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WVSU Graduate School Alumni make a mark in International Literacy Research at ARWA 2025 Conference

Cebu, Philippines, February 27-28, 2025 –West Visayas State University (WVSU) Graduate School alumni, Diane Gay Escobañez and Aliza Marie Gabayeron, along with their research adviser Dr. Antoniette D. Cortez, Director of the WVSU Center for Teaching Excellence, represented the university at the 9th Annual Conference of the Association for Reading and Writing in Asia (ARWA 2025).

 

The ARWA Conference, formed in 2016, brings together researchers, educators, and policymakers dedicated to understanding and promoting literacy learning across diverse contexts. It serves as a vibrant platform for sharing ideas, disseminating research findings, and promoting educational development. This year, the conference featured four keynote speeches from renowned literacy experts and included 80 oral presentations and 40 poster presentations, representing global perspectives on literacy, from Asia to North America and Europe.

 

As part of the conference, Escobañez and Gabayeron presented their research in poster sessions that contributed to the global dialogue on literacy issues.

 

Diane Gay Escobañez’s research, titled “Reader stance, reading motivation, and personal understanding among Filipino children from varied socioeconomic classes,” examined how children from different socioeconomic backgrounds develop attitudes toward reading. In her poster session, Escobañez explored the factors influencing reading motivation, focusing on how these factors may vary based on children’s socioeconomic conditions. She found that reading motivation and engagement are often shaped by a child’s access to resources, family support, and exposure to reading materials. Escobañez emphasized the importance of addressing these disparities to improve reading outcomes for children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

 

Escobañez shared her excitement about the conference, stating, “The ARWA Conference has broadened my understanding of literacy development and provided me with the opportunity to engage with experts from around the world. It was an honor to present my research on such a significant platform, and I’m thankful that our work was selected for presentation. It’s truly a privilege to represent the Philippines in an international conference like this.”

 

Aliza Marie Gabayeron, also presented her research on the importance of home literacy practices in early childhood education. Gabayeron’s poster session, titled “Literacy gaps and practices at home: Basis in creating a parent-child reading program,” delved into the challenges that children face in terms of literacy development due to gaps in home literacy practices. Her research focused on the crucial role that parents play in fostering literacy skills at home and highlighted the necessity of creating programs that encourage reading between parents and children. Gabayeron’s research aimed to provide insights into developing more effective strategies for improving early literacy by involving families in their children’s learning process.

 

“The ARWA Conference has been an incredibly inspiring experience. It motivated me to further explore how home literacy practices can influence children’s reading development. I feel fortunate to be one of the few Filipinos presenting research at this international event, and I look forward to future opportunities to collaborate with educators from around the world”, Gabayeron said.

 

Dr. Antoniette D. Cortez also made significant contributions to the ARWA 2025 Conference. She presented her research in Oral Session 2: Philippine Linguistic Diversity, which focused on “Home Literacy Practices and Literacy Skills of Multilingual Grade 1 Learners with Different Home and School Languages.” Her study examined the relationship between home literacy practices and literacy skills in children who speak different languages at home and at school.

 

In addition, Dr. Cortez also played an instrumental role at the conference as the moderator for Oral Session 5, which focused on Phonological and Narrative Skills.

 

WVSU researchers have gained interest from fellow researchers in Asia and were expecting for future research collaboration.

 

WVSU’s participation in ARWA 2025 underscores the university’s commitment to advancing literacy research and contributing to the global academic community.

 

By Gladwyn B. Gustilo/ILLO 

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WVSU wraps up three-day workshop on Scientific Research Writing and Publication

The Scientific Research Writing and Publication workshop at West Visayas State University (WVSU) successfully wrapped up on February 27, 2025, offering participants with expert guidance on finalizing their research articles, addressing reviewer feedback, and mastering the journal submission process.

 

Prof. Dr. Zaidatun Binti Tasir and Dr. Kew Si Na, provided invaluable insight into the journal submission process. They discussed the steps involved in registering on journal submission systems, uploading manuscripts and supplementary files, and ensuring compliance with specific journal requirements.

 

One of the key themes of the workshop was the Systematic Literature Review (SLR) approach. Experts emphasized its importance in synthesizing existing research and identifying gaps in knowledge. They also stressed the need to define clear research questions (RQs) as the foundation of the review process, and navigating the complexities of publishing in top-tier journals indexed in Scopus and Web of Science.

 

The event featured an interactive workshop where participants engaged in peer critique and hands-on manuscript formatting, learning how to tailor their articles to meet the specific requirements of their target journals. This collaborative session allowed participants to refine their drafts and receive valuable feedback from both peers and experts.

 

Dr. Ryan Michael F. Oducado, Director of the University Research and Development Center (URDC), delivered the closing remarks. He emphasized how the workshop fostered collaboration and provided participants with the knowledge and skills to advance their research in the global academic community.

 

With participants from various colleges and external campuses, the workshop fostered an environment of collaboration and knowledge-sharing. Attendees left the event with practical tools to help them elevate their research and make impactful contributions to the global academic community.

 

By Gladwyn B. Gustilo/ILLO 

 

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WRIF 2025 ICESS concludes with new research perspectives from national and international presenters; best research papers awarded

The World Research and Innovation Festival (WRIF) 2025 successfully gathered researchers, educators, and professionals from across the globe, hosted by West Visayas State University (WVSU) in collaboration with its co-host institutions.
 
This year’s festival, themed “Transforming Education for a Sustainable Future: Innovation, Equity, and Citizenship,” featured the International Conference for Education and Social Sciences (ICESS) as the festival’s fourth conference.
 
ICESS had the most number of abstracts submitted at 243 of which 10 were chosen as best papers.
 
𝙊𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙢 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙆𝙚𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙚 𝙎𝙥𝙚𝙚𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙨
 
The festival commenced with an opening program led by Dr. John Erwin P. Pedroso, WRIF ICESS convenor, and Dr. Joselito F. Villaruz, WVSU president. Their messages emphasized the critical role of research and collaboration in advancing education and sustainability.
 
Performances from the Irong-Irong Dance Company also added entertainment and cultural flair to the event.
 
The plenary sessions featured distinguished speakers, including Dr. Warren Sim Wan Jie from Universiti Kuala Lumpur, Dr. Kew Si Na from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, and Dr. Ana H. Marty from Florida State University.
 
These experts shared valuable insights on integrating innovation and equity into educational practices, inspiring participants to drive change in their respective fields.
 
𝙋𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙡 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙝 𝙋𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨
 
The heart of WRIF ICESS 2025 was the series of parallel research presentations, divided into the following thematic breakout rooms:
 
• Innovation for Sustainability
• Equitable Access to Education
• Technology & Learning
• Education Beyond Frontiers
• Sustainability in Curriculum
• Educational Literacy
• Education for Informed Action
• School Initiatives & Inspirations
 
These sessions showcased diverse research topics, from advancing technology in education to promoting inclusive learning and sustainable practices, fostering academic discourse and collaboration.
 
𝘼𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘾𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜
 
Before the awarding of certificates, Dr. John Erwin P. Pedroso read an official statement apologizing for the inconvenience caused by the unexpected internet and power outages that disrupted the WRIF 2025 virtual experience.
 
The festival concluded with a virtual awarding ceremony led by Dr. Roberto G. Sagge Jr., associate professor of the College of Education, recognizing outstanding research contributions and the top 10 best papers.
 
Dr. Ma. Asuncion Christine V. Dequilla, vice president for Academic Affairs, delivered the closing remarks, emphasizing the festival’s commitment to fostering a global research community.
 
“By embracing innovation, championing equity, and fostering a sense of global citizenship, [together] we can create an educational landscape that in a way meets today’s needs and at the same time paves the way for a brighter and more sustainable future,” said Dequilla.
 
𝘼 𝙎𝙩𝙚𝙥 𝙏𝙤𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙨 𝙖 𝙎𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙁𝙪𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚
 
WRIF 2025 reaffirmed its mission of harnessing research and innovation to build a sustainable and inclusive future. With the success of this year’s festival, WVSU and its partners continue to inspire transformative education and global collaboration, driving positive change for generations to come.
 
By JA Temelo/PAMCO, with resources from World Research and Innovation Festival