PAASCU VIRTUAL PROGRAM ACCREDITATION ORIENTATION

15 April 2021
CRITICAL CONSIDERATIONS

• VPA is similar to F2F on-site visit except for 2 innovations:

- remote site visit particularly virtual meetings with
stakeholders, observation of synchronous classes, a look at
asynchronous activities, assessment methods/approaches,
LMS, among others
- emphasis on the preparation of the visit including
submission of digital depository of documents

• How accreditors will assess the provisions of the current

instrument not adequately or fully met due to absence of F2F
interactions

• How the school has pivoted or transitioned to ensure its

continuous operations

• How accreditors will assess previous recommendations (those

given in the last accreditation visit) in the light of the present
situation
DISCUSSION POINTS

Review of areas covered in current program instrument

Contents of survey instrument supplement

Guidelines in answering current instrument

Proposed VPA visit schedule

Examples of previous team recommendations in light of present situation

AREAS IN PRESENT PROGRAM INSTRUMENT

Tertiary Programs Graduate Education Programs

Community Involvement (CI) Faculty
Faculty Curriculum and Instruction
Curriculum and Instruction Research
Library Students
Laboratories Library
Facilities Administration
Student Services Other Resources (include criteria on CI,
laboratories and facilities)
Administration
GUIDELINES IN ANSWERING CURRENT INSTRUMENT

REVISIT self-survey instruments completed pre-pandemic to:

 ensure also including in the  incorporate responses related to the

information contained therein requirements listed in the supplement
activities/initiatives put in place (can be narrated in the “Comments”
during the pandemic (starting 2020) section of the report)

 review/refine identified best

 recalibrate analysis and evaluation
features and recommendations in
ratings and scoring based on current
light of current and
realities
perceived future realities
GUIDELINES IN ANSWERING CURRENT INSTRUMENT

PUT EMPHASIS on the school’s readiness to sustain and continue quality

initiatives and commitments. The school should take note of the following:

 The decision on quality status is

 Accreditation or assuring program
based on the existence of quality
quality is in relation to current
provisions at the time of the
realities not the past.
accreditation visit.

 Therefore, the decision on the

accreditation status of the
school/program is prospective and
not retroactive.
SUPPLEMENT TO SURVEY INSTRUMENT

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT  Nature of community engagement & special

programs (importance of maintaining contact
with the community)

- taping, recording, streaming of skills building

workshops
- volunteering in crises centers
- using social media to communicate to
community partners

 Video of the community (to be provided to

the Survey Team prior to the visit)

 Opportunity to interview community leaders

(community representatives are included in
the 2nd day schedule of the visit)
SUPPLEMENT TO SURVEY INSTRUMENT

FACULTY
 New work engagement
- new definition of FT & PT  Faculty Development Programs pertinent to
- reduction of teaching load adopted modalities
- mostly work from home (new guidelines for - small group training for skills development (i.e.
working hours) Foundation Track, Mastery Track) – on a continuing
- team teaching (involving FT & PT faculty) basis
- training to serve also as social-emotional support for
students
Online activity is more time consuming
causing increased workload

 New ways of assessing teaching

performance
- new or revised evaluation tool to reflect critical
aspects of online / remote teaching
- student survey of teaching performance
- no performance evaluation (on hold for the time
being)
SUPPLEMENT TO SURVEY INSTRUMENT

FACULTY

Qualifications, competence, skills for online

teaching and research

- technology & social media skills (basic - pedagogical & teaching approach (use of student-
computer skills, proficiency with software focused learning approaches, establish & maintain
applications, installing/updating software, online presence, focus on supporting and guiding
internet search literacy, proficiency with learning, provide constructive feedback, etc.)
features & functions of the LMS, etc.)
How have schools assisted faculty in transforming
- administrative & organization skills (ability how they teach and deliver their content and
to respond to students’ questions with laboratory courses remotely?
immediacy, provide feedback on student
assignments/tasks in a timely manner, What pedagogical resources have been provided to
monitor/follow-up students, etc.) faculty to promote students’ success in a digital
environment?
SUPPLEMENT TO SURVEY INSTRUMENT

CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION

 Modified curriculum map  Change/s in assessment of learning

- flowchart of courses outcomes
- a blend of formative & summative
 Adopted learning modalities assessment
- Modular Distance Learning - online viva (oral) exams
- blend of synchronous and asynchronous - open book exams
sessions - use of webcam (integrity issue)

 Delivery of programs How do you deliver a solid lesson?

- shift to remote teaching and learning
- use of open-source or homegrown/proprietary How do you ensure that students
LMS assignments/tasks are grade appropriate
and aligned to learning outcomes?
SUPPLEMENT TO SURVEY INSTRUMENT

CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION

 Supervision of instruction, co-curricular
activities & academic advising
- virtual observation
- monitoring via LMS
- advising meetings via Zoom
- advising via messaging, phone call, email
- alternative strategies to conduct co-
curricular activities (on-line debates, video
presentations, etc.)

 Conduct of practicum and lab classes

- monitoring via messaging, phone call,
email
The end goal regardless of modality is how - web-based laboratory simulations
learning outcomes are realized/achieved. - offsite or telecommuting internships
(virtual, micro, etc.)
SUPPLEMENT TO SURVEY INSTRUMENT

RESEARCH

 Research requirements & new ways of

conducting research
- shift to qualitative research in the
meantime

 Research utilization and dissemination

- research used to enhance classroom
instruction in this digital environment

- research dissemination via school

website or digital repository of
research accessible to users

Research activity has been greatly affected (i.e.,

reduced access to labs, travel restrictions,
suspension of human subjects research, etc.
SUPPLEMENT TO SURVEY INSTRUMENT

LIBRARY AND LABORATORIES

 Library collections (digital, online), facilities & equipment
- request academic publishers to expand access to e-resources
(including e-books, e-journals, databases)

 Access to online library materials

- arrange webinars on the use of digital information
- provide information on existing open access and networked
resources & services

 Data on access to digital collections, lab facilities & equipment

- utilize new usage monitoring scheme, if any, crafted and
introduced by the school

 Other online support by library & laboratory staff

- conduct one-on-one research & reference help via
phone, virtual meetings, virtual chats, email
SUPPLEMENT TO SURVEY INSTRUMENT

FACILITIES
 Access provisions to physical facilities (if allowed)
- by appointment (especially for research labs)
- limited number at any given time
- modified layout of spaces & rooms
- one-way hallways & walkways

 Safety usage provisions

- safety protocols clearly disseminated & strictly enforced
- temperature check & symptom screening prior to entry
- cleaning, disinfecting & ventilation protocols in place
- installing physical guides (in elevators, escalators) & barriers (library & labs)

 Maintenance program
- considering that school facilities/spaces are not being used now, how are these being maintained (i.e.
shift to predictive maintenance plan using existing maintenance data)

 Video of key building, facilities, spaces & equipment (to be provided to the Team prior to the visit; if
additional facilities or equipment are needed to be viewed by the Team, the school will be informed ahead
of time)
SUPPLEMENT TO SURVEY INSTRUMENT

STUDENT SERVICES

 Provision of student services to home-based students

- remote counseling/telecounseling/teletherapy
- online wellness workshops
- health information updates via school website
- streaming worship services
- conversations with campus ministers via phone/online chats

 New student services program, if any

- create community discussion boards where students can
share what is happening in their lives
- tutoring and peer-to-peer advising programs
- Emergency Assistance Program
SUPPLEMENT TO SURVEY INSTRUMENT

ADMINISTRATION

 Business (Learning) Continuity Plan to mitigate risks

- specific steps and strategies the school has taken to
address the disruptions and ensure continuous
operations and remain ready in addressing future
disruptions
What steps has the school taken to
NOTE: CMO 4, series of 2020 – Guidelines on the
continue to function in the face of
Implementation of Flexible Learning (in particular Section
disruptions and identify actions that
IV.4.)
it can take now to make it more
likely that crisis response will run
 Current IT infrastructure supportive of teaching &
smoothly at any given time?
learning
- robust internet connection, array of web servers
and presence of back-up systems
- dedicated IT support team/helpdesk support
- provide individual or group training on use of IT (i.e. use
PROPOSED SCHEDULE OF VISIT

TIME ACTIVITY Time Activity

Day 1 (AM) Day 1 (PM)
13:30 – 14:15 Meeting with student services office heads
08:30 – 09:00 Team orientation meeting (Campus Ministry, Guidance, Clinic,
Canteen/Cafeteria, Alumni, Registrar, etc.)
09:00 – 09:45 Meeting with key school officials
(President/VPs/Office Heads [Finance/HR/etc.]) 14:15 – 14:30 Team’s private discussion
14:30 – 15:30 Meeting with physical facilities office head
09:45 – 09:55 Team’s private discussion (Live streaming of key facilities in campus)
09:55 – 10:40 Meeting with program administrators 15:30 – 17:00 Team’s private discussion & progress report
(Dean/Chairs/Coordinators), Research Director meeting

10:40 – 11:00 Team’s private discussion

11:00 – 11:30 Observation of synchronous classes Notes:
1) The schedule of the observation of synchronous classes can be
11:30 – 12:15 Meeting with learning support office heads modified as requested by the school in advance.
(Library/Learning Resources, Laboratories, IT) 2) Since the video of the facilities will already be provided the Team
prior to the visit, the 1-hour meeting with the physical facilities
12:15 – 12.30 Team’s private discussion officer can be shortened with the remaining time used for additional
interviews requested by the accreditor/s.
12:30 – 13:30 Lunch 3) Interviews are done “in plenary”. However, concurrent
interviews of stakeholders may be done if necessary.
PROPOSED SCHEDULE OF VISIT

TIME ACTIVITY Time Activity

Day 2 (AM) Day 2 (PM)
13:30 – 15:00 Report writing
08:30 – 09:15 Meeting with person-in-charge of community
services/engagement and community 15:00 – 16:30 Wrap-up session
representatives
09:15 – 09:30 Team’s private discussion 16:30 – 17:00 Post-accreditation meeting with key
administrators including in-house self-
09:30 – 10:00 Observation of synchronous classes survey team
17:00 – 17:30 Team meeting
10:00 – 10:15 Break
10:15 – 11:15 Meeting with students
Notes:
11:15 – 11:30 Team’s private discussion 1) The 30-minute time allotted for the post-accreditation
meeting may be extended if needed.
11:30 – 12:30 Meeting with faculty
2) The in-house self-survey team may also include others
12:30 – 13:30 Team’s private discussion & lunch who prepared for the visit.
3) The team meeting that follows the post-accreditation
meeting is for the team to discuss information shared by
the school administrators during the post-accreditation
meeting which may be of importance in the preparation
of the Team’s report.
REMINDERS

Action Taken on previous recommendations

(covers the 3 or 5 year appraisal cycle including present reality)

1) When a recommendation can only be 2) If the recommendation can be

implemented through F2F initiatives implemented regardless of mode (F2F or
and this was Implemented (I) or remote) the response to the action taken
Partially Implemented (PI) pre- will depend on whether the
school/program was able to continue
pandemic, then the action taken
implementing the recommendation
should be I or PI as the case may be. during the pandemic. If the initiative,
If PI, a brief explanation can be activity or program, for example, was
provided to explain why the initiative discontinued during the pandemic, then
was not continued or pursued due to the response is Partially Implemented
the absence of F2F transactions. which will require a brief explanation.
The explanation can be written in the
Action Taken column as is usually
done or in the Comments section.
EXAMPLES OF PREVIOUS RECOMMENDATIONS

FACULTY

1) Design and implement a comprehensive, 2) More faculty should be actively involved in

relevant and sustained faculty the community outreach activities of the
school.
development program for graduate faculty
to include training on:
- new models of pedagogy; and Show how the school redefined active
involvement by faculty in community outreach
- blended learning or other alternative activities (may not be F2F) if such activities
learner-centered teaching/instructional were continued.
methodologies
Show evidence of training done on these
areas (pre-pandemic) and training being done
now given the shift to online/remote teaching
and learning.
EXAMPLES OF PREVIOUS RECOMMENDATIONS

CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION

1) Design and implement a system 2) Do a curriculum map for each

of monitoring the effectiveness of graduate program to ensure the
academic consultation and alignment of the different courses
advising. to the respective program’s
learning outcomes.
How was monitoring done pre-
pandemic and/or how is it being done This is one of the requirements in the
now (i.e. via LMS)? What monitoring supplement – what modification/s, if
system is in place and what evidence any, was/were done on the curriculum
is available to show the effectiveness map?
of academic consultation and
advising?
EXAMPLES OF PREVIOUS RECOMMENDATIONS

LIBRARY

1) Undertake measures to increase 2) Craft and implement the Library

the utilization of library resources. Orientation Modules tailor-fit/suitable
to the needs of the graduate students
and faculty.

What campaign and information Has the school prepared orientation

dissemination activities (i.e., pre-
modules for incoming and regular
students and faculty to address pre-
pandemic class to class visits, online
pandemic and present needs?
library orientation, through the library
website, etc.) was done and continues
to be done to encourage usage?
EXAMPLES OF PREVIOUS RECOMMENDATIONS

LABORATORIES

1) An operational system and 2) Upgrade the laboratory software

programs for the effective repair needed by the various laboratory
and maintenance of laboratory courses per accreditation
equipment be formulated and requirements
implemented at all times.

Has the school formulated a What software upgrade has the

supplement maintenance program to school/program done, if any?
address present Covid and future
disruptions? (part of Learning
Continuity Plan)
EXAMPLES OF PREVIOUS
RECOMMENDATIONS

ADMINISTRATION

1) Expand existing academic 2) Create and implement strategies that

linkage agreements to cover not will allow for more alumni
only opportunities for student participation or involvement in the
practicum/field experiences but affairs of the university.
also faculty exchanges and
collaborative research activities.

Reaching out to alumni particularly in

Explain the initiatives to expand the this present time to address the school’s
linkages contained in the agreements various needs (i.e., need for additional
considering the possibilities and the
funding, assist in the
limitations of the current situation if
any. internship/practicum program of
students, etc.)
EXAMPLES OF PREVIOUS RECOMMENDATIONS

There may be some previous recommendations that can

be implemented regardless of modality used.

1) Integrate the vision-mission and 4) Establish an Institutional Research Ethics

objectives of the Business program in Board.
the different course descriptions.
5) Monitor the attrition and completion
2) Provide additional research incentives rates of students to facilitate a more
to faculty. efficient tracking from enrolment to
graduation.
3) Reduce the number of thesis/non-thesis
project advisees per faculty adviser. 6) To ensure safety, repair uneven walk
areas to classrooms and offices.
ADDITIONAL REMINDERS

Action Taken on previous recommendations Recommendations

(covers the 3 or 5 year appraisal cycle (action plans the school can implement or
including present reality) apply now and in anticipation of the
future especially those that will help the
school to transition more effectively)

Area Ratings
(similar to how these were given in the
Best Features previous on-site visits and to guide the
(practices/initiatives taken by the school to Team’s decision)
ensure effective processes of teaching-
learning and delivery of support programs &
services) Area & Chair’s Report
(similar to how this was written in the
The best features are those that are fully previous on-site visit)
functioning even at this time.
• Now is a period of high levels of uncertainty.

• The building of an online college or university is an expensive one that requires not only
equipment and training but, more importantly, an enormous amount of planning and
anticipation of stakeholder needs.

• We do not know . . .
- whether it will be possible to resume regular F2F teaching
- whether distance/remote teaching will be continued or
- whether we will have a combination of both F2F and distance teaching

• Let us not forget the intellectual vibe that a great class discussion generates which cannot be
found in virtual online teaching.

• In the meantime, let us allow ourselves to be imperfect together in the service of our students
and their deepest needs for learning.

• And in the spirit of friendship, openness and understanding let us assure the schools of PAASCU’s
continued support.
THANK YOU.