Entries from March 2008

A tool kit for new graduates

March 18, 2008 · 15 Comments

Today’s headline story on ABS-CBN Interactive (abs-cbnNEWS.com) is quite bleak for those planning to join the workforce. It reports that in January 2008, there were 4.2 million jobless Filipinos, almost the same level as last year, according to the latest labor force survey of the National Statistics Office (NSO). Those seeking more work fell slightly from 12 million to 10.8 million.

Yet, in a few weeks, our devcom seniors will graduate and hope to join the workforce. As they are close to the finish line in getting their thesis manuscripts approved, passing their clearance, planting trees, singing the university hymn, and doing countless tasks needed for graduation, we have designed a workshop to help them get ahead despite the dismal employment figures. It is aptly titled, “Finding a job and keeping it.”

In this workshop, we aim to teach the following:

Finding a job and keeping it

Job search – online, classifieds, interpersonal sources

Writing the job application letter and CV/resume

Preparing for the job interview

During the job interview – dress code, typical interview questions

Starting your job – knowing the organization and its customers, work ethics, getting along with the boss

Staying on the job - work attitude, on-the-job interpersonal relations

During this workshop, our students will write their generic job application letter and curriculum vitae (CV) so that they are well-prepared when they step out of the university.

In the past, I have always advised our seniors to list their skills in their CV in lieu of job experience. This seems to work as it informs the potential employer that the job applicant may not have the requisite work experience but he has a slew of relevant skills. To identify what skills they have, I ask each student to list down the communication courses they took and recall the skills that they have acquired.

For instance, a communication graduate might have skills in the areas listed below. The list is going to be long so it is best to group them, depending on one’s area of specialization. Alternatively, the devcom job applicant should position his/her skills according to the job qualifications sought for. The key is to be honest about one’s professional or technical skills.

Communication skills

1. Design and implementation of media campaigns for a social product - adolescent reproductive health, smoking cessation, solid waste management, environmental issues
2. Development and pretesting of audience survey questionnaires
3. Processing and analysis of survey data using statistical programs
4. Development of a social science or communication research proposal
5. Design, implementation and analysis of audience surveys and opinion polls
6. Pretesting and field evaluation of prototype communication materials
7. Production of radio spots and dramas
8. Design, implementation and assessment of a school-on-the-air, drama and other radio formats
9. Nonlinear editing of broadcast programs
10. Writing articles for various audiences
11. Start-up and maintenance of an online newsletter
12. Application of Web 2.0 tools for nonprofits, social change, etc.

There are many other job-related skills in devcom that are not on the list above. I’d like readers’ suggestions on the following:

1. What other essential skills need to be included to land a job?
2. What impressive CV or resume formats do you know and care to share with the graduates?
3. What job application experiences do you have that the new graduate can learn from?

Please post your comments. That graduate will surely benefit from your advice.

Categories: General
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Problem analysis: Historical profiles

March 15, 2008 · 8 Comments

In a seminar yesterday, a thesis student presented a pure narrative about corn farmers’ decision-making process about seasonal climate forecast. He also flashed on the screen a theoretical decision tree that the project managers had developed. The lack of analysis suggested the need to have a systematic method to describe the problem and identify the key components.

I suggested that one way for him to make sense of the information he got from farmers, on how they had used climatic forecasts to make farm decisions and the outcomes of those decisions, was to construct historical and seasonal profiles.

In the 1990s, as theme leader in the Rice IPM Network, we conducted a series of workshops in the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam to get research and extension partners to arrive at a common understanding of the pest management problems in their countries. The experts, Geoff Norton and John Mumford from Imperial College and K.L. Heong from IRRI, introduced various decision tools at these workshops - time profiles, flow charts, discrimination analysis, field force analysis, causal analysis and matrices.

What is a historical profile?

A historical profile is a tool for assessing gradual changes that their causes are making. To construct a historical profile in a workshop situation, participants are asked to recall major events that have taken place in the community with approximate dates. These can relate to the introduction of new technologies, political events or natural disasters.

This technique is used when there is a need to see current problems from a historical perspective. Through this approach, one can understand the broad dimensions of a problem, and identify constraints and opportunities for resolving them (Norton and Mumford 1993).

Participants in groups develop these profiles and the information is presented graphically in a single sheet of paper to provide a general description of the time dimensions of a problem. Graphical presentation of historical information is an effective tool to enhance communication among stakeholders with various academic backgrounds.

How to construct a historical profile
1. Identify the major factors that directly or indirectly influence the development of a particular problem.
2. Determine the relevant time period over which changes in these factors are to be considered; 20 years or more is often desirable.

A series of graphs can then be drawn, using expert opinion available in the workshop group, or from various statistical sources. The level of detail required in drawing the historical profile is simply that which is sufficient to indicate important trends and relationships. Further detail may add little to a good, rough assessment.

Uses of historical profiles

  • It provides a structured means of bringing together information on a range of aspects that may all have had some influence on the development of the problem.
  • Used as a workshop tool, the historical profile sets an agenda, helps to focus discussion, provides a simplified method of communication between participants from different disciplines, and stimulates interaction.

In the process of constructing the historical profile, hypotheses or key questions are raised. It also provides a rigorous basis for thinking about possible future developments (or scenarios) that can affect the status of the problem and the ability of those concerned to deal with them.

Reference

Norton GA, Mumford JD. 1993. Decision tools for pest management. Wallingford (UK): CAB International.

Categories: Needs assessment
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Beyond needs assessment: Scoping study

March 8, 2008 · 1 Comment

To get a bigger research proposal funded, many donors now require a thorough pre-project preliminary study. This used to be called rapid rural appraisal or participatory rural appraisal (PRA) where a multidisciplinary team is commissioned to do a “quick and dirty” appraisal of the situation. A more fashionable term for this exercise is scoping study which has been used in environmental impact assessments.

What is a scoping study?

A scoping study is often done to focus on identifying research and implementation issues related to a problem. The aim is to assess the magnitude, seriousness and intensity of the problem and the actions taken by the people concerned and affected by it. This is done by reviewing the literature, historical data, and reports, and collecting preliminary data to scope for research and implementation issues, to provide some understanding of the problem, and develop an integrated strategy or a set of recommendations to deal with the problem. Various tools are available that can be used in a scoping study. Historical profiles, problem tree, seasonal charts, discrimination profiles, and strengths-weaknesses-and threats (SWOT) analysis are some examples.

Collecting preliminary data will involve field visits, key informant interviews and a series of focus group discussions with stakeholders.

ACIAR small research & development activity

Several months back, I was part of a team that carried out a small research and development activity (SRA) for the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) as a first step to developing an integrated management strategy for the brown planthopper (BPH)/virus problem in the Mekong Delta to prevent its spread as well as communication strategies to help farmers adapt and enable the Plant Protection Department (PPD) to scale up the dissemination of these strategies.

The rice virus problem in the Mekong Delta

In the last two years, rice production in the Mekong Delta, was vastly affected by outbreaks of virus diseases carried by the brown planthopper (BPH) which caused a loss of about 400,000 tons (or 1.1 percent of Vietnam’s total production). Vietnam’s rice exports were threatened and the infestations prompted officials and farmers to spray insecticides in excess in attempts to control the spread of the viral diseases, which, consequently led to a high usage of insecticides. Such practices can disrupt ecological balance and in turn favor BPH development rates. Also looming in the horizon is the possibility of the virus problem spreading north and west from the Mekong Delta, which might affect rice production in Cambodia, Laos, and central and northern Vietnam.

Scoping study

In the team my role was to identify major perception constraints of farmers to the viral diseases and their management and scope for opportunities for communication to farmers. To accomplish this, I worked with Vietnamese partners to do the following:

  • Conducted field visits and focus group discussions in rural areas of north, centre and south to identify key farmers’ key beliefs and practices.
  • Appraised the extension activities steps that PPD, extension, government used to help manage the problem – collect extension materials, broadcasts, etc. and other info through discussions with PPD and provincial agriculture directors.
  • Examined potential extension mechanisms and ways to communicate to farmers and make suggestions.

From the above activities, we generated a focus group discussion report and a paper on major perception constraints to viral diseases, and presented our findings at a final consultation workshop in January 2008. A final SRA report has been submitted to ACIAR.

Here are some interesting results that came out of our part of the scoping study:

1. Interviews with farmers, extension, research and policy personnel showed that the central and provincial governments:

  • distributed 2 million guidebooks, 2.5 million leaflets, > 2,000 posters, 1,000 television broadcasts
  • organized 9,219 one-day training courses covering 404,938 farmers to combat the BPH/virus problem.
  • with pesticide industry support, the Plant Protection Department also organized 13 large-scale demonstration fields on the escape strategy covering 872.6 ha and involving 1,425 farmers.

2. The government budget allocated for BPH/virus control in 2006 was VND 105,758.50 million (US$ 6.6 million), with this breakdown:

  • 55% for pesticide purchase and distribution
  • 38% for destroying infected fields and subsidizing farmers
  • 7% for extension and training activities

3. The Mekong Delta farmers who had greater access to information through the mass media than counterparts in Central Vietnam had clearly more knowledge on pest and virus management. Thus, a greater effort for communication and training of farmers in using the “escape strategy” would have greater benefits and more sustainable than distributing pesticides.

4. Using decision analysis the team identified differences in concerns and information needs of various stakeholders that contributed to the variety of decisions in handling the crisis.

Stakeholders’ concerns about the BPH/virus disease

Save rice crop

Control BPH & virus

Set new research priorities

Set extension priorities

Ensure food security,

Maintain political stability

Increase pesticide sales

Policy makers - minister

XXXX

XXXX

 

Policy makers – DG of PPD

 X XX

XXXX

 XXX XX

 

Extension directors

 X XXX

XXXX

 

Research directors

 X XX XXXX X

 

Extension staff

 XX XXXX X

 

Research scientists

 XX XXXX

 

Farmers

 XXXX XX

 

Pesticide companies

 XX X XXXX

Decision needs

Stakeholder Information/decision needs
Farmer

What must I do to avoid losing money?

Extension

How sustainable is the “escape” strategy?

Under what conditions will it work or will not work?

Policy makers

How can guidelines on release of emergency funds be improved?

Are there better ways to optimize use of funds?

How can we rationalize pesticide company influence in policy decisions?

Research

What research priorities are needed to help provide solutions to the BPH/virus problem?

How can research institutes & academe safeguard the welfare of farmers in their training & extension advice?

Pesticide companies

How can helping farmers and government and the need to increase sales be harmonized?

To read the full scoping study report, click here …

Categories: Needs assessment
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A tribute to graduating students

March 6, 2008 · 11 Comments

After graduation in April, each of you will enter a different world. As you will discover, there will be a lot of excitement, happiness, rewards, frustrations and challenges along the way.

Just before my son’s graduation, he attended a retreat where he was asked to give an inspirational talk to his classmates. Here’s what he wanted to say which I saw in his blog. I’m posting it here with his permission.

Over the moon
Feb 22, 2007

I didn’t want to go to the retreat, I told Mrs Saulog, my clinical instructor. My reason mainly was that my classmates are going through a totally different phase right now, much different from what I am. How could they understand what I’m going through, I reasoned.

I remember when I was driving on my way to my French class one rainy afternoon. I was 25 years old and suddenly, without warning, quarterlife crisis hit me. It hit me with such a great impact that I stopped attending my classes at Alliance Francaise because I felt that everything that I was doing should be for the attainment of a greater goal. Should be, because it seems that although I had accomplished a lot by that age, I didn’t have focus. Instead of moving up vertically career-wise, I was full speed horizontally. And so she said that maybe I do need to go to that retreat because I had a lot to share to my classmates who really haven’t seen the real world, who all were idealistic, who all believed they were all ending up in the United States in the future, who all think that the struggle in school is the biggest struggle in life, who all believed that the only way to get what they want was to be independent but at the same time too afraid to live away from their parents and finally those who experienced “taking chances” only in their love life. But I failed. Half of the group went back to their rooms by the time it was my chance to share something and even I was half asleep already, tired from walking up and down a rugged terrain just to see a cemetery for nuns and priests.

A few days ago, I heard from my mom that my aunt in the States was criticizing my cousin’s delay in passing the NCLEX as well as other decisions she made in life. It reminded me of what I wanted to say back then at the retreat. I remember just saying believe in yourself and never got to explain.

I told my mom that my cousin shouldn’t let things like that affect her. Whatever other people tell you about you should not define you. You should not let other people set your limits. Do not believe others if they tell you about your capabilities. You should listen to yourself–discover your own limits, improve yourself and do not let other people fight your battles for you.

When I was in my early teens, I knew I was better off than most people financially back in the province because I didn’t come from a family whose parents bred like rabbits. Both my parents worked and on my fourth grade, we got rid of our maid and started living like an efficient nuclear American family. I knew a lot of people were envious but I had the common teen need of being accepted by my peers. Since I had everything, I had to compensate by doing poorly academically. And I remember being ugly–close to the point of feeling like having a genetic aberration especially because I was tall, fat, with big puffy cheeks, with clothes that didn’t fit, pimples all over the place, weird voice… I remember people being nasty to me telling me I was going to be fat forever, etcetera. The A group in my class didn’t want to include me in their get-togethers. When I was much younger, they didn’t want me joining their teams in whatever childhood games they used to play because I couldn’t run fast enough and some didn’t even want to talk to me and ignored me when I tried to talk to them. There was this classmate of mine who even had this need to whisper to me, “You’re so fat, you’ll never lose weight, you’re just a hopeless case.”

Now, if I believed in those people, maybe I’d still be where I was 10 years ago. So when people talk behind my back, that’s okay with me. Opinions are opinions. People talk shit about other people all the time. Even my close friend will not find me perfect so when they talk about my imperfections, I think that’s pretty understandable. I keep on telling this to my friends who get angry whenever they hear someone saying things about them. “It only matters if you believe it’s true.”

Categories: General
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How do you deal with student apathy?

March 1, 2008 · 21 Comments

Although Devcompage is a niche blog that focuses on communication science and practice, dedicated readers must have noticed that once in a while I post a topic on the fringes of this chosen niche subject, such as book reading and now student apathy. Based on the number of comments posted on “When did you last read a book?” readers tend to gather around and discuss off-topic posts more than the niche topic of Devcompage. Perhaps our off-topics are within the comfort zone of many readers, thus they elicit more feedback. From now on, we shall post off-topics a few times a month to hear the voices of readers.

Readers’ ideas
Many readers — faculty members, alumni and students — have contributed their comments on how we can improve the quality of instructional materials. Here’s a summary of readers’ suggestions :

1) improve the physical aspects of handouts — paper, font size and type, accuracy and recency of content

2) train teachers on how to use the new ICTs (information and communication technologies)

3) use pedagogy or learning theories as a guide in designing learning strategies

4) students ought to study and read more

5) implement a university admission test to screen students & adopt a policy allowing students a max of 3 failures only

6) engage students to learn or offer a “carrot” that will motivate them to learn more

7) understand the unique needs of students to be able to relate to them

Somewhere in the comments, I wrote about my two bright students who didn’t seem motivated to finish their course. Here’s an update. One of them has completed encoding his thesis data and generating his tables. From his progress, it seems that he is most likely to graduate in April. It warms my heart to see him get on with school.

On the other hand, my motivational skills seem to have fallen flat on my face with my other student who happens to be the brightest person among many batches. I say batches because he should have graduated in 2003. He has excellent writing and analytical skills but all that is defeated by a “laziness gene” which has taken control over him. Just recently, I spoke to him on the phone and this was our conversation:

ME: Hello, how are you? Long time, no see. I haven’t seen you around the department.
Student: Ma’am, I feel lazy and I have felt this way since January.
ME: Why? What triggered it? Is it the gloomy weather? Is there anything I can do to help?
Student: None, ma’am. It’s just psychological. When I think about all the science subjects I have to take in the first semester, I am bogged down.
ME: You must deal with it one step at a time.
Student: It is hard not to think about all those subjects.
ME: I haven’t seen you in your DCxxx class.
Student: I’m embarrassed to see my classmates because I haven’t been coming to class in a long while.
ME: You must let your teacher know that you’re still in the class. My son once wrote that we should not let what others say about you define you.
Student: I’ve heard that many times before but I can’t help it.

How do you then deal with student apathy? If you’re a teacher, what have you done in similar circumstances or what will you do?

If you’re a student or a graduate who has gone through this experience, what does it take to jolt apathetic students to reality? Can the “I don’t care if I fail” attitude be remedied? Or should we just leave such students alone and let time take its course?

Will appreciate your comments. Your advice might just save this student.

Categories: General
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