The Relationship of Digital Competencies and the Job Performance of Secondary Public School Teachers in the District of Calauan, Laguna

Abstract

Currently, technology is an essential tool in many fields, including education, because it is one of the most useful knowledge transfer channels in most countries. The integration of technology in everyday life has transformed our society and changed the way people think, work, and live. Upon the implementation of the K-12 curriculum, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) became more necessary for teaching, and the teachers' digital competencies became required. Hence, studies conducted on digital competencies are often focused on developing the learner's abilities and skills in ICT, but not for its use in learning. In this study, the teachers' digital competencies will be reviewed so that their competencies might be improved. This study is a descriptive study making use of an adapted survey. The researcher utilized simple random sampling and fishbowl drawing so that each teacher-respondent has an equal chance of participating in the study. The study was conducted in three public high schools in Laguna. Using the Slovin's formula, the computed total population was 150. The instrument used underwent content validation as well as reliability test using the Cronbach's Alpha. Also, the Pearson product-moment correlation was utilized to determine whether there is a significant relationship between the teachers' digital competencies and job performance, which was based on their RPMS rating. The study showed that in terms of digital competencies, majority of the teacher-respondents have excellent skills in terms of basic computer and Microsoft Offices.

On the other hand, respondents were able to have above average skills in ICT. Moreover, the majority of the teacher-respondents were rated as very satisfactory in their job performance. The results revealed that the relationship between digital competencies and the teachers' job performance were not significant. The researcher recommends that schools may conduct advanced training through an ICT expert to enhance the knowledge of teachers on the latest trends in technology for education. The Department of Education should continue to encourage educators to participate in specialized training sessions that will help them. Furthermore, other factors that might affect the job performance of teachers, such as management factors, the working environment, and wages, should be considered.