Review of Relevant Literature

The following related literature and studies are the pillars of our research. These pieces of information are essential to have credible supporting ideas to our research topic. The said documents were taken from different sources and references for instance materials from other colleges and universities, other printed documents, and the internet. The researchers also gathered some information about other universities’ facilities to enhance our study – “PUP-COC Physical Facilities and Laboratories—A Perceptual Study”. Familiarity with other colleges’ set of equipment will indeed be of great help to the researchers. Also, as the researchers have said in the Background of the Study, the PUP-College of Communication is considered as one of the largest communication schools in the Philippines bearing the distinction of being the first communication school in the country to have achieved Level III Accredited status as awarded by the Accrediting Agency for the Chartered Colleges and Universities in the Philippines (AACCUP) in 2008.

Because of the said accreditation, the researchers based the categories in our second objective to the standards of the AACCUP Accreditation. In the Area VIII of AACCUP which has the scope of the Physical Plant and Facilities, it is stated that the Quality and Adequacy of the physical plant and facilities of a learning institution determine to a large measure the successful implementation of its curricular programs. In a broad sense, physical plant and facilities include school site, campus, buildings and other physical infrastructures, equipment and services that complement institutional and program effectiveness.

The AACCUP also stated their standard of a School Site, Campus, Buildings, Classrooms, Offices and Function Rooms, Assembly and Athletic Facilities, Medical and Dental Clinic, Student Center, Food Services/Canteen, Accreditation Center, Housing (optional), Documents, Additional Information and Exhibits. While in the Area IX: Laboratories, it is stated that Laboratories are support systems in any academic program. Broadly defined, they cover science laboratories, speech laboratories, demonstration farms, shops, and other facilities for practicum activities essential to the successful implementation of the curricular programs of an institution inclusive of their use and functions. So from this, the researchers decided to categorize the facilities and Laboratories of the College into Academic Related, Non-academic Related, Health and Sanitation Related, and Security Related Facilities.

Foreign Studies

The Mass Communication Department of University of Sindh- Pakistan, according to their website

(http://usindh.edu.pk/academics/faculties/faculty-of-social-sciences/department-of-mass-communication/179-facilities), runs several laboratory facilities and this includes different equipment such as lights, video cameras, tripods, and microphones which are available to students enrolled in the said department. Intended for practical training, the department also provided a News laboratory, including computer lab which is open to students enrolled in the department that contains a variety of software applications like MS Office, Adobe PhotoShop, Illustrator, CorelDraw, In-Page, Photo Styler, Free Hand and Adobe premiere Pro.

Meanwhile, in the Daffodil International University, based on their website (http://diu.edu.bd/facilities/media-lab.html), they provide a Media Laboratory that has the following capabilities for the TV program producers: sound and echo proof laboratory, air-conditioned rooms, DESA & self-generated electricity, recently imported various lights of CANARA Company, experienced Lights Crew who is involved in producing TV programs for a long time. They also have Video Editing units, fully air-conditioned Ultra-Modern Matrix RT-X2 Real time Multi-format Digital Editing Work Station, customized HP Workstation, SONYLMD 1420 Professional Video Monitor for video preview, a Conference Room which is environment-friendly, air conditioned, spacious and is available for your VIP guests, Directors, Artists and others. Alongside the Studio, you will be able to enjoy a big and nice auditorium with the following facilities: (1) Modern technological facilities are available, (2) Seating capacity for audience numbering 300, and (3) Shooting facility in presence of audience. On the other hand, the MISR International University, their Mass Communication department provides quite a few educational facilities which include a Photography Laboratory, Multi-media Laboratory, Broadcast Studio, Post Production Studio, Audio Studio, Print Media and Design Laboratory, Audio Visual Hall, News Room, and a Video Room which is found on their website (http://www.miuegypt.edu).

In another university in the west side of the globe, the University of Minnesota, the School of Journalism and Mass Communication has several facilities such as the Murphy Hall that is a state-of-the-art facility for teaching and research of journalism, mass communication and new media studies. The first floor of Murphy Hall includes the central office, adjunct faculty offices, Student Services Center, Minnesota Journalism Center, a 150-seat auditorium and the Murphy Hall conference center. While the second floor has the Multimedia classrooms, faculty offices, offices for student organizations and a vending machine. The Research Division, faculty offices and graduate student offices are on the third floor. The Silha Center for the Study of Media Ethics & Law, faculty offices are on the fourth floor. Murphy Hall also includes: (4) multimedia classrooms, a 150-seat multimedia auditorium, the Digital Media Studios with capability for video editing, digital and analog audio, and labs for imaging, graphics and communication design.

A significant feature of Murphy Hall is the convergence of graphics, news writing and broadcast labs in a single space, the Digital Media Studios (DMS). The DMS features: (1) 20-workstation teaching area, (2) 16-workstation teaching areas, Internet and networking connectivity, ceiling-mounted projectors for displaying computer or video output, a cart-mounted computer workstation for instructor use, a broadcast production facility capable of functioning independently that also integrates with the university’s television and theater facilities in the Rarig Center, the Digital Information Resource Center (DIRC)/Sevareid Library which is a high-tech information center with multimedia resources needed for instruction and research. The DIRC/Sevareid Library has (8) networked and interconnected Mac workstations, capable of booting either Windows or Mac OS—each with a DVD drive and VCR with playback and recording capability, and (2) teaming rooms with digital editing capability. These are all sited in their website (http://sjmc.umn.edu).

Local Studies
In one of the state universities of the Philippines, the University of the Philippines-Diliman, the university has several facilities in different departments. In the Communication Research Laboratory, the laboratory serves as a venue for computer classes as well as a repository for communication databases. They also have Cine Adarna which has a 1,000-seat capacity film theater that regularly features popular and critically acclaimed movies. The radio studio is acoustically designed and has its own multi-recording system. The television studio comes with its own production floor space, control room, dressing room and spinner’s booth.

The TV studio has a complete set of audio-visual production equipment, including editing facilities for post-production applications. And in the department of Journalism, the Beltran Newsroom is a facility for the individual training of Journalism students in newspaper layout, design, editing, writing and processing. This electronic newsroom is equipped with high-speed computers, an LCD projector, a large format printer, and one scanner. The university also provided a Media Center which has a Film Studio. The Film and Audio-visual Communication (FAVC) Department maintains film and video equipment, including a photo laboratory with darkroom facilities. Equipment is available for Super 8mm, 16mm, VHS, Hi-8 video production, and personal computers for animation and digital post production.

Also, in one of the private universities here in the country, the San Sebastian College’s Mass Communication Laboratory contains (2) spacious rooms which are connected by a viewing section furnished with video playback system and a multi-track audio console that provide audio-visual supplements for the instructional and workshops necessities of the adjacent classroom. Equipped with a big monitor, simple camera set-up, multimedia projector and DVD and VHS players, the said classroom also serves as a venue for small and intimate seminars and TV news casting activities that are created for students enrolled in the department. They also provided other details in their website (http://sscrmnl.edu.ph/facilities/mass-communication-laboratory/) for more information. However, in the Communication Arts Department of the University of the East, according to their website (http://www.ue.edu.ph/manila), they have maintained and updated their facilities and set of equipment. For example their Speech Laboratory, they have fully air-conditioned laboratory that meets the requirements of a modern and sophisticated speech-radio-TV studio.

For broadcasting, cinema and speech students, they provide a radio station booth that operates on a community broadcast scale. Also available are an audio-video room for film editing classes, an editing room with an editing machine, a recording room, and a language laboratory with 35 recording booths, each equipped with a player recorder, a mouthpiece and a pair of headsets. Also, their Caloocan Campus has a fully equipped speech laboratory at the ground floor of the Academic Building. They also have an audiovisual center that makes available to the whole community a variety of equipment: film, slide and overhead projectors; DVD/VCD, VHS and Betamax players; tape recorders, sound systems, etc., and the contents of the media library consisting of sound and videotapes, audio and video cassettes, graphs, posters, transparencies, filmstrips, slides and others. Likewise, the Mass Communication Department of the far Eastern University has different facilities to help students in their field of work and hands-on education as stated by one of their students in a website (http://www.pinoyexchange.com/forums). They have this TV Studio which is a broadcast facility installed with integrated professional lights, audio, video and console/control and communication/talk-back systems.

The TV Studio is used by students who are enrolled in their Radio and Television Production and Radio-Television Announcing courses. Students who are enrolled in Radio and Television Principles and Practices also use the facility to familiarize themselves with the set-up of a TV studio. The TV Studio has the following facilities: (1) Production Room that is equipped with integrated professional lighting system, semi-oval type backdrop for Chroma, patch bay for video and audio connectors for microphones with latest SONY HD video cameras, fog machine, MARTIN MAC250 (intelligent light), and a moving head. (2) Control Room is equipped with state-of-the-art technology such as TV Production Broadcast PIX for video controls and mixing; theatre light TL-NOVA for lighting control and mixing; Martin Freeky DMX controller for special lighting effects; HDV RECORDER for high definition recording and LITEPUTTER DIMMER PACK for voltage regulations. (3) Post-production Room or the VTR/ Editing Room that is also equipped with desktop computers installed with Adobe Premiere CS4 editing suite which the students can use for their post-production work (audio-video editing). (4)

Pre-production Room or the war room, this is where students can brainstorm, discuss and conceptualize for their shows. (5) Props/storage Room, now this is where students can construct and assemble their sets for the production and store properties. (6) Male and Female Dressing Rooms with comfort rooms, drawers and dressers, standard mirror which serve as make-up and dress-up rooms for the talents. (7) Green Room is a venue for the talents as they wait for their turn during taped or live shows. And lastly, (8) the Lobby is also where guests and visitors can stay. Also, the FEU Mass Communication Department has a Radio Broadcast (Technical Control) Room equipped with professional radio broadcast equipment, digital playback system with edit-on-the-fly system with which the disc jockey can pre-arrange and re-arrange playlist while on air.

The facility also has Wi-Fi transmission technology for listeners’ access. The facility allows the students to enhance their skills in disc jockeying, news reporting, radio anchoring and hosting. It also allows the students to produce live and recorded radio programs. They also have this Digital Audio Recording Room a facility that is equipped with professional microphones and headphones (NEUMANN and AUDIO-TECHNICA) to ensure the quality of voice recording and dubbing. The main control is PC-based/digital software (ADOBE AUDITION) patched to a professional mixer and on-line redundant recorder (MACKIE MIXER and TASCAM MULTI CHANNEL RECORDER). The facility allows the students to record radio commercials, jingles, teasers, stingers, voice overs, public service announcements and other collaterals; and to dub radio dramas. The university also provided an Audio-video Post-Production Room. This facility is equipped with PC-based/digital software (MATROX) for rendering and mastering audio-video presentations, films, and other audio-video outputs.

Some of the Department’s set of Laboratory Equipment are: (4) Sony Casette-portable, (1) Motorola Communicator talk-back set, (4) DVD Player Pioneer Mo. 366, (2) DVD Recorder, (1) DVD Writer, (1) Pensonic DVD/MPEG4 Player, (2) Samsung DVD/VCR, (1) Document Camera TFV-400, (1) Sony Handy Cam, (1) Pioneer Amplifier, (1) Audio Mixer, (2) CTV 21, (1) Camera Recorder, (2) HP Laptops, (3) Satellite Laptops, (1) Toshiba Laptop, (1) Audio-technica Microphone, (3) Shure Microphone, (1) Multi-Tester, (1) Player, VCD, (3) OKI Printer, (3) Projector, LCD, (3) Wall Dalite Screen, (1) Sound Mixer 12 channels, (1) Sony TV Flat, (1) Sound System with (2) Speakers, (1) Tripod for Video Camera, (1) “3M”Overhead Projector, (1) Senrun Portable Sound System, (2) Light Mixer, (4) Redhead Spotlight, (1) DLP Projector TAXAN, (1) Tripod Samson with Dolly, and more.

Synthesis
The researchers gathered four (4) Foreign and also four (4) Local relevant studies. The four foreign universities chosen by the researchers are the University of Sindh, MISR International University, Daffodil International University, and the University of Minnesota. Because the researchers believe that because these universities are some of the top-ranked universities, they have if not the best, one of the best set of equipment for Communication students. On the other hand, the researchers chose the University of the Philippines-Diliman, University of Perpetual help, San Sebastian College, University of the East, and Far Eastern University for local related literatures because these are also some of the top-listed universities and colleges in the country that can compete internationally for their facilities and set of equipment in their Mass Communication Departments. The researchers also believe that these facilities and set of equipment can help in the present and future needs of the students of the college and maybe help the university see what needs to be developed and improved in the departments.

Foreign Literature
This study also tries to discuss how the Facilities and Laboratories of the college affect the students. In line with this, the researchers delved into literatures that tackle the same topic. From the 21st Century School Fund—Improving Urban Public School Facilities, a Research on the Impact of School Facilities on Students and Teachers which is a summary of studies published since 2000, the researchers found out that there has been a slow but steady increase of research on the impact of public school facilities on educational achievement and community outcomes and of the rigor of the research. This summary of studies is part of a larger literature review conducted by the 21st Century School Fund with funding from the Charitable Trust of the Council on Educational Facility Planners International.

The review is designed as an update to the 2002 review “Do School Facilities Affect Academic Outcomes?” by Mark Schneider, originally commissioned by the 21st Century School Fund’s Building Educational Success Together collaborative and then expanded by Dr. Schneider and published by the National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities. Recent research continues to point to a small but steadily positive relationship between the quality of a public school facility and a range of academic and community outcomes. This study reviews the literature on Facilities and Academic outcomes, School building Systems, and School Facility Condition and Community factors. This new review, available in October 2009 includes an extensive bibliography of research since 2002 and discusses the need for future school facility research.

On the other hand, the researchers also found a study conducted by Mark Schneider on November 2002 entitled “Do School Facilities Affect Academic Outcomes?—National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities”. This study shows that the research they presented concludes that: School facilities affect learning. Spatial configurations, noise, heat, cold, light, and air quality obviously bear on students’ and teachers’ ability to perform. Empirical studies will continue, focusing on fine-tuning the acceptable ranges of these variables for optimal academic outcomes. But we already know what is needed: clean air, good light, and a quiet, comfortable, and safe learning environment. This can be and generally has been achieved within the limits of existing knowledge, technology, and materials. It simply requires adequate funding and competent design, construction, and maintenance. Also, Building age is an amorphous concept and should not itself be used as an indicator of a facility’s impact on student performance.

Many schools built as civic monuments in the 1920s and 1930s still provide, with some modernization, excellent learning environments; many newer schools built in the cost-conscious 1960s and 1970s do not. There is also a definite consensus about the positive effects of small school size, and the effects seem to be the strongest with students from lower socioeconomic groups. This is an area, however, where policy makers need the support of studies that better establish the tradeoffs between small schools and other community needs and resources. And the class size debate is unresolved, although few would argue against smaller classes, where possible. This is an educational issue that has a serious impact on school planning and design, since smaller classes require more classrooms or more schools, a fact that may seem self-evident but often is lost in the debate. There is little standardization of facilities-related definitions.

For example, the definition of small schools varies among studies, and overall student-teacher ratios are often (and wrongly) taken as a proxy for class size. The quality of facilities-related research ranges widely. Much of it is case-based and verges on the anecdotal, and many literature reviews use simple counts of articles, or they present undocumented summaries of findings. More rigorous approaches to summarizing large bodies of literature, such as metanalytic techniques, are few, and these studies often lead to disagreements over the methods themselves. Better research offering more definitive findings is needed. Moreover, the decisions about school facilities, once translated into brick-and-mortar, affect the daily performance of the generations of teachers and students who use them. These decisions are based on tradition, available technology, experience with “what works,” and the changing needs of the times. Good facilities research allows us to productively sort through this mix and can help produce long-term, positive effects on academic outcomes.

Local Literature
Meanwhile, for the Local Literature, the researchers found a thesis from Felisa M. Dador; The Library Facilities, Resources and Services of the Gregorio Araneta University Foundation, March 1996. The Problem and Background of this study states that: the best schools have the best libraries, and the best libraries belong to the best schools. A good library speaks for its excellence in the following manner: the quality of its library services; the quality and quantity of the library education; the use of the Library by the faculty staff and students; and the support given to it by the administration in the planning, promoting and developing its library services as a whole. It is extremely difficult for the library to achieve its maximum service, however skilled the Library staff and the faculty, unless the administration understands fully how the Library is related to the role that both faculty and Librarians play in developing the academic and research programs of the institution.

The effectiveness and efficiency of a library is determined by the number of times it is put to good use. No matter how fully equipped and completely administered a library maybe, if it is not used for the very reason that it exists, it is worthless. Its collections and services must be of high quality and carefully designed to conform to the mission and objectives of the institution, the needs of the circular offerings and the wide-ranging researches or informational needs of faculty and students. In some progressive educational institutions today, the Library is regarded next to the Teachers as the most important feature of the school. The writer believes as she has always believed that no school could continue to function on a high level of standard without a functional Library. It is the center of learning in the total school picture. The library is organized as a service that enhances the teaching—learning process.

Its ultimate goal is to provide the “the right book for the right reader at the right time.” It is also organized not only with the task of meeting the enormous demands of modern education but also in the belief that it gives opportunities for self-education at all times. As the most important intellectual resource in an academic community, the library must strive to meet the varied demands of its patrons, from professors undertaking an exhaustive research to the beginners fulfilling course assignments towards the widening fields of knowledge and the aspect and the rapid advances in technology. The amount and quality of services demanded of Libraries and consequently of Librarians are no longer limited to purely directional or informational, or the mere lending out of books from the counter.

Demands have now shifted to more bibliographies and other information technology, modern audio-visual equipment, projection aid, video machines, microforms, photographic equipment and computer facilities which become an essential part of library operations. According to Barkley, knowledge is a prerequisite for the achievement of all purpose and in a dynamic world, knowing is a process of continual learning, unlearning and relearning, and not the acquisition of a static body of knowledge. With this trend in the world of learning, Libraries can expect the demands of services to grow at a much faster rate as the concept of continuing educational is grasped, and as the practice of continuing educational spreads. However, another thesis was found by the researchers entitled “An Assessment of the Quality of Facilities and Services provided by the Philippine Sports Authority, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan.” Master in Public Administration, Palawan State University, Puerto Princesa City, February 2004 by Marlon N. Sendaydiego.

The abstract of this thesis shows that this study was undertaken to determine the quality of port facilities/services provided by the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) at the Puerto Princesa Port, Puerto Princesa City as assessed by its port users and riding public. It is also looked into the quality of implementation of the PPA’s concerns/projects on port orderliness, cleanliness, security and safety. The assessment of these two clientele groups—port users and riding public—were compared and analyzed. Problems encountered and recommended solutions by the port users and riding public was also solicited, including recommended additional facilities and services for the Puerto Princesa City Port. The descriptive-survey method was utilized. Data were gathered through a researcher-made questionnaire administered to a randomly selected sample in April 2003. There were 248 port users and 373 riding public involved in the study. The statistical measure used were frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation and the z-test.

Here is also the Summary of Findings to show that among port users, the quality of port facilities is very satisfactory while that of port services is satisfactory. In contrast, the riding public assessed the quality of both port facilities and services as satisfactory. Both respondents gave satisfactory assessment ratings to the implementation of concerns/projects on port orderliness, cleanliness, security and safety. Still, significant differences were found between the two respondent groups in their assessment ratings on the quality of port facilities and services, as well as the implementation of concerns/projects on port orderliness, cleanliness, security and safety. Moreover, there were some identified problems and corresponding recommended solutions related to quality port facilities, among these were: Absence of ATM booths; Absence or insufficient waiting shed for well-wishers; insufficient terminal space; insufficient trucking space; and Lack of drinking facilities. Their suggested solutions are the provision of such facilities within the port premises.

With respect to delivery of port services, both respondents’ problems were mostly on: High rate of porterage fee; Discourtesy of porters; impolite guards; and Inadequate security services. Correspondingly, their recommended solutions are: Reduction or removal of porterage fee; Discharge or reporting of discourteous porters; Replacement of impolite guards; and Additional security guards, respectively. Among the additional facilities and services recommended by both groups are: Construction of well-wishers shed; Installation of drinking fountains in strategic places in the port area; Installation of an ATM booth; and Extension of passenger terminal building with provision of drinking fountains. Consistent with their expressed problems, their recommended additional port services are: Additional security guards are posted at the exit gate; Additional assistance to port users; free portage fee; and Jeepney/transport/shuttle services.

This study concludes that Puerto Princesa City port users and riding public generally assessed the quality of port facilities services, as well as the implementation of concerns/projects on port orderliness, cleanliness, security and safety, as satisfactory: which is still below the desired quality standard. However, they differed in their quality ratings in nine (9) out of twelve (12) port facilities and six (6) out of eight (8) port services that were commonly rated. The two group’s assessment quality ratings differed on the implementation of PPA’s concerns/projects with respect to port security and port safety, but did not differ with respect to port orderliness and port cleanliness. This study also recommended that the PPA’s Puerto Princesa City needs to take steps to improve, enhance and upgrade the quality of the implementation of its concerns/projects specifically on port orderliness, cleanliness, security and safety, as well as the quality of its port facilities and services in order to raise it from the current level of satisfactory to the desired level of at least very satisfactory.

Likewise, specific facilities/services which were found to be very satisfactory should be maintained and enhanced to continuously meet the quality standards set. It should also consider the identified problems and recommended solutions, as well as additional port facilities and services as requirements or inputs in the preparation of its operational and developmental plans. On the other hand, PPA’s higher management should fast-track the approval and release of funds on the recommended projects, such as Construction of Well-Wisher’s Building, Additional Passenger Terminal Building, and Park, etc., for immediate implementation in CY 2004. Lastly, this study should be replicated in other PPA ports to enable the port management to gather feedback from their primary clients on the quality of port facilities and services and implementation of concerns/projects in the particular areas. In doing so, the PPA will be able to fulfill its corporate responsibilities.

Synthesis
The researchers gathered two (2) Foreign and also two (2) Local relevant literatures. The two Foreign Literatures that the researchers acquired deal with the general effects and specific effects of facilities to the learning of the students in a particular college. On the other hand, the researchers chose this two other Local Literatures about certain facilities in a public university and a state university that are related in this study. The researchers believe that these studies will help them gather more ideas about the study that the researchers are dealing with. These literatures assisted the researchers to get hold of pieces of information that this study covers. These gave the researchers ideas that helped them make their instruments for the data gathering, conclusions, and other parts of this thesis.