Challenges encountered and coping strategies of the senior high school statistics and probability teachers: Basis for the development of capability training design

Abstract

This qualitative study aimed to determine the challenges encountered and coping strategies of Senior High School Statistics and Probability teachers. It focused on identifying the challenges experienced by the teachers teaching Statistics and Probability and how they managed to cope with the strategies they employed. The study has four phases: (a) research preliminaries, (b) data collection, (c) data analysis, and (d) evaluation of the training design proposal. The six (6) chosen respondents, selected through purposive sampling, were the Senior High School Statistics and Probability teachers from different public schools of the Districts of Kalibo I and II in the Division of Aklan that offers Statistics and Probability in the Senior High School curriculum. Data collection involved a face-to-face/in-depth virtual interview. It was done to capture the experiences of the individual regarding how they managed the struggles they experienced. The following themes emerged: As to the challenges encountered by the teachers (1) inadequate content knowledge, (2) lack of training, (3) student's behavior and capacity, (4) congested learning competencies, (5) workload of teachers, and (6) unavailability of learning resources. As to the coping strategies of the teachers, the following themes were observed: (1) contextualized learning strategies, (2) game integration, (3) use of positive discipline, ( 4) use of local language, (5) remedial classes, and (6) being resourceful. The results imply that the teachers struggled to teach and understand the topics in Statistics and Probability mainly due to inadequate content knowledge and outdated teaching strategies on how to teach the subject. Thus, curriculum makers and school administrators must organize training for Senior High School Statistics and Probability teachers to develop a comprehensive and contextualized learning kit or supplementary materials to address the challenges they have experienced and to obtain the desired learning outcomes.