The value of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education and the significance of conducting research motivated the conduct of this study. As teachers take on a more active role in knowledge generation, studying their research attitudes, motivations, and challenges has become more relevant and timely. This paper aimed to describe Filipino STEM education researchers based on the three aforementioned parameters. To achieve this goal, a total of 46 STEM teacher-researchers were purposively sampled to answer an online survey. Three of the responses, however, were excluded due to incomplete answers. Results revealed that the respondents held a positive outlook towards research and consider it as an avenue for professional growth. They also recognized the positive impacts of research on their teaching skills and in their students’ learning experiences. Both extrinsic and intrinsic motivations were reported to be the main stimuli in doing research. Time and financial constraints, heavy workload, and lack of exposure and experience in research were some of the challenges identified by the respondents. Suggestions for future research and policy directions were provided.

This study investigated the use of Google Maps as an instructional tool in Earth Science. A conveniently sampled senior high school class (n=34) participated in a formative online Google Map activity. The students inferred the location of landforms usually associated with faults using the Terrain view of Google Maps during the pre-lecture and intervention phase. A short lecture explaining how these land features can possibly be deduced using Google Maps followed. After the lecture, the students re-observed the maps with Google Maps, reexamined their previous answers and modified them, if necessary. After the activity, the students answered a self-evaluation form (SEF) which sought to gather their insights regarding the use of Google Maps in their Earth science class. The results revealed that the majority of the respondents expressed positive attitudes toward using Google Maps in classroom learning. They have had meaningful engagement with this online geospatial tool in their lessons in Earth science. However, challenges such as slow internet connection and limited exposure and practice were also noted by the students. Future researchers may look into the application of Google Maps in other lessons or learning competencies, a wider coverage among schools, and the integration of other geotechnologies in teaching the Earth sciences.