Readiness of the Bicol University English Department for the Impact of K to 12 on Higher Education

Abstract

With changes in the national educational landscape brought on by the implementation of the K to 12 Basic Education Program and the ASEAN’s move towards qualifications standardization among professionals, updating and improving existing curricula have been the way to go for higher education institutions in the country. Together with this comes the need to ensure that the faculty to implement the new curricula are ready to teach new subjects that will certainly be added. Using Hass and Parkay’s Model of Curriculum Design, this study looked into the readiness of faculty of Bicol University to implement the new CHED-prescribed AB English curriculum. Through a survey, document analysis, and a Focus Group Discussion (FGD), it determined the perceived level of readiness of the faculty to teach new subjects under the new curriculum and the actual level of readiness of the faculty to teach the said subjects, and it identified strategies that may be adopted to better prepare the English Department for this new curriculum. Findings revealed a discrepancy between perceived and actual readiness of the faculty, where members considered themselves ready, but their documents showing mismatches in educational preparation, teaching experience, and professional development. Training/retooling, full implementation of OBE, production of instructional materials that are K to 12–ready; adequate equipment and facilities; and immersion, apprenticeship, or fellowship abroad are the strategies identified to best prepare the faculty for the implementation of the new curriculum. Recommendations are immediate retooling and earning of appropriate postgraduate degrees, realignment of degrees and careful choice of seminars and trainings to be attended, and preparation of retooling/training package to factor in each individual faculty member in terms of interests and expertise based on the new subjects to be offered in the new CHED-prescribed AB English curriculum.