REFLECTIONS. Xavier Ateneo Social Development program officer Jerome Torres shares the rubrics for assessing students’ reflections in their Service Learning engagements. Contributed photo.
Report by Victoria Melissa C Pulido (XU Social Development Office)
The Service Learning Program (SLP) has begun a new cycle at Xavier Ateneo to bolster its aim to expose students to grassroots communities and cultivate a more critical understanding of social realities, injustices, and responsibilities.
In the syllabus integration and assessment workshop with the different schools and colleges of the university, key stakeholders discussed how Service Learning (SL) would take part in the curriculum of various courses.
The activity was also aimed at developing among XU faculty and staff the skills of evaluating students using the appropriate assessment matrices and tools in SL-engaged disciplines.
SLP is a curriculum-based service learning experience for XU students from various academic disciplines. As part of its dynamics, the program will take the participants to partner communities and institutions in pursuit of constructive and transformative learning — an engagement that brings theoretical premise into proactive social relevance.
The said workshop started with an overview and presentation of objectives by Social Development Office (SDO) program officer Jannina D Alfante, followed by an introductory session on SLP and the responsibilities of faculty by Arrupe Educational Center (AEC) director Maria Victoria Trinidad.
The event workshop focused on the actual syllabus integration in the identified programs of the social development coordinators together with their respective college faculty members.
SERVICE LEARNING. Arrupe Educational Center director Marivic Trinidad holds the introductory session on the Service Learning Program and the responsibilities of faculty in the SL engagements. Contributed photo.
AEC research consultant Dr Butch Mahinay facilitated the workshop and emphasized on the essential elements of syllabus integration. In his presentation, he highlighted the significance of assessing student’s learning as an important part of the both academic and social formation, which can be done through rubrics.
In turn, SDO program officer Jerome Torres presented the rubrics for assessing students’ reflections in their SL engagements.
The workshop ended with an open forum to accommodate the insights and reflections of the people in attendance.
Among the participants, XU College of Engineering dean Engr Hercules Cascong expressed his full support to the SLP and said that he intends to fully engage his faculty and integrate service learning to their college’s curriculum.
SOCIAL FORMATION. AEC research consultant Dr Butch Mahinay emphasizes, in his presentation, the significance of assessing student’s learning as an important part of the both academic and social formation, which can be done through rubrics. Contributed photo.
The syllabus integration and assessment workshop was the first activity of the SLP for this school year following the mandate of XU president Fr Roberto C Yap SJ that XU graduates should have at least gone through one service learning engagement in their stay in the university.
The activity is also an effort to bring together service learning implementers in order to mainstream service learning and institutionalize it as an integral part of Jesuit education at Xavier University.
As part of the Society of Jesus, Xavier adheres to providing preferential options for the poor through service and the use of its expertise on development.
The SLP also targets to bind future collaborative efforts and explore more possibilities for development and, in general, build the Filipino nation. ∎
SERVICE LEARNING LEADERS. The syllabus integration and assessment workshop with key stakeholders from different schools and colleges of Xavier University culminates with a group photo and lessons on how to evaluate students using the appropriate assessment matrices and tools in Service Learning-engaged disciplines. Contributed photo.