Chapter 1

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Introduction

Education has always been held in high regard. It has also been the great
social leveler, allowing able, ambitious and motivated young men and women to
improve themselves and their families. With the globalization move and the very
stiff competition among educational institution, those in the academe are
collectively putting efforts to prepare their human resource capital for greater
global competitiveness assisted by the great advances in science and technology,
The hopes and expectations of the Philippine educational system has redirected its
arrow-head towards technological advancement of educators rather than
identifying human errors because of some underlying adversity, emotional,
spiritual and optimism factors.

The advancement of education has also changed lifestyles in the various

sectors of society. The new technology has resulted in a paradigm shift in
education to address the problems of education in the 21 st century, including those
relating to educators ‘ way of facing adversities in their work and in their work
environment, how they manage their emotions and spirituality, their life
orientation or optimism, equity, access and the cost of education. Technology has
likewise changed the requirements for education and training, the nature, reach
and mode of educational delivery, paving the way for establishment of borderless
schools. The new educational setting in our country, focuses on a more interactive,
innovative methodology called “student-centeredness” where the learner is the
center of the educational equation and is responsible for the learning that takes
place under the guidance and supervision of teachers.

Considering the role teachers play in the educational arena, it is important

that they are physically, psychologically, emotionally and spiritually fit and strong
and have a positive life orientation to make them effective in their work. The
growing mode of instructional delivery and advances in the education has created
a new expectations and demands from members of the academe especially the
teachers.
 Universities and colleges have been called upon to be more efficient, more
relevant, more forward-looking, more learner-focused and to address issues such
as sustainable development, quality, excellence, equal opportunity for all, human
rights, integration of technology and the cultural context of learning. Quality and
excellence are the keywords to survive global competiveness among schools.
Hence, the spirit of quality and excellence must permeate every organization,
institution or school that intends to be successful, according to de Guzman. 1 She
continues to say that institutional productivity and school quality require an
attitude propelled by a desire to constantly learn and improve and new values, new
lifestyles and work styles come in2.

St. Ferdinand College, a private Catholic institution, like other learning

institutions also aims for institutional productivity and school quality and the first
step it takes is to re-evaluate where it is at present, appropriately addressing the
needs around one of which is its stake holders.

It is at this juncture that the researcher would like to look into some factors
of SFC teachers that may have influence in their efficiency and effectiveness in
their work performance and in the work environment. It is for this purpose that the
researcher is prompted to study the teachers’ various behaviors, thought processes,
and mental characteristics; how they respond to problems and situations in their
workplace; their emotional competencies; and their life orientation. The results of
this study on Teachers’ Spiritual Intelligence, Emotional & Adversity Quotient
and Optimism may serve as a tool for organizational Interventions towards
institutional productivity.

1
Ma. Luisa E. de Guzman, Institutional Productivity and School Quality Through Key
Result Areas and Rubrics – Abstract, AASHPU Handbook, 2007 Southville International School
Publication. p. ix
2
Ibid