Assessing Public Elementary Teachers’ Competence in Planning, Management, and Instruction Amid Adaptive Education during the COVID-19 Pandemic

This study evaluated public elementary school teachers’ performance in planning, management, and instruction amid adaptive education during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose was to assess how effectively teachers adapted their practices to the situation and to determine whether relationships existed among the three performance domains. It was hypothesized that no significant relationships would be found. A mixed-methods explanatory-sequential design was employed. Quantitative data were collected from thirty-two teachers in two public elementary schools using a validated survey instrument measuring competency in planning, management, and instruction. Statistical analyses were applied, including weighted mean, chi-square test, and Spearman-Rho correlation. Qualitative data were gathered through in-depth interviews and analyzed thematically to explore teachers’ lived experiences. Results indicated that teachers demonstrated high-performance levels in all three areas, with mean scores of (M = 4.65) in planning, (M = 4.55) in management, and (M = 4.48) in instruction. No significant relationships were found among the three domains (p > 0.05). Qualitative findings revealed common challenges such as limited digital skills, high workloads, poor internet connectivity, and constrained resources, though teachers showed resilience and adaptability. In conclusion, while teachers performed satisfactorily, professional development focused on digital competence and crisis-responsive teaching strategies is recommended. Limitations of the study include the small sample size and localized scope. Future research should expand across broader contexts and adopt longitudinal designs further to understand teacher competencies’ evolution in adaptive education environments.