Impractical Practicum? Analyzing the Impact of Online Work Immersion among the Bachelor of Library and Information Science (BLIS) Students amidst the Pandemic

Abstract

Objective. This study aims to document the impact of online work immersion among Bachelor of Library and Information Science (BLIS) students at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. The study highlighted the experiences of BLIS students who underwent online work immersion during the school year 2022-2023 including their challenges and difficulties in completing their work immersion hours. Methods. This research study employed a descriptive quantitative approach to document the impact of online work immersion among Bachelor of Library and Information Science (BLIS) students of Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) during the School Year 2022-2023. The researchers used purposive non-probability sampling in gathering the respondents. A total of 63 BLIS 4th-year students who were enrolled in Library Practice subjects agreed to participate in the study and were asked to rate 40 statements using a Likert Scale (1- strongly disagree and 5 - strongly agree). These statements were used to describe their overall experiences as well as the challenges they encountered with the online work immersion. The statements highlighted their difficulties, their coping mechanisms, as well as their readiness to perform professional library work. The researchers employed statistical methods such as frequency distribution, percentage, and weighted means to interpret and analyze the data gathered and provide more compelling results for the study. Results. The study revealed that most of the students experienced some challenges in terms of distance learning and connectivity issues. In addition, the said challenges were overcome through various coping mechanism strategies such as establishing rapport with workmates as well as learning and researching the given tasks in advance. Conclusion. The study also revealed a high preference for onsite practice training among students in terms of acquiring more knowledge and skills in the actual workforce.