Teacher Attributes and Institutional Support as Determinants of Problem-Based Learning in the Junior High Schools of Zambales
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22858688Keywords:
Problem-Based Learning, mathematics education, teacher competence, institutional support, 5E instructional model, professional development, ZambalesAbstract
This study examined the role of teacher attributes and institutional support in the competence of Junior High School (JHS) mathematics teachers in implementing Problem-Based Learning (PBL) in the Province of Zambales, Philippines. A quantitative descriptive-survey, correlational, and comparative design was used with 102 public secondary mathematics teachers. Teacher attributes were described in terms of length of teaching, grade level handled, highest educational attainment, and number of PBL-related trainings. Institutional support was examined through resources, administrative support, and professional development, while PBL implementation competence was assessed through the five phases of the 5E instructional model: Engagement, Exploration, Explanation, Elaboration, and Evaluation. The researcher-structured questionnaire contained 170 scale-based items; expert validation produced a rating of 4.48, interpreted as very highly valid, while a try-out with 10 teachers from another division yielded Cronbach's alpha of 0.922. Results showed that institutional support was highly implemented overall (M = 3.06), with administrative support receiving the highest rating (M = 3.28), followed by professional development (M = 3.04) and resources (M = 2.85). Teachers rated themselves very highly competent in all five PBL phases, with Engagement highest (M = 3.56) and Elaboration lowest (M = 3.46). Length of teaching was weakly related to institutional support (r = .287, p = .003), whereas the other teacher attributes were not significantly related to institutional support. None of the teacher attributes was significantly related to overall PBL competence. In contrast, institutional support was significantly and positively related to all five PBL phases: Engagement (r = .558), Exploration (r = .591), Explanation (r = .555), Elaboration (r = .609), and Evaluation (r = .655), all p < .001. Moderation analyses likewise showed significant direct effects of institutional support but no significant interaction with teacher attributes. The findings indicate that strengthening school-level support, particularly specialized resources and professional development for Elaboration and Evaluation, offers a practical pathway for sustaining and improving PBL implementation across school types in Zambales.
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