LEARNING ACTION CELL (LAC) AND CLASSROOM

OBSERVATION DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC

MARLO C. ESPIRITU

AN ACTION RESEARCH

SEPTEMBER 2022
 CHAPTER I

Introduction

Background of the Study

Teaching-learning has never been the same since the advent of Covid-19

pandemic in the Philippines. At present, the country utilizes teaching modalities

that vary from school to school. Inaccessibility of the place of both schools and

learners seemed to be factor that hampered delivery of learning. Furthermore,

travel of learners from their places to school was prohibited due to the threat of

pandemic and age issues. This is incompliance of Inter-Agency Task Force for

the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (2020) law that prohibits

persons below 15 years old and above 65 years old to go out from their house

residences. In the survey of the Department of Education South Cotabato

Division, it was found out that most schools engaged into Modular Delivery

Learning (MDL), others such as Online-Delivery Learning (ODL), Radio-Based

Instruction (RBI) and Blended Learning were utilized by schools that have

strong access to internet and good radio frequency. MDL method utilizes Self-

Learning Modules (SLMs) which were developed by the DepEd Region XII

module writers. In the context of Sto. Nino National High School which is one

of the secondary schools in the region and division, the school adapted MDL.

This scenario stopped the usual teaching-learning done in the classroom

when a school adapted MDL modality because through SLMs, learners will read,

understand and answer the items in the modules with the guidance of their

elders at the confine of their home. In this case, teachers are not around to
guide the learners. While teachers are required to undergo 2 sessions of

classroom observation as mandated by the Department of Education, how could

they carry themselves to be teaching in the absence of learners rather before a

pool of teachers? Truly, teaching real learners who don’t have any background

of the topic is better than pool of teachers who has already met the topic. This

would greatly impact teachers’ teaching performance such as integrating

information within or across discipline, plans and select teaching pedagogies

that cater learners’ uniqueness and select and use teaching and learning

materials with Information Communication Technology (COT-RPMS, 2020). On

the contrary, it can be assumed that teaching in the absence real learners or

with presence of pool of teachers as learners may provide teachers’ significant

performance. Problems such as overcrowding and congestion will be avoided

(Meador, 2019). These issues catapulted this study to determine the level of

teachers’ teaching performance during Covid-19 pandemic.

Conceptual Framework

This is premised on the concepts determining level of teachers’ teaching

performance on of Sto. Nino National High School, South Cotabato. The figure

shows the variables of the study. The independent variable if the Classroom

Observation Tool (COT) while the dependent variable is the teachers’ teaching

performance of Sto. Nino National High School during Covid-19 pandemic.

INDEPENDENT VARIABLE DEPENDENT VARIABLE

CLASSROOM
OBSERVATION DURING
COVID-19 PANDEMIC

-FIRST CLASSROOM
LEARNING ACTION CELL OBSERVATION
(LAC)
-SECOND CLASSROOM
OBSERVATION

Figure 1. Conceptual Framework of the Study

Statement of the Problem

Classroom Observation Tool (COT) for Proficient Teachers I, II and III in

the time of Covid-19 pandemic. COT has 3 indicators – Indicator 1: Apply

knowledge of content within and across curriculum teaching areas, Indicator

2: Plan and deliver teaching strategies that are responsive to the special

educational needs of learners in difficult circumstances, including: geographic

isolation; chronic illness; displacement due to armed conflict, urban

resettlement or disasters; child abuse and child labor practices and Indicator

3: Select, develop, organize and use appropriate teaching and learning

resources, including ICT, to address learning goals

Specifically, this study answered the following questions:

1. What will be the level of teachers’ performance in the first classroom

observation?

2. What will be the level of teachers’ performance in the second classroom

observation?

3. Will there be a significant difference between the level of teachers’

performance in the first and second classroom observation?

Hypothesis

There will no significant difference between the level of teachers’

performance in the first and second classroom observation.

Significance of the Study

Teaching-learning has shifted to the new normal in education due to the

present pandemic. Face-to-face as the traditional teaching process was

suspended and shifted to MDL, ODL, RBI or blended learning. Thus, some

aspects of teaching performance are affected. Specifically,

Teachers will be guided and will be given technical assistance if found out they

perform unsatisfactorily during teaching performance.

Administrators will provide necessary trainings and workshops for the least

performed variables of the Classroom Observation Tool (COT).

DepEd District, Division & Regional Office will determine the strengths and

weaknesses of teachers in terms of teaching performance during pandemic and

consequently plan necessary moves to improve teachers’ performance.

Scope and Delimitation

This study was geared at determining teachers’ performance during

Covid-19 pandemic. Furthermore, teachers’ teaching performance in the first

and second sessions in of all the departments was compared to determine

difference. Teaching performance rates were generated during Covid-19

pandemic and gathered, tallied, solved with appropriate statistical treatments,

then interpreted and analyzed.

Definition of Terms

To facilitate clearer and better understanding of the various terms used

in this study, operational definitions were provided. Bruce (2020) argued that

terms’ definition varies from people to people. Therefore, to make readers get

what the writer wants to convey, definition of terms is important for common

understanding.

Classroom Observation Tool (COT) refers to a monitoring that is used to

rate teachers’ teaching performance.

Learning Action Cell (LAC) refers to the post conference activity after

classroom observation where observers discuss self-evaluation, observation and

Teaching Performance refers to the actual performance of the teacher

delivering ideas and concepts during pandemic before pool of teachers as

learners.
 Chapter II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter presents the related literature, readings and studies that

support the needed information of the study. It discusses several ideas and

insights from different authors and researchers who had researches associated

to this study.

Teaching

Teaching is the main role of teachers. Calaby (2020) mentioned that

teachers shape the learners’ lives. They motivate the learners to be productive

citizens bringing good impact to the society where they live in. This suggests

that whatever concepts or learnings they acquired in the school will always be

brought to the community they live. ESBF (2019) stated that teachers don’t role

only as mere teacher for they also act as mentors, parents, confidants,

guidance counselors and others. This conformed to the statement of

MOE,Guyana (n.d.) that teachers’ role goes beyond teaching. They also pacify

the classroom, prepare classroom for better learning, act as role model and

monitors learners’ actions. Truly, teaching is an onerous task but fulfilling when

your students become successful in the future. RE (2020) capsulated that

teachers have five roles to fill: (1) Resource – It is said that it is important for a

teacher to 10 kilometers away from his/her learners in terms of ideas and

concepts in a certain topic. Learners have a lot of questions during classroom

discussion. Therefore, to fill in the gaps and pressing issues on a certain topic,
teachers should know how to resource to patch up the gaps by providing

relevant information. (2) Support – Learning new skill needs technical

assistance from experts. Teachers are considered to be experts in their fields of

specialization. That is why they introduce new concepts in the classroom, it a

must for a teacher to guide every learner she/he has in the classroom. (3)

Mentor – Teachers are role models of the learners. Students look up to teachers

and they mimic their teachers in values, etiquettes and actions. (4) Helping

Hand – Truly, teachers do not only teach. Their extra time are spent doing

relevant services. When the school has programs or projects to implement,

teachers are tapped to do some necessary preparation. They actually extend

help even beyond working hours. (5) Learner – The more a person knows, the

more that person asks for new concepts. Every new learned thing branches to

more questions. Like any others, teachers don’t monopolize knowledge. They

are also unique form each other. Like English teachers, some of them have

interest in literature while others in academic writing. Thus, teachers continue

learning to better deliver concepts in a new package that suits the needs of the

21st century learners.

Classroom Observation Tool (Tool)

Even in this most trying time that Covid-19 pandemic brought about,

teachers are still expected to perform live teaching in the school even without

the presence of the learners, rather with presence of the pool of teachers who

will act as learners. This is in response to the mandate of the Philippine

Professional Standards for Teachers (PPST) as stipulated DepEd Order 17,

Series of 2017. This program is done to raise students’ academic performance

by enhancing teachers’ quality in delivering concepts (Tayag, 2018).

Department of Education (2020) specified that, COT guides the teacher-

observers and teacher to be observe during teaching performance. COT during

pandemic has only 3 disciplines which teacher-observers need to notice during

the delivery of learning. Teacher-demonstrator needs to have knowledge of

what are these disciplines so he/she can pre-planned on how he/she is going to

meet the standard. After teachers’ demonstration teaching, teacher-observers

will convene and deliberate rating. The result of the deliberation will determine

the performance of the teacher-demonstrator. Results will divulge teacher-

demonstrator’s strengths and weaknesses. Consequently, result will determine

whether trainings or workshops will take place in the future for technical

assistance.
 CHAPTER III

Methodology

This chapter presents the methods and procedures of the study. It

includes the research designs, locale of the study, respondents of the study,

research instruments, data gathering procedures and statistical treatment.

Research Design

This study uses Descriptive-Evaluative design. According to Arifin (2010),

descriptive-evaluative research is a design that aims to provide information for

program implementer related to the strength of the teacher-demonstrators.

Locale of the Study

This study was conducted at Sto. Nino National High School.

 Figure 2. Map of the Locale of the Study

Respondents of the Study

Respondents are important for they provide responses which are needed

in interpretation and analysis. Master teachers, one principal and one assistant

principal were the observers. They gave ratings to the teacher-demonstrators

using the modified COT form of the Department of Education. Each department

had 3 observers where it can be all master teachers or a combination of master

teacher, principal and assistant principal.

Breakdown of Respondents

Department Number of Observers

English 18

Mathematics 3

Filipino 3

Science 3

MAPEH 3

Araling Panlipunan/Education at Pagpapakatao 3

Technical-Vocational Livelihood 3

Information Communication Technology 3

Total 24

Sampling Technique
 The study utilized total population technique where all master teachers,

principal and assistant principal were chosen as respondents of the study. This

technique was used to minimize cost and time in the conduct of the study.

Research Instrument

The researcher adapted the COT for Proficient Teacher I, II and III of

the Department of Education for the School Year 2020-2021 (RPMS, 2020).

Range of Range of LeveL Level

Scores Means Label Description
(Level)

7 6.21-7.00 Integrating The teacher uses well-

connected
pedagogical aspects of the
indicator to create an
environment that addresses
individual and group learning
goals.

6 5.41-6.20 Consolidating The teacher uses well-

connected pedagogical aspects of
the indicator that consistently are
aligned with student development
and support students to be
successful learners.

5 4.61-5.40 Applying The teacher demonstrates a

range of associated pedagogical
aspects of the indicator that
usually are aligned with the
learners' developmental needs.

4 3.81-4.60 Developing The teacher demonstrates a

range of associated pedagogical
aspects of the indicator that
sometimes are aligned with the
learners' developmental needs.

3 3.00-3.80 Organizing The teacher demonstrates a

limited range of loosely-
associated pedagogical aspects
of the indicator.
Data Gathering Procedure

The researcher made a letter addressed to the principal of Sto. Nino

National High School requesting his permission for the conduct of the study.

After approval, letter was sent also to the Master Teachers of the school

informing informing them on the conduct of the study.

To gather data, the researcher personally asked the results of the

evaluation utilizing the COT for Proficient Teachers I, II and III. And finally,

analysis and interpretation of the gathered was done.

Considering the current situation in which conduct of this study was

constrained by Covid-19 pandemic, minimum health and safety protocols was

observed.

Statistical Treatment

To determine level of teachers’ performance in the first and second

classroom observation, mean was used while t-test was utilized to determine

the significant difference between the level of teachers’ performance in the first

and second classroom observation.

 CHAPTER IV

Results and Discussion

This chapter provides the results of the evaluation of the evaluators on

School-Based Management Level of practices of Sto. Nino Natonal High School.

Table 1. Level of Teachers’ Performance in the First Classroom

Observation

Variables Mean Level Label

1. Apply knowledge of content and across 5.65 Consolidating

curriculum teaching areas

2. Plan and deliver teaching strategies that 5.37 Applying

are responsive to the special educational
needs of learners in difficult circumstances,
including: geographic isolation; chronic
illness; displacement due to armed conflict,
urban resettlement or disasters; child
abuse and child labor practices

3. Select, develop, organize and use appropriate 5.37 Applying

teaching and learning resources, including
ICT, to address learning goals

Grand Mean 5.46 Consolidating

Table 1 shows level of teachers’ performance in the first classroom

observation. It can be gleaned that variable1 has a mean of 5.65 which is

labeled as consolidating, variables 2 and 3 have mean of 5.37 which have the

same level label of applying. This resulted to a grand mean of 5.46 which is

labeled as consolidating. Thus, teachers of Sto. Nino National High School use
well-connected pedagogical aspects of the indicator that consistently are aligned

with student development and support students to be successful learners.

Table 2. Level of Teachers’ Performance in the Second Classroom

Observation

Variables Mean Level Label

1. Apply knowledge of content and across 6.80 Integrating

curriculum teaching areas

2. Plan and deliver teaching strategies that 6.50 Integrating

are responsive to the special educational
needs of learners in difficult circumstances,
including: geographic isolation; chronic
illness; displacement due to armed conflict,
urban resettlement or disasters; child
abuse and child labor practices

3. Select, develop, organize and use appropriate 6.85 Integrating

teaching and learning resources, including
ICT, to address learning goals

Grand Mean 6.72 Integrating

Table 2 reveals level of teachers’ performance in the second classroom

observation. It can be gleaned that variable has a mean of 6.80, variable 2 has

6.50 and variable 3 has 6.85 which have the same level label of integrating.

This resulted to a grand mean of 6.72 which is labeled as integrating. This only

suggests that, teachers of Sto. Nino National High School prove their expertise

in integrating various knowledge across discipline by stealthily planning and

bringing ideas that cater students’ individual differences and needs through the

use of appropriate teaching-learning pedagogies.

Table 3. Significant Difference Between the Level of Teachers’
Performance in the First and Second Classroom Observation

Variables Mean t-computed t-critical Decision Interpretation

(0.025)
Classroom 5.46
Observation 1
-9 ±2.776 Reject Ho Significant
Classroom
Observation 2 6.72

Table presents significant difference between the level of teachers’

performance in the first and second classroom observation. It can be observed

that t-computed value of -9 is higher than the t-critical value ±2.776. The

researcher decided to reject the null hypothesis which interpreted as significant.

Thus, it can be deciphered that there is significant difference between the level

of teachers’ performance in the first and second classroom observation.

Therefore, teachers of Sto. Nino National High School were able to improve

classroom observation from consolidating to integrating.

 Chapter V

Summary of Findings, Conclusion and Recommendations

This chapter presents the summary of findings, conclusion and

recommendations which were derived from the previous chapter of this study.

Summary of Findings

Based on the gathered data which were statistically analyzed. It was

found out that:

1. Teachers of Sto. Nino National High School got a mean score of 5.46 in their

first classroom observation which is labeled as consolidating as far as their

teaching performance during Covid-19 pandemic is concerned.

2. Teachers of Sto. Nino National High School got a mean score of 6.72 in their

second classroom observation which is labeled as integrating as far as their

teaching performance during Covid-19 pandemic is concerned.

Conclusion

Based on the summary of findings, it was concluded that teachers of Sto.

Nino National High School were able to improve teaching performance from

consolidating to integrating classroom observation. Therefore, it can be

concluded that, there is significant between the level of teachers’ performance

in the first and second classroom observation.

Recommendations

Anchored to the conclusion drawn, the researcher recommended that:

1.Teachers should maintain a high degree/level of teaching performance even

in time of crisis situation.

2. Variables should be added/integrated in Classroom Observation Tool.

3. The same study can be conducted to the same or other school.

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[[6.477159899999999,124.702225],
[6.413242299999999,124.66253999999999]];tbs:lrf:!1m4!1u2!2m2!2m1!
1e1!1m4!1u16!2m2!16m1!1e1!1m4!1u16!2m2!16m1!1e2!2m1!1e2!2m1!
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