Competence Levels and Encountered Challenges among Public School Teachers in Research Design and Development

Abstract

The study assessed the competence level and challenges encountered by public school teachers in conducting research in rural communities in Leyte Philippines. It examined factors such as age, sex, civil status, educational attainment, designation, field of specialization, length of service, and research trainings attended. The respondents were licensed teachers in education representing various fields of specialization. The study employed quantitative design, with data collected through a validated questionnaire administered to 80 teacher respondents. Findings revealed that the majority of the respondents were female and had obtained units toward advance degree aligned to their field of specialization in education. Furthermore, the results indicated that the respondents are moderately competent (2.65) in research design and development. Challenges related to research construction were moderately felt by the teachers, suggesting a need for institutional support to strengthen teachers’ research capabilities. This suggests that schools may provide targeted research training and seminars to help enhance teachers’ skills in research construction. Moreover, most demographic variables had no significant association with research competence; however, the field of specialization showed a significant relationship, implying that certain disciplines may be more conducive to or aligned with research engagement. To address these gaps, school administrators are encouraged to provide institutional support by fostering a research-oriented environment through mentorship programs, professional development workshops, and collaborative initiatives. Finally, future researchers may explore intervention strategies that bridge the gap between research engagement and practice, particularly by examining the role of school leadership, institutional support, and incentive mechanisms in promoting research culture among public school teachers.