Beneath modules and screens: The underlying issues of SPOC on BulSU-CAL students

| By Patricia Mae Jaime, Danica Macayan, Jade Alyssa Pillosis & Kristian Sandig

"Nag-full f2f na rin naman, bakit hindi pa gawing f2f na rin 'yung subject under that SPOC? Hindi ko talaga ma-gets bakit may gano'n pa, pahirap lang."

This sentiment is one of many unheard concerns of Bulacan State University students (BulSUans) regarding the Small Private Online Course (SPOC) that has been implemented since the pandemic. When COVID-19 proliferated its devastation, learning institutions around the world, including the Bulacan State University (BulSU) took action to cope with the “new normal”. In line with this, BulSU implemented its modes for Flexible Learning: Synchronous Learning (SL), Asynchronous Online Learning (AOL), and Remote Print Learning (RPL). The three modes are implemented from the Academic Year 2020-2021 until 2021-2022. 

In the first semester of the Academic Year (AY) 2022-2023, the university introduced the new guidelines for the Hyflex-SPOC modality, which are Blended Learning (BLearn), Asynchronous Online Learning (AOL), Hyflex-SPOC (Small Private Online Classes), and Traditional Learning Approach (TLA), and will also be implemented in the said academic year. 

During the AY’s 2020-2021 and 2021-2022, the administration changed its online learning platforms multiple times from Google Workspace to Microsoft Office. However, on the AY 2023-2024, the university has implemented full-blown face-to-face classes across satellite campuses, including the main campus.

This sparked university-wide concerns regarding the continuous implementation of the SPOC modality despite having full-blown face-to-face classes. Regardless of situations, the administration is completely quiet in reviewing SPOC modality and takes action on students' dilemmas as regards the said modality. 

The rise of conflict

Among other colleges, the Bulacan State University - College of Arts and Letters (CAL) is one of the colleges that implemented SPOC in general education courses and on its major courses across different programs. Journalism, Broadcasting, Malikhaing Pagsulat, and Performing Arts are among the programs of CAL which has the courses under the SPOC modality. The students from the said college are not only in face-to-face classes but also in face-to-face productions, given the programs they were under. 

"I think SPOC programs could be on face to face set-up," a CAL student told the researchers when asked about his opinion on the issue of SPOC implementation.

There are various challenges that the CAL students are currently experiencing during the first semester of AY 2023-2024; one of their major concerns is the difficulties in managing mixed schedules of both online classes and face-to-face classes. The data shows that 64.5% of CAL students are against the said dilemma.

"Tbh, we all really hate online class in general due to lack of engagement" 

This sentiment validated the concerns of 61.3% CAL students who thought that the SPOC implementation lacks engagement and has less interactions during online classes. Furthermore, 67.7% of CAL students also experienced technical issues during online set-up.

Financial issues and commuting challenges are also seen in the picture as the CAL students emphasized the presence of this uncontrollable circumstance in their life as a college student. About 16.1% of CAL students experienced financial issues in the SPOC modality as they are obliged to have data access and load their prepaid devices to ensure their online connections despite in a face-to-face set-up. The data shows that 38.7% of CAL students use prepaid data and only 3.2% have access to BulSU wifi. If the CAL students are fortunate enough to catch the schedule of online classes at home, 51.6% of them use their own resident Wi-Fi.

Commuting challenges were also pointed out as 29% of CAL students were on the run at their homes to catch up with the online classes after having face-to-face classes at the university. 

"In my opinion, SPOC are for the working student and not for the regular student! Why do we need to attend in SPOC class even [if] we are not working student?"

The sentiment amplifies one of the major concerns in the continuous implementation of SPOC classes not just in CAL but university-wide. Most of the regular students are sharing the same burden, which they should not have since they are full-time students. In a survey, 80.6% of CAL students are not working during this semester, and only 9.7% of them are both part-time and full-time working students.

The Dilemma on SPOC effectiveness

"The implementation of SPOC is not good and efficient for me"

Another primary concern regarding the continuous SPOC implementation is its effectiveness despite identified issues and challenges from the students enrolled. In a survey, 6.5% of working students found that SPOC is very ineffective, while 29% stayed neutral. When asked if they preferred the continuation of SPOC, 61.3% of students preferred face-to-face classes only, while 19.4% chose both.

The data shows that 20 out of 30 CAL students disagree that SPOC is effectively enhancing their learning experience, while 2 agree and 9 stay neutral. 

Nonetheless, the concerns of students versus the continuous implementation of SPOC need to be heard because nothing will happen if these sentiments continue sitting silently in the back row of the class. 

Stepping forward to actions

As the classes are slowly returning to normal, the implementation of online courses or the SPOC modality must be considered to review and enhance the guidelines based on what the current situation requires. According to the survey, 9.7% of CAL students are part-timers and full-time working students who do not have the time to study and work simultaneously, and those can be beneficiaries of the said modality. As mentioned, other concerns underlie the surface level of the problem brought about by the continuous implementation of SPOC.

With regards to BulSU SPOC, CAL Governor Michael Angelo Calixtro said that they received various complaints with regards to the continuous implementation of SPOC modality this A.Y. 2023 - 2024, and he mentioned that one of those is about having one online subject even though we are in full blast face-to-face classes. According to Governor Calixtro, these kinds of complaints are all noted and being raised to the student government, where the concerns can be handled adequately.

Calixtro said in the interview that Student Academic Affairs Chairman Senator Carlos Miguel Salamat handed over a letter stating the concerns of the students with regard to SPOC modality and also a request for the administration to review the guidelines. The admin successfully acknowledged the letter as well as the concern of the students. On behalf of Ariana De Jesus, the student government president, Calixtro stated that there are new resolutions from the administration that will be handed over to De Jesus.