21st century skills

Empowering Filipino teachers in Bahrain: The role of cognitive flexibility and teaching leadership in shaping students’ 21st-century skills

admin_irjstem Abstract 21st century skills, Cognitive flexibility, Teaching leadership

Empowering Filipino teachers in Bahrain: The role of cognitive flexibility and teaching leadership in shaping students’ 21st-century skills
Corresponding email: [email protected]

A B S T R A C T

Educational institutions demand teachers to be cognitively flexible and highly skilled in leading their students to success. As 21st-century skills become increasingly essential, educators must assess how their approaches influence student development. This study explores the relationship between cognitive flexibility (CF), teaching leadership (TL), and the improvement of 21st-century skills among Filipino teachers in Bahrain. Specifically, it examines how these factors interact to shape student outcomes. Using a quantitative approach, data were collected from 65 Filipino teachers across various institutions through surveys assessing CF, TL, and students’ 21st-century skills attainment. The analysis revealed a significant impact of teaching experience on students’ skill acquisition (F=2.463, p=.055), indicating that seasoned educators are better equipped to promote these critical skills. Furthermore, teaching leadership demonstrated a significant positive effect on students’ development of 21stcentury skills (t=2.475, p=.016) at the 5% significance level, underscoring the pivotal role of effective leadership in education. Interestingly, no significant correlation was found between cognitive flexibility and students’ 21st-century skills, suggesting that while adaptability remains essential for teachers, leadership qualities may play a more direct role in student success. These results highlight the need for competency improvement programs that prioritize cultivating teaching leadership skills, particularly in contexts where 21st-century competencies are a key focus. Overall, this study ephasizes the significance of teaching leadership and experience in equipping students with the essential skills for success in a rapidly evolving world.

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Effect of a university extension program on a partner institution’s 5s rating and student extensionists’ lifelong learning

admin_irjstem Abstract 21st century skills, Community engagement, Educational research, Engineering education

Geraldine G. Nerona, Nica Feby T. Rabago, Beyonce E. Aragon, Janine C. Andrada, Messie Felyn B. Bustos, Marion Luigi N. Ramos, Kyle Brent S. Kimayong
Corresponding email: [email protected]

A B S T R A C T

The study measures the mutual benefit of a university extension program on a partner institution’s 5S ratings and student extensionists’ lifelong learning. The extension program involved implementing 5S in a national high school from August 2022 to May 2024. Lifelong learning is an essential skill that enables graduates to adapt faster and more effectively to changes in their work environment. It affects the way people address the diverse challenges they meet daily. On the other hand, extension work allows students to directly apply course theories to problematic situations in a community with identified needs. The activities involved in the extension program enabled the students to solve problems, collaborate, communicate, think critically, and practice creativity while engaging actively with a community outside the university. The student extensionists’ involvement in the extension program included delivering short lectures on 5S, facilitating extension activities, designing infographic posters, collecting and analyzing 5S data, and recommending and implementing solutions to improve classroom organization and management. Upon termination of the extension program, the mean 5S score of the partner institution increased from “minimum acceptable” at 2.94 to “very good” at 3.83. Their knowledge and skill level in 5S increased from “moderate” at 3.04 to “high” at 4.58. Alongside the successful 5S implementation, the student extensionists’ lifelong learning skills in solving problems, collaborating, communicating, critical thinking, and creativity improved “very much” at 4.47. Even when the students are still at university, lifelong learning can be enhanced through active participation in a university’s extension program. Therefore, the extension program demonstrates the synergistic benefits of community engagement to the partner community and the students. It is recommended that students be actively involved in community extension programs to enhance their classroom learning further and thus demonstrate their lifelong learning.

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