Action Research Practice in Government Secondary Schools: the Case of Addis Ababa City Administration
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Date
2012-10
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to assess the practices of action research in government secondary of Addis Ababa city administration. An attempt was made whether action research schools was conducted and implemented in the schools to solve real educational problems in classrooms. To this end, 10 sample Government secondary schools were selected out of the 50 found in the ten sub-cities of the City Administration (one from each sub-city) using purposive sampling technique. The sample schools considered for the study were Addis ketema, Bulbula, Tikur Anbessa, Beshali, Medhnialem, Temenga yaz, Ayer-tena, Africa Hibret, Lafto and Higher–12. Descriptive survey method supplemented by structured interview and document analysis was used to collect relevant data from the respondents of each selected government high school. School level respondents comprised of directors, teachers, members of student council and members of PTAs. Experts of Sub-city Education Office have also participated in the study. A total of 194 respondents were selected as a sample for the study. These comprised of 10 directors, 10 members of student council, 10 members of PTAs 10 experts of Sub-city Education Office and154 teachers selected using purposive sampling methods, which is a quota sampling technique. The collected data were analyzed and interpreted in SPSS software using percentages. The findings of the study revealed that the practice of action research in Addis Ababa City Government high schools was not adequate to solve day-to-day teaching learning problems of all high schools. Almost leadership of the schools under investigation was found poor supportive and the involvement of experts, members of PTAs and members of students’ council was also poor. The tendency to conduct action research of teachers’ was weak, and lack of capacity to conduct action research was seen as a problem of the schools. The scarcity of finance and other resources were also found as aggravating for the failure of participation in conducting action research. Accordingly, the above problems seem to have led the practice of action research in Addis Ababa city government high schools to be poor. To alleviate the above-mentioned problems, the schools should organize training programs to the teachers and other concerned bodies at the school level. The leadership should be supportive and committed in assisting and designing systems to develop full participation of teachers to undertake action research in the schools. School leadership should also prepare and provide incentives to encourage teachers’ involvement in action research
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Education