Research capability, productivity, and utilization in the ten St. Paul higher education institutions

This study seeks to describe and analyze the status of research in the ten St. Paul higher educational institutions in the Philippines in terms of research capability, productivity, and utilization, and to compare the respondent schools when grouped according to with or without graduate school, accredited and non-accredited, and by geographical location. It also investigates the possible links among these three variables.Standards on research from the Commission on Higher Education, Department of Education Culture and Sports, accrediting agencies like the Philippine Association of Accredited Colleges and Universities in the Philippines, the Federation of Accrediting Agencies of the Philippines, and from literature served as a basis in analyzing the findings of the study.A survey was made through the use of questionnaires, guided interviews, on-site observation, and documentary analysis. One hundred-twenty Paulinian administrators/officials from the 10 SPC HEIs served as informants. The study covered the period 1991-92 to 1996-97.Data on research capability, productivity, and utilization were collected. Qualitative analysis was done to obtain a descriptive profile of the status of research in the schools, singly, collectively, and as grouped. Quantitative analysis was used to crosscheck qualitative analysis. This was facilitated through the use of descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages, averages, or means, and or Somer\u27s d. The findings showed that: 1) Historically, the SPC HEIs were focused on instruction and not on research, and were generally average in terms of research capability. Their research productivity was very low average by quantitative measures, very low by the qualitative measures. Research utilization was average. 2) The schools in Luzon and accredited schools had positively higher research capability, productivity, and utilization. Individual non-graduate schools can be competitive with graduate schools in terms of the 3 variables. 3) Quantitative and qualitative relationship analysis showed that a) research productivity is dependent upon capability b) a similar positive relationship was found between research capability and productivity c) and a positive relationship also appeared between capability and utilization.Findings on capability show the need to strengthen research program and build up research resources. Findings on productivity reveal the need to improve quantity and quality of research, and to increase publication. Findings on utilization call for a mechanism to facilitate, monitor and evaluate research utilization.Based on the result of the study, there is a strong leadership support in the SPC HEIs. Its clear vision of research should lead to further clarification of the Paulinian concept of research and to a more definitive and unified Paulinian commitment to research, thus enabling the SPC HEIs to make their unique contribution to educational research towards the improvement of education and quality of life