In times of pandemic, how can we sustain instruction that is research-oriented and adaptive to social needs?
As the health crisis continue to immensely challenge the education sector, ensuring that instruction is still aimed at developing competence, professionals require more than just pedagogical knowledge. Significantly ascertaining, too, that instruction is parallel with the learners’ needs in the context of the pandemic, educators need to increase their research engagement to sustain quality instruction.
With the objective of encouraging faculty members to engage more in writing and publishing their research, the Languages and Literature Department held a webinar series entitled: Linguistic Research and Publication in a Pandemic, yesterday.
The first session of the webinar series was conducted in the morning, with Prof. Pariwat Imsa-Ard, an English Language faculty from Ramkhamhaeng University in Thailand, as the resource person. The pilot session focused on writing a substantive manuscript that interests editors and reviewers for international publication.
During the next episode of the scholarly series, Prof. Mark B. Ulla, the Head of Research School of Languages and General Education at Walailak University in Thailand, in his presentation, discussed the trends in academic publishing for international level. He imparted that the trend may shift from publishing in a peer-reviewed or international journals to publish only in high-ranking journals.
The third and final part of the webinar series was graced with the expertise of Dr. Nicanor Guinto, Head of Department of Languages, Literature, and Humanities at Southern Luzon State University. Dr. Guinto presented how linguistic ethnography contributes to amplifying unheard voices in the society.
Explaining the importance of research in the academe, Dr. Dennis C. de Paz, University President, stressed that faculty members must not only write research but also publish them to become active educators who transform concepts into beneficial and practical knowledge.
“As researchers and academic professionals in this time of pandemic, we are the society’s partner for advancing the body of knowledge and stream of technologies. Our communities are banking on us to transform the knowledge we produce to what the people can use.”
Present also in the platform was the Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Lydia M. Morante, who left the participants an important note on academic research.
“The ultimate role of research in language is to enable teachers and institutions to make sound decisions about the educational activities and experiences that will best serve students.”
In his message, Dr. Sheldon Ives G. Agaton, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, advised the participants to consider publication an important element of their professional life.
“I consider the terms professor and publication synonymous or interchangeable. A professor must publish research works and publishing authenticates a person’s professorship.”
His statement was supported by Dr. Glenda B. Tupaz, the department head, in her closing remarks. Dr. Tupaz also expressed the significance of organizing the event placing emphasis on the value of research in instruction and in producing competent professionals.
“The recent CHED-DBM Reclassification of SUC faculty puts prime emphasis on the conduct of research to uphold and to augment our instruction, contribute to the reservoir of knowledge as we truly envisage to produce globally competitive professionals in the future. It goes to say that we cannot give what we do not have.”
Free for everyone to join, the virtual event was participated by academic professionals and scholars from across the country and even from countries such as USA, Morocco, Mexico, Austria, Bangladesh, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia among others.
