Learning Action Cell Experiences: Implications to Teachers' Professional Growth and Teaching Performance

This study aimed to evaluate the Learning Action Cell (LAC) experiences of public-school teachers, focusing on the impact of these experiences in relation to DepEd Order No. 35. 2016. The study considered various LAC implementation processes and teacher characteristics, such as age, gender, educational attainment, and years of service. Additionally, it explored the main concerns regarding public school teachers' career growth and professional development. The respondents were public schoolteachers from the North I District in Cagayan de Oro City, which includes seven schools: three elementary and four high schools. The study employed descriptive research to highlight the importance of mentoring public-school teachers and correlational research to examine the relationships between variables. These variables included teacher profiles, mentoring procedures, practices, experience, teaching performance, professional growth, and career stage. The findings indicated that more than half of the respondents had very good LAC experiences. The level of teachers' professional growth was rated as very satisfactory, and their actual classroom teaching performance was satisfactory to very satisfactory in terms of teaching ratings. However, a significant relationship was found between teaching performance and different LAC processes. Similarly, there was no significant difference in professional growth based on demographic factors; however, a significant relationship was noted between professional growth and LAC processes. The study concluded that LAC experiences significantly contribute to teachers' professional growth and have a direct effect on their performance. These experiences effectively engage teachers in collaborative problem solving and address shared challenges, enhancing their professional development and teaching performance.