Teachers’ Research Engagement And Challenges: Bases For Mentoring Program

This study examines the difficulties teachers have when engaging in research and provides a foundation for creating a mentorship program at the Department of Education in the Schools Division of Capiz spe - cifically in the Districts of Tapaz East and West. The study looks at the respondents’ sociodemographic characteristics, amount of involvement in the study, and difficulties experienced in both qualitative and quantitative research. Data were gathered using a researcher-made questionnaire and a descriptive study approach. One hundred permanently hired teachers from the Tapaz East and Tapaz West Districts of the Capiz Schools Division were among the respondents; they were chosen by purposive sampling. The results show that many instructors showed a high degree of research involvement, demonstrating their dedica - tion to professional growth. However, students also had to deal with a number of difficulties, including an increased workload, a loss of free time, writing anxiety, and a lack of resources and help from the school. A mentorship program that focuses on efficient task management, time allocation for research, writing support, school support, research training, cooperation and networking, as well as assessment and feed - back, is advised to solve these issues. The quality of education may be improved by the Department of Education by adopting this mentorship program and encouraging a research culture among teachers. The study’s conclusions and suggestions add to the body of information on instructors who engage in re - search and give other educational institutions advice on how to set up successful mentorship programs.


Background
In recent years, there has been a lot of emphasis paid to the value of teachers participating in research.Teachers actively participating in research can result in better teaching techniques and improved learners' learning results.It is commonly acknowledged that teachers have a significant influence in determining the educational landscape.However, a number of obstacles prohibit teachers from completely embracing this worthwhile work and stopping them from engaging in research.Finding the desired behaviors and comprehending the obstacles that prevent research engage ment is crucial for starting a national campaign to encourage teacher participation in research.Although it is well acknowledged that the present workforce lacks the ability to adapt to the new curriculum, Tripney et al. (2018) note that the precise nature of this requirement and how it relates to teacher research participation are yet unknown.The lack of transparency regarding particular workforce limitations makes it difficult to address these concerns effectively.Mehrani (2015) investigated teachers' research commitments by investigating whether, which, and when teachers use educational research.This form of analysis is critical for bridging the research-practice divide because it provides for a look at academic research discourse from the perspective of those who have been mostly excluded from it.
Mehrani's study found that while addressing their research engagement, teachers frequently alluded to their university years, particularly term projects submitted to their professors as part of their course requirements.This shows that favorable comments from teachers on their degree of engagement may reflect adherence to academic standards and regulations rather than actual research efforts.Many teachers' research dedication appears to disappear when they graduate from university.Despite the limitations, doing research may significantly improve teachers' knowledge and abilities.Teachers regard research as an important tool for developing and delivering outstanding learning outcomes for their learners.It is both practical and beneficial to both teachers and learners (Ulla et al., 2017).
Research is vital for professional development because it allows teachers to analyze classroom and school-related problems, discover potential solutions, and broaden their knowledge and abilities in the context of classroom instruction.However, even teachers who like research have challenges in maintaining their involvement for a variety of reasons.Key scientific issues in performing research, according to Ulla (2018), include a lack of school assistance in terms of resources, workload, and training.Inadequate access to reference materials, such as school libraries, current publications, magazines, and online resources, adds to the difficulties.Furthermore, as expectations and constraints on teachers have increased, research has become cumbersome and has received less attention.Anxiety overwriting and a lack of time are additional factors that contribute to this problem.Furthermore, due to a lack of research training opportunities, many teachers lack a clear knowledge of how to do action research.

Research Questions
Given these obstacles, the researchers sought to explore teachers' research involvement and problems as a foundation for developing a mentorship program.This study focused on the research involvement and problems faced by teachers in the Department of Education specifically in the Schools Division of Capiz, Schools District of Tapaz East and West in 2022.The study's goal was to answer the following research questions: The study hopes to give insights into the current situation by addressing these research issues.Introduction The purpose of this literature review is to offer a complete overview of current research on teacher research involvement and the problems connected with it.This review will contribute to a better understanding of the elements that impact teachers' research engagement and the barriers they confront by reviewing relevant studies and academic papers.The study will also emphasize the role of mentorship programs in supporting and increasing teacher research participation.

The Importance of Teacher Research Participation
Participating in research activities has been identified as an important contributor to teachers' professional growth and improved educational results.Ulla et al. (2017) stressed the importance of research in improving teachers' knowledge and abilities, allowing them to successfully manage classroom and school-related challenges.

Teacher Research Commitment
Mehrani's ( 2015) study shed light on teachers' research dedication and discovered that teachers' involvement with research ceases once they graduate from university.While teachers frequently recall their previous research experiences, their present research activity may be restricted.This underscores the need to investigate the causes behind teachers' discontinuance of research participation and devise measures to bridge the gap.

Obstacles to Teacher Research Participation
Several hurdles inhibit teachers' research involvement and participation in research activities.According to Tripney et al. (2018), the lack of clarity on the precise skills and knowledge necessary to adapt to new curricula makes it difficult for teachers to grasp and meet the research needs related with curricular changes.Financial restrictions, a demanding workload, and a lack of training opportunities have all been cited as important hurdles to teachers participating in research (Ulla, 2018).Inadequate access to reference resources, as well as a lack of time and writing abilities, exacerbate these difficulties.

Mentoring as a Coping Mechanism
Mentoring programs have evolved as an effective technique of encouraging and improving teacher research participation.Mentoring offers direction, support, and opportunity for professional advancement, addressing the difficulties that instructors have when undertaking research.Relationships with experienced researchers or mentors can assist instructors in developing research skills, gain-ing access to resources, and gaining confidence in their research activities (Tripney et al., 2018).Mentoring programs can help build a collaborative culture by allowing instructors to share and learn from one another's research experiences.

Conclusion
This literature review emphasizes the significance of teacher research involvement as well as the obstacles to its implementation.It underlines the importance of better understanding teachers' research commitment and identifying impediments to active participation in research activities.Mentoring programs have been highlighted as important strategies for supporting and increasing teacher research participation by offering direction, resources, and professional development opportunities.

Research Methodology Research Design
The descriptive research approach was used in this study because it strives to correctly and methodically characterize the population, situation, and phenomena under examination (McCombes, 2020).The study inquiry used a descriptive approach, using a questionnaire created by the researcher and approved by a panel of specialists (Ysulan, 2021).

Participants
Permanently hired teachers from Tapaz East and Tapaz West Districts, Schools Division of Capiz, participated in this study.Purposive sampling was used to ascertain the number of real responders, which entails selecting participants based on specified aims rather than random selection (Arikunto, 2010: 183).A total of 100 teachers from both districts were chosen on purpose to be responders.

Locale of Study
Research was performed within the schools of Tapaz East and Tapaz West Districts within the Schools Division of Capiz.

Data Collection
The domains of qualitative and quantitative research were the independent factors in this study, whereas teacher involvement and difficulties were the dependent variables.The research participation survey was the primary emphasis of part 1 of the study's instrument, whereas the difficulties instructors confronted were the subject of part 2. Bullo and Labastida (2021) provided the inspiration for the statements for the challenges, while relevant literature served as the source for the engagement statements.The Good and Scates Criteria of Validation were used to ensure the appropriateness, clarity, reasonability, non-superficiality, non-ephemerality, typicality, and inclusivity of the questionnaire items.A pilot test was done to see if there were any irrelevant or unclear statements, to see if respondents had any trouble following the instructions, and to test the format, order, and length of the questionnaire.To confirm the validity of the replies and that participants understood the goal of the study, the researcher disseminated the questionnaire himself using Google Forms.

Data Analysis
Several statistical procedures were used to tabulate and calculate the data gathered from the respondents.Utilizing frequency analysis, the sociodemographic profile of the respondents was defined.Mean analysis was used to gauge the extent of teachers' involvement in qualitative and quantitative research.In order to assess the need for a mentorship program and to highlight the difficulties teachers confront when doing qualitative and quantitative research, rank analysis was used.

Results and Discussions
According to the study's findings, of the respondents, 25.5% were elderly and 72.5% were young.78% of respondents identified as female, while 22% identified as male.In terms of years of service, rookie teachers made up 44.5% of the workforce, while veteran teachers made up 55.5%.Regarding educational level, 62.5% had a bachelor's degree, 27.5% had a master's, and 10% had a PhD.Regarding the extent of their involvement in research, teachers were 2.5% less engaged in both qualitative and quantitative research and 54% of them were extremely involved.The majority of the teachers identified increased workload and burden as the greatest obstacle to conducting qualitative and quantitative research, followed by a lack of time, anxiety over writing, a lack of support from the institu-tion, a dearth of adequate reference materials, and a lack of proficiency in research methodology.According to the study's findings, the majority of teachers demonstrated a strong dedication to their professional growth by actively participating in qualitative and quantitative research.However, issues including a hard workload and a lack of research training were noted as major barriers to instructors engaging in research.

Research Analysis
The sociodemographic characteristics of the respondents, the extent of teachers' participation in qualitative and quantitative research, and the difficulties teachers encounter while doing research were the main topics of the study analysis.The investigation also sought to pinpoint the essential mentorship program for teachers in light of the problems found.

Respondents' Sociodemographic Profile
Utilizing frequency analysis, the sociodemographic profile of the respondents was examined.According to the findings, 55 respondents (27.5%) and 145 respondents (72.5%) were both young.44 responses (22%) were male, while 153 respondents (78%) were female.In terms of tenure, 89 respondents (44.5%) were brand-new educators, while 111 respondents (55.5%) were seasoned professionals.125 respondents (62.5%) had bachelor's degrees, 55 respondents (27.5%) had master's degrees, and 20 respondents (10%) had doctoral degrees, according to their level of education.Mean analysis was used to examine the extent of teachers' involvement in qualitative and quantitative research.The findings revealed that 108 respondents (54%) were very involved in both qualitative and quantitative research, 67 respondents (33.5%) were engaged, 20 respondents (10%) were less engaged, and 5 respondents (2.5%) were not.These results show that a sizeable percentage of teachers showed a high degree of research participation.

Challenges Faced by Teachers in Research
Rank analysis was used to examine the difficulties experienced by teachers when undertaking qualitative and quantitative research.According to the findings, 42% of the respondents indicated that the greatest difficulty fac-ing teachers was their own increased workload and strain.Lack of time (16.5%)came in second, followed by writing anxiety (14.5%), a lack of school assistance (9.5%), a lack of enough references (9%), and a lack of understanding of how to conduct research (8.5%).These findings draw attention to the different challenges that educators encounter while doing research.

Mentoring Program Formulation
The investigation sought to determine the appropriate mentorship program for instructors based on the problems found.The rank analysis results gave insightful information about the areas that need help and direction.The main problem, increased effort and burden, indicates that a mentorship program should concentrate on methods to efficiently manage teachers' workloads and offer aid in juggling research obligations with other tasks.Other difficulties, such as a lack of time, writing anxiousness, and poor research conduct skills, all point to the need for guidance and assistance in these particular fields.Overall, the study analysis showed that although many teachers showed a high degree of research involvement, they encountered a variety of obstacles that restricted their research efforts.These difficulties, such as the overwhelming workload and time constraints, highlight the requirement for an extensive mentorship program that deals with these particular concerns and offers direction, resources, and training to aid instructors in their research pursuits.The analysis's conclusions establish the framework for creating a mentorship program that is effective in addressing the problems found and encouraging instructors to engage in research.

Conclusion and Recommendation Conclusion
As a basis for developing a mentorship program at the Department of Education, Schools Division of Capiz specifically in the Schools District of Tapaz East, West.This study explored the obstacles and research engagement experienced by teachers.The results emphasize the value of encouraging teachers to participate in research in order to further their professional development and increase educational outcomes.• To determine the efficacy of the assistance offered and make the required adjustments, regular evaluation and feedback methods should be developed inside the mentorship program.This will guarantee that the program adapts to teachers' changing demands and encourages continual progress.

Recommendations
Based on the study's findings, the following recommendations for the development of a mentorship program are made: • To enable teachers to properly combine their research tasks with their other duties, the mentorship program should highlight effective workload management tactics such as job prioritization and time management procedures.• School administrators and policymakers should set aside time in teachers' schedules for research activities, allowing them to conduct meaningful and focused studies.• The mentorship program should give writing assistance to teachers in order to help them overcome writing anxiety.Workshops, writing circles, and peer feedback sessions can help instructors improve their writing abilities and gain confidence in presenting their research results.• Schools can show their dedication to research by giving students access to resources such as funding, training opportunities, and books, journals, and online databases.• To ensure that teachers have the skills and knowledge required to conduct research successfully, the mentorship program should give teachers priority in research training.To improve teachers' research skills, workshops, seminars, and online courses might be set up. • To enable instructors to exchange knowledge, best practices, and research results, the mentorship program should promote collaboration and networking among them.Communities of practice and collaborative research initiatives can promote a culture of research participation and serve as a platform for career advancement.