Research

As the national university, we champion and support innovative research that addresses the country’s most pressing challenges.

19 Nov 2025

Except for changes in the settings featuring women and men, gender portrayals in TV ads in 2010 and 2020 remained largely stereotypical

This study compares Philippine television advertisements in 2010 and 2020 to examine possible differences in gender representation. We conducted a...

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17 Nov 2025

Young adults face many personal conflicts rooted in the belief that personal gain at others’ expense is morally wrong

This study examined how Filipinos in their 20s use different moral discourses to negotiate their personal conflicts. Many conflicts centered...

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14 Nov 2025

Two in five individuals do not want to live in socialized housing, saying the units are too small, poor in quality, and still unaffordable

The most common housing concerns in the Philippines are affordability and supply. In response, the government divided the housing market...

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13 Nov 2025

Evidence shows that during the Pleistocene, Luzon—long thought to lack native large mammalian carnivores—was home to a sizeable predator

Fossils are preserved remains or traces of ancient organisms, often turned to rock. Body fossils include parts like shells, teeth,...

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12 Nov 2025

Some communities in Los Baños, Laguna still face challenges in accessing safe and clean drinking water

Due to rising costs or the inaccessibility of commercial water, many rural communities rely on artesian well (“poso”) water as...

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11 Nov 2025

Walkability in urban cities should also consider the varying accessibility needs of people of all ages

Cities are meant to be places where people can easily access everything they need within a short walk or bike...

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24 Oct 2025

A new approach to volunteerism encourages schools to treat volunteer activities as long-term commitments

This research explored the motivations of students as a basis for deeper and more meaningful engagement among educational institutions in...

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23 Oct 2025

Gay and bisexual teachers in rural schools need clear policies that protect LGBT educators

This research explored the experiences of gay and bisexual teachers working in rural schools in the Philippines. It involved interviews...

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22 Oct 2025

Fishing communities in Taliptip, Bulakan face risks from natural hazards and the New Manila International Airport project

The New Manila International Airport (NMIA), currently under construction in Taliptip, Bulakan along the shores of Manila Bay, is intended...

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21 Oct 2025

Advanced optical correlation and interferometry techniques can enhance our understanding of earthquake hazards

In the Philippines, studying earthquakes usually involves using techniques like interferometry, global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), waveform modeling, and field...

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17 Oct 2025

Researchers build a portable, low-cost reflectance sensor for crop health monitoring

Precision agriculture is improving agricultural processes. Various sensors have been developed, such as spectral reflectance and transmittance sensors, multispectral canopy...

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16 Oct 2025

There is a deep connection between a person’s belief and the evidence that supports it

This paper presents a way to define and test whether someone is justified in holding a belief, using an example...

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Research

Teaching in the metaverse presents a dynamic frontier for educational innovation. Avatars, serving as digital representations of teachers, play a pivotal role in shaping virtual learning experiences. This study explores the impact of avatar design and behavioral realism on student perceptions of credibility and teaching effectiveness in avatar-mediated environments. True experimental research with a 2 × 2 factorial design was conducted involving students from three campuses. Across all experimental conditions, students consistently favored realistic avatars over cartoonish ones. A crisscross pattern emerged in relation to behavioral realism.

Cartoonish avatars exhibiting realistic behaviors received higher ratings for instructor credibility but not for teaching effectiveness, whereas realistic avatars with the same gestures received higher ratings for teaching effectiveness but not for instructor credibility. From an educational standpoint, leveraging realistic avatars with authentic behaviors holds great promise for enhancing the teaching and learning experiences in the metaverse. Understanding the impact of avatar representations on student perceptions allows educators to tailor their virtual presence to better meet the needs and preferences of their students. Overall, this study contributes to the growing body of literature on educational metaverse and avatar-mediated teaching and learning by shedding light on the importance of avatar design and behavioral realism in shaping student perceptions and experiences.

While much of the existing research focuses on how users perceive their digital representations within virtual worlds, a notable research gap emerges in understanding how they perceive other users’ avatars in these spaces. This gap is particularly evident in the metaverse context, as most studies are still currently focused on technology acceptance (Chua & Yu, 2023) and adoption (Alfaisal et al., 2024).

Moreover, educational metaverse research predominantly focuses on students as the primary users (Han et al., 2023), often overlooking the critical role of educators in these virtual settings. This is a significant oversight that neglects the influential presence of educators within these virtual environments, whose digital representations could significantly shape their virtual persona and, by extension, their ability to convey information effectively and facilitate learning.

Author: Manuel B. Garcia (College of Education, University of the Philippines Diliman)

Read the full paper: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10494820.2025.2462144