2020
This is a Finalist in the Government Best Practice Recognition Awards
Title
Advisorship, Summative, Adopt an Area, Mentoring (ASAM) Initiative (GBPR 2020)
Organization
Bukidnon State University
Best practice Focus Area(s)
Leadership, Strategy, Operations
Year Implemented
January 2, 2017 to present
Summary
To address the very low rating of Licensure Examination Test (LET) passers from the College of Education of the Bukidnon State University (BukSU), the college started the Advisorship, Summative, Adopt an Area, Mentoring (ASAM) Initiative. The ASAM initiative aims to refine student performance in all academic subjects and holistic development in terms of professionalism and intensifying the number of LET passers and topnotchers. The LET preparation was strengthened, and an evaluation was undertaken to ensure teachers’ competencies, faculty development programs, and projects were aligned with the curriculum. Linkages to entities such as review centers and the Parents-Teachers Association (PTA) were also strengthened.
The ASAM Initiative was spearheaded by the College Dean, Dr. Mercidita S. Villamayor, with the facilitators who are the Chairpersons of the five programs, Principals for Elementary and Secondary levels, and the Associate Dean and Project Coordinators. This initiative, an idea designed by the college based on the expertise of the administrators, has been implemented by the College since 2017.
Specific activities done as part of the methodology for this program include coffee-table sharing, presentation of ideas, disseminating and cascading to all members, PTA organization and meetings, document support for IPCR, DPCR, and OPCR, annual accomplishment reports, CHED regulatory evaluation, accreditation processes, and SUC leveling.
As a result of this initiative, the passing rate increased by 2.16% for the Bachelor of Elementary Education (BEE) and 5.43% for the Bachelor of Secondary Education (BSE). Moreover, the number of topnotchers increased as well: for 2017, the college had two topnotchers, three in 2018 and six in 2019.
Other remarkable effects to be noted: the ASAM Initiative has also become the basis for implementing programs; the College of Education was named the best college for PBB 2020 and best-serving office for 2020; improved ratings for IPCR, DPCR, and OPCR were observed and became support for SUC leveling and AACCUP Accreditations.
Background and Problem
The College of Education for many years experienced a low passing rate in the LET, and many of the graduates failed to acquire licenses that would allow them to become full-fledged teachers. Some of them were absorbed in non-teaching jobs, becoming cashiers at big malls, collectors in lending entities, or even factory workers just to make ends meet. Some went abroad to teach but remained on probation because they still lacked a license
BukSU College of Education found it difficult to upgrade its status from Center of Development to Center of Excellence because one performance indicator was the LET results of its graduates. When conducting programs, projects, accreditation, evaluation, and even reporting, the college found it difficult to accomplish tasks because, in most cases, few participated, leading to the failure to achieve the necessary timeliness, efficiency, and effectiveness of these activities. Given this situation, the institution was compelled to introduce the ASAM Initiative to improve the institution’s performance and help sustain its recognition and accreditation as an exemplary College.
Solution and Impact
The licensure exam is one of the challenges in which the College of Education has been hindered from achieving its performance goals. ASAM, as a change in culture and practice among the members of the College of Education, went through many stages before it became known and accepted by all teacher-implementers. This initiative maximizes all the college’s resources and enhances its management practices. ASAM Initiative underscores four areas, namely:
A for Advisorship (Client-Focused initiative): Every teacher is assigned as an adviser of a student organization, class, or group of students for LET preparations. As advisers, the teachers are in charge of planning and implementing activities.
S is for Summative (Performance-Focused initiative): Teachers are obliged to conduct a summative test to assess student’s readiness for the next level and implement strategies to lessen and eliminate gaps within the practice. They also prepare 4th-year students for the LET by enhancing competencies, evaluating materials’ content[1] [2], and addressing needs.
A is for Adopt an Area (Administration-Focused initiative): Teachers are assigned to oversee a location to ensure sustained cleanliness and make it an effective place for learning. Each teacher also selects to join any program within the four-fold function of the university: Instruction, Research, Extension, and Production.
M is for Mentoring (Personnel-Focused initiative): Teachers are to look for partners—another teacher and a student intern—to mentor and coach for enhanced lesson planning, teaching effectiveness, and management.
When the ASAM initiative was first introduced, many ignored and did not support it, and those that showed support had many questions and queries. The process started with organizing and establishing role definitions, limitations, schedule, and implementation process in terms of implementation. As the initiative entailed changes, many were affected emotionally; some later explained that they went through the Kubler-Ross Grief Cycle as they thought it would not be suitable or could not accept the initiative as they felt the natural resistance to change.
The ASAM initiative as a best practice employed the following strategies as part of its methodology and components:
- Coffee table sharing among the Chairpersons of programs, Elementary and Secondary School Principals, Program Coordinators, the Associate Dean, and the Dean with the Secretary on what could be done to improve the college’s performance.
- Presentation of ideas by the College Dean, describing each of the inputs as a system and explaining the ASAM initiative and its significance to the College function.
- Dissemination and cascading to all faculty and gathering feedback either face to face or through written documents.
- Faculty meeting for presentation of ASAM as an initiative. It was also presented during the Student Assembly and the Parents-Teachers Association meeting. The last was important to get the response of parents, as the Organization of the PTA is part of the ASAM initiative specifically on administration.
- As a requirement that teachers must submit during clearance, ASAM is an annual document required before the Chairperson and the College Dean sign the clearance as part of the IPCR, OPCR, and DPCR.
Milestones
The ASAM initiative aims at refining the performance of students in all academic subjects and their holistic development in terms of professionalism. This was done to intensify the number of LET passers and topnotchers at the same upgrade and upskill all instructors to cope with the competencies and needs of the time.
This process began on January 9, 2017, with the reorganization of college administrators and the appointment of Dr. Mercidita S. Villamayor as College Dean. The new administration had a challenging start due to a low turnout of passers, having 42.87% pass for BEE and 44.496% for BSE. But in 2018, the passing rate jumped to 51% for BEE and 49.495% for BSE for the first-timers who took the Licensure Exam. The following year saw a more dramatic leap from the results in 2018, where BEE got a 69.485% passing rate while BSE got 55.00% in the LET. Moving forward, the college aims not only to produce passers but more topnotchers. In 2017, BukSU had three topnotchers occupying 4th, 8th, and 9th place, one in 2018 occupying the 10th place, and six topnotchers in 2019, finishing in 5th, 6th, 8th, 9th, and 10th place. These accomplishments employing the ASAM initiative earned the College of Education the title of the Best Service College for 2020.
