by Mark Aleson C. Sanico
With the start of the new school year lurking just around the corner, the Grade School (GS) Department of Sacred Heart School – Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC) aimed to enrich more of its academic and non-academic offerings by orchestrating a research conference last July 21, 2023 at the GS Audio-Visual Room.
Bearing the theme, “Strengthening the Grade School’s Curricular and Co-curricular Programs through Research”, it brought together students and teachers from the department to discuss the results and findings of their investigatory projects (IP) and research, respectively.
Opening the event with words of motivation, Dr. Charlito Codizar, Faculty and Staff Development Office (FSDO) Coordinator and Institutional Research Council (IRC) Chair, recounted his experience of conducting a research together with Reading Teacher Mrs. Pamela A. Labadan. He affirmed that the application of the study’s results in the teaching context is a “win” in their parts as researchers.
Mr. Marcel E. Baril, GS IRC Representative and Research Conference 2023 Chair, also talked about the “Golden Thread”, an essential framework in holding together the goals, values, strategy, and culture of an institution.
The panel of reactors and session judges was then introduced, with Junior High School Assistant Principals Mrs. Edgermi G. Gingoyon and Mrs. Joannes V. Lagunzad and GS Associate Counselor Mr. Darius Kenny Sasan, who were tasked to give recommendations and throw thought-provoking questions to the presenters
The event then kicked off with a plenary session led by Mrs. Lea P. Amores, GS Principal, who talked about her research on the assessment and implementation of “professional conversation communities”, followed by the presentation of both GS Assistant Principals: Ms. Marisse V. Paraoan on core Filipino values integration in the Social Studies curriculum and Mrs. Mae Divina C. Velasco on the significance of the Friday Spiritual Pabaon for a restful weekend.
During the session’s conclusion, special awards for the Best Presenters were announced to ignite a friendly competition among the researchers.
Student IP Category
Four Ateneo Hearters from the GS Department, under the supervision of Research Adviser Mr. Jonemel Alforque, shared the fruits of their Science IP in the conference.
Relaying his investigation on the school’s carbon footprint, Elpidio Santiago N. Go IV of Grade 5 – Xavier relayed his high hopes on the collective efforts towards energy conservation and greener practices, leading him to be awarded as the “Best Presenter”.
Other presenters were Nadine Lori T. Uy (Grade 5 – Xavier), Elizabeth Rania Legaspi (Grade 6 – Loyola), and Austin Patrick A. Bautista (Grade 6 – Loyola).
Faculty and Admin Category
In the afternoon, the plenary session was separated into breakout rooms according to the nature of research.
The first session tackled on Mathematics, Science, and Technology, with five research papers presented by Mr. Jonemel Alforque and Mr. Michael David John Abello, Mrs. Prety Ylanan and Mrs. Ernestine Kate Tulod, Mrs. Rachel Joy Baril, Ms. Junessa Bonite, and Ms. Dichie Mae Brigoli.
Meanwhile, the second session for Language, Culture, and Society also witnessed five presentations from Ms. Jeciel Orias, Mr. Bonifacio Cordova, Mrs. Melanie Abello, and Ms. Kathy Maringuran, Gng. Mary Jane Becher, and Bb. Rodiza Anne Elmido.
Concluding the event, Mrs. Amores promised that the results and recommendations in this research conference will not be put into waste, as these “will be utilized for the mini-strategic planning in the department”.
The research conference awarded the Best Presenters in the three categories. Below are the winners and their research titles:
Student IP Category:
Elpidio Santiago N. Go IV (Carbon Footprint Investigation of Sacred Heart School – Ateneo de Cebu)
Mathematics, Science, and Technology Category:
Mr. Jonemel Alforque (Utilization of ICT towards Learner-Centered Experiences in Grade School)
Language, Culture, and Society Category:
Gng. Mary Jane Becher (ReQuest sa Pagtuturo ng Komprehensyon)
