The Dean of the Faculty of Education Dr. Ricardo T. Bagarinao reported the changing profile of UPOU’s graduates in the Research Conversations organized by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs held last September 21, 9:00 AM at Sandbox, Centennial Center for Digital Learning (CCDL), UP Open University Headquarters.
Dr. Bagarinao talked about his study with Ms. Percia V. Secreto, Student Records Evaluator III under the Office of the University Registrar entitled “The changing profile of UPOU’s graduates with the changing modes of delivery: A GIS-based Analysis.” The study focused on the UPOU’s shifting modes of delivery through the years from distance learning to blended learning to online learning and its impact on the profiles of its graduates. The study is part of the collaborative research on learner’s persistence conducted by five (5) open universities in the ASEAN region (or OU5).
The study found out that in terms of geographical location, the profile of UPOU graduates tends to shift from being dispersed throughout the country to being more concentrated in metropolitan areas such as Manila, Cebu, Iloilo, and Davao City as the university shifts its modality through the years. The graduates from other provinces lessen as UPOU transitions to online learning. Also, the University tends to have younger graduates and have relatively higher general weighted average of graduates today with online learning compared to distance learning and blended learning.
Dr. Bagarinao said that it is high time to rethink the current modality of the University it has to improve inclusivity and accessibility of its quality education. He recommends having diversification of its modality to provide students learning options depending on their learning styles and contexts — something the university administration and faculty still have to explore.
UPOU students, faculty, and staff attended the session and a live feed was broadcasted for viewers online. The session ended with a forum where attendees and online viewers asked questions and gave their insights about the study.
Held every Friday, Research Conversations is a venue for fruitful discourse between and among UPOU’s faculty, REPs, and staff about quality research. It is an initiative of the OVCAA with the primary purpose of upholding a participatory quality research culture in the university.
View the full video on Research Conversations with Dr. Bagarinao here: https://bit.ly/2DIHtFw
(CCBasa & MRSanBuenaventura)