The practice and challenges in conducting action research: the case of sululta secondary school
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Date
2003-06
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Addis Ababa Universty
Abstract
The main purpose of this study was to investigate the practices and challenges of
conducting action research in Sululta Secondary School and identify the major factors
that hinder/enable teachers in conducting action research. The research method
employed in this study was mixed method approaches (QUAN + qual), which is
embedded in concurrent type of mixed method. Both primary and secondary sources of
data were used. The primary data sources were teachers, principals and town
administration education officers. The school documents were used as a secondary data
source. The questionnaires were pilot tested and administered to 15 teachers. About 97%
of the questionnaires were properly filled and returned. In addition to this, interview,
focus group discussion and document analysis were made to collect the necessary
information. Results obtained were analyzed by using descriptive statistics and
narratives. The results of the study revealed that a) the practices of Sululta Secondary
School teachers in conducting action research were very low, b) the knowledge and skills
of teachers in the study area were sufficient but their involvement in undertaking action
research were insufficient, c) the role of school management in encouraging teachers to
conduct action research were insufficient, d) the major factors that hinder teachers to
conduct action research in the study area are shortages of training, seminars and
workshops regarding research activities, insufficient budget, insufficient reference
materials and library services and etc. e) the major factors that enable some teachers to
conduct action research were their professional commitment to support their teaching
learning process with research. Thus, to alleviate these problems, it was recommended
that the school management in cooperation with town administration education Bureau
and Oromia Regional Education Bureau should arrange the means of improving the
involvements of teachers in conducting action research by allocating adequate budget
and providing an in-service trainings, workshops, seminars and experience sharing
programs regarding research.
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Keywords
Education