Exploratory Analysis of Factors Influencing Engineers to Teach at the Philippine State Universities in Ilocos Region

Abstract

This study is focus in determining the factors that influence the engineers to teach in state colleges and universities of Region I. The study is an exploratory analysis of the factors influencing engineers in Ilocos Region (Region I) to teach in state universities. The engineers were first described relating to their profile and work-related problems. After which, factor-analysis was performed to extract the underlying multiple and independent components out of eighteen (18) hypothesized influential variables to come up with a less explicit discussion in reduced dimension. A survey questionnaire developed by the researcher was used as the main data gathering instrument. Copies of the questionnaire were distributed to sixty-one (61) engineers teaching in the four major state universities in the provinces of Pangasinan, La Union, Ilocos Sur, and Ilocos Norte. They were selected using simple random sampling where results of descriptive statistical analysis revealed that they were of varying ages, mostly males, married and very few have earned a doctorate. Prior to teaching, most of the engineers have short industrial experience. A bulk of the faculty was new and old wherein the new faculty were occupying instructor positions on temporary or contractual status. The problems mostly encountered by them in their previous and present employment were moderately serious. The application of factor analysis resulted in the extraction of four components explaining 65% of the total variance. Such proportion explained the reasons why engineers opt to teach in a college where 35% of the total variance were shared by intrinsic factors.