The Role of Educator’s Research Perceptions in Shaping Attitudes: Insights from Technical and Vocational Education

This study explores the attitudes of educators towards research activities within their professional responsibilities at Politeknik Tuanku Sultanah Bahiyah, Malaysia. Recognizing research as a critical skill for career advancement and academic recognition, the study surveyed 220 educators across six departments, representing 73 percent of the institution’s teaching staff. Utilizing a seven-point Likert scale adapted from Papanastasiou’s Attitude Towards Research (ATR), the research examines five key domains: research usefulness, research relevance, research anxiety, research difficulty, and overall research attitude. The findings reveal a complex landscape of attitudes: while educators generally acknowledge the usefulness and relevance of research, contributing to positive attitudes, they also experience significant anxiety and difficulty, which negatively impact their engagement. These results underscore the need for targeted support to mitigate research-related challenges and foster a more positive research culture among educators.