ICT – more than a new technology…

by: Angelito G. Belmonte

What does Information and Technology (ICT) in education consists?  According to world bank, it consist of hardware, software, network media for the collection, storage, processing, transmission and presentation of information (via text and images), as well as related services.

Through the years, ICT increase in demand and become a personalized commodity. The environment which people are operating is becoming more and more based on information and communication technology. The World Wide Web (WWW) services become the playing ground for the conceptualization of the internet. This gain advantage in bringing ICT to ordinary people and in education. Because of its affordability and availability, new generations techno-economic innovations in our society was triggered (Castells, 1996). Few more years, all sectors  in our society will changed the way they operate because of ICT.

What do we actually know about this change and how is the education system part of this change? Is current educational research in educational applications of ICT able to help us to solve new problems related to education and ICT?

ICT has also been a driving force for globalization, but it has also divided the world into those who have and those who have not, information rich and information poor (Dutton et al., 1996). The “digital divide” is not only dividing people  in terms of availability of ICT but also in terms of the availability of education and wealth. As part of this development, education system all over the world are trying to cope with these changes and sometimes even trying to lead the change.

The development is clearly manifested as an explicitly developing and policy-based approached at different levels of the education system. This approach concerned primarily with issues such as equity of access (educational policy), curriculum relevance in technology (technology and technology education as subject), methodological development in technology (ICT learning)  and cultural sensitivity (cultural globalization) (Farrel, 1999). In an article written by Williams (1997), technology can be seen merely as a social product rather than a technology which is separate from society. Each step on the way to developing new technologies is connected to social, economic, and political factors.

According to Alasuutari and Ruuska (1999) these global processes can be understood only from the co-existence of the uncontrollable economic development, its cultural consequences and the policy-based  development related to these phenomena. These processes are influencing the education system at the same time, but not necessarily in the same direction. Therefore, it is important to analyze these perspectives together in order to gain more comprehensive understanding of what kind of changes ICT is bringing along to the education system globally (http: Hercules.oulu.fishbn/html)

A problem with integrating ICT into learning worldwide is that the teachers consider their skills insufficient – regardless of the actual level of training they have received in ICT and education. This may also be an implication of the individualistic approach in teacher development, which has concentrated on the skills of teachers – not on the dynamics of change in schools and education system.

The use of ICTs in the classroom or in distance education does not diminish the role of the teacher; neither does it automatically change teaching practices. Experience has shown that a variety of support and enabling mechanisms must be implemented to optimize teacher use of ICTs. While traditional teacher leadership skills and practices are still important, teachers must also have access to relevant, timely, and on-going professional development. They must have the time and resources to explore this new knowledge base and develop new skills.

Support of school administrators and, in some cases, the community, is critical if ICTs are to be used effectively. In addition, teachers must have adequate access to functioning computers (or other technologies) and sufficient technical support. Shifting pedagogies, redesigning curriculum and assessment tools, and providing more autonomy to local schools all contribute to the optimal use of ICTs in education.

References:

World Bank (2010). ICT and Education- Key Issues.

Retrieved  August 21, 2010, http://go.worldbank.org/M60HG493A0

Vega, Violeta A; Prieto, Nelia G. & Carreon Myrna L. (2006). Social dimensions of education. Manila: Lorimar Publishing.

On Learning to Do Better…

I walk down the street.
There is a hole.
I don’t see it.
I fall in.
It isn’t my fault.
It takes a very long time to get out.

I walk down the same street.
There is still a deep hole.
I pretend not to see it.
I fall in.
I pretend it’s still not my fault.
It takes a long time to get out.

I walk down the same street.
There is still the same deep hole.
I see it.
I fall in anyway.
It’s a habit.
I get out quicker this time.

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole.
I see it.
I walk around it.
I don’t fall in.

I walk down a different street.

— Portia Nelson

Basketball Beauties…

Three beauties from different schools serve as table officials during Municipal Meet 2010. From left: Ivy Kristine Garcia of Kiling Elem. School; Rhowin Magadia of Lutucan Central School; and Dianne Villocillo of Montecillo Elem. School.

DepEd reiterates guidelines on typhoon season

Source: DepEd Updates, http://www.deped.gov.ph

Education Secretary Br. Armin Luistro FSC has reiterated the typhoon advisory to be used as a guide by the public and local decision makers in the event of a typhoon which frequents the country at this time of the year.

“We have existing policies that allow DepEd officials and local government executives to suspend classes at their level. This will avoid leaving our children on the streets when heavy rains and strong winds hit certain areas,” Luistro said.

According to DepEd Order number 28 series of 2005 if signal number 1 is raised by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical & Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), classes in pre-school are automatically suspended or cancelled in the affected areas. If signal number 2 is raised, classes from preschool, elementary and high school are automatically suspended or cancelled.

In the absence of storm signals, localized suspension is allowed by the order. The decision may be made by the school principal, division superintendent or local government executive. The final decision to let the child go to school or not is also left with the parents. “Local suspension and parental decision are allowed since parents and officials on the ground have a better idea about the situation in their areas,” explained Luistro.

Meantime, school heads are being asked to prepare for the coming storms, three of which are expected to enter the country this month alone. According to DepEd School Engineering Chief, Engineer Oliver R. Hernandez DepEd has engineers and physical facilities coordinators at the regional and division levels who monitor the state of schools. Funds for the repair, rehabilitation, and replacement of typhoon damaged school buildings are immediately being requested if the need arises. Asked about schools in flood-prone areas, Hernandez said,

“We are working with the local executives in securing better locations for our schools. It is particularly difficult to move a school site in areas where the whole city or municipality is flood prone. Our personnel and those from the LGU instead look for means to ensure immediate resumption of classes in the event of class disruption.” During times of calamities not only brought by typhoons but also by other natural causes such as volcanic activities and earthquakes, public schools are used as evacuation centers. On the sanitation concern and the need for make up classes, Hernandez replied, “This is when the bayanihan spirit comes alive. Water and food is supplied by the local government and non-government organizations including water and health workers to maintain sanitation. Our school heads on the other hand find means to resume classes in their schools.”

One scheme that DepEd is implementing is that evacuees leave the classrooms during the day so classes can be conducted. They return after classes end in the afternoon. Children of evacuees who are from another school may attend classes in their host school as long as the teacher is informed. The child’s attendance is recorded in the host school and forwarded to his own school once they are allowed to return home.

“We cannot let disruption of classes last long and we must resume classes as soon as we can,” Luistro said.

How to Hide from Friends You Don’t Like..

On Friday August 13, 2010, 10:48 am EDT

With more than 500 million people now on Facebook, it’s inevitable that you’ll be friended by someone you know, but with whom you don’t want to share your online life. Once you’ve accepted them as a friend, how do you avoid them without the awkwardness of unfriending them?

Facebook has made it easy to hide other members’ status updates. Place your mouse over an update from, say, Charlie, and a light blue X appears to the upper right corner of the update. Click the X, and Facebook will present you with three buttons from which to choose: Hide Charlie, Mark as Spam and Cancel. If you click Hide Charlie, you’ll never see Charlie’s updates again. (Click Spam and the message disappears and a notice gets sent to Facebook’s servers and analyzed by spam filtering software.)

But how do you keep Charlie from reading your updates? Skirting your way around someone you’ve accepted as a Facebook friend is trickier. When you write a status update of your own, look for the lock-shaped icon below and to the right of the text input box. Click on the lock, and Facebook will pop up a menu. Click the bottom option, Customize. That will pop up a dialog box labeled Custom Privacy that lets you filter who will see your update.

There are two ways to exclude people. The quick and easy way is to type their names into the box labeled “Hide this from these people” at the bottom of the dialog box. To hide all future updates from these folks, click the checkbox at the very bottom that says “Make this my default setting.” Then click the big blue Save Setting button. From now on, evil Charlie won’t get your updates.The more sophisticated solution is to replace this blacklist with a list of people you do like. That way you can accept any number of new friends without having to accidentally share your updates with them.

To do this, click on Friends in the left margin of Facebook’s interface. You’ll see a button at the top of the Friends page labeled “+ Create a List”. Click that and use the dialog box that pops up to make a list of the friends you want to share with. Call it, say, True Friends.

Next time you post an update, follow the instructions above to bring up the Customize dialog box. But instead of typing into the “Hide this” field, click the menu at the top labeled “Make this visible to these people.” Select the option Specific People. A text input box will appear. Type the name of your new list, True Friends, into this field. Click “Make this my default setting” and then Save Setting. From now on, only your True Friends list will see your updates. Complicated and annoying, yes, but probably much less so than it was going to high school with Charlie.

Got a how-to question about Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, MySpace or another social network? Hit me up on Facebook [http://paulboutin.socialtoo.com], Twitter [http://twitter.com/paulboutin], or email [mailto:boutin@gmail.com]. All correspondence will be kept confidential.

10 Ways to Improve Oneself…

Self confidence is the difference between feeling unstoppable and feeling scared out of our wits. Our perception of ourselves has an enormous impact on how others perceive us. Perception is reality — the more self confidence we have, the more likely it is we will succeed.

Although many of the factors affecting self confidence are beyond our control, there are a number of things we can consciously do to build self confidence. Somehow these strategies help us to reach our potential.

1. Dress Sharp

Although clothes don’t make the person, they certainly affect the way he feels about himself. No one is more conscious of your physical appearance than you are. When you don’t look good, it changes the way you carry yourself and interact with other people. Use this to your advantage by taking care of your personal appearance. In most cases, significant improvements can be made by bathing and shaving frequently, wearing clean clothes, and being cognizant of the latest styles.

This doesn’t mean you need to spend a lot on clothes. One great rule to follow is “spend twice as much, buy half as much”. Rather than buying a bunch of cheap clothes, buy half as many select, high quality items. In long run this decreases spending because expensive clothes wear out less easily and stay in style longer than cheap clothes. Buying less also helps reduce the clutter in your closet.

2. Walk Faster

One of the easiest ways to tell how a person feels about herself is to examine her walk. Is it slow? tired? painful? Or is it energetic and purposeful? People with confidence walk quickly. They have places to go, people to see, and important work to do. Even if you aren’t in a hurry, you can increase your self confidence by putting some pep in your step. Walking 25% faster will make to you look and feel more important.

3. Good Posture

Similarly, the way a person carries herself tells a story. People with slumped shoulders and lethargic movements display a lack of self confidence. They aren’t enthusiastic about what they’re doing and they don’t consider themselves important. By practicing good posture, you’ll automatically feel more confident. Stand up straight, keep your head up, and make eye contact. You’ll make a positive impression on others and instantly feel more alert and empowered.

4. Personal Commercial

One of the best ways to build confidence is listening to a motivational speech. Unfortunately, opportunities to listen to a great speaker are few and far between. You can fill this need by creating a personal commercial. Write a 30-60 second speech that highlights your strengths and goals. Then recite it in front of the mirror aloud (or inside your head if you prefer) whenever you need a confidence boost.

5. Gratitude

When you focus too much on what you want, the mind creates reasons why you can’t have it. This leads you to dwell on your weaknesses. The best way to avoid this is consciously focusing on gratitude. Set aside time each day to mentally list everything you have to be grateful for. Recall your past successes, unique skills, loving relationships, and positive momentum. You’ll be amazed how much you have going for you and motivated to take that next step towards success.

6. Compliment other people

When we think negatively about ourselves, we often project that feeling on to others in the form of insults and gossip. To break this cycle of negativity, get in the habit of praising other people. Refuse to engage in backstabbing gossip and make an effort to compliment those around you. In the process, you’ll become well liked and build self confidence. By looking for the best in others, you indirectly bring out the best in yourself.

7. Sit in the front row

In schools, offices, and public assemblies around the world, people constantly strive to sit at the back of the room. Most people prefer the back because they’re afraid of being noticed. This reflects a lack of self confidence. By deciding to sit in the front row, you can get over this irrational fear and build your self confidence. You’ll also be more visible to the important people talking from the front of the room.

8. Speak up

During group discussions many people never speak up because they’re afraid that people will judge them for saying something stupid. This fear isn’t really justified. Generally, people are much more accepting than we imagine. In fact most people are dealing with the exact same fears. By making an effort to speak up at least once in every group discussion, you’ll become a better public speaker, more confident in your own thoughts, and recognized as a leader by your peers.

9. Work out

Along the same lines as personal appearance, physical fitness has a huge effect on self confidence. If you’re out of shape, you’ll feel insecure, unattractive, and less energetic. By working out, you improve your physcial appearance, energize yourself, and accomplish something positive. Having the discipline to work out not only makes you feel better, it creates positive momentum that you can build on the rest of the day.

10. Focus on contribution

Too often we get caught up in our own desires. We focus too much on ourselves and not enough on the needs of other people. If you stop thinking about yourself and concentrate on the contribution you’re making to the rest of the world, you won’t worry as much about you own flaws. This will increase self confidence and allow you to contribute with maximum efficiency. The more you contribute to the world the more you’ll be rewarded with personal success and recognition.

Hope this helps.

Source: http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/10-ways-to-instantly-build-self-confidence/

Creating a Grade Sheet with Microsoft Excel..

Creating a Grade Sheet with Microsoft Excel

Social Networking on the Internet…

Source: Educator Magazine for Teachers

Don’t be surprised if one of your students suddenly approaches you to ask for a banana tree or invites you to join his mafia. And don’t go into panic if he invites you to be one of his fraternity brothers or if labels a random photo as you posts it on the internet for the whole wide world to see. No your students aren’t go bonkers. These are just some of the things they’ve been busy doing online thanks to the rise of social networking sites.

Social networking sites are websites that allow people to create online identity profiles and form virtual connections with peers, or even strangers from all over the globe. People from the same area or with the same interests can choose to form online groups where they can talk about their similarities and interests with just a simple click of the mouse.

The walls of the classroom as a boundary to amicable interactions are now being challenged by the accessibility and popularity of these websites. For many of your young students, establishing their identity and expanding their network of friends via the internet are now part and parcel of their personal development. Hence it is not all surprising for students to build and maintain their friendship in cyberspace.

Instead of considering it as something utterly silly and superficial, you need to equip yourselves with the tools necessary for understanding – and using- this very important facet of the youth’s behavior. And simply dismissing it as folly or banning it outright doesn’t score you any points when it comes to having a good relationship with your students.

The key therefore is understanding – getting to know what the fuss is all about and figuring out why these things are such a hit.

A good teacher has the capacity to relate to his or her students, both in their school life and personal life. Social networking sites are excellent ways of connecting with your students, seeing what really interests your students and how they behave outside the classroom.

The online behavior of students can tell you so much about them. The amount of their time spent online, the way they describe themselves in their profiles, the number of their friends, the nature of the applications they play, the quality of the photos they upload, the kind of music they listen to – all of these are manifestations of identity and preference that can help teachers understand their students better.

But of course, the adage “it takes one to know one” applies here. You wouldn’t be able to understand why students are so engrossed with taking care of their online pets or why they are so hooked on adding friends online if you yourself do not understand the significance of those activities.

No doubt, teachers should look at the phenomenon of social networking sites from an insider’s perspective. This way you can really get a feel of the social atmosphere in your class very much like a sociogram would. It’s also a way of genuinely showing them that you can relate to them and you are not some old-fashioned and ancient teacher!

Think of the undertaking not as an obligation but as a hobby that you can also enjoy. Who knows, maintaining your own virtual farm or uploading your own videos might just be a good way of treating yourself to an escapade to another world or to a community of friends- sans the expensive fare!

School publication, kicking to survive…

by: a8g8b8

Being engaged in journalistic task is a great opportunity for the pupils as well as the advisers to upgrade, expand and learn many things worthy of publication. Congratulations to the lone school paper in Sariaya West district that is kicking to survive in circulation. Let’s support this kind of endeavor!

DepEd Officials Named…

Deped Officials