The practices and challenges of conducting action research in some selected secondary schools of Bale Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia

Abstract

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to assess teachers’ current practices when conducting action research in selected secondary schools in the Oromia region of Ethiopia. The study was guided by three questions: To what extent do teachers conduct action research? What factors affect their conduct of action research? How could the problems identified be minimized? Interview was employed as the primary data-gathering method. The findings indicated that there is lack of in-service training and schools support or acknowledgement for teachers, except imposing rules on them. Similarly, no formal opportunities are arranged for teachers to share their experiences. As a result, teachers’ cooperation is poor, and they tend to engage in action research purely for the purposes of their performance evaluation. Hence, we recommend that providing short-term training, creating resource centers, acknowledging and rewarding teachers’ work, and encouraging them to cooperate by grouping them into research teams are essential to engage them in conducting action research. It would also be a good idea if teachers engage their students in partnership to conduct action research.