CLASSROOM CHALLENGES AND COPING STRATEGIES AMONG TEACHERS AT SULU STATE COLLEGE

Abstract

Teaching in higher education has become increasingly complex due to changing student demographics, curriculum reforms, technological advancements, and growing institutional expectations. These developments present significant classroom challenges that may influence teachers’ instructional effectiveness, student engagement, and overall educational quality. Despite the growing body of research on classroom management and teaching practices, limited empirical evidence exists regarding the specific classroom challenges encountered by teachers in higher education institutions located in geographically and culturally diverse regions such as Sulu, Philippines. This study aims to examine the classroom challenges experienced by teachers at Sulu State College and to identify the coping strategies they employ to maintain effective teaching and learning environments. The study will employ a quantitative descriptive-correlational research design involving full-time faculty members from various academic departments of Sulu State College. Data will be collected using a validated structured questionnaire covering classroom management, student behavior, instructional resources, learner diversity, technology integration, assessment practices, and coping strategies. Descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analysis will be utilized to determine the prevalence of classroom challenges, examine relationships between variables, and identify significant predictors of teachers’ coping strategies. The anticipated findings are expected to reveal that teachers encounter moderate to high levels of classroom challenges, particularly in managing student behavior, maintaining learner engagement, addressing diverse learning needs, and coping with limited instructional resources. Teachers are also expected to demonstrate adaptive coping strategies such as collaborative problem-solving, continuous professional development, instructional innovation, and reflective teaching practices. The study will contribute to the literature on teacher resilience and classroom management within developing higher education contexts and provide evidence-based recommendations for faculty development, institutional support systems, and educational policy enhancement. The findings may serve as a foundation for designing intervention programs that strengthen teaching effectiveness and improve learning outcomes in higher education institutions.