The Effectiveness of the Professional Development of the Kindergarten Teachers in Improving the Learners’ Engagement in the Public Elementary Schools in the Division of Camarines Sur
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23017999Keywords:
professional development, kindergarten teachers, learner engagement, early childhood education, teacher support, Camarines SurAbstract
This study examined the effectiveness of kindergarten teachers’ professional development in improving learners’ engagement in public elementary schools in the Division of Camarines Sur during School Year 2025–2026. It used a descriptive-evaluative-correlational survey design. From a population of 1,011 kindergarten teachers across the five congressional districts, 287 teachers served as respondents. Data were gathered through a researcher-made 125-item questionnaire that underwent expert validation and obtained an overall Cronbach’s alpha of .94. Frequency counts, percentages, weighted means, rank orders, Kendall’s coefficient of concordance (W), and corresponding chi-square tests were used at the .05 significance level. Professional development was rated Much Evident overall (M = 4.38), with classroom management highest (M = 4.52). The effectiveness of professional development in improving learner engagement was rated Much Effective overall (M = 4.39), with physical engagement highest (M = 4.54), followed by behavioral and emotional engagement (both M = 4.51). Challenges to professional development were Very Much Serious (M = 4.56), led by insufficient financial support (M = 4.60), while the proposed solutions were Much Necessary (M = 4.44). Significant agreement was observed across all professional-development dimensions and most engagement dimensions, but not for cognitive and cultural engagement. The findings support sustained, needs-based professional learning, financial and administrative assistance, workload management, and the implementation of the proposed action plan to strengthen kindergarten teaching and learner engagement.
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