West Visayas State University (WVSU, referred to colloquially by locals as West; Filipino: Pamantasang Pampamahalaan ng Kanlurang Bisayas) is a public normal research university located in La Paz, Iloilo City, Western Visayas region of the Philippines. It was established in 1924 as Iloilo Normal School under the tutelage of the Thomasites, but dates back its founding in 1902 as a part of Philippine normal school system with Iloilo National High School established by the American colonial government. It later became West Visayas State College in 1965 and acquired its university status becoming West Visayas State University in 1986.The university is one of the accredited Philippine Universities of the University Mobility in Asia and the Pacific and one of the most prominent institutions in the Philippines in the field of Teacher Education, Nursing and Medicine.The West Visayas State University (WVSU) system is composed of the main campus, six external campuses (which are distinct from the main campus) and the WVSU Medical Center. The La Paz (main campus) is organized with an integrated laboratory school and twelve degree granting tertiary schools and colleges. In the collegiate level studies, the academic programs the university offers include Agriculture, Arts and Sciences, Biology, Business Management, Cooperatives Management, Forestry, Hospitality Management, Information and Communications Technology, Mass Communication, Medicine, Nursing, Operations Management, Political Science, Public Administration, Physical Education, Teacher Education and Tourism. The Law program of the university under the newly established College of Law was opened in August 2020. It was later followed by the establishment of the College of Dentistry.The 2,000 hectare Mari-it Wildlife and Conservation Park which is managed as part of the 3,000 hectare WVSU College of Agriculture and Forestry campus in Lambunao, Iloilo, is the largest hornbill breeding facility in the world.The Philippine Commission on Higher Education has also designated the university through its main campus as National Center of Excellence in Teacher Education and National Center of Development in Nursing while the Lambunao Campus as National Centers of Development in the programs of Agriculture and Forestry.
This study aimed to examine how caring attributes influence nurses' professional self-concept and their perceptions of technological influence in the Saudi Arabian healthcare context. A cross-sectional correlational design was used. Data were collected from 248 Saudi nurses using the Caring Attributes, Professional Self-Concept, and Technological Influences (CAPSTI) scale. Structural equation modeling (SEM) with WarpPLS was applied to analyze the relationships among the variables. The results showed that caring attributes had a significant positive effect on professional self-concept (beta = 0.23, p < .01) and a significant negative relationship with technological influence (beta = -0.38, p < .01). Caring attributes accounted for 6% of the variance in professional self-concept and 15% of the variance in technological influence. In conclusion, caring attributes remain an important part of nurses' professional identity; however, challenges exist between caring values and technology-focused practice environments. These findings suggest the need for culturally appropriate strategies that combine caring principles with technological skills in Saudi nursing practice. (c) 2026 The Authors. Published by IASE. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Despite growing research on nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) in university settings and evidence that the risk of engaging in NSSI increases when they know someone who does, little is known about the relationship between social exposure to NSSI and students' perceptions of public stigma regarding NSSI. Drawing on intergroup contact theory, which posits that increased contact with stigmatized groups reduces prejudice, understanding how knowing someone who self-injures relates to stigma is particularly important. This study addressed these gaps by examining these factors among university students from three countries. Potential commonalities across countries and the moderating role of personal NSSI history were also examined. A total of 1,059 students (77.4% female, M-age = 21, age range = 17-53 years) participated, having been recruited on the basis that they knew someone who engaged in NSSI. Participants (50.8% Australian, 33.4% Belgian, 15.8% Canadian) completed a survey reporting on their own experiences with NSSI, the perceived NSSI experiences of the person they know who self-injures, and perceptions of public attitudes and stigma toward NSSI. Participants most commonly identified friends as the individuals they knew who self-injured. Pearson's correlations revealed positive interrelations among social exposure to NSSI and perceived public NSSI stigma. Hierarchical regression and moderation analysis showed this association was moderated by country, but not by personal NSSI history. Analysis of variance results indicated Canadian students perceived significantly lower levels of public NSSI stigma compared to Australian and Belgian counterparts. These findings underscore the importance of implementing stigma-reduction strategies sensitive to country-specific contextual factors. Future research should further explore the role of knowing someone who self-injures, as well as cultural and national influences on stigma perceptions.
In Philippine state universities and colleges (SUCs), faculty are mandated to balance instruction, research, and extension as “trifocal” functions. Yet, research often competes with heavy teaching loads, administrative work, and community engagement, especially in science disciplines that demand laboratory-based and fieldwork. This qualitative multiple-case study examined how twelve science faculty members across academic ranks in a Philippine SUC system enact the research function within their trifocal roles. Drawing on semi-structured interviews, institutional and policy documents, and cross-case analysis, this study employed a case study design through the lens of systems thinking to identify how research function is embedded in institutional structures and professional life-worlds. Findings show that faculty construct research as (1) a catalyst that propels instruction and anchors extension programs; (2) a strategic requirement intertwined with promotion and career progression; and (3) a relational and infrastructural practice dependent on collegial networks, mentoring, and institutional support systems. Feedback loops link these themes wherein research output fuels promotion and time protection, which, in turn, shape opportunities for further research and mentoring. Additionally, verbatim accounts reveal how faculty members navigate structural pressures, such as bureaucratic processes and workload policies, while framing research as a moral and professional responsibility. This article argues that designing research support in SUCs requires moving beyond compliance-driven metrics to system-level arrangements that honor research as a form of scholarly work deeply connected with teaching quality and community impact. Implications are suggested for workload policy, mentoring, and research-capable learning environments in the Philippines and comparable higher education contexts.
Early literacy pedagogy serves as foundational bedrock for lifelong learning and academic success. This study evaluated the phonological awareness performance and qualitative experiences of Grade 1 learners (N = 8) participating in the Rhythms and Rhymes intervention at Jaro II Elementary School. Utilizing an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design operationalized through a Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) action research framework, the study collected quantitative data via parallel pre- and post-intervention assessment booklets, followed by qualitative data through semi-structured learner interviews. Quantitative results revealed a statistically significant increase in phonological awareness scores from the pre-test (M = 10.67, SD = 3.01, "Developing" tier) to the post-test (M = 19.00, SD = 1.54, "Strong" tier), representing a mean gain of +8.33 points, t(7) = -9.07, p < .001. Qualitative thematic analysis yielded four core themes: (1) Phonological Awareness Level, (2) Engagement and Motivation, (3) The Use of Children's Songs and Nursery Rhymes, and (4) Instructional Strategy. Learner reflections indicated that structured song- and rhyme-based activities were perceived positively, fostering active engagement and providing multimodal scaffolds for sound manipulation, though initial student shyness during singing tasks highlighted the importance of cultivating low-anxiety learning environments. Overall, findings suggest that song-integrated routines can serve as a valuable supplementary approach for primary literacy instruction. Given the small purposive sample and single-group pre-experimental design, results are interpreted as associative rather than definitive causal evidence. Further studies involving larger samples, comparison groups, and longer intervention periods are recommended to strengthen the empirical evidence for this pedagogical approach.
This study developed and evaluated a culturally embedded instructional module for the Barayti at Baryasyon ng Wika course to improve student comprehension of Filipino language variations and promote linguistic sustainability. Addressing a lack of localized resources and persistent student difficulty in distinguishing sociolinguistic concepts, a qualitative descriptive design was employed. Data gathered through semi-structured interviews, written reflections, and narrative reviews with purposively selected students and educators underwent reflexive thematic analysis. Results revealed: (1) abstract examples cause significant conceptual confusion when students differentiate terms like dialect, sociolect, register, and idiolect; (2) the culturally integrated module improved comprehension by connecting theoretical frameworks to familiar linguistic contexts; and (3) evaluators affirmed the module's clarity, instructional coherence, and cultural resonance in reinforcing Filipino identity. Ultimately, culturally anchored materials not only enhance academic understanding but also foster positive attitudes toward linguistic diversity. This highlights the critical need for localized, research-based resources tailored to the cultural and cognitive needs of Filipino learners, actively supporting linguistic preservation amid rapid societal shifts.
