figure 3

"The overarching goal of Boys’ and Girls’ Literacy: Closing the Gap, is to address the literacy performance of boys, yet not at the expense of girls. In order to address this goal, the researchers will examine the reading preferences of boys and girls through their critical response to a variety of literature genres and investigate the effects of Male Mentor Reading Program on boys."
-Richmond and Miles, Boys' and Girls' Literacy: the Male Mentors Pilot Project, 2002

Schematic Representation of Research Methodologies

Goals of Research	Data Collection Methods	Rationale
Explore nature of schools and of the partnerships which comprise them. Focus of analysis is: inter-individual partnerships at community and provincial levels	Gather policy and implementation documents observations at schools interview facilitators interview community college coordinator	community-base of program lends itself to case study approach need to develop knowledge of context and other elements
Examine relationships among facilitators, learners, learners' families and local community. Focus of analysis is: inter-individual intra-individual	focussed group interviews facilitator interviews learner interviews	helps build rapport with facilitators and learners observing and interviewing provides data gathering in context
Examine relationships between learners' antecedent & current literacy experiences, and program outcomes. Focus of analysis is intra-individual	survey questionnaire learners interviews, personal narrative	provides statistical profile of learners' literacy experiences develop learners' narratives
Examine the classroom as a model of literacy education assess effectiveness focus of analysis is on: effectiveness of program	history of schooling review of policy statements review of implementation guidelines review literacy statistics interview students	evidence of how program developed compare with other programs develop national profile of literacy issues describe literacy model used in schools