Institutional Characteristics, Mathematics Teacher Educator Qualities and Extent of Curriculum Adaptation

Abstract

The study aimed to explore institutional characteristics, qualities of mathematics teacher educators (MTEs), and extent of curriculum adaptation by an institution and by MTEs as to adaptation time, compliance level, and degree of innovation in adapting the revises Bachelor of Secondary Education-Mathematics (BSEd-Math) curriculum, as well as the effects of institutional characteristics and MTE qualities on the extent of curriculum adaptation at the institutional and classroom levels. At the classroom level, curriculum adaptation by the MTEs focused on the use of inquiry mathematics teaching and technology integration in their BSEd-Math classes.

Combining qualitative and quantitative approaches, the mixed-methods research was conducted in 10 state teacher education institutions (TEIs) in Central Luzon offering the BSED-Math curriculum. Initially, survey data were collected from 10 administrators and 37 MTEs from the 10 states’ TEIs. For the follow-up inquiry, one low-performing, one middle-performing, and two high-performing institutions were selected based on the numbers of their BSED-Math graduates and percentages of passers in the Licensure Examination for Teachers in the last five years prior to the survey. Data were gathered through interviews with MTEs and BSED-Math students, classroom observation, and related documents. The content-validated survey instruments were tried out in two satellite campuses of a state university in the Region, yielding acceptable Cronbach alpha coefficients (0.77 to 0.85). Triangulation was used to establish the credibility and authenticity of the information. Qualitative data were content analyzed and coded using appropriate rubrics for quantitative treatment. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, linear regression, and correlation. Critical comparative analysis was also used to explores the underlying factors of curriculum adaptation at the institutional and classroom levels.

Typically, the Level III accredited multi-campus state TEIs with corresponding budget allocations from the national government showed prompt adoption, high compliance, and moderate innovation in their adapted BSED-Math curricula. The MTEs generally indicated eclectic views and practices that emphasized both traditional and inquiry teaching, as well as high levels of self-efficacy and technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPCK). Likewise, they typically indicated early adoption, moderate compliance, and high innovation in inquiry teaching; but late adoption, low compliance, and moderate innovation in technology integration. Teachers, students and administrators shared categorically similar perceptions about the MTEs’ high innovation in inquiry-based activities but low to moderate use of technology integration. In general, data from the respondents and related documents provided support of the extent of curriculum adaptation by the TEIs and MTEs. From the combined analysis of quantitative-qualitative data, institutional factors of curriculum adaptation include accreditation, structural setup, budget and resources, as well as leadership of administrators, number of qualified faculty, stakeholder participation, and external linkages. However, only the number of accredited programs had a significant effect on compliance level. Meanwhile, significant factors affecting teacher adaptation are self-efficacy and TPCK, as well as attendance in and conduct of seminars and training. Additional factors of classroom adaptation drawn from the qualitative data include teaching philosophy, readiness for innovation, and creativity, as well as recurrent themes like professional development, administrative support, availability of resources, and cognitive demand of subjects.

Suggestions for improving policy and practice were recommended for the TEIs to intensify accreditation and upgrading of facilities with the active participation of stakeholders, for the MTEs to continuously improve their qualities like self-efficacy and TPCK for effective curriculum implementation in their classes, and for the national agencies and recognized centers to continue assisting the TEIs through faculty development and curriculum revision in view of the ASEAN integration. Recommendations for further research include the conduct of studies with similar or modified research designs, selection of larger sample sizes with random sampling, use of more objective measures, and inclusion of other variables associated with curriculum adaptation to address reliability, credibility, validity, and generalizability of results.