The effectiveness of the DECS mass training program in upgrading NCR teachers for the SEDP Math IV curriculum

• Main Author: Laganson, Elvie N.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 1992
• Subjects: Educational program; Mathematics teachers; Mathematics > Teacher training; Teachers; Training of; Teaching effectiveness; Curriculum and Instruction; Design of Experiments and Sample Surveys; Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research; Science and Mathematics Education; Statistics and Probability
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_masteral/1432
• Institution: De La Salle University

Mass trainings throughout the Philippines were initiated by the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS) since 1989 because of curriculum change in the secondary education. This is known as the Secondary Education Development Program, commonly called SEDP. One of the changes in the mathematics curriculum is in content. The topics intended for each year level follow a spiral development. This means that there is now a cross-linking of Arithmetic, Algebra, geometry, statistics and trigonometry unlike in the previous curriculum where a linear list of these topics were followed. In the old Math IV curriculum, the concentration of the topic was on Algebra, but now it is a combination of Arithmetic, Geometry, Algebra, Statistics and Trigonometry ranging from simple to complex. For a successful implementation of this program, DECS initiated mass trainings of all secondary school teachers not only in mathematics but in all subject areas in cooperation with other agencies. The mass training in Math IV was held at the Regional Educational Learning Center in Marikina from April 20 to May 4 and May 18 to June 1, 1992 for the first and second batches, respectively. It was attended by 281 Math IV teachers coming from the four divisions of the NCR namely, Caloocan, Manila, Pasay and Quezon City. In this study, the researcher examines whether the mass training in the NCR is effective in upgrading the Math IV teachers for the SEDP Curriculum, specifically in their knowledge of content. To determine this, the diagnostic and achievement tests and questionnaires were given before and after the mass training. These instruments were constructed and validated by the researcher. Based from the results of the test, the mass training was successful in upgrading the knowledge and skills of the participants as shown by the increase in their posttest scores. Ninety-seven percent of the participants had a significant increase in the posttest scores determined by comparing the score gained to the critical value (8.64) at 5 percent level of significance. Out of these 60 percent were considered satisfactorily upgraded. From the computed t-value, it was shown that there was a significant difference in the participants' achievements before and after the mass training. From the questionnaires, at least 50 percent of the participants indicated that all the topics were new to them and the most to be expected during the training is on upgrading their knowledge of SEDP Math IV. As perceived by them which was shown in the evaluation, almost all the objectives of the mass training were carried out, meeting their expectations, teaching and content needs. They gave an overall rating of 4.45 which is close to the maximum positive rating of 5. The result of this study indicates that the mass training has increased the possibility of the successful implementation of the SEDP Math IV Curriculum.