Exploring Instructional Competencies of Mindanao State University-Sulu Teachers in the Age of COVID-19 Pandemic

This study investigated the instructional competencies of teachers in Mindanao State University-Sulu in the transition to alternative learning delivery methods in the age of the COVID-19 pandemic. The descriptive survey method was used in this study. The researcher used two sets of standardized questionnaires to obtain the necessary data including the respondents’ profiles. The profile of the teacher-respondents was determined using frequency count and percentage. Mean was used to analyze research questions. T-tests for independent samples and analysis

pandemic.Exploring their instructional competencies is vital in a sense that it affects the academic learning of the students.Competencies are the skills and knowledge that enable a teacher to be successful.To maximize student learning, teachers must have expertise in a wide-ranging array of competencies in an especially complex environment where hundreds of critical decisions are required each day (Jackson, 1990 as cited by wingstitute.org).
Moreover, Agah et al. (2016) suspected that the ability to teach effectively seems to depend mainly on the teachers' pedagogic knowledge, skills, and beliefs about teaching-learning process, which collectively define instructional competencies.In context, the Mindanao State University-Sulu (MSU-Sulu) through the office of the vice-chancellor for academic affairs (VCAA) has crafted policies for the first semester classes.This is reflected on the flexible learning options (FLO) formulated by the office of VCAA.The administration has given the teachers the leeway to use modular learning approach, online classes or combination of both.
The purpose of this paper is to explore the instructional competencies of teachers in Mindanao State University-Sulu in the delivery of alternative learning methods in the age of COVID-19 pandemic.
This paper determined the level of instructional competencies of teachers as rated by the students.
Likewise, it sought to identify the significant difference on the level of teachers' instructional competencies and on the instructional strategies used by teachers in the delivery of alternative learning methods when they are classified according to gender, age and college or high school where they teach.

Literature Review
This section presents the literature and studies related to the research study.It reviewed some of the numerous works done by scholars and researchers which are directly related to this work.

Competency
Wikipedia defines "competence" as "the set of demonstrable characteristics and skills that enable, and improve the efficiency or performance of a job."It is also used as a more general description of the requirements of human beings in organizations or communities.If someone is able to do required tasks at the target level of proficiency, they are competent in that area.
Competency is sometimes thought of as being shown in action in a situation and context that might be different the next time a person has to act.In emergencies, competent people may react to a situation following behaviors they have previously found to succeed.To be competent a person would need to be able to interpret the situation in the context and to have a repertoire of possible actions to take and have trained in the possible actions in the repertoire, if this is relevant.Regardless of training, competency would grow through experience and the extent of an individual's capacity to learn and adapt.However, research has found that it is not easy to assess competencies and competence development.
Competency has different meanings, and remains one of the most diffuse terms in the management development sector, and the organizational and occupational literature.
Competencies are also what people need to be successful in their jobs.Job competencies are not the same as job task.Competencies include all the related knowledge, skills, abilities, and attributes that form a person's job.This set of context-specific qualities is correlated with superior job performance and can be used as a standard against which to measure job performance as well as to develop, recruit, and hire employees.Competencies and competency models may be applicable to all employees in an organization or they may be position specific.

Distance learning
Merriam-Webster defines distance learning as, "a method of study where teachers and students do not meet in a classroom but use the Internet, e-mail, mail, etc., to have classes." Simply put, distance learning is when students are separated from teachers and peers.This means that students learn remotely and do not have face-to-face learning with instructors or other students.

Distance learning does not include any in-person
interaction with an instructor or study peers.Students study at home on their own, and the learning is more individual and varies on speed and timeline according to each individual student and their availability.It actually relies on the educational tools of online learning, and that is probably why there is some confusion between the two.It is possible to study with online distance learning as well.In that sense, distance learning is a subset of online learning.
Because distance education is remote, it can connect students to universities worldwide, making it more accessible for students in different countries.It is also known to be more affordable, which is another factor that helps make education more accessible to many students around the world and in different socioeconomic levels.
Distance learning is extremely important for those who cannot attend programs due to health complications, severe social anxiety, busy work schedules or parenting demands, or any other situations which make it necessary to be confined to the home (www.uopeople.edu).

Self-efficacy theory
Self-efficacy, according to psychologist Albert Bandura who originally proposed the concept, is a personal judgment of "how well one can excuse courses of action required dealing with prospective situations."Self-efficacy affects every area of human endeavor.By determining the beliefs a person holds regarding their power to affect situations, it strongly influences both the power a person actually has to face challenges competently and the choices a person is most likely to make.These effects are particularly apparent, and compelling, with regard to investment behaviors such as in health, education and agriculture (Wikipedia).
Self-efficacy theory has been embraced by management scholars and practitioners because of its Teacher competencies refer to the performance and rational actions in order to meet certain specifications when carrying out educational tasks (Mulyasa, 2007).
Teacher competencies contains multi-dimensional constructive, both in the form of pedagogical and professional competencies (Baumert & Kunter, 2006).Educators must demonstrate the following three competencies: 1) managing class effectively; 2) implementing effective teaching practices, and 3) mastering technological skills that can help to learn (Nessipbayeva, 2012).

Theory of transactional distance
The first attempt in English to define distance Thus, teachers need to be flexible and must be equipped with the initiative to effectively deliver the subject matter.Table1.Instructional strategies employed by the teachers in the delivery of their lessons

Overall Mean 2.65 Sometimes
Legend: 1.00-1.49=Never; 1.  Table 1 shows the instructional strategies employed by the teachers in the delivery of their The highest mean 4.39 which corresponds to verbal description oftentimes indicates that the respondents often distributed printed modules to their students.
On the other hand, the statements "I used to meet my students virtually in Zoom online platform" and "I used to meet my students virtually in Zoom online platform" both obtained the lowest mean 1.47 which corresponds to the verbal description never.The overall mean 2.65 implies that the cited instructional strategies are sometimes employed by the teachers.and I administered oral exams through phone calls.
However, the null hypothesis is rejected on the statement: I used to meet my students virtually in Zoom online platform.
Since majority of the statements are accepted, this implies that the gender of the teachers, whether male or female, does not cause variations on the instructional strategies they used in the delivery of alternative learning methods.when they are classified according to college or high school where they teach.This further implies that regardless of the college or high school where the teachers teach, the level of their instructional competencies does not differ from that of others.3) there is no significant difference on the instructional strategies used by the teachers in the delivery of alternative learning methods when they are classified in terms of gender, age and college or high school where they teach; 4) there is no significant difference on the level of teachers' instructional competencies when they are classified according to gender and college or high school where they teach; and 5) there is a significant difference on the level of teachers' instructional competencies when they are classified according to age.

Conclusion
To study the teaching-learning condition of an educational institution during this time of pandemic is a complex and difficult task.Indeed, the instructional competencies of teachers can be evaluated both performance.They are most effective if they meet several critical standards, including linkage to, and leverage within an organization's human resource system.Core competencies differentiate an organization from its competition and create a company's competitive advantage in the marketplace.An organizational core competency is its strategic strength.Competencies provide organizations with a way to define in behavioral terms what it is that people need to do to produce the results that the organization desires, in a way that is in keep with its culture.By having competencies defined in the organization, it allows employees to know what they need to be productive.When properly defined, competencies, allows organizations to evaluate the extent to which behaviors employees are demonstrating and where they may be lacking.For competencies where employees are lacking, they can learn.This will allow organizations to know potentially what resources they may need to help the employee develop and learn those competencies.Competencies can distinguish and differentiate your organization from your competitors.While two organizations may be alike in financial results, the way in which the results were achieved could be different based on the competencies that fit their particular strategy and organizational culture.Lastly, competencies can provide a structured model that can be used to integrate management practices throughout the organization.Competencies that align their recruiting, performance management, training and development and reward practices to reinforce key behaviors that the organization values.(Wikipedia).COVID-19 and education Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), also known as the coronavirus, is a contagious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019.The disease has since spread worldwide, leading to an ongoing pandemic (Wikipedia).Wikipedia cited in their website that most governments decided to temporarily close educational institutions in an attempt to reduce the spread of COVID-19.As of 12 January 2021, approximately million learners are currently affected due to school closures in response to the pandemic.According to UNICEF monitoring, 23 countries are currently implementing nationwide closures and 40 are implementing local closures, impacting about percent of the world's student population.countries' schools are currently open.School closures impact not only students, teachers, and families, but have far-reaching economic and societal consequences.School closures in response to the pandemic have shed light on various social and economic issues, including student debt, digital learning, food insecurity, and homelessness, as well as access to childcare, health care, housing, internet, and disability services.The impact was more severe for disadvantaged children and their families, causing interrupted learning, compromised nutrition, childcare problems, and consequent economic cost to families who could not work.In response to school closures, UNESCO recommended the use of distance learning programs and open educational applications and platforms that schools and teachers can use to reach learners remotely and limit the disruption of education (Wikipedia).
competency, and the ability to conduct self-reflection.Redding (2014) and Carreker & Bouware (2015) stated that there are four teacher competencies, which are cognitive, competency, metacognitive competency, motivational competency, and emotional/social competency.
education and to articulate a theory appeared in 1972(Moore 1972)  and in 1980 was named as the theory of transactional distance(Moore 1980).The concept of Transaction was derived from Dewey.As explained byBoyd and Apps (1980)  it "connotes the interplay among the environment, the individuals and the patterns of behaviors in a situation."The transaction occurs between individuals who are teachers and learners, in an environment that has the special characteristic of separation of one from another and a consequent set of special teaching and learning behaviors.It is the physical separation that leads to a psychological and communications gap, a space of potential misunderstanding between the inputs of ithe nstructor and those of the learner, this is called the transactional distance.According to Moore, even in traditional face-to-face education there is some transactional distance.Transactional distance is relative and different for each person.And at same time, it is a relative variable that is different from one distance education program to the other.In Moore's theory, the most distant program has low dialog and low structure while the least distant has high dialog and high structure.Moore then adds another dimension-learner autonomy (see Figure2.1).Autonomy appears to be associated with a personality characteristic-that being personal responsibility associated with self-directedness(Moore   1993; Moore & Kearsley 1996).The greater the transactional distance the greater the responsibility is placed on the learner(Garrison 2000).Distance learning students' perceptions of the online instructor roles and competenciesAbdulla (2004)  noted that online instruction depends on effective communication skills, attitudes, and behaviors.Effective online instruction requires both content knowledge and interpersonal skills because the challenges of the online instructor are essentially about human interaction.One of the most important roles of the online instructor is to ensure successful teaching by keeping students' interactions and discussions focused on the topic, adding knowledge and expertise, and maintaining group harmony.Therefore, it is imperative that instructors have appropriate training and become aware of the skills, behaviors, attitudes, and strategies needed of them.and learning in the Webbased environment.Furthermore, within the existing research literature, there has been little that took the students' perceptions about the online instructor roles and competencies.Therefore, due to lack of research regarding competencies needed by the university faculty in order to enhance their Web-based course experience, and as colleges and universities race ahead into teaching and learning in cyberspace, there will be a need for such research.support for the changing distance learning environment served to augment a new generation of educational activity,ultimately high-quality instruction will continue to be based on an array of distinct competencies attributed solely to instructors and their application of sound pedagogical practice.The constant transformation of technology would appear to make the classification of competencies held by online educators an interminable process, whereas emerging generations of technology will impact how the online faculty member most effectively apply their skills.The results of this study suggest that, at least over the short spans of five years, competencies previously identified as being critical continue to be held in high regard.It should come as no surprise to the active online practitioner, that among the highest regarded competencies are those directly associated with instructional immediacy.Through the timely validation of competencies, it is hoped that the outcomes of investigations such as this will contribute to the evolving list of key instructional attributes associated with effective online instruction.Teachers' competenciesThe basic purpose in teacher training is to ensure the effective planning, management, development and administration of educational system by equipping teachers with certain competencies.The concept of teachers' competencies is mostly discussed in very narrow dimensions such as teachers' planning, implementation, assessment of the curriculum, standards for the curriculum or the school(Selvi,   2010).These are related to teachers' teaching duties in the school.In this respect, teachers' competencies needs to be discussed in many dimensions such as field competencies, research competencies, curriculum competencies, lifelong learning competencies, socialcultural competencies, emotional competencies, communication competencies, information and communication technologies competencies and environmental competencies in order to develop teachers.In parallel to the developments emerging in different fields, the changes happening in human life also cause some problems in defining and gaining the teacher competencies.For instance, environmental competencies were not probably discussed twenty five or thirty years ago as a competency field for teachers.However, the problems people have experienced with environment have raised an interest towards environment issue.As a result of this interest, environmental issues have been associated with education and teaching.Therefore, environment issue on which there are still discussions have been discussed as new competency field for teachers.In a nut shell, daily life and all the developments emerging based on human needs influence teaching profession and hence the teacher competencies.Redefinition of teachers' professional competencies should include the curriculum competencies.Since, the curriculum competencies are core competencies of teachers' professional developments.Teachers' curriculum development competencies are not clear, not well defined or neglected; teachers have problems concerning the curriculum development and implementation of curriculum in their fields.Understanding of curriculum philosophy, curriculum theory and curriculum development models, curriculum development studies, learning and teaching approaches and models are the most neglected aspects related to teachers' curriculum competencies.Teachers' curriculum competencies is related to micro and macro level curriculum design, development and implementation.Teachers' curriculum competencies are necessary for partnerships between teachers and the curriculum development team during the curriculum studies.Curriculum development team and the teachers have unique roles in the curriculum development process (Shkedi).The approach of teacher-regulated curriculum will be important in near future.Thus, school-based curricula should be encouraged by teachers' researches and implementations.At the same time, this will encourage teachers to become more active participants in to the curriculum development processes.However, curriculum writers, namely curriculum design and development team do not successfully transmit their ideas to teachers (Shkedi).For this reason, curriculum studies should be projected by curriculum theorists and teachers collaboratively.It is said that curriculum studies have intensified teachers' work (Bulajeva 41).Thus, teacher competencies concerning curriculum are of great importance for teachers to conduct their profession.The competencies of teachers encompass both theoretical and practical of curriculum.At the same time, defining teacher competencies will contribute to the improvement of the quality of the educational system by positively affecting the teacher training and curriculum development studies.The changes in science and educational system have also affected teachers' competencies.There is strong relationship between the other sciences and system of society and they affect the educational system and teachers' competencies.The educational system can be based on scientific results of educational sciences, psychology, economy, technology, sociology and so on.Any kind of change and reform study in the other systems or science damage teachers' professional competencies unless teachers' competencies are developed (Carlgren 49-50).Teachers must follow all of these changes in order to improve their professional performance.The development of teachers' competencies is based on the changes in other sciences and society and is not associated with only the individualistic development but also professional development.Internationalization of curriculum ideas is a kind of reform study and teachers ensure changes by embracing new ideas.In this respect, teachers need to have more competencies than they had before.By taking the international developments into consideration, the teacher competencies should be discussed and updated.Teachers' competencies are highly important in both implementing the current curricula effectively and training people for future by developing these curricula.Teachers who are responsible from the training of the individuals of future need to be well equipped in order to fulfill this responsibility.Teacher competencies should continuously be the subject of research and analysis and should be developed by updating.Therefore, preservice and in-service teacher education should focus on understanding and application of teachers' competencies.As a curriculum development specialist and a teacher trainer, I believe that teachers' competencies should reflect developing conditions for sustainability.Most of the developments of teachers' competencies do not a process but from time to time some developments can occur by chance.The teachers' competencies should be reviewed consistently in parallel with the changes and reform studies through scientific studies.Teachers' main role is transferring changes the into the educational system and they must deal with all the changes effectively.The future will be different from the past and present in some certain respects (Avery 442).Thus, teachers need new competencies to cope with all these changes and it is necessary to redefine the teachers' competencies.Teacher education in times of COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal: national, institutional and pedagogical practices Flores and Gago (2020) cited in their paper "Teacher education in times of COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal: national, institutional and pedagogical responses" that teachers identified the main difficulties they had to handle: lack of adequate equipment for pupils, involving pupils in their learning, lack of time, lack of adequate training on online teaching, lack of support from parents.They also said that in most cases, teachers had to use their own technological devices to teach.They added that most of the participating teachers claimed that the time spent in remote teaching has increased when compared to face-to-face teaching, but pupil participation in assessment has decreased.If the technical and instrumental response was of paramount importance at the beginning of the transition period from face-to-face to remote teaching, the need to focus on pedagogical matters in order to address pupils' needs became evident.As such, more focused and specific responses will be needed in order to make sure that no pupil is left behind.The transition from face-to-face to online teaching has entailed some pedagogical challenges, not only in terms of teaching methods but also with regard to assessment strategies and tools.The need to plan and adapt pedagogy and resources to online teaching environments was a process marked by an ongoing search for the best solutions to meet students' needs as well as the goals of each curriculum unit (Flores and Gago, 2020).The Effect of Teacher Competencies on Student Achievement in Vocational High School Istiqomah (2019) cited that Ugbe & Agim (2009) had explained that there is a significant influence between teacher competencies and student academic achievement.This may be due to the fact that teacher competencies are a major asset for the student learning quality at school.Teachers who are competent in their work will have qualities that enable them to inspire and develop the capacity of student abilities and will automatically affect the student academic performance.A qualified teacher also has good classroom control, effective communication skills, adequate knowledge on the subject, and can utilize varied teaching strategies to improve student learning outcomes.The research findings of Istiqomah et al. (2019) recommend the importance of developing the teacher competencies in schools so that student achievement can be increased.Passos (2009) explained that competencies can be developed through formal teacher training, teacher experience in teaching, and trainings organized by schools as well as trainings that teachers participate independently.In contrast to Passos (2009), Fathivajargah (2003) emphasized the importance of considering the teachers' potential in teacher recruitment.In teacher recruitment, it is necessary to consider high cognitive abilities as well as emotional and practical competencies.In addition to the recruitment matter, teacher competencies development also needs to pay attention to the assessment of teacher performance on a regular basis.Teacher competencies assessment is not only to determine the extent of the mastering of learning material but also encourage teacher to selfdevelopment (Wilkerson & Lang, 2007).Teacher performance assessment can also ultimately: perform better in developing student learning (the accountability function) (OECD, 2009).In addition, teachers need to manage an effective teaching and learning processes so that students know how to learn and utilize their knowledge appropriately in daily lives, and then live in society with happiness.Therefore, teachers need to develop competencies in accordance with the education transformation in practice and professional activities effectively (Surasak, 2013).Validated competencies for distance teaching Darabi et al. (2006) stated that the pedagogical and logistical roles of distance education instructors are satisfactorily performed if they are technologically experienced and keenly aware of the significance of interaction as the building block of distance education.These results also point out several implications not only in the field of instruction but also in the areas of recruiting, selection, employment, and training of distance education instructors.Recruitment and selection of distance education instructors must be based on their competencies in the use of technology for managing the logistical aspects of distance instruction as well as their qualifications for teaching the content of a course.Traditional instructors, by contrast, did not necessarily need to master the operation and occasional troubleshooting of a computer to be able to do a good job in the face-to-face delivery of their topics.According to our findings, for distance education instructors, maintaining the course accuracy and certain logistical aspects of the course are highly important.Given that in a distance education environment most of the content is delivered electronically, this logistical maintenance demands technological competence of the instructors.It seems that in a distance environment, the instructors share the burden for accurately maintaining and logistically upgrading a course as well as teaching it satisfactorily.These requirements should also be reflected in training programs provided for distance instructors in educational environments similar to those in which this study was conducted.As part of their training, instructors should be prepared to collaborate with the designers and developers skilled in computer programming to be able to ensure the accuracy of the content and maintenance of the logistics.The training programs also need to emphasize planning and communication as the key ingredients of interaction at a distance, as evident by ratings of the competencies and tasks in this study.The upgrading and updating resulting from this type of training will contribute to the satisfactory retention of the distance education instructors and therefore lowering the turnover rate.The improved quality of instruction as a result of meeting all these challenges will be the bottom line outcome of the recruitment, selection, and training of the instructors according to the criteria derived from these competencies.Implications of these findings may also include the policies governing the recruitment, selection, and training activities for those institutions engaged in similar types of distance training.According to the list of highly important and frequently demonstrated competencies found in this study, these policies must also focus on the dual function of technological qualifications of the candidates for distance teaching as well as their mastery of the subject areas.Further research should focus on these implications and the content of training for distance education instructors.Summary of literature review There are many issues concerning the instructional competencies of teachers in Mindanao State University-Sulu during this COVID-19 pandemic.One primary issue is how the teachers can perform better in their instruction amidst the present situation of education system.The other issue is about responding to the needs of the students while maintaining the quality of education.Again, this chapter discussed the concept of instructional competencies and its role in the facilitation of teaching-learning process in distance or remote learning.The theories concerning teachers' effectiveness and distance education were also discussed as support to the research inquiry.Based on the cited literature, teachers' competence is a requisite for improving students' learning competence.
research study used descriptive survey method.Said method is considered apt because it enables the researcher to generate information from the respondents through research instruments based on well-defined concepts and related variables.Two questionnaires were used to get the desired information from the respondents.The first questionnaire titled "Alternative Learning Delivery Methods and Instructional Strategies of Teachers in the Age of COVID-19 Pandemic" was answered by some selected faculty members.It contained the demographic profile of the respondents and a 5-point Likert scale response options such as Always (A), Oftentimes (O), Sometimes (S), Rarely (R), and Never (N); while the second questionnaire titled "Level of Instructional Competencies of MSU-Sulu Teachers as Assessed by Students", which is modified and adopted from the study of Elizabeth B. Thach and Karen L. , was answered by the students with response choices: Outstanding (O), Very Satisfactory (VS), Satisfactory (S), Fairly Satisfactory (FS) and Unsatisfactory (US).It also included the personal data of the respondents.Both questionnaires were validated by three experts in research.A total sample size of 59 teachers was randomly selected using stratified random sampling from the population of 195 full-time faculty members in Mindanao State University-Sulu.885 students of the same university were also selected using convenient sampling.Responses from the questionnaires were analyzed using the descriptive statistics of frequency counts, percentage and weighted arithmetic mean, and inferential statistics of t-test for independent samples and analysis of variance (ANOVA).Frequency counts, percentages, and weighted arithmetic mean were used in analyzing demographic variables and research questions, while t-tests for independent samples and ANOVA were used to test the stated hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance.In particular, frequency counts and percentages were used for analyzing the distribution of the respondents according to their profile.Weighted arithmetic mean was used to identify the instructional strategies employed by MSU-Sulu teachers in the delivery of their lessons and the alternative learning delivery methods they used during this time of the COVID-19 pandemic.Mean was also used to determine the level of instructional competencies of teachers in using the strategies as assessed by students; while t-test for independent samples and ANOVA were both used to analyze the significant difference in the instructional strategies used by these teachers in the delivery of alternative learning methods and the level of teachers' instructional competencies when they are classified according to gender, age and college or high school where they teach.
section deals with the findings of the research work.The answers to the five research questions are portrayed.The main question is about the level of instructional competencies of teachers and the strategies they used in the delivery of alternative learning methods in the age of the COVID-19 pandemic.The research questions were interpreted using the prescribed statistical tools after the data has been analyzed.Tables are also drawn to help present the data.
lessons.The participants responded oftentimes on the following strategies: I used Messenger for sending additional instructions of the lessons and other activities; I entertained questions from students through phone calls and/or text messages; and I distributed printed modules to students.The participants responded sometimes on the following strategies: I provided my students with educational videos downloaded from YouTube; I provided my students with "link" of YouTube videos for our lectures; and I used Facebook in elaborating the lessons in the module.The participants responded rarely on the following strategies: I uploaded activity worksheets in Google Classroom; I gave my students additional lectures through EBook; I used to send lectures to my students through Email; and I administered oral exams through phone calls.The participants responded never on the following strategies: I discussed lectures to my students using Google Meet and/or Zoom Video Application; and I used to meet my students virtually in Zoom online platform.
strategies used by teachers in the delivery of alternative learning methods when they are classified according to gender.The null hypothesis is accepted along these statements: I discussed lectures to my students using Google Meet and/or Zoom Video Application; I used Messenger for sending additional instructions of the lessons and of other activities; I uploaded activity worksheets in Google Classroom; I gave my students additional lectures through EBook; I entertained questions from my students through phone calls and/or text messages; I distributed printed modules to my students; I provided my students with educational videos downloaded from YouTube; I provided my students with "link" of YouTube videos for our lectures; I used to send lectures to my students through Email; I used Facebook in elaborating the lessons in the module; Hence, the null hypothesis is accepted.There are also no significant differences on the instructional strategies used by teachers when they are classified according to age along all these strategies: I uploaded activity worksheets in Google Classroom; I gave my students additional lectures through EBook; I distributed printed modules to my students; I provided my students with educational videos downloaded from YouTube; I provided my students with "link" of YouTube videos for our lectures; and I used to meet my students virtually in Zoom online platform.The null hypotheses are accepted on these five statements because there exist no significant differences on the instructional strategies used by teachers when they are classified according to age.The table also presents that there are significant differences among the instructional strategies of teachers when they are classified according to age along these statements: I used Messenger for sending additional instructions of the lessons and of other activities; I entertained questions from my students through phone calls and/or text messages; I used to send lectures to my students through Email; and I used Facebook in elaborating the lessons in the module.Hence, the null hypothesis is rejected because there is a significant difference on their instructional strategies when they are classified according to age.
lectures; and I used to meet my students virtually in Zoom online platform.The null hypothesis is rejected along all these statements: I used Messenger for sending additional instructions of the lessons and of other activities; I uploaded activity worksheets in Google Classroom; I gave my students additional lectures through EBook; I entertained questions from my students through phone calls and/or text messages; I distributed printed modules to my students; I used to send lectures to my students through Email; I used Facebook in elaborating the lessons in the module; and I administered oral exams through phone calls.
-Sulu teachers in the transition to alternative learning delivery methods in the age of the COVID-19 pandemic.The descriptive survey research design was adopted in this study.59 full-time faculty members and 885 students enrolled during the first semester of S.Y. 2020-2021 served as respondents of the study who were selected using stratified random sampling and convenient sampling respectively.Checklist questionnaires were used to solicit data for the instructional strategies; the alternative learning delivery methods; and the instructional competencies of teachers.Mean and standard deviation were used for instructional strategies; for alternative learning delivery methods; and for the level of instructional competencies of teachers.T-test and analysis of variance were used for determining if there is a significant difference on the instructional strategies used by teachers in the delivery of alternative learning methods and on the level of teachers' instructional competencies when they are classified in terms of gender, age and college or high school where they teach.The significant findings to emerge in this study are the following: 1) during the pandemic, the teachers of MSU-Sulu often used Messenger for sending additional instructions of the lessons and of other activities; entertained questions from students through phone calls and/or text messages; and distributed printed modules to students.In addition, the teachers used modules, Facebook and Messenger as the common alternative learning delivery methods; 2) the level of instructional competencies of teachers in MSU-Sulu during this pandemic as assessed by the students is satisfactory; positively and negatively.The main goal of the current study was to explore the instructional competencies of teachers in Mindanao State University-Sulu in the transition to alternative learning delivery methods in the age of COVID-19.In the light of the findings, the study concluded that MSU-Sulu teachers often used Messenger for sending additional instructions of the lessons and of other activities; entertained questions from students through phone calls and/or text messages; and distributed printed modules to students.The teachers favored the use of modules, Facebook and Messenger as the common alternative learning delivery methods during this pandemic.The study also concluded the level of instructional competencies of the MSU-Sulu teachers is satisfactory.Academically speaking, this denotes that they can have an alternative to obtain "very satisfactory" in their teaching performance through intervention program.The study shows that there is no significant difference on the instructional strategies used by teachers in the delivery of alternative learning methods when they are classified according to gender, age, and college or high school where they teach.It means there is no enough evidence to say that the profile of the teachers is statistically significant on the instructional strategies in the delivery of alternative learning methods.The teachers' gender and college or high school teaching affiliation do not have an influence on the level of their instructional competencies.However, with regards to their age, the respondents' level of instructional competencies differs to one another.The difference is due to variations of teachers' engagement with their students.The results of this study suggest that teachers should improve more their instructional competencies and look for timely teaching strategies

Table 2 .
Alternative learning delivery methods used by teachers

Table 3 .
Level of instructional competencies of teachers as assessed by the students

Table 3
shows the level of instructional competencies of teachers as assessed by the students.

Table 4 .
T-test on the instructional strategies used by teachers according to gender Sig.-value of .05 and below are significant and above .05are not significant

Table 4
presents the t-test on the instructional

Table 5 .
ANOVA on the instructional strategies used by teachers according to age

Table 6 .
ANOVA on the instructional strategies used by teachers according to college or high school where they teach Sig.-value of .05 and below are significant and above .05are not significant

Table 7 .
T-test on the level of teachers' instructional competencies according to gender

Table 8 .
ANOVA on the level of teachers' instructional competencies according to age

Table 9 .
ANOVA on the level of teachers' instructional competencies according to college or high school where they