The Practices of Integrating Research-Based Knowledge and Teaching-Learning Process in Higher Education Institutions: The Case of Hawassa University

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the integration of research-based knowledge teaching-learning process in College of Education. The study was carried out using qualitative research design with case study method. The data were collected using interview, FGD, observation and document analyses from 30 participants. The curricular materials were not mapped around inquiry and unable to make practitioners’ minds-on/hands-on activities. Besides, the works of the majority of students and instructors were not awesome in creating and utilizing findings as practitioners rather than being mere consumers. However, on one hand, few instructors and postgraduate students produced research outputs to accomplish academic promotion and partial fulfillment of their degrees respectively. On the other hand, instructors have shown high degree of ownerships on the research outputs due to meager experiences of students. The financial and material resources allocated for research is determined by the accountability system of the university in that the college is semi-autonomous. Hence, it was difficult to bridge the gaps between teaching and research due to perplexing dynamics emanated from financial problems, lack of motivations, experiences and poor curricular materials. As a result, HEIs are failed to produce top performance level graduates with critical thinking, originality and creativity. Besides, practitioners were not motivated in joint generation, utilization and dissemination of knowledge. In ensuring the nexus between the two disciplines, the declared proclamation should be shifted from 75%: 25% to 50%:50% for teaching and research respectively. Moreover, the types of the researches to be conducted and utilized by practitioners should be inclined to the disciplines rather than being influenced by the interests of the funders. Likewise, the College should establish strategies and revitalize efforts towards making researches more problem-solving and practical in the teaching-learning process.