Integrating 21st-Century Teaching Strategies in TVL Education in Tagum City, Philippines: Challenges and Opportunities

This study examines the integration of 21st-century teaching strategies in Technical Vocational Livelihood (TVL) education in Tagum City, Philippines, with a focus on inquiry-based, project-based, discovery, and problem-solving learning approaches. These strategies aim to enhance students' critical thinking, collaboration, and digital literacy —essential skills for a modern workforce. The researchers employed a convergent parallel mixed-methods design (Creswell et al., 2003). In this approach, quantitative (numerical) data were collected and analyzed first, followed by qualitative (textual) data to explain or elaborate on the quantitative findings. The quantitative phase employed a 5-point Likert scale survey to measure the frequency with which teachers use 21st-century teaching strategies, with scores categorized as follows: "Always" (93.75% or above), "Most of the time" (75% to 93.75%), "Sometimes" (50% to 74.99%), "Rarely" (25% to 49.99%), and "Never" (75% or less). Results showed that Project-Based Learning (M = 4.56), Discovery-Based Learning (M = 4.53), and Problem-Based Learning (M = 4.50) were rated “Very High,” while Inquiry-Based Learning (M = 4.36) was rated “High,” leading to an overall mean of 4.48 (“High”). These results indicate that TVL teachers frequently utilize these strategies in their practice. The qualitative phase, which involved in-depth interviews, provided insights into the challenges encountered. Teachers reported that the effectiveness of these strategies is hindered by limited tools and technology, insufficient professional development, and inconsistent student engagement due to behavioral and motivational issues. Despite these challenges, educators demonstrated adaptability by combining strategies and leveraging community partnerships. This mixed-methods approach (Rossman & Wilson, 1985) highlighted both the promise and limitations of integrating 21st-century teaching strategies in TVL education. The study emphasizes the need for increased resource investment, targeted TVL teacher training in the Philippines, and stronger collaboration among stakeholders to better prepare students for a technology-driven global workforce.