AN EXPLORATORY SURVEY OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS’ ATTITUDES TOWARDS RESEARCH IN INES-RUHENGERI IN RWANDA

Abstract

This paper presents findings of a cross-sectional exploratory surveyof Undergraduate students’ attitudes towards research in INES-Ruhengeri in Rwanda. Data were collected on a convenient sample of 240 students using Papanastasiou’s (2014) Revised-Attitudes towards Research Scale.Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analysed the data. The study found that the levels of the students’ attitudes were high in the factors of usefulness of research and the positive predispositions to research. However, in the factor of anxiety and in overall, the levels were moderate.  Females were more anxious than males and in the rest of the factors, males showed higher levels than females.  However, despite these differences, the t-test revealed that there is no statistically significant gender-based difference. In academic year 2016, students’ attitudes were higher than they were in 2017 in all the Factors. However, despite these differences, the t-test revealed that there is no statistically significant difference based on academic years. Part-time students’ attitudes were higher than those of full time students and the t-test revealed that there were statistically significant differences based on mode of delivery of the programs in the factors of anxiety, positive disposition to research and overall attitudes.  Nevertheless, the differences were weak according to Muijis (2004).