PASSION AND COMMITMENT IN TEACHING RESEARCH: A META-SYNTHESIS

The presence of research in one’s life is recognized to be important for fostering education and well-being. Through research, the quality of man’s life has improved from conventional to modern; hence, life becomes not only meaningful but enriching as well. Passion and commitment is revealed through language and narrative, which necessitates a qualitative, interpretive approach to its study. Qualitative research has supplied rich data about the passion and commitment in teaching research for various cultures, populations, and activities, but to-date, there has not been a systematic review to identify if general patterns of passion and commitment exist in teaching research. Following a framework synthesis approach to qualitative meta-synthesis, the current exploratory study examined subjective experiences associated with teaching research to uncover elements of the passion and commitment of research. Four higher-order themes were discovered; research methods teaching in general, research empowerment, attitudes, and self-efficacy. Complex interconnections between themes also arose and are discussed.  Keywords: attitudes, commitment, empowerment, passion, self-efficacy, & teaching