THE LEVEL OF COMPETENCY AND COMPETENCY NEEDS OF TECHNOLOGY

AND LIVELIHOOD EDUCATION TEACHERS:

Rationale:

A teacher's role in the present time involves more than simply standing in front of

a group of students, sharing his thoughts on what he finds meaningful. Teaching is one

of the most complicated jobs today. Teaching the subject Technology and Livelihood

Education (TLE) is even more challenging. It demands broad knowledge of the four

components (Agri-Fishery, Computer and Entrepreneurship, Industrial Arts, and Home

Economics) of the subject matter, curriculum and standards, enthusiasm, a caring

attitude, creativity, love for learning, classroom management techniques, and a desire to

make a difference in the lives of young people (Great Schools, n.d.).

The need to ensure the presence of highly qualified teachers in every classroom

and to determine how best to define and prepare these qualified teachers (Zuzovsky’s,

n.d.), has been an old age issue. One could be the best teacher with the best course

materials, course activities, learning outcomes, and assessments at one point in time.

But as time changes, courses are revised as in the case of TLE to suit the needs of the

society, the employers, and the diversity of students; hence teachers, must keep

abreast of these changes. A way to find out what needs to be changed, improved or

updated is to evaluate the actual state of the teachers’ knowledge, attitudes, skills, and

strong aspects of their practice, as well as their weaknesses (Stronge & Tucker, 2003).

Professional development keeps teachers up-to-date on new research, on how

children learn, on emerging technology tools for the classroom, and on new curriculum
resources; but effective professional development enables educators to develop the

competencies, such as the knowledge and skills they need to address students’

learning challenges. To be effective, professional development, according to Mizell

(2010), requires thoughtful planning followed by careful implementation with feedback to

ensure it responds to educators’ learning needs.

A new trend in the training world is competency-based training which is designed

to improve job performance (Training Magazine, 2016). Competencies in any profession

are acquired and enhanced in a lot of ways— first through formal education, second

through apprenticeship, third through on-the-job experience, fourth through self-help

programs, fifth through life experience, and sixth through training and development

programs. All of these together may contribute to the competence of teachers. Among

these, training and development is one of the means that can have immediate impact,

be easily controlled, and tailored to the needs of the teachers (National Park Service,

n.d.).

It is, therefore, imperative that an assessment of existing competency of TLE

teachers be conducted. The assessment could lead to a well planned development of

activities that could help teachers achieve competencies identified for teaching the

subject, or target an improvement of a specified knowledge, skill or attitude to attain a

higher competency level. It is along these thoughts that the author pursued the current

study.

The study assessed the suitability of existing TLE teachers in teaching the

subject. It, likewise, described the level of competencies in teaching TLE in terms of six

teaching competencies. Moreover, the author determined specific focus areas for
inclusion in the enhancement program for TLE teachers from the District of Santa Cruz,

Laguna.

LEARNING RESOURCES AND TEACHERS’ COMPETENCIES IN TEACHING

Rationale

One of the goals of today’s pre-service and in-service training of teachers is to

promote teachers’ competencies. Teachers has a significant role in the success of all

the educational institutions. Luistro (2016), Department of Education Secretary through

Deped Order No. 35 s. 2016, stated that the quality of learning influenced by the quality

of teaching. Therefore, it is imperative for the Department of Education to hire and

support their development in the teaching profession. Successful teaching is the result

of systematic use of appropriate strategies for delivering and assessing the learning

objectives targeted for each lesson. (UNESCO GMR 2014). Successful teachers

possess a good grasp of content which they can consequently convert to sound

learning objectives; are able to select and implement the most effective instructional

strategies and materials to teach the identified content objectives; make instructional

decision on the basis of formative assessment results; promote sincerely their students’

learning and holistic development, and are professional and ethical in the conduct of

their works.

Included under teacher competencies are teaching effectiveness, professional

recognition and awards, membership and participation in professional organizations,

scholarly abilities and creative productiveness, and university and community service. In

the daily life of students, they encounter different kinds of teachers. It is a fact that the
various teaching competency levels of their teachers bear different effects upon the

students’ learning. Because of this, teachers must be aware of their own level of

competency so as to be extra conscious of how their teaching affects the learning of the

students.

The teachers as being essential to the achievement of instructional goals and

objectives, should see to it that effectiveness is assured and output is maximized. The

success and failure of the school program rests entirely on their hands. In them lies the

future of the educational institution that they pledge to serve enthusiastically and

diligently, considered by all as a moral obligation and responsibility to the society where

they belong. Barnuevo et al., (2011).

In the Philippine educational setting, there has been a dramatic change in which

all leads to being at par with the international standards. Innovations and initiatives have

been made in order to amplify the scheme that would qualify the criteria of a globally

competitive learning industry. This gives birth to the creation of the K12 program of the

Department of Education which was implemented a couple of years ago. The K12

program is deemed important in the qualitative and quantitative development of

individuals by adding another two years to basic education. According to former

President Benigno S. Aquino III, “We need to add two years to our basic education and

those who can afford pay up to fourteen years of schooling before university”. He also

asserted that children are getting into the best universities and the best jobs after

graduation, believing that after 12 years for public school, children will be given

countless chances at succeeding. In line with this, He proclaimed the Republic Act no.

10533, also known as The Enhanced Basic Education. The aspiration of Education for
All 2015 and the Philippine K-12 Basic Education Curriculum Framework which is to

have the skills required in the 21st century in order to cultivate a "functionally literate

and developed Filipino." In reaching such a goal, K-12 technology and livelihood

education Curriculum will shape people with analytical, contemplative, accountable,

productive, sustainable and humane.

In addition, K-12 technology and livelihood education Curriculum, stated that the

purpose of teaching technology and livelihood education is focused around home life

and general living, and the four components of the subject include home economics,

agricultural arts entrepreneurship and industrial arts. Based on Standards Curriculum

and Instruction for technology and livelihood education, knowledge and skills depend

upon and enrich each other while emphasizing potential connections and applications.

In addition to the skills specific to technology and livelihood education, there are skills

that generally enhance students' abilities to learn, to make decisions, and to develop as

competent, self-directed citizens that can be all the more meaningful when used and

developed within the context of technology and livelihood education. It is important that

students be exposed to a continuum of skill development from kindergarten through

grade twelve. As they encounter and reencounter these core skills in a variety of

environments and contexts that are intellectually and developmentally appropriate, their

competency in using them increases.

The performance of the student in technology and livelihood education and the

tactic brought by teacher to teach is important as technology and livelihood education

effects the world today. Inside the classroom, all these factors depend upon the kind of
teacher-student interaction where supervision and flexibility become necessary in order

to bring about academic accomplishment in social studies.

The primary focus of this study is the learning resources and teacher’s

competency, mainly because they are in-charge of the facilitation of their students’

learning experiences. The effectiveness of their teaching is one of the factors that

determine how well the students would do in their journey towards knowledge

acquisition. Basically, the teachers play a vital role in the daily lives of the learners.

Thus, the advocacy to promote academic excellence and quality education in secondary

schools in Santa Cruz District is the main concerns of the educators in the district.
 THE IMPACT OF HOME BASED TELEWORK ON TEACHERS’ PRODUCTIVITY
IN TECHNOLOGY AND LIVELIHOOD EDUCATION OF
SANTA CRUZ ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Rationale:
On December 31, 2019, the WHO was informed of several pneumonia cases of

unknown cause in the Chinese city of Wuhan. This was discovered to caused be a new

strain of corona virus, known first as novel coronavirus (2019 – nCoV) which began

slowly spreading outside of China throughout January 2020. The virus proved to be very

contagious and on January 30, 2020 the WHO declared it a public health emergency of

international concern. The virus continued to spread to most countries over the course

of February and was rebranded to Covid-19, or simply referred to in everyday language

as the Coronavirus, in this study this both versions of the name will be used. On March

11, 2020, the WHO characterized Covid-19 as a pandemic, something they say is not a

word they use lightly, implicating the severity of the situation. (World Health

Organization, 2020). At the point of the writing of this study, the Coronavirus has hit

societies around the world hard, and countries are recommending their citizens to stay

at home as much as possible. Countries have also mandated restrictions on social

activity with the severity of the restrictions varying between countries.

Based on the Deped order no. 11,s. 2020 or also known as Revised Guidelines

on Alternative Work Arrangements in the Department of Education during the Period of

State of National Emergency due to COVID-19 Pandemic, the department made

guidelines that are take into consideration the policies set forth by the Office of the
President and by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Infectious

Diseases (IATF), and are consistent with the applicable guidelines of the Civil Service

Commission. They provide for the work arrangements and support mechanisms

forteaching and nonteaching personnel, including Job Order (JO) and Contract

ofService (COS) personnel, and officials in all DepEd offices in all governance

levels,public elementary and secondary schools, and community learning centers

(CLCs) during the period of State of National Emergency due to COVID-19.

The main points outlined in previous research on home-based telework is the blurring of

boundaries between work and non-work, the benefits and risks of flexibility when it comes to

distribution of work hours as well as the social and personal impact of not having to physically

be at work.

But when it comes to telework during Covid-19 the conditions are not the same as for

teleworking under normal circumstances. Individual agency is a point of contention during the

pandemic, since working from home during Covid-19 is, if not enforced, heavily encouraged by

both authorities and employers, and thus might be experienced differently than when it is

chosen freely. This is supported by Hammock and Brehm (1966), which showed that a forced

choice feels less attractive to an individual than a freely chosen one. It is conceivable that there

is a big difference between working from home sporadically when it suits the individual and

being forced to work an extended period from home without knowledge of when things will

return to normal. Also, under normal conditions, e.g. before the pandemic, telework entails

working from home during shorter periods of time (Allen, Golden & Shockley, 2015), whereas

telework during the Covid-19 pandemic means being away from the office full time. Another

unique condition that applies during the pandemic is that most likely other members of the

family will be at home at the same time, which might a cause of distraction. One’s partner may
be working from home, or the children may be at home more than usual as it in Philippines is

advised to keep your children at home if they show even mild symptoms of sickness

(Folkhälsomyndigheten, 2020). This difference means that some advice offered based on

previous notions of what constitutes working from home could be off point.

As outlined earlier, there is a knowledge gap when it comes to the specific circumstances

that surround doing home-based telework during the Coronavirus pandemic. The aim of this

study is to attempt to bridge this gap by looking into what the common factors in different

people’s experiences of the phenomenon are. This is turn might be valuable information when

trying to understand the phenomenon, the value of such information might be argued by

companies stating they need more detailed information to develop support systems for their

employees during this crisis (Smith, 2020, May 12). There is arguably also an importance in the

documentation of how people experienced the pandemic when. In this regard, there is also an

aspect of temporal significance to this study, since it will provide insight into what

people’sexperience of working from home during the crisis looked like at the time. This might be

useful later when looking back on the Coronavirus outbreak, or in the future if a similar situation

would arise.