Variables and Design Elements

Original Research Question:
Is there a significant difference in teacher transitioning skills before and after training in transitioning content from face-to-face to distance delivery mode, and what measures can effectively improve teachers' ability to write content for distance courses?
Revised Research Question:
Is there a significant difference in teacher transitioning skills before and after training in transitioning content from face-to-face to online space and course distance delivery mode, and what measures can effectively improve teachers' ability to write content for distance courses?
Final Research Question:
Is there a significant difference in teacher transitioning skills before and after training in transitioning content from face-to-face to online space and course distance delivery mode, and what measures can effectively improve teachers' ability to write content for distance courses?

Sample and Population:
Since the researcher will conduct the study using the most convenient sampling method, the researcher will reach out to the population of 700 teachers from all the Teachers' Colleges on the island by using the list of teachers taught at these Colleges. The population frame is closed, and this study will use random sampling. Eighty-seven teachers with a minimum of a first degree in their teaching subject area and competency in the English language were chosen. This sample will comprise male and female teachers in a 40:47 ratio. The sample will also be mixed, with categories ranging from ages 28 to 63—no psychological and socially vulnerable groups with special needs.

Sample Size Determination:
As Das et al. (2016) write, a positive outcome is highly likely with a sample size large enough so that when the sample size is determined, the sample size and information of the population are known. Also, statistical methods and formulas should be used. I take a confidence level of 90 percent to calculate the study's sample size. A relevant formula for sample size is n = N / (1 + Ne^2). So, the sample size is n, the population size is N, and e is the margin of error. So, n = 700 / [1 + 700 (0.1) (0.1)] = 87.5. Rounded it to 87. The percentage 87/700 = [(87/700) 100] = 12.43 rounded off to 12%. The researcher will choose 12% of the 700 teachers/lecturers in the population. The sample size is 87.

Research Design:
The research design chosen is pre-experimental, specifically a one-group pretest-posttest design. This design evaluates whether the program effectively enables teachers to transition content from face-to-face to distance delivery mode. The program will use technology and be implemented in a college computer lab. Instruction will be delivered through a networked lab with a computer-generated projector and interactive guides featuring program objectives, instructional materials, instructor and learner activities, methodologies, activities to be completed, and assessments.

Both pre and post-tests will be conducted to ensure reliability and internal validity. However, it is essential to note that this approach may have limitations due to unforeseen events between the two tests, potentially impacting internal validity. Furthermore, there may be instances of "instrument decay" when human observers provide data for a learning process. More time may have passed between the Pretest and posttest, leading to less accurate results.

Proposed Method(s): Overall statistical approach to the study analysis.
At the project location, questionnaires, surveys, and observations will be administered in two groups in the college laboratories. The researcher will analyze the data using descriptive statistics like frequencies, mean, range, standard deviation, variance, tables, and graphs. This regression analysis highlights an iterative approach to interpreting and utilizing the data. The researcher will use SPSS software to analyze the data. The researcher will compare pretest and posttest scores using a dependent T-test for paired samples.
Additionally, the researcher will maintain a journal to document any unexpected outcomes. Pretest and post-test data will be collected through questionnaires, surveys, and observations to determine the significant difference. After completing the program, the writer anticipates that 80 out of 87 teachers will demonstrate a competent transition to distance mode.

Dependent and Independent Variables:

Dependent variable(s): teacher transitioning skills.

Independent variables: age, gender, sex, sample size
After the implementation period concludes, an evaluation of the courses taught by the 87 teachers will indicate that at least 80 of them utilized email for teaching purposes as measured by a task checklist. Additionally, all 87 teachers will have gained the necessary word-processing skills to input content accurately and efficiently, as assessed by a task checklist. Furthermore, all 87 teachers will have had practical and sufficient exposure regarding skills, attitudes, and values to transitioning content from face-to-face to distance learning. They can also choose the most suitable delivery medium for distance instruction. By the end of the implementation period, at least 80 teachers will feel comfortable using assessment tools for distance learning, as measured by an assessment tools checklist.

Null Hypothesis, H0:
Training lecturers/teachers to transition content from face-to-face to distance delivery is ineffective. (Where H0 is the Null Hypothesis, µ is Mu, and D is the difference). Thus: H0: µ ≠ (D)

The Alternative Hypothesis, H1:
Training lecturers/teachers to transition content from face-to-face to distance delivery (online format) is effective, as it shows a marked difference in reinforcing learning and competence. (Where H1 is the Alternative Hypothesis, µ is Mu, and D is the difference). Thus: H1: µ = (D)
Transitioning content from face-to-face to distance delivery requires training, which enhances teachers' ability to transition content successfully.

Total Study Duration:
Time from when the study opens to enrollment until completion of data analysis. (The first week of June 2024 to the last week of November 2024):
The study will begin implementation in August 2024 at SJIL, located in a northwestern city on a Caribbean Island. Sample selection will take place in June 2024. The project includes developing instruments, collecting data through a pretest, and organizing the work area for training sessions. In July 2024, training will commence, and ethical principles related to research with human subjects in the writer's work setting will be discussed.
Participants will receive software use training and become familiar with an online platform called Course Info (Moodle.com). Implementation will begin in August 2024, and participants will participate in program exercises. They will be informed of how their involvement matters and the researcher's role in the implementation plan. The implementation stage will be executed over four months, from the initiation week of the first week of August 2024 through to the culmination week of the last week of November 2024.


Reference(s)
Das, S., Mitra, K. & Mandal, M. Sample size calculation: Basic principles. Indian J Anaesth. 2016 Sept., 60(9): 652-656. Doi: 10.4103/0019-5049.190621. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/PMC5428382/