College teachers' Involvement In action research, In amhara regional State
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Date
2007-06
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Addis Ababa Univerisity
Abstract
The major intent of this study was to examine the extent to which college
teachers ' have been p ossibly involved in action research, their knowledge and
skills to conduct action research, their attitudes towards action research,
impediments which they have possibly encountered in carrying out action
research, and some of the solutions to these impediments, in Amhara Regional
State. To achieve this objective, a descriptive survey method was employed. In
this study data were collected flam teachers and principals through
questionnaire, interview and focus group discussion. The questionnaire consisting
of 50 items was administered to 104 college teachers whereas the interview was
held with 16 teachers and 8 college principals. Moreover, a focus group
discussion was held with 16 college principals in two eTE in the Region. From
the administered questionnaire 96.2 percent of them were filled in and returned.
Depending on the nature and types of the section of the questionnaire, frequency,
percentage, mean, standard deviation and chi -square we re employed. As a
result, the data gained through the open - ended questionnaire, interview and
focus group discussion were analyzed descriptively on the bases of common
themes and issues of the respondents' responses.
Accordingly, the pictures of the analysE.-s appeared to show that college teachers
did not make cons iderable efforts in undertaking action research (i. e., only 6.19
percent of teachers have conducted action research), and most of the teachers
also lacked knowledge and skills to conduct action research.
Howe ver, the teachers seemed to show positive attitude towards action research
as one could possibly infer from the attitudes scale of mean and standard
deviation computation (revealed in tables 12, 13, 14 and 15). In addition, lack of
enough time, lack of action research skills, lack of encouragement, lack of action
research seminars or works hops, lack of action research courses;(less practical
training), lack of collaboration, and emphasizing teaching over action research
were some of the most serious action research constraints (impediments) reported
to hamper the involvement of teachers in action research.
To thi[.; end, summary and conclusions were made based on the insights gained
from these research findings. Finally, the researcher forwarded some
recommendations with the hope of alleviating these impediments and for involved
more teachers to get involved in action research.
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Keywords
Education