BACK TO BASIC: FACULTY PERCEPTIONS, WILLINGNESS, AND CHALLENGES TOWARD A SCHOOL IMMERSION PROGRAM IN A TEACHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18623/rvd.v23.4606Keywords:
21st Century Education, Challenges, Immersion, Perception, WillingnessAbstract
As educational reforms continue to reshape basic education, faculty members in Teacher Education Institutions (TEIs) must remain responsive to evolving classroom realities. While traditional professional development initiatives provide theoretical updates, opportunities for experiential engagement remain limited. This study examined faculty perceptions, willingness, and perceived challenges regarding the implementation of a school immersion program in a TEI. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analyzed, involving 54 faculty members from a TEI of a state university in Central Luzon, the Philippines. Quantitative data were analyzed using Spearman’s rho, Mann-Whitney U, and Kruskal-Wallis tests due to non-normal distribution, while qualitative data from interviews and focus group discussions were examined through thematic analysis. Findings revealed generally positive perceptions and high willingness to participate in the immersion program. Significant positive correlations were found between perceptions and willingness (ρ = .692, p < .001), suggesting that favorable attitudes strongly predict engagement intention. Although time management and workload were identified as challenges, these did not substantially diminish participation intent. The findings underscore the importance of strengthening positive perceptions and providing structural support to enhance faculty engagement in immersion-based professional development initiatives.
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