DESPITE THE easing of pandemic-induced restrictions in the country, academic units in the Faculty of Arts and Letters (AB) may still hold purely online lecture classes for their professional courses this term but high-stakes assessments of all courses will be held on campus.
Under the general guidelines for the second term of Academic Year 2022-2023 signed by AB Dean Jacqueline Kaw and AB Regent Rev. Fr. George Phe Mang, synchronous classes for general education courses will still be conducted online. However, the pilot of onsite classes for general education courses will also be implemented this term.
While the Commission on Higher Education has required higher education institutions to conduct at least 50% of their class hours onsite, the AB guidelines state that the lecture and laboratory classes in professional courses may implement an online or hybrid modality, depending on the academic unit.
Various schools resumed face-to-face classes after the government had relaxed COVID-19 pandemic-related restrictions to reopen the economy.
Academic staff members were instructed to communicate weekly class expectations for their respective courses, as well as their onsite or online class sessions and assessments during the orientation week.
“Department Chairs and Program Coordinators should communicate to the students as soon as possible the modes of teaching and learning for programs and courses,” the guidelines read.
“This will afford the students enough time and preparation to attend classes and activities onsite, if needed.”
The AB administrators also reminded students to declare their daily health status and other immunization records via the Thomasian Online Medical Services and Support.
The guidelines seek to implement Memorandum No. 13 released by the Office of the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs on the mode of instruction for the second term.
Last month, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs Prof. Cheryl Peralta told The Flame that the academic units and staff of colleges would determine the onsite to online class ratio for this term.
“Academic units shall engage their academic staff in determining this combination and arranging the schedule of classes moving forward,” Peralta said in an email interview.
“We shall maintain the principle of constructive alignment as our guide in determining the best combination of onsite and online hours to accomplish the intended learning outcomes of each course,” she added. F – Zoe Airabelle Aguinaldo
[…] In a letter addressed to AB Dean Jacqueline Kaw, dated Jan. 13, ABSC cited several concerns raised by the students regarding the “sudden change of modality” as the Faculty implemented a hybrid set-up for general education courses. […]