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RCSSED Research Associate Dr. Veronico Tarrayo writes a review of the book titled “International Perspectives on Diversity in ELT” (English Language Teaching). His review came out in the journal Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching [with Scopus Index Quartile 1 (Language and Linguistics)] https://doi.org/10.1080/17501229.2022.2029867

This quantitative paper sought understand how the use of social networking sites, depressive symptoms, and NSSI (non-suicidal self-injury) are related. Conducted here was a cross-sectional predictive research involving 214 adolescents selected via purposive sampling. The result shows that these variables are significantly associated with each other.

–published in Current Psychology [Web of Science Impact Factor 4.297 (2020); Scopus Quartile Q2 (Psychology, Miscellaneous)]. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-021-02541-6

The Oceania Chapter of the Mixed Methods International Research Association (MMIRA) just concluded its biennial regional conference [staged virtually]. A team from UST RCSSED led by Research Associate Dr. Clarence Batan presented its mixed methods experience in implementing the five-year ‘National Catechetical Study: PARI 2021″ project.

MMIRA is the global association of mixed methods researchers, from across various disciplines. The MMIRA-Oceania chapter [www.mmira-oceania.org] covers Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific islands and some Southeast Asian countries found in the Pacific Ocean, like the Philippines.

The continuous surge in the number of confirmed diagnoses and fatalities associated with COVID-19 has caused debilitating economic, educational, social, and psychological issues. However, little is known about how psychological interventions may boost well-being outcomes amid the pandemic. This experimental research (N=107 undergraduate students) examines the effects of gratitude and kindness interventions on life satisfaction, positive emotions, negative emotions, and COVID-19 anxiety via an online pilot experimental study. Results showed that there were significant differences on positive emotions when controlling for the baseline well-being, gratitude, and kindness scores across all conditions (i.e., gratitude, kindness, and control). Participants assigned in the gratitude and kindness conditions had significantly higher scores on positive emotions than those in the control condition. The findings point to the emotional benefits associated with promoting gratitude and kindness during the COVID-19 pandemic.

– https://doi.org/10.1111/aphw.12306 [Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being journal is indexed in Scopus (Q1, Applied Psychology) and in Clarivate Analytics’ Social Sciences Citation Index (2020 impact factor: 3.569)]; by Research Associate Dr. Ryan Cayubit and his colleagues

Festivals boost the local economy through tourist visits. However, the shortage of theory-building studies in festival studies needs to be addressed empirically. This study aims to conceptualize a model that describes how visitors have become loyal to grand festivals in the Philippines. Following Glaserian grounded theory, 24 repeat Filipino festival goers were interviewed. Field texts were analyzed via open, selective, and theoretical coding procedures to emerge a theoretical model. Interestingly, this study afforded the development of Repeat Visitors’ Festival Loyalty Theory that consists of four unique but interlocking phases of victimization, vitalization, valuation, and volition. Implications of the study’s findings and recommendations were also discussed.

– https://doi.org/10.1080/13032917.2020.1871045 [The journal Anatolia is indexed in Scopus (Q2, Earth-Surface Processes and Geography, Planning and Development) and in Clarivate Analytics’ Emerging Sources Citation Index]; by Research Associate Dr. Allan de Guzman and colleagues.

This mixed methods research note sought to determine the financial capabilities of remittance-receiving households from two rural municipalities in the Philippines: San Nicolas in Ilocos Norte province and Moncada in Tarlac province. The broader concept of financial capabilities not only looks at people’s financial literacy but also their financial inclusion (access to financial products) and financial functionings (actions on finance). Quantitative household surveys and qualitative data gathering methods that fall under a rapid qualitative inquiry (RQI) design were employed. Results and findings show that more remittance-receiving households from San Nicolas saved, invested, and did business in their hometown compared to counterpart migrant household respondents from Moncada. Differences in migrant households’ levels of financial literacy, as well as the geographic make-up and economic activities of the two municipalities, may help explain why one municipality had more migrant investors, savers, and entrepreneurs over the other.

– https://doi.org/10.1177%2F01171968211044573 [The Asian and Pacific Migration Journal is indexed in Scopus (Q2, Demography) and in Clarivate Analytics’ Social Sciences Citation Index [2020 impact factor: 1.333)]; by Research Associate Jeremaiah Opiniano

Previous studies in the Philippines have revealed that the implementation of gender mainstreaming in education has remained vague in . Also, there is a lacuna in the literature about informed accounts of teachers, particularly English language teachers, in their attempts to mainstream gender-and-development (GAD) education in Philippine schools. Through a qualitative survey among 124 Filipino senior high school teachers of English and follow-up focus group discussions, this paper explores English language teachers’ perceptions of the advantages, ways of, and challenges to incorporating gender dimensions in ELT. Findings indicate that teachers are ready to integrate a gender perspective into their teaching; however, concrete frameworks, curriculum materials, teacher education, and institutional support are crucial given the sensitive, ethical concerns that consideration of gender may generate among educators, students, and the wider community. Implications from this investigation could trigger similar accounts and experiences in teaching-learning contexts where the gender perspective may be integrated.

– https://doi.org/10.1080/14681366.2021.1966080 [Pedagogy, Culture and Society is indexed in Scopus (Q1, Cultural Studies) and in Clarivate Analytics’ Emerging Sources Citation Index]; by Research Associate Dr. Veronico Tarrayo

Engaging in research helps teachers improve their own classroom practices. However, there remains to be some dichotomy between teaching and research, even in the context of universities. This study aimed to uncover university teachers’ perceptions on the benefits and challenges in doing research, as well as their own research practices and the academic environment they are in. A group of 22 English language teachers participated in semi-structured online interviews. Thematic analysis of interview answers revealed that both personal and professional considerations permeated the issues on benefits, challenges, and practices, corroborating or contradicting previous studies. The participants likewise highlighted enabling and hindering factors concerning research engagements in their own university context and even proffered points for improvement. The study concludes that many teachers have engaged and want to engage in research, but variations can be seen in their level of engagement, exposure to research, and reasons for engaging in such endeavor. [Indexed in Scopus, Q2] – http://apssr.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/RA-6.pdf