Digital Transformation in Education: Evaluating Teachers’ Practices and Strategies to Enhance Access to Quality Learning in a Local Community College

This research focused on the digital transformation practices and strategies undertaken by teachers at Initao College, a local community college located in Misamis Oriental, Philippines, for the betterment and accessibility of quality learning among learners. The purpose of this research is to look into the ways how digital tools are integrated with lesson plans, instructional delivery, assessment, and management of classrooms and to determine perceptual differences between students and teachers on this matter. Using a multiple-methods design, the study employed quantitative surveys (with 200—50 from each academic program: BEED, BSCRIM, BSBA, and BSHM) and qualitative thematic analysis involving 50 faculty members who participated in the study. Findings indicate a high prevalence of digital practices in lesson planning, instructional delivery, assessment, and classroom management. A significant and positive correlation exists between these digital practices and perceived improvements in student engagement, accessibility to learning resources, and learning outcomes. However, notable perceptual differences between students and teachers highlight the need for better alignment of digital strategies with learner experiences. Qualitative perspectives indicate that while some strategies were creative, notable barriers such as technological problems, insufficient infrastructure, and digital illiteracy persist. The study thus recommends putting much more into investments in digital infrastructure, ongoing faculty professional development, and specific interventions at the program level to begin to close the perceptual gap and thereby further enhance the leverage of digital transformation in education.