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How to cite:
Mariscal, L. L., Albarracin, M. R., Mobo, F. D., & Cutillas, A. L. (2023). Pedagogical Competence Towards Technology-
driven Instruction on Basic Education. International Journal of Multidisciplinary: Applied Business and Education
Research. 4(5), 1567 – 1580. doi: 10.11594/ijmaber.04.05.18
Mariscal et al., 2023 / Pedagogical Competence Towards Technology-driven Instruction on Basic Education
be able to identify the most appropriate tech- what (Creswell and Plano Clark, 2007) describe
nological tools and resources to support their as an Exploratory Sequential Mixed Methods
teaching objectives and engage students in Design. Creswell and Plano Clark (2007) ex-
meaningful learning experiences. plain that when a need exists first to explore
Effective integration of educational tech- qualitatively, a researcher might use an Explor-
nology also requires teachers to be able to atory Design. This design is also appropriate
adapt their teaching practices to the changing when a researcher wants to explore a phenom-
needs and demands of their students (Caena & enon in depth.
Redecker, 2019). Teachers need to be able to The first phase of this study was a quantita-
assess students’ technological skills and use tive description of the respondent’s profile, the
this information to design learning activities status of educational technology of the re-
that are appropriate for their students’ level of spondents as to availability and extent of utili-
technical competency. zation, and the level of the respondents’ peda-
Integrating educational technology in gogical competence in integrating educational
teaching and learning is essential for providing technologies in the teaching-learning process
high-quality education in the 21st century. as to attitude towards educational technology
However, educational technology’s effective- and competence in the use of educational tech-
ness depends on teachers’ pedagogical compe- nology.
tence in using technology to support teaching
and learning. This study aims to determine the Instrument
pedagogical competence of elementary school The research questionnaire for this study is
teachers toward educational technology in the adapted from USEiT Teacher Survey- Study of
academic setting. The study seeks to answer Educational Technology Boston College
three research questions about teachers’ atti- (www.bc.edu, 2003) and the DepEd Order No.
tudes, competence, and strategies for integrat- 78 series of 2010. The first part of the question-
ing educational technology into teaching and naire determined the respondent’s profile as to
learning. The results of this study will provide personal and professional aspects. The second
insight into the level of pedagogical compe- part chose the status of educational technology
tence among elementary school teachers and in Dalaguete District as to availability and ex-
inform the development of programs and inter- tent of utilization. The third part of the ques-
ventions to improve teacher competence in this tionnaire was used to identify the level of the
area. respondents’ pedagogical competence in inte-
grating educational technologies in the teach-
Methods ing-learning process as to their attitude to-
Design wards educational technology and competence
This study uses Mixed Method, as described in the use of educational technology.
by (Creswell and Plano Clark 2007), which in- The level of the respondents’ pedagogical
volves philosophical assumptions that guide competence in integrating educational technol-
the direction of the collection and analysis of ogies as to attitude towards educational tech-
data and the mixture of qualitative and quanti- nology and competence on the use of educa-
tative approaches in many phases in the re- tional technologies will use the five-point Lik-
search process. As a method, it focuses on col- ert-type scale. The response choices were: 1 =
lecting, analyzing, and mixing both quantitative "Strongly Disagree," 2 = "Disagree," 3 = "Nei-
and qualitative data in a single study or series ther Agree nor Disagree," 4 = "Agree," 5 =
of studies. Its central premise is that combining "Strongly Agree."
quantitative and qualitative approaches pro-
vides a better understanding of research prob- Respondents
lems than either approach alone. The respondents of this study were the
Moreover, this study also uses the Explora- teachers of Elementary School of Dalaguete I
tory-Sequential Design. The mixed method re- District (See Table 1). They were chosen as the
search design used in this study resembles respondents since they are expected to
IJMABER 1569 Volume 4 | Number 5 | May | 2023
Mariscal et al., 2023 / Pedagogical Competence Towards Technology-driven Instruction on Basic Education
The respondents consisted of teachers who et al., 2017; Susanto et al., 2020). Only a tiny
were classified into male and female groups. Of percentage of the respondents (0.46%) have
the 221 respondents, 23 were male, and 198 received educational training other than K-12
were female. and ICT, while 1.39% have received INSET (In-
In terms of relevant training, the majority of Service Education and Training). The im-
the respondents (95.83%) have received K-12 portance of INSET has been emphasized in
training, which is essential for teachers in pri- studies like the one conducted by Uztosun
mary education. The importance of K-12 train- (2018) & ONALAN & GURSOY (2020), which
ing has been emphasized in studies like the one found that INSET programs positively impact
conducted by Li & Peters (2020), who found the professional development of teachers.
that K-12 training positively impacts teachers’ In conclusion, most respondents have re-
teaching skills and performance. ceived K-12 training, which is essential for
Moreover, 14.81% of the respondents have teachers in primary education. However, there
received relevant ICT training. This is signifi- is a need to increase the percentage of teachers
cant as the integration of ICT in education has who have received relevant ICT training, as ICT
become increasingly important in recent years. integration has become increasingly important
Studies have shown that ICT integration can in education. Providing educational training
improve teaching and learning outcomes (Koh
IJMABER 1570 Volume 4 | Number 5 | May | 2023
Mariscal et al., 2023 / Pedagogical Competence Towards Technology-driven Instruction on Basic Education
other than K-12 and INSET programs can also software) because it is a critical component to
benefit teachers’ professional development. evaluating its utilization.
The grand weighted Mean for availability is computers, laptops, computer printers, and
1.64, which indicates that most of the hardware multimedia projectors are more available and
items are less available in the respondents’ utilized. These are basic tools that are essential
schools. This is a concern since the availability for delivering traditional forms of instruction.
of hardware is a crucial factor in integrating In conclusion, the availability and utilization of
technology into education (Tondeur et al., hardware in the respondents’ schools are gen-
2017). The grand weighted Mean for utilization erally low. This could be due to a lack of fund-
is 1.72, which indicates that most of the hard- ing, inadequate teacher training, and inade-
ware items are less utilized in the respondents’ quate infrastructure. The low availability and
schools. This finding is in line with the study utilization of essential hardware items such as
conducted by Al-Mamary (2022), which found recording devices, innovative tables, and iPads
that the utilization of technology in education is are a concern. These tools are crucial for creat-
often low due to factors such as a lack of ing engaging and interactive learning experi-
teacher training and inadequate infrastructure. ences for students.
Some of the hardware items that are less
available and less utilized include recording de- Software
vices, smart tables, programmable toys, iPads, Table 3 shows the availability and utiliza-
and visualizers. tion of educational software technology, in-
These are essential tools for creating inter- cluding instructional tools for teachers in the
active and engaging learning experiences for classroom. These application software/s were
students. These items’ low availability and uti- used to assist teachers in the preparation of
lization could be due to inadequate teacher learning resources and in improving the educa-
training and lack of funding. tive process.
On the other hand, hardware items such as
CD/VCD/DVD players, smart TVs, personal
Table 3 presents data on the availability These findings imply that teachers may
and utilization of various software in the edu- need further training or support in utilizing
cational setting. The results show that spread- some of these less-utilized software tools. For
sheets and word processing software are very example, training on how to use video confer-
available and well-utilized, with Weighted encing software effectively could help facilitate
means of 2.55 and 2.54, respectively. Presenta- remote learning opportunities, which has be-
tion software, email, and search engines are come especially important during
also available and utilized with weighted the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, in-
means ranging from 2.29 to 2.32. On the other creased support for learning management sys-
hand, video conferencing software, graphics tems could help streamline communication and
editing, and screen capturing software are less student engagement in online learning envi-
available and less utilized, with weighted ronments (Vasanth & Sumathi, 2020; De Vil-
means ranging from 1.59 to 2.00. liers & Matthew, 2019).
The data suggests that while some software Furthermore, the data suggest that the
is readily available, not all are utilized to their availability and utilization of software tools are
full potential. For instance, video conferencing not necessarily aligned. This discrepancy high-
software has become a crucial tool for remote lights the importance of providing access to
teaching during the pandemic, but its utiliza- technology and ensuring that teachers are
tion in this study is less than optimal. This find- equipped with the skills and knowledge neces-
ing highlights the need for educators to receive sary to utilize these tools effectively. As noted
adequate training and support to maximize the by Adeyinka and Li et al. (2019) & Caena & Re-
potential of available software tools in the edu- decker (2019), the availability of ICT tools do
cational setting. not necessarily translate into effective teaching
Moreover, the availability and utilization of and learning; however, the skillful and innova-
software are closely related to the availability tive use of these tools by teachers will impact
and utilization of hardware. As seen in Table 2, the quality of education.
hardware such as smart TVs, laptops, and pro-
jectors are available and well-utilized. This cor- Pedagogical Competence of Teachers
relates with the high utilization of spreadsheets This part identified the respondents’ peda-
and word-processing software. gogical competence in integrating educational
In conclusion, the data presented in Table 3 technologies in the teaching-learning process
highlights the need for educators to receive ad- as to their attitude towards educational tech-
equate training and support to maximize the nology and competence in the use of educa-
utilization of available software tools. It also tional technology.
emphasizes the importance of ensuring that
hardware and software are available and uti- Attitude towards Educational Technology
lized to their full potential in the educational Table 4 presents the attitude of the re-
setting. spondents towards educational technology.
Overall, the data in Table 3 indicates that The results show that the majority of the re-
most of the software tools commonly used in spondents strongly agree with the positive im-
education are readily available to the teachers, pact of technology on teaching and learning.
with spreadsheets and word processing soft- They strongly believe that technology en-
ware being the most available and video editing hances pedagogy experimentation, ensures full
and learning management systems being less participation, offers countless resources for en-
known. However, the utilization of these soft- hancing education and making learning more
ware tools varies greatly, with some devices, fun and effective, automates tedious tasks, and
such as spreadsheets and word processing, be- provides instant access to fresh information
ing well utilized. In contrast, others, such as that can supplement learning experiences.
video conferencing and learning management They also acknowledge that we live in a digital
systems, are less utilized. world, and technology is a life skill. Moreover,
they believe that the Internet/WWW are con- also acknowledged that the quality of research
venient ways to access information, and partic- and sources they find on the Internet may not
ipation in threaded discussion groups, chats, be top-notch, and lesson planning might be-
and other electronic communications offers come more labor-intensive with technology.
great benefits. Overall, the results suggest that the re-
However, the respondents also expressed spondents have a positive attitude towards the
some concerns regarding the use of technology use of technology in teaching and learning. This
in the classroom. They agreed that technology finding is consistent with previous studies that
can be a distraction, disconnect students from have shown that teachers’ positive attitudes
social interactions, foster cheating in class and towards technology are a significant predictor
on assignments, and that students do not have of technology adoption in the classroom (e.g.,
equal access to technological resources. They Holzmann et al., 2020).
Teachers with positive attitudes towards creation of a digital divide. Additionally, teach-
technology are more likely to integrate it into ers need to be provided with the necessary
their teaching practices, which can positively training and support to effectively integrate
impact student learning outcomes (Wang & technology into their teaching practices to ad-
Dostál, 2017; Cutillas, 2019). dress concerns regarding the quality of re-
However, it is essential to note that some of search and sources on the Internet and lesson
the concerns raised by the respondents need to planning becoming more labor-intensive.
be addressed, such as the issue of unequal ac- Competence in the Use of Educational
cess to technological resources. Schools and Technology
policymakers need to ensure that all students Table 5 presents the participants’ self-per-
have equal access to technology to prevent the ceived competence in using educational tech-
nology.
The results show that the participants have since email has been a standard form of com-
varying levels of competence in using different munication for many years. However, they re-
types of technology. Participants reported high ported low levels of competence in creating
levels of competence in using email for corre- their own presentation graphics (mean = 2.01)
spondence (mean = 2.12), which is expected and manipulating digital images using software
(mean = 2.39). These results suggest that par- Significant Relationship between the Teach-
ticipants may need training or additional re- ers’ Attitude and Competence in the Use of
sources to improve their skills in using these Educational Technology
technologies. Table 6 shows the Pearson-r correlation be-
It is also noteworthy that participants re- tween the teachers’ attitudes and competence
ported moderate competence in creating tests, in using educational technology. The sample
seat works, and summative assessments using size for this study is 216. The correlation
MS Word (mean = 3.58). coefficient (r) is 0.054, which indicates a weak
This finding suggests that teachers are fa- positive relationship between the teachers’ at-
miliar with using standard office software for titudes and competence. The p-value is 0.433,
creating assessments. Additionally, they re- more significant than the standard alpha level
ported a higher level of competence in making of 0.05, meaning that the relationship between
lesson plans and computing grades using Word attitude and competence is not statistically sig-
and Excel, respectively (Mean = 3.66), indicat- nificant.
ing that teachers may be more comfortable us- This result implies that having a positive at-
ing these tools for tasks related to their teach- titude toward using educational technology
ing responsibilities. does not necessarily translate into greater
Furthermore, the participants reported low competence. This finding is consistent with
competence in delivering their courses over the previous studies that suggest that attitude and
web (mean = 2.19) or interactive video confer- competence are two distinct constructs that
encing (mean = 2.27). These results suggest may not be related to each other (Banister &
that participants may not have experience or Meriac, 2015; Scrabis-Fletcher & Silverman,
training in delivering online courses or utilizing 2017; Cutillas, 2017; Mota & Cilento, 2020).
video conferencing tools, which may become Therefore, it is vital to provide adequate train-
increasingly important as online and blended ing and support to teachers to enhance their
learning become more prevalent. competence in using educational technology,
Overall, Table 5 suggests that while the par- regardless of their attitude.
ticipants may have some level of competence in Moreover, this result has important impli-
using technology, there is room for improve- cations for teacher training programs and pro-
ment, particularly in areas such as creating fessional development initiatives. Teachers’ re-
presentation graphics and delivering courses luctance to use educational technology may
through online platforms. Teachers’ lack of benefit from training programs focusing on
competence in using technology can negatively practical skills and hands-on experience rather
affect their ability to incorporate technology than simply changing their attitude (Hat-
into their teaching and limit students’ access to zigianni & Kalaitzidis, 2018; Dicdiquin et al,
technology-based learning experiences (Al- 2023). On the other hand, teachers who have a
Taweel et al., 2021; Abu Talib, 2021). There- positive attitude toward educational technol-
fore, schools must provide professional devel- ogy may benefit from more advanced training
opment opportunities for teachers to improve that focuses on developing their competence
their competence in using technology and en- and expertise (Canals & Al-Rawashdeh, 2019).
sure that teachers have access to the necessary
resources to incorporate technology into their
teaching effectively.
Hence, the weak positive correlation be- Overall, the results of this study suggest
tween attitude and competence in using educa- that elementary school teachers in this setting
tional technology suggests that teachers’ atti- have a positive attitude towards educational
tudes towards it are not a reliable predictor of technology, moderate levels of competence in
their competence. Therefore, teacher training using it, and are incorporating technology into
programs and professional development initia- their teaching practices to some extent. How-
tives should focus on developing practical skills ever, there is still room for improvement in in-
and providing support to enhance teachers’ creasing the percentage of teachers who have
competence in using educational technology. received relevant ICT training and providing
Based on the study’s main findings, the ele- more support and guidance for teachers to use
mentary school had a positive attitude toward educational technology to design student-cen-
educational technology. This is consistent with tered activities. The findings of this study can
previous research indicating that a positive at- inform the development of programs and inter-
titude is crucial in effectively integrating educa- ventions to improve the pedagogical compe-
tional technology into teaching and learning tence of elementary school teachers toward ed-
(Aslan & Zhu, 2017). Notably, most respond- ucational technology in this setting.
ents agreed that educational technology can
enhance student learning, motivation, and Conclusion
engagement. This indicates that elementary Based on the findings, it can be concluded
school teachers recognize the potential bene- that integrating educational technology in the
fits of using educational technology in their teaching and learning process is essential for
teaching practices. delivering high-quality education in the 21st
The results showed that the elementary century. However, educational technology’s ef-
school teachers in this study had moderate lev- fectiveness depends on teachers’ pedagogical
els of competence in using educational technol- competence in using technology to support
ogy. The respondents reported being most teaching and learning. Teachers’ attitudes and
competent in using presentation software, fol- competence toward technology are reciprocal,
lowed by learning management systems and and a positive attitude toward technology can
multimedia authoring tools. This suggests that lead to higher levels of competence. In compar-
elementary school teachers are familiar with ison, higher levels of competence can reinforce
essential educational technology tools but may a positive attitude toward technology. Effective
need more training and support in using more integration of educational technology requires
advanced tools. The results also showed a sig- a strategic approach, and teachers need to be
nificant relationship between teachers’ atti- able to adapt their teaching practices to the
tudes and competence in using educational changing needs and demands of their students.
technology, consistent with previous research There is a need to increase the percentage of
(Hatzigianni & Kalaitzidis, 2018; Islahi, 2019; teachers who have received relevant ICT train-
Şahin & Han, 2020; Ocampo et al., 2023). ing to improve teacher competence in integrat-
Regarding strategies for integrating educa- ing educational technology into the teaching
tional technology into the teaching and learn- and learning process.
ing process, the results showed that most re-
spondents reported using technology to en- References
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