Attitudes Toward School Paper Publication and Journalistic Skills of School Paper Advisers in Rosario West District, Division of Batangas

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

The study assessed the attitudes toward school paper publication and the journalistic skills of school heads and school paper advisers in Rosario West District, Division of Batangas during the school year 2014 -2015. Cognizant of the role of campus journalism in sustaining advocacy on social consciousness for the students and teachers as well, it attempts to devise a plan of action for improving the attitudes and journalistic skills of school paper advisers toward school paper publication.

METHODS

The descriptive method of research is employed with the use of a questionnaire in gathering data. Fifty-one school paper advisers and 24 school heads from the 24 public elementary schools of Rosario West District, Division of Batangas during the school year 2014 -2015 are involved as respondents of this study. The weighted mean, t-test and correlated coefficient are the statistical measures used to analyze the data.

RESULTS

The study reveals the following results: (1) the school heads have strongly agreed that the school paper advisers manifest a favorable attitude towards school paper publication; school paper advisers, however, agreed that they possess such attitude; ( 2) school paper advisers possess a high level of journalistic skills as perceived by the school heads and the school paper advisers themselves; (3) school heads and school paper advisers' assessments on attitudes of the latter toward school paper publication do differ significantly high in terms of staff development, conceptualization, and evaluation of school paper; while in terms of journalistic skills their assessments differ significantly high in terms of editing, differ significantly regarding writing, and do not differ significantly in terms of designing; (4) there is a significant relationship between school paper advisers' attitudes toward school paper publication and their level of journalistic skills on the different variables; (5) the proposed action plan is expected to enhance the school paper advisers' attitudes and journalistic skills.

DISCUSSIONS

The results revealed that school paper advisers manifested a favorable attitude towards school paper publication and possessed a high level of journalistic skills as perceived by the school heads. Further enhancement through seminar-workshops and training on journalistic skills are highly needed through the proposed action plan.