The 5th Colleges and Universities Public Service Conference (CUPSCON5) was held in Palawan State University, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan from August 28 to 30, 2024. The UPV Action Research Project (UPV ARP) team presented two papers and received an award at the conference.
The paper titled “Transformative Learning in a Collaboratively Designed ODL Course on Action Research for In-Service Teachers” authored by former UPV ARP Project Manager, Asst. Prof. Early Sol A. Gadong, was presented at the panel on Innovations in Higher Education. Their paper looked into the transformative impact of a collaboratively designed online distance learning (ODL) course on writing action research proposals among in-service teachers of the Department of Education (DepEd) in Western Visayas.
Anchored in Jack Mezirow’s Transformational Learning Theory, the ODL course aimed to enhance the research competencies of basic education teachers in the region, in the hopes of consequently improving student learning outcomes. Asst. Prof. Gadong highlighted the relevance of the ODL course in the online professional development of teachers, contributing significantly to the field of transformational learning. Furthermore, they emphasized the importance of “continuous growth” for teachers, the role that institutional support plays, and the potential for needs-based and impactful partnerships between higher education institutions (HEIs) and the DepEd to positively influence education quality through pedagogies and attitudes.
The paper titled “Analyzing Participation in the Development of Voter Education Instructional Modules (VEIM) for *ACTIVE Citizenship” authored by former UPV ARP Assistant Project Manager Mr. Prabhat Ranjan B. Ubas received one of the Best Paper Presentation Awards at the panel on University Public Service Programs of CUPSCON5. Following Stephen Jones and Andrew Kardan’s framework for analyzing participation in development, the paper aimed to understand the role and scope of participation among stakeholders in an educational context. By means of qualitative inquiry, the paper delved into the stakeholders’ knowledge about the project, their motives for participation, the extent of their participation, and projected result of their participation in the development of VEIM. It revealed that stakeholders are generally well-informed about the project’s goals, motivating them to perform their roles and contribute to the project’s progress showing a certain degree of delegated power. The paper also highlighted the importance of utilizing applicable participatory tools and communication channels to enhance participation, build strong relationships, and improve community satisfaction in any development initiatives. Moreover, the paper also presented several challenges encountered by stakeholders which includes the availability of resources, their willingness to participate, and their skills in many of the processes involved in the project. This is the first time that the project received an award after four consecutive years of presenting papers in the conference.
Meanwhile, present UPV ARP Assistant Project Manager Asst. Prof. Donne Jone P. Sodusta co-authored the paper titled “From Learners as Clients to Learners as Citizens: Co-Mapping Spaces and Trajectories for Undergraduate Development Communications Service-Learning Initiatives” of the Development Communicators’ Society (DCS) of the College of Communication, West Visayas State University (WVSU) at the panel on Student Volunteerism, Extension Projects, and Service Learning. It was presented by the WVSU College of Communication Dean and UP Visayas alumna, Prof. Rona Dhel C. Alingasa and Prof. Joesyl Marie D. Aranas. Their paper highlighted the importance of students’ participation in service-learning initiatives and curriculum development of a program in higher education institutions (HEIs).
CUPSCON is the only academic conference that focuses on public service, offering a forum for colleges and universities to share best practices, creative and collaborative approaches, and explore issues and trends in the field. It is a pioneering project launched by the UP Padayon Public Service Office in 2015. CUPSCON brings together participants from both private and public higher education institutions (HEIs), government agencies, local government units, civil society organizations, and even private sector.
