Benefits and challenges of doing research: Experiences from Philippine public school teachers

Abstract

Previous research studies have indicated the positive impact that doing research has upon teachers' teaching pedagogies and professional growth. However, only a few studies concerning the challenges and benefits of doing research have been conducted in the Philippines and the ASEAN region. This study explores the experiences of Philippine public school teachers in conducting a school or a classroom research project. The data were collected through individual interviews administered to 11 public high school English teachers in Mindanao, Philippines. Findings suggest that although teachers' motivations to do research were more personal rather than professional, teachers recognised some benefits of doing school and classroom-based research for their teaching practices and career development. Challenges that were reported include the lack of financial support, heavy teaching load, lack of research skills and knowledge, and lack of research materials and resources. Implications are discussed in light of the findings and recommendations formulated for future research directions.