เจติยา ชนธีร์ภากุล. Teachers' Attitudes towards Doing Research. Master's Degree(Applied Linguistics for English Language Teaching). King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi. : King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, 2006.
Abstract:
The aim of the study was to investigate the teachers' attitudes towards doing research in the Department of Language Studies at King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT). The subjects of this study were 10 English teachers who had been teaching English Language in the Department of Language Studies at KMUTT for more thzn 4 years. For interpreting data, the subjects were separated into four groups according to their experience in teaching and doing research, which are; the teachers who had been teaching for four to ten years and had done research (Group Al); the teachers who had
been teaching for more than ten years and had done research (Group Bl); the teachers who had been teaching for four to ten years and had never done research (Group A2); and the teachers who had been teaching for more than ten years and had never done research (Group B2). The subjects were interviewed separately based on the questions which covered: advantages, disadvantages, problems, solutions, and supports in doing research. The data of each group were analysed and compared to find out how to reduce their problems and how to serve their needs in doing research. The findings of the study reveal that one subject who is fiom Group A2, did not realise the purposes and the advantages of doing research for teaching while others seemed to understand them well. Most of the subjects faced problems that affected them in doing research. They also mentioned about the needed supports in doing the research. Those problems and needed supports related to their teaching and doing research experience.
Since doing research is one way for the teachers to develop themselves, the Department of Languzge Studies should consider how to support the teachers to do more research. Also the Department should provide statistics teachers, mentors, research trainings, and research funds for teachers.