Samuel A. Quiroz, a PhD in Education student majoring in Mathematics Education at the Faculty of Education, University of the Philippines Open University, won the Silver Medal in the PGSD Present X International Scientific Writing Competition 2026.
Quiroz presented his paper titled “From Scaffolding to Substitution: Students’ Diskarte in Making Sense of Statistical Concepts Using Generative AI” under the supervision of his dissertation adviser Dr. Dennis Lee Jarvis B. Ybanez, and co-adviser Dr. Tommy Tanu Wijaya.
The international competition was organized by PGSD FKIP Universitas Riau (UNRI) in Indonesia. It aimed to serve as a forum for student appreciation and expression in the fields of scientific writing, education, and technology.
The competition gathered participants from various state and private universities. Each participant submitted a full scientific paper, which was reviewed as part of the initial selection process. From the entries, Top 10 finalists have been selected to advance to the final round.
During the final round, the finalists presented their papers before a panel of judges. Quiroz earned the Silver Medal, placing him among the top-performing participants in the international competition. Quiroz’s winning paper reflects an emerging area of interest in education: how students make sense of mathematical and statistical concepts in learning environments shaped by generative artificial intelligence. His work also highlights the importance of understanding students’ own strategies, or diskarte, as they engage with new technologies in mathematics education.
This recognition affirms the strength of graduate research at the UPOU Faculty of Education and the value of scholarly mentorship in developing research that can contribute to international academic conversations.
Written by: Jordanell F. Macalinao
Edited by: Asst. Prof. Dennis Lee Jarvis B. Ybañez and Asst. Prof. Charisse T. Reyes