JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS’ ENGAGEMENT IN ACTION RESEARCH: BASIS FOR A COLLABORATIVE SUPPORT PROGRAM
Keywords:
Action Research, Collaborative Support Program, Barriers, Time Constraints, Learning Action Cells (LACs)Abstract
Teachers’ engagement in action research is a reflective, teacher-driven cycle of inquiry designed to solve specific classroom challenges and improve pedagogical practice. This study explored the challenges that junior high school teachers encounter in conducting action research and identified their support needs to guide the design of a Collaborative Support Program. Using a descriptive-correlational design with embedded thematic analysis, data were gathered during the academic year 2025–2026 from 30 junior high school teachers of Lawaan III National High School, Talisay City, Cebu, through a self-developed structured questionnaire with five-point Likert-scale items and open-ended questions. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation), Pearson product-moment correlation, and thematic analysis. Teachers acknowledged the importance and benefits of action research and considered it a highly effective method for improving teaching and learning (overall M = 4.95), yet their confidence in conducting it was only neutral (M = 3.40), and their attendance at action research training was limited (M = 3.07). Time constraints were the most pronounced barrier (M = 4.89), followed by gaps in research-methods training, data analysis, and statistical skills, insufficient administrative support (notably the absence of a reduced teaching load), limited access to research books and statistical software, and fear of failure. A significant positive relationship was found between age and time constraints (r = .396, p = .030), while the relationships between the other demographic characteristics (gender and educational attainment) and the identified barriers were not statistically significant. Four themes emerged from the open-ended responses: time constraints resulting from heavy teaching load; limited research competence and technical skills; low confidence and motivation; and insufficient training, mentoring, and institutional support. The findings suggest that teachers’ positive perceptions of action research must be matched by actual and continuous support. A proposed Collaborative Support Program delivered through Learning Action Cells (LACs), peer collaboration, research mentoring, and targeted capacity-building is therefore needed to improve teachers’ engagement in action research.
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