The Department's Field Instruction Program (FIP) has undergone changes in focus and policy in response to the dynamic nature of the discipline. Through the Department's FIP, student classrooms are expanded to poor urban settlements and village barangays. Much of what fieldwork supervision is today has evolved from years of faculty experience and involvement, as well as the demands of fieldwork.
It aims to bring together reflections, lessons and challenges from the perspective of fieldwork supervisors. Its diverse academic programs, including the Department of Community Development's course offerings, emphasize service learning—where students and faculty members learn together by engaging in community service. 34; Community development deals with the growth and maintenance, conflict resolution, rehabilitation and transformation of marginalized communities through people's participation and collective action to ensure the inclusive well-being of people.'' (Luna, 2005).
There are many books and recipes on supervision; Supervision of fieldwork is not, however, about corporate or bureaucratic frameworks. The CD department's practice of fieldwork supervision approximates the emancipatory or problem-making approach, where teachers and students become co-teachers, critical thinking is developed, and decisions are based on collective wisdom and shared responsibility. The requirements and challenges of the area-specific situation provide the context for how this is operationalised.
However, actual frequency is affected by distance from the field area, available resources, field activities, and other considerations, including capabilities of students and partner agencies, and the presence of security threats, conflicts, and emergency situations.
A - Assessment
The following list is an initial attempt to synthesize important teaching-learning methods in field supervision. While it is an alphabetical list, it does not mean that the tasks must be followed in such an order. Sources of information include the following: survey data from faculty supervisors; group sharing; fieldwork assessments; student comments;
Practitioners and students are encouraged to add to and refine the list of teaching-learning methods in field work. The methods used here include the activities and teaching tools used by the supervisor and those to which the students are subjected. The college's advocacy agenda focuses on pro-poor development through participatory, gender-responsive, environmental.
Fieldwork supervision is anchored on this basic principle, both in terms of content and methods. Specific field area issues are analyzed in the context of the larger national and global development issues. Input and processing of experiences aims to develop among students critical perspectives as well as appropriate technical and people skills.
This facilitates smooth working partnership as well as serves the mutual interest of the partners and the field work team.
B - Bonding
C - Consultations
CSC (Criticism-Self-Criticism)
Conflict Management
They have a great influence on their field students mainly because of the close interaction with them during the field work. Although many of these go beyond the curriculum, supervisors find themselves as confidants and counselors who help their students in the field to manage their situation.
D - Dialogue
Documentation
E - Exchange visits
F - Field visits
G - Groupwork
H - Hands-on / Minds-on
J - Journal writing
Lifestyle adjustments
M - Mentoring
0 - Orientation
One-on-one
P - Planning / Programming
In general, weekly operational plans are based on the six-month learning objectives and long-term area plans. It is extremely difficult for the Department to undertake FIP without the able support and cooperation of its fieldwork partners of grassroots organizations, non-governmental organizations, local government units and government agencies. The help of local partners and co-promoters is therefore valuable in providing appropriate learning opportunities for the students.
Q - Quality time
R - Resource generation
Reflection sessions
Role-modeling
S - Sharing of field experiences
Site-student matching
T - Team building
Text'' supervision
Whenever there are emergencies, conflicts, or when all other means fail, the supervisor assumes leadership functions for the team. When students cannot perform well or the tasks in question need outside intervention, the supervisor must make decisions about when and how to intervene or act in certain cases.
U - Updating
The promotion of "unlimited text" has also changed interaction behavior, such as texting instead of face-to-face contact, confirming schedules and activities via text, getting ideas and consensus through texting, and much more. Students may have days off during fieldwork if the team and mentor are informed. They don't need to go back to Diliman or Manila and go to the mall to relax.
They can also relax near or within their field area like having a picnic, going to the beach, taking a nature walk, climbing a hill, attending a fiesta or party, playing sports, visiting friends or something other ''less expensive but worth it'' leisure activities. In many situations, these unplanned learnings result in improved capabilities of the students if adequately addressed and guided by field supervisors.•. Weekly meetings with faculty advisors are possible for field sites in or near Metro Manila.
But for remote areas, weekly meetings with local supervisors and with faculty supervisors during field visits are still possible. The regular location of team and supervisor consultations and effective mechanisms for dealing with urgent matters are important.
X - X-factor
Y - Youth work
Z - 'zzz'
Teacher-Activist
Field facilitators help prepare students' minds and hearts for the greater challenges of development work, not just during the fieldwork, but more importantly, when they eventually move into field development work after graduation. It is the final test in their academic life whether or not they have made the right career choice. Because the FIP is embedded in the CSWCD's commitment to the development of the poor, fieldwork helps students develop this as well.
But as teachers, these must be tempered by the students' own processing and choices. Activism cannot be regulated or required; students develop this as they learn and struggle amid community immersion. In the short time allotted for fieldwork, there is no guarantee that these principles can be fully learned by the students.
However, we insist and hope that in the students' life journey, their field experience would somehow leave an important impression on their future choices. It is a continuation of our advocacy and our commitment to the development of work in the larger society.
