Perceived Competence of Prospective Illustrators: Input for Construction of Illustrators’ Competency Assessment Tool

This study examined the perceived competence of illustrators among public secondary teachers in the Sibalom District, Antique, during the 2023–2024 school year to inform the development of a competency assessment tool for prospective illustrators. It profiled illustrators by age, sex, educational attainment, and training hours, and evaluated their perceived competence in illustration overall and by demographic factors. Additionally, the study identified significant differences in perceived competence across these factors and determined the essential skills for the proposed assessment tool. A descriptive research design was employed to examine educational illustrators' perceived skills. Participants were selected through cluster sampling from local high schools, and data were collected using a self-administered survey validated by experts. The data were analyzed using the mean and standard deviation, the Mann-Whitney U test, and the Kruskal-Wallis test. Findings indicated that most prospective illustrators were female (61%) and aged 30–39 (46%), with limited formal training (77% attended eight hours or fewer). Additionally, 67% held a bachelor's degree. Overall, perceived competence in illustration was rated as "high" (M = 2.95, SD = 0.94), with strong basic drawing skills but weaknesses in advanced and digital illustration techniques. Significant gender differences were observed, with females rating their competence higher than males (p = .006), whereas no significant differences were observed for age, training hours, or educational attainment. The study concluded that targeted training in advanced and digital illustration techniques was necessary. The higher self-rated competence among female illustrators may have reflected differences in confidence or self-assessment. In contrast, the lack of significant differences across age, training hours, and educational attainment indicated uniform self-assessment across these factors. These findings guided the development of a competency assessment tool for illustrators. To address gaps in advanced and digital illustration skills, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Department of Education (DepEd) were recommended to collaborate and integrate specialized training programs into higher education curricula.