Challenges and Opportunities in Teachers' Action Research: Secondary School Teachers' Perspectives in Tanzania

Abstract

Teachers' action research (TAR) is a significant practice for self-directed professional learning among educators. However, in low-resource educational contexts, systemic challenges negatively affect its implementation. This qualitative study examined teachers' perspectives on the challenges and opportunities in TAR in Tanzania. Six qualified teachers from two secondary schools (three from each school) were purposively recruited as key informants. Additionally, two heads of the two schools were included for data triangulation. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and were analysed thematically. The findings revealed multi-level challenges: teacher-related (limited research skills, lack of confidence, weak collaboration, poor networking) and institutional (lack of funds, lack of motivation, administrative disregard, assessment-driven culture, excessive workloads, limited professional training, and policy ambiguities in guiding TAR practices). Furthermore, the findings revealed that university partnerships, new education policy, frameworks, digital tools, and communities of learning are the existing opportunities for improving TAR in Tanzania. The study underscores the need to formalise TAR through structured administrative support, teacher autonomy in technology use, and transforming sporadic inquiries into systematic research, which can cultivate a sustainable culture of teacher-led professional learning through TAR and enhance educational outcomes.