Perceptions and Challenges of Teachers as Researchers: Basis for Intensifying School-Based Action Research

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Department of Education issued an order for the adoption of the Basic Research Agenda which promotes the conduct of educational research to identify concerns and problems in the department, and to recommend solutions based on the results and findings made. However, in our school, there were only three teachers engaged in doing research. This study determined the perceptions and challenges of Marbel 5 Central Elementary School Teachers as Researchers as the basis for intensifying school-based action research.

METHODS

This study utilized the quantitative-descriptive design to determine the perceptions and challenges of 32 teachers of Marbel 5 Central Elementary School in doing action research through questionnaire which was patterned from the study of B.M. Ulla, K.B.Barrera and M.M.Acompanado (2017) entitled, "Philippine Classroom Teachers as Researchers: Teachers' Perceptions, Motivations and Challenges". The data gathered were tabulated using frequency count and percentage.

RESULTS

The results revealed that 100% of the respondents perceived that doing research has a positive impact on the pupils' learning, and 97% believed that doing research is valuable for the teaching and learning for both teachers and pupils; positive impacts on their teaching; engages them into more systematic examination of instruction or teaching practice; and enables them to examine and explore classroom and school problems and their solutions. However, 88% of the respondents agreed that heavy teaching load affects their practice of research, 75% admitted that it is time-consuming, and 19% accepted that they have low proficiency in English that hinder them to do research.

DISCUSSIONS

The results showed that research can help them acquire new knowledge in teaching and has a positive impact on the learnings of their pupils but some factors hindered them in conducting research such as heavy teaching load, time-consuming and low proficiency in English. These results served as the guide in formulating activities and strategies for teachers to intensify the school-based action research and gradually, embrace the culture of research.