Occupational performance of DAT-BAT [Diploma in Agricultural Technology-Bachelor in Agricultural Technology] graduates of the three types of higher education institutions in Mindanao, Philippines

The primary aim of the study was to evaluate the occupational performance of DAT-BAT graduates of the three types of higher education institutions in Mindanao. In addition, the study aimed to find out the role of the student-related factors, faculty-related factors, and institution-related factors on their occupational performance. Two hundred sixty seven students from the state university, state college, and Private Sectarian College proportionately and randomly selected, 59 faculty handling the DAT-BAT course, and 60 employers were respondents of this study. Descriptive statistics, percentage, weighted mean, Spearman correlation and factor analysis were used to analyze the data.The use of factor analysis resulted in the identification of new (synthetic) variables as follows: a) student-related factors - student's judgment of effective teaching; instructional variability and mastery of the course content, b)faculty-related factors - sex and faculty-student ratio, course preparation and status of appointment, scholarship availed of and training attended, and civil status, c) institution-related factors - instructional facilities, farm demonstration, and budget. From the three factor analyses describing the characteristics of the occupational performance of DAT-BAT graduates from the three types of higher education institutions, the following variables differed significantly: mastery of the course content and instructional variability, sex and faculty-student ratio, scholarship avail of and training attended instructional facilities and farm demonstration. Based on the perception of the DAT-BAT graduates, faculty performance and school facilities were satisfactory showing highly significant relationships on the occupational performance. The employer-respondents' felt that the graduates needed further training in technical skills that were rated 'average' in school. Job-hunting took less than one year after graduation. Spearman correlation coefficient test revealed that occupational performance of the DAT-BAT was significantly correlated with instructional facilities, farm demonstration and budget. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) using the Scheffe test revealed that the occupational performance, expressed in terms of employability and productivity, of DAT-BAT graduates from state colleges, was highly significantly different from that of graduates from state universities and Private Sectarian Institutions.