Educators' Pedagogical Capabilities in Public Elementary Schools: A Multivariate Analysis

Abstract

This study examined the pedagogical capability of 131 public elementary school educators in the Manay District, Division of Davao Oriental, and explored how demographic factors influence their teaching effectiveness. Employing a descriptive-comparative research design, data were analyzed using ANOVA and independent samples t-tests to determine significant differences across four dimensions: professional knowledge, instructional skills, personal attributes, and ethical standards. Post-hoc analyses using Tukey's test identified specific group differences. Results showed that age significantly affected all dimensions of pedagogical capability, with teachers aged 56 and above demonstrating the highest overall capability (mean = 4.24), particularly in professional knowledge (mean = 4.21). Conversely, teachers below 25 scored the lowest in this domain (mean = 3.11). Teaching experience also had a significant effect, with those having over 10 years of experience showing higher professional knowledge (mean = 3.88) than those with less experience. In contrast, educational attainment did not yield a significant impact. These findings underscore the importance of age and experience in shaping pedagogical capability. It is recommended that school administrators implement structured mentorship programs, enabling experienced educators to support the professional growth of younger and less experienced colleagues.