Abstract Draft 2

Making Sense of Student Support at a Distance: A Program Chair's Explorations and Self Analysis
Are my thoughts and actions facilitative of student support or spoonfeeding? Are my explorations genuinely addressing student concerns or not? How am I making sense of providing student support at a distance? In my first year as a fulltime faculty member of pioneer distance institution in the Philippines, I was given the task to manage the Associate in Arts Degree, an undergraduate program with the biggest and most diverse student population of the UP Open University. Three years after, I see the need to reflect on my practices in fulfillment of my responsibilities. This study narrates my journey into understanding my role as program chair alongside exploring varied ICT platforms in order to address student concerns. Using an autoethnographic research methodology, I shall attempt to analyze and examine my actions through a careful analysis of student queries, email correspondence, bloglike narratives, virtual community forum posts, and letters to staff and direct supervisors. In doing so, I hope to critically examine my experiences and evolving disposition in program management and contribution to student support initiatives. This qualitative study constitutes my ongoing struggles and journey as a junior faculty member in an academic organization equally determined to address student concerns at all levels. It hopes to contribute to the university's community of practice by giving voice to a program chair's struggles, evolving identity and understanding of what it truly means to support students.

Left of Center

Finally, I've heard honest feedback from Mam Jean re my EDDE 206 work.
But I wasn't even expecting to get words of advice for my theses.
Just when I was about to give up on my cause (Progressive Schools+Social Studies+ Curriculum Design/Dev't)and get into a different topic....

It seems like all the support systems are in place for me to be able to do this--
I have collegeaues who believe that this is worth it and I know I can count on them anytime for research advice. I have children who are self supporting alongside a free range mother hen such as I who seems to be up and about. I have a Teacher Vic who does more than his share of parenting and has tolerated me all this time and given me the space to be caught up in all these. I am lucky enough to afford a UP education. I have students and co teachers who are self propelling. I have a job that can allow me to do all these. There is no standing obstacle except I, MYSELF, ME=JULIET! Self doubt has been my mortal sin-mortal enemy all this time.

It took an EDDE 206+ Jean + Primo to do make me see that.

Noting down here points to remember and perhaps to live by:
-start from where you are
-get the side of my advisers
-consider their view
-let my contribution to the field be the research methodology
and theoretical frame through which I can achieve this research


In the midst of my exchanges with Jean, and overhearing Primo saying this and that, I go (trying to recall my exact words...) "bakit sa tingin mo magagawa ko yan"?
Primo goes "kase left of center ka e". How can he have captured that side of me I've taken for granted. All this time, I've never exactly did what most usually do.
I've always been a step away from the path or shall I say veered away from the common path to explore a trail that's nowhere to be found.

I am meant to be here, at this time for a reason and I've simply failed to see that God's hand has been there. And maybe if Dave were here, he would say "causes and conditions". My attachment=self doubt=self at the center of the self doubt!!!

So Aleta, just keep at it...carry on.

Streamlining my Research Work

In my quest for a sense of equilibrium amidst multi-tasking and finally getting started with de-cluttering my closet, I finally got it. From this month onwards, this how my quests will take place:

-target paper presentations: for mini research as product of my self study and experiments with quali research and distance learning

-target submissions for publication: as by product of my experiments in Builders' School and a means to push forth my agenda for social studies and teacher education--for now it's the PUNE PEPPER


-target data gathering (FGD, school observations, questionnaire): as means to achieve a small study on Progressive School practices and Social Studies Education--
for now it's questionnaire status

-2010 targets: Inquiry SS for publication; paper presentation which is distance learning related; 6-month data gathering for Progressive Practice--portions 1-3 are done--to follow, findings, discussion and analysis, conclusion

Any which way will sustain my brain's curiosities and level of functioning in doing research.

Agreed?

Maximum Work Required:
Quarter 1: Pune Paper (now - Feb)
Quarter 2: Soc Studies Paper (summer)
Quarter 3: Inquiry Paper for Publication (PECERA)

Minimum to keep me self assured w/ my goal:
-Pune Paper
-Inquiry based learning: Sample Social Studies and Science Projects

Ano ba talaga, iha?!

Kaya mo bang panindigan ang isang Autoethnographic Study? Ano ba yun?

Student Support or Spoonfeeding? A Program Chair's Self AnalysisAre my thoughts and actions genuinely addressing student needs, or spoonfeeding? Are my actions part of my job as program chair or not? This autoethnographic research is an attempt to analyze and examine my actions as program chair of the Associate in Arts Degree of the University of the Philippines Open University. In my first year as a fulltime faculty member of pioneer distance institution in the Philippines, I was given the task to manage an undergraduate program. Three years after, I see the need to reflect on my actions in fulfillment of my responsibilities. Through a careful analysis of student queries and corresponding email responses, narratives, exchanges over a virtual community, blogs, letters to staff and direct supervisors as well as year end portfolio, I hope to critically examine the meanings I attach to my job in lieu of student support , describe the nature of student support I am providing and if in fact these actions are facilitative of student support delivery or merely spoonfeeding to the detriment of undergraduate students. This qualitative study constitutes my ongoing explorations to carry out my responsibilities as program chair and reflect on my existing practices under an academic organization which has yet to develop a better means to measure fulfillment of our responsibilities in the area of program monitoring and improvement which includes establishing work systems to address student academic needs and concerns. This research hopes to contribute to the university's ongoing initiatives to explore better measures of work assessment of program chairs alongside efficient and improved delivery of student support services.

Pepper Acceptance

Abstract

hide details 7:36 PM (14 hours ago)


Dear Sir/Madam,

Thank you very much for sending the abstract of your paper for the SIC - ODL 2011. I am glad to inform you that the Abstract Evaluation Committee has accepted your abstract. Kindly therefore go ahead with the preparation of your full paper and submit it within the prescribed deadline i.e. December 31, 2010.
The Committee desires that you should take note of the following two points in your full paper:
1. Relevance of substance of the paper to the theme and the sub-theme
2. Contribution to the theory and practice of Open & Distance Learning

Thanking you,
Yours sincerely,
Dr. S.K Gandhe
Chair, Program Organization Committee,
Symbiosis Centre for Distance Learning,
Pune, India. Te. +91-20-66211171
Mobile +91-9370315621
E – mail : skgandhe@scdl.net