Wednesday, May 20, 2009

This is a sample output of student participants. This conceptual mapping outlines the paring down of their topics from general to specific.

Campblog participants think of topic for their blogs

How can something seemed complicated turn out simple? CICT people has the answer.

Students from beneficiary Public High Schools (PHS) who attended the Campblog were instructed to think of a topic and pare them down to the most specific and workable for them.

Toni Torres, iSchools Project Manager, Avelino Mejia Jr. and Jose Feliciano Josef, eSkwela Project Officers, helped out in the distillation of the blog topics. Ranging from Global Warming, Genetics, Mythology to Collloids, the panel of three were able to identify topics that best suit the students and their respective schools and community.

The student created a web mapping of their chosen broad topic and create series of links and connections leading to more detailed topics where students will work around as output for the rest of the camp days.

Not to veer away from the academic and educational orientation of their intended blog contents, the panel reminded the students that it is essential that their blogs have to fit the criteria set by the CICT. That is, it has to be informative, inviting and attractive and based on facts. Torres reminded the students that blogs are powerful platform that empowers people to engage in the exchange of ideas over the world wide web.

Under the heading of Environmental Protection, the recent Oil Spills in Guimaras province got the attention of the panelists as well as the rest audience present. One of the project writer present commented that apart from the informative nature of blogs, these can be a powerful tools to lobby for change. Poised as an advocacy, blogs that has social relevance has so far captured a wider audience compared to others which dwell on a personal level rather than reaching out to far reaching and wider concerns .

For the next six days starting May 21, 2009, the students will be busy loading up contents to their blogs. As a culminating activity, all outputs will be exhibited at Saver’s Mall in Angeles for public viewing on the 28th of May.

CICT briefs students on the blogging requirement for the Camp

“Sharing something one cannot read in books.” This is what Jose Feliciano Josef, Project Officer of the eSkwela, said during a briefing for students before they were to create their own blogs.

Along with Avelino Mejia, also from the eSkwela, both emphasized that the campblog is intended to capture learning content in English, (Technology abd Livelihood Education (TLE), Science and Math which have been missed-out in normal classroom environment. Mejia continued that it is important to contextualize their blogs in a way that lessons learned and their experiences posted thereat will be something that other students can find interesting and easy to relate to.

Josef cited that one can dwell on, say, Global Warming. But it has to be localized in way that it will highlight how these students actuality experience this phenomenon in their immediate environ. They warned however that their topics should be credible, simple and those that needs to be further examined or discussed in class or outside. They also encouraged students to be creative in putting up their blogs. Like any other blogs, students can be inventive in the design of their blogs so that it does not come out attractive only in substance but also in form. That said, pictures, graphics and a good combination of colors may do the trick.

Christian Placido Calma, from the iSchools project, in an interview said that as opposed to teacher participants who are expected to come up with learning modules for their individual blogs, students will be allowed to become a little loose and informal in their blogs. The purpose he said is to let the students bring out their opinions or perceptions about their learning experiences without losing hold of what this Campblog is all about. That is merging all ideas together in the mainstream, the net, and let the public get a share of it-know about it and learn from it.

This affair is attended by teachers and students from beneficiary Public High Schools across the country and sponsored by the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT), The lead agency for the implementation of the iSchools project.

Carmencita P. Lopez asking Dr. Jose Lloyd D. Espiritu about ICT integration to those with visual and hearing impairment.

Campblog participant brings up ICT integration for the hearing-and visually impaired

Just when we think we got it all covered, a teacher participant brought up how special education can be integrated in the Information and Communications Technology curriculum of Public High Schools in the Philippines.

Carmencita P. Lorenzo of Batac National High School in Ilocos posed this question during one of the morning sessions in Pampanga Agricultural College today. Dr. Jose Lloyd D. Espiritu from Dela Salle University, resource person for the said session, replied that right now, a prototype hardware for the visually impaired called Brail Globe is available already in the United States.

Espiritu explained that the Braille globe is similar to a mouse which has a text to signal capacity with sound registry. Developed by a Korean Group of Microsoft, this technology unfortunately has not yet been made available in the Philippines. But as to those with other impairments, he said that in Dela Salle, ICT curriculum for those with Dyslexia, Autism and with hearing difficulties are already being used.

In an interview, Espiritu opined that the question is worth thinking about especially if there is really a commitment to bridge the digital gap in the archipelago.

As of yet, the iSchools and eSwela projects does not include ICT instruction training to be used for people with learning difficulty in its agenda. Maria Melissa D. Tan, Project Manager for the eSkwela, explained that although recently this has been a topic of conversation among people in the CICT, no funding is available to include this in both projects in the very near future.

Participants boarding their bus that will bring them to Pampanga Agricultural College where the 2nd day of the camp was held.

And the Campblog morning rushes in

All agog and excited, participants from the Campblog here in Mimosa Leisure Estate Clarkfield Pampanga braced for the second of this 10-day affair.

After a 30 minute ride from here to Pampanga Agricultural College (PAC), participants broke out in to two groups. The groups of teachers in a separate session room listened to three invited Resource Speakers. Prof. Katherine K. Estevez from the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) discussed the Use of Learning Objects in Integrating ICT in Education. Dr. Jose Lloyd D. Espiritu from the Dela Salle University once again presented a topic this time on Designing Instruction Online and finally Ms.Jill De Dumo, from UP Diliman, came in and discussed Learning Object Demonstration.

On a separate session area, students got their hands on for online research.

After the day all wrapped up, the participants were all ferried back in Mimosa where they were all billeted for the entire training days.

In a related note, the camp organizers chose to conduct all hands-on digital inputing by teachers and students in PAC instead, in compliant with the one to one computer participant ratio set by the Commission on Information and Communications Technology which Mimosa has far long ago expressed could not provide.

This activity has been hosted by PAC and another round of this activity is already in their drawing board to be conducted soon.

Monday, May 18, 2009

Secretary Chua reaffirms CICT commitment in bridging digital divide

This he expressed in his keynote address delivered by Commissioner Angelo Timoteo Diaz de Rivera in his behalf before the participants of the iSchools Campblog.

In keeping with President Arroyo’s national ICT agenda, Chua boasts of the 360 Public High Schools nationwide who have been provided computer laboratories. Equipped with workstations, multimedia projector and relevant trainings for their laboratory managers, these laboratories are in full circle save for a few PHS whose internet connectivity are still being worked out.

He congratulated the Human Capital Development Group (HCDG) for a job well done in bringing together in one venue the participants from different PHS across the country in one event which is the Campblog. He said that through this activity, the youth and the students in the process are given the change to participate in the educational process and contribute to the betterment of the society. In a nutshell, he puts in that this is what the iSchools project is all about, crossing boundaries, democratized participation in the learning system and breaking the digital divide in computer technology.

In an interview with Diaz, he said that since the onset of the project, President Arroyo made it clear that this is her priority project and that since then, she was in constant communication with the CICT to know how far has the project been hitting its mark.

The project has covered already implementation years 2006 and 2007. CICT has yet to complete 2008, 2009 and 2010 implementation.

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Perez: We will empower you to think out of the box

Rather figurative, Commissioner Consuelo S. Perez of the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT) hurled these words before the participants of the 1st ever Campblog here in Clarkfield, Pampanga.

Atty. Perez emphasized during this welcome address the importance of breaking away from the traditional confines of the classroom. One, she said, that ICT can provide.

She adds, “We will expose you to and teach you how to swim in the vast pool of free educational tools and resources over the internet.” She continued that CICT will be there to assist all the beneficiary public high schools to discover, explore and experiment how the iSchools project can very well change teaching and learning experience that is more responsive and effective.

The welcome address was also witnessed by CICT commissioner Tim Diaz de Rivera, Pampanga Agricultural College President Dr. Honorio M. Soriano Jr. along with his Vice Presidents and Ms. Toni Torres, Project Manager of the iSchools project.

1st iSchools Camblog officially begins

So what do Einstein, Darwin, Berners Lee and Shakespeare got to do with the Ischools Campblog? Absolutely nothing.

But the organizers decided to use them anyway, if only to kick-off this ten day activity that will run from the 18th to the 28th of May 2009 at the Mimosa Leisure Estate here in Clarkfield, Pampanga.

Participants coming from the beneficiary Public High Schools (PHS), that stormed the venue, were to identify which from the four luminaries they could relate the closest or have the slightest similarity.

Turned out, the activity was to form four groups. As their first activity, participants were then assigned to think of anything that represent themselves. Using paints of varied colors, the participants drew on their complimentary bags. Their outputs were then displayed at the plenary hall for public viewing and, was lauded by no less than the commissioners of CICT herself, Atty. Consuelo S. Perez.

This affair is designed to tie-all the loose ends after the long stretch of trainings that the PHS went through. As an output, all participant teachers and students are to apply all lessons learned and come up, at the end of the training days, digital content that they will use as part of their curricular instruction.

This first ever campblog is hosted by Pampanga Agricultural College and is projected to become an annual activity by the Commission on Information and Communications Technology, the lead agency for the iSchools project.

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Participant underscores Fee Based Scheme for iSchools project sustainability

A participant from the recently concluded Sustainability Planning Workshop held in Oxford Hotel in Clarkfield Pampanga expressed reservation on the Fee Based option for the sustainability of the ischools project.

During an open forum, Dr. Leonardo Canlas was quoted as saying, “We are in public service and we are not allowed to enter into any business.”

Engr. Teody Sayco, Project Manager from Central Luzon State University and an invited Resource person explained that the Fee Based option was not meant to gain profit. He added that instead, the scheme intends to sustain the project and provide for the maintenance of the computer laboratories through the minimal fees collected for the internet and computer use by the public.

Sayco elaborated that part of the sustainability plan of the project is the Obsolescence and Replacement Plan which assures that the beneficiary Public High Schools (PHS) have a plan on how to replace worn out parts of their computers. This is on top of their need to provide for their internet monthly fees and other overheads.

However, he emphasized that in order for the PHS to use the fee based option and other Financial Sustainability options discussed during the workshop, a second level memorandum of Agreement (MOA) has to be entered into by all stakeholders including the members of the community. The additional MOA was meant to assure that the PHS, the partner State University and Colleges (SUC), the Commission on Information Communications Technology (CICT) and the General Public are agreeable about the terms and conditions stipulated therein.

Rogel Quilala, PM from the Tarlac State University told Canlas and other participants present that apart from the Fee based option, other financial plans are also available. Quilala pointed out that the reason why the seminar workshop was being held was to give the participant PHS an idea how to maintain their computer laboratories and pick one that suits them well.

The workshop was held on April 14-16, 2009 sponsored by Tarlac State University, Tarlac College of Technology, Central Luzon State University, Pampanga Agricultural College, Bataan Plytecnic State University and Bataan State College. The affair was hosted by Pampanga Agricultural College.

Monday, September 29, 2008

TSU Ischools Team conducts its CILC trainings right on cue

Talk about striking while the iron is hot….

The Ishools Team from Tarlac State University, in consecutive months April and May this year, concluded its series of Computer and Internet Literacy Course (CILC) to all its 14 beneficiary schools just in time as all the computer units have all been deployed by the Commission on Information and Communications Technology and whilst, the teachers are all excited and agog to get their hand on the new hardwares.

Intended to train teachers on the use of the Open Source Software Edubuntu, the five day CILC seminar was designed to orient them on the basics in computer, word processing-Writer, desktop publishing, slide presentation-Impress, multimedia presentation, electronic spreadsheets-Calc and finally the use of the internet.

Spread over the provinces of Tarlac, Pampanga and Bulacan, all teacher-participants from 14 beneficiary schools were joined by their principals. After the conclusion of each course to every school, they were asked to evaluate the training in terms of training relevance, information and skills acquired, design of the activity, class interaction and the performance of the project staff, i.e. the resource person and training assistants.

Below is the matrix of all the evaluations.

Participating School Date of training General Rating
Central Azucarera de Tarlac High School March 13-17, 2008 98%
San Rafael National Trade School March 1, 2, 3, 8, 9 96%
Binagbag Nationall High School March 1, 2, 3, 8, 9 98%
Pres. Diosdado Macapagal Memorial High School March 1, 2, 3, 8, 9 98%
Angat National High School March 1, 2, 3, 8, 9 96%
Capas High School March 13-17, 2008 100%
Fortunato F. Halili National Agricultural School March 15-17, 29-30 93.16
Carlos F. Gonzales High School April 1-5, 2008 96%
Calawitan High School April 1-5, 2008 95.63
San Ildefonso High School April 1-5, 2008 92%
Balagtas Agricultural High School March 15-17, 29-30 91%
Dolores National High School March 15-17, 29-30 100%
Talang National High School March 15-17, 29-30 96%
Tarlac State University-Lab School March 13-17, 2008 100%
Benigno S. Aquino National High School March 13-17, 2008 93%



Related news

Friday, March 7, 2008

TSU Jumpstarts Ischools roll outs in Pangasinan

Tarlac State University (TSU), partner SUC for the Ischools project of the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT), kicks-off its roll out schedules with its first of a series of Computer and Internet Literacy Course (CILC 1) in Pangasinan School of Arts and Trade (PSAT) held last Feb 29, March 1, 2 ,8 and 9, 2000.

With Mr. Ronnie Mercado as the team lecturer assisted by Ms. Rina Manuel and Gerardo Salonga, all faculty and staff of TSU, they lined up intended for the five day training the key softwares of the Open Office or Edubundu such as writer, Impress, Spreadsheet and Firefox which are the counterpart versions of Word, Powerpoint, Excel and Internet respectively in the Microsoft Office. They were received and ccommodated by PSAT headed by their Principal Mr. Armando Q. Lopez and assisted by their ICT coordinator Ms. Shernalyn M. Ferrer and the member of their faculty

Exercise on each topic was also required as output so the training team could ascertain that lessons were learned and that the objective of the entire course is achieved.

This activity is part of long stretch of schedules for trainings and roll outs that the CICT has mapped in place after the conclusion of its midstream planning workshop held in Tagaytay City about a month ago.

Similar trainings have been conducted as well on the same dates headed by other TSU staff such as Heidelyn Veloso (lecturer) with Joseph Ocampo and Jeffrey Tolentino (facilitators), Theda Flare Quilala (Lecturer) with Joanne Gamalindo and Ferdinand Marcos (facilitators), Ryan Rivera (Lecturer) with Delai Ofrecio and Gemma Cunanan (facilitators), Jerome Legaspi (Lecturer) with Edgie delos Santos and Pinky Legaspi (facilitators) on other public high schools across the province of Pangasinan.

A second part of the CILC trainings are already on the calendar including Web development and training.

Sunday, February 17, 2008

CICT conducts Midstreaming and Planning Seminar for the Ischools project

Project Managers (PM) from partners State Universities and Colleges (SUC) across the nation braced up for the full implementation of the Ischools project in a Midstreaming and Planning Seminar held last Jan. 28-Feb 1, 2008 at the Development Academy of the Philippines in Tagaytay City.

With the release of hardware and computer units all set and lab rooms of all beneficiary schools inspected and are all ready, Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT), the lead agency in this huge project, announced that Feb 14, 15, 18, 22 and 23 to be the deployment dates.

The affair lined up training schedules for their PMs and writers. By April 16-18, 2008, another round of Online Writing Training will be conducted in Palawan. Project Closure Phase 2 meet was scheduled in May 6-8 in Vigan Ilocos Sur, an Advanced Online Writing training will happen on May 12-16, 2008 in Iloilo and finally, a Terminal Report Writing Workshop was scheduled on May 19-23, 2008 in Zamboanga City.

Mr. Randy Catacutan, PM from Tarlac State University, was quoted as saying” the activity also brought into forum important roll-out matters especially that the deployment of the hardware will now come in full swing.”

The Tarlac State University, Tarlac College of Technology, Bataan Polytechnic State University and Central Luzon State University issued their schedules, as cluster of CILC lecturers, for the roll out and clustered trainings as follows:

Heidilyn Veloso CICL 1- Mar 1,2,8,9,10 , San Miguel National High (CLSU)

Ronnie Mercado WEB Apr 7-11
LAB Apr 14-18 TCA
CICL 2- Mar 1,2,8,9,10, Vedasto Santiago hs (CLSU)

Erwin Sibal CICL 1- Mar 29,30,31,April 1,2 Talang National High School (TSU)
CICL 2- Apr 7-11 Remedios Natioanal High School , Lubao, PAM (BPSU)

Angelo Garcia WEB Apr 7-11
CICL 1- Mar 29,30,31,April 1,2 San Ildefonso High School (TSU)

Wilfredo Capan WEB Apr 7-11 LAB Apr 14-18
CICL 1- Mar 29,30,31,April 1,2 Carlos F. Gonzales High School (TSU)


Rogel Quilala WEB Apr 7-11 LAB Apr 14-18
CICL 1- April 1-5 RAMOS HS (TSU)

Al vincent Danganan CICL 1- Mar 29,30,31,April 1,2 Calawitan National High School (TSU)
CICL 2- Apr 7-11 Mayor Ramona S. Trillana HS , Sto. Rosario Hagonoy Bulacan (BPSU)

Glen Ico CICL 1-March 1,2,3,8,9 (BSU)
CICL 2- April 1-5 San Pedro MONCADA (TCA)

Jerome Legaspi CICL 1- Mar 1,2,8,9,10 John J Russel Memoria hs (CLSU)
CICL 2 Mar 13,14,15,16,17 Fortunato Halili A HS (TSU)

Ryan Rivera CICL 1- Mar 1,2,8,9,10 Partida hS, San Miguel (CLSU)

Gloria Prellejeria CICL 1-feb 29-mar 1,2,8,9 TCA Laboratory (TCA)

Theda Flare Quilala WEB Apr 7-11
CICL 1- Feb 29-mar 1,2,8,9 Labrador nhs (TCA)
CICL 2 April 1-5 Eduardo Cojuangco NHS – Paniqui (TCA)

Randy Catacutan WEB Apr 7-11

Attendees also agreed on the scheme on how the units will be received, who will officially sign the receipt and that a test run will be conducted to assure that the hardware are working before the actual training to teachers students and personnel commence.

Monday, January 14, 2008

Project Manager from Tarlac State University Randy Catacutan (front row standing 4th from left) poses with some of the participants of the Ischools Sustainability Planning Workshop held in CLSU in Munoz Nueva Ecija last nov. 23-25, 2007.

Beneficiary school reps attend Ischools Sustainability workshop

Representatives across sixteen beneficiary schools in Region III attend Sustainability Planning Workshop at the Central Luzon State University last October 23-25, 2007 through the auspices of the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT), the lead agency in the Ischools project.

Organized by the partner SUCs Tarlac State University (TSU), Tarlac College of Technology (TCA), and Central Luzon State University (CLSU), all 41 participants in the 3 day activity were engaged in planning for a sustainable implementation of the project.

Randy Catacutan, Project Manager from TSU was quoted as saying, “the core of the project is not only to empower the schools and their communities towards computer literacy if only to truly bridge the digital divide”, he adds, “it is also necessary that the schools become partners in charting the success of this project by way of eliciting sound alternatives and prospects from the participants of this activity that the commission may find relevant.”

The workshops include a community needs analysis module as vital component in the business plan of the beneficiary schools should the project come in full swing anytime soon. Based from this initial assessment, the participant schools were to choose whether they intend to use their computer laboratories for E-eskwela, as a Training Center for their faculty and the community or a combination of the two.

Workshop revealed however that most of the participants are inclined to put up a training center which will open the laboratory to the public so it can generate income to cover the usual overhead expenditures like power cost, maintenance and among other reasons. Only three of the schools opted to use the laboratories as a training center and use its hardware for the E-eskwela program of their school.

The list bellows shows the name of all the participants.

Ms. Virginia S. Odejar San Isidro High School
Ms. Lilia D. Navarro San Isidro High School
Ms. Marietta P. Tiglao Benigno Aquino National High School
Mr. Juanito G. Mata Benigno Aquino National High School
Ms. Carmelita T. Perez Benigno Aquino National High School
Ms. Maria Linda A. Cayabyab Central Azucarera de Tarlac High School
Ms. Teresita Catap Central Azucarera de Tarlac High School
Mr. Edwin Mendoza Central Azucarera de Tarlac High School
Mrs. Preciosa L. David Pulong Santol High School Annex 1
Ms. Zeny Cartula Pulong Santol High School Annex 1
Mr. Christopher Chantengco Pulong Santol High School Annex 1
Dr. Tandang A. Abain F.F. Halili High School
Mr. Gerry Pantaleon F.F. Halili High School
Mr. Noel Sales F.F. Halili High School
Mr. Juan C. Torres Binagbag High School
Mr. Rodrigo Delfin Sr. Binagbag High School
Mr. Roman Cruz Binagbag High School
Ms. Mina Gracia L. Acosta Angat National high School
Ms. Lea Capistrano Angat National high School
Ms. Julian S. Canonoy Balagtas National Agricultural High School
Mr. Rodrigo R. Imperio Balagtas National Agricultural High School
Mr. Ronaldo B. Reyes Jr. Balagtas National Agricultural High School
Abelardo P. Corpuz Capas High School
Bartolome P. Cayabyab Capas High School
Mariolito G. Magcalas Capas High School
Mr. Gaudencio Sagum Talang High School
Mr.Virgilio Dungca Talang High School
Florencio Sayo Calawitan High School
Virgilio F. Bernardo Calawitan High School
Araceli D. Baluyot Carlos F. Gonzales High School
Thelma S. Salamat Carlos F. Gonzales High School
Felicita L. Francisco Carlos F. Gonzales High School
Veronidia S. Marcelo Pres. Diosdado P. Macapagal Memorial HS
Leodigario Cruz Pres. Diosdado P. Macapagal Memorial HS
Cristina S. Paguia San Ildefonso High School
Luciano dela Cruz San Ildefonso High School
Virgilio P. Castro San Ildefonso High School
Reynaldo I. Veneracion San Rafael National Trade School
Myla O. Mapoy San Rafael National Trade School
Mr. Benito Tolentino Dolores National High School
Mr. Jose Randy Fuentes Dolores National High School

The activity was also attended by representatives from the Department of Education (DepeD) and the Commission on Audit (COA) who sat as panelist in the open forum.

Monday, December 3, 2007

Moving heaven and earth

Teachers from Aquino Memorial National High School i Tarlac decided to bring their class along the corridor so one classroom can be vacated to comply with the requirement of the CICT for the Ischools project.