A tracer study of teacher education graduates employed by department of education: basis for pre-service training policy recommendation

Abstract

This tracer study was conducted among the education graduates of Aklan State University-School of Rural Resource Development and Management (ASU-SRRDM) employed by the Department of Education from AY 1999 to 2006 to become the basis for pre-service training policy recommendation. Result Evaluation Model was utilized as the theoretical framework of the study. The descriptive-evaluative research design was adopted. A questionnaire was used to gather quantitative data on the employability and teaching competency level of graduates. Qualitative data through focus group discussion was also availed of to have a more in-depth discussion. The findings revealed that majority of the graduates were employed. Most graduates hired by DepEd were English majors. They believed that their in/off-campus practice teaching helped them a lot in terms of classroom structuring, lesson planning, higher order thinking skills, teacher student interaction, seat exercises and paper pencil TESTS. Most of them acquired their present job by applying personally. It took a majority of them 1-5 years to find a job and got promoted after more than a year. Likewise, majority of the DepEd teachers were satisfied with their jobs and obtained a very satisfactory teaching competency. A policy recommendation to the existing policy of ASU-SRRDM Student Teaching Program was proposed to strengthen the academic subjects and review program. An intensive in/off-campus practice teaching and monitoring scheme of student teachers are recommended. There is also a need for ASU-SRRDM to voluntarily submit the teacher education program to peer evaluation.