Bridging the Ethics Gap: Assessing Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Research Teachers

Abstract

Responsible conduct of research (RCR) underpins academic integrity. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of research teachers regarding research ethics remain underexplored outside medical and scientific fields. Limited empirical evidence exists on how research teachers in junior high school, senior high school, and tertiary education understand and operationalize ethical principles, including informed consent, confidentiality, and protection of minors. This study assessed the level of knowledge, attitudes, and practices of research teachers regarding research ethics. A mixed-menthod research design was employed, and involved research teachers (N=91) from junior high schools (n1=33), senior high schools (n2=34, and 24 tertiary institutions in Metro Manila. An adapted 30-item KAP questionnaire and five open-ended qualitative questions were administered. Quantitative data were analyzed using a mixed-methods approach, wherein quantitative data were analyzed descriptively. Qualitative data underwent reflexive thematic analysis. Quantitative findings revealed high knowledge of research ethics principles (mean range: 4.56–4.90 out of 5). Confidentiality scored highest (M=4.90, SD=0.34). Minor assent procedures scored lowest (M=4.56, SD=0.69). Attitudes were strongly positive toward mandatory ethics training (M=4.85, SD=0.39) and ethical review (M=4.76, SD=0.50). Gaps emerged: 63.7% suspected academic dishonesty, 61.5% intervened in plagiarism cases, 72.5% struggled with workload-ethics balance, 93.4% reported past research shaped their teaching. Qualitative identified four major themes: (1) role of ethical review process, (2) recommendations for training, (3) significant ethical challenges including improper AI use (≈66%), data privacy (>50%), plagiarism and fabrication (>50%), and informed consent violations (≈45%), and (4) ethical concerns while supervising students. Teachers preferred restorative approaches over punitive measures. Despite high knowledge and positive attitudes, significant KAP gaps persist. There is an urgent need for contextualized ethics training, periodic refresher courses, institutional monitoring, and clear AI use policies.