DELVING INTO THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF TEACHERS IN DEALING WITH PLAGIARISM ISSUES AMONG ELEMENTARY STUDENTS: A PHENOMENOLOGY

The purpose of this qualitative research is to explore and describe the experiences of elementary school teachers in dealing with plagiarism issues among elementary students in the DepEd schools, Division of Davao del Norte. 14 participants were selected through purposive sampling, of which seven engaged in in-depth interviews while another seven participated in focus group discussions. The results revealed the experiences of elementary teachers such as pervasive plagiarism acts, lack of engagement, challenges in reforming undesirable learning behaviors, and noticing self-doubts and poor performance. Moreover, the coping mechanisms of the participants were student encouragement and communication, crafting of rules against academic dishonesty, academic integrity strategies, reporting and seeking advice, and collaborative approaches. Then, their insights were establishing standards and communication, creating policies and countermeasures, cultivating positive student behavior, promoting academic integrity, and cultivating patience. With these findings, it can be gleaned that elementary schools must strengthen their policies and programs against the menace of plagiarism. Teachers must also be wary of this fact and never give the students opportunities to commit plagiarism in the classroom. More so, considering that the elementary level covers the formative years of the children, it is also important to address the problem by focusing on their moral and spiritual aspects. KEYWORDS: elementary students and teachers, plagiarism issues, qualitative research, phenomenology, Davao del Norte