Chapter 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Introduction

One of the technological products widely used by people in different professions is the

computer. It seems that almost all people in various sectors such as business, medicine, research,

and education are using computers. Thus, computers and its accessories and other outputs have

taken its place to the lives of the people. It is indeed plays a big role in the development of a

specific field.

In the educational sector, computers have crucial role. These are used for administrative

and managerial works, namely: easing enrollment procedures, preparing transcript of records,

recording grades, paying school fees, and others, as well as for teaching purposes. Moreover, it

has given way to the development of multi-media which is creating an exciting and very real

interactive learning environment that presents pedagogical benefits to both teachers and learners.

Aside from pedagogical benefits, there are social and economic factors that motivate

technology infusion in schools. Volk (2010) noted that the ability to use modern technology is

essential in preparing a people for competition in a global workplace. Limiting technology may

then limit freedom of choice and opportunities for advancement. Both developed and developing

nations share these sentiments.

According to Brandenburg and Dudt (2009), in the United States, educators and

policymakers recognize that skills and knowledge in ICT are key to maintaining national

competitiveness in the global economy. Belgium, Denmark, and Singapore view ICT in

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education as a strategy for producing a workforce that can meet the technology challenges of the

twenty-first century (Scheffler & Logan, 2008). The governments of China and Uganda regard

computers in schools as a necessary step towards becoming industrialized nations (Gould, 2003).

Malaysias Ministry of Education believes that embracing high-technology industries is the key

to elevating the country from developing nation status, and has tasked a consortium of 12

multinational ICT companies with designing systems and software for Malaysias schools (Peha,

2009).

There is also a need to develop proficiency in ICT to supply internal demands for

technology literate personnel. The knowledge economies of the Western world depend on

knowledge workers who can find, acquire, manage, share, and apply new information

(Pennington, 2009). Exposing students to technology creates future employees who may be later

expected to use ICT to increase productivity, reduce costs, and improve results.

In poorer nations such as Uganda, business environments generally provide computer

training as necessary. However, more and more corporations are requiring experience with ICT

as a qualification for prospective employees. Because computerization of small companies is

hindered by training costs and it is prohibitively expensive for the average Ugandan to seek

training in a commercial ICT school, familiarization with computers is best provided through the

educational system (Hancock, 2009). In rich and poor nations alike, ICT-infused educational

systems increase graduates opportunities for employment and satisfy a demand for computer

literate workers.

Finally, countries invest in ICT in education to decrease the social and intellectual

inequalities among schools and their respective graduates. In developing countries like the

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Philippines, the government has been committed to bring the educational system into a

modernized status, in particular, on basic education, in its effort to make each and every student

at par with other students of neighboring developed countries. This is because in todays

knowledge economy, the capability to utilize and produce information and to transform it into

knowledge and vast array of goods and services is deem essential to social development and

growth of the economy. Along with this effort are the continuous curricular changes and

amendments, reorientation, teacher training and investment in school facilities and

infrastructures, one of which is geared towards the vision of equipping each public school with

the modern computer and other information and communication (ICT)-related gadgets and

instructional materials (Carandang, 2010).

In addition, DepEd turns to technological innovations and out-of-the box solutions to

make quality education accessible to more Filipinos. It optimizes the power of information and

communication technology (ICT) to broaden access to basic education, enhance the methodology

of teaching, and upgrade system to manage the bureaucracy. As evidence, the Department of

Education implemented programs in the schools concerning computers as one of the ICT tools.

One of these programs is the DepEd Computerization Program (DCP) mandated in DepEd Order

no. 125, s. 2008 and DepEd Order No. 78, s. 2012. This program is a response to the computer

backlog of public schools by providing them hardware and software, and training on trouble

shooting.

In schools, some books used by teachers have additional information and useful links that

can be accessed in the internet. There are times that the researcher integrates academic subjects

for the hands-on activity of students in their computer subject. If the teachers know how to use

computer and its applications, it will be easy for them to understand the advantage of being

3
computer literate. Also, students will realize that the computer is not only for fun and

entertainment but for their own benefit. According to Carlson and Gadio (2002), educational

technology is not, and never will be, transformative on its own. It requires teachers who can

integrate technology into the curriculum and use it to improve students learning. Teachers are

the keys to how technology is used appropriately and effectively.

Prior to the DepEd Computerization Program (DCP), is the mandate on ICT literacy

trainings to public secondary school teachers nationwide. As stipulated in DepEd Memo 137, s.

2007 it aims to upgrade the ICT literacy of teachers, update teachers on the use of the technology

in classroom management; and enhance the skills of school, division, and department heads, and

subject area teachers on their roles as ICT for Education (ICT4E) instructional leaders.

The Division of Marinduque is one of the fortunate recipients of the DepEd

Computerization Program. Elementary schools have received the computer package as part of

the DepEd Computerization program. Similarly, there have been trainings given to the schools

ICT Coordinators and tasked to conduct school-based training in their respective schools. Being

exposed to this, elementary teachers are expected to manifest their capability in using the

computer and its applications independently. Yet, there are observations that not all teachers are

literate and knowledgeable in using the computers and its applications like word processing,

spreadsheet, power point, and internet.

In schools, some books used by teachers have additional information and useful links that

can be accessed in the internet. If the teachers know how to use computer and its applications, it

will be easy for them to understand the advantage of being computer literate. Realizing the

compelling need of teachers to be computer literate, the researcher would like to assess the

4
computer literacy of the elementary teachers in the elementary schools in the Division of

Marinduque. It is hoped that the results can help the researcher come up with a computer literacy

program for the teachers for the enhancement of the skills and competencies in using the

computers in respective classes.

Statement of the Problem

This study aims to assess the computer competencies of the public elementary school

teachers in the Division of Marinduque.

Specifically, the researcher seeks answers to the following questions:

1. How may the profile of the teacher respondents be described in terms of:
1.1 age;
1.2 gender;
1.3 educational attainment;
1.4 years of teaching;
1.5 number of subject/s taught;
1.6 computer application in teaching; and
1.7 computer trainings attended?
2. How may the computer competencies of teacher respondents be described in terms of:
2.1 General Computer Operations;
2.2 Communication and Internet;
2.3 MS Word Application;
2.4 MS Excel; and
2.5 MS Power point?

3. Is there a significant difference in the computer competencies of the respondents when

grouped according to their profile variables?

4. What computer literacy program may be proposed for the elementary teachers to

enhance their competencies?

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Significance of the Study

This study will be significant to:

School. The outcomes of this study will be basis for a program which will benefit

schools; elevating quality of education of teachers through the use of computer.

Administrator. The results of this study will be used as a basis for planning, designing

and implementing an enhanced computer literacy program or school-based computer literacy

program. Also administrators may use the collected statistics or outcomes to emphasize the need

for a computer literacy program for teachers.

Teachers. The output of this investigation would make the teachers aware of and updated

on technology and use the technology to improve instructional materials, learning experiences,

teaching competence, and students performance. Also computers can help teachers in terms of

information access and research. Moreover, they will also be aware of their weaknesses and

strengths about computer; and consequently, make the necessary adjustments from outdated to

updated trainings and seminars.

Researchers. The results of the study can be a basis for other researchers future

references. It will also give them idea on the importance of computer in the research process.

They may include other variables to deepen the study for effective computer literacy program.

Parents. Continuous support to upgrade the technological expertise of the teachers will in

a better teaching-learning process for their children.

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 Pupils. They will benefit from this study because they are the ultimate recipients of

computer literacy program provided to the teachers.

Scope and Delimitation of the Study

The study is mainly focused on the assessment of computer competencies of the

elementary school teachers in the complete elementary schools in the Division of Marinduque. It

aims to present the profile and the computer competencies of the elementary teachers in terms of

general computer operations, communication and internet, MS Word application, MS Excel

application; and MS power point application. It will look on the significant difference in

computer competencies when the respondents are grouped according to their profile. Results

would serve as basis for the proposed computer enhancement program.

This research covered the 149 complete elementary schools in the Division of

Marinduque namely: Boac North, Boac South, Buenavista, Gasan, Mogpog, Santa Cruz East,

Santa Cruz North, Santa Cruz South, and Torrijos. Respondents of the study were the 250

selected elementary teachers in the said districts.

This study excluded other computer applications provided by the DepEd through

trainings and workshops also such as webpage designing, video making, troubleshooting, and

hardware servicing, since these trainings were only provided to schools Information

Communication (ICT) coordinators and these may not be conducted in schools by their

respective ICT coordinators but limited to those conducted in the Computer Literacy Program of

the Department of Education for elementary teachers in general.

7
 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE and STUDIES

This chapter presents the review of related literature and studies, both local and foreign,

which provides a background and a frame of reference upon which the conceptual framework

and other entries of this study were formulated.

8
Foreign Literature

Veer (2005) pointed out that the progress of a country depends upon the quality of its

teachers... training is essential for every teacher. Trained teachers can do much more than

untrained teachers. Teachers need continuous program for the development in the field of

education.

Lee (2003) stated that there is a definite deficit in the knowledge, skills and attitudes

needed to use ICT as an effective teaching-learning tool. Well-trained teachers using ICT are not

available in sufficient quantity. This is partly because many teachers regard technology as a

threat to their authority as the main source of knowledge. Some teachers ignored the use of

computers because they thought that computer will replace them in their field in the future. In

addition, pupils are often superior to their teachers in computer skills, further undermining the

traditional authority of teachers. Consequently, there is the need to break away from the

conventional working culture of teachers as being solitary and rather to build multi-disciplinary

teams of teachers, curriculum specialists and ICT technicians, who could provide the range of

skills necessary for the preparation of quality IT-based teaching materials.

Jones (2003) underscores the viewpoint that computers have proven to be immensely

useful tools for teachers and students, and they are now considered to be an essential component

of primary and secondary education in the United States. In order to be able to teach with

computers, teachers need to have mastered a basic level of computer literacy, and they need to

develop pedagogical techniques for integrating computers into the curriculum.

Baldauf (2009) indicated that digital technologies have had a profound impact on most

aspects of human life. The rapid pace of technology logical development has given the current

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generation one of the most fascinating eras in which to live. Nettlebeck (2005) also identified

that there is no choice but to recognize that the new information and computer technologies

undergird much of the social and educational context in which we now find ourselves.

Abecede (2003) specified that todays world teachers need to be equipped not only with

subject-specific expertise and effective teaching methodologies, but with the capacity to assist

students to meet the demands of the emerging knowledge-base society. Teachers therefore

require familiarity with new forms of ICT and need to have the ability to use that technology to

enhance the quality of teaching and learning.

Jung (2002) stated that ICTs have also been used to improve access to and the quality of

teacher training. For example, institution like the Cyber Teacher Training Center (CTTC) in

South Korea are taking advantage of the internet to provide better teacher professional

development opportunities to in-service teachers. The government funded CTTC, established in

1997, offers self-directed, self-paced Web-based courses for primary and secondary school

teachers. Courses include Computer in the Information Society, Education Reform and

Future Society and Education. Online tutorials are also offered, with some courses requiring

occasional face-to-face meetings.

According to Corbel (2004), computer literacy skills are taught because they:

lay the foundations for developing a critical understanding of the Information Age;

help students make effective use of computers, both in classroom and workplace

settings, which in turn improves attitudes and reduces frustration;

shape a proactive view regarding the role of computers in

everyday life;

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 assist those who are technophobic to overcome fears of increasing computerization of

government and social support agencies;

create a solid skills base among students so that we can collectively pursue more

creative uses of computers in the syllabus, such as project-based learning;

extend the personal enjoyment gained through keeping in touch by regular email use,

for example, or in finding satisfying search engine results;

provide realia for terms that relate to hardware, software, the Internet, and the many

different uses and phenomena that have arisen from online culture.

Akhtar (2010) gave emphasis to a sound policy and holistic plan for ICT integration and

recognized the critical role that teachers play in ensuring the appropriate, effective, and

sustainable use of ICTs to provide quality education for all. Thus, such a policy and plan give

priority to teachers professional development that empowers teachers not just to implement but

also to lead educational innovations that will transform schools and ultimately, all of society.

Shelly (2007) attested that teacher can increase their productivity significantly by using

word processing software to create documents, such as lesson plans, handouts, parent

communications, and student tests. Teachers use word processing to transform paper documents

into electronic form to eliminate redundant works.

Spreadsheets are similar to teacher grade books. Teachers often keep grade books on a

spreadsheet and have completely up-to-date averages for all students. Some spreadsheet program

also includes a chart function so that teachers can display class averages on a bar chart to provide

a visual comparison on the classes performance (Barry, 2004). Teachers used spreadsheet to

record and compute student grades.

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 According to Good (2008), presentation graphics application software are typically used

to create presentation in the form of slides that can be used to create overhead transparencies or

printed handouts or books, as well as to present information in electronic form. This type of

software applications is important for educators, because electronic presentation can be

integrated into units or lesson. Teachers used presentation to demonstrate their ideas using

computer for better understanding of the topic.

The Internet offers research, tips, lesson plans, discussion opportunities, and a treasure

trove of data (Depaul, 2002). Teachers can find an almost unlimited number of ideas and plans

on the internet (Hunt, 2009). Also Dulan (2010), think that an Internet connection would help to

get people to use computers more for research and to send e-mails to teachers. Teachers also use

internet for communication purposes to students and other peers.

In Chandra (2005) works, teachers need more that a quick course in basic computer

operations. They need guidance in using the best tool in the best ways to support the best kinds

of instruction.

Local Literature

Students have high regard on the capability of their teachers. It is a fact that many

students can afford to have ICT gadgets at home, hence, they are advanced in terms of

knowledge and skills on ICT. It is a great challenge for teachers to learn and internalize the use

of computers in the subjects they are teaching, integrating ICT in the classroom instruction

(Itaas, 2009).

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 The Philippine Star (2006) discussed the edge of students over teachers in ICT. Students

now are virtually knowledgeable about chatting, on-line games and other useful applications of

computer, while teachers, mostly, are clueless about them. The sad part is teachers lack training

so they cannot even teach students of computer.

According to Labian (2007), teachers touch the future of the learners that pass through

their caring hands. Their task is not just imparting knowledge but also preparing students

withstand all the rigors in a high competitive societal order. Information Communication

Technology knowledge is their technological fuel and raw materials that will help them achieve

lofty goals ahead.

Teachers must be the first one to be educated on how to maximize the capabilities of

computers. The generation today is a world of innovation and new technology. The teachers must

be aware and adapt the changes so that they can gain additional skills and improve their teaching

styles and strategies in teaching. It also gives them an opportunity for professional development.

Promoting computer literacy program will lead to the excellence of teachers.

According to Rodriguez (2007), it is also important to remember that technology requires

administrative and community support and involvement that are critical to its successful

integration in education. Commitment and interest of teachers and school heads is the most

critical factor for successful implementation of any school innovation, especially technology.

The teacher must be fully-equipped and up to the task. Teacher must harness the full

potential of technology to improve learning outcomes (Sec. Lapus, 2008). This information age

needs modern teachers. They are the one who build education and learning; and if they lack

knowledge and skills, the learners will be most affected.

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 Former President Arroyo called for a better integration of ICT into the Philippine

educational system to improve the quality of learning and hone the computer skills of young

Filipinos to give them a competitive edge in securing work in a world that is growing highly

technical (Manila Bulletin, 2006). Also she enjoins all teachers from public schools to get the

National ICT Competency Standards (NICS) and be ICT-certified. She stressed that teachers

need to be competent in ICT so classroom dynamics become more innovative with ICT.

Sen. Escudero (2002) gives importance to the advancement of science and technology.

Modern telecommunications and modes of transportation have facilitated simultaneous and fast

exchange of ideas, information and resources among nations. This is the global technological and

scientific setting which confronts the Philippines today. That is why the government proposed a

bill about integrating computer education program in the educational system. One of government

plans is to promote computer literacy by providing trainings and workshop for both learners and

teachers.

Schools like Southern Iloilo Polytechnic College held a computer literacy seminar-

workshop. It aimed to provide computer literacy training and update faculty and staff of the

different subject areas. School managers believed that the use of computer could help teachers

increase their efficiency and effectiveness. The use of this technology facilitates communication

and information, record keeping and retrieving, programming, research and evaluation,

provisions of instructional aids and devices, preparation of reports, interpretation of test results

and others (Dela Cruz, 2008). Datamex and Deped Intel Teach program also provide free

seminars, workshops and trainings to the teachers. It focuses on integrating computer technology

into the curriculum.

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 At present, the Department of Education aims to fully equip administrators, teachers, and

support staff in word processing, electronic spreadsheets, and graphic software to aid them in

their instructional task (Manzano, 2002).

Casiano (2007) signified that different places in the world are connected. Globalization

has bridged the gap, and computer is the key instrument. Facebook, Friendster these are just

two social networking sites that pioneered the phenomenon. These facts are most observable in

the developed and some developing countries.

On the other hand, Robles (2006) stated that even though the Philippine government has

initiated several programmes and projects for the use of ICT in education, real implementation in

day-to-day learning is still limited. Teachers fear of technology still hinders the optimal use of

ICT-related skills in their teaching activities. Other constraints include the traditional mindset of

the school principals, inadequacy of ICT facilities, the lack of adequate maintenance of the

available/existing ICT resources, dependence for financial investment on the central government

and dependence on ICT service providers for software/courseware.

Despite various training programmes having been provided to teachers, there is still a

need to embark on a comprehensive and sustained in-service training for teachers. Likewise, a

systematic development programme for education managers needs also to be implemented to

change the mindset of principals so they appreciate the value of ICT in education (Belawati,

2004).

The 21st century is considered as the period of information technology all over the world.

In just a few seconds, with the tip of ones finger, current information and facts are gathered

through the use of highly advanced facilities and machines.

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 This technological breakthrough has brought many changes in education and other

disciplines of learning. Technology has connected all places, people, and events in the world. It

has made learning-teaching convenient and easy. It is necessary for teachers to be aware of the

appropriate place of technology in education. They must know when and how to use technology

to advance the purposes of education (Orencia, 2004).

Foreign Studies

According to the study of Asan (2003), the use computer in education opens a new area

of knowledge and offers a tool that has the potential to change some of the existing educational

methods. The teacher is the key to the effective exploitation of this resource in the educational

system. As computer use continues to increase in society, educators must also prepare for the use

of computers within the classroom.

Undoubtedly the recent advancement in information technology innovations and

computer usage is rapidly transforming work culture and teachers cannot escape the fact that

todays classrooms must provide technology-supported learning (Angers & Machtmes, 2005).

Being prepared to adopt and use technology and knowing how that technology can support

student learning must become integral skills in every teachers professional repertoire. District

and school policy and professional development workshops and training are designed to

positively influence teachers adoption and usage of computer technology (Kumar, 2008).

The study of Ogunkola (2008), seeks to examine the science teachers computer attitude,

ownership and frequency of computer use as predictors of the science teachers literacy in basic

computer operations. In other words, the extents to which the variables jointly and individually

predict the teachers computer literacy are determined.

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 In a study conducted at Gordon University Aberdeen in Scotland, teachers ICT skills and

knowledge is relatively low and is focused on a fairly narrow range of ICT. Word processing is

the predominant used made of ICT in primary and secondary schools. The used of other software

application like spreadsheets is minimal (Tella, 2007).

In Mahmud study (2010), most of the teachers had moderate level of basic ICT. They

were familiar with application software such word processing and electronic presentation.

In this study too it was found that formal ICT training and ICT experience influence the

teachers knowledge, skills and attitude. Therefore, teachers especially the older ones and

normally with more teaching experience need to be identified, and provided with specially

designed training programs, invarious forms of ICT courses and workshops.

In study of Razak (2009), after examining various factors such as teachers competency,

attitudes, infrastructure and support, it can be concluded that the majority of English teachers in

Malaysian technical schools are still novice users of IT. Some of the reason deduced from the

survey and the interview were low level of computer competency, less focus on the new

computing skills, limited training program, technofear, limited infrastructure and support. Each

of these factors is discussed below.

Low level of computer competency:

Data revealed that the majority of the English language teachers in this study were at the

novice level. This means that they still need help with various computer skills and far from

having the expertise to teach others. Having the competency in using computer is crucial and the

determinant factor in ensuring the effective use of IT in education. Due to limited competency

among English teachers, the applications of IT in language classroom daily and weekly were

17
very low. The study found that majority of the teachers (58.2%) did not use computers at all for

teaching.

Lack of focus on new computing skills

The findings also show that the teachers reported lowest competency in new computing

skills such as Computer Mediated Communication. Competencies in this category are considered

as new skills and crucial for the classroom of tomorrow as they enhance interaction and enable

communication in real time to take place. Majority of the teachers also reported that they were

not competent to interact with students on-line. In Malaysian schools, conducting teaching on-

line is still new. Therefore, teachers need to be oriented to use IT for teaching and

communication purposes. Furthermore, on-line communication requires expertise in writing as to

avoid misunderstandings. Teachers need to be careful with the choice of words and use of

emoticons to encourage more interaction from and within students group. The lack of expertise

and experience can create barrier to effective use of IT for such purposes.

Limited Training Program

The findings from this survey also reveal that teachers benefited from the in-service

training either provided by the schools, the computer vendors, or the Ministry of Education.

However, the training session contributed most is in the development of the basic skills related to

the use of application programs such as word processing, spreadsheet and presentation program

like Power Point. Training on new skills such as internet and web-based learning and teaching

are usually for selected few and not many English language teachers in technical schools had an

opportunity to attend the training. It is proposed that training sessions should focus on

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development of new skills and IT applications in teaching and learning. Furthermore, the training

must be tailored to the different needs of the teachers.

Technofear

The major finding on the teachers attitude towards computer is technofear. In the

interview conducted, it was found that the teachers low competency in using IT was partly due

to fear of change. They feared that with the use of IT, they would have more work and the shift

from conventional teaching to the use of IT could create more confusion among the teachers and

students. Therefore, IT awareness program should conducted on regular basis could correct this

misconception.

Limited infrastructure

Some of the teachers interviewed reported that lack of computer software in schools and

the priority to complete the syllabus for the examination made their effort to apply technology is

even more difficult. Most of the schools have only one computer lab equipped with 20 computers

and due to the limited hardware and facilities, teachers had to rotate and plan carefully their lab

schedules to avoid clashes. Teachers also reported lack of technical help in the computer lab.

Therefore, it is suggested that the schools need to find resources to equip and sustain their

computer labs.

Limited support

The support received by teachers such as in-service training and computer loan is

commendable but not sufficient. Other supports such as recognition for developing software and

support to design new software for competition should be provided to those teachers involved.

19
These incentives can encourage teachers to be creative and certainly upgrade their computer

competency level. Teachers participation in workshops and seminars related to computer in

education should be encouraged even more. Time off to go for IT training is another possibility

that can be on rotational basis to ensure sufficient number of Itliterate teachers in each school.

Redmann and Kotrlik (2004) had several recommendations as to how teachers can be

proactive in their quest to become more computer literate. These included attending workshops

and conferences, taking college classes that deal with technology and by engaging in self-

directed learning to stay current with the use of technology in the teaching-learning process.

Local Studies

In study of Famor (2005), the use of ICT in education has become a critical factor to

ensure that a countrys workforce is skilled and prepared to meet the challenges of development

and global employment opportunities. Thus, as ICT becomes part of the Philippine basic

education landscape, the inclusion of basic learning competencies in computers to educate our

Filipino learners so that they can be globally competitive and raise their personal and national

esteem, and realize a progressive life will be no less than strategic.

The study made by Dollado (2002) showed that teachers and administrators of Calbayog

Pilot Central School had a minor knowledge in computer in terms of concepts; also they lacked

trainings in terms of computer.

Based on Cajilin study (2009), the data collected on ICT training programs revealed the

scarcity of professional development opportunities. In her example, out of 111 teachers only 30%

were able to attend ICT training programs that were spread over a 15-year period, from 1994 to

early 2009.

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 Valenzuela (2005) piloted a study to classify technology orientation in terms of awareness

and utilization and the perceived teachers competence in technology at the Dasmarinas National

High School, Cavite. The respondents of the study were 116 non-computer teachers. The

questionnaire was the main tool in gathering the data in order to solicit responses for the

following areas: technology orientation in terms of awareness, utilization and the teachers

competency in technology. The data gathered were analyzed using the following statistical

treatments: mean, standard deviation, correlated t-test. The results of the computations were the

following:

The overall mean on the technology of awareness of teachers was 1.81, which means that

the respondents were aware on the use of technology to a little extent only. The overall mean of

technology utilization was 1.88, which means that the respondents seldom utilized technology in

their teaching. The overall mean of utilization and competence items showed a correlated t-text

value of .899. The findings revealed that there was a positive and moderate to high significant

correlations between utilization and competence. This implied that the more teachers use

technology applications and operations the more they become competent in technology.

The DOST conducted a survey of schools that gathered baseline data on schools

Mathematics and Science teachers and the extent of the schools use of ICT for instruction and

other purposes. The survey, which covered 4,310 public schools, used the following indicators:

(1) The percentage of computers used for instruction and the percentage of computers used for

administrative work, (2) The percentage of classes (by subject types) that used computers in

instruction, (3) The percentage of schools that engaged on outside technical to maintain the

computer system, (4) Percentage of schools with telephone lines, (5) Observation of teacher and

student practice and (6) Interviews of innovative teachers on practices (teacher and student)

21
related to innovation, problems, solutions and prospects for sustaining and continuing

innovation.

The following were identified as key problem areas for implementing ICT in basic

education:

1. Teachers fear of the technology;

2. School principals closed mindset to and non-appreciation of ICT in education;

3. Constraints of the annual education budget;

4. Maintenance of ICT resources and lack of technical staff;

5. Limited availability of education software and courseware.

In study of Tinio (2002), respondents were asked to rank what they perceived to be the

five biggest obstacles to their schools use of ICT for teaching and learning. Rankings were

consolidated and mean ranks were computed. Lack of enough computers is the single biggest

obstacle. All other issues have mean rankings considerably lower than this. Lack of enough

technical support for operating and maintaining ICT resources and the lack of teacher training

opportunities are considered barriers to change as well. So too are the lack of space for

computers and the general lack of funds for operations, including maintenance of equipment,

purchase of supplies, and electricity.

Conceptual Framework

Nowadays, every teacher relies on computers for making lesson plans, preparing

examinations, recording and computing grades, and others. Teachers have to immerse

themselves in the age of information revolution since society is surrounded by rapid changes,

22
media, knowledge workers, technology and research and development (CICT, 2006). Actually

Sec. Lapus (2008) stated that teachers must be equipped with 21st century skills that can

empower all Filipinos to become competitive in todays digital age.

While there may be a general willingness to apply the tools of technology in the different

learning areas, one of the major handicaps among teachers is having low level proficiency in

terms of computer applications (Andrada, 2003). Although some teachers have knowledge in

using computers, their skills are outdated (Philippine Star, 2010). In line with this, Mau (2001) in

his case study about the basic information technology training for teachers in Hong Kong

revealed that the continuous long-term training should be arranged so that teachers can update

their knowledge. More importantly, teachers must be challenged to go away from their familiar

methods and approaches and instead adopt themselves according to the educational technologies

appropriate for this generation (Haddad, 2002).

INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT

Profile of the Teacher

Respondents
1. age;
2. gender;
3. educational Assessment of the Proposed
attainment; Computer Enhancement Program
4. years of Competencies of the for Computer Literacy
teaching; Elementary Teachers
5. number of
subject/s taught;
6. computer
application in
teaching; and
7. computer
trainings
attended

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 Figure 1. Research Paradigm

Figure 1 shows the paradigm of the study. For the inputs are the profiles of the

elementary teachers namely age, gender, educational attainment, years of teaching, number of

subject/s taught, and computer application in teaching, and computer training attended. The

process includes the assessment of teachers computer competencies in general computer

operations, communication and internet, MS Word, MS Excel, and MS Power point applications.

The output of the study assessed computer competencies of teachers which was the basis in

proposing a computer literacy program.

Hypothesis of the Study

This research hypothesizes that there is no significant difference in the computer

competencies of the respondents when grouped according to their profile variables.

Definition of Terms

For a better and clearer understanding of this study, the following terms are operationally

defined, while others were taken from other sources:

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 Assessment means to evaluate a students progress in learning new skills and knowledge.

(Stronge, et al. 2004).In this study, assessment means to estimate the literacy rate of teachers in

computer applications.

Communications/Communication network is to convey message from one point or

place to another. It is associated with machine to machine communications, such as terminals to

computer and computer to computer communications (Dhotre, 2007).

Computer Competencies means being knowledgeable about the capabilities of hardware

and software and understanding how computers and the internet can enhance students

educational experiences (Reynolds, et al. 2007).

Elementary Teacher. They are the persons employed in an official capacity for the

purpose of giving instructions to students in an educational institution, whether public or private

(Molina, 2001). In this study, they are the computers users whose skills are assessed based on the

utilization of technological applications in particular into teaching in public elementary schools

in the Division of Marinduque.

Internet is a worldwide collection of separate, but interconnected, networks that are used

daily by millions of people to obtain information, disseminate information, access entertainment,

or communicate with others (Morley, 2009).

MS Excel is also called spreadsheet, a type of application software used to create

computerized spreadsheets, which typically contain a great deal of numbers and mathematical

calculations.

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 MS Power Point, a software program and a component of Microsoft Office used to

create professional-quality overhead transparency, paper 35 mm slide, photo print or on-scree

presentation.

MS Word, also called word processing, a software program that includes tools for

entering, editing, and formatting text and graphics. It allows one to create and enhance a wide

range of documents quickly and easily.

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