Laurence John P.

Macamay November 24, 2018

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS: National Competency-Based Teacher Standards

(NCBTS) & Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers (PPST)

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

A comparative analysis between the National Competency-Based Teacher Standards

(Philippines) and Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers (PPST) through an
in-depth review of the two National Professional Standards for Teachers

National Competency-Based Teacher Standards (NCBTS)

Department of Education, Philippines

The NCBTS is an integrated theoretical framework that defines the different

dimensions of effective teaching, where effective teaching means being able to help
all types of students learn the different learning goals in the curriculum. Individual
teachers in all the public elementary and high schools all over the country shall use
the NCBTS for their professional development activities.

The seven domains are:

Domain 1. Social Regard for Learning (SRFL)

The SRFL domain focuses on the ideal that teachers serve as positive and powerful
role models of the value in the pursuit of different efforts to learn. The teacher’s action,
statements, and different types of social interactions with students exemplify this ideal.

Domain 2. Learning Environment (LE)

This domain focuses on the importance of providing a social, psychological and

physical environment within which all students, regardless of their individual
differences in learning, can engage in the different learning activities and work towards
attaining high standards of learning

Domain 3. Diversity of Learners (DOL)

The DOL domain emphasizes the ideal that teachers can facilitate the learning
process even with diverse learners, by recognizing and respecting individual
differences and by using knowledge about their differences to design diverse sets of
learning activities to ensure that all learners can attain the desired learning goals.

Domain 4. Curriculum (Curr.)

The curriculum domain refers to all elements of the teaching-learning process that
work in convergence to help students understand the curricular goals and objectives,
and to attain high standards of learning defined in the curriculum. These elements
include the teacher’s knowledge of subject matter and the learning process, teaching-
learning approaches and activities, instructional materials and learning resources.

Domain 5. Planning, Assessing & Reporting (PAR)

This domain refers to the alignment of assessment and planning activities. In

particular, the PAR focuses on the (1) use of assessment data to plan and revise
teaching-learning plans;

(2) integration of assessment procedures in the plan and implementation of teaching-

learning activities, and (3) reporting of the learners’ actual achievement and behavior.

Domain 6. Community Linkages (CL)

The LC domain refers to the ideal that classroom activities are meaningfully linked to
the experiences and aspirations of the learners in their homes and communities. Thus,
this domain focuses on teachers’ efforts directed at strengthening the links between
schools and communities to help in the attainment of the curricular goals.

Domain 7. Personal Growth & Professional Development (PGPD)

The PGPD domain emphasizes the ideal that teachers value having a high personal
regard for the teaching profession, concern for professional development, and
continuous improvement as teachers.

Analysis

The NCBTS gives an emphasis on the consideration of teachers to the needs of the
learners in designing academic programs. The teachers are necessitated to regard
students’ diversity and the provision of a proper learning environment as major
concerns. This would include the need for teachers in the Philippines to be well-
knowledgeable on the different teaching and learning strategies and the correct way
of facilitating learning. In this set of standards, it is noted that the roles of teachers in
the educational setting include continuous academic growth, curriculum developers,
field experts, and examples of good ideals. NCBTS also emphasizes the functions of
assessment in the teaching and learning process such as the alignment of activities
to instructional objectives, a ground for redefining pedagogies, and the need to report
students’ performance to properly measure their academic achievement. With regard
to content, the NCBTS has no concrete provision of academic standards applicable
solely in the national setting.

Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers (PPST)

 Department of Education, Philippines

The Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers defines teacher quality in the
Philippines. The standards describe the expectations of teachers’ increasing levels of
knowledge, practice and professional engagement. At the same time, the standards
allow for teachers’ growing understanding, applied with increasing sophistication
across a broader and more complex range of teaching/learning situations.

The seven domains are:

Domain 1. Content Knowledge and Pedagogy

Domain 1 recognizes the importance of teachers’ mastery of content knowledge and

its interconnectedness within and across curriculum areas, coupled with a sound and
critical understanding of the application of theories and principles of teaching and
learning. This Domain encompasses teachers’ ability to apply developmentally
appropriate and meaningful pedagogy grounded on content knowledge and current
research. It takes into account teachers’ proficiency in Mother Tongue, Filipino and
English in the teaching and learning process, as well as needed skills in the use of
communication strategies, teaching strategies, and technologies to promote high-
quality learning outcomes.

Domain 2. Learning Environment

Domain 2 highlights the role of teachers to provide learning environments that are
safe, secure, fair and supportive in order to promote learner responsibility and
achievement. This Domain centers on creating an environment that is learning-
focused and in which teachers efficiently manage learner behavior in a physical and
virtual space. It highlights the need for teachers to utilize a range of resources and
provide intellectually challenging and stimulating activities to encourage constructive
classroom interactions geared towards the attainment of high standards of learning.

Domain 3. Diversity of Learners

Domain 3 emphasizes the central role of teachers in establishing learning

environments that are responsive to learner diversity. This Domain underscores the
importance of teachers’ knowledge and understanding of, as well as respect for,
learners’ diverse characteristics and experiences as inputs to the planning and design
of learning opportunities. It encourages the celebration of diversity in the classrooms
and the need for teaching practices that are differentiated to encourage all learners to
be successful citizens in a changing local and global environment.

Domain 4. Curriculum and Planning

Domain 4 addresses teachers’ knowledge of and interaction with the national and local
curriculum requirements. This Domain encompasses their ability to translate
curriculum content into learning activities that are relevant to learners and based on
the principles of effective teaching and learning. It expects teachers to apply their
professional knowledge to plan and design, individually or in collaboration with
colleagues, well-structured and sequenced lessons. These lesson sequences and
associated learning programs should be contextually relevant, responsive to learners’
needs and incorporate a range of teaching and learning resources. The Domain
expects teachers to communicate learning goals to support learner participation,
understanding and achievement.

Domain 5. Assessment and Reporting

Domain 5 relates to processes associated with a variety of assessment tools and

strategies used by teachers in monitoring, evaluating, documenting and reporting
learners’ needs, progress and achievement. This Domain concerns the use of
assessment data in a variety of ways to inform and enhance the teaching and learning
process and programs. It concerns teachers providing learners with the necessary
feedback about learning outcomes. This feedback informs the reporting cycle and
enables teachers to select, organize and use sound assessment processes.

Domain 6. Community Linkages and Professional Engagement

Domain 6 affirms the role of teachers in establishing school-community partnerships

aimed at enriching the learning environment, as well as the community’s engagement
in the educative process. This Domain expects teachers to identify and respond to
opportunities that link teaching and learning in the classroom to the experiences,
interests and aspirations of the wider school community and other key stakeholders.
It concerns the importance of teachers’ understanding and fulfilling their obligations in
upholding professional ethics, accountability and transparency to promote
professional and harmonious relationships with learners, parents, schools and the
wider community.

Domain 7. Personal Growth and Professional Development

Domain 7 focuses on teachers’ personal growth and professional development. It

accentuates teachers’ proper and high personal regard for the profession by
maintaining qualities that uphold the dignity of teaching such as caring attitude, respect
and integrity. This Domain values personal and professional reflection and learning to
improve practice. It recognizes the importance of teachers’ assuming responsibility for
personal growth and professional development for lifelong learning.

Analysis
The Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers, which is built on NCBTS,
complements the reform initiatives on teacher quality from pre-service education to in-
service training. It articulates what constitutes teacher quality in the K to 12 Reform
through well-defined domains, strands, and indicators that provide measures of
professional learning, competent practice, and effective engagement. This set of
standards makes explicit what teachers should know, be able to do and value to
achieve competence, improved student learning outcomes, and eventually quality
education. It is founded on teaching philosophies of learner-centeredness, lifelong
learning, and inclusivity/inclusiveness, among others. The professional standards,
therefore, become a public statement of professional accountability that can help
teachers reflect on and assess their own practices as they aspire for personal growth
and professional development.

Similarities

The two national teacher standards of the Philippines elicit the importance for our
teachers to achieve proper academic attainments and become credible experts in the
field. However, they emphasized that teachers should not only be knowledgeable on
content, but should also be creative in designing and implementing instruction. This
includes the need for them to properly align instruction with students’ needs,
appropriate administration of assessment, and the provision of an environment
favourable for learning. The two standards also say that for learning to be
transformative, the curriculum should also be brought outside the four walls of the
classroom. This will only be possible through community linkages and cooperation
with stakeholders.

Differences

NCBTS (Philippines) PPST (Philippines)

Diversity of students that includes recognize the importance of mastery of

different learning styles, content knowledge and its
multiple intelligence, interests and interconnectedness within and across
behavior are taken as major curriculum areas, coupled with a sound
consideration in the designing of and critical understanding of the
instructional objectives and assessment application of theories and principles of
activities. teaching and learning.

Instructional objectives may be modified provide learning environments that are

through considerations such as students’ safe, secure, fair and supportive in order
performance and needs. An evaluation to promote learner responsibility and
of their performance should not serve as achievement.
 the sole basis for changes in the
pedagogy.

Academic achievements such as establish learning environments that are

professional degrees are not included as
major requirements for teachers. They
are, however, encouraged to have high
regards on continuous growth and
academic development.
responsive to learner diversity. They
respect learners’ diverse characteristics
and experiences as inputs to the
planning and design of learning
opportunities.

The standards are not guided by one
unique standard that could serve as a
general theme for all processes. Thus,
the teachers are given freedom to select
content, activities, and strategies. Each
school could also have a unique
standard apart from other schools within
the country.
interact with the national and local
curriculum requirements. They translate
curriculum content into learning activities
that are relevant to learners and based
on the principles of effective teaching
and learning.

Nutshell

The teachers, the graduates, and the preservice teachers of the Philippines and
Arizona have different natures due to the uniqueness among their international teacher
standards. One may be advantageous on one aspect while the other is advantageous
also in another. However, what matters most importantly is the relevance of these
standards to their needs and how they can produce dynamic professionals who can
respond to the demands of the society they live in.

Sources:

Department of Education (2006). National Competency-Based Teacher Standards

(NCBTS): A Professional Development Guide For Filipino Teachers.
[http://prime.deped.gov.ph/wp-
content/uploads/downloads/2011/09/22June_POPULAR-VERSION-FINAL.pdf,
December 12, 2013)

Education In The Philippines (2008). TIMSS Results for the Philippines.

[http://eduphil.org/timss-results-for-the-philippines.html. December 12, 2013]