Kidapawan Post

Galing ito dito. Dahil sa balitang ito. #FacebookPost

::: Medyo mahaba itong post na ito, pero holiday naman kaya heto.

Dating pulis sina Nanay at ang ama niya, si Lolo Gustin. Naging propesor ko sa UP ang pinsan ni Lolo, at palagi niyang ikinukuwento sa akin nang may magkahalong pagmamalaki at inis, na si Lolo Gustin lang daw ang kilala niyang naging Chief of Police na hindi yumaman. Taga-Negros sina Nanay, at kapag nakilala mo siya o ang Lola ko, pati na rin ang lola ko sa tuhod, madali mong maiintindihan kung bakit tigas ng tubò ang ihahambing mo sa kanila, sa halip na tamis nito. May mga kamag-anak kaming lumipat at namuhay na sa Davao, GenSan, at South Cotabato. Last year ay swerteng nabisita ko sila at nakilala.

Pulis din si Tatay bago siya namatay. Lumaki siya sa bayan ng Tapaz, sa probinsya ng Capiz, at dahil dito kami madalas magbakasyon noon ng mga kapatid ko, at dito na rin inilibing si Tatay noong 1990, Tapaz ang kinikilala naming “probinsya.” Dito, magsasaka ang mga tiyuhin ko’t mga lolo, samantalang public school teachers ang mga tiyahin ko at mga lola. Malaking bahagi ng buhay at kabuhayan namin ang lupa. Sa kabilang banda, may mga kamag-anak din kaming lupa na rin ang naging mitsa ng pagkamatay.

Yung kaisa-isa kong kapatid na lalaki, na madalas ang pabirong tawag sa akin ay aktibista o lider ng mga makakaliwa (hindi pa naman niya ako natatawag na komunista), ay nagtapos sa PNPA at kapo-promote lang sa pagka-Senior Inspector. Sa Tacloban siya nakadestino, at noong minsang nasabi ko sa kanya na may biyahe ako papuntang Samar at Leyte, pinag-ingat niya ako dahil hitik daw sa mga NPA ang bahaging ito ng bansa. Bago matapos ang pag-uusap namin ay hiniritan niya pa ako, “Ay, hindi mo naman pala kailangang mag-ingat kasi mga katropa mo naman sila.”

Hindi ako miyembro ng NPA; kahit nga sa LFS hindi ako nakasali. At kahit ano pa ang sabihin ng mga estudyante ko, pramis, hindi ako terorista. Pero sa humigit-kumulang 20 years ko sa UP, hindi ko naman kailangang maging bahagi ng progresibong grupo para sumali at mag-organisa ng mga pagkikilos upang maipahayag ang pagtutol o pagsuporta sa mga isyu ng paaralan at lipunan. Sa maliit na pamamaraan ay naging bahagi ako sa paglaban para manatili ang UP campus sa Iloilo City, maipahayag ang mga kontra-estudyanteng policies ng isang dating Chancellor, maipanawagan ang pag-oust sa dating pangulong naakusahan ng plunder, at maiparating sa publiko ang perennial issue ng kapos na state subsidy para sa edukasyon. Naranasan ko ang maglakad sa kalye, mainitan, at taas-kamaong ipagsigawan ang mga pinaglalaban. Syempre, kasabay nito ay ang maranasan din ang pangungutya at pang-aasar ng mga estranghero’t ilang mga kaibigan. Sa loob naman ng silid-aralan, bahagi ng pagtuturo ko ng matematika ang pagpapaintindi sa mga mag-aaral na bilang Iskolar ng Bayan, ang responsibilidad nila ay hindi lang sa kanilang mga sarili, o sa kanilang mga pamilya, pero pati na rin sa kanilang komunidad, at higit na sa mga marginalized na sector ng lipunan.

Bakit nga ba humantong sa ganito kahaba ang post ko? Araw ng Kagitingan ngayon, holiday. Wala akong pasok. May panahon para mag-Facebook. Pagkatapos ay unang tumambad sa akin ang news article na may pamagat na “President Aquino breaks his silence on Kidapawan incident.” Gin-click ko ang link, binasa ang nilalaman, at bago ko pa namalayan, umiiyak na pala ako.

Kung binasa mo ang ilang talatang pagpuputak ko dito, hindi ko na kailangang ipaliwanag kung bakit malapit sa akin ang isyu ng Kidapawan. Ang simpatiya ko ay sa pamilya ng mga magsasaka, pulis, pati na rin miyembro ng mga progresibong grupo, dahil sa totoo lang, sa gitna ng lahat ng ito, ang mga nanay, tatay, kapatid, pinsan, anak, lolo at lola ng mga naging bahagi ng madugong panlalapastangan sa Kidapawan ang higit na nagdusa, nagdurusa, at magdurusa pa. Pagkatapos ay mababasa kong sinabi raw ng pangulo ng ating bansa na “Sa totoo lang po, [noong April 1, kung kailan tapos na ang lagim sa Kidapawan] doon ko lang narinig sa unang pagkakataon na mayroon palang nangharang ng highway sa Kidapawan at nagkaroon ng isang violent dispersal.”

HINDI NIYA ALAM. Sinlakas ng putok ng baril ng natarantang pulis at pagkulo ng sikmura ng gutom na magsasaka ang pag-aalingawngaw ng mga salitang binitiwan niya. WALA SIYANG ALAM. HULI NA NANG MALAMAN NIYA.

Ngayon ay Araw ng Kagitingan: araw ng pag-alala sa libong buhay na ibinuwis ng ating mga ninuno sa pag-martsa mula Bataan hanggang Pampanga. Marami sa kanila ang namatay dahil sa init, uhaw, gutom, at impeksyon mula sa kanilang mga sugat, dala ng ilang araw na paglalakad. Ang ilan ay nagdusa sa pagmamaltrato ng mga dayuhan. Ang sakit-sakit isiping makalipas ang 74 years, uhaw at gutom pa rin ang ating mga kababayan. Nagnanaknak ang sugat ng kawalang-hustisya sa ating bansa, at ang isang kagaya kong aktibistang anak ng pulis, pamangkin ng magsasaka, at pinagbibintangang NPA ay luha na lamang ang maisusukli.

HANGGANG NGAYON AY PATULOY ANG PAGDANAK NG DUGO, AT SA GITNA NG LAHAT NG ITO, ANG COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF NG HUKBONG SANDATAHAN NG ATING BANSA AY UMAKONG WALA SIYANG ALAM TUNGKOL SA ISANG NAPAKASERYOSONG ISYUNG APEKTADO ANG MARAMI SA KANYANG PINAMUMUNUAN.

DIYOS NA MAHABAGIN, KAYO PO NA MAY ALAM NG LAHAT-LAHAT, KAYO NA PO ANG BAHALA SA BANSA NAMIN.

Kasubo(ng) sa(ng) Kasisidmon

#BinalaybaySaFacebook

Poetry Reading on International Women's Day

On March 8, I had the pleasure of being the chairperson for the Poetry Reading committee for the UP Visayas Gender Development Program's series of activities in celebration of National Women's Month. Over a dozen members of the UPV community read various poetry pieces of women, and for women's rights. Here, I read Shane Carreon's A Story of The Body.

Taking the Reins for TECH-KNOW-KASYON 2016

This year, I was assigned as Chairperson for TECH-KNOW-KASYON 2016. 

TECH-KNOW-KASYON is a lecture-forum spearheaded by the Division of Professional Education - UPHSI of UP Visayas.

It will be held on Wednesday, 24 February 2016, at the Graduate and Continuing Education Building (GCEB) Training Rooms, UP Visayas, Iloilo City.

In this whole-day event a total of 12 speakers will talk on various topics on the theme "The Use of Technology in Spreading Knowledge and Improving the Quality of Education for the K to 12 Curriculum."

Expanding last year's event, there will be parallel sessions this year: (1) Science and Mathematics and (2) Communication Arts and Social Studies.

Session A1 - Training Room 1

1.  A Model of Integrating Form and Function in Teaching Grammar in the English K-12 Curriculum – Prof. Ma. Joji Tan

2.  El Fili bilang Panganinawan ng Lipunan: Paglapit at Paglapat ng Teksto batay sa Disenyong OBTL sa K+12 na Kurikulum – Prof. Joel Labos

3.  Let’s Be SMARTER Than This: Towards Value-Added Assessment for Learning and Active Democracy in Philippines K-12 Social Studies – Prof. Donne Jone Sodusta

Moderator: Ms. Aileen Chong

1.  Students’ Conceptual Difficulties in Algebra – Prof. Giabelle Saldaña

2.  Physics’ Goals and Students’ Individualized Learning Plan – Prof. Raphael Belleza

3.  The Tinubok: Using Old Technology to Contextualize Mathematics Instruction – Ms. Aprilyn Seidel

Moderator: Prof. Anelyn Yabillo 

1.  Internet Addiction: A Challenge to K to 12 Learners – Prof. Leopoldo Ayukil III

2.  Epic Measures: The Use of Local Lore to Teach and Learn Measurement in the K to 12 Curriculum – Prof. Early Sol Gadong

3.  Teachers’ Experiences and Trainings to Handle Bullying Cases in the Grades V to X of Iloilo City – Prof. Giabelle Saldaña

Moderator: Ms. Trina Duremdes

1.  Making Connections: Iloilo City as a Museum – Mr. Rene Trance

2.  Playing the Play: Teacher and Students Interact World Drama – Prof. Alfredo Diaz

3.  Asug bilang Oralidad, Birhen bilang Sulat – Prof. John Barrios, Ph. D.

Moderator: Prof. Evelyn Alobba

Prof. Celia Parcon, Chair of the Division of Professional Education, will open the event with a Keynote Address while Prof. Lourdes Zamora will share a Plenary Talk on "Teacher Education Support for K to 12 Implementation."

Literary Publications: 2014 - 2015

Si Bulan, Si Adlaw, kag Si Estrelya. Kinaray-a. Picture Book. Published by Balay Sugidanun, Inc.

Kon Indi Man Matulugan. Hiligaynon. Published in Pagbalik sang Babaylan: Antolohiya ng mga Maikling Kuwento sa Hiligaynon. Edited by John Iremil Teodoro. Published by Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino.

Nasa sa Dulo ng Dila: Stories in Three Tongues. Hiligaynon, Filipino, and English. Published by Kasingkasing Press.

Reyna sang Kusina, Abilidad ni Bulawan, and Ang Bakhawan sa Punta. Hiligaynon. Published in Peter's Prize Children's Stories and Poems in Hiligaynon. Edited by Peter Nery. Published by Peter Solis Foundation, Inc.

Ang Barker, Ang Balor sang Tsakto nga Pagpili, Dipuga nga Sugilanon, Malipayon nga Katapusan, and No Speaking in Dialect. Hiligaynon. Published in Peter's Prize Very, Very Short Stories in Hiligaynon. Edited by Peter Nery. Published by Peter Solis Foundation, Inc.

Ang Paborito nga Duag ni Denden. Hiligaynon. Published in Magsugilanonay Kita. Edited by Leoncio Deriada. Published by Hubon Manunulat.

Ang Sangka Gatos nga Bulak ni Maret. Kinaray-a. Published in Padya Dungug Kinaray-a 8: Antolohiya ka mga Sugidanun Pangbata. Edited by Emmy Masola. Published by Dungug Kinaray-a.

Sangka Milyon. Kinaray-a. Published in Padya Dungug Kinaray-a 8: Antolohiya ka mga Sugidanun Pangbata. Edited by Ritchie Pagunsan. Published by Dungug Kinaray-a.

E-Learning in My Biostatistics Class

E-Learning in My Biostatistics Class

By: Early Sol A. Gadong

When I look back to my “favorite teachers,” a common denominator that they have is that they all taught me in ways that benefitted my future undertakings, whether in my chosen career as an educator, or in life in general. I believe that if my 31 year old self came back to the short, spunky student that I was 20, 15, or 10 years ago, I’d probably tell past-me, “Pay attention. You will use this in real life.”

This is one of my motivations for incorporating e-learning in my biostatistics class last semester with my UP Visayas Public Health students. I imagined them as medical professionals, researchers, teachers, or even actors[1] a decade or so in the future and I’d like for them to think back to a time in 2014 when they took up PH 141 Lab and say, “Hey, I may not remember the statistics anymore but that was one relevant learning experience.”

Technology is an important aspect of our lives and unless we find ways to incorporate it in the educational environment aside from the usual GMG (Google Mo, Gwapo[2]!) principle, then we may just find ourselves pitifully left behind and losing an extremely beneficial opportunity for innovative pedagogy.

In a broad sense, e-learning utilizes all modes of instruction delivered by way of electronic media. This would include the Internet, audio-video tapes/CD’s/DVD’s, social networking sites, and mobile apps. These electronic devices and materials are readily available both to students and teachers and it would be almost a sin to not use them since it looks like they are meant to stay in one form or another for many years to come. Moreover, educational theorists provide sufficient support for an effective theoretical framework for e-learning[3].

To put this undertaking in context, laboratory classes in UP translate one teaching unit to three contact hours. Since the class was for two teaching units, I was required to hold six straight hours of statistics lessons for 18-20 year olds on Saturday mornings. Not only would I be ruining their Saturdays, I would have to feel the brunt of being in a class that starts at seven in the morning[4].

Thus, with their permission, we decided to meet only for three hours on Saturday and to make up for the other three hours, we would have to set up a platform where they would be required to respond to discussion prompts that are given every week[5]. They had to give three responses on three different days to each of these prompts. That is, two or more responses given on the same day would count as one response only[6]. I also made it clear that at least 70% of the content of their response should be their own words and that they had to cite their sources whenever necessary.

Personal biases aside, I found the experiment[7] to be mildly successful. All in all, we had a total of 16 discussion prompts over a four month period. I designed the online platform so that it will only be available to those who were given permissions to view them. Each of the seven official discussion weeks were actively participated in by the class, with only two to four absences some weeks. Not only were students responding to the discussion prompts I posted, they also responded to their classmates’ responses. I found this to be extremely satisfying because it was like a lively discussion with everyone’s voices being heard[8].

Normally, I would give discussion prompts that would give students a heads-up on what we would be taking up the coming Saturday. Some prompts would require them to do practice exercises on which their classmates could comment on, or pose questions on how they got them. A great number of students did well on whatever discussion or hands-on laboratory exercises that they needed to participate in during the Saturday meetings. More importantly, their final outputs of a mini-mini research were impressive.

As for students’ reactions to the online discussion, these were among the things that they said:

“In my opinion, the best thing about having an online discussion was the fact that we were still able to learn even within in the confines of our home. I would recommend online discussions for other classes as it did help a lot in my learning for this subject, so perhaps it would do the same for other subjects.” – Student A

“I actually found the online discussion to be enjoyable. But, there are times when I can't post comments because I can't access the internet at the UPV dorm.” – Student B

“…prompts require effort in three consecutive days, if you want to finish it earlier. So the essence of prompt is trimmed down a bit because you are racing with time just to finish the requirement, and you partially forget some of what you have posted.” – Student C

“I found the online prompts to be useful and much more convenient replacement… Online discussions requires a hourly/daily checking of the site. Another thing was that, internet is not an easy access here in our dorm... Nevertheless, it was fun interacting with all of our classmates which happens rarely on a classroom basis.” – Student D

It is at this point where I feel that I must state the obvious: there is no one template for effective instruction. As a first attempt, I am giving this enterprise a grade of 6 out of 10. Clearly, there are many things that have to be worked out with this system. I should mention that I felt comfortable engaging them in an online platform (something that would have required a computer, an internet connection, and, therefore, financial resources) because they were mostly Bracket A-B[9] students with smartphones that they brandished about before our classes start. Despite this consideration, most cons-reactions to the exercise was attributed to the difficulty of being connected online while they were in Miag-ao[10].

            In conclusion, there is no escaping the reality that technology is an important ingredient in the teaching-learning recipe. If UPV is hell-bent on keeping with the ASEAN University Network (AUN) Quality Standards, then investigations on similar technology-centered instruction should have started as far back as ten years ago[11]. This coming semester, I will be replicating this system, with the necessary improvements and revisions[12]. Hopefully, this will provide the necessary empirical evidence supporting the need for e-learning to be an imperative requirement in instruction.

---

[1] Clovers kids are very pleasing to the eyes!

[2] Gwapo was used in place of a more profane G-word.

[3] John Dewey’s (1916) and Lev Vygotsky’s (1978) respective work on collaborative and social constructivism propose that meaning-making in a relevant environment with a community is key to learning.

[4] I don’t even wake up at seven in the morning on a Saturday!

[5] One to three prompts per week.

[6] Naturally, these responses were to be part of their grades. Shut up, Paolo Freire.

[7] In the loosest sense of the word.

[8] I used to hate it when I mumbled a response in my seat and my teacher would not hear it, and then someone else would say it out louder and that classmate would get the grade, or worse, the teacher’s approving nod or recognition. [Remind me to deal with my unresolved studenthood issues in another article.]

[9] Bracket A - 8; Bracket B – 11; Bracket C – 1; Bracket D – 2

[10] So much for UPV’s AUN dreams.

[11] Of course, in a sense, distance learning has actually been going on in the university for decades. *wink*wink*

[12] For comments, suggestions, and a chance at collaboration, do email me at early(dot)sol(at)gmail(dot)com.

My Ideal Philippine Republic

(This was a requirement in one of my Foundations of Education classes circa 2010.)

            For me, to imagine an ideal Philippine society would be to wield a double edged sword.  It is a pleasurable activity, plying in the streets of perfection, enjoying discourses with conversationalists who make sense.  But then, once you pull yourself away from the imaginings and the fantasies, you are slumped hard back to reality, with pictures of the ideal Philippine society flushed down the drain.  

            In an ideal Philippine society, nobody is corrupt.  The leaders of our country are elected into office based on their ability to maintain our ideal society.  Government funds are properly allocated, government officials are in office because they want to work for the people and not for their bankroll.

            In an ideal Philippine society, teachers are among the highest paid professionals.  Since teachers are highly paid, they are the best of the crop, and they are happy in their profession.  They are allowed to pursue further studies free of charge and they are allowed to attend seminars and conferences that will enhance themselves without having to beg for funds.

In an ideal Philippine society, there are sufficient school buildings equipped with the latest state-of-the-art facilities. There is a 1:1 book-to-student and computer-to-student ratio.  Everybody has an easy access to schoolbuildings because roads are paved and rivers have bridges.

            In an ideal Philippine society, students study diligently.  None of them needs to go to school with an empty stomach because their parents earn a decent living and are able to provide them with meals and snacks for recess.  Students are punctual and rarely miss classes because they are not forced to be absent just so they could earn a living because they are well provided for.

            In an ideal Philippine society, every citizen of the Philippines is proud to be Filipino and is happy in doing labor for his or her country and for his or her fellow.  Thus, doctors, lawyers, nurses, architects, teachers, engineers, and other professionals do not even entertain the idea of leaving the country and working abroad.  Farmers are happy in their farms and fisherfolks are happy cultivating our bodies of water.  Individuals in the vocational and technical fields are proud of their craft.  Religious leaders concentrate on keeping the faith of their flock strong.  Families pray together and stay together.

            In an ideal Philippine society, we would have no idea what an ideal society is, because the one that we have is all that we actually want.