When the PhD changes you, WHAT remains 2

Circuitous is the only way to describe my ongoing thoughts and ideas moving into specific actions to finally define 'what remains' when the PhD changes you.

Markers of change

- the not so good part:  being able to quickly spot errors in minutes of the FEDFac Council mtgs and questioning reasons for change of grades

-the good part: I became an avid supporter of fellow faculty members intending for their course proposals to be approved for institution.  I hyperfocused on that for a few days to ensure positive results - that is, for the courses to be offered in time for the graduating students to take it within their last academic year at my open unive.  This effort is in support of the new AA program chair.

- I have become more conscious of people, their jobs and achievements of late. This meant removing biases against faculty members from other units. This is like me giving chances to others for future collaborations.

My eyes have also opened on fellow academic and professional staff whom I've taken for granted. I realized that in the process of doing webinars I've made allies out of them = the BEST part. And this time, I found a space where I can continue to teach and learn with them through FEDs Continuing Education Program (CEP) where my daydreams continue to take flight. The fun part is defining this thing called FED-CEP, which may be the space for a CeTL or MeTL to take root and take flight.

Markers of what remains

This idea of a MAEd program have been in my conversations with Sol, a FEd colleague and dear friend. We had those days in the DilFacrum@NCC where we imagine teacher education programs for my open university. We tried to suggest but failed in that area. I think because our brains weren't primed to follow given templates of action in our university. A colleague has reached exasperation point with our ideas, telling us to consider the channels or levels we have to negotiate with in order to have our ideas approved. So that remained afloat, for about years or so. Our lives went on safely, after all, we had enough teacher ed programs.

Now it's back, and with a vengeance. The ideas have solidified. Thanks to my Australian unive experience.

Markers of possible Change-a-coming

With weapons on hand (academic writing to launch the ideas), I have now crafted a Concept Paper on a prospective Master of Arts in eTeaching and eLearning. The weird part is I am going through this back to front. The idea is to play around with a bunch of non-formal short courses towards proposing a masters degree of purely coursework but with RPL schemes.

And when I PLAY, I mean these in my sandbox of sorts:

> we will set up a virtual learning community site which would contain spaces for: blogs, forum posts, OER sharing, news/articles

> do all sorts of discussions among fellow short course participants 

> do our short courses in our Moodle rooms or some Google Classroom

> open up the site to DGurong Pahinungod 1.0 ~ 4.0 to focus on the OERs

> then add SSE students for Service Learning Option OER projects

> craft course combinations leading to a CeTL - Certificate in eTeaching and eLearning

> define pathways to become RPLs schemes from this non-formal program to formal programs or the CTL leading to an MeTL

OMGahhhd, the list is going on and on.

I just pray I have my network of K-12 teacher-friends to help me.

I've started with a series of webinars, which ran quick surveys of possible short courses as part of the evaluation. Then came a list of courses and a list of possible course developers and teachers.

What am I missing here? A sure shot of course participants.

Good thing, I am now in this network of Gurong Pahinungod System-wide Group. Who would have known that we pioneer teacher volunteers will be working together?

Gotta stop here. Methinks my thoughts take me up too high.

Earth2Aleta...yoohoo...

Just 4DRecord II

Ahemmm..... ego feeding muna, lol.

Timestamp Mon, Dec 1, 2014 at 10:10 PM

Dear Juliet, Congratulations!  Further to the offer of admission that was issued to you on 27 June 2014 you have also been awarded a QUT Postgraduate Research Award and and QUT HDR Tuition Fee Sponsorship.  

N=1

Every year, there seems to be a casualty or 2 when it comes to finalizing the list of graduating students. As AA PC, I do take this 'casualty' seriously because at times, the casualty is caused by some weird 'technical' rule. It is fine if the rule makes sense, because some really do. In the context of an OU, a rule taken from a residential campus with a bureaucratic system do not always make sense.
And the sad part is when an individual (such as I) are expected to  assert it because it goes with the job, only to realize it is not right at all. And what I hate is when we simply accept the rule as it is because that's what it means to live with a system we cannot do without.

So I was there in our Unive council meeting, trying to find ways to tell myself that 'it does not really matter' or 'leave it and move on' or 'shut up, girl, do not even make a fool of yourself'' or 'tumahimik ka na, tapusin nalang ang meeting, pwede ba?'. But I could not, obviously. I spoke too soon and what I wanted to say did not come out in the manner that it should have. Or perhaps something came out and was put on record, but who keeps track of such things anyway.

I really find it difficult to put in words justification for certain decisions which to me are but right= tama lang. In other words, I do not have the technical know how nor logical reasoning to explain my stand which is basically value based and comes from a disposition which goes this way:  'What have we got to lose to make 1 learner (and his/her family proud and happy)? And more because we are duty bound to set things right for this student because we ought to.'  We owe her this for one mistake we did.

Compared to prior casualties which caused me sleepless nights, this case seemed easy to take for I wasn't the one earning the grade.  I wasn't the one who made the actual  mistake and I was not the one dealing directly with the student nor the parents.

N=1 after all.

That one person matters because the value of 1 represents a few more others who could have graduated Term 3 and joined the May graduation ceremony only if we bothered to  define Term 3 as end of schoolyear and NOT equivalent to a summer residential term, or if we moved meetings 1 week later.

No regrets in making a fool of myself--I am quite consistent to who I am since I started working. It has caused me jobs (3 in all), but it has helped me stand up for  what I value (such I owe to my mom, Julieta and the Juniora in me is kinda hard to tame). The risks I took then was all worth it.

This one year break from UPOU makes more sense, I realized.
I just am not sure whether this break is just a break or will eventually mean to 'break free.'

What has kept me all this years and what will keep me going anyways?
This job has  allowed me to learn a lot, to prove to myself that I can do things out of sheer commitment, hard work and a chance to still raise my kids educationally. In return for my ATM, is the opportunity to do public service to a range of students who are multitaskers.  These are what kept me going, then.

I need more reasons to go on if UPOU is the job I'd like to grow old with.
And if I decide to leave, I am just N=1 anyways. I do not even know what that means, after all.

Rational Thinking @Work

Ok, so I am doing my best to go for this Jan 2014 intake, despite possible risks involved. I still am using my spiritual thinking hat...at least. I continue to hold on to the following tried and tested beliefs:

- Everything in life has a purpose.
- I do not meet people by accident.
- God has a special plan and he shall grant the desires of your heart.
- It's all connected... this circle of life.
-Let go....and let God.

With the above, I also believe that every human being is gifted with a rational mind capable of deciding on matters. We must come up with our decisions based on what is observable. And so I do these:

Plan A: January 2014 Intake
Positive+
-I will start with the higher studies I set myself to do
-This is tenure=Life At UPOU forever--which is quite ok
-I will have time to learn on my own and gain more life skills

Risks involved
-it will require me to go for loans which I am not be prepared for realistically
-that my Study Grant from UP shall be disapproved for some reason
-greater pressure on my part to handle everything at the same time

Negative_-
-I wont be able to concentrate well due to other commitments I have at UPOU (current load)

Plan B: January 2015 Intake
Positive +
-It will give me time to process funds, visa, loans and save up
-This is tenure=Life@UPOU forever which is still ok
-if Miranda passes Beacon, it is still good time for me to assist in this transition
-I have time to organize my home for Mauro's needs
-Vic can have time to apply for scholarship

Risks involved--
- bigger chance that my Study Grant from UP shall be disapproved due to age limitation

Negative-
-I may give up on UPOU entirely or maybe not necessarily

From the above, I have greater risks for Plan B, but with more positive gains.
Plan A has greater pressure on my part which I may not be able to handle.

Even the most rational mind and objective forms of thinking
should allow me to discern other matters, along with this friendly advice given by my best friend:
WHERE DOES GOD WANT US TO BE? We bloom where we are planted. If this is where you should be now, that's where you should be. If He wanted you somewhere else, the opportunity would present itself CLEARLY.

In other words if Plan A is a better plan, it should produce these in the first place:
- an acceptable visa
-an ideal flight
-700k funds
-a scenario which will allow me to handle work pressure

And funny that despite my efforts to think objectively, I still cry. I am just overwhelmed and overtaken whenever I have to make big decisions and/ or arrive at certain crossroads.

The thing is, either or, I should be ready to say hello to Life at QUT or just say Goodbye to QUT and hello new life outside UPOU.

I am settled with the fact that I know I will still be happy with caring for my children, getting involved in their education in whatever form it will take, and that Vic is always around to see these through with me. I am still loved@44, soon to be 45.



 

And so This Roller Coaster moves

At noontime of December 11, I got this in my email:

 

Dear Juliet,

 

Congratulations!  Your application to study at QUT has been approved and you have been offered a place in ED11 Doctor of Education , as detailed in the attached offer letter

Day 0 Is this for real?
            Why only now when I have started to dream new dreams.....
Day 1 Wow, I can become a credible scholar after all if I just put my
            ALL into it.
Day 2 ALL= AUD$140,000,000++=5million pesos
           Anak ng P....malaking payback ito sa U.P. kong mahal!
           Why will they even think that I'm worth it!
Day 3 Shit, sarado na ang mga opisina. May pag-asa pa kaya ito?
Day 4 Whatever cadaver! Stamped and submitted...
Day 5  Naiyak at naawa saglit sa sarili. Pagkatapos nang lahat ng
             paghahabol at pangangalampag ng mga bossing, wala akong
             paunang deposito sa pag-aaral ko.
             I feel so poor and deprived....so third world
             =having limited to nil resources to achieve my dream. 

Day 6 To the  Nike ad  Just Do It= SHOW ME THE GODDAMN MONEY AND I'LL DO IT, GAHDMIT! F***inangINA I am practically zero balance this Xmas....

So may I compute--

Pera ko=   20,000
PLoan=   250,000
FLoan=     50,000
             ========
               320,000

Still short... this sum will only afford me 3 mos study...until study grant arrives. Saaaad....unless I go for January 2015 intake.

Now that's an entirely different roller coaster ride, loop the loop, included!!!
 




        

Research as a Purifying Act

I finally gave my IELTS a-GO, after 2-3 day review! So now I'm back on track to look at my  Rproposal=it's 1/2way done and meaning there's still a 1/2way 2go, hence a pause for a few musings.

While a few HDI's require either a Statement of Purpose  OR Research Proposal, others require BOTH. A friend looked at my draft SOP and advise against specific declarations but then a part me, wishes to claim failure as part of my process as an adult learner. A part of me wants to test whether in fact a HDI shall accept my for who I am--a kinda late bloomer, but for very good reasons, hence have arrived at this point when all bets, all that is left of me I shall gamble and lay out on the table for this thing called theses=research=pursuit of knowledge=and now, a single purifying act I must hurdle for that is the challenge placed before me. A big part of what I have hurdled is accepting who I am and how I think and work. And all I ask is one HDI to see this and take a chance on viewing me as a prospective lifelong learner.

I have always followed a different track when it comes to my studies...so why should my PhD be any different? It has taken me a longer amount of time to get to the questions I really wanted to ask...and for me to delineate the tasks and processes required, so that "what is unknown may be known".
My formal studies, doctoral level at that became only instrumental to establish a school program in my basic ed life and accomplish publications and university tenure in my university life. These publications are symbolic codification of what has been my length of practice---action and reflection on educational, school and classroom ideas, largely curriculum driven: roots of curr integration, teaching Fil and teaching SS in an integrated curriculum, sample SS inquiry units, dual language programs.  My conference paper presentations represented evolving multidisciplinary connections: open schooling+ K12 learning+platforms and pedagogies for online learning=basic education curriculum+education technology +ODeL  alongside my explorations with qualitative methodology. All these took place from 2004-2010= a good six years I do not regret to reach this stage when I can say, "May I have a rightful place and space for ME to be selfish and give this PhD one last try?"

With this realization, also comes a clearer view of what I would like to study:





Next comes  2 paragraphs to justify why this is worth doing. This has to be convincing to my panel or prospective adviser. 

R-work vs C-work vs A-work

This morning I followed up my clearance application at the Reg Office. Apparently, it is ready for pick up. So finally I would have in my hand an official document formalizing my exit from my doctoral studies which I no longer intend to complete. And so driving towards UP, I felt a sense of newer possibilities ahead of me. I was thinking, I could really go for any future studies I can imagine myself doing. Then of course the other more interesting but serious courses to help me become a Yoga teacher or an Art teacher. But then, itchy brain says, I still have not given up on going for a PHDDE, MADE, PGDEL(eLearning), PGDDE(Distance Ed), PGDET(EducTech) ...anything to help me set up elearning programs,  Gr 6-8 Social Studies courses and corresponding learner support systems at the basic education level. Then there is this resounding echo  to simply become a better Social Studies teacher by taking online courses in Teaching Geography. Ergo, the ADHD/ADD in me wanted to embrace new things and possibilities. It simply felt like breaking up with an old BF or breaking free from obstacles to what I want in life.

Then this news from the Records Section that my honorable dismissal can not be finalized until official admission to a new program under a diff unive has been made official. And so for one last time, I had to email STRIDE of IGNOU for any update. In between waiting time, I was trying to reflect on why this journey has taken me only up to this point. I admit, it has been a tiring 6 month-1yr roller coaster ride trying to submit to the whims of my panel at UP College of Ed, coming up with an NIOS paper so I can time my trip to go personally at IGNOU-New Delhi  and  afterwards, struggling to work on this new research proposal on learning presence ....all these amidst rethinking my future in university life and whether I can imagine myself doing this kind of work until the age of 60. It was kinda hard to imagine, really, the idea of merely settling for a job which offers me good perks to do the teaching I would like to do. Or worse, a kind of job in where one is saddled to do major R-work=rework, retool, revise, rethink this kind of administrative side of education offered at a distance...a stark contrast to what I am really good at....happily doing C-work=create, construct, collaborate, cooperate, coursework on matters related to teaching and learning with children, teachers or both, online and offline.

So now I ask, what now? OR why this, now? OR what could have I done?  But I need to bring myself to ask, what else is there for me to do? At this age, I can only afford to ask the latter because I may not have achieved this part of my academic life, but what I have now with me are some things I truly wanted, still happy about and thankful for.  The mistakes I have made along the way, I can only own as A-work=ako, akin, at-iba-iba-pa-man-din=I ALONE can choose to embrace.

Then, email arrived from IGNOU. I was advised to try again but not for this July cycle but for next January cycle, given pointers on my research proposal. I thought I could at least get a provisional admission so I can finally work with a good mentor to help me through my research proposal writing because all this time, I have been working by myself. Ergo, with this IGNOU goal in mind,  comes still the A-work which needs to be done and I=AKO lang makakafigure out nito. I need to get this off the ground, try for the last time...and if nothing materializes out a university based degree, then I know I can happily just go for the following:

-online professional teacher development courses
-go to VSO Philippines for extension work I have always wanted
-pottery and sculpture classes
-mount my next online FLIP classes
-Yoga courses so I can teach Yoga for children

Life is short, dear Aleta!

 

1.0...2.0...3.0...4.0...5.0

At the recent UPOU Unive Council, the decision was to uphold the status quo of what is written in the University policy on academic excellence awards which states that blah blah blah blah, ergo the practice of not giving an award to a student with a grade of 5.0 in any of his/her courses is in fact just a practice and not a policy. Ergo, we stick to what is written on the policy.

But, I say here, isn't it a sound practice? Isn't that the whole point to the ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE award?

I already have said enough during my battle to push for keeping the practice, especially in the context of UPOU. For one, as faculty member of UPOU,  I do not want to just stick to the status quo simply because all other autonomous units and the BOR have ruled on/agree to the matter. If  UPOU was the kind to always stick to the status quo, we would not be here in the first place.  It is not in our identity to always uphold  age-old traditions, UP system policies included, in a culturally transmissionist manner.  UPOU is an evolution of its kind, a recreation in itself. Even our website is reflective of our everchanging selves, kinda messy but so what?.  A lot of what we do may be hand me downs, but we have done a lot of things bottom up, and quite a few as afterthoughts, even photofinish at that. That is how beautifully dynamic and  equally TIRING it is to sustain who we are as an institution (nakakapagod maging maganda talaga!)

Therefore,  after a tiring week of having our Term 3 set of grads approved, I still can not let this matter go. I still want to have the chance to say my piece.

Good thing is, MY ONE and ONLY UPOU unive council, where I can stand and make a fool of myself, live and webstreamed because it is the only floor where I care to be one,  has said that we can go on with the discussion. So, I go on this way because it's a brain itch I really need to let go off so I can move on.

Just for the record, I have said this:

MAJOR BLAH BLAH BLAH, tipong ramdam na ramdam ko sa ugat ko, see minutes of 41st UPOU university council minutes.






Despite another round of UC execom meeting and this recent UC meeting,  I still can not change my mind on this matter. Part of my brain says, "C'mon Aleta, let this go..so many more battles to fight for,  so many more meetings to do, let this matter go." PTI, dami mo pang kelangan tapusin sa buhay mo! Well, I just couldn't cuz obviously, I'm here blogging my thoughts away...saying it to the wind, so the wind can blow it away forever,  just like how it happened to   Wanda the witch  on a windy Wednesday.

I can only blog because I know whatever I will say here is a very layman's point of view. It's quite a commonsensical and practical view which to my mind will not hold water nor be a compelling argument enough to turn the tide. Though I would like to give credit to a social scientist colleague of mine who reminded me about being a Social Studies teacher or any teacher for that matter. To arrive at something, one needs to define the terms. Only then can we bring in perspectives and lay out criteria so that what it is, becomes or perhaps what has already BECOME, is in fact as IS and it is just a matter of writing these down for all UP units to see and the BOR to simply respect.

I think faculty members of UPOU already  have a common view of academic excellence, or what it means to deserve such an award. So I need not get into defining academic excellence. Instead, I go on to raise this, for my second speech:

The only symbolic representation/ objective  measure of this thing called academic excellence, in UP, that is, (cuz you better check out other unives as well) is our grading system. My practical brain says I see a number line, from 1 to 5, with several points in between. Every student has the right to education:  complete a course and to earn a grade. Now whether it is 1.0, 1.5, 1.75, etc until 3.0 is both a student and teacher's responsibility. A student does his/her part to earn the grade, while  the teacher provides the structure/ terms so there will be basis for the grade. The only objective/standard measure the unive has is the grading system.    However, whether it is going to be a 4.0 or 5.0, EXT or DRP is solely the student's responsibility. 

In other words, our grading point system already shows the length of chances or palugits for a student to prove that he/she may be considered for an academic award because you have 1.0......up to 3.0.   Below 3.0 is already the space where a student shall prove himself/herself to be a 3.0 or 5.0. EXT or DRP are still actions to go for. Therefore gaining a 1.0=excellent,  is out of the picture, not unless course, EXT is completed.

In the end, academic excellence is a combination of  the grade that a student earns based on work, performance and completion of requirements and the criteria set by the faculty, the grading system asserted by the university.  Whatever happens in the classroom nor between the teacher and student is something the award (nor policy) does look into. Whether the teacher intends to be good or nice or unfair, is a matter the award (nor policy) does not look into either.  The grading system all the more does not say all these.

The grading system we have all chosen to abide with only say these:
1.0=....1.25=......1.5=....1.75=....2.0=.....2.25=....2.5=.....2.75....=....3.0=.........5.0=Failed

And therefore to me, clear as mud (sinlinis ng putek), a 5.0=Failed. The student does not make the cut nor qualify a 1.0=excellent nor a 3.0 passing.  A 5.0  is not even = to bobo, =bolero, =pabaya, =nagkasakit, =namatayan, =nanganak, =nabungian, =nangopya....=victim of poor teaching...=refuses to give in to sexual harassment

But then the standing policy is this: GWA, the sum total of its parts.  I am for keeping this. However, I am adding (not changing) a stricter measure because I want to change another criteria because we are UPOU, PERIOD:

a) GWA is a criteria we choose to keep and respect.
b)  I propose to add a second criteria: no grade lesser than 5.0, a stricter criteria because...
c) I propose to change one criteria, which is on academic loading. A student who has a load of  3-9 units is not considered as underload, but a part time load. A 12.0 is a full time load.  A part time student and fulltime student should have equal chances of being considered for academic excellence awards, whether he/she is working, non working, a student in special circumstances therefore advised to take a part time load, a student who chooses to be overload/cross register
d) a record of EXT or DRP should not bar a student from being considered for an academic excellence award
e) Final criteria, is the student has no record of MRR

Because I am proposing c) to open the gates for all types of learners, learning circumstances and multiple intelligences to be considered/screened for  academic excellence awards, the only passport I can verify will be the record of grades. Therefore no grade lower than 5.0 is the only strictest measure I can afford to have.  Items D and E are still debatable.

Now given the above, I realize, I do not need theory nor research to look and argue for what I think is a sound practice. I argue using the same set of rules in place which I want amended. In the same way, that while I look at all the rules/policies of UP residential campuses, and find these not applicable, I always find ways to go for practices which I think is in the best interest of my AA students. IF you agree that it is in fact a sound practice, then why not make a move for these to serve as guidelines which are truly reflective of our practices. Like always, let's do this bottom up! Who cares if we end up in the same island? I just want to sail out and paddle  this boat I have chosen to ride, no matter where the tide brings us anyway.

But to propose all of these in some kind of resolution formatted in a legal fashion, I really don't know. If it will be another semester's work to be argued, dis/approved, implemented in 2 years' time, then what does this say about U.P. in general...lol!







 

Panel Says.....

So there I was feeling happier that I now have a set of focused research questions based on a topic suggested by my adviser. Prior to my topic defense, I submitted a draft to my adviser. In her opinion, I should be able to connect 2 topics--eLearning Readiness + Curriculum Dev framework. But after much brainstorming she suggested to focus on the basics which is  the eLearning Readiness. (See earlier blog with excerpts from my 10-page topic proposal)


Then came panel defense of my topic. General feedback are as follows:

Panel member 1=adviser:  I am still coming from the field of ODeL. My topic is framed according to ODeL. I must remove myself from UPOU=Open Unive and go back to the field of Curriculum Studies.

aleta's brain says: ok, perhaps I need 2 paragraphs devoted to the field of Curr Studies if embedded threads re Curr Studies in the paragraphs ain't enough.

Panel member 2=chair: He is seeing 4 themes and a bit confused whether I want to develop curriculum for OpenHS or not. He suggests that I redirect my theses towards: A Framework for Curriculum Development for Open HS programs. He wants me to go back to the basics which is to start with the Curr Dev instead of settling with eLearning Readiness

aleta's brain says: hmmm isn't eLearning Readiness the more basic step to take (or part of)  before getting into the whole cycle of CurrDev. And my questions never stated my research intends to dev curr right away for OpenHS...hence precisely it is about eLearning Readiness

Panel member 3=FIC: He was listening carefully and made mention of the works of SEAMEO Innotech project on eLearning modules.

aleta's brain says: Yes, I've seen that. In fact I'm looking for the process behind the product and how they  did their situational analysis before the modules and program were developed.


Clearly the panel is telling me, my current topic proposal is not there yet.

So how do I bend my brains to fit into their mould of how I should do my theses.  

Education, the UP kind,  is kinda tiring. It's an exercise of tolerance, humility, and patience.

A part of me feels frustrated because my first topic proposal was rejected--my panel says, it was into Social Studies and that there is no such thing as progressive education in the Philippines. Another one said that teachers are not curriculum designers.

Then this second topic which is into ODeL and not from my field of doctoral studies.

Looking back, I earned a Low Pass in my comprehensive examinations.

All the above are indicative of how my brains work:  I still draw a lot from my informal learning, on the job practices and prior experiences and hardly from my formal studies.

I guess Panel Says, that ain't acceptable....unless I leave Curr Studies, move on, start from scratch and get into ODeL.

The Wonders of Chatting with iPhone Siri=the Colleague Kind

The Wonders of Chatting with iPhone Siri=the Colleague kind

I was at UPLB GK for our usual onsite visit to have students get the feel of the place, what they're getting into and why CWTS, though a non acad course, is just as serious as any academic course. I'm not going to rattle about CWTS and instead try to remember what triggered thoughts and this good e-Xchange with Roel, a colleague I shall put in the ranks of my PhD support group, where I already have Sol, Peter and Kalyan. slotted in there somewhere.  Sol=drawing board, who is there to draw and write neatly on a clean white sheet my thoughts therefore showing the direction of my ever ADHD thoughts. Peter=cheering squad. I turn to him over chat so I can be reminded that this PhD is a step at the right direction, a means to maintain a university career which allows me (and will allow me to achieve other dreams). Kalyan=painting. He reminds me of my Agra trip to the Taj Mahal and that it can happen again as long as I will it to be because such is the power of the mind.  I shall take a closer view of the Taj Mahal, this time with my daughter, like a midway reward once I get my theses outline approved. Roel=my academic sounding board, over chat and tidbits whenever I get a chance to pick his brains F2F.

So what triggered for me to finally put into asking Roel, the iPhone Siri colleague, missing pieces in this conceptualization called theses to finally wrestle with the thought that my ANTI-theses shall lose this battle. GK Site at UPLB is a community of  urban poor resettlers. The place is surrounded by trees and at the hilly side of UPLB. Its air is fresh hence it no longer reminds its resettlers that they are urbanly poor. Instead, the multicolored row of houses remind them than they can choose to be better, when given the chance to make ends meet. External assistance is well received because having a new home (initially given), taking responsibility for its maintenance and eventual land ownership will be their counterpart. In the end, they return to themselves.  The whole idea is novel and good. The community however, may still be struggling in some areas of their lives, hence there is still a sense that they are not living the lives of middle class=the new poor (lol).

The narrow paths (not exactly concrete roads) from the back entrance leading to the Sibol daycare, are proportional to the narrow spaces they have within their households. The stay at home working females were sorting/packing collected bottles for reselling. A few houses have small stores and carinderia to make ends meet. In one store, you find 3-female umpukan around a tablet playing a music video of Taylor Swift.

This could be classic image plus a hundred others, of areas where I would like my  instrument for readiness to be used. But I am confused...readiness for eLearning, online learning or ODeL?  My initial thoughts were school community readiness because one cannot take curriculum planning and implementation of distance learning in isolation. School community=local barangay/community settlement, households, the school which may run center-based/school-based ed programs and NGO's or the parish running a community/home-based programs. Should my instrument be just about assessing readiness for elearning? It needs additional components to accommodate realities of the Filipino child learner and the kind/phase of society he/she is in. The instrument should not marginalize but as I've phrased earlier, empowering....

I caught Roel as green light at my chatbox=CAN be interrupted, in the same way that I know,   Sol, Peter and Kalyan are at different times of the week.

5:14 PM me: hi roel

pwede ako mag consult

re terms of usage

sa distance learning

Roel: hi ma'am.

5:15 PM ok

sa abot ng makakaya ko po.

me: online learning vs. elearning vs open and distance elearning

5:16 PM online learning prang nasa instructional level

ang elearning parang ewan at ang isa parang mas ewan

ano ba ang mga kaibahan

5:17 PM Roel: sa nababasa ko ma'am sa literature ang "online learning" at "elearning" ay synonymous.

mas popular lang ang elearning sa mga educational consultancies kaysa sa online learning na mas neutral.

me: okie gets ko rin yun kase nag google ako

5:18 PM masmarami ako nakukuhang articles re elearning related to readiness vs online

Roel: ang open and distance learning ay mas malawak dahil puwedeng print ang delivery o broadcast.

me: parang mas gusto ko yun sa study ko itong ODeL

5:19 PM School Readiness for ODeL

kase hmmm

ayokong isiping laos ang correspondence mode

nakapaloob ba yun sa ODeL

Roel: icorrect ko sarili ko sa elearning dahil iyong nga palang isang respected na journal na nagsara na ang pangalan ay elearning papers.

5:20 PM correspondence ay nakapaloob sa ODeL

me: is a correspondence mode a necessary phase to get to the elearning mode

5:21 PM for some communities

school communities

yung shifting nila bale

5:22 PM Roel: historical ang categories of delivery.

me: can that be applicable to what some societies may possibly go thru

5:23 PM Roel: may paper na nag-aasociate ng mga delivery modes na ito sa DE stage (hindi ito ang term)

Depende sa infrastructure ng bansa.

me: oonga eh

Roel: Puwede namang mag-leapfrog kung lumakas ang infra.

Karamihan sa studies diyan sa Africa.

me: talga

Roel: Kaya may mga nagleapfrog sa mobile learning.

5:24 PM me: nag leapfrog

wow

Roel: dahil sa penetration ng mobile.

me: yun ang sabi ng favorite teacher ko noon

Roel: mahal kasi ang wired net infrastructure.

me: hehe the future of educ is in the mobile phone

mga 2005 nya ata sinabi yun

Roel: tablet na ngayon hehe

5:25 PM lumaki na ang smarphone.

me: well iniisip ko lang kase if I go for School Readiness for eLearning surely

meron mamamarginalize sa study ko

5:26 PM kaso baka kelangan ko yun to limit the scope of my study

Roel: malamang oo dahil sa client equipment magkakatalo.

me: its like saying a big portion of our schools can never be ready if it is elearning lang

Roel: kung sa labanan ng terminology baka mas mabuting sundan ang related lit mo.

5:27 PM me: ang exisitng models kase for readiness nasa

area ng elearning eh

not for ex; open and distance elearning or open schooling

Roel: pero kung may grant ang study mo de ikaw ang magpoprovide ng laptop at net connection :)

5:28 PM me: but how sustainable is that diba

Roel: siguro dahil malaki ang component ng ict readiness (nanghuhula lang)

me: oo

yan kase mga nababasa ko

school and technology readiness

Roel: oo, mga 2 years lang junk na makina.

me: so baka mag end up ang study ko with ICT enabled schools

5:29 PM lang

well unless

5:30 PM gagamit ako ng instrument based on existing models

Roel: malamang, wala akong makitang point sa pagpapadala ng research instrument sa isang barrio school na walang kuryente.

me: patatakbuhin ko sa ibat ibang set ups

lalabas may ku;lang sa existing instrument

5:31 PM and therefore when i draw out a framework for readness

it should be inclusive of all those

ginagawa kitang sounding board

haha

Roel: ok lang.

5:32 PM me: so kaya nga

kung ang readiness ko is for ODEL ibig sabihin

pwede ko dalhin sa baryo

Roel: puwede laluna kung may katulad noong radio school na combination ng two way radio at print.

me: kaso ang lawak pala

5:33 PM tipong kase anong tawag dun

dapat may consideration of

school communities in the context of a country

with a dgi dvide

5:34 PM and yung parang anong tawag dun sa societies

ibat ibang uri ng society tayo

Roel: yup, isa sa objectives ng ODEL ang pag-reach sa marginalised sector.

Nasa isang UNESCO statement yata iyon na ginawa sa France.

5:35 PM me: i am missing a term to describe _________societies

Roel: multi ethnic? multi cultural?

5:36 PM class society?

me: hmmm...teka baka laos ito

Roel: underdeveloped?

me: ex traditional, feudal capitalist

kaso ngayon parang we have allthose

5:37 PM at one given time

economic-anthro term siguro

naguguluhan ka na sa kin?

gets mo ba sinasabi ko?

5:38 PM Roel: ang unawa ko ay parang quilt ang lipunan natin, may namumuhay sa 1500, 1800, 1950 at 2012.

me: yun yun yon

5:39 PM may perspective ba na ganoon?

valid ba yun?

Roel: Dito sa amin, urbanised na pero may sitio na walng ilaw dahil sa iyong lupa ay hacienda na tinatangkang i CARP.

5:40 PM me: baka pwede i tweak means of production ergo the means through which we produce knowledge

Roel: sa development economics may mga terms sila. Di ko lang matandaan.

me: yun nga diba

a framework of whatever is always grounded on one's view of society

5:41 PM diba?

Roel: fragmented digital divide

me: school community is part of that society

5:42 PM and therefore

pagkatapos ng ganuung pagsusuri

ano ang ibig sabihin ng ODEL sa atin

at bakit di sapat ang elearning lamang

5:43 PM ang modelo ng readiness

Roel: tama, paano masusukat ang readiness kung walang kuryente?

me: oo

ang readiness ba batay sa

Roel: kung may ibang paraan ng delivery, may iba ring measure ng readiness.

me: kuryente at ICT

di pwede

oo

dapat may ganung sensitivity at inclusivity

5:44 PM otherwise

its like any other instrument bound to measure what is obvious

Roel: do kung print ang delivery, ano ang readiness variables.

me: 0 na tayo simula palang

readiness variables

5:45 PM how is that diff from from factors?

Roel: pero iyong nga ang exciting, kung may instrument na kayang mag differentiate ng target learners.

kapag category A, print ka muna.

me: yun nga

Roel: kapag category B, radio ka muna.

me: yun yon gusto ko

Roel: kapag category C, broadcast etc.

5:46 PM me: or okie lang talga kung dun ka magsisimula

Roel: magdevelop ng indices tungkol sa locality ng targtet.

me: o kung yun ang kaya mo

and that is not necessarily being less ready

Roel: o geomap ng bansa. color coded.

me: you are just ready for something else

Roel: mga area na pang print lang.

mga area na pang broadcast.

5:47 PM GIS ang kailangan.

me: pwede ba yun

?

i mean

Roel: oo, magandang tool for planning iyon.

me: can it all exist simultaneously

kaya mahalaga ang readiness din ng family as part of school community

kase andun minsan ang resources

5:48 PM esp kapag OFW

nagpapadala

ng gadget

Roel: another map.

me: sa kamag anak

Roel: o layer ng map.

me: kakatawa kanina naisip ko yun

kase nasa GK UPLB ako

site visit namin

sa cwts

Roel: kung descriptive lang. pero may prescriptive ba na itaas ang isang area to another.

5:49 PM me: medyo urban rural ang dating

i mean

rural urban poor

kakalito yun tapos

may tablet nanood kay taylor swift

Roel: haha

5:50 PM me: tekah binabalikan ko itong tanong mo

descriptive prescriptive

5:51 PM Roel: kung descriptive sasabihin ng instrument na ito ang readiness ngayon. kung prescriptive ano ang gagawin para umabot sa ibang kategoriya ng readiness (nasa labas na ito ng study pero iniisip ko lang)

5:52 PM me: yun ang gusto ko ensakly

kaso i want to veer away

from a framwork which shows parang a ladder

and at the top is elearning

parang thats the one to aim for

5:53 PM ba lagi?

how is a model different from a framework?

5:54 PM Roel: pagkakaunawa ko a model is an abstraction of a system. Is a framework a construct?

5:55 PM iyong tungkol sa elearning reminds me of the progressive era noong prewar kung saan ang development ay nakafocus sa industrialisation.

me: oo

Roel: parang nasa ganoong sitwasyon tayo sa ODL kung saan ang elearning ang direksiyon.

5:56 PM kahit yata magisip ng ibang klaseng network disruptive ang ict eh.

5:57 PM me: is disruptive tech

used na parang its progressive

5:58 PM Roel: pero sa aking, use what works. May sampalataya pa rin ako sa broadcast radio at print lalo na sa malayong lugar.

me: yun

kaninong work ang kelangan kong basahin

sa ganung pagtinging

Roel: disruptive in the sense na kung may alternative network sa isang locality kung saan natututo tao pag pumasok ang tech nagiging individualist ang tao at nawawala ang community.

me: dapat may ganun tayong appreciation kse

5:59 PM kaso sa pinoy kase

ang tech gamit collaborative kase

Roel: hindi ko masabi ngayon kung aling libro, pero malamang mga studies mula india, china, at africa.

me: lagi kulang at may need to share in order to survive

6:00 PM Roel: baka mayroon sa irrodl at eurodl journals.

me: ang dami kong kelangan basahin pero ito kase yung

area na

dapat kong palawigin kse

that instrument for readiness

has to have a base

diba

6:01 PM otherwise its just like anything out there

6:02 PM o sige

salamat

baka ma overwhelm ako

ilalagay ko ito sa blog ko

hehehe

roel=iphone siri

haha

if only siri can process the way you do

hahaha

6:03 PM funny yun

tumawa ka

Roel: http://wikieducator.org/images/3/30/PID_641.pdf

6:04 PM lol

LOL

6:05 PM me: uy salamat

baka di lang ito ang huling time

na kukulitin kita

Roel: ust yata may ganitong perspective sa DL para sa marginalised see http://www.fit-ed.org/congress2006/Distance%20Education%20for%20Marginalized%20Communities%20%28Cruz%29.pdf

6:07 PM me: zalamat. binbabasa ko kase din yung webpage ng national institute of open schooling sa india

ang india kase malinaw

kung nasaan sila

and they are not always looking towards the west

6:08 PM Roel: right. pero at the same time napakalaki ng marginalised sector nila kaya hindi matatago.

o hindi makakalimutan.

me: in other words gusto ko rin pala ng instrument na pwedeng gamiting ng mga ngo's esp community based educ programs nila

6:09 PM Roel: puwede nilang dalhin sa service area nila tapos makatulong sa needs assessment kung anong ODL bagay doon.

me: tekah di na ata yun school

kaya gusto ko school community

Roel: paaralan ng kalye.

me: baka sakalin ako ng adviser ko

hahanapan na naman nya ko

ng malinaw na

Roel: har har.

me: curriculum studies area ito

6:10 PM Roel: formal ed talaga ha.

6:11 PM me: hmmm. anyways...2 itong readings na binigay mo ano?

Roel: nagoogle ko lang.

6:12 PM me: ano ginamit mong search terms

Roel: broadcast print marginalised distance learning

6:13 PM me: okies. ito na muna. maloloka na ko

di pa nga mismong kalagitnaan ng theses eh

6:14 PM Roel: ok. tumining sana ang conceptualisation.

me: tumining...nice word. im so not that. haha

6:15 PM bye po!

Roel: bye.

V-Side Story

Just a biiiit of history for all of you who cared to read and comment at the infamous Collegian article by a person named Isa....I guess they got what they wanted, news worth talking about. But just like any news, a slice of the real story remains hidden. I am not sure whether the writer will in fact commit to doing a follow up article...so let the UP in me speak:

 

 

The trisem sched I picked up from students themselves while we were exchanging online through the UPOU Community Site.

So we ran polls via the UPOU Community Site, then I also conducted an online survey,which included other questions related to acads, student concerns and other matters.  Information about the ongoing survey was also promoted during the Year 2008 General Assembly. Other efforts were taken to build a sense of community among the AA students thereon.

 

From the survey, I heard grounded and well meaning responses from students who seem to me do not come from the usual mold. Given the profile of the UPOU AA student population, I now understood the choice to go for DE, hence can identify with the pressing concern of completing their degree within the shortest possible time as top priority. I presented the partial results of the survey to the students in one of my face to face class sessions, and also in one assembly/fellowship event. No objections were heard perhaps because face to face sessions were not the usual means to communicate.  Our conversations went on through the comm site. But as Program Chair, I am burdened to work for practical solutions to issues raised by the AA's who comprise the biggest population of students at OU, one step at a time. All I could find then was to increase semestral course offerings. I thought, the trisem proposal would perhaps come at a later time. There were channels and heirarchies to contend with which I found difficult to understand, being a newbie. To some extent, a bigger part of me was seeing the issues raised from their point of view. I did feel for them, and also became a witness to how OU admin, facs and colleagues tried very hard to work within a government system with soooo many rules. It's difficult enough to prove to fellow autonomous units that WE are UP.

 

 

From all these exchanges, we were able to participate in the Centennial Lantern Parade, and talks about Student Council followed. In fact, 3 or more meetings happened among OU students (and across 3 batches) interested in organizing themselves to form a Student Council. In one occasion, we had a Student Regent join us. Through the assistance of this active group of AA students, we were able to participate in 1 student referendum (surprised?)

 

 

Hence, during our faculty meetings to propose changes to the program in the light of system wide study of the RGEP, the AA program review and a proposal for another UPOU undergrad program, the trimestral schedule was brought up. I recalled that we were looking at the MRR stipulation and counting the number of semesters and years for a BES student to graduate--it was simply too long... and all this time, the AA's were in such a state! And so I willingly mentioned results from the survey. The trisem sched seemed to be the best option to satisfy the needs of students, the goals of the program, and the nature of online learning. The needed curricular revisions, program and policy institution took place and in time (for we only had 2 semestral University council meetings). I was so relieved and truly proud to be part of the change we all wanted. But a lot of work remains undone, a few ones still ongoing, one of which is a review of UP policies and guidelines which do not seem to work for open universities.

To make the trisem sched work,  the Dean of the Faculty of Education  was hell bent on choosing the right facs to teach, training us to package and design courses accordingly, redeveloping courses and recruiting new tutors to do the work. We were forced to look into our course offerings and come up with a long-term plan to have a fixed schedule of offerings on a cycle we can only surmise. I kept on insisting to maintain the number of course offerings I wanted for the students but then realized, I did not really have to...because it is trisem! There is sound logic after all. I felt so proud and f****** tired and tenured=no choice but to follow and work more.  I did so, partly because I find happiness in being part of the solution.

 

And so when initially faced with this article, I kinda laughed and sort of said 'isn't this kinda dumb?!',  for I knew where I stood when I supported the move for the trisem sched, and other things the UPOU admin tried to do from their end to iron out complaints from OU students. I did  lay some blame on  the writer, but then, she's  a student and still learning, diba? Who am I to deprive her of that? This is a school paper after all, what can I expect?!

 

But I looked at the conversation going and one can see that the collegian article, comments most especially, only reflect that there are so many things not known about Distance Education, the UPOU community, OU students and their major issues.  A few issues were raised during the Student Congress, good... these merely scratched the surface. Did they even bother to know that....

-when enlisting/cross registering in PE courses, the OU students are the least prioritized?

-that AA students are not allowed to shift to Diliman, despite proof of good academic standing, while anytime, a UP residential student (with lousy grades and all)  can shift to OU? and  we willingly accept students who do need a second chance at life... 

-that when OU students cross register, some college-based staff and student assistants do not know that OU exists? and sometimes give OU transferees a hard time?

-that they have tried their very best to organize a student council (3 attempts) ; and at one time, 1 OU student wanted to run for SR but was questioned by fellow UP students due to a non existent UPOU SC?

These are little injustices but carry deep meanings which hit the core of our identity as UPOU.

I guess what I'm driving at is this: in our search for truth comes the responsibility to care--so please care to know who the OU students are before even trying to conclude that the issues of the so-called marginalized students are the real issues to be dealt with. Spend some time to filter whether in fact these expressed statements are issues or mere complaints grounded on the wrong information/interpretation of guidelines or a misconception of distance education itself (plus, lack of online navigational skills or poor comprehension by a few).

Also, try to see if the message/intent is as principled as the bearers. Strong reactions against persons interviewed were not merely borne out of this article but rooted on prior online FB exchanges which reflect character and principle of personalities involved...or the lack of it. In this case, the quality of the medium overrides the message.

 

 

As a fellow UP student, I choose to remember the article's motive which is to increase awareness re student representation, and I hear it loud and clear,

in the same way that I have heard that before among UPOU students themselves.

 

But as a UP faculty, these questions remain unanswered:

If student representation is the path, in what form?

Do you think a residential type of SC will be the best path to unite the OU students?

Are they even meant to be united in the same way that residential students try to do so?

Because honestly, the OU folks who were ahead of you did their best, but could not complete the task, for the nth time due to life priorities.

Perhaps the mold of residential like SC just didn't work.

If it takes a lot of creativity, time and effort, out of the box thinking for us UPOU folks to fight our battles with the UP system, find workarounds to residential policies/guidelines which sometimes do not work for us and our students, then I'd really like to see how you, OU students can do the same for yourselves.

I only wish for concrete and sustained actions after these exchanges---for UPOU students and not for anything nor anybody else.

A gentle reminder for future UPOU student leaders and mobilizers:

Honestly, we UP grads are fine where we are. I, for one, do not need UP students to fight my battles because as a citizen of this country, I am already doing that with fellow UP GRADUATES. In case you folks, again, fail in this area of setting up your SC, or addressing the so called issues of the nation with the SR,  then it is really OK as long as in the end, you get your degree. Surely, this is not module/miscellaneous money wasted...but certainly  wasted if you get stuck with your studies or settle with plagiarizing, cheating and trolling for life. Move on, for there are bigger battles to fight and, more about being UP to do and experience after you graduate.

 

In the case of most UPOU students I have come to know and will care to know, your diploma is a symbol of what you have already been doing well for your families, communities, and workplaces--ergo our nation.

 

Mabuhay kayo!