Caraga State University (formerly Northern Mindanao State Institute of Science and Technology, abbreviated NORMISIST) is a state-controlled university in Agusan del Norte, Philippines. Its main campus is in Ampayon, Butuan with an auxiliary campus in Cabadbaran.On July 27, 2009, the Congress of the Philippines passed into law Republic Act No. 9854 which was signed by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on December 16, 2009, fusing together Northern Mindanao State Institute of Science and Technology in Butuan and Northern Mindanao College of Arts, Science and Technology in Cabadbaran into Caraga State University retaining the Butuan branch at its main campus.
This study examines the phenomenology of God using Edmund Husserl's phenomenological method as interpreted by Manuel Dy Jr. Husserl's approach, which includes epoche, eidetic reduction, and transcendental-phenomenological reduction, serves as the framework for uncovering three essential aspects (eidos) of the experience of God: transcendent, mediated, and personal or relational. These dimensions are not metaphysical definitions but structures of appearance within human consciousness. While phenomenology does not claim to determine God's essence, it provides a reflective means to understand how the divine is experienced and given meaning in lived reality. The study acknowledges the divine as both approachable and mysterious, grasped only in part through human experience. Rooted in returning to original experience, the inquiry draws from personal encounters and reflective interpretation. The phenomenological encounter with God thus reveals both the limits of human knowing and the enduring sense of the sacred within existence. By situating phenomenology as a bridge between classical philosophy, Christian theology, and contemporary phenomenological theology, this paper advances the philosophical dialogue on religious experience and highlights the interpretive significance of Filipino religiosity. It shows that phenomenology offers not only a method of description but also a path toward understanding the relational mediation of the divine in human life.
This study examines the impact of pedagogical strategies on teacher performance in public elementary schools in Talacogon, Caraga Region, Philippines. Using a quantitative nonexperimental correlational research design, data were collected from 87 Grade 4-6 teachers through questionnaires and IPCR scores. Findings indicate that inquiry-based, collaborative, project-based, experiential, flipped classroom, and differentiated instruction strategies are widely implemented, with teachers' performance rated as outstanding across content knowledge, pedagogy, learning environment, curriculum planning, community engagement, and professional development (grand mean $=4.64)$. Correlation and regression analyses show that differentiated instruction has the strongest positive relationship with teacher performance and is the only significant predictor of teacher readiness. Overall, the results underscore the importance of adaptive, learner-centered approaches, highlighting differentiated instruction as a key strategy for enhancing teacher effectiveness and professional preparedness.
The Philippines faces a significant learning crisis, with recent assessments indicating low reading and communication proficiency among primary learners. While Strategic Intervention Materials (SIM) are standard remedial tools, there is a scarcity of research integrating Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) into these materials to enhance engagement and content relevance. This study aimed to develop an Artificial Intelligence-Integrated Strategic Intervention Material (AI-SIM) to improve the mastery of discourse markers- a least-learned competency-among Grade 3 pupils. GenAI tools, specifically ChatGPT and Google Gemini, were employed to create contextualized storylines and activities, while QR codes were integrated for interactive scaffolding. The intervention was implemented with 34 pupils using a one-group pretest-posttest design. Results showed an increase in learners' mean scores from the pretest to the posttest, moving from an average level to moving toward mastery. Statistical analysis revealed a significant difference between the pretest and posttest scores, indicating that the AI-SIM was effective. The findings suggest that AI-enhanced intervention materials can help improve English learning outcomes among elementary learners. This study offers a novel approach by embedding GenAI content into physical instructional materials, addressing the digital divide in resource-constrained classrooms. However, the study is limited by its small sample size and focuses on a single competency, suggesting the need for broader experimental research.
The swift incorporation of digital technologies into mathematics education has revolutionized learning environments, necessitating that students cultivate procedural knowledge and fundamental 21st-century skills, including collaboration, communication, creativity, and critical thinking (4Cs), alongside technological proficiency. This study employed a convergent mixed-methods design to examine how mathematics e-learning environments cultivate these competencies among more than 400 undergraduate students from Shandong, China. Quantitative data were analyzed through Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to investigate the structural relationships between virtual learning environmental features and 21st-century skills. Concurrently, qualitative data derived from semi-structured interviews with mathematics teachers and case studies offered contextualized insights into instructional practices and student experiences. The SEM results showed that virtual environmental features have positive effects on all four skill areas, with critical thinking having the strongest path coefficient. Interactive and authentic design elements improved collaboration and communication, while flexible learning spaces, rich resources, and tasks that required deep thought supported creativity and critical thinking. Thematic analysis puts these results in context by using different modes of communication, exploring creative solutions independently, and working on real math problems, all of which are important for skill development. Feedback systems, technical quality, and the real-world use of creative ideas need improvement. These results highlight the essential function of deliberate, learner-focused instructional design in enhancing virtual mathematics education. The research offers empirical and theoretical insights for educators, instructional designers, and institutions seeking to develop comprehensive 21st-century competencies that equip students to meet the collaborative, communicative, innovative, and analytical demands.
