Qualitative Research Intro, Methods, Reference Section
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Abstract
Learning Martial Arts is one of the most grueling exercises for most individuals engaging in it. Regardless of the difficulty engaged in participation, the level of attraction to this exercise has increased based on the number of persons specifically using it as a platform for physical fitness. Based on this outcome, it is understandable why there are numerous schools offering classes in martial arts. Naturally, the practice is outstandingly arduous since it constitutes physical activities, which require energy and hard work. Apart from this, several disparate myths exist which link the practice to antagonists based on various entertainment paraphernalia such as films that associate martial arts with violence. However, in actuality, martial arts teach students definite distinct values such as courage, discipline, respect and obedience to authority. Consequently, masters need several methods of motivating and enlivening the learners in order to foster them and provide them with the required skills. This performance of this study occurred in three martial arts instituions in which the students and their respective masters underwent interviewing.
Key words: Martial Arts, Masters, Motivation, Students, Learners, Classes
Qualitative Research Intro, Methods, Reference Section
Martial arts comprise codified schemes and customs of combat exercises practiced for a range of reasons. Apart from the benefit of self-defense, martial art also offers an effective and appropriate way of physical fitness. The respective profession requires excellent proficiency. Based on this, individuals are encouraged to partake in martial arts classes. Usually, participants join specific classes, which comprise tae kwon-do classes and karate classes. The exercise is complex since it necessitates the learners to exhibit dedication, loyalty and hard work. In actuality, a number of individuals renounce these classes after a couple of training sessions. This explains why motivation is ideal in enabling the students to proceed on with the classes. Based on this, my research question is, how does motivation affect students and learners taking part in martial arts classes? Does it enable them to be consistent in their exercises regardless of its difficult requirements? Therefore, is motivation an important factor for martial arts masters to consider in teaching their students?
Indeed, martial art is a practice that requires a person to exude an exceptional degree of respect and discipline (Durlabhji, 2004). It requires enhanced concentration especially in the event of the practice sessions. Therefore, masters should have certain characteristics in order to hearten the learners to take and exhibit consistency in their pursuit. In addition, masters also have certain expectations, which they believe that their students will attain. Specifically, masters expect the learners to exude a significant degree of control and obedience in class as well as within the external surroundings. As much as it seems simple, this task is rather complicated for students because a considerable number end up quitting the classes. Moreover, this becomes difficult since the learners are required to abide by the regulations and revere the authority.
Often, instructors encounter students who possess disparate personalities. In addition, such diverse cohorts of students naturally have different points of coordination and aptitudes. Considerably, these differences among them act as a determinant for recognizing the extent of the effectiveness and the energy they exude towards learning. Additionally, the difference in the students’ ages also determines the dissimilarity experienced in learning the skills in the exercise. Because of these realizations, martial arts masters need to discover different approaches of motivating their students. On a different note, martial arts instrcutors do not exude the traits illustrated in films (Ko, Kim & Valacich, 2010). Interestingly, these masters are human regardless of their enhanced toughness. This explains why the selection of such instructors requires other sentimental aspects. For instance, martial arts teachers usually undergo selection since they are fantastic persons and exude love in assisting students to learn the practice. They are also motivational and undergo a thorough assessment as well as education in order to foster their students and nurture their potentiality.
Undeniably, martial art is involving and possesses a range of numerous critiques. This comprises a reason for outlining motivation as a requirement for students for participating in the respective classes. Martial arts teachers use several approaches for motivating their students. One of these techniques comprises encouragement. Accordingly, martial arts instructors encourage their students to view the difficulties positively since they comprise methods of augmenting their physical fitness. In addition, martial arts instructors also pay attention to the psychological differences that may emanate from disparities such as gender differences (Kavoura, Ryba & Kokkonen, 2012). This enables them to factor in interventions such as cultural praxis in order to neutralize such physical differences and thus, motivate both students. Moreover, they also value the importance of their exercises. Martial arts instructors also expose their students to several encouraging messages on a weekly basis. This usually takes place at the start of every session. Typically, the messages undergo selection from a range of topics, which comprise the value of courage, augmenting persistence, concentration, advantages of respect as well as the enhancement of discipline and confidence in practice. Such messages motivate them to pursue complex tasks (Durlabhji, 2004).
The environment is also a significant factor to consider in availing motivation to martial arts students. According to Ko, Kim and Valacich (2010), augmenting a friendly surrounding for the learners participating in the exercise is important. Naturally, people usually assume that the martial arts school is an unsympathetic environment. In contrast to this predisposition, most martial arts institutions endorse a friendly environment in order to encourage the student (Durlabhji, 2004). Indeed, providing an environment that is affable and pleasant motivates the students to express comfort in their respective surrounding and work hard in order to fulfill their obligations. Enhancing this further, teachers go through comprehensive training and attain sufficient experience in order to manage different learners regardless of their disparate ages.
Accordingly, martial arts masters institute an atmosphere that endorses and supports significant values such as friendship and respect. Moreover, membership is also an important aspect in martial art development. According to Ko, Kim and Valacich (2010), martial arts schools encourage an effectual learner-instructor relationship. This is in accordance to the positive and motivational effect such an action poses on students taking part in this exercise. Irrefutably, an environment that constitutes values such as discipline, friendship, respect and support is effective in inspiring students participating in classes upon implementation. Notably, other factors are significant in martial arts institutions apart from the ones previously stated. For example, instructors usually offer numerous challenges, which possess a positive structure. Such challenges are a form of platform for providing confidence to the learners. Undeniably, it is rather intriguing to observe children gaining confidence and assuming challenges.
Methods
In order to perform the study, it is important to utilize certain approaches, which comprise the methodology. These constitute the setting, access, participants, apparatus and procedures.
Setting
1st School. This setting will comprise a martial arts school based in the city of California. The person that I will interview is Mr. Goon, who will show me around the school. Accordingly, it will also be important to determine the number of instructors in the school in order to conduct effective observations and interviews. The research in the school will also focus on determining the efficacy of the environment within the class in securing the safety of the students. Usually, the school limits any person from entering with their shoes so it will be important for me to leave them out if I act as a student. Similarly, the school also restricts foods and drinks. Furthermore, the walls of the class comprise pictures of martial artists and the regulations that manage the practice. The participants in this institution will constitute the martial arts students and the instructor. The learners and their master will undergo observation and interview in order to verify the way in which martial arts teachers encourage their students.
Even though I do not possess considerable information concerning martial arts, it is imperative for me to be active in participation. Accordingly, it is also important for me to carry out the observation as if I am enrolling in the class. Based on this, it is required of me by the instructors to conduct the observations as a student. The approach that I will use will involve my role as the observer as a participant. Foremost, in order to integrate me into the schedule, the instructor will provide me with the class attire which every student wears after passing through their changing spaces.
In the martial arts class, the age for the students participating in the exercise will be between 8 and 50 years. The observation will focus on assessing 26 female learners and 32 male students. After the teacher concludes his regular motivational talk, the cohort will divide into different categories. The students within the 8-16 age groups will have a separate instructor and class. Similarly, the other category will comprise students with 17 to 35 years. In addition, the last cohort will constitute students aged above 35 years. In my context, I will be part of the 17-35 year age group. This will be efficient based on the role I will assume as an active participant in order to determine the techniques used by the master in motivating students of different ages.
2nd School. The second school comprises fewer classes than the first one. At the respective institution, three of the school’s instructors, Ms. Senor, Mr. Lee and Mr. Ron, will undergo research via observation and interview. Corresponding to the initial school, the changing rooms are in proximity to the classes. However, the institution is also different from the first school since students pass through the changing confines and adorn their training uniforms. In addition, the classes do not possess any furniture since they constitute empty halls. In contrast to the first institution, these schools also possess tiled floors, which are devoid of carpets. The arrangement of the students is in rows based on their capacities. An equal distance is also visible between the students and their master. Interestingly, the male and female students have different classes. On the barrage, vivid decorations and pictures illustrate tae kwon-do legends as well as other related graphics. My role as the researcher in the school will also require me to engage in active participation in order to conduct the observations.
Additionally, it will also be imperative for me to learn the customs or the daily activities that the students and their respective instructors engage in for purposes of carrying out an effective observation. For instance, one of these activities involves the provision of lectures by the masters to their respective students at the start of the classes. In addition, the master usually assesses the lines created by the students in order to ensure that every student participates in the exercise. This evaluation will ensure that every person possesses an opportunity to gain from the master. There will be some exercise, which will require the learner to engage as pairs for effectual study. Based on this, the teacher will pair the students and take time to instruct each of the group in order to ensure that every exercise will undergo an adequate and correct performance. The following session will take place on the subsequent day at a similar schedule.
3rd School. In this setting, the learners and their respective teachers, Mr. Gini and Ms. Ramsy, will also undergo observation and interview. The location of the school is on a hill and the surrounding is considerably peaceful. Additionally, the school comprises five schools and a leveled ground upon which students undertake their practices. In order to perform the research, the instructor will allot the students in age cohorts, which will distinguish the students based on their classes. Simply, there will be study groups for students aged between 7 and 14 and groups for students aged between 15 and 19. There will also be a group meant specifically for students above the age of 30. At the school, both male and female students will engage in practice together.
Access
Most of the martial arts institutions are usually exceedingly busy since they offer classes during evening hours. Hence, entering them will be difficult since most of them will concentrate on maximizing the available time in order to ensure effective coverage of their lessons. Nonetheless, it will be possible to gain permission in order to conduct the research in the two institutions based in Westminster, California and one institution located in Orange, California. In order to gain access to the schools, it will be imperative for me to conduct a face-to-face meeting with the respective administrators. For the first institution, I will ensure that I present a letter to the director of the school in order to gain permission. Approval to conduct the study in the institution will only be possible after the occurrence of a mutual agreement on the date of the research based on the presentation of the letter. Regarding the second school, approval will be possible based on my identification. As for the last school, permission will be possible after three days as advised by the school. Moreover, the approval will only be possible if I perform two research sessions after I present a letter of request to the director of the school. Because of the temperament of the training, the three institutions will limit me from performing the study as long as I engage as an active participant. Based on this, I will assume my observing role as an active participant by attending the classes and adorning on the class uniform.
Participants
The study will constitute observation with respect to the objective of the research, which will comprise the motivation provided by martial arts instructors to their learners. For efficiency, I will focus on observing and interviewing the learners as well as their instructors. In addition, I will also perform an interview to three students, in every class, after the culmination of their practice sessions at each school.
Apparatus
The observation for this respective class will not be hand-written. The martial arts masters only permit few recordings at the time of the ongoing lessons, which means that I will be unable to collect as much data as possible. However, if the teachers permit documentation, then I will be able to collect the information in the form of note writing. I will also use audio recording since it is permissible as I proceed with the interviews. In addition, the interviews will undergo transcription in order to apply them in form of a Word document.
Procedures
Observations. During the performance of the study in the first school, I will carry out observations for Mr. Goon as well as the students in his class for the two sessions that the institution will provide for me in my role as an active participant. Specifically, my observation will take place in the session scheduled between 2.30 p.m. and 4.00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 1, at the institution. The proceeding observation will occur on October 2 on Wednesday. However, since the students may exude nervousness due to my presence, it will be advantageous for the teacher to introduce me as a participant expressing interest in gaining more knowledge regarding martial arts. More particularly, I will exhibit considerable interest in observing the motivation approaches and the manner of interaction between the learners and their respective masters during their classes. In addition, I will also express interest in perceiving the strictness of the masters as well as the way in which the instructors will assist the students in rectification of their mistakes.
In the second school, I will also engage in observation for Mr. Ron, Mrs. Senor and Mr. Lee. From 2.30 p.m. to 3.30 p.m. on Thursday, I will conduct observations for Mr. Lee and Ms. Senor during their respective lessons. In addition, I will also monitor Mr. Ron in my second sitting, which will take place on Monday 7th. In the third school, I will also perform evaluations for Mr. Gini and Ms. Ramsy. On October 8 from 3.00 p.m. to 4.30 p.m., observations will continue for Mr. Gini and Ms. Ramsy. In addition, I will also monitor Mr. Gini on October 9 during the second session. Moreover, I will also observe the learners in classes and note down certain aspects important for the research. Notably, apart from the approaches I will use, I will also focus on determining the disparate methods used by the masters in approaching their classes. The observation will aim at identifying a range of correction techniques that the instructors apply in their classes.
Interviews. Six masters from the three schools under observation will face interviews in order to enhance the study. I will also interview the students participating in their classes. In addition, the interviews will take place during the teacher’s leisure time after the sessions. Mr. Goon’s interview will take place on Tuesday, October 1 from 4.10 p.m. to 4.45 p.m. On the other hand, the interviews for the students will occur from 4.05 p.m. to 4.45 p.m. In the second institution, the interviews for Ms. Senor and Mr. Lee will take place from 4.05 p.m. to 4.30 p.m. and from 4.35 p.m. to 5.05 p.m. respectively. In additions, three students will undergo interviews from 5.10 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. while the others will continue with it after the following class. Accordingly, Mr. Ron will have an interview from 4.10 p.m. to 4.45 p.m. on October 8. Interviews for Mr. Gini and Ms. Ramsy will occur on October 8 from 4.10 p.m. to 4.45 p.m. and on October 9 respectively.
Accordingly, the instructors will not experience any glitches in using audio recording. The observations will take place prior to the interviews based on my familiarity with the activities that will undergo performance in the institutions. There will also be different questions, which will focus on the study’s chief aim. First, what particular actions do martial arts instructors perform in order to motivate their learner? Secondly, how does the level of interaction between the martial arts masters and their respective students contribute towards encouraging the students to exude hard work?
Appendix
Interview Questions
1. What particular actions do martial arts instructors perform in order to motivate their learner?
2. How does the level of interaction between the martial arts masters and their respective students contribute towards encouraging the students to exude hard work?
References
Durlabhji, S. (2004). The Tao of organization behavior. Journal of Business Ethics, 52(4), 401-409.
Kavoura, A., Ryba, T. V., & Kokkonen, M. (2012). Psychological research on martial artists: A critical view from a cultural praxis framework. Scandinavian Sport Studies Forum, 3, 1-23.
Ko, Y. J., Kim, Y. K., & Valacich, J. (2010). Martial arts participation: Consumer motivation. International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship, 11(2), 105-123.