nicole kotras masters thesis

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written responses of the completed questionnaires (Holsti, 1980). Within the framework
of content analysis, the comments and suggestions received in the returned
questionnaires, were thematically analyzed in terms of the elicited themes prompted by
the open-ended structure of the questionnaire. Thematic analysis was selected in order
to account for the diversity of the sample, and to provide the researchers with relevant
information regarding the respondents' feedback of the experimental pictures. Themes
were recorded in frequencies and reported in percentage format.
Regarding the South African (SA) large revised experimental picture, the most frequently
identified revision themes, are presented in Table 3.
Table 3
Most frequently identified thematic categories in need of revision for the SA large revised
experimental picture
THEMATIC CATEGORY PERCENTAGE OF
RESPONDENTS
1. Water/Sea is too vast 42
2. People, especially children, socializing in groups not adequately
represented
3. Animals (chickens and cows) too large, unrealistic 30
4. Taxi's are needed 28
5. The `areas' (urban, rural, shanty) are too closely portrayed 25
6. Include activities which are more relevant to the majority of SA children,
e.g., parks, market stalls, vendors
Regarding the South African (SA) 20 small revised experimental pictures, the most
frequently identified pictures in need of revision, are presented in Table 4.
It was also suggested (by 22% of the respondents) that the differently shaped and
coloured backgrounds of the 20 small revised experimental pictures be changed. This was
to eliminated any confusion for children tested with visual deficits. Lerman, Ross and
McLauchlin (1965) suggest using pictures of uniform size and background. This was felt to
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