Education Revolution: Assumptionistas in EdRev

By Butch Hernandez*

Not many people know this, but every sum­mer since 1989, students of Assumption College in San Lorenzo have volunteered to go to far-flung barangays for days to leam what "educa­tion for social transformation" really means.

The socially-aware Assumptionistas are part of the Integrated Summer Study Pro­gram (ISSP), based on the need "for knowl­edge to serve a purpose, the more secular, the better. It must be one that is based on and pulled from existing realities.

"Sr. Mary Gertrude Borres, Assumption Col­lege dean, said the ISSP gave students the unique opportunity to apply what they learned , to social realities in disadvantaged areas.

In her send-off message to this year's vol­unteers, Sr. Gertrude said "the ISSP is only for you students who are willing to take the risk and spend your summer with your teachers in places where you can serve the people.

"Life-changing experience"

Chat Orense, facilitator of a group of psy­chology majors who went to Barangay Sta. Cruz in San Femando, Camarines Sur, re- called how the girls quickly adjusted to ex­tremely simple surroundings, particularly when they gave art lessons and regaled the pupils of the Sta. Cruz Elementary School with stories during a story-telling sessions.

Chat herself was an ISSP volunteer during her college days at Assumption. "Initially, some students join the ISSP simply because (they can skip) regular classes. But all this changes when they start interacting with their host communities," Chat said.

Ardy Batoy shepherded her Communica­tions students in Sitio Tanglaw, Barangay Sala, Cabuyao, Laguna. Ardy teaches Communica­tion Development. She said a couple of the girls were overcome with emotion after experi­encing what it was like to serve other people.

Ardy's group visited the Sala Elementary School and they saw the substandard facilities. The students also met and talked to barangay chair Amelito Alimagno and several out-of-school youth as part of their community map­ping activities in preparation for a three-year community development program.

One of Ardy's students, Justine Borres, said she was touched by the kindness of the people who, despite their problems "were still giving us food, thinking of us.

"In Bontoc, Mt. Province, Professor Ben dela Cruz and Adelle Ceradoy from the Center for Social Concern facilitated the immersion of Accounting students in the Sta. Rita parish where they conducted computer tutorial ser­vices. Dela Cruz said his students saw how lucky they were after experiencing communi­ty life in the poblacion.

*The Philippine Daily Inquirer Lifestyle Monday, May 26, 2003 page G3

Butch Hernandez, The author is the executive director of FWWPP

Assumptionists Experience Immersion in Baguio

*By Jennifer Love L. Reyes

28 senior students from the Marketing, Communi­cations, and Management Information Science De­partments participated in the Integrated Summer Study Program (ISSP) of the Center for Social Concern (CSC) in Baguio City last April 25 to May 6.

Conceived in February 1989 by the College Dean, ISSP is an integration of faith and life, academics life and co-curricular activities that reflects Mother Marie Eugenie's philosophy of "Education allowing the good in every person to break through the rock that imprisons it and bring it to light where it can blossom and shed its radiance." It aims to give Assumptionists a holistic formation by an experience of exposure - through inculturation or immersion, for a period of time, in a particular area.

Prior to the selec­tion, the applicants were asked to submit documents such as copies of their grades, medical certificates, parents' consent forms, and recommendation letters from their respective Chairpersons. Screening tests and interviews were handled by Associate Dean for Com­merce Ms Vicky Orjalo and College Dean Elizabeth Melchor. After the delibera­tions, the results of the qualified participants were announced.

On April 5, the girls attended a two-week lecture session at Assump­tion College headed by CSC Director Ms Frances Salenga. A pre-immersion training followed from April 23 to 25 which prepared the students for the program. In the morn­ing of April 26, the group left for Baguio. Ms Salenga and Pro­gram Staff Ms Bernadette Tan together with Mr. Ernie Apodaca, Mr. Ben de la Cruz, Mr. Nilo Yacat, Mr. Mike Lopez, Mr. George Garcia, Sr. Annunciata Malvar, r.a. and Associate Missionaries of Assumption (AMA) volunteer Mr. Greg Quimpo, joined the participants.

The CSC staff, profes­sors, and students stayed at Villa Consolacion, Baguio City. During the inculturation, an Igorot play was presented. It was followed by a series of talks on the Development in the Perspective of the Indigenous People, spear­headed by UP Baguio Professor Ms Brigitte Pawid.

In the following days, the participants toured the Balatok Mines, Bureau of Internal Rev­enue, and La Trinidad Valley market.

The students were divided into groups and were assigned to three Benguet service areas namely: Dontogan, Dalupirip I and II for the three-day immersion. The first day was spent getting to know their respective foster families and familiar­izing themselves with their new environment. For the next two days, the girls focused on understanding the social realities which prevailed within the area. As a culminating activity, they presented a short skit, which according to Ms Salenga, "...was the total embodiment of the girls' learning experiences and transformation."

Charmaine Carino (4Comm), Katz Diaz De Rivera (4Comm), and Cristina Serrano (4Comm) said that their immersion experience made them realize that it was the simple lifestyle of these people which made them appreciate the blessings they received. They were struck by the relationship of love, openness, respect for nature, and respect for each other's rights.

Asked about the rel­evance of the program in the coming years, Ms Tan envisioned, "ISSP will still be very relevant in the next five years. It will always be CSC's commitment to action. AC has so much venues for social involve­ment. Through ISSP people get to go out of the walls of the institution and eventually see the outside world. Moreover, the program will continue to give AC graduates the opportunity to go places...to experience people...—MME's vision of a holistic formation for the Assumptionists."

*Assumption College - AC Times
Jennifer Love L. Reyes

Integrated Summer Study Program: Personal Analyses, Insights and Reflections

*Benjamin de la Cruz

The integrated summer study program, particularly called ISSP, started in 1989. It was inspired by Gardner's theory of multiple in­telligences and Kolb's experiential learning model. It was conceived towards integration of faith and life, academics and co-curriculars.The author was privileged to participate and handle business subjects in this program in the summers of 1996, 1998 and 1999. The following are my analyses, insights and reflections on the conduct and results of these experi­ences.

BACKGROUND

In 1989, the Office of the Dean of Assumption College started a program inte­grating social awareness through a combination of classroom learning and field exposures. This novel program, the Integrated Summer Study Program or ISSP, is a voluntary, academic, interdisciplinary program of nine academic units that provides both classroom learning and field observation.

The units are a combination of different subjects of three units each, requir­ing a total of forty-two (42) classroom lecture hours on campus, and a two-week immersion program on field in a provincial community setting.

The exposure and immersion component of the program helps build com­munity awareness, and supports the experiential-learning approach in the aca­demic subject areas. The theories taught in class are linked to realities in the communities identified and visited.

DEFINITIONS AND FRAMES OF REFERENCE

The Assumption College is an exclusive Catholic college for women owned andoperated by the Religious of the Assumption.The main objectives of the Assumption College education are:

1. to develop academic and professional competence in the students and to prepare them to become transforming and effective participants in the workplace through relevant curricula, qualified faculty and up-to-date facilities, and;

2. to form students of strong integral character imbued with a social conscience, a firm knowledge of gospel values and the moral law, with a commitment to become productive members of Philippine society through participation in dynamic development and holistic co-curricular and extra-curricular programs.

The Integrated Summer Study Program, the innovative program that started in 1989 and still being implemented at present, is conducted every summer. The differentiating features are the linkage of theories with the realities of commu­nities visited, and the attempt at webbing the course contents of the subject of­ferings. Furthermore, the students coming from the different disciplines develop bonds of friendship, together in the mixture of activities that challenge them to innovate and work in groups.

The learning objectives of the ISSP are:

1. to provide interdisciplinary, relevant and contextualized academic experience;

2. to situate learning within the context of living with the people of the community;

3. to provide opportunity to experience community living with other groups;

4. to deepen Christian faith and commitment;

5. to develop leadership and organizational capabilities, and;

6. to challenge the participants towards a simpler lifestyle.

The program consists of three subjects from the various disciplines offered in the colleges of liberal arts and business. They are offered to qualified incoming seniors and juniors.

The program package includes academic subjects bundled with adventure and hard work. The nine units are earned within a period of two months inclusive of preprogram orientation, academic classes and evalua­tion, immersion and a culminating activity.

Participants in the ISSP are recommended by the Department Chairpersons and are interviewed by the Associate Deans for liberal arts and business. They have to pass tests and interviews. Attendance in the program orientation, com­munity development service, prior to enrolment in the academic subjects and immersion are prerequisites.

The main inspiration for the ISSP is Gardner's theory of multiple intelli­gences and Kolb's experiential learning model.

Gardner has identified specific intelligences or ways of knowing that may be developed within a human being. He identified particular kinds of learning talent that seem to come easily for one or another person. Simply stated, there are many ways one can learn. Using a variety of methods and appeal to the dif­ferent intelligences can lead to effective learning. We sing to learn certain phi­losophy and values. We play games to emphasize certain concepts and prin­ciples. We recite poems and go into introspection.

The intelligences identified to date and their characteristics are:

1. Logical-Mathematical-abstract thoughts, precision, counting, organization logical, structure

2. Linguistic-sensitivity to language and the relation among words

3. Musical-sensitivity to pitch, rhyme, timbre, the emotional power and complex organization of music

4. Spatial-keen observation, visual thinking, mental images, metaphor; a sense of the whole gestalt

5. Bodily-Kinesthetic-control of one's body and objects, timing, trained responses that function like reflexes

6. Interpersonal-sensitivity to others, ability to read the intentions and desires of others and potential to influence them

7. Intrapersonal-self-knowledge, sensitivity to one's own values, purpose, feelings; a developed sense of self

8. Naturalist-sensitivity to the natural world; seeing connections and patterns within the plant and animal kingdom

9. Intuition-ability to see the future as well as what happened in the past without the use of the five physical senses

10. Spiritual-ability to commune with God

Kolb's experiential learning model is a structured learning experiences cycle characterized by the following stages:

1. Experiencing-activity, doing; the initial which is the data-generating part of the structured experience; the step often associated with games or fun

2. Publishing-the second stage which is the data processing part of the experience and activity; the sharing of what they saw and felt during the event at cognitive and affective levels

3. Processing-this is the fulcrum or pivotal stage; the systematic analysis of commonly shared experience; the group dynamic phase

4. Generalizing-this is an inferential leap from the reality inside the activity to the reality of everyday life outside the sessions

5. Applying-the final stage, the purpose for which the whole experience is designed; applying generalizations to actual situations in which they are involved

PERSONAL ANALYSES, INSIGHTS AND REFLECTIONS

On the academic experience, students are able to gain nine (9) units in a pe­riod of two months. The actual classroom hours are limited to three (3) hours daily and the theories are completed prior to exposure and immersion. The fac­ulty members try to web the subjects in terms of content and experience. Stu­dents record their experiences in daily journals and summarize them in a learning paper, submitted upon their return from the field.

The schedule is hectic, bringing reality in the day-to-day life. There is hard work coupled with games and fun. There are first-hand knowledge of the sub­jects and actual application of theories.

On the exposure and immersion experience, the students work in groups and they experience the dynamics of small group assignments and a big group output. They study, eat, sleep and play together. They develop bonds of friend­ship. They learn to respect individuality. The situation allows them to develop their full potentials.

The logical intelligence is enhanced by the activities such as that of trying to manage their limited resources. The kinesthetic intelligence gets developed through physical activities of games, tours and other energy-zapping activities. Interactions in small groups help develop the interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligences.

'Living with foster families and interacting with the community provides so­cial and spiritual dimensions to the learning of students. It makes them aware of how lucky they are compared to the people around them.

On faculty experience and relationship, the experience enhances their sense of duty and responsibilities toward managing the learning of their students. It develops a closer and fruitful collaboration among the teachers.

Although there are also differences, they are, however, easily resolved and put behind before re­turning to the campus.The experience also puts the teachers into hard work and pressure of trying to blend theories and realities. The individualities and strength of their stu­dents get appreciated. The subjects are blended and webbed maximizing everyone's best efforts.

On the spiritual experience, both the faculty and students experience real closeness and communication with God. They learn to appreciate day-to-day re­alities, challenges and opportunities, which are presented by the experience.

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Humans are complex intellectual, emotional, physical and spiritual beings. There is a need to harmonize and integrate the level of learning. The ISSP is one vehicle towards this development. The program provides an opportunity to enhance and develop the full potential of both the students and the faculty.

The culminating activity of the exposure and immersion is a presentation done by all the students showcasing their learnings in ISSP. The presentations are a blend of fun and serious commentary on learning and experience. The positives are accentuated and the challenges are demonstrated before the com­munity, Assumption faculty and administrators.

The message stresses the holistic view of the development of the person and community. It poses a challenge to all to change for the better and to aspire for a noble cause.The ISSP can still be enhanced. It must continue to evolve.

Emerging issues such as who should participate, and the relevant subjects to be offered should be addressed. The venues for exposure and the rationale for the activities should be spelled out earlier in the program.

The webbing of subjects must be deeper than what they are today. The skills of thinking, feeling, communicating and doing must be emphasized. « The ISSP activities that the author attended had very little variation in pro­gram and schedules. The experience, however, is varied and fruitful.Finally, a summative evaluation should be conducted for the entire duration of the program, even dating back to 1989.

This may uncover positive sugges­tions from participants. The evaluation of results on the year-to-year basis done towards the end of the program may serve as the starting point for this overall summative evaluation.The foregoing are analyses, insights and reflections of the ISSP. In writing this article, the author borrowed generously from the other people in the pro­gram and from various books and reference materials.

REFERENCES

Assumption College Student Handbook, 1998-2001
Gardner, Howard. Art Mind, and Brain: A Cognitive Approach to Creativity. 1982.
Jones, J.E. and Pfeiffer,J.W. Structured Learning Experiences
Umali, Conchita. Women and Empowerment: The Assumption San Lorenzo Experience (Pa­per distributed during the Critical Mass Formation Program)

*Assumption College Research Journal February 2000 Volume 8 No. 1
Prof. Benjamin de la Cruz is a full-time faculty at the Commerce Department of Assumption College

Far Eastern University Institute of Accounts, Business and Finance Batch 1968

Far Eastern University Institute of Accounts, Business and Finance Batch 1968