Using a Repertory Grid to Review Compliance Reports on Literacy Provision in Vocational Training in the Tertiary Sector in Aotearoa

Abstract

The main aim of this article is to outline the findings of a grid-based review process (Caputi et al., 2012; Fransella et al., 2004) directed at literacy and numeracy (LN) practices documented by the literacy team in the institute’s evidence-based LN compliance reports for a four-year period (2017–2020). Outlined is the author-reviewer’s use of a repertory grid to address two research questions: How could a repertory grid be used to explore his constructs (as a reviewer) and show how these constructs were interconnected? How could the repertory grid findings raise his and his team’s awareness of hidden meanings in his construing? Hence, the focus of convenience of the grid was defined as follows: Reviewing LNembedding practices at a tertiary institute in Aotearoa from a business strategy perspective. The ten most recent institutional LN compliance reports and a selection of six schools of business strategy served as sources for identifying 12 elements to be used in constructs elicitation. The so-called difference method was applied in formulating 12 bipolar constructs for the review. The author then donned the reviewer’s hat, rating each element on a 7-point rating scale for the 12 constructs – this yielded a 12 x 12 matrix of data for analysis. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (Version 27) (IBM Corp, 2020) was used to perform a principal components analysis (PCA). Five components, explaining 81.25% of the variance in the grid ratings, were identified. These components highlighted the underlying structure and connectedness of the constructs elicited for the review, uncovering five themes: deliberate innovative practices, solution-centred transformation, deliberate evidence-based tracking, contesting contentious LN practices, and flexibility and responsiveness to unintended events in the educational setting. The conclusion was that anyone performing a review or reflective activity could profitably use repertory grids to raise their awareness of hidden meanings in their construing.