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