A faculty member of the West Visayas State University College of Education main campus in La Paz earned recognition at an international academic gathering after placing second in the Education Category during the 2026 PAEPI Central Visayas Chapter: International Extension Symposium and Technology Forum (IESTF) held May 20–22 at the CebuTech Gymnatorium of Cebu Technological University.
Dr. Elias C. Olapane also received the Best Presenter/Best Paper awards in the Education Category for his paper titled “Transforming Instructional Innovation into Learner Outcomes Through Action Research.”
Olapane competed against 15 entries under the Education Category during the symposium, which gathered around 220 participants composed of educators, researchers, extension implementors, and academic leaders from various institutions.
Based on the abstract of Olapane’s study, the project highlighted how action research-driven instructional innovations improved learner outcomes among selected Department of Education teachers and students in Central Panay.
With the theme, “Transforming Communities through University-Led Extension for Sustainable Development,” the symposium underscored the role of universities in advancing innovation, extension work, and sustainable community development.