Phenomenology of Work and Community Immersions of Grade 12-Senior High School Students in a Private University in Iloilo City, Philippines

Abstract

This paper discusses the learning experiences of the Grade 12-Humanities and Social Sciences learners in the University of San Agustin, Iloilo City, Philippines, on their work immersion in different partner industries, government and non-government institutions, and learning communities. I argue that work and community immersions enabled HUMSS learners to promote work ethics in the workplace, appreciate their worth in the community, understand the value of social relationships, and have logically applied principles and theories in the real-life situation. In the Philippines, the Department of Education (DepEd) in consonance with RA 10533 or the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 has provided work immersion as a key feature of the SHS curriculum. According to DepEd, work and community immersion provide learners with opportunities to become familiar in the workplace, employment simulation, and application of competencies in real work environments (DepEd Order No. 30, s. 2017). Proper implementation of work immersion in SHS curriculum will enable students improve their competencies, helps them to make informed choices, and creates employment opportunities straight out of senior high (The Asia Foundation-Philippines, 2018). The University of San Agustin-Basic Education Department developed an eighty (80) hour work and community immersion course in SHS curriculum. This provides Grade 12 learners venues for relevant learning experiences that enable them to be familiar with work places and apply their competencies in work environments. Methods used were analysis of learning diaries, interview, and small focus group discussion with 40 Grade 12 HUMSS students. Work and Community Immersions are essential parts of K to 12 curriculum in the Philippines. These curricula had provided varied learning opportunities to HUMSS Grade 12 students of University of San Agustin that enabled these SHS learners to not just familiarize the work environments but also provided them a venue to improve themselves. As we have seen, their actual experiences have provided them the chance to develop their attitudes in the workplaces, enhance their knowledge and capabilities that helped them in choosing their career paths, understand the grammar of social relationships in the work environment and their community, and apply their learned competencies to the actual work fields.