E-ISSN 2799-144X

COVID Creases: A Curriculum in crisis? (Second Issue)

Full Journal Issue

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Teaching and Learning Art Appreciation in an Online Set-up for Academic Year 2020-2021: Narratives of Selected DLSU-D Professors and Students

Alyssa Karen R. Acal¹ and Roland Lorenzo M. Ruben²

¹De La Salle University-Dasmariñas High school, Cavite, Philippines

²Social Sciences Department, De La Salle University-Dasmariñas, Cavite, Philippines

ABSTRACT

This study explored the narratives of DLSU-D teachers and students in the use of fully online classes for Art Appreciation for the school year 2020-2021. Using Through qualitative interviews, professors and students shared their experiences, challenges, and realizations in experiencing art as a subject in a fully online modality. Several findings are notable.  First, professors find the use of learning management system and other online applications manageable and uncomplicated due to the support from the university through trainings and webinars they attended, and guidance from colleagues who are already adept in using technology in class. Second, students found their professor’s use of the learning management system as very satisfactory, noting that the use of different applications and websites such as Wakelet and Artsteps made online learning fun and more interesting for them because of their novelty and increased level of student engagement. Third, the Gamification feature of Schoolbook made learning more interesting for the students and the rewards and badges system exhibited their achieved competencies. T his study concludes that Art Appreciation is still effectively and efficiently being taught through online mode, and professors and students still found the subject productive and meaningful. The results have implications on the utilization of online resources and learning management systems in facilitating on learning not only for students but for teachers as well.

Keywords: art appreciation, gamification, online class, online learning, online teaching, Schoolbook

Full Paper

A Year After: Online Learning Experiences of the Students of Social Sciences

Maria Virginia G. Aguilar, Edwin F. Lineses, Rommel M. Mazo, and Roland Lorenzo M. Ruben

Social Sciences Department, De La Salle University-Dasmariñas, Cavite, Philippines

ABSTRACT

Learning amid a pandemic has become more challenging. While few students adapted to the new normal, a number regarded that learning has become more difficult. Not only that pandemic changed the way students work, it also made many of them constantly struggling with the concerns at their home and with their mental health. Anecdotal evidences suggest difficulties on the part of the students to cope and that teachers’ readiness and engagement in facilitating online classes cannot be overlooked. Against this backdrop, the study draws on the views of Social Science students on their online classes through an online survey and subsequent focus group discussions. The study addresses the needs of students majoring in Community Development, Philosophy, Political Science, and International Development after a year of online classes. Several notable findings came out of the study. First, in terms of gadgets and connectivity for classes, almost everyone has his/her own personal laptop or desktop and stable internet at home. However, due to prolonged use, frequency of usage and multiple users at home, glitches are usual occurrences. Second, the university policy on assessments and schedules of classes are helpful in ensuring frequency and pacing of assessments, but with an average of seven classes, the number of total assessments overwhelm the students. Third, faculty members are generally commended as “helpful and approachable”, but a considerable number do not respond to the messages of the students, which made them regard online learning as “moderately effective” and their experience as “challenging”. Fourth, students express their need for teachers’ presence and connection through extracurricular activities, which are fun and not altogether academic. The results of the study can provide inputs for informed decisions in the conduct of activities, academic and non-academic, for the Social Sciences in the subsequent schoolyear (2021-2022).

Keywords: online learning, student experiences, COVID-19 pandemic

Full Paper

Online Learning Conditions of Pre-Service Teachers: Basis in Improving Current College Policies

Olivia M. Legaspi, Royce A. Salva, Manuel G. Camarse, Relyn S. Antenor-Cruz, Cristina M. Padilla, Cristina E. Sayoto, Marilyn B. Macario

Professional Education Department, College of Education, De La Salle University-Dasmariñas, Cavite, Philippines

ABSTRACT

When the COVID-19 pandemic was declared, online learning became the worldwide trend in the delivery of instruction in all levels of education. In the Philippines, higher education institutions fully embraced online learning to provide provisional continuity for tertiary education. One of these institutions is De La Salle University-Dasmariñas that even adopted a care-centered model for its flexible learning modality, which tries to put balance in the learning conditions of the students and their overall well-being while studying at home. To ensure that this is realized, this quantitative research was initiated with the primary intention of exploring the academic, psychological-emotional, and physical conditions of the pre-service teachers during online learning. Whereas, an agreeable statistical mean was revealed for the academic condition of learning (x¯=3.70), the psychological-emotional (x¯=3.19) and physical conditions (x¯=2.72) of the respondents have only shown neutral or in-between level of agreement. For the significance of difference, ANOVA test statistics disclosed that the program and year level of the respondents are causal factors in their varying learning conditions with p-values less than .05 (p<.05). Nevertheless, no significant differences were noted (p>.05) when the general learning conditions of pre-service teachers were grouped according to sex, birth order, and income group. With these results, it is hoped that the study may serve as bases for the improvement of the existing college policies especially the ones related to online teaching and learning.

Keywords: distance learning, academic condition, psychological and emotional condition, physical condition, teacher education

Full Paper

Experiences on Distance Learning of Selected Undergraduate Students of De La Salle University-Dasmarin~as

Jhastine Marie S. Salazar, James Phil D. De Leon, Olivia M. Legaspi

Professional Education Department, College of Education, De La Salle University-Dasmariñas, Cavite, Philippines

ABSTRACT

The abrupt educational paradigm shift in 2020 made the Philippine higher education institutions confront immense changes in the educative process which posed inevitable impacts on learning. Within this context, this study aims to explore and understand the experiences on learning of the selected undergraduate students of De La Salle University – Dasmarin~as who have undergone distance education. A qualitative, phenomenological design was used to produce in-depth and empirical data which were taken from the semi-structured interviews conducted through an online platform from seven students coming from the seven colleges of the university. Thematic analysis was then applied to subsume the processes of coding and creating themes. The results revealed that the students associated their distance education experiences with challenges, opportunities, and the amalgam of these views. Furthermore, the participants’ perceptions on learning were altered, and significant similarities and differences in the experiences during traditional and distance education were described. The findings pointed to the importance of the teachers in the teaching-learning process, the existence of learning difficulties of the tertiary education students, and the high preference of the undergraduate students for traditional classes.

Keywords: Learning experiences, distance education, undergraduate students, paradigm shift, phenomenology

Full Paper

Gleanings from the Field: Navigating Research through Difficult Times

Maria Virginia G. Aguilar¹, Jaime Zeus C. Agustin², Irish D. Bautista³, Siegfred F. Gamueda⁴, Edwin F. Lineses¹, Rhuda M. Mujal¹, Jhelyn A. Relopez³

¹Social Sciences Department, De La Salle University-Dasmariñas, Cavite, Philippines

²University Research Office, De La Salle University-Dasmariñas, Cavite, Philippines

³Lasallian Community Development Center, De La Salle University-Dasmariñas, Cavite, Philippines

⁴Student Wellness Center, De La Salle University-Dasmariñas, Cavite, Philippines

ABSTRACT

The pandemic has significantly altered, not only the social and academic processes, but in research as well. The imposition of health protocols amidst the COVID-19 pandemic renders social research difficult, particularly those requiring fieldwork activities in communities. The challenge centers on methodological rigor and scholarship as requisites of community-based participatory research against the backdrop of physical distancing rules. To this end, this paper collates researchers’ field notes pertaining to the creative measures and on-the-spot adjustments carried out in gathering data for baseline studies in the following areas: Hermoza, Bayambang (Region 1/Pangasinan ), San Antonio de Padua II, Dasmarinas City (Region 4A/Cavite), Tandang Kutyo, Tanay (Region 4A/ Rizal ), Balabag and Pal-agon, Pavia (Region 6/Iloilo). The results suggest notable innovative strategies in the areas of: 1) establishing rapport before, during, and after fieldwork mainly through social media, 2) deploying locals as enumerators, specifically barangay workers, 3) maximizing key informant interviews, 4) adopting flexibility, and 5) recognizing opportunities, even those that are not planned, as chances to gather data. The prompt completion and the approval of the final report by the stakeholders, including the funding agency imply that social research is possible with ingenuity and creativity amidst health protocol limitations.

Keywords: field work, social research, flexibility, creativity, baseline study

Full Paper

School Stakeholders’ Perspectives of a Learning Space - Towards Redesigning the Science and Computer Classrooms in De La Salle University- Dasmarinas Senior High School

Mario S. Torres

Biological Sciences Department, De La Salle University-Dasmariñas, Cavite, Philippines

ABSTRACT

Approaches in strengthening learning-place nexus need not be radical as schools align their adopted learning principle with learning environment. This descriptive study examined the school stakeholders’ perspectives of a learning space which became the basis for redesigning the Science and Computer classrooms in De La Salle University-Dasmarinas Senior High School.  Qualitative data gathered through focus group discussions from purposively sampled participants representing the administration and teachers and students from the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics and Technical-Vocational-Livelihood Information and Communication Technology strands were processed using sentiment and thematic analyses. Results show participants’ collective positive sentiment for the current classrooms in the High School Complex which should be redesigned following four defining features, namely spatial flexibility, innovative furnishing, technology integration, and comfortable environment. In consideration of the cited features, the FlexITeCS (Flexible, Innovative, Technology-friendly, and Comfortable Space) Design Idea was proposed to guide the decision in redesigning the Science and Computer learning spaces.  Its application should be in reference to the attainment of three specific design goals, such as: creating a flexible space with innovative furniture, integrating technology-friendly solutions, and maintaining users’ comfortability. The result of the present study is hoped to contribute to the existing literature on the importance of building learning environments that compliment teaching and learning particularly in Senior High School.

Keywords: learning space, active learning, senior high school, learning-place nexus

Full Paper

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ACADEMIA LASALLIANA JOURNAL OF EDUCATION AND HUMANITIES

The Academia Lasalliana Journal of Education and Humanities (ALJEH) is a bi-annual peer-reviewed journal published by  De La Salle University – Dasmariñas through the University Research Office. It aims to offer a platform for the presentation of scientific knowledge pertaining to a myriad of subjects related to education and humanities. As a peer-reviewed academic journal, ALJEH is devoted to the publication of original papers and book reviews on the following areas: teaching and learning at all levels of education, education management, social science-related subjects, linguistics and humanities-related subjects. Some subjects that cuts across the disciplines of education and humanities are as follows: language, literature, psychology, history, philosophy, religion, visual and performing arts, communication studies, and cultural studies.

THE EDITORIAL BOARD

Editor-in-Chief

Maria Virginia G. Aguilar, PhD (DLSU-D)

Associate Editor

Henry L. Bernardo, EdD (DLSU-D)

Members            

Jonathan V. Gochuico, PhD (DLSU-D)

Manuel G. Camarse, PhD (DLSU-D)

Amika Wardana, PhD (Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta, Indonesia)

Rodney C. Jubilado, PhD (University of Hawaii, Hilo, Hawaii)

Eunice Barbara Novio (Vongchavalitkul University, Thailand)

Christine S. Diaz, PhD (Ateneo De Davao University, Davao City)

Celeste Maria Condor-Sandoval (UNAIDS, Geneva, Switzerland)

Consul Mersole J. Mellejor (Philippine Consulate General, Milan, Italy)

Reviewers

Alyssa Karen R. Acal (DLSU-D)

Eloisa V. Bausas (Batangas State University)

Emmanuel F. Calairo, PhD (DLSU-D)

Juanito O. Cabanias, PhD (DLSU-D)

Kenneth Louis E. CabO (DLSU-D)

Loreto G. Camiloza (DLSUD)

Phyllis Rianne A. Canete (De La Salle Medical and Health Sciences Institute)

Jonbert M. Caoli (Mindoro State College of Agriculture and Technology)

Chanell Jan C. Concepcion, PhD (Silliman University)

Mary Ann F. Daclan, PhD (Mindanao State University)

Br. Francisco Dela Rosa, FSC (DLSU-D)

Christian George G. Francisco, PhD (DLSU-D)

Weena G. Franco (Mariano Marcos Memorial State University)

Cecilia F. Genuino, PhD (DLSU-D)

Anne A. Gumiran (DLSU-D)

Sajed S. Ingilan (University of Southeastern Philippines)

Edwin F. Lineses, PhD (DLSU-D)

Kimberly Apatan-Lusay (Mindanao State University)

Jesus A. Medina, PhD (DLSU-D)

 May Mojica, PhD (DLSUD)

Leonardo O. Munalim, PhD (Philippine Women’s University)

Evelyn R. Obo, PhD (DLSU-D)

Lizamarie C. Olegario, PhD (UP Diliman) 

Jeannie A. Perez, PhD (DLSU-D)

Maria Theresa G. Quinones (Xavier University)

Joan F. Ravago, PhD (Central Luzon State University)

Evangeline C. Ruga , PhD (DLSUD)

Royce A. Salva (DLSU-D)

Karen D. Sacdalan, PhD (DLSU)

Rafael Leal Santiago, Jr (De La Salle-College of St. Benilde) 

Christopher F. Sasot, PhD (Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila)

Genine S. Torres (DLSU-D)

Aiden Yeh, PhD (Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages)

Editorial Assistant

Jaime Zeus C. Agustin

Research Communication, Dissemination and Utilization Coordinator

University Research Office