Research skills and academic performance in teacher education: A correlational study

Abstract

Research skills are a significant component of teacher training; however, their relationship with academic grades requires examination within specific contexts. Therefore, this study analyzed the association between self-perceived research skills and academic performance in the "Practice and Research" module. The research employed a quantitative approach with a non-experimental, correlational design and was conducted in 2023 at a public teacher-training institution in Cajamarca, Peru. The participants consisted of 35 students in the ninth cycle of the Early Childhood Education program, selected via convenience sampling. Data collection involved a 30-item test assessing research skills, alongside the final grades obtained in the module. The data were subsequently analyzed using frequency distributions, Spearman’s rho coefficient, and a Holm exploratory adjustment for six statistical tests. The results indicated that 65.7% of the students reported some difficulty with their research skills, while 88.6% achieved a passing level in their academic performance. An overall inverse correlation was observed (ρ: −0.403; p: 0.016; adjusted p: 0.084). Similarly, the dimensions of reasoning, analysis, and systematization showed nominally significant inverse associations; however, none retained statistical significance following the adjustment. Consequently, the collective evidence is insufficient to support a statistically significant association between the two variables. These findings neither demonstrate causality nor the absence of a relationship. Rather, they should be interpreted with caution, as the study is limited by its reliance on self-reports, the sample size, the concentration of academic grades, and its exploratory, context-specific nature.