Bedan Research Journal

Grit as a virtue of the Waray-waray in reinforcing their faith and participation in the mission of the church

Ma. Emperatriz Gabatbat — Sun, 30 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0500

This research explored the grit of the Waray-waray/Samarnon following the concept of Angela Duckworth’s grit lived through its physical, social, moral, spiritual, and psychological aspects. It inquired on the role of grit in their daily experiences, the values that entail it, and how it strengthens their faith and participation in the mission of the Church. The researcher used the narrative descriptive method and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis in analyzing the data that were gathered through face-to-face and online interviews of the members of the local community of Borongan, Eastern Samar. The results show the role of grit as expressed and lived out as a positive self-image, as a cultural identity, as a moral compass, as an expression of faith, and as a source of strength. The values that entail grit which was categorized under the several aspects of their lived experiences of grit include determination, love for truth, resiliency, self-expression, steadfastness, trust in God, etc. The faith character of grit was identified as faith and grit in challenging times, faith and grit in the service of others, faith and grit in worship, and faith and grit in righteousness, while its missionary character includes a three-dimensional track patterned in the doctrine, moral, and worship dimension of catechesis are prophetic-dimension, witnessing-dimension, and celebration-dimension. The faith and missionary characters may be incorporated in conducting catechesis in various religious activities and classroom instruction on values and religion or Christian living subjects.

Impact assessment of Community Engagement Programs of San Beda University in Pactil, Bauko, Mountain Province

Neil Angelo Halcon, Rulina Viloria — Sun, 30 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0500

The study is a follow-through analysis of past research among St. Bede Mushroom and Vegetable Growers Association (SBMVGA) stakeholders which seeks to determine the impact of the Community Engagement Programs initiated by San Beda University concerning its economic, social, educational, spiritual, and psychological dimensions. It was guided by an “ex-post” impact assessment framework conceptualized by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and anchored on the theory of change provided by UNDG-UNDAF (United Nations Development Group – United Nations Development Assistance Framework). The research aims to: (1) analyze past studies on SBU community engagement programs via documentary analysis; (2) conduct an impact assessment survey and analysis among SBMVGA beneficiaries and analyze using Excel Data Analysis and Jamovi; and (3) generate recommendations for the CEC-SBU to further strengthen community engagements and partnerships moving forward. Upon completion, the key findings include the following: (1) the beneficiaries are willing and able to implement the SBU-CEC initiated programs on their own; and (2) spiritual dimensions had the highest and strongly significant value in terms of impact while economic dimensions had the lowest yet still significant value in terms of impact. Based on the findings obtained the recommendations for SBU as an institution to consider include the following: (1) a gradual and phase-based turnover of the SBU-CEC programs to the local government unit in Pactil, Bauko, Mountain Province is encouraged; and (2) a targeted and comprehensive agreement and undertaking should still be done by the CEC-SBU concerning its service assistance, monitoring and evaluation – capitalizing on SBU’s various clusters and colleges towards its partner communities.

Demonization and sanctification of indigenous feminine roles in the 16th century Philippines

James Loreto Piscos — Sun, 30 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0500

The indigenous feminine roles were hidden from the trappings of the early Spanish chroniclers in the 16th century since their worldviews and background prompted them to write in favor of the Spanish aims of colonization and evangelization. In the process, they despised the importance of women’s status which the author described as demonization. To bring back indigenous women’s honor and dignity, the method of reconstruction is employed to retrieve their narratives that showcase their value be it in the rituals of the maganito, leadership and social functions in the community, and their place in the family and clan. It is in this practice of restoration that the author come up with his notion of sanctification which is considered holy when their integrity is respected and acknowledged. The study employs demythologization technique which emanates from the dialectical enlightenment designed by the critical theory pioneered by Adorno and Horkheimer. The research is limited to the indigenous feminine roles in the 16th-century Philippines. This is qualitative research that analyzes primary sources be it written, visual or artifact materials. The findings of the study shall enrich United Nation Sustainable Development Goal 5 that tackles gender equality and empowerment since any attempts to promote holistic growth should anchor to the respect of human dignity and take into account various dimensions including the stories of the marginalized.

Ways forward in the teaching of Physical Education: The private and public university experiences

Bayani Matitu, Rosalinda Santiago — Sun, 30 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In recent years, the integration of digital technology in education has become increasingly prevalent, with many institutions adopting e-learning tools to enhance the teaching and learning experience. Such practice was intensified with the kickoff of the pandemic in 2020 when most, if not all, educational institution around the world were forced to come up with a more innovative technique in teaching to continue learning. Schools and universities, be it private or public, opted to shift to online education. This study seeks to the variations in the technological gadgets and e-learning tools in the teaching of physical education classes through identification, chi-square testing, and Focus Group Discussion using the Replacement and Amplification of (RAT) Framework. Specifically, it examines the availability of these resources in different types of universities and investigates their effectiveness in promoting student engagement and improving pedagogical practices while exploring the differences between digital gadgets and e-learning tools and their availability in universities, with a specific focus on the effectiveness of teaching of physical education classes. The findings indicate that the types of digital gadgets (X2, 57.793, df=8), p <.000 <.05) and e-learning tools (X2, 63.36, df=19, p <.001 <.05) used by the students vary depending on the type of university- whether private or public, due to the accessibility for the students, and the popularity of the tools and apps. Furthermore, the use of e-learning tools is beneficial in enhancing pedagogical practices in physical education classes and promoting student engagement in learning tasks because of their benefits. Additionally, the study recommends further research on the use of these tools in the new educational landscape.

Work from home, wellness, and well-being: The effects on the teachers’ individual work performance in the new normal

Jobe Viernes, Michael Pasco — Sun, 30 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0500

The new normal brings changes and difficulties similar to teachers that affect their work from home and office routines, wellness, well-being, and productivity. We aim to determine the effects of work from home (WFH), wellness, and state of well-being of the teaching personnel on their individual work performance. We conducted an explanatory sequential mixed methods and the partial least squares- structural equations modeling to determine the relationship between the constructs of this research on 52 selected teachers at San Beda University, Manila, Philippines. We confirmed that wellness is more of the physical and mental dimensions of teachers’ well-being. The overall state of wellness of the respondents is at moderate to high level. Wellness does not directly improve individual work performance (pls path coef.=.122, t=.866, p=.193), but it positively affects the state of well-being (pls path coef.=.515, t=5.741, p=.000). Well-being, with the mental and social domains, improves individual work performance (pls path coef.=.286, t=1.954, p=.025). Acceptance of work from home also improves individual work performance (pls path coef.=.273, t=1.976, p=.024). The teachers measured wellness with the realization of thriving with own job, colleagues, and managers. The teachers have better wellness with the feeling of being meaningful, committed, compensated by the university, and appreciated by others. The expansion of the sample size, cases and settings are future research opportunities to create a model. We encourage future researchers to investigate the mediation

Technical and vocational education and training in the Philippines: In retrospect and its future directions

Divina Edralin, Ronald Pastrana — Sun, 30 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0500

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) is the government agency tasked to manage and supervise technical education and skills development in the Philippines. In retrospect, we answered the research question: “What is the status of TVET in the Philippines as managed and supervised by TESDA and its future directions towards SDG#4? We described the evolution, goals, objectives, accomplishments, and challenges of TVET in the Philippines. We used the Philippine Qualifications Framework as the underpinning model which establishes a standard for education and training providers. We adopted the descriptive research design and the qualitative archival research approach. Findings revealed that TVET in the Philippines began when it was introduced in the Philippine education system in 1927. There were considerable accomplishments and outcomes of TVET in the Philippines in the past years such as setting the direction of TVET in the Philippines and promulgating relevant standards. These strategic efforts contributed to the employment of TVET graduates, improving the quality of their skills needed by the industry, and having a clearer policy direction on how TVET is implemented in the country. Problems and challenges encountered in the supervision and implementation are related to the poor quality of graduates, low employment of graduates, as well as weak structural and policy implementation as shown by the lack of closer coordination among the TVET stakeholders. We recommended aligning the curriculum development of TVET with the present Philippine Development Plan 2022-2028 and the needs of the industry including the demands of Industry 4.0 to strengthen TVET in the Philippines and align its future direction with SDG#4.

Improving university competitiveness and quality education through Human Resource Development in the digital era

Josephine Prudente, Ani Yunaningsih — Sun, 30 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In its quest for quality education, Higher Education Institutions (HEI) ascribed to the UN's SDG 4 Quality Education in ensuring that inclusive and equitable quality education will promote lifelong learning and opportunities for all. The critical role of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in building teaching skills, fostering knowledge, and engagement with society are significant factors in developing its human resources, particularly, the faculty. The benefits and challenges brought about by Industry 4.0 drive the universities to integrate quality education into their mission of promoting positive change, lifelong learning, and competitiveness. The study utilized qualitative and descriptive design to probe the variabilities and similarities of Human Resource Development strategies, quality education initiatives, and university competitiveness of HEIs in Bandung and Manila. Thematic analysis was carried out to produce more conclusive results. The researchers applied a data condensation process to form a perceived relevant category and a theme was created based on strategies and competitiveness. The significant result shows a deficit in the strategy to target specific faculty KSAs in the personal development in-service programs instituted by the HEIs in Manila. Remarkable are the many organizational strategies employed by both cities that yields quality education indicator (management) particularly the essential role of the HEI in instituting policies for faculty’s wholistic development. Results on competitiveness denote compliance to most functional capacities of both cities as a valuable means of mobility as the education workers meet the demands of their job. Moreover, the strong partnership with local and international agencies solidifies various developmental programs and the social relevance of the university. The study recommends further study on the impact of the educational global ranking system in the retention of human resources and employment of graduates.

Exploring pedagogical leadership opportunities for a hybrid classroom from the experiences and perspectives of selected college deans and administrators in Manila

Maria Eliza Cruz, Teresita Dulay — Sun, 30 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0500

This study is an exploration of how the hybrid classroom model influenced teaching and learning in higher education institutions in Manila using the perspectives and experiences of Deans and Administrators who were selected via snowball sampling. Through phenomenography, a qualitative research approach that could represent variations of individuals’ experience of a common phenomenon while at the same time, capturing the essence of the need to improve or reform the response towards the phenomenon, opportunities for pedagogical leadership were undermined. Ambiguity in terms of the extent of student participation and engagement, disparity in online and on-site student test scores, weak self-directedness, and time management were identified to be learning gaps. On the other hand, the complexity of doing both online and on-site tasks, lack of digital training, alongside available technical support was culled to be teaching gaps. Outcome spaces drawn from these findings were: conceptual clarity, academic integrity, digital equity, and digital inclusion. From these aforesaid outcome spaces, the following pedagogical leadership opportunities are mapped: 1) the Creation of a standard hybrid syllabus template alongside policies concerning academic integrity, and 2) the Application of the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle as a baseline method for constantly identifying the weak digital skills of teachers and consequently, mapping retooling and upskilling activities for them, thereby promoting digital equity and inclusion.

The gift of faith: Tracing the 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines through the transformative experiences of the BEC lay leaders.

Julius Tutor, Cherlon Gambong — Sun, 30 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0500

The Philippine Church commemorates in a year-long (April 2021 – April 2022) celebration the 500 years of Christianity in the country. The Filipino Catholics and communities gathered to joyfully celebrate the event which marks the first hearing of the good news about Christ some hundred years ago by the foreign Catholic missionaries. Alongside the colonization of the Spaniards, which comes with complex issues and controversies, one remains significant and meaningful on the other side of their arrival- the Christian Faith! Today, this same mission of evangelization of the first Catholic missionaries in the country had been continued specifically in the local activities of the Church through the Basic Ecclesial Communities or the BEC movements all over the country. This is a case of qualitative study exploring the concept of faith of the lay leaders of Basic Ecclesial Community (BEC) in Francisco de Borja Chapel, in Barangay Sta. Fe Caraga Davao Oriental. The study was conducted through an in-depth interview and dissemination of research questionnaire to the selected BEC lay leaders who were able to respond actively. In the end, the result of our thematic analysis, which was used to utilize in discovering the different emerging and significant themes of the gathered data, narrates for us the core meaning of the gift of faith for the BEC lay leaders: (1) faith that centers on Christ, (2) it is a gift of the Holy Spirit, (3) faith makes a person open to salvation, (4) faith as a gift means a blessing from God, and (5) faith makes them victorious over the trials of life. Moreover, the transforming effect of faith in the utterance of the BEC lay leaders reflects in the consciousness of the researchers the vision and objectives of the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines (1991): (1) participation, (2) responsive, (3) service, and (4) becoming truly Christian. These core themes of the transforming effect of faith on the BEC lay leaders reflect the reason for the Philippines to continue cultivating and nourishing the Christian mission in realizing the Kingdom of God here on earth.

Online learning environment and mental health among university students

Annabelle Quilon , Yohan Kurniawan — Sun, 30 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Students’ experience of the pandemic required them to find ways to survive academically but, studies revealed that students’ learning and mental health are greatly affected by pandemic. Currently, much research explores topics such as effects of COVID-19 pandemic on education; teaching and learning; students' mental health. This study explores how online learning environment as to assignment, lecturer/friend, facilities & equipment, home & environment, and physical class affect the mental health of three hundred sixty-seven university students during COVID-19 pandemic at a private university in Manila, Philippines using a quantitative technique specifically causal research design. The participants voluntarily completed the survey questionnaire measuring learning environment and mental health adapted from Universiti Malaysia Kelantan. Research results revealed that the more university students negatively viewed online learning environment specifically in terms of assignment, lecturer/friend, facilities & equipment, home & environment, physical classes the more they have bad mental health. Moreover, findings showed that online learning environments such as home & environment were found to be the strongest predictor of mental health among university students. The study implies that distractions in home environment during online classes resulted in negative mental health of university students.

A Granger Causality Analysis of the influence of debt service on the economy

Edilberto Viray, Ma. Jesusa Bato — Sun, 30 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In the 1970s, it was during this period that the Marcos administration focused on fulfilling development projects, funded through concessional loans. These loans had been extended on terms substantially more generous than market loans, concessional either through interest rates below those available on the market or by grace periods, or a combination of these. Hence, with the bloated ability of the country until the present time of his son, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and those long-term debts, debt service has become a fundamental peg in managing the debt hole of the economy. The researchers seek to determine and investigate the influence of debt service on the Philippine economy considering this important economic variable through real exchange rates, inflation, gross domestic product, and foreign investments. In addition, the researchers will use Granger causality analysis as it detects the direct exchange of information between debt service and GDP while testing the relationship of the other economic variables such as real exchange rates, inflation, and foreign investments to the debt service of the government. Moreover, the result of the analysis shows greater implications of all the selected economic variables to the debt service in the economy; but, of all the given selected economic variables, gross domestic product shows potency in impacting the debt service to the economy. Being able to see this relationship would help policymakers become more aware of implications when the debt to GDP ratio crosses the ideal threshold when there is no strong economic backup plan. The null hypothesis indicates that total debt payment or total debt service does not granger cause the nominal gross domestic product. The researchers also identified optimal lags and thresholds for debt ceilings which contribute to the analysis. The use of nominal gross domestic product (GDP) instead of real GDP was also highlighted in the paper.

Construct validation of the teacher attitude to inclusion scale for Filipino pre-service teachers

Alvin Nieva — Sun, 30 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Inclusive education is one of the visions of the global agenda of “education for all.” It aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 4: “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote life-long learning opportunities for all” (Harrington, 2016, p.30). The teacher’s attitude is one of the identified factors in the effective implementation of inclusive education. Hence, schools in the Philippines would require tools that measure the teachers’ attitudes toward inclusive education as they plan to accommodate inclusive education in their classrooms as mandated by Republic Act No. 11650: “Instituting a Policy of Inclusion and Services for Learners with Disabilities in Support of Inclusive Education Act.” This study examined the theoretical model of the Teacher Attitude to Inclusion Scale (Monsen, Ewing, & Boyle, 2015), specifically section 4 of the scale: “Attitudes toward Inclusion,” through a cross-sectional, explanatory nonexperimental design utilizing both between-network and between-network construct validation approaches. The participants were 417 pre-service teachers from private and state-owned universities in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, selected through convenience sampling. They completed two sets of measures online, the fourth section of the Teacher Attitude to Inclusion and the Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale (Tschannen-Moran & Hoy, 2001). The results of within-network and between-network construct validation suggest the acceptability of the reduced 10-item of section 4 of the Teacher Attitude to Inclusion Scale among Filipino pre-service teachers. Based on confirmatory factor analysis, the data fit the three-factor structure (i.e., factors 1, 2, and 4) rather than the original four-factor structure suggesting within-network construct validity. Furthermore, the relationships between the TAIS and the TSES subscales were positively correlated, indicating the TAIS's between-network construct validity. Since this scale is psychometrically sound for Filipino pre-service teachers, it is recommended to consider extending this study by examining the applicability of this scale to in-service teachers.

Cosmic anthropological perspective and panentheism on the peripheral pious exercises within popular Filipino religiosity

Noel Santander — Sun, 30 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Within various expressions of Filipino popular religiosity are found different peripheral pious exercises. Specifically, they are acts of the piety of the people rendered commonly on religious images, such as touching, caressing, wiping, embracing, and kissing them. These pious actions of the people elicited great objection and even condemnation from other people with different religious orientations. From this context, this research was conducted. It intended to present a different perspective on the peripheral pious exercises of the people within popular religiosity expressions. By applying Ferdinand de Saussure’s dyadic model of sign analysis on collected digital images, layers of meaning about the acts of piety were formed. The semiotic results were translated into deeper but relevant meaning using as a lens cosmic anthropological principle. The peripheral pious exercises were recognized as the unconscious expressions of the panentheistic view of the people. They are expressions of wayless way spirituality that is considered beneficial for progress in the spiritual life of Filipino Catholics. They affirm the very idea that God is found in one’s ordinary life of the believers. They are behavioral symbols identified with and shared by the common people within the Catholic tradition and made Catholic culture more vibrant, colorful, and transformational which affects the inner and outer lives of the ordinary Catholics. They too are expressions of the concept of hiyang that creates some sort of harmony and integration between humans and the divine, which led people to acknowledge their place in the cosmic social order, and that they need to express something to someone whom they can have complete harmony with, God. Finally, they can be regarded as behavioral affirmations of what is naturally true at the quantum level, the interconnectedness of the physical and the metaphysical.

Kritisismo sa New Testament Pinoy version Catholic Edition: Isang suring-salin

Marvin Reyes — Sun, 30 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0500

It was year 2018 when Philippine Bible Society released a new version of bible that designed in accordance with the language of the new generation. This is a version that deviates from the conventional way of bible translation, bible interpretation and bible writing. The New Testament Pinoy Version Catholic Edition was considered as an alternative document which has a new or different stylistics that defined the biblical contexts i.e., the teachings and words of Jesus Christ. As mentioned, this is different from what has been the standard biblical version. However, this style of translating has been coincided within two languages i.e., Filipino and English. Code-switching is no longer new as a discourse. It was being used either in technical or creative writing or even in some specific pedagogical approaches. Code-switching in this regard may be considered as form or methodology or technique of translation. But what makes code-switching as a stylistic translation different is that it was used as a tool to translate a very significant document or canon that is considered as the greatest and most notable book of all times. Thus it became a linguistic instrument. This may now be considered that the usage of code-switching is already applicable in almost all discourses including a religious text like the bible.