ABSTRACT
This qualitative-phenomenological study explored the students' experiences in academic research. Using a qualitative research design, data were collected through in-depth interviews with a sample of students who had recently completed significant research projects. Thematic analysis was employed to uncover recurring themes in the students’ experiences. The findings revealed that students faced common hindering factors including difficulties in accessing resources, balancing dual roles as students and researchers, time management issues, and a lack of financial support. Despite these challenges, many students reported access to the mentor’s support and availability of advanced technology in their subject matter. Based on these insights, the study proposed the development of a classroom-based action research guide that focuses on providing clear research guidelines, improving access to resources, and strengthening mentorship. This guide aims to assist future students in overcoming common barriers and maximizing the learning opportunities presented by academic research.
Keywords: Academic Research, Students’ Experiences, Classroom-Based Action Research (CBAR)
INTRODUCTION
Research plays a crucial role in many areas of life, such as healthcare, education, technology, and social policy. It is a method of inquiry that seeks to solve issues, extend knowledge, and advance our understanding of the world. Research is critical to the advancement of civilization and the creation of new ideas, technologies, and inventions.
Academic research sheds light on how students learn and how instruction may be changed to promote learning. It also enables educators to create innovative instructional techniques, technology, and resources that will help learners reach their full potential. Academic research has also aided the growth of new areas, such as online education and remote learning (Survey, 2023).
According to Villegas (2023) Academic research encompasses a wide range of knowledge, addressing various challenges within the learning system while offering diverse viewpoints on problem-solving and improvement. Educators need practical strategies to manage the vast amount of information accessible to them, enabling them to pinpoint best practices that can enhance their teaching and foster better student learning outcomes. This underscores the importance of academic research that employs a scientific approach to generate innovative ideas and new insights. Additionally, the classroom response system enables students to quickly answer multiple-choice questions and participate in real-time discussions.
According to the Global Competitiveness Index (2021) the Philippines is classified in the medium to the lower-middle category for innovation and technical preparedness, which indirectly indicates its research and development capabilities.
The Philippines' financing for Research & Development has struggled to develop significantly due to a lack of importance in the national budget when compared to other industries. Increased funding has been modest in recent years, with the DOST budget accounting for only 0.56% of the billions of pesos granted to the national budget (Deyro, 2020).
It is in connection that the researcher conducted the study to determine the students’ experiences in academic research as bases for a classroom-based action research guide.
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