𝐉𝐇𝐂𝐒𝐂 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐬 𝐓𝐰𝐨-𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝐒𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫-𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩 𝐨𝐧 𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡

The School of Graduate Studies (SGS) of J.H. Cerilles State College (JHCSC) successfully conducted a two-day seminar-workshop titled “Crafting Quality Educational Research: A Seminar-Workshop on Designing and Writing Mixed Methods and Qualitative Studies” on July 4–5, 2026, at Chandler Suites, Pagadian City. The activity brought together graduate students from various academic programs to strengthen their knowledge and skills in designing and writing qualitative and mixed methods research through expert lectures and hands-on proposal workshops.

The seminar-workshop marked the School of Graduate Studies’ first-of-a-kind initiative, providing an intensive training that combined research lectures with proposal mentoring. The activity was organized by the program officers of the Master of Arts in Education programs in English, Filipino, Mathematics, Science, and Educational Administration, under the guidance of Mr. Carlo Enrique D. Rule, Mr. Christopher L. Abanales, and Mrs. Juvie B. Sebial, with the support of SGS Dean Dr. Patricia D. Bahian. The collaborative effort underscored the School’s commitment to strengthening graduate research competencies through program-led academic initiatives and a shared dedication to fostering a culture of quality research.

The program formally opened with a welcome address by Mr. Christopher L. Abanales, who underscored the value of collaboration, stating, “When people work together, meaningful things happen.” He challenged participants to make the most of the learning opportunity by actively engaging throughout the seminar. Encouraging them not to remain passive, he urged the graduate students to ask questions whenever concepts were unclear, when they were struggling with their research topics, or when they were uncertain whether their research ideas were worth pursuing, emphasizing that meaningful learning begins with curiosity and participation.

Serving as the resource speaker was Dr. Leonardo O. Munalim, a prominent Filipino applied linguist, researcher, and educator at the University of San Jose-Recoletos in Cebu City. Throughout the two-day seminar-workshop, Dr. Munalim shared practical strategies, research insights, and “macro and micro tips” on academic writing. He discussed the rudiments of research writing, the structural elements of a research paper, identifying research gaps, selecting appropriate methodologies, and designing mixed-methods studies. He also emphasized the importance of justification, novelty, and extensive reading, reminding participants that “Reading is the backbone of research” and encouraging them to write their ideas freely, noting that written ideas can always be refined.

The workshop featured practical thesis proposal presentations, with participants delivering group proposals on the first day and individual proposals on the second day. Dr. Munalim carefully evaluated each proposal, providing constructive feedback, practical recommendations, and revisions to address identified weaknesses. He commended the participants for successfully presenting their studies and expressed his appreciation for their willingness to receive feedback and continuously improve the quality of their research.

The activity concluded with representatives from each graduate program sharing their reflections and words of appreciation to Dr. Munalim for his valuable expertise, encouragement, and mentorship throughout the seminar-workshop. Their messages highlighted the significance of the learning experience and the practical knowledge they gained, which they intend to apply in producing more rigorous, relevant, and impactful educational research.

The successful conduct of the seminar-workshop reflects the School of Graduate Studies’ continuing commitment to promoting research excellence by equipping graduate students with practical knowledge, critical research skills, and meaningful mentorship. As its first-of-a-kind initiative spearheaded by the graduate program officers, the activity also demonstrated the value of collaborative leadership in advancing a stronger research culture within JHCSC.