2nd Regional Multidisciplinary Research Conference

December 14-15, 2021

School-based Work Immersion in the time of

Pandemic: Senior High School’s Compliance
and Insights
Ronald Allan A. Arcayera, PhD
Head Teacher I, Surigao City National High School
Surigao City Division

Abstract: The COVID-19 is not just causing health crises around the world, but it is also
affecting all spheres of life, including the field of education. The challenge is how the
Department of Education (DepEd) can operate in spite the health crisis. With Memorandum DM-
CI-2020-0085 titled as Guidelines in the Work Immersion during Crisis Situation, learners are
required to take the subject in different forms due to pandemic. DepEd Order No. 30, s. 2017
titled as Guidelines on Work Immersion emphasized also that Grade 12 students must be
exposed to workplace, however due to health crisis, bringing them in the comfort of school,
home or even community is added just to continue learning in the present scenario. This study
was therefore practical in nature as it assessed the implementation of the School-based Work
Immersion during health crisis in its goal for compliance of the Grade 12’s graduation of
students under the Home Economics, General Academic Strand, and Shielded Metal Arc
Welding in Surigao City National High School. The data were collected through survey
questionnaire. Based on the findings, the students complied the requirements as stipulated in the
guidelines. Also, students performed well in the different activities as required. Furthermore,
they evaluated work immersion in school as strongly agree wherein the competencies of the
students relevant to strands were developed.

Keywords: Covid-19, Work Immersion, Crisis situation

I. INTRODUCTION

The Department of Education (DepEd) reported that for S.Y. 2020-2021, there were 22,
712, 409 learners enrolled in public nationwide, 3, 375, 748 in private, 118, 755 in states,
colleges, and universities, and 20, 110 in Philippine Schools Overseas (DepEd Press Releases,
2021). Focusing on how learning is delivered in the time of pandemic, one most important
question that compelled the researcher to conduct this study was how DepEd’s programs,
projects, and activities were carried out amidst the rising infections due to Covid-19.

In support to the Basic Education Learning Continuity Plan (BE-LCP) based on DepEd
Order Number 12 s. 2020, the operation of education sector is continued in spite the situation.
This becomes an instrument in continuing learning in different alternative distance modalities
like home-based, modular, online, television-based, and radio-based. However, according to the
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December 14-15, 2021
University of the Philippines College of Education (2020) as cited by Diokno (2021), public
schools should ensure that strategies in the time of the pandemic are guided by the principles of
compassion, inclusion, and innovation which include prioritizing teacher and student safety,
health, and well-being, recalibrating curricular and assessment priorities, enacting flexible
learning options, empowering families for home-based learning, leading for resilience and
innovation, redesigning the learning environment, evaluating education financing, and creating
new knowledge.

Further, this shift of learning due to Covid-19 is challenging teachers and school
administrators, however, learning has to continue as emphasized by the department especially for
the Senior High School students whose competencies, work ethics, and values would help them
in pursuing further education or joining the world of work. With DepEd Order No. 30, s. 2017
titled as Guidelines for Work Immersion, learners are expected to (a) appreciate the importance
and application of the principles and theories learned in school, (b) enhance technical knowledge
and skills, (c) enrich skills in communication and human relations, and (d) develop good work,
habits, and attitudes, appreciation, and respect for work.

With Memorandum DM-CI-2020-0085 titled as Guidelines in Work Immersion during

the Crisis Situation, learners under the Academic, Arts and Design, Sports, and Technical
Vocational and Livelihood Track are required to take Work Immersion in different schemes
which include school, home, community or school-industry partnership. As an avenue of honing
and developing their skills, learners are exposed into different performances.

In line with this thinking, the researcher was determined in finding answers to how Work
Immersion was implemented following the very first school-based scheme which learners of the
General Academic Strand, Home Economics, and Shielded Metal Arc Welding followed.
Further, in line with the compliance which every graduating Senior High School student should
work on, the researcher sought insights on how such conduct became successful like performing
the activities following the learning competencies.

SCHOOL-BASED WORK IMMERSION

Visioning the success of Senior High School students after their chosen curriculum exit is
something worth to think of. This vision is a great challenge for DepEd and teachers due to the
continuous and prompt changes the world is facing, thus, preparing them in the actual world is to
uncover them in the real world of works through work immersion. According to Victory
Christian International School (2016), work immersion activities concretize the ideas, lessons,
and opinions learned in school, consequently, these involvements can turn into real work
experiences and apprehensions that last a lifetime.

Surigao City National High School, as one secondary school of Surigao City Division
supporting the Senior High School Program, started its School-based Work Immersion for the
Second Semester S.Y. 2020-2021 starting April until May 2021. In its aim for quality learning,
the students, in general, experienced face-to-face interaction with teachers and classmates based
on its competencies. With the approval of the letter from the IATF and Mayor’s Office, the
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school conducted its school-based scheme following strict health protocols. Further, learners
under specialized strand performed the following:

SHIELDED METAL ARC WELDING. Fabricated security fence, and grills, steel gate,
and other metal fabrication, repair of steel-/iron chairs, tables, and window grills;

COOKERY. Prepared and cooked demonstration like hot and cold meals, desserts,
chicken menu, pork, beef, and fish and marine products, develop cookbook, and design lunch
menu for a whole day/week for hospitals;

BREAD AND PASTRY. Designed a cake for a specific celebration, bake tarts, cookies,
cakes, and other bakery products by oven, and bread toaster.

The study of Guimba (2018) revealed that when learners possess a high level of self-
efficacy, confidence developed thus, they become aware of their duties and responsibilities
expected on them. Additionally, the high level of work immersion satisfaction implies that the
respondents enjoy the learning experiences in the work venue that made them worthy resulting in
the opportunity of seeing their career path ahead. Lozada (2017) supported also that work
immersion must be viewed as a vital point of providing students a place to improve through
simulation thus giving them knowledge and experiences to grow as professionals. She
highlighted the value of experience as the greatest teacher hence inspiration can be drawn as
students gain proficiency in their specific fields.

In addition, Rex Bookstore (2018) believed that work immersion is important to the
holistic growth of each learner. This is through creating learning materials and initiatives that are
aligned to the K to 12 curriculum and by providing learners an avenue to continually learn and
excel in their chosen strand. Catelo (2020) assessed the work immersion program for senior high
school students using teachers, students, and industry partners in Pasay City, Philippines. He
found that the three groups of respondents rated the work immersion program as excellent. The
respondents believed that the said program was implemented properly based on the DepEd
orders and its objectives were attained. Also, he proposed an intervention plan to address the
work immersion problem and improve assessment practice on work immersion. Meanwhile,
Vecino and Doromal (2020) assessed the implementation of the work immersion program in
selected public schools Negros Occidental, Philippines using descriptive comparative. They
found that the work immersion program was properly implemented based on what was stated in
DepEd orders. However, challenges arose like students’ attitude, limited time to track the
student, lack of supervision time for teachers, and less financial support.

II. METHOD

The study was descriptive in nature since its purpose determined the compliance of the
Senior High School students on School-based Work Immersion in the time of pandemic. Thus, a
Google Form was developed and sent to chat groups of the students focusing on two parts. The
first part covered the profile of the students like the strand. The second part focused on the
implementation of the program while the third part focused on the insights of the respondents
like important learning and its application. The online questionnaire was the main instrument in
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December 14-15, 2021
gathering the needed information coupled with the insights. The researcher asked permission
from the School Principal in administering the tool online. Similarly, teachers of the Work
Immersion were informed of it. The Simple Frequency Count, Percentage Distribution, and
Weighted Mean were used to treat the data. There were 333 participants who participated in the
conduct of the study.
III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The following were the results gathered from the analysis of the data through the online
Google Form administered to the 333 participants. It specifically showed the interpretation and
analysis from the application of the statistical treatment as mentioned.

Table 1: Profile of the Respondents

Strands Frequency (n=333) Percentage
General Academic Strand 185 56%
Home Economics 43 13%
Shielded Metal Arc Welding 105 31%
333 100%
The table showed that 185 or 56% were learners under the General Academic Strand, 105
or 31% under the Shielded Metal Arc Welding, and 43 or 13% under the Home Economics
Strand. Data showed that majority took GAS, followed by SMAW, and HE.

Table 2: Computed Mean on the Compliance of School-based Work Immersion

Statements Mean SD QD
1. My Work Immersion teacher conducts pre-immersion 3.58 0.51 SA
orientation online like knowing what to do, rules and regulation,
and the submission of requirements.
2. The learning I gained from the orientation has prepared me for 3.58 0.51 SA
the School-based Work Immersion and has guided me in
securing and accomplishing the documents.
3. The School-based Work Immersion venue (e.g. laboratory on 3.25 0.51 A
SMAW, Cookery, Bread and Pastry) helped me acquire the
relevant skills and competencies.
4. The school has observed the IATF guidelines as to logging in of 3.56 0.54 SA
the students, checking of body temperature, handwashing,
wearing of masks, and observing social distancing during
immersion.
5. There were no distractions that interfered with my training 3.15 0.52 A
6. The School-based Work Immersion will be helpful for my 3.65 0.56 SA
success in the future.
7. I will be able to immediately use what I learned from my teacher 3.15 0.37 A
in school or in work in the future.
8. I was well managed with my teacher and classmates with what 3.58 0.51 SA
was going on during the Work Immersion.
9. I was given adequate opportunity to perform hands-on activities 3.58 0.51 SA
that are related to my specialization.
10. The School-based Work Immersion met my expectations with 3.58 0.51 SA
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December 14-15, 2021
clear goals and prepared venue and materials relevant to my
specialization
3.47 0.51 SA

It can be gleaned from the table that the school supported the implementation of the
Work Immersion Program specifically on its compliance to the different expectations and
learning activities. The table showed that Item Number 6, “The School-based Work Immersion
will be helpful for my success in the future”, got a mean of 3.65, 0.56 SD which ranked first and
verbally interpreted as Strongly Agree, while Item Number 5, “There were no distractions that
interfered with my training”, and Item Number 7, “I will be able to immediately use what I
learned from my teacher in school or in work in the future” got a mean of 3.15, 0.37 SD which
ranked last both verbally interpreted as Agree.

The results showed that these respondents complied with the standards as set by the
DepEd on the implementation of School-based Work Immersion with its competencies and
learning as important considerations. Not only that, with the presence of Work Immersion
teachers, learners were guided on what to do like proper orientation, submission of the required
documents, and the expected activities relevant to their specialization. However, with the normal
procedures, learners were reminded of the health protocols like observing social distancing,
wearing of face mask, and checking body temperature.

Insights of the Work Immersion Program Implementation

The conduct of the Work Immersion Program demonstrated a positive impact of

immersion experiences indicated by the numerous changes that students experienced
significantly in the aspect of school-based involvement. The school did its very best in providing
learners with the compliance procedures and the learning activities in just a short span of time
due to pandemic. Among these insights which were shared through online were the following:

Support from Parents. Learners’ families supported them in accomplishing the required
documents (e.g. medical records) by providing financial needs and showing concern with them.
This yields a positive and consistent effects of effective academic outcomes since parents
showed support in spite the pandemic.

Supervisory support from teachers. There was an effective supervisory support from
work immersion teachers in spite the pandemic. As shared online, learners did not experience a
problem with the supervision of work immersion teachers since they received proper guidance
on the process, assistance in accomplishing the task, and friendly accommodation in dealing with
challenges. They also received feedback, comments, and suggestions regarding their skills
performance through consultations, and online messages. The work immersion teachers
interacted physically if they experienced difficulties while working at school. Responses among
the learners revealed that the work immersion teachers properly guided the students through
orientation, online meetings, and webinars. Hence, the work immersion teacher coordinated the
parent/guardian to know the academic progress of the students and difficulties encountered while
doing the learning tasks despite having other teaching loads.
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December 14-15, 2021
Short academic learning but meaningful. As shared, learners developed their good
attitudes, work habits, and appreciation towards work which were aligned to their field of
specialization. The work immersion plan was properly implemented in just a short time because
of the regular monitoring of work immersion teachers. Through work immersion, students
improved their creativity, efficiency, and effectiveness in crafting a solution to the problem like
knowing how to weld step grill, cooking, and even baking. It provided vital learning experiences
related to work-related activities which developed their knowledge and skills relevant to their
preferred career in the future. Their hands-on experiences provided the application of learned
competencies even at home. Overall, the implementation was rated as strongly agree by students,
implying that work immersion at school was implemented properly despite the threat of Covid-
19 pandemic.

References:

[1] Catelo, S. (2020). Work Immersion program for senior high school in the Division of Pasay:
Basis for an intervention plan. Journal of World Englishes and Educational Practices,
2(4), 65-77. doi: 10.32996/jweep.2020.2.4.7

[2] DepEd Press Releases, 2021

[3] DepEd Order Number 12 s. 2020

[4] DepEd Order No. 30, s. 2017

[5] Diokno, M. S. I. (2021). Learning in a Time of Pandemic. COVID-19: EveryWoman’s

Feminist
Response and Recovery Plan, 67.

[6] Guimba, G. (2018). Work-related self-efficacy and work immersion satisfaction among grade
12 general academic students. Retrieved Aug. 1, 2018, from https://bit.ly/3yiuh2Y

[7] Lozada, M. (2016). Work Immersion in Senior High School Panay News. Retrieved from
July
18, 2018) from https://bit.ly/3rNGECH

[8] Memorandum DM-CI-2020-0085

[9] Rexbookstore (2018). Beyond Work Immersion: BPS SHS Work Simulation Program.
Retrieved July 18, 2018, from http://www.rexpublishing.
com.ph/articles/2018/09/beyond-workimmersion-bps-shs-work-simulation-program/

[10] Vecino, C. & Doromal, A. (2020). The implementation of senior high school work
immersion
program in selected public schools in Negros Occidental. Philippine Social Science
Journal, 3(2), 37-38.
2nd Regional Multidisciplinary Research Conference
December 14-15, 2021