ASSESSING THE LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS OF TVE TEACHERS
OF INCAT IN ADAPTING ROBOTICS IN THEIR FIELD OF SPECIALIZATION:
A BASIS FOR A CAPABILITY-BUILDING PROGRAM
A Research Proposal
Presented to
MARLOWE U. AQUINO, Ph.D.
Mariano Marcos State University
Graduate School
In Partial Fulfillment of the Course Requirements
for the Degree of Master of Arts in Education
Major in Technical-Vocational Education
By:
BAGAOISAN, Niel Meldrich D.
April 2022
CHAPTER I
THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND
INTRODUCTION
The occurrence of the COVID 19 pandemic affected the lives of thousands of people
in a global scale. The disease was so contagious that it mutated to several variants within a
short period of time. People who were sick and those with low health status were at risk to the
infection. Due to these risks which resulted to the disruption and recession of global economies
and health threats, travel restrictions were administered as well as closure of educational
institutions.
In order to control the spread of the virus and to avoid further risks of infection, most
countries have closed temporarily the schools and face to face engagements (Trias, 2020). The
Philippines is one of the countries that suffered most during this pandemic. And as of now, the
Philippines is in the process of coping up to the demands of the new normal especially on the
education sector. Despite these hard times, educators are continuously dealing with the
difficulties and constantly innovates for the betterment of the Philippine education system.
Stakeholders’ active involvement and support is also one of the driving forces towards success.
In order to continue serving the Filipino people and to fulfill its mandate which is to provide
quality education to every Filipino learner, the Department of Education adapted the Blended
Learning and Distance Learning Modalities as a new way to deliver quality education for all.
Blended Learning comprises a limited face-to-face class and distance asynchronous
class. Distance Learning Modality, on the other hand, is a learning modality wherein the
learning takes place between the teacher and the learner who are remote from each other. This
learning modality has four parts or types namely: Printed Module Distance Learning Modality
(PMDL), Digitized Module Distance Learning Modality (DMDL) and Online Distance
Learning Modality (ODL). (Quinones, 2020) With the present status of the locality, most
schools are leaning more in adapting blended learning as their mode of teaching delivery.
The new mode of teaching requires new methodologies, educational technologies, and
pedagogies. Education is now entering the digital era. Pedagogies have evolved to incorporate
digital technology. Teaching techniques are now a hybrid of face-to-face and some other mix
of virtual interfaces. Traditional text-based learning gives way to text-plus-multimedia
learning. According to Briones (2019), “One of the most significant developments on Earth, at
this time, is what we describe as the Fourth Industrial Revolution… And this is the march of
the world — including all of us — into the digital age.” The Philippine Education System is
now entering the digital age and gradually adapting the concepts of AI technology and
Robotics. It was pointed out by DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones during her talk at the Siliman
University the importance of AI especially during the Fourth Industrial Revolution (FIRe)
especially on developing educational institutions in a speedy pace.
The Schools Division of Laoag City started their initiative in adapting robotics in the
different subject areas by immediately conducting webinar introducing the robots that the
teachers may use in their classrooms. According to the Division Memo #112921-1390, the
Division of Laoag City, in cooperation with Creotec Philippines, conducted webinar on
innovative teaching strategies through robotics. This was conducted without prior assessment
of teachers who really need the skills that the webinar delivers.
With the high level of digital and technological needs in the new normal, teachers must
be assessed of their readiness on the needed competencies in robotics in order to have a baseline
data as to where to start capacitating them. Hence, this study is imperative.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
This study aims to assess the level of readiness of TVE teachers of INCAT in adapting
robotics in their field of specialization.
More specifically, the researcher seeks to answer the following questions:
1. What is the profile of the teacher respondents as to:
1.1 Age;
1.2 Sex;
1.3 Civil Status;
1.4 Educational Attainment;
1.5 Teaching Position;
1.6 Length of service;
1.7 Teaching Experience;
1.8 Field of specialization; and
1.9 Number of robotics-related trainings/seminars/webinars attended?
2. What is the level of competence of TVE teacher in terms of:
2.1 knowledge of basic robotics learning objectives;
2.2 knowledge of basic robotics content;
2.3 skills in the utilization of the concept of robotics in their instructional
design model;
2.4 skills in the preparation of instructional materials imbued with the
concept of robotics; and
2.5 skills in the evaluation of learners’ performance?
3. How ready are the TVE teachers of INCAT in adapting robotics in their
field of specialization?
4. What capability-building program can be developed to enhance the
proficiency of TVE teachers in adapting robotics in their field of
specialization?
ASSUMPTION
The researcher is guided by the following assumptions: The teachers have already
acquired sufficient knowledge on their field of specializations and prior competencies
pertaining robotics, hence the feedback will be based on the actual level of competence of
teachers in adapting robotics in their field of specialization.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The use of robotics in education gives learners an edge in the utilization of new
technologies upon accomplishing their studies. By assessing the readiness level of teachers,
their skills and knowledge in robotics will be empowered by conducting trainings and seminars
that will capacitate them based on the competencies they need. Robotics could aid educators in
delivering their lessons and meeting competencies in their major field of specialization. The
adaptation of the concepts of robotics in the different field of specialization will help the
learners in adapting to new technological trends in industries and tech-voc-related institutions.
School. This research undertaking will assist schools in capacitating their teachers to
provide quality and up-to-date education to the school’s clienteles.
TVE Teachers. This study is expected to assess the readiness of TVE teachers in order
to effectively capacitate them and update their skills pertaining the latest trends in tech-voc
education specifically on robotics technology.
Students. This study is deemed relevant to present-day trends as the Philippine
Education System slowly embracing the concepts of robotics and artificial intelligence.
The School Management. The results and findings of this study will be helpful for
them to provide insights to make necessary actions to be taken up in capacitating teachers.
After conducting the study, the teachers are expected to produce work-ready and globally
competitive graduates.
The Future Researchers. This is a modest attempt for the future researchers that will
undergo a research project or similar and parallel study regarding robotics in education.
DEFINITION OF TERMS
The following terminologies are defined operational and conceptual meaning in order
to understand better the researcher conducting this study.

Robotics: This is an interdisciplinary sector of science and engineering
dedicated to the design, construction and function of mechanical robots which
are used across industries.

Robotics Education: This enables students of all ages to become familiar with
and deepen their knowledge of robotics and programming, while at the same
time learning other cognitive skills.

Robots: These are any automatically operated machine that replaces human
effort, though it may not resemble human beings in appearance or perform
functions in a humanlike manner. (H. Peter, 2021)

Technical-Vocational Education (TVE): This is the education or training
process where it involves, in addition to general education, the study of
technologies and related sciences and acquisition of practical skills relating to
occupations in various sectors of economic life and social life, comprises formal
(organized programs as part of the school system) and non-formal (organized
classes outside the school system) approaches. (UNESCO)

TVE Teachers: These are educators that specializes in technical-vocational
education.

Fourth Industrial Revolution in Education (FIRE): This is rooted in the
integration of networked technologies to facilitate automation with the onset of
artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things being used in our everyday
lives. The application of such automation is also found in the education sector.

Makeblock mBot: this is a robot with wheels designed to introduce children to
robotics, programming, and electronics. It is easy to assemble and easy to
control thanks to Scratch-based software designed for children. Its compatibility
with the Makeblock platform and its electronic parts based on the Arduino opensource ecosystem allow more experienced users to create more complex robots.

Robo Wunderkind: it consists in a set of blocks that the children can connect
as they wish to build their own robot. Each block has a function identified with
a colour (camera microphone, motion sensors...) and, after building their robot,
the children can use an app to program it to react to certain noises, avoid
obstacles or play music when someone approaches, among other functions.

OWI 535: it is a robotic arm suitable for young people aged 13 or over. It can
lift objects weighing up to 100 grams and has a wide variety of movements on
which students can program customizations. This robot is also recommended
for vocational training cycles.

LEGO Mindstorms EV3: this is a robotics set that includes several sensors,
three servomotors and over 500 LEGO Technic components, thanks to which
students can create different robots capable of moving, shooting, crawling, etc.
It is controlled via a simple and intuitive programming interface and is available
in two versions: Home and Education. This robot is recommended for children
over 10 years old.

NAO: it is one of the world's most popular educational robots. It is a 58-cm
high humanoid robot that is constantly evolving. As well as two cameras and
four microphones, it has a a great many sensors that allow it to interact with the
environment in a similar way to humans. NAO can observe, listen, have
conversations, and teach any subject. Its faculties and several programming
levels enable its integration into the learning process of students from age 5 up
to university level.
CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES
This chapter cited some literature and studies to point out the relevance of the study to
the observations and findings already made of related fields of human interest. These were
included to establish a fairly solid theoretical foundation and justification of the study and it
may serve as open avenues to enrich a wider spectrum of ideas to the researchers who may be
interested in undertaking a similar study.
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
The review of literature and studies composed of the following topics on the
development of interactive learning material in EPAS. The following topics to be discussed
are: Philippine Education for all 2015, K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum, Technical
Vocational Education, Industrial Arts, Electronics Technology as a subject and Interactive
Learning Materials.
This section of the paper presents some articles related to the topic organized based on
the following: Philippine Education for all 2015, K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum,
Technical Vocational Education, Industrial Arts, Robotics Technology Benefits and
Curriculum in Education.
Philippine Education for All 2015
The right of every Filipino to quality basic education is further emphasized in Republic
Act 9155 or the Governance of Basic Education Act of 2001. Along with Republic Act 6655
or the Free Secondary Education Act, these laws reaffirm the policy of the State to protect and
promote the rights of all Filipinos by providing children free and compulsory education in the
elementary and high school level. This pertains to six years of free tuition fees for children
aged 6 to 11, and free four years of secondary schooling for those aged 12 to 15 (Philippine
Education for All 2015).
A country’s vision of inclusive growth and development entails investment in human
capital, particularly through the provision of quality basic education, competitive technical
vocational skills training, and relevant and responsive higher education as stated in the
Philippine Development Plan 2011-2016. The current administration has placed a high regard
for education and has pushed for educational reforms that promote inclusive education
especially for the marginalized. Education, being the priority of the government, has produced
active public-private partnerships over the years both at the national and the school levels. The
fruits of the past and the current EFA-related programs and projects resulted in increased
performance of the country in most of the EFA indicators. However, currently, there are still
some gaps in performance which require greater efforts to accelerate and reach national EFA
targets by 2015 (Philippine Education for All 2015 Assessment).
The Philippine Education for All (EFA) 2015 is a vision and holistic program of
reforms that aim to improve access and quality of basic education for every Filipino by 2015.
Providing education to all Filipinos opened alternative learning system to complement formal
schooling to reach and better serve those in difficult circumstances. This entails not only the
Department of Education but the involvement of the entire society, including national and local
government agencies and civil society organizations as providers of basic learning needs (LCC
DepEd, 2017).
Furthermore, in 2015 the Education for All (EFA) initiatively included provisions to
ensure all Filipinos were able to achieve what UNESCO calls “functional literacy”, the ability
to read, write and do calculations at a level that is sufficient for the country in which a particular
person lives. Further supporting the K-12 reform, the government set four key objectives for
the EFA initiative: providing education options for all out-of-school adults and young people;
eliminating dropouts and repetition during the first three years of school; encouraging the
completion of a full cycle of basic schooling to a satisfactory level at every grade by all Filipino
children; and committing to the attainment of basic education competencies for everyone. In
fact, recognition of the need to move towards K-12 was evident much earlier. In 2005 the
government promised, under the Basic Education Reform Agenda, to remove all hurdles
limiting access to and delivery of basic education, whether regulatory, structural, financial, or
institutional. The policy involved five key thrusts: school-based management; the development
of teacher education; national learning strategies; quality assurance and accountability; and
changes to the administration of DepEd, using the latest technology to ensure more effective
use of resources, whether staff or funds (Oxford Business Group, 2021).
K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum (BEC)
Basic Education Curriculum (BEC), this is a form of tool which will stand as one point
of learning areas as adequate for the development of competencies starting from Basic
education up to the second level of which is renounced as high school. This will focus more on
developing knowledge, skills, habits, and attitudes through the guidance of educationalist
assigned. As for 2015, wide grounding has been made for the Philippine Education for All
which is known as EFA.
K-12 extends compulsory schooling to grades 11 and 12, adding two years to secondary
school, and makes secondary education compulsory. Prior to its implementation, the
Philippines was the only country in Asia, and one of only a few in the world, to have a basic
education system of just 10 years. The EBEA also mandated kindergarten as the start of
compulsory formal education, while the Kindergarten Act of 2012 made pre-school free. In
August 2016, 1.5 M Filipino children attended 11th grade, with senior school students choosing
between four tracks through the system: academic, technical-vocational, sports or the arts.
Much of the opposition to the initiative, which triggered five separate petitions to the Supreme
Court, centered on whether the country’s teachers, schools and administration were able to
implement the reform. President Duterte expressed skepticism about the program before he
was elected but changed his mind in May 2016 after a delegation from DepEd told him that the
change was necessary, as Filipino students were falling behind their neighbors (Oxford
Business Group, 2021).
K to 12 program implementations aimed at creating more skilled students with basic
skills for lifelong learning and employment. This program promoted the mutual recognition of
Filipino learners and professionals in other countries because they were able to master the skills
and learn the core competencies which were necessary to meet the demands of the global
market. This new program created learners who have been prepared for jobs, entrepreneurship,
and middle-level skills development since they had to graduate on the program at the age of 18
(Calbi, et.al. (2019).
Learners who graduated under this course were considered young adults so, they were
prepared with the qualifications because they struggled with much higher learning when they
entered tertiary education. This new education scheme in the Philippines has given the students
the chance to choose on their own as they pursue a specific track that made them successful in
a certain area. The government claimed that this placed Filipino learners at the same level as
the rest of the world as they obtained a spot in the competitive labor market (http://
k12philippines.com/three-practical-benefits-of-the-philippines-k-to-12-curriculum/). Through
these specializations, learners were prepared in a holistic way as they faced the upcoming
future.
In Abueva, A. (2019), implementing the K-12 Program in the Philippine Curriculum of
Basic Education was the key to the growth of our country. Although the government has faced
many problems as it implements the program over several years, it has been a necessary
improvement as it has been critical to the success of our nation to increase the quality of our
education.
As stated in Cruz, I., (2010), in one of his columns in a local newspaper, he pointed out
the following reasons why we should support the K to 12 basic education system in the
Philippine basic education curriculum, which enables students to have sufficient training time
to carry out subject-related tasks that have made them more ready in different subjects, the
students of this program are well qualified to enter the workforce, and the Filipino graduates
are immediately accepted as professionals abroad, adopting the universal standard of education
followed by all nations.
From a positive point of view, the K to 12 program offers a greater solution to the
problems that the country was facing, particularly in the employment phase, as the Filipino
graduates worked abroad. These problems include the need for teachers to be trained in
pedagogy, education research, measurement and evaluation, and classroom management (Bala,
C., 2017) to ensure that instructions are delivered in a meaningful way and a lack of government
budget to provide the necessary resources to support this new curriculum, including junior and
senior high school teachers.
Despite all the problems found as a result of the implementation of this new curriculum,
many had believed that the long-term effects of the K to 12 programs were very beneficial to
all Filipino graduates. Therefore, support and encouragement for the betterment of the new
educational system implemented by the government be shown by all Filipinos. By investing
more time and resources to education, national growth and development can truly be achieved.
In short, the features of K to 12 Curriculum are: 1) Strengthening early childhood education
(Universal Kindergarten) wherein every Filipino child now has access to early childhood
education through Universal Kindergarten; at 5 years old, children start schooling and are given
the means to slowly adjust to formal education; children who complete a standards-based
Kindergarten program are better prepared, for primary education; and Kindergarten students
learn the alphabet, numbers, shapes, and colors through games, songs, and dances, in their
Mother Tongue; 2) Making the curriculum relevant to learners (Contextualization and
Enhancements); 3) Building proficiency (Mother Tongue-based Multilingual Education); 4)
Ensuring integrated and seamless learning (Spiral Progression); 5) Gearing up for the future;
and 5) Nurturing the holistically developed Filipino (College and Livelihood Readiness, 21st
Century Skills). (https://www.deped.gov.ph/k-to-12/about/features/)
The K to 12 BEC Program Guide
In Kindergarten, students will learn numbers, alphabet, colors, and shapes. Learning
will take place through dances, games, and songs and the medium of instruction is in the child’s
mother tongue. While students in Grades 1 to 10 will experience an enhanced, context-based,
and spiral progression-learning curriculum with the following subjects: Mother Tongue,
Filipino, English, Mathematics, Science, Araling Panlipunan, Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao
(EsP), Music, Arts, Physical Education, Health, Edukasyong Pantahanan at Pangkabuhayan
(EPP), and Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE). Grades 11-12 (Senior High), Core
Curriculum will be taught, along with a Specific Track chosen by the student. There are seven
learning areas under the core curriculum, these are Languages, Literature, Communication,
Mathematics, Philosophy, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences. Current contents from some
General Education subjects are embedded in the SHS curriculum. On the other hand, the
Specific Tracks are: Academic Track (Accountancy, Business and Management (ABM),
Humanities, and Social Sciences (HUMSS), and Science, Technology, Engineering,
Mathematics
(STEM);
Technical-Vocational-Livelihood;
and
Sports
and
Arts.
(https://k12philippines.com/an-overview-of-the-new-k-to-12-curriculum-in-the-philippines/)
To highlight its worth in the K-12 Curriculum, the Department of Education (DepEd) has
formed a Technical Vocational unit in the Bureau of Secondary Education. This unit needs
strengthening as one of the three key strands that will prepare high school graduates by arming
them with skills for employment.
Contrary to what most people think, the K-12 program trains students in joining the
workforce as early as 7th grade. The TLE or Technology and Livelihood Education subjects in
Junior High School (JHS) cover the guidelines of the Technical Education and Skills
Development Authority (TESDA). This will allow the students to earn a National Certification
(NC) required by the industry.
Each TLE subject in Grades 7 and 8 is exploratory. This means each student has the
chance to explore the following four main courses of TLE: 1) Agri-Fishery Arts; 2) Home
Economics; 3) Information and Communications Technology (ICT); and 4) Industrial Arts.
Students can choose a maximum of four TLE mini courses in Grade 7 and another four in
Grade 8 that the school offers per locality’s needs and school assets. In this grade levels, the
student will not earn yet a Certificate of Competency (COC). The exploratory courses are a
prelude to earn a COC in Grade 9 and an NC I/II in 10th grade.
In Grade 9 and 10, the student chooses one course only to focus on among the exploratory
courses chose in 7th and 8th grades. Under this level, the student can earn a COC. This allows
the student to get at least an NC Level I or II (NC I or II) based on the chosen TLE course.
JHS graduates or incoming Grade 11 students will study core compulsory subjects and
a required specialty. They can choose from the three main tracks such as Academic, Technical–
Vocational-Livelihood (TVL), and Sports and Arts. If the student chooses the TVL track as
specialty in Senior High School (SHS), he/she will continue the TLE course studied in Grade
9 and 10. This will allow the student to earn NC II as credentials in applying for a job or work
after SHS graduation. Yet if the student will study further and can pursue the TVL track to earn
a bachelor’s degree in a related field. (https://k12philippines.com/what-is-k-12s-technicalvocational-livelihood-track/)
Technical-Vocational Education
Technical-Vocational (Tech-Voc) courses are part of the non-formal education in the
Philippines. Under the Republic Act 7796, the Technical Education and Skills Development
Authority (TESDA) is mandated to provide technical education and skills development
programs for the Filipino learners.
The tech-voc programs allow out-of-school-youth and other interested students to learn
practical skills that will prepare them for employment. Over the last years, more and more
individuals are enrolling to TESDA-certified short courses being offered by various institutions
throughout the country. In an October 2017 survey report of the Philippine Statistics Authority
more than 2 million individuals enrolled and graduated under the Technical-Vocational
Education and Training programs. This program is open to all individuals even without college
degrees, though there are documents enrollees may be required to submit such as picture, birth
certificate, high school diploma, or Alternative Learning System certificate. Tech-Voc
primarily involves theoretical and practical training in the acquisition of relevant skills for
various occupations across different economic sectors. The short courses usually range from 2
months to 1-year programs (Nucum, 2018).
The TVE curriculum as described utilizes competency-based education that aims to
develop technical workers equipped with high behavioral and thinking competency concerning
technical tasks (Salleh and Sulaiman, 2015). Likewise, teaching approaches play a vital role in
delivering the curriculum. Students’ interest and the varying demands of different learning and
teaching styles may broaden the teachers’ teaching styles and approaches. It may guide them
in improving their attitude and behavior towards learning as well as their competencies (Yusof,
Roddin and Awang, 2015).
Esguerra and Orbeta (2016) suggested that technical vocational education must make
training continuously relevant to industry needs. There is a need for a continued review of
curriculums and training regulations. There must be a mechanism for establishing or convening
of industry councils for regular labor market signaling. TVET must address specific skill needs
of roadmaps and important value chains. The TVI-industry linkages must be increased.
Relevance of training should ultimately be measured by the employment rates of trainees.
The study of Audu et al., (2013) discussed that the goals of TVE shall be to provide
trained manpower in the applied sciences, technology and business particularly at craft
(equivalent of high schools), advanced craft and technical levels; provide the technical
knowledge and vocational skills necessary for agricultural, commercial and economic
development; to give training and impart the necessary skills to individuals who shall be selfreliant economically. At all levels of the nation’s educational system and for all known and
existing school types, instructional facilities or teaching and learning materials are an
indispensable factor in the attainment of the goals.
Robotics Technology Benefits and Curriculum in Education
Robotics is the combination of science, engineering, and technology that results in
devices called robots that imitate human actions. (Bultin, 2020) Robots are the products of the
field of robotics. These are machines that can be programmed to assist humans. The original
plan for robots were to handle monotonous tasks like building or assembly. However, since the
advancement of technology, robots developed to perform tasks from cleaning homes to
performing intricate surgeries. With this technological advancement in the society, teachers
must be equipped with ample skills and knowledge in order to mold modern learners to be
globally competitive.
The study of robotics, according to Anthony Gabitan, head of the Philippine Robotics
Team, is critical in tackling the country's current and future difficulties. "Studying robotics and
related conventions and competitions creates an awareness of technology... that we have to use
equipment and tools to achieve our objectives... that almost everything is now automated, there
are machines we use, and robotics is not exclusive to the idea of humanoids only," Gabitan told
Philippine News Agency.
Furthermore, Robotics, according to Genevieve Pillar, prepares students for future
work. This applies the technology, mathematics, computer, science, and also promotes
innovation. it is also reiterated that if the education sector will not make its move in adapting
the new trends in robotics in education, it will give a negative impact on the future workers of
the society, who are the learners of today.
According to Anne Sevilla, robotics as a topic is only used or taught at scientific high
schools, but it has become an elective in other high schools as a result of the K to 12 Program.
The notion of robotics is new to the department, and they are considering expanding their
present program and adding it into the DepEd curriculum. Robotics goods are beneficial to
human existence and quality of life; so, their study should be encouraged among all learners.
As such, it is a must that the 21st century educators must be capacitated with proper
skills and knowledge in robotics technology and education.
REVIEW OF RELATED STUDIES
This section of the paper presents some studies related to the topic organized based on
the following: Educational Technology Resources in Teaching and Learning Process, Robotics
in Education and Robotics for Education, and Robotics in Education & Education in Robotics.
Educational Technology Resources
in Teaching and Learning Process
Educational technology is a field of study that investigates the process of analyzing,
designing, developing, implementing, and evaluating the instructional environment and
learning materials in order to improve teaching and learning. It is important to keep in mind
that the purpose of educational technology (also referred as instructional technology) is to
improve education. We must define the goals and needs of education first and then we use all
our knowledge, including technology, to design the most effective learning environment for
students in accordance with the latest trends in education and society. Instructional technology
can also be seen as a process of solving educational problems and concerns as well as a way to
migrate skills and competencies from traditional to contemporary. First, the problem or concern
is identified, an analysis of the factors of the problem is made, and possible solutions to the
problem are presented. Then, the student population and the curriculum are analyzed. The next
step is to select the most appropriate instructional strategies for the situation. Next is to
capacitate teachers regarding the updated skills and knowledge in order to cope up with the
latest trends in terms of instructional strategies and technologies. Next, instructional materials
and resources are selected and constructed that are suitable for the curriculum and the mode of
instruction chosen. Finally, the program is implemented, evaluated, and revised as needed in
order to meet the stated goals for school improvement. (Kurt, S. 2015).
Teachers in the public schools and faculty at universities need to have proper skills and
knowledge pertaining the latest trends in educational technology in order to understand what
types of materials are needed and available, how to use them, why they should be used, when
they should be used, and how to integrate them into the teaching/learning environment in order
to meet the ultimate goal of improving education. Teachers also need to seriously consider how
these newer materials can affect what and how we learn and teach (Kurt, S. 2015).
Technology can be used to perpetuate a teacher-led, knowledge-based learning
approach or it can be used to help us implement a student-centered, constructivist, and
progressive approach. We need to help teachers to understand the bigger picture of how
robotics technology can revolutionize education. Just teaching teachers how to use the latest
trends in technology will lead to enhancing a knowledge-level educational system. Teaching
them the real potentials of these technologies will lead to promoting higher-level thinking,
independent learning, and life-long learning (Kurt, S. 2015).
Robotics in Education and Robotics for Education
According to B. Curto (2020), Robotics in Education (R-in-E) aims to improve the
learning abilities of future technicians, engineers, and scientists via the use of robot-based
projects. Presenting robots in the classroom will provide students a more fascinating (and
enjoyable) perspective of technology, science and engineering, and they will be able to see
firsthand the practical application of theoretical principles in the disciplines of mathematics
and technology, both in school and in college. R-in-E is inclusive in character, which may
inspire students to focus their studies on technology or science-related disciplines. From the
standpoint of the educational institutions, robot-based initiatives have assembled important
competencies from their start. This will assist students in expanding their knowledge, as well
as technicians, engineers, and scientists in the twenty-first century.
Educational robotics programs have grown in popularity in most industrialized nations
and are becoming more common in underdeveloped countries as well. Robotics is used to
educate students at all levels of school problem solving, programming, design, physics,
arithmetic, and even music and art. It presents an overview of some of the most important
robotics programs, as well as the robot platforms and programming environments that are often
utilized. As with robot systems used in education and research, hardware and software are
always being developed and upgraded – hence this presents a snapshot of the technologies in
use at the moment. The study concluded with a discussion of the assessment methodologies
that may be used to determine if a certain robotics curriculum is beneficial to learners.
Robotics in Education & Education in Robotics
It is emphasized in the study conducted by Dimitri Alimisis the significance of
constructivist pedagogy and the resulting pedagogical approaches when employing robotics in
school education (Robotics in Education) or when training teachers to utilize robotics for
teaching reasons (Education in Robotics). Constructivist techniques for integrating robots in
school physics and informatics instruction, as well as professional teacher training, are
proposed in the framework of the aforementioned study. Exemplary projects from each
scenario are shown to demonstrate the learning potential of the proposed instructional
techniques engaging teachers and students while employing robotics to study kinematics and
programming concepts in secondary education physics and informatics classes, respectively.
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
This study is anchored with Computational Thinking Theory, Constructionism,
Educational Robotics, Growth Mindset, and Theory on Stages of Competence.
Computational Thinking
This philosophy or approach includes important problem-solving processes and
concepts derived from computer science, such as problem-solving, abstraction, decomposition,
algorithms, and abstraction. Computational Thinking, in broad terms, is a style of thinking
about and solving issues that is founded in computer science. Furthermore, it includes the many
methodologies used to program computers and may be used outside of computer programming
with the purpose of efficiency and beauty, i.e., doing a lot with a little.
It summarizes the mental habits or talents defined by the use of computers to solve
complicated issues or, drawing from computer science, creating problem-solving skills such as
abstraction, pattern generalization, algorithmic thinking, decomposition, automation, and
recursion.
Constructionism
Constructionism is a learning theory that proposes that children's learning may be
boosted by including them in activities that allow them to make things. Seymour Papert, a
student of Jean Piaget, established constructionism as an educational strategy to help learners
become more deeply involved in their learning by creating a public learning artifact that can
be seen, evaluated, and maybe tested by others. Papert argues that youngsters build their new
knowledge by assembling tangible and manipulative items such as blocks, beads, and robotics
kits.
Educational Robotics
Educational Robotics, often known as RiE or Robots in Education, is characterized by
technology artifacts ranging from programable robot-like toys to professional automated
systems and how they are employed in educational contexts. They include robot simulations,
constructional robotic kits, and prefabricated systems. Educational robotics also plays an active
role in improving learning experiences by developing, implementing, and validating
pedagogical activities, tools, and technology. This school of thought believes that in order to
effectively transfer knowledge on the pedagogies of robotics, it is important that the learners
are engaged to handling and manipulating robots and robotics technology.
Growth Mindset
Growth mindset is a cognitive concept coined by Carol Dweck (2007). Individuals that
employ a growth mindset are motivated to “grow their abilities” when learning new content
rather than depending on “natural talent” (or feeling limited by a lack of natural talent) in that
content area. Individuals with a growth mindset are better prepared to transfer learned skills
and concepts to new learning contexts.
Theory on Stages of Competence
A theory on competence which was developed in the 1970’s at the Gordon Training
International by its employee Noel Burch, was called “Four Stages of Learning” because it also
provides a model for learning. This is applicable not only to competence in learning but also to
competence on the job.
It suggests that individuals are initially unaware of how little they know, or unconscious
of their incompetence. As they recognize their incompetence, they consciously acquire a skill,
then, consciously use that skill. Eventually, when the skill can be done without conscious
thought, the individual is said to have unconscious competence.
Unconscious Incompetence. This is the stage when an individual does not understand
or know how to do something and does not necessarily recognize the deficit. They may deny
the usefulness of the skill. The individual must recognize their own incompetence, and the
value of the new skill, before moving on to the next stage. The length of time an individual
spends in this stage depends on the strength of the stimulus to learn.
Conscious Incompetence. In this stage, the individual does not understand or know
how to do something, although he or she recognizes the deficit, as well as the value of a new
skill in addressing the deficit. The making of mistakes can be integral to the learning process
at this stage.
Conscious Competence. The individual understands or knows how to do something;
however, demonstrating the skill or knowledge requires concentration. There is a heavy
conscious involvement in executing the skill.
Unconscious Competence. The individual has had so much practice with a skill that it
has become “second nature” and can be performed easily. As a result, the skill can be performed
while executing another task. The individual may be able to teach it to others, depending upon
how and when it was learned.
These four stages can apply to teachers, thus assessing their readiness would help in
creating an affective plan for capability-building of TVE teachers to improve their
competencies in robotics technology, especially to those in the first two stages of competence.
Given the new trends in technology and new demands in the society, it is theorized that
an assessment of teacher readiness is helpful in contemplating a plan for capability building of
TVE Teachers which will then be a bridge to seriously look at their own teaching abilities and
for them to improve what is needed based on the above-mentioned theories.
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
The theories on Computational Thinking Theory, Constructionism, Educational
Robotics, Growth Mindset, and Theory on Stages of Competence were considered in the
conceptualization of this study which aims to assess the level of readiness of TVE Teachers of
INCAT in adapting the competencies of Robotics in their field of specialization which will also
be a basis for a capability-building program plan for TVE Teachers.
TVE Teachers bring to the instructional environment their unique individual
characteristics namely, their age, sex, civil status, length of service, educational attainment,
teaching experience, and field of specialization. Understanding these are needed to determine
what training needs are applicable to them.
Aside from an understanding of teachers’ personal characteristics and teaching
competence, it is also important to determine their teaching competence in terms of their
knowledge, skills, and attitudes in adapting robotics in their field of specialization. As to what
extent is the teachers’ capabilities and performance, will serve as guide in the development of
a relevant capability-building program for more effective TVE instruction.
Fig. 1. Research Paradigm
CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
This chapter discusses the research design, locale of the study, sources of data,
population and sampling procedure, instrumentation, data gathering procedure, and statistical
treatment of data.
Research Design
This study will utilize the descriptive research paradigm with the R & D methodology
to develop the capability-building program for TVE Teachers. The steps of Borg and Gall
(2000) will be adapted, although the first five steps of design will be undertaken which as
follows: 1. Research and information collecting, 2. Planning, 3. Developing preliminary form
of product, 4. Content validation, 5. Revision of the product.
The stages are as follows:
Planning Stage. This will include two phases: a) a bibliographical survey of related
literature and studies to determine what has been done along this topic, and b) an empirical
survey of the characteristics, level of knowledge (learning competencies and content), skills
(preparation of instructional materials imbued with the concept of robotics, utilization of the
concept of robotics in their instructional design model, and evaluation of learners’
performance) and attitudes of TVE Teachers. A questionnaire will be administered to the TVE
Teachers of INCAT for this purpose.
Fig. 2. Steps in the Assessment of Readiness of TVE Teachers and Development of a
Capability-Building Program for TVE Teachers
Development Stage. Based on the results of the planning stage, framework and
specifications of the capability building program will be decided which will be the bases for
the formulation of the objectives, content, activities, strategies, materials, and performance
evaluation techniques of the program.
Validation Stage. Content validation will be done by a panel of experts composed of
TVE Professors, and experienced TVE Teachers from the Schools Division of Laoag City. The
revision and finalization of the capability building program will be based on the results of the
content validation and on the comments of the panel of experts.
Locale of the Study
The study will be conducted in the Schools Division of Laoag City.
Respondents to the survey will comprise the TVE Teachers of INCAT which will be
grouped in accordance with their specialization. The groupings will be: (1) Industrial Arts (IA)
– Electronic Products Assembly and Servicing (EPAS), Electrical Installation and Maintenance
(EIM), Automotive Servicing (ATS), Building Construction (BC), and Furniture and Cabinet
Making (FCM); (2) Home Economics (HE) – Cosmetology (COS), Food Trades (FT), and
Garments Trade (GT); (3) Information and Communications Technology (ICT) – Visual
Graphics Animation (VGA), Computer Systems Servicing (CSS), Technical Drafting (TD),
Technical Drawing (Tech. Draw.), and Internet and Computing Fundamentals (ICF).
Sources of Data
The data on the characteristics and competencies of TVE Teachers will be taken form
the teachers themselves. The data on content validity of the capability building program will
be provided by the panel of experts who will assess it.
Population and Sampling
The population of the study will consist of TVE Teachers of the Ilocos Norte College
of Arts and Trades under the Schools Division of Laoag City. In order to acquire the desired
samples, TVE Teachers in every specialization will be purposely selected.
The distribution of presumed respondents is shown in Table 1.
Table 1. Distribution of Respondents
No. of
Specialization
Percentage
Respondents
I.
Industrial Arts
1. Electronic Products Assembly and Servicing
4
11.11%
2. Electrical Installation and Maintenance (EIM)
4
11.11%
3. Automotive Servicing (ATS)
4
11.11%
4. Building Construction (BC)
1
2.78%
5. Furniture and Cabinet Making (FCM)
1
2.78%
14
38.89%
(EPAS)
Total
II.
Home Economics
1. Cosmetology (COS)
2
5.56%
2. Food Trades (FT)
4
11.11%
3. Garments Trade (GT)
3
8.33%
9
25%
1. Visual Graphics Animation (VGA)
1
2.78%
2. Computer Systems Servicing (CSS)
2
5.56%
3. Technical Drafting (TD)
4
11.11%
4. Technical Drawing (Tech. Draw.)
4
11.11%
5. Internet and Computing Fundamentals (ICF)
2
5.56%
Total
13
36.11%
Overall Total
36
100%
Total
III.
Information and Communications Technology
Table 1 shows the distribution of presumed TVE Teacher respondents at the Ilocos
Norte College of Arts and Trades under the Schools Division of Laoag City. The presumed
respondents are categorized based on their field of specializations.
Specializations under Industrial Arts are EPAS, EIM, ATS, BC, and FCM. EPAS, EIM
and ATS each have presumed respondents of 4 which comprises 11.11% of the total number
of respondents. BC and FCM, on the other hand, consist of 1 presumed respondent each
equivalent to 2.78% each.
Specializations that belong to Home Economics are COS, FT, and GT, which will
consist of 2 presumed respondents for COS that comprises 5.56% of the total number of
presumed respondents, 4 presumed respondents for FT which comprises 11.11% of the total
number of presumed respondents, and 3 respondents for GT which comprises 8.33% of the
total number of presumed respondents respectively.
Information and Communications Technology-related specializations are VGA, CSS,
TD, Tech. Draw., and ICF. VGA will consist of 1 presumed respondent which is equal to
2.78%, CSS will consist of 2 presumed respondents which is equal to 5.56%, TD and Tech,
Draw. will each consist of 4 presumed respondents which will comprise 11.11% of the total
number of presumed respondents, and ICF will consist of 2 presumed respondents equal to
5.56%.
Overall, the total presumed respondents for: 1) Industrial Arts is 14 which is equal to
38.89% of the total number of presumed respondents; 2) Home Economics is 9 which is equal
to 25% of the total number of presumed respondents; and 3) Information and Communications
Technology is 13 which is equal to 36.11% of the total number of presumed respondents. In
totality, there will be 36 presumed TVE Teacher respondents.
Research Instruments
Two instruments will be developed by the researcher with the guidance of the advisory
committee. These will be the following:
Questionnaire on the competence of the TVE Teacher respondents. Part I will
determine the socio-demographic profile or characteristics of the teachers, specifically their
age, sex, civil status, educational attainment, teaching position, length of service, teaching
experience, field of specialization, and number of robotics-related trainings/seminars/webinars
attended. Part II will generate the data on the knowledge, attitude, and skills of the TVE
Teacher respondents, specifically their knowledge of the learning objectives and content, skills
in the utilization of the concept of robotics in their instructional design model, skills in the
preparation of instructional materials imbued with the concept of robotics, and skills in the
evaluation of learners’ performance.
The questionnaire will be based on Hughes and Ubben (1989) Human Resource
Development which is concerned specifically with the improvement of skills, knowledge and
attitudes of individuals in an organization with some modifications.
Responses to items in the questionnaire will be indicated in a Likert scale with the
following descriptive interpretations:
Scale/Point
Descriptive Interpretation
4
Very Knowledgeable/Skillful
3
Knowledgeable/Skillful
2
Slightly Knowledgeable/Skillful
1
Not Knowledgeable/Skillful
The results of the survey will reflect the strengths and weaknesses of the TVE teachers
which will serve as basis in the development of the capability-building program.
Content Validation Scale. The content validation instrument will be adapted from
Guiaya’s (1995) instrument with some modifications to suit the needs of the present study. The
content validity of the capability building program for TVE Teachers will be determined based
on the program’s objectives, content, strategies, tasks/actions, persons involved, financial
resources, time frame, and expected outcome.
Data Gathering Procedure
During the research or planning phase of the study, the researcher will request
permission from the Schools Division Superintendent of the Schools Division of Laoag City
and the School Principal of the Ilocos Norte College of Arts and Trades to administer the
questionnaire to the TVE teachers. The researcher will also personally handle the distribution
and retrieval of questionnaires to the teachers.
When all questionnaires will be retrieved, the researcher will collate, tabulate, and
statistically analyze the data.
Statistical Treatment of Data
Descriptive analysis will be used to analyze the data that will be gathered. In describing
the characteristics and determining the knowledge, attitude and skills of the TVE Teacherrespondents, frequency count and weighted mean will be utilized.
Weighted mean will be interpreted as follows:
Range of Mean
Descriptive Interpretation
3.50 – 4.00
Very Knowledgeable/Skillful
2.50 – 3.49
Knowledgeable/Skillful
1.50 – 2.49
Slightly Knowledgeable/Skillful
1.00 – 1.50
Not Knowledgeable/Skillful
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