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Chapter 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE

Background of the Study

The Gov. Alfonso D. Tan College is an LGU-Funded college located at Maloro, Tangub

City that has six (6) institutes that offer different programs. One of the six institutes is the Institute

of Teacher Education which has six (6) programs; Bachelor of Elementary Education (BEED),

Bachelor of Secondary Education majors in; English, Filipino, MAPEH, Math, and Social Studies.

All of the programs offered are a four-year degree program designed to prepare the students to

become school teachers in both primary and secondary whether it is in public or private. The

graduates from the Institute of Teacher Education aim to be employed in line with their chosen

degree after they finish college. One of the factors that determine the effectiveness of an academic

institution is the employability of its graduates. The quality of graduates is very much a function

of quality instruction and facilities because these will help ensure that graduates are equipped with

the knowledge, skills, and values that will enable them to work in their respective fields. To

determine the institute’s success, the Institute of Teacher Education alumni coordinator has

proposed a tracer study.

According to Schomburg (2011), a tracer study provides information on the labor market.

The success of graduates, feedback on training quality and recommendations for training quality

improvement, short job search duration, employed or further study and high income are some

objective indicators of professional success. Furthermore, Badiru (2016) stated that graduate tracer

studies involve identification and follow-up of graduates from higher education institutions
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worldwide spurred by the need to give careful consideration to how graduates view their

experiences they underwent during their degree. In addition, Wahome (2016) also stated that a

tracer study is an approach which is widely used in most organization especially in the educational

institutions to track and to keep a record of their students once they have graduated from the

institution. Through tracer study, an institution would be able to evaluate the quality of education

given to their graduates by knowing the graduates’ placements and positions in the society which

later can be used as a benchmark in producing more qualified and competitive graduates.

In Gov. Alfonso D. Tan College, it has been observed that conducting a tracer study is a

must. It aims not only to locate but more importantly to find out their present employment status.

Also, the institution needs to have further information about the current status of the graduates

whether they are employed or succeed professionally after college.

Thus, the researcher aimed to know the present employment status of the graduates from

the six (6) programs mentioned above from the Institute of Teacher Education after they finished

their college degree. The researcher aims to determine the employment status of the institute’s

graduates as it also determines the institute’s success.

Conceptual Framework

This study anchored on the concepts of the following authors.

A tracer study as a method which is basically envisioned to trace graduates of an academic

institution, in order to provide feedback mechanism of the graduates and their alma mater. This

establishes the connection of the quality of graduates of universities and colleges shaped by their

standards of curriculum and instruction imposed by CHED on them (Verona, 2011).

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According to Mugabushaka (2002), tracer studies that pertain to surveys of graduates of

institutions of higher education, are considered important tools of institutional development,

especially in an ever-changing world of work. He regarded this endeavor as systematic feedback

on the whereabouts of the graduates, their working conditions, and their retrospective evaluation

of the programs. An anonymous (2007) also added that the study also attempted to provide

information to upgrade the curriculum and course contents which could help graduates meet the

changes.

Knight & York (2000), stated that good student learning and the curriculum, teaching, and

assessment that goes with it, describes ‘education for employability’ well. This implies that the

curricula designed to enhance students’ employability are also desirable on purely educational

grounds. It is possible to see both the traditional academic education and key skills as being subsets

of ‘employability’. Added by Mcquaid and Lindsay (2005), the oversupply of graduates in some

fields is also an issue. Students enrolled in over-subscribed programs were found to be unable to

find jobs in their areas of specialization that may result in employment and unemployment status.

Moreover, Schomburg (2003), cited that a tracer study sometimes also called as an “alumni

survey” or “follow up survey” should be able the institution of higher education to get information

to indicate possible deficits in a given educational program and to serve as a basis for future

planning and activities. In addition, tracer studies cited by Gines (2004) pointed out that tracer

study is an important source of information to know what happened to graduate of academic

programs in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).

Furthermore, Millington (2001) states that the collected data is an important indicator of

the quality of higher education. In the Philippines, the Commission on Higher Education requires

all HEIs to conduct a tracer study and is equally reflected as one of the required documents by any
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higher education accrediting body such as the Accrediting Agency of Charted Colleges and

Universities in the Philippines (AACUP), Inc.

ITE
Graduates
(2016-2018)

• program/course
• sex
• residency
• eligibilty
•highest educational
attainment

Employment
Status

Figure 1. Schematic Diagram of the Study

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Statement of the Problem

This study aimed to determine the present profile of the ITE Graduates of Gov. Alfonso D.

Tan College from batches 2016-2018.

Specifically, it sought to answer the following questions:

1. What is the profiles of the ITE Graduates from 2016-2018 in terms of;

1.1 program/course

1.2 sex;

1.3 residency;

1.4 eligibility; and

1.5 highest educational attainment.

2. What is the employment status of the respondents?

Significance of the Study

This study will be beneficial to the following:

Institute of Teacher Education. It will help the institute in determining the strength and

weaknesses of the six programs offered based on the responses of the graduates

towards better preparation of the students for their future profession.

Students. The findings of this study will give awareness to the students in realizing

whether the knowledge and skills developed in the program would be useful to

them in the field. It will also encourage them to appreciate and pursue their field.
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Alumni. This will motivate them to be employed in a stable job and may lead them into a

successful life.

Future Researchers. The study results will serve as a basis on future studies similar or

related to it. If any of the results are changed then it will be easily track to put on

updates.

Research Methodology

This section discussed the research design, research respondents, research setting, research

instrument validation, data gathering procedure and statistical treatment of data.

Research Design. The method used in conducting this study is descriptive-survey.

Disseminating questionnaires is one way to collect data and information about the

current employment status of the respondents.

Research Respondents. The respondents of this study are the graduates from the

Institute of Teacher Education of Gov. Alfonso D. Tan College from batches 2016-

2018 in a total of 368.

Research Setting. The researcher will conduct the survey near the campus around the

Tangub City where graduates have resided or worked.

Research Instrument. The researcher will use a survey form to generate the necessary
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data. The questionnaire contained questions which primarily relevant to the study

about their current employment status.

Validation of Instrument. The researcher survey form was crafted by the head of alumni

Affairs, improved by the researcher, and noted by the institute dean. All the

comments and suggestion were integrated into the survey form before they were

given to the respondents.

Data Gathering Procedure. The researcher gathered information of list of graduates

from the alumni affairs office. The researcher conducted personal interviews to

graduates who are currently working at Gov. Alfonso D. Tan College and nearby

places. The researcher also relied on social media such as Facebook to reach out

the graduates from 2016-2018 who are working outside the Tangub City through

sending survey forms. After the survey, the data gathered will be classified to their

respected programs, tabulated, analyzed and interpreted.

Statistical Treatment of Data. The following statistical procedures were used to attain

an in-depth analysis of the gathered data.

1. Percentage: The percentage was used to determine the number of respondents.

The formula is P=f/n x 100%

Where:

f = frequency

n = number of respondents
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100% = constant

2. Frequency count. This determined the number belonging to a group.

Ethical Consideration

The ten principles of ethical consideration by Bell and Bryman (2007) were compiled

within this study. First, the research respondents were not subjected to harm in any way. Respect

for the respondents’ dignity was prioritized. Full consent was obtained from the respondents before

the study. Protection of the privacy or research respondents, the adequate level of confidentiality

of the research data, and the anonymity of individuals participating in the research were ensured.

Moreover, deception and exaggeration about the aims and objectives of the study were avoided.

Lastly, any type of communication in relation to the research was done with honesty and

transparency and any misleading information, as well as the representation of primary data

findings in a biased way, will be avoided.

Scope and Limitation

This study focused on tracing the present situation specifically on the current employment

status of ITE graduates of Gov. Alfonso D. Tan College, Tangub City from Academic Year 2016-

2018.

Definition of Terms

For better understanding, the following terms are operationally and theoretically defined:

BEED. (Bachelor of Elementary Education) A program designed to students who

Desires to teach at primary schools focusing on general education.

BSED-English. (Bachelor of Secondary Education major in English) A program

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Designed for students who desires to teach in the secondary level focusing

on English subject.

BSED-Filipino. (Bachelor of Secondary Education major in Filipino) A program

designed for students who desires to teach in the secondary level focusing

on Filipino subject.

BSED-MAPEH. (Bachelor of Secondary Education major in Music, Arts, Physical

Education & Health) A program designed for students who desires to teach

in the secondary level focusing on MAPEH subject.

BSED-Mathematics. (Bachelor of Secondary Education major in Mathematics) A

program designed for students who desires to teach in the secondary level

focusing on Mathematics subject.

BSED-Social Studies. (Bachelor of Secondary Education major in Social Studies)

A program designed for students who desires to teach in the secondary level

focusing on Social Studies subject.

Employability. Having a set of skills, knowledge, understanding and personal

attributes that make a person more likely to choose and secure occupations

in which they can be satisfied and successful (Dacre Pool, L & Sewell, P.

2007)

Employments Status. It refers to the state of the respondents in terms of

employment whether they are employed or unemployed.

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Tracer Study. It is a type of descriptive research that investigates graduates’

whereabouts, after completing the program of their field of specialization.