack of information about the subject
matter or lack of existing research (Saunders et al., 2009).
Good exploratory research generally starts with a broader
view of a problem, then it narrows down gradually as the
study proceeds. In an explanatory research design, the
relationships between variables are identified and analyzed
to understand how and why some phenomena happened. In
explanatory research, the researcher can control the variables
to examine the effect of one or more variables on the
problem (Hussey & Hussey, 1997). This current study
examines the relationship between the independent and the
dependent variables. Hence, it is an explanatory research
study.
6.3 Research Design
A research design is a strategy or a complete logic of the
research to obtain the answers to the research question (Yin,
2003, p. 19). The research design is “a basic set of beliefs
that guide action” (Guba, 1990, p. 17). Saunders et al.
described that the research process is a series of stages
through which one must pass to answer his or her research
question and to complete the research project. In general,
these stages include formulating a research topic, literature
review, designing the research, data collection, data analyzing, and finally writing (2016, p. 11). The following
research onion (Fig. 6.1) is adapted from a book by Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill (2016), titled ‘Research Methods
for Business Students’ as a guide to developing a good
research methodology.
Saunders et al. (2016) describe the entire research procedure as an ‘onion’ having six layers. Each layer needs to
be peeled off to get to the principal layer, which is the data
collection and analysis layer. These layers are 1–philosophy,
2–approach to theory development, 3–methodological,
4–strategy, 5–time horizons, and finally, 6–techniques to
collect and then analyze the data.
Thus, the layered ‘onion’ of Saunders et al. (2016) is used
as a guide to explain the methodology used in this study.
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
R. A. Khan and H. Qudrat-Ullah, Adoption of LMS in Higher Educational Institutions of the Middle East,
Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-50112-9_6
49
How Did We Find Evidence for LMS
Adoption?
6.1 Introduction
This chapter explains the chosen methodology by emphasizing the important features, strengths, and weaknesses of
various approaches and methods. It includes the research
design, survey instruments, data collection, and statistical
techniques for analyses. It also describes the procedure followed and the motives behind the specific techniques,
methods, and approaches of data collection. Finally, this
chapter discusses the reliability, validity, and associated
issues for the instruments used for data collection and
analysis.
6.2 What Is the Research Methodology?
In general, any research study is driven by the research
problem. The nature of the research problem generally leads
to the data required, how the data should be collected, where
the data should be collected, and the kind of statistical
analyses that will be carried out. Various definitions have
been used in the literature to describe the meanings of the
research process or methodology. Saunders, Lewis, and
Thornhill (2009) described that research is a process of data
collection in an organized way and then interpreting the
results to answer the research problem and to achieve the
objective of the research. Thus the main objective of any
research study is to answer specific research questions
(Yates, 2004). Robson (2002) classified research types into
descriptive, exploratory, and explanatory. The purpose of the
descriptive study is “to portray an accurate profile of persons, events or situations” (Robson, 2002, p. 59). Descriptive research is conducted to ‘describe’ the detailed
measurement and report on the characteristics of a phenomenon or population under research. Such studies are
usually conducted by surveys. The purpose of the exploratory study is to understand the issue, especially when the
reasons for the problem are unknown due to a lack of
research design or lack of information about the subject
matter or lack of existing research (Saunders et al., 2009).
Good exploratory research generally starts with a broader
view of a problem, then it narrows down gradually as the
study proceeds. In an explanatory research design, the
relationships between variables are identified and analyzed
to understand how and why some phenomena happened. In
explanatory research, the researcher can control the variables
to examine the effect of one or more variables on the
problem (Hussey & Hussey, 1997). This current study
examines the relationship between the independent and the
dependent variables. Hence, it is an explanatory research
study.
6.3 Research Design
A research design is a strategy or a complete logic of the
research to obtain the answers to the research question (Yin,
2003, p. 19). The research design is “a basic set of beliefs
that guide action” (Guba, 1990, p. 17). Saunders et al.
described that the research process is a series of stages
through which one must pass to answer his or her research
question and to complete the research project. In general,
these stages include formulating a research topic, literature
review, designing the research, data collection, data analyzing, and finally writing (2016, p. 11). The following
research onion (Fig. 6.1) is adapted from a book by Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill (2016), titled ‘Research Methods
for Business Students’ as a guide to developing a good
research methodology.
Saunders et al. (2016) describe the entire research procedure as an ‘onion’ having six layers. Each layer needs to
be peeled off to get to the principal layer, which is the data
collection and analysis layer. These layers are 1–philosophy,
2–approach to theory development, 3–methodological,
4–strategy, 5–time horizons, and finally, 6–techniques to
collect and then analyze the data.
Thus, the layered ‘onion’ of Saunders et al. (2016) is used
as a guide to explain the methodology used in this study.
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
R. A. Khan and H. Qudrat-Ullah, Adoption of LMS in Higher Educational Institutions of the Middle East,
Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-50112-9_6
49