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Asia-Pacific Social Science Review

Abstract

Engaging in research helps teachers improve their own classroom practices, thereby increasing the chance to foster an engaging classroom environment where fresh materials and strategies are used. However, there remains to be some form of the dichotomy between teaching and research, even in the context of universities. What little research is available in the ASEAN and Philippine contexts regarding teachers’ research engagement reports perennial problems such as lack of time, heavy workload, and lack of research skills. This study aimed to add to the literature in the Philippine English language teaching (ELT) context by uncovering university teachers’ perceptions on the benefits of and challenges in doing research, as well as their own research practices and the academic environment they are in. A group of 22 English language teachers participated in semi-structured online interviews. The thematic analysis of interview data revealed that both personal and professional considerations permeated the issues on benefits, challenges, and practices, corroborating or contradicting previous studies. The participants likewise highlighted enabling and hindering factors concerning research engagements in their own university context and even proffered points for improvement. The study concludes that many teachers have engaged and want to engage in research, but variations can be seen in their level of engagement, exposure to research, and reasons for engaging in such endeavor.

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