Speakers
Description
Teacher competence is a fundamental factor in ensuring effective instruction and achieving quality education outcomes. In the Philippine context, the Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers (PPST) provides a benchmark for evaluating the preparedness of future educators. This study assessed the level of competency among Bachelor of Physical Education (BPEd) pre-service teachers, who represent the pioneering graduates of the program in Mindanao State University–Iligan Institute of Technology. Specifically, it sought to determine their strengths and readiness across the seven domains of the PPST.
A descriptive-quantitative research design was employed, and the respondents consisted of 75 graduating BPEd students from the academic year 2021–2022. Data were gathered through a standardized PPST-based survey questionnaire distributed electronically, and results were analyzed using weighted mean. The findings revealed that the pre-service teachers demonstrated high competence across all domains, including content knowledge and pedagogy, learning environment, diversity of learners, curriculum and planning, assessment and reporting, community
linkages and professional engagement, and personal growth and professional development. Notably, the highest competencies were observed in establishing effective learning environments and pursuing continuous professional development, while slightly lower but still high ratings were recorded in addressing learner diversity. Despite facing challenges from two years of online learning brought by the COVID-19 pandemic and the pressure of being the first cohort under the revised BPEd curriculum, the respondents were able to achieve the standards of beginning teachers. These results underscore the adaptability, resilience, and readiness of pre-service teachers in navigating curriculum shifts and evolving educational landscapes. The study highlights the need for flexible and responsive teacher education curricula that can adapt to future disruptions while sustaining high levels of teacher preparation. It also emphasizes the importance of fostering continuous professional growth to produce globally competitive educators capable of meeting 21st-century teaching demands.
