INTRODUCTION

In many countries, the role and functioning of

schools are changing and so is what is expected of

teachers. Many are seeking to improve their schools, and

to respond better to higher social and economic

expectations. As the most significant and costly resource

in schools, teachers are central to school improvement

efforts. Improving the efficiency and equity of schooling

depends, in large measure, on ensuring that competent

people want to work as teachers, that their teaching is

of high quality, and that all students have access to

high quality teaching (Wildman & Niles, 1987). No matter

how good pre-service training for teachers is, it cannot

be expected to prepare teachers for all the challenges

they will face throughout their careers. Education

systems therefore seek to provide teachers with

opportunities for in-service professional development in

order to maintain a high standard of teaching and to

retain a high-quality teacher workforce.

In the Philippines, the Department of Education

(DepEd) as an institution of learnings also supports this

concept of enhancing a quality education by working to

protect and promote the right of Filipinos to quality

complete, and allows them to realize their potential and

contribute meaningfully to building the nation. The

investment of the DepEd in the development of human

potential is a commitment it makes not only to its

learners but also its teachers. Towards this end, the

DepEd fully supports the continuing professional

development of its teaching personnel based on the

principle of lifelong learning and the view of the

teaching profession as one that “requires teachers expert

knowledge and specialized skills, acquired and maintained

through rigorous and continuing study (UNESCO 1966).

The Department of Education also recognizes that the

quality of learning is greatly influenced by the quality

of teaching. Little (2003) commented that organizing

professional learning communities will aid teachers in

the construction of new knowledge about instruction as

well as in revising traditional beliefs and assumptions

about education, community, teaching, and learning to

suit the present needs of learners.

Stronge (2007) asserted that successful teachers

possess a good grasp of content which they can

consequently convert to sound learning objectives, are

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able to select and implement the most effective

instructional strategies and materials to teach the

identified content objectives, make instructional

decisions on the basis of formative assessment results,

promote sincerely their students’ learning and holistic

development, and are professional and ethical in the

conduct of their work. With such, good educational

systems ensure that opportunities for both approaches to

professional development programs are available and

accessible to teachers (Whitehouse, 2011).

With the demands of the 21st century learning, there

is a pressing demand among teachers to undergo relevant

trainings that aim to enhance their instructional

practices. As the learning environment and learning

preference of the student continue to evolve, teachers

must upgrade their pedagogical competency in order to

respond to the needs of the learners. The teaching

practice of teachers is central to student learning. The

students’ mastery of competency is relatively dependent

on the teacher’s instructional competence. However, there

are teachers who perform poorly in giving instruction

which resulted to ineffective student learning (Hudson,

2008).

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 There are numerous observations that pointed out to

teacher’s poor competence in terms of aligning classroom

activities in the objective of the lesson. This is mainly

due to poor lesson planning skill among teachers which

need to be addressed in no time. Aside from this

observation, there are teachers who cannot deliver the

lesson utilizing contextualization that it fails the

students to find meaning in the application of the lesson

in their daily experiences (Clinchy, 2012).

Similarly, there are also observations regarding

teacher’s poor competence in designing assessments and

utilizing these to make an informed decision in terms of

delivering the lesson. Many teachers fail to utilize

assessment results to reflect on their teaching practice.

There are also teachers who lack the necessary skill to

design assessment that is appropriate to the level of the

students (Fullan, 2012).

The increased interest in professional learning

communities as a panacea for helping all students succeed

by the year 2014 (as dictated by the No Child Left Behind

(NCLB) regulations encourages exploration and examination

of how these communities engender teacher learning and

implicate student learning. Educator learning is an

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important focus for inquiry, specifically, how educators

learn in collaborative groups.

In line with the implementation of Republic Act No.

10533, or the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, the

DepEd issues the enclosed policy on The Learning Action

Cell (LAC) as a K to 12 Basic Education Program School-

Based Continuing Professional Development Strategy for

the Improvement of Teaching and Learning.

According to Luistro (2016), he explains that

through this policy, the DepEd fully supports the

continuing professional development of its teaching

personnel based on the principle of lifelong learning and

DepEd’s commitment to the development of teachers’

potential aimed towards their success in the profession.

This can be done through the school-based LAC, which

primarily functions as professional learning communities

for teachers that will help them improve practice and

learner achievement. The DepEd supports the stepping

stone achievement of the teacher personnel based on the

DepEd commitment to the progress of teachers ability

towards to their in their profession.

The researcher has not come across of a similar

study regarding instructional competence of teacher in a

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local setting. This undertaking therefore, can be

considered as a blueprint of new knowledge and additional

document to the existing knowledge for the variable

involved in the study. It is in this context that the

researcher decided to conduct this research.

Through these motivational concepts of making an

effective teacher, the researcher finds the research area

interesting to explore with, since the power of a teacher

is greatly addressed with its development professionally

through various training programs. It could be gleaned

that student learning is influenced by many factors,

where teacher skills, knowledge, attitudes and practices

are necessary in building his/her confidence towards

effective learning. This study will look into how a

learning action cell makes up a teacher by exploring it’s

the lived experiences of elementary teachers’ journey in

teaching. It will look into how teachers in a public

school find the significance of having a learning action

cell in developing their well-being as mentors in the

millennial era.

Conceptual Framework

Collaborative teaming

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 Benchmarking on one’s skills in effective teaching

through collaborative learning is the major agenda of

this study. It will deal on digging significant

experiences of public elementary teachers in terms of

their professional development, specifically their

involvement in a Learning Action Cell sessions. The

definition of collaborative teaming involves a group of

people working interdependently to achieve a common goal

through analysis to impact professional practice in order

to improve individual and or collective results

(Dickenson, 2009).

Collaboration and teaming are undoubtedly benefits

to all members of schools according to current studies

(Brouwers, Evers, & Tomic, 2000; DuFour, DuFour, & Eaker,

2008; Graham, 2007; Saurino, D. R. et al., 1996; Warren &

Payne, 1997; da Costa, 1993). Evidence in current

research on extent of and/or impact on student learning

as affected by teacher collaboration or teaming has been

examined (da Costa, 1993; Schmoker & Wilson, 1995).

However, the research leads to questions concerning how

the nature of teaming, collaboration, and collegiality

affects teacher learning.

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 Team collaboration impacts teacher efficacy,

although the extent of the impact or how the teachers

measure that lacks clear definition. da Costa (1993)

examined the issues of collaboration and learning, not

only of the teachers but also of the students. The

findings indicated that teachers in the first and second

cells had higher levels of personal teaching efficacy;

this supported the authors hypothesis that the

collaborative process can influence teacher efficacy and

thereby teacher growth. The findings suggest that high

teacher efficacy shares a connection to improved student

behaviors and learning.

The literature indicates that even hardened

veteran teachers, resistant to change in professional

programs, can and will change through approaches grounded

in reality and supported by administration. A two-year

pilot program introduced 52 veteran teachers to form a

professional learning community (Slick, 2002). The

teachers responded positively and worked enthusiastically

for personal and professional change. The teachers

reported that collaboration and teaming aided and

enhanced their perceived self-efficacy. The respondents

indicated that due to the collegiality (socially and

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professionally) and shared learning that took place

during their meetings, efficacy increased. Slick’s

article supports and promotes the learning community as a

positive impact on teacher efficacy, and stresses that

the importance of essential organizational elements such

as scheduling.

Learning Action Cell

In line with the implementation of Republic Act

No.10533, or the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013,

the Department of Education (DepEd) issued a policy on

the Learning Action Cell (LAC) as a K to 12 Basic

Education Program School-based Continuing Professional

Development Strategy for the Improvement of Teaching and

Learning through the DepEd Order No. 35, series of 2016.

In this policy, the DepEd institutionalizes Learning

Action Cells (LACs) that aim to develop and support

successful teachers by nurturing their knowledge,

attitudes, and competencies in terms of curriculum,

instruction, and assessment in their work stations.

In the DepEd, a Learning Action Cell is a group of

teachers who engage in collaborative learning sessions to

solve shared challenges encountered in the school

facilitated by the school head or a designated LAC

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Leader. LACs will become the school-based communities of

practice that are positive, caring, and safe spaces. Key

aspects of the process are ongoing collaborative learning

or problem solving within a shared domain of professional

interest, self-directed learning, reflective practice

leading to action and self-evaluation, and collective

competence. The following are the objectives of this

policy: to improve the teaching-learning process that

will lead to improved learning among the students; to

nurture successful teachers; to enable teachers to

support each other to continuously improve their content

and pedagogical knowledge, practice, skills, and

attitudes; and to foster a professional collaborative

spirit among school heads, teachers, and the community as

a whole.

DepEd emphasized that LACs are the most cost-

effective CPD process but may entail some expenses for

meetings and handouts. Funds for the LACs may be sourced

from the school’s Maintenance and Other Operating

Expenses (MOOE), subject to its utilization guidelines.

Other resources may be generated by the school or schools

divisions to support LACs as these endeavour to upgrade

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the quality of teaching and learning in their respective

schools.

The policy provides the framework and enabling

mechanisms for the conduct and implementation of LACs in

schools or in clusters if multigrade schools prefer to

conduct them by cluster. It is directed towards

improving teacher knowledge, skills, and attitudes based

on established competencies linked to the K to 12

Curriculum. Figure 1 presents the theoretical framework

of Learning Action Cell. It shows that communities of

practice enable teachers to do collaborative planning,

problem solving, and action implementation that will lead

to improved teachers’ knowledge, skills, and attitudes

that will consequently and significantly improve student

learning and development.

Formation of LAC

Every teacher must be part of a LAC. LAC could be

formed based on the prioritized need(s) and depending on

the number of teachers in every school or cluster of

Community of Improved
Practice with Teacher’s content
Collaborative knowledge,
Planning, Problem- pedagogical skills, Student learning
Solving, And 11
assessment and holistic
Action strategies, and development
Implementation professional ethics
 Figure 1. Theoretical Framework of Learning Action
Cell (LAC)

schools. However, these groupings are flexible according

to need and context.

One LAC could be composed of five (5) to 15 members.

A school may organize as many LACs as may be deemed

necessary depending on the identified needs of the

school. In all schools, teachers may convene in groups

that are strategically decided. These may be by key

stage, grade level, learning area, or programs offered by

the school. Multi-grade schools may be clustered in

different ways by the district or division supervisors

based on the objectives of the LACs to be conducted.

Nevertheless, the study was limited due to the time

of year, which allowed for very few number of LAC

sessions. Consequently, this study did not include

extensive observations of LAC sessions. However, in

interviews the teachers described their experiences in

participating LAC sessions in a detailed manner. This

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study was also limited by the focus on one team of

teachers. This group of teachers gave extensive time for

interviews, which provided an in-depth view of one

collaborative group.

The significance of the study aims to contribute in

the growing area of research exploring the concept of

Learning Action Cell (LAC) as an approach to teachers’

professional development in schools. Specifically, this

may help elementary school teachers and school heads view

professional development from a different angle. It is

the intention of the study to open their eyes to seeing

new and exciting opportunities to help the teachers grow

and develop professionally. The findings of the study

could also make an important contribution to the policy

makers for training and professional development of

teachers in the Philippines.

Furthermore, this research will be beneficial for

teachers, as the development of Learning Action Cell in

schools would entail having a staunch support system for

them. The very presence of LAC in schools will make

teachers feel valued, appreciated, and supported as they

strive to effectively improve the quality of learning in

their classrooms.

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 Most importantly, the study may indirectly benefit

students, as it aims to help improve the conditions of

teaching through the formation of LAC at school level. It

is understood that when teachers feel valued and

supported in their work place, they are more likely to be

motivated to better perform their roles.

The purpose of the study was to determine the lived

experiences of elementary teachers in participating

Learning Action Cell (LAC) sessions. Specifically, the

study was guided by the following objectives:

1. to describe teachers’ experiences as learner-

participants in the Learning Action Cell;

2. to make sense out of their experience in the

Learning Action Cell.

The study was established on a qualitative approach

which focused primarily on the experience and

understandings within the teachers’ world on LAC.

According to Creswell (1998) qualitative research is “an

inquiry process of understanding based on distinct

methodological traditions of inquiry that explore a

social or human problem. The researcher builds a complex,

holistic picture, analyzes words, reports detailed views

of informants, and conducts the study in a natural

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setting. The emphasis is on how individuals construct

meaning and knowledge through interactions within the

social context which appropriately aligns in researching

how teachers experience and understand LAC sessions.

Phenomenological inquiry was be utilized to further

develop the qualitative frame. This methodology assists

discovery and understanding within the data rich

environment evolving from the lived experiences of the

student participants. Whereas some methodologies strive

to determine opinions and a generalization through

hypotheses, a phenomenology seeks to explore contextual

meaning through the situational knowledge of those being

researched (Creswell, 2009).

Further scholarly perspective is derived from

emerging themes reduced through a process of prior

reflection, continued reflection, and clarifying

reduction (Husserl, 1931).

The study followed the guidelines of a traditional

phenomenology as described by Moustakas (1994) where the

role of the researcher is to generate a written

description of an individual’s external observations and

internal process of cognition.

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 Phenomenological reduction suggests a series of

steps and considerations that are included as

chronological actions. Creswell (1998) recommends first

describing the lived experience of interest, working then

to dissolve preconceived judgments, acknowledging the

realities of this consciousness, and lastly refusing

subject-object dichotomy and accepting reality through an

individual’s experience.

METHODOLOGY

Research design

This phenomenological study utilized a qualitative

research methodology to investigate the lived experiences

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of elementary teachers in a Learning Action Cell, as a

faculty development program. A phenomenology is an

approach to qualitative research that describes the

meaning of a lived experience of a phenomenon for several

individuals, which in this case is the experience of

teachers in their LAC sessions. The purpose is to

describe the commonalities of the experience.

There are two main types of phenomenology—

hermeneutical and transcendental—the latter of which is

applied in this study. The transcendental phenomenology

approach by Moustakas, adapted from Husserl, focuses on

the participants' given descriptions to generate an

essence of the lived experience, as opposed to

hermeneutical phenomenology which more strongly relies on

the researcher's interpretations of what lived experience

means.

Qualitative research is an effort to understand the

nature of a setting and the experiences others have in

this context (Merriam, 1998). On the one hand, lived

experience refers to a representation of the experiences

and choices of a given person, and the knowledge that

they gain from these experiences and choices. The study

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utilized phenomenology to help lead a comprehensive

account of lived experiences from which “general or

universal meanings are derived” (Creswell, 1998).

Procedure of the study

The following suggestions as outlined by Creswell

(2007) and derived from Moustakas (1994) was included in

the design and served as a procedural map for the study

which investigated the experiences of teachers in their

LAC sessions.

The process used to organize research thoughts was

derived from both commonly held practices in

phenomenology and Hycner’s (1999) five step approach.

First, data were gathered through the interviews. Second,

bracketing and phenomenological reductions ensured

preconceived judgments and were suspended to focus in on

the experiences of the teacher respondents. Third, two

separate phases of coding were used to negotiate data.

These are delineating the units of meaning first to

condense verbal and nonverbal communications and

clustering for data groupings that were collected to form

ideas related to the research questions. Fourth, these

ideas from the interviews were generally and uniquely

extracted and condensed into themes. Lastly, themes were

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composed into a multiple summary of the findings and were

related directly to the experiences of teachers in LAC

sessions.

Data Collection

The study was conducted in an elementary school

located at Barangay Balili, Mankayan, Benguet. Through

purposive sampling, which involves the identifying and

selecting of individuals or groups of individuals that

are especially knowledgeable about or experienced with a

phenomenon of interest (Cresswell & Plano Clark, 2011),

the participants were 10 elementary public teachers, who

are teaching Grade 1 to Grade 6 levels.

To seize the principle of the phenomenon under

exploration, a letter of request was given to the

participants informing them of the nature of the study,

the subject to be deliberated and degree of their

contribution. An appointment was scheduled for a one on

one interview based on the convenience of the

participants. To produce usual replies for the queries,

all participants were interviewed in the place of their

choice and were given one hour per participant for the

interview.

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 A semi – structured interview guide with open-ended

questions were constructed based on the research

questions. Best and Kahn (1993) stated that interviews

are particularly appropriate in getting responses from

respondents.

Semi structured interviews were conducted with

teachers privately in their regular classroom. All

interviews were audiotaped for accuracy. The interview

protocol included 13 questions concerning the two

research questions. Throughout the process of the

interviews, probes and follow-up questions were added as

needed to encourage elaboration and clarify responses.

Specific questions were added as the interview process

progressed in response to developing themes. All

interviews were conducted by the researcher immediately

after each interview and verbatim transcripts were

generated.

Moustakas's structured method of inductive data

analysis was used in this study. After each individual

transcript was read twice to immerse the researcher in

the data, all transcripts were read again and memos were

recorded to further immerse the researcher and highlight

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key concepts (Moustakas, 1994).After initial immersion,

the following steps were followed:

Horizontalization was performed by giving equal

value and importance to each statement and coding it with

a descriptive label.

Reduction and elimination of statements that were

not a horizon of the experience was performed to

determine the invariant constituents of the experience.

This process involved asking whether the statement

contained a moment that was necessary for understanding

the experience and whether it could be abstracted and

labeled.

Clustering was performed to group related

constituents together, and each category was given a

thematic label. Initial coding resulted in many

categories of invariant constituents of the experience.

This step was repeated several times to further group and

reduces categories until all constituents were clustered

and reduced into 8 core themes of the experience.

Final identification of these themes were performed

by rereading the complete transcripts to verify that the

theme and accompanying invariant constituents were

explicitly expressed and compatible with the

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participants' words. These themes were used to construct

individual and overall textural, structural, and

textural–structural descriptions, culminating into an

overall essence of the experience. Themes are presented

within this text.

Reliability and validity

Commonly identified reliability techniques utilized

in this study include the recording of detailed field

notes, an audio recorder for accuracy, and intercoder

agreement from the senior author and an outside coder,

with the latter technique being the most critical process

of reliability (Creswell, 2013). The two (2) additional

coders analyzed data independently and then met with the

first author to discuss codes. There were no significant

discrepancies, and any small differences were discussed

and resolved to create one set of themes.

Commonly identified validation techniques used in

this study include data source triangulation to

corroborate evidence, bracketing to clarify bias, and

member checking. Member checking, identified as the most

critical validation technique, was conducted with

participants to determine the credibility of the findings

and interpretations.( Lincoln, 1985).

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 To check the reliability of data, counter-checking

procedures by the researcher and preparing validating

related literatures were conducted. Finally, the

triangulation of the gathered data was conducted in a

form of a Focus-Group Discussion (FGD).

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