Upholding Research Culture: Lived-in Experiences of Public School Teachers

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

This study focused on the teachers' attitude towards research. It answered the following questions -what are the attitudes of teachers towards research, to what extent do teachers consider knowledge of research to be valuable, and to what extent do teachers demonstrate positive attitudes towards research.

METHODS

The researcher had considered 51 public elementary schools in the Division of Calamba City. Random sampling for respondents was employed which was composed of 612 elementary school teachers. The study utilized quantitative and qualitative approaches.

RESULTS

To uphold culture of research, both organized and school-based leaders need to set clear research goals and communicate them effectively. The study showed that generally, teachers showed positive attitude on the usefulness of research (3.50 or Highly Significant) however, research is a challenging professional work. The respondents likewise acknowledged that research is a systematic process of solving issues and challenges with regard to pupils' performance, classroom management, and pupils' behavior (4.20 or Highly Significant). Contrary to this, teachers thought that research-oriented thinking plays important role in daily life (1.80 or Less Significant).

DISCUSSIONS

The scope of the study is limited to two variables, namely, the teachers and their attitude towards research. Aspects of attitude are likewise limited to positive attitude, research anxiety, usefulness in profession, relevance to life, and research difficulty. The research focused on the lived-in experiences of public school teachers towards the upholding of research culture. The study is a combination of heuristic and holistic processes. This study dealt with the lived-in experiences of elementary teachers to uphold research culture in Calamba City.