PISAY essays research journal to COVID-19 story book
Publiscience, a science for community project, is an online publication that combines ‘public’ and ‘science’ that came out to become a comprehensive student-research journal spearheaded by the Philippine Science High School in Western Visayas Campus (PSHS-WCC) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).
This journal is committed to publish the work of scholars headed by Dr. Aris Larroder, adviser and national science teacher together with Grade 12 scholars, student-researchers, and teachers.
A total of four volumes of science research journals were already released both in print and online versions since 2018. This included research interests among scholars in science, technology, and innovation presented in various forms, research, experiment, and methodologies particularly from environmental science and health, microbiology and biochemistry, agriculture, aquaculture, computer science, climate change, and natural resources.
The creation, process, and publication of the fourth volume, however, was challenged by the pandemic but it was released successfully amid the constraints brought by community lockdowns and new normal quarantine restrictions.
During this time when information about Covid-19 is vital to everyone, including the kids, the graduating Grade 12 scholars of Pisay batch 2020 thought of creating a research book about the pandemic in their research class presented as a story book titled “Kids Against COVID-19, A Story Coloring Book” made primarily for children and parents.
Released in mid-2020, this special project book for the children contains a basic guide that carries information about the pandemic as illustrated with informational images, animated graphics, and words that are kid-friendly. This book can be accessed by everyone for free through on-line and is available in different languages.
For this year, Pisay scholars have just concluded a follow-up research compilation project called “Pamaagi: A Handbook of Scientific Practice for Young Researchers” that was recently launched.
Derived from the Publiscience four-volume publication by the PSHS-WVC scholars, this compilation covers methods from various topics in Biology, Chemistry, Physics and General Mapping.
Pamaagi is an Ilonggo word that means ‘procedure’ or ‘technique in achieving a desired result’, and was used to also honor the Ilonggo heritage.
Pisay's contribution to the research studies can only stand the test of time and beyond that will benefit future researchers in their quest to find appropriate methods on many research problems, and also to inspire other young researchers to extend their research projects for the community.
Dr. Larroder added that "it has also inspired two schools to start their own school-based journal from our own scheme, we wish to inspire other STEM students that at a young age, they too can also share the results of their research project.”
The rest of their publications are all accessible online for free through http://www.publiscience.org/.
The Philippine Science High School System, once again showed that nothing is impossible and such projects can be done despite the current challenges. To showcase the talents of the young students, Pisay is inviting all students to watch, share and like the Sci-Math Battle 2021 to be conducted on 27 November 2021, one of the many activities lined up in the virtual celebration of the 2021 National Science and Technology Week
(NSTW). The week-long celebration will run from 22-28 November with many webinars, forums, and S&T knowledge products on virtual display for people to get to know more about science, technology, and innovation even at the comfort of their homes!
Free access to the various events is through the NSTW website http://nstw.dost.gov.ph and on social media through Facebook Page http://web.facebook.com/nstwdost
Participate in the comfort of your own social media accounts by using our official hashtags: #2021NSTW #DOSTTugonSaHamon #ScienceForThePeople. (By Ryan Sebastian Soyosa, DOST-STII)
