The Degree to which Special Education Teachers Possess Procedural Research Skills

Abstract

The current study examined the degree to which special education teachers possess procedural research skills. While previous studies have mainly focused on assessing the level of procedural research skills possession among general education teachers, this study particularly explores this context among special education teachers, closing a gap in the literature where, to the best of the researcher’s knowledge, only one exists in Al Qassim region. A quantitative research method was utilized. Participants consisted of 172 special education teachers. The data were collected from participants via a researcher-developed questionnaire consisting of 40 items distributed across five subdimensions, representing one of the significant contributions of the current research as a reliable tool for similar future researchers. To answer the study questions, data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS, version 26), employing descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages), Cronbach's alpha, Pearson's correlation, and MANCOVA. Results revealed a low level of procedural research skills possession among special education teachers. In addition, there were no significant differences in special education teachers' responses according to their gender and years of teaching experience. However, significant statistical differences in special education teachers' responses were found according to special education teachers’ academic qualifications, with postgraduate studies being favored. Some recommendations were suggested based on these results, including the need to include theoretical and applied courses in the special education teacher preparation programs, which enhance procedural research skills among special education teachers.