The Professional Qualifications of Aligned and Non-Aligned STEM Teachers in DCS-Manila and its Relation to their Pedagogical Competencies: Input for Policy Recommendations

Abstract

Teaching major science subjects such as Earth Science, General Biology, General Chemistry and General Physics in STEM requires knowledge, mastery and skills such as the integration of an educational technology like the Technology Knowledge (TK), Pedagogical Knowledge (PK) and Content Knowledge (CK) collectively known as TPACK (Koehler and Mishra, 2008). Solid educational background is indeed imperative if we want to deliver high-impact teaching. In the six districts of Manila, among STEM teachers from 12 public high schools handling major science subjects, 24 teachers are teaching according to their professional qualifications (aligned) while 12 teachers are teaching “in and out” of their field or professional qualifications (non-aligned). Most of the respondents have taken their post graduate studies and their status is either full-fledged or still in progress. About 23 respondents belong to 24-40 years old bracket. The mean composite of all respondents according to the three domains of TPACK showed High Competence.
When their professional qualifications (highest educational attainment, alignment of degree programs, STEM-related training and certification received) and pedagogical competencies TK, PK and CK) when compared to their profiles (years of teaching, subjects handled and age) mostly showed no significant difference. Also, most of the relationship of both the professional qualifications and pedagogical competencies of all respondents showed no significant relationship.
While the respondents recognize the effort (although not enough) being made by Department of Education to improve their well-being, there are issues and concerns related to their personal, professional and pedagogical well-being that must be addressed immediately. Thus, inputs for recommendations are forwarded that are deemed necessary for the formulation of new implementing rules and regulations as well as guidelines that will respond to the needs not only of science teachers but all teachers as well especially in the public schools nationwide.