By Orlando M. Gamilla Jr.
TRANSFORMING into a premier research institution -- this is the goal of West Visayas State University, and true to form, the College of Education took up the challenge one month after University President Dr. Joselito Villaruz on Oct. 18, 2020 reiterated the vision in his virtual report entitled, “A Year in Office: A Performance Report to all Taga-West”. Pres. Villaruz said that despite the serious challenges brought by the pandemic, his administration will stay true to its promise to undertake plans and actions to improve its research thrust despite the pandemic slowing it down a little bit so that the University can give way to adjustments in the delivery of alternative learning modes After the post-midterm exams Wellness Break last Nov. 16-21, about 70 professors of the COE attended a 2-day workshop entitled, “Building the Foundation: Harmonizing COE Research and Extension Programs” on Nov. 27 and 28 where on the first day, they were apprised on how to be a research university; given insights on research and extension needs as well as funding opportunities from national and international NGOs; and were
A YEAR IN OFFICE. Dr. Villaruz delivers his virtual report. Photo Courtesy of WVSU MIS
presented with the current state of the College’s own research and extension thrusts. Their first workshop was giving strategic direction to their respective division or department’s own research and extension while on the second day, each division/department presented the results of their first workshop output and proceeded to the second workshop which is “Exploring Interdisciplinary Collaboration”. This was also presented in the afternoon under the title of “Unified Interdisciplinary Research and Extension Programs”. “We envision WVSU Research University as a research university advancing quality education towards societal transformation and global
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recognition,” said Dr. Villaruz who said the University must be mindful that it might wake up one day left behind by other learning institutions. On the other hand, he said in his October virtual report that the institutional and academic challenges during this pandemic have claimed a huge chunk of the university’s momentum to take-off towards that goal that he has envisioned. “Despite the unprecedented balancing act that we had to do carrying out our mandate and designing new ways to proactively respond to the effects of COVID-19, I am confident that we will be on track headed to that direction. I have committed to transform our dear university into a research university, we have started laying the groundwork to achieve this by attempting to harmonize our financial resources and budget for 2021 towards achieving this goal,” added the president, a medical doctor who also holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Education, major in Educational Management from WVSU. Furthermore, Dr. Villaruz also reiterated his commitment to review, revisit, and improve the program offerings of the university and looks forward to hopefully open new courses/programs especially in natural and health sciences “that will respond to our needs and help us achieve our dreams.”
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Academic Plan, Flexible Learning Policy, and Conduct of Classes for A.Y. 2020-2021. Classroom assessment practices like formative and summative assessments can be delivered flexibly through alternative modes that include authentic assessments, performance tasks, product-based assessments such as portfolios, academic papers, case studies, and tests administered online such as problem sets and essays which measures problem-solving and higher-order thinking skills.
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Digital Art By Paul Aries Valera
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Course facilitators, according to the memorandum, shall coordinate and negotiate with the students’ concerns about examination schedules, submissions of outputs, and the criteria for grading their outputs as well as promote and ensure academic integrity and excellence in all forms of assessment. “We shall make it our commitment to keep abreast with new developments in assessment, evaluate tried and tested tools, and experiment with our own initiatives or with our supportive academic community,” concluded the memorandum.
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Photo Courtesy of Barotac Viejo LGU
By Dorothy Joy Espin
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By Paulo Bryan David AS THE assessment modes in this remote learning arrangement remain a challenge, Dr. Ma. Asuncion Christine Dequilla, former dean of the College of Education and the new Vice President for Academic Affairs, issued Memorandum No. 20-087 to encourage professors to review their assessment practices. The memorandum which was dated Nov. 4, 2020, a date prior to the midterm examinations, underscored advisories from the University
Third year students from the municipalities of Barotac Viejo and San Rafael receive their educational tablets on Oct. 22, 2020.
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IN OCTOBER 2020, students residing in Iloilo City and nearby districts of Iloilo Province were the first to receive the first batch of educational tablets procured by the West Visayas
Singapore is 5, 000, and is set to be distributed to students in other districts and provinces in Region VI this November and December. WVSU is the only university in Western Visayas with a major and multi-million initiative like this. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
State University (WVSU) administration as a response to the digital needs of students during this pandemic. The approximate total of tablets ordered by the WVSU from a supplier in
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Most Promising Writer Sports Writing (English)
Promising Writer Sports Writing (Filipino)
By Orlando M. Gamilla Jr.
WITH THE restrictions posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s series of journalism workshops by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Regional Office VI did not go the usual way as it shifted to virtual platforms. The first leg of the “Campus Journ Convos”, which was streamed via Zoom and Facebook Live, commenced on September 29, 2020 with the theme “Upholding Development Communication in Campus Journalism Amid the Pandemic”. In line with this, the staff of Silak Media, the official student publication of the WVSU College of Education, participated in the said webinar series and nine of them were cited as promising and most promising writers in various categories. T They are as follows:
Promising Writer Sports and Editorial Writing (Filipino)
Most Promising Writer Trends in Online Media (English) Promising Writer Editorial Writing (English)
Promising Writer Trends in Online Media Writing (Filipino)
Most Promising Writer Copyreading and Headline Writing (English)
Most Promising Writer Copyreading and Headline Writing (Filipino) Promising Writer Copyreading and Headline Writing (English)
Promising Photojournalist
Screenshot during the third session of Campus Journ Convos (Feature Writing) last Oct. 9, 2020. Photo Courtesy of PIA-6
Topics featuring journalism genres like news, feature, editorial, copy reading, and photojournalism were also tackled by different speakers in a separate forum. Aside from these, PIA-6 also featured topics about trends and innovations in online media, health and sports, data journalism, history and heritage, peace and development, and environmental journalism.