The College of Commerce and Business Administration (CCBA) adopted an online mode of instruction and revised the grading scheme in compliance with University continuity guidelines to resume the second semester of A.Y. 2019-2020 amidst the government-mandated community quarantine.
FILE PHOTO: Students attend the Marketing week seminar in the Central Laboratory Auditorium on November 22, 2019
Pursuant to the University’s institutional continuity plan during extended and post- Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), the College faculty utilized either an asynchronous method to allow students to submit requirements remotely or synchronous (live) approach for real-time class discussions with their students.
Students’ Feedback on Online Classes
Professors utilized digital platforms such as Zoom for live lectures, Blackboard for submitting scheduled requirements, and Facebook Messenger to relay announcements to their respective classes. Aside from being limited by a slow internet connection, students had also experienced difficulties with some platforms used by their professors in their online classes.
In an interview with the Commerce Journal (CJ), Patricia Isabel D. Cayabyab (1M3) cited her difficulty to adapt to the delivery of online classes. “I learn better when I hear teachers discussing the lessons [as] compared to self-paced module readings. Also, although online classes can be conducted through Zoom and Blackboard, I still cannot give much attention and focus to it due to several things I am thinking about during this pandemic,” she said. Although she did not have much difficulty using Blackboard and other platforms used by her professors, she added: “[W]ala naman akong iba pang na-encounter sa difficulties in terms of Blackboard. Pero there was a time noong may bagyo at malakas ’yong ulan tapos may paper akong due that day, [kaya lang] nawalan kami ng kuryente. Thankfully the professors have been considerate and moved the deadlines para sa students like me na nawalan ng connectivity due to the typhoon."
When the semester shifted to online instruction, Elijah Francois D. Correa (4M3) raised his concerns about complying with academic requirements. “[C]onstructing a research paper or figuring out a business case without actual teaching from a professor truly is challenging. Self-studying plays a vital role as to how we should progress on the requirements given… However, as frustrating as it can be, [it’s] still our duty as students to comply with the given requirements,” he stated.
Students who were unable to comply with their course requirements during the continuation of the second term were to be given a grade of ‘In-Progress’ (INP). Although students who received INP marks are still permitted to enroll in succeeding courses in the following semester, the College still requires those concerned to complete their backlogs on or before the end of the first semester of A.Y. 2020-2021 in December of this year. A grade of ‘Dropped’ (WP) will be given on the course in question if the student is unable to comply within the allotted period.
When discussing the ineligibility of graduating students who would receive an INP mark in the concluded term Correa explained, “[I]ncurring a grade of INP as well the eligibility for graduation must also depend on the capacity of the student to comply with the requirements of the professor… While we are observing equality in terms of the conditions brought by the University, we must also understand the equity behind the needs of everyone concerned.”
Adjusted Grading Computations
In compliance with a memo released by the Office of the Dean for the attainment of the Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILO), faculty members modified their respective grading systems. The computation for students’ final grade was revised as courses without final examinations were split 50-50 for activities done during and prior to the ECQ, while the final grade for courses that required final examinations was weighted at 35% each for activities prior to and during the ECQ respectively, and 30% for the final examination.
Surveying Students with Internet and Devices
In April 2020, the Commerce and Business Administration Student Council (CBASC) sought to determine students’ academic performance and overall well-being through an online survey entitled Kamusta Ka-Komersiyo, which was disseminated to the College’s class presidents and answered by their respective blockmates.
One aspect of the survey was aimed to determine how many students had adequate resources to participate in their online classes. According to the email interview with CBASC President Carl Lumberio, the survey garnered 1,757 participants as it also determined that the majority of students had reliable gadgets to use. The survey results stated that 81% of total participants reported having adequate learning devices to participate in their online classes.
However, the findings also revealed that a number of students do not have access to reliable internet as 52% of respondents identified having no stable internet connection. In the email interview, Lumberio ensured that the needs of the Commerce students were of utmost priority and said, “Rest assured that the student council is doing everything to help/assist the student body; being the bridge of the students to the admins, we will address all concerns/grievances [to protect] and [uphold] the students' rights and welfare.”
Since June 1, the national government mandated that Metro Manila transition to a state of General Community Quarantine (GCQ). The University announced on the same day that their operations would observe a blended work arrangement. Some employees will continue working at home while others will be joining an onsite skeleton workforce to continue providing the University's services.
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