Unveiling Algerian EFL Educators' Perceptions and Practices of Action Research: Barriers and Implications for Institutional Support

Abstract

The Algerian higher education system, long characterized by traditional teaching methods, overcrowded classrooms, and limited pedagogical innovation, has experienced slow and uneven progress in implementing meaningful educational reforms. Within this context, Action Research (AR) has emerged as a promising avenue for promoting reflective teaching and professional development among English as a Foreign Language (EFL) educators. However, despite its documented global benefits, empirical research on AR adoption in Algeria remains scarce. This study investigates the perceptions and practices of 24 EFL teachers at Setif 2 University through a structured quantitative survey. The findings reveal that while 67% of respondents acknowledge AR's potential to improve teaching practices and support professional growth, only 25% actively engage in formal AR cycles involving data collection, analysis, and reflective evaluation. Informal reflection is common, but institutional and structural barriers—particularly time constraints (66.67%), insufficient training (50%), and lack of institutional support (33.33%)—significantly inhibit systematic AR implementation. These results underscore the urgent need for context-responsive institutional support mechanisms, including dedicated training programs, reduced teaching loads, and formal recognition of teacher-led research. The study concludes that for AR to become an integral component of pedagogical reform in Algerian higher education, policy and practice must converge to cultivate an enabling environment that empowers teachers as active researchers and agents of change.