TOWARD BETTER TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION: AN ASSESSMENT OF TECH-VOC AND TLE IN HIGHER EDUCATION

This study assessed the instructional status of Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE) and Technical-Vocational (Tech-Voc) programs at Cagayan State University (CSU), Philippines, to inform future training and development initiatives. Employing a descriptive-correlational research design, the study profiled faculty members and explored the relationship between their qualifications, instructional practices, and performance. Results revealed that most instructors were middle-aged females, held doctoral degrees in fields unrelated to TLE or Tech-Voc, occupied assistant professor ranks, and had five to nine years of teaching experience. Despite possessing advanced academic qualifications, most individuals held limited National Certifications (NCs) and had attended only a few relevant seminars and training programs. Regarding instructional strategies, lectures, discussions, demonstrations, and laboratory-based methods were predominantly employed. Notably, the study found that instructors who integrated game-based learning approaches exhibited higher teaching performance than those who did not adopt such methods. Additionally, permanent faculty members with more National Certifications were shown to possess higher levels of competence than their contract-based counterparts. These findings highlight the need for targeted capacity-building efforts to enhance instructors’ technical expertise and research capabilities. Equipping faculty members with relevant certifications and continuous professional development is essential to strengthening TLE and Tech-Voc instruction within the higher education framework of CSU.