Counseling Challenges in the New Normal : Inputs for Quality Guidance and Counseling Program

With no face-to-face classes until a vaccine is available, schools have to adjust and learning must continue in different modalities. In the Philippines, online learning delivery is the primary mode of learning with many private schools adapting it. Learning continuity plan was created and the Department of Education set the most essential learning competencies for school year 2020-2021. Since education is a holistic approach, the mental and emotional well-being of the students must also be given significant attention. Counseling, a strong support in the welfare of the students, is needed to address the different concerns of the students. However, guidance counselors see a lot of challenges in providing counseling to students in an online environment. They have doubts in being truly present with the students. Potential mental and emotional health issues have been identified and preparations were made that will make the guidance and counseling services more felt and reliable despite being in an online modality. This study aims to find out the challenges that the guidance counselors encountered in providing counseling service to students. It also aims to identify the issues and concerns experienced by the students in online learning and the interventions provided by the guidance counselors in handling them. It found out that mental health issues, feeling of isolation, voluminous requirements and unstable internet connection were the concerns of the students. In addressing them, they provided individual and group counseling, communicated with the parents, collaborated more closely with the class advisers, teachers, and academic heads, strengthened the homeroom and guidance period, and held mental health activities. From the experiences, their realizations and new gained insights will be used as bases in enhancing the guidance and counseling program for school year 2021-2022

New digital braincase endocasts of two species of Desmatosuchus and neurocranial diversity within Aetosauria (Archosauria: Pseudosuchia)

In the present contribution we revise, figure, and redescribe several isolated braincases of the iconic aetosaur Desmatosuchus from the Placerias Quarry locality, Chinle Formation, Arizona, USA. The detailed study of the isolated braincases from the UCMP collection allowed us to assign them at the species-level and recognize two species of Desmatosuchus for the Placerias Quarry: D. spurensis and D. smalli. The former can be distinguished from the latter by the presence of a transverse sulcus on the parietals, deep median pharyngeal recess on the basisphenoid, almost no gap between the basal tubera and the basipterygoid processes, and the exoccipitals meeting at the midline. The presence of D. smalli at the Placerias Quarry has not been previously reported. Based on the braincases UCMP 27408, 27410, 27407, three new brain endocasts were developed through CT scan images, reconstructing the most complete endocranial casts known for an aetosaur, including the encephalon, cranial nerves, inner ear, and endocranial vasculature. The cranial endocasts also exhibited some differences between both species of Desmatosuchus, with D. spurensis having a distinguishable dural expansion and markedly asymmetric anterior and posterior semicircular canals of the labyrinth. Additionally, the combination of osteological features and the endocranial casts allowed us to identify and discuss the presence of an ossified orbitosphenoid on the anteriormost region of the braincase among aetosaurs. Furthermore, we were able to reinterpret some of the observations made by previous authors on the endocast of the holotype of Desmatosuchus spurensis (UMMP VP 7476) and provide some insight into their neurosensory capabilities.Fil: Von Baczko, Belen. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Desojo, Julia Brenda. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Paleontología Vertebrados; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Gower, David J.. Natural History Museum; Reino UnidoFil: Ridgely, Ryan. Ohio University; Estados UnidosFil: Bona, Paula. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Paleontología Vertebrados; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Witmer, Lawrence. Ohio University; Estados Unido