Resistance to Change and Work Engagement of the Faculty of Occidental Mindoro State College, Philippines

Abstract

Teachers’ resistance to change is believed to affect their engagement in work which could lead to slow the implementation of educational reform. This study had the main purpose of investigating the work engagement of the faculty of Occidental Mindoro State College in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro, Philippines as influenced by the extent of their resistance to change given the new teaching and learning modalities. Descriptive research design was used to address the problems of the study. It was found that the faculty’s extent of resistance to change does not influence the level of their work engagement and none of the factors of resistance to change significantly influence the level of work engagement of the faculty. When the teachers are grouped according to college/department, they are found to differ on the level of their resistance to change specifically in terms of routine seeking, emotional reaction, and short-term focus. Since there are changes in the educational set-up in most higher education institutions in the country, teachers may resist change for a variety of systemic or individual reasons. Understanding those reasons for resistance may provide educational leaders with more effective strategies for implementing change.