Harmonizing Education: A Case Study on the Constructive Alignment Approach to Crisis in Teacher Education Curriculum and Licensure Examination Competencies

Abstract

This qualitative research examined how teacher education program coordinators address the misalignment between the teacher education curriculum and licensure examination competencies through the Constructive Alignment Approach, focusing on the intended learning outcomes, teaching and learning activities, and assessment methods. Through an in-depth interview with these coordinators from tertiary institutions who were selected through a purposive sampling technique, several themes emerged on how program coordinators deal with this crisis. The findings of this study highlight the multifaceted challenges encountered by the program coordinators that include misalignment of learning outcomes and standards due to conflicting directives, outdated and fragmented curriculum content, resource limitations, ineffective assessment methods, and difficulties in syllabus alignment. To address these issues, coordinators employ strategies such as prioritizing educational standards, continuously reviewing and revising curricula, seeking external assistance to fill resource gaps, tailoring assessments to better reflect competencies, and fostering collaboration among faculty members. They also adopt proactive and adaptive approaches by staying updated with policy changes, leveraging data and feedback for curriculum improvement, involving stakeholders in curriculum design, and promoting continuous professional development through training and expert consultations. We recommend a joint CHED-PRC-higher institution committee be organized to harmonize specifications and guidelines using constructive alignment to improve coherence and licensure exam preparation. Program coordinators must adopt flexible, feedback-driven curriculum reviews, engage in professional development, and update assessments to ensure relevance and alignment with evolving educational standards, while future researchers should explore comparative studies across board courses.