Teaching Practices in Social Sciences and Acquisition of 21st Century Skills of Senior High School Students

This study explored the relationship between the teaching practices of Social Science teachers and the acquisition of 21st-century skills among Senior High School students in five public secondary schools in Banga 2 District, South Cotabato. Using a quantitative correlational design, the study involved 16 teachers and 227 randomly selected students. Data were analyzed through frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, regression analysis, and Pearson r correlation. Results revealed that teachers actively practiced student-centered approaches—such as activity-based learning, cooperative strategies, inquiry-based methods, and problem-based learning—with high effectiveness. However, the use of multimedia tools, while present, showed room for growth. Students across the district exhibited strong 21st-century skills, particularly in learning skills and digital literacy, although disparities in digital proficiency emerged across schools. Importantly, teachers’ demographic profiles—such as age, status, gender, and experience—did not significantly influence their teaching practices, except for educational attainment, which was linked to greater use of multimedia approaches. The study also confirmed that effective teaching practices significantly impact students’ 21st-century skills, especially problem-based and multimedia learning, which showed the strongest correlations. The findings highlight the need to continuously support teacher development in technology integration, enhance school infrastructure for digital learning, and strengthen mentorship for less experienced educators. The study recommends tailored professional development programs and policy initiatives to promote innovative and inclusive teaching. As education evolves, empowering teachers to embrace dynamic, student-focused, and tech-enabled strategies will be essential to preparing learners for the demands of a rapidly changing world.