TESOL Students’ Research Data Management Practices: Challenges and Strategies for Improvement

Abstract

Research Data Management (RDM) is essential for ensuring rigor, transparency, and reproducibility in academic research, particularly in disciplines like Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). Despite its significance, many TESOL students struggle with managing research data effectively due to limited training and institutional support. This study explores the current RDM practices of TESOL students, identifies key challenges they face, and proposes strategies to enhance their data management skills. Adopting a mixed-methods approach, the research combined quantitative data from a survey of 100 undergraduate and postgraduate TESOL students with qualitative insights from 20 semi-structured interviews. The survey assessed students’ knowledge, experience, and perceived difficulties related to RDM, while interviews provided a deeper understanding of their practices, needs, and expectations. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze quantitative data, and thematic analysis was applied to the qualitative responses. Findings reveal that while most students acknowledge the importance of RDM, nearly half have not received any formal training. Common challenges include difficulties in organizing and storing data, unfamiliarity with institutional policies, limited proficiency in RDM tools, and concerns related to ethical data handling and confidentiality. Many students rely on informal methods, such as self-learning or peer guidance, which may lead to inconsistent practices. The study underscores the urgent need for structured RDM training integrated into TESOL curricula, as well as greater institutional support and access to user-friendly tools. These findings contribute to the ongoing development of research data literacy in TESOL education and provide practical recommendations for improving students’ data management competencies