Professional Practices and Commitment of Faculty Members handling Science Courses in the University of Eastern Philippines

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the professional knowledge and commitment of faculty members handling science teacher education courses at the College of Education and the College of Science. Specifically, it examined their knowledge of science content, general pedagogy, pedagogical content knowledge, and understanding of curriculum structure and materials. Additionally, it evaluated their professional commitment across three dimensions: affective, continuance, and normative. The study utilized a complete enumeration of science teacher education faculty members from both colleges. A descriptive-observational design and survey methodology were employed. The professional knowledge questionnaire was adapted from the Framework for Philippine Science Teacher Education, developed by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the University of the Philippines-National Institute for Science and Mathematics Education Development (UP-NISMED). The professional commitment instrument, covering affective, continuance, and normative dimensions, was adopted from Bagraim (2003) and reported a reliability level above 0.80. For the qualitative aspect, a semi-structured interview guide was used. Data collection continued until theoretical saturation was achieved, and data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) thematic analysis framework. Findings revealed that faculty members demonstrated a very high level of professional knowledge, particularly in science content, general pedagogy, and curriculum structure and materials. Similarly, they exhibited very high levels of professional commitment across all three domains—affective, continuance, and normative. These results suggest that science education faculty in both colleges are well-equipped in both knowledge and dedication to their professional roles, contributing to the overall quality of science teacher education in the institution.