Animo Repository - De La Salle University Research
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Integration of culture-based teaching in utilizing genetics digital tool (CBT-GenDiTool): A brain-based approach
No full textDigital learning tools are prevalent in science education, yet few are purposefully designed to integrate culture-based and brain-based strategies tailored to the contextual needs of preservice teachers in genetics instruction. This action research investigated the impact of a Culture-Based Teaching Genetics Digital Tool (CBT-GenDiTool) on student achievement, socio-emotional learning, and engagement among 68 second-year science teacher education students. Guided by the PDSA model and grounded in Vygotsky’s Social Constructivism and Hammond’s Culturally Responsive Teaching, the tool was developed through a learner-centered process that integrated culture-based pedagogy, brain-based learning principles, and interactive educational technology. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was employed. Quantitative data from pre- and post-tests, SEL and engagement surveys, and behavioral observations were complemented by qualitative insights from reflective prompts and focus group discussions. Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Tests revealed statistically significant gains in genetics achievement (Z = -7.172, p \u3c .001, r = .87) and socio-emotional learning (Z = -6.07, p \u3c .001, r = .74), though no significant relationship was found between the two constructs. Gains were observed across various demographic subgroups. Engagement surveys and BERI protocol-based classroom observations indicated high levels of behavioral and cognitive engagement during culturally relevant, technology-supported activities. Thematic analysis of reflective responses and focus group data highlighted enhanced conceptual understanding, shifts in cultural perspectives, and positive affective experiences, alongside technical challenges and adaptive strategies. These findings affirm the effectiveness of CBT-GenDiTool in enhancing cognitive, socio-emotional, and behavioral development, highlighting the value of integrating cultural, brain-based, and technological strategies in science education
Investigation of thermotropic interactions between model membranes and gasdermin A3 transmembrane peptides using differential scanning calorimetry
No full textAntimicrobial resistance (AMR) represents one of the most pressing public health challenges of the 21st century. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) offer a promising alternative to traditional antibiotics due to their broad-spectrum efficacy against a wide range of pathogens. This study investigates peptides derived from the transmembrane region of Gasdermin A3 (GSDMA3), a protein known for its role in pyroptosis. Both the wild-type (WGA3) and modified (MGA3) peptide sequences were evaluated for their interactions with multilamellar vesicles (MLVs) composed of (a) dipalmitoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DPPE), dipalmitoylphosphatidylglycerol (DPPG), and (b) dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) powders, simulating the lipid bilayers of Gram-negative bacteria (3:1 DPPE/DPPG) and mammalian membranes (pure DPPC), respectively. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was utilized to analyze the thermotropic phase behavior and membrane morphological changes of the lipid membrane mimics after peptide addition. The anionic WGA3 did not significantly alter either the bacterial or mammalian membrane models, suggesting its weak membrane-binding capacity. Similarly, the addition of MGA3 did not elicit significant changes in the mammalian and bacterial membrane models, with only minor shifts suggesting potential surface-level membrane interactions
Navigating Reintegration: A Qualitative Exploration of the Challenges and Success Factors for Women Offenders in Society
Full text linkThis study explores the different challenges and success factors women ex-offenders face during their reintegration into society after being incarcerated. With the help of 11 women on parole and probation in Baguio City from interviews, the researchers were able to examine their experiences and perspectives. Superordinate themes emerged, namely Reintegration Struggles and Societal Rejection, Resilience Through Support Systems, and Stigma and Social Exclusion. The results indicate the personal, societal, and structural barriers that women offenders face upon reintegration. Additionally, the successful reintegration of women offenders is influenced by both internal and external support systems, personal motivation, and spiritual guidance. A new insight emerged on the factors that help in the successful reintegration of women, rather than society’s perception of them, their own determination to change is their drive to avoid recidivism. Finally, there is the emphasis that stigma and social exclusion are not isolated experiences but are deeply rooted in the social structures, cultural norms, and institutional practices of society. With these results, the study recommends that even with criminal records, ex-offenders should still be offered fair opportunities in work while excusing them during their required visits. Overall, the study highlights the importance of support systems and opportunities for ex-offenders to successfully re-enter society
Are indigenous personality dimensions culture specific? Philippine inventories and the five-factor model
No full textThe authors addressed the culture specificity of indigenous personality constructs, the generalizability of the 5-factor model (FFM), and the incremental validity of indigenous measures in a collectivistic culture. Filipino college students (N 508) completed 3 indigenous inventories and the Filipino version of the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO–PI–R). On the basis of the factor and regression analyses, they concluded that (a) most Philippine dimensions are well encompassed by the FFM and thus may not be very culture specific; (b) a few indigenous constructs are less well accounted for by the FFM; these constructs are not unknown in Western cultures, but they may be particularly salient or composed somewhat differently in the Philippines; (c) the structure of the NEO–PI–R FFM replicates well in the Philippines; and (d) Philippine inventories add modest incremental validity beyond the FFM in predicting selected culture-relevant criteria
Reimagining soft power: Exploring scholar agency in UK’s Chevening and Germany’s DAAD Scholarship narratives
No full textNation branding serves as a crucial lifeline for both Germany and the United Kingdom, shaping their global influence and strategic positioning. Germany benefits from its EU ties but faces scrutiny over its historical legacy, turning to education and economic growth as stabilizing forces. Post-Brexit, the UK seeks to redefine itself through sovereignty, quality governance, and distinctive branding in education to sustain influence outside the EU. Both countries have long used flagship scholarship programs—Germany’s DAAD and the UK’s Chevening—as instruments of educational diplomacy to reinforce their nation brands and strengthen bilateral relations, especially with the Philippines.
Moving beyond Joseph Nye’s traditional, sender-centric definition of soft power, this study reimagines soft power as a negotiated, co-creative process. In this framework, scholarship recipients actively shape, reinforce, or contest the intended national image. Drawing on Walter Fisher’s narrative paradigm, the research applies narrative criticism to interviews with diplomats, program administrators, and Filipino alumni, as well as official program materials. Findings reveal that while DAAD emphasizes epistemic partnership and moral rehabilitation, Chevening highlights multicultural leadership and institutional prestige. Filipino scholars, however, reinterpret these narratives through values such as utang na loob (debt of gratitude) and deep sense of para sa kapwa (for others). In doing so, they sometimes challenge aspects of the programs that do not align with their local realities. The study concludes that soft power operates as a co-created, iterative process rather than a one-way transmission. It offers a reimagined definition of soft power and practical recommendations for scholarship design, while inviting future research to test this framework in other geopolitical and educational contexts.
keywords: education diplomacy, scholarships, nation-branding, soft power, rhetorical criticism, Chevening, DAA
From spreadsheets to resolve: Understanding data-driven decision-making among organizational leaders
No full textWhile data-driven decision-making (DDDM) is crucial in global organizational literature, its implementation in Philippine organizations faces challenges like data misinterpretation, resistance to change, and limited analytic capabilities. The study investigates if there are or are no significant relationships between data infrastructure in the organization, personal analytic capacity, and data-driven decision-making culture (DDDM-C) (organizational) with data-driven decision-making (DDDM) (personal) and its correlation with organizational productivity among organizational leaders working in Metro Manila within the ages of 23 to 55 years old. This study involved 104 organizational leaders selected through purposive, snowball, crowdsourcing, and voluntary-response sampling. Using a quantitative research design, findings among the three predictors reveal acceptable significance levels with DDDM except “data infrastructure in the organization.” Moreover, the results indicate a significant yet weak correlation between the level of DDDM and organizational productivity. With this, successful DDDM goes beyond data collection—it requires a mindset where data is a trusted guide. Philippine organizations must invest in data infrastructure, leadership training, and data literacy to foster analytical thinking and enhance productivity.
Keywords: Data-driven decision-making, Data Infrastructure, Personal Analytic Capacity, Data-driven decision-making culture, Organizational Productivity, Organizational leaders, Leadership behavior, Data-driven leadership strategie
Isolation and identification of culturable bacteria from the gut of brackish water-reared milkfish (Chanos chanos) and their surrounding environment
No full textChanos chanos (milkfish), a key Philippine aquaculture species, produced 92.91 thousand metric tons in early 2025, representing 6.2% of the nation’s fishery output and contributing significantly to the economy over the past decade. Given milkfish’s economic importance, understanding factors that influence their health and growth is crucial. One such factor is the gut microbiota, which plays a vital role in nutrient absorption, immune system regulation, and overall product quality in aquaculture species. This study identifies and characterizes culturable bacteria present in the gut of Chanos chanos and its surrounding brackish water environment. Bacterial isolates were sourced from the gut of three milkfish individuals and their corresponding surrounding water sources. Forty-two bacterial isolates were obtained: twenty-four from the gut and eighteen from water. These isolates underwent morphological, biochemical, and genetic analyses. Nineteen gut isolates were identified as Gram-positive bacilli and five as Gram-positive cocci, while water isolates were predominantly Gram-positive bacilli, with one Gram-negative species. Biochemical testing revealed all isolates were catalase-positive, with most fermenting carbohydrates without gas production and displaying distinct indole production patterns. The 16S rRNA gene sequencing and subsequent analysis identified Bacillus and Lysinibacillus species that show potential ecological and industrial applications. Notably, the detection of opportunistic pathogens such as Enterobacter cloacae and Staphylococcus epidermidis, species not commonly associated with milkfish underscores the need for more comprehensive screening of the gut microbiota of aquatic animals and their surrounding environment. Further research is recommended to explore the other capabilities of the isolates identified in this study
Cemented Republic: Infrastructure and Slow Violence in Jun Cruz Reyes’s Ang Huling Dalagang Bukid at ang Authobiography na Mali: Isang Imbestigasyon
Full text linkTo read the novel is to read history from a vantage point, and to read Jun Cruz Reyes’s metafiction novel, Ang Huling Dalagang Bukid at ang Authobiography na Mali: Isang Imbestigasyon (2011), is to read unaccounted-for experiences of violence in spaces that house the spectacle of national infrastructure. Informed by concepts from environmental humanities and urban studies, this paper explores the intersection of infrastructure and violence in Ang Huling Dalagang Bukid. It interrogates the choice experimental form of the novel, close reads descriptive passages about infrastructure, and highlights corresponding manifestations of slow violence impacting humans and nonhumans alike. The resulting analysis points to the apt choice of metafiction for stressing the built world of violence, the need to perceive infrastructure in connective than fixed terms, and the need as well to understand disaster in the Philippine context as springing more from choice than mere circumstance. Ultimately, the paper ultimately argues the necessary work of the writer to contribute to the creative and cultural infrastructure that counter optics-oriented development with grounded, multisensorial narratives of everyday life in globalizing spaces. Viewed as an utterance, Reyes’s novel is a demand for governance that gives high regard to the environment and the bodies that inhabit it
