ICT Literacy Training for Teachers

My group is currently in Valencia High School, Poblacion Oriental, Valencia Bohol to Conduct ICT Literacy for Teachers for the iSchools Project! way to go iSchools....
RP: Magdalene Unajan
LA: Jonah Flor Oraño
LA: Jocelyn Paring

Another group from is in Calituban National High School, Calituban, Talibon Bohol.
RP: Michael Anthony Jay Regis
LA: Jude Rola
LA: Charlie Mark Cutamora

Another group will be in Colawin National High School, Colawin Proper, Argao, Cebu.
RP: Winston Tabada
LA: Dionesio Estupa
LA: Mary Jane Jabines

We are the iSchools Team of Visayas State University, Visca, Baybay, Leyte.

Perfect Combination

If you want to get rich, don’t become a teacher.

This is a sad joke shared around among public high school teachers. Yes it is sad, but its true, at least how most of the teachers see it to be. So you get to wonder why a successful, business-oriented individual quit venturing the rich world of commerce and enter the poverty-stricken world of education.

She is born from a well-off and business – minded family. She studied college in an exclusive girls only college in Cebu City. Her parents wanted for her to take up business course to continue their family business, jewelry trading and some general merchandising store, when the time is right, but her love is in the field of medicine. Her parents stopped supporting her education because she disobeyed them. Being a daughter of a businessman that she is, she continued her college education by selling stuff: from affordable food items to expensive jewelries.

To make the story short, she fell in love, have kids, got married and thus stopped schooling but still continued into jewelry retailing and became successful at it. It just so happen that there are just things that goes perfectly if they get paired with each other. Take for instance, coffee. Coffee is best paired with creamer and not milk. Bread is for butter and that is also why there is Jack and Jill and not Jack and Jane.

The same goes for a person. There are some who are blessed with both beauty and brains. With her, she is benefited with the compassionate heart and the brains and charisma of a sales executive. With these two, she went far in the line of commerce especially in jewelry business.

She is Mrs. Evangeline Maraon: a successful businesswoman with the heart of an educator. Hilaan National High School (HNHS), Bontoc, Southern Leyte is fortunate to have her as their principal. With her, HNHS has received and will be receiving a lot of facility improvements. It is all because of Mrs. Maraon.

Ma’am Vangie, as she is fondly called, left the rich world of business to be a teacher. She has set her eyes and heart set on the welfare of the hope of our nation: the youth especially the students. She uses her business experience and charisma to the local politicians and public figures to establish good relationship. She sells HNHS the way she sells her jewelries.

Sales is a clear indicator if a business is successful. With HNHS, facility improvement is the criteria of success. Despite the fact that HNHS is located 25 kilometers from the highway, with very rough road and going there proves to be an uphill climb., HNHS is chosen as one of the recipients of the iSchools project. Their computer laboratory is with twenty brand new computers, an LCD projector and an Internet connection.

In just a short period of time, HNHS is able to ask funds for the construction of a new computer laboratory. In just a matter of six months, the school has cemented a large portion of their area that is prone to landslide. They were able to ask funds from the governor of the province himself. HNHS has also concreted their canals and is now in the process of putting up a large school name.

With HNHS location, being in remote and mountainous area where government leftists used to camp out, one could say that improvement and project funding would be slow, like a turtle’s walk, if not impossible. But HNHS has proved it wrong, or better said, Mrs. Evangeline Maraon has proved it wrong. There are projects, improvement and still more to come for HNHS. Funds arrived and improvement is fast because HNHS principal just happens to be a businesswoman by nature.

Just like body is to soul, Ma’am Vangie is to Hilaan National High School: perfect combination for the improvement of HNHS.

Getting to know Lando

What’s with the name anyway? Will I die if I don’t get to know him? For me and for you, he is just a nobody. But for Sogod National High School, Lando is a name that they would be proud to know of.

Lando is the nickname of Mr. Rolando C. Timbang. He is the school principal of Sogod National High School (SNHS), Sogod, Southern Leyte. He is born in Cadayunman, Liloan, in the southern part of Leyte. He finished his Bachelor of Science in Education degree, major in History, in Saint Joseph College in Maasin City, Leyte. He is married and is blessed with a daughter who is now a college student.

Before Sir Lando, as students address him, arrived in SNHS, he taught Araling Panlipunan II, English and Pilipino subjects in Himay-angan National High School. While he was finishing his Master’s Degree majoring in Management, he was appointed as an Understudy for Head Teacher, a Supreme Student Counsel Adviser and the President of the Teachers Association. After some time, he was promoted from being an understudy to being a Head Teacher.

His years of experience as head teacher proved to be enough for him to be promoted. It is of no wonder that he is given the responsibility of being the school principal of SNHS. He replaced Mr. Sonny Tayum, then principal of SNHS.

Just like all other new comers, he was greeted in SNHS with gladness for some and contempt for others. He has apprehension in managing the school with a population of more two thousand students, unlike in HNHS whose population barely reach 500. Some has doubts if he could manage the school, while others are confident that he can because of his experience.

Sir Lando believes that problems are just there to spice up life. He faces the challenge of governing SNHS with big faith in God, positive attitude and a happy disposition.

He showed SNHS that he deserve their loyalty and acceptance as their new principal. He led SNHS to achieve regional competitions awards both in academic and sports. He brought outside organizations to give funds to the school and spearheaded facility improvement. He has gained the support of the local government unit as well as the support of the school stakeholders.

He showed Sogod National High School that he can be the angry, forgiving, compassionate, strong and knowledgeable principal that they wanted him to be.

Currently, SNHS is one of the recipients of the iSchools project. The project will provide the school with:

• 19 Desktop computers with LCD monitors

• server with webcam

• laptop

• HP 4-in-1 printer

• Multimedia projector

• Capability training for teachers and students

In return, the school must provide a room to be used as the computer laboratory and as a community e-learning center. Big amount of money and lots of responsibility is involved being a recipient of the project. The entire stakeholder of the school must be involved.

How the iSchools project in Sogod National High School will turn out is in the good hands of Mr. Lando C. Timbang. With his experience and with all the support of the school stakeholder and funding agencies, surely, everything will turn out just fine. Lando is up for the challenge.

2 VSU faculty passed ICDL exam

Visayas State University (VSU) is an implementing university of the iSchools Project of the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT).

Being a partner school, VSU be sent two instructors from the Department of Computer Science and Technology (DCST) to take the International Computer Driving License (ICDL) exam. It is an Open Source exam that costs around 3,150.00 pesos.

Mr. Michael Jay Anthony B. Regis and Mr. Jude B. Rola took the exam in Carlos Hilado Memorial State College in Negros Occidental on June 20. It they pass, they can be hired as lecturers for the series of trainings that the iSchools project has in store for its recipients.

On July 15, the announcement was made and luckily, they passed the exam.

Currently, VSU has just opened classes for SY 2010-2011. Although the two instructors will be away from their classes, the university made sure that before they left and took the exams, lessons, exercises or assignments are left for the students to work on.

Compromise is always done between VSU and with the iSchools project management. Afterall, these persons are teachers first before they are part of the iSchools project.

VSU in full support with the iSchools Project

The successs of a project lies on the hands of those who implement it.

It is true. Visayas State University (VSU) can attest to it. VSU has been an implementing university for the iSchools Project since 2007. Part of being an implementing university, VSU team is to attend different capability building seminar to be better prepared for training rollout.

One of these many capability building seminar is the ICT Literacy Conference for Teachers. Currently, the conference is held in Crown Royale, City of Balanga, Bataan. It kicked off July 2 and will end on July 5.

The participants from VSU sent are from the Department of Computer Science and Technology (DCST):
* Winston M. Tabada
* Marionito J. Gonzales
* Jude B. Rola
* Michael Anthony Jay B. Regis
* Magdalene C. Unajan

Despite the fact that classes have started and these faculties from DCST will be missing their classes, still, VSU allowed them to attend the conference. It is of course with the agreement that classes are properly co-ordinated despite their absence.

That is why, iSchools Project in VSU is in good hands.

DCST Hosted web development workshop

The Department of Computer Science and Technology (DCST) hosted the 3-day open source web development training cum workshop. Dr. Alan Loreto, Executive Secretary, gave the rationale of the training during the opening program on June 2.

Mr. Marionito J. Gonzales, an instructor of the department and Open Source Technical Expert (OSTE) for the VSU-iSchools Project, served as the resource person. He provided the participants with the necessary skills on content management for Visayas State University (VSU) website using Joomla.

The training was intended to bring life back to the ‘almost dead’ university website. It has almost been a year since VSU went offline.

VSU has selected representatives from the different colleges / centers to provide the content of the university website. 
-College of Agriculture
-College of Education
-College of Engineering and Agri-industries
-College of Forestry and Natural Resources
-College of Veterinary Medicine
-College of  Nursing
-College of Arts and Sciences
-College of Economics and Management
-VSU Alang-alang
-VSU Villaba
-VSU Tolosa
-VSU Isabel
-PhilRootCrops
-National Abaca Research Center
-National Coconut Research Center
-FARMI
-ISRDS

Currently, the website can be viewed in this address: www.vsu.edu.ph. The overhaul of the website is not yet done but at least, change has begun.

VSU personnel attended web development workshop

Workshop in progress

(DCST-VSU, June 2-4, 2010) - The selected college/center representatives working to bring a fresh look for the university website. With Mar Gonzales (up front) as the resource person and Dale Loreto, member of the VSU web development team, helping the participants.ne but at least, change has begun.

Quality education from a distance

Profile story for Hilaan National High School, Bontoc, Southern Leyte

“Five peso more and you are will already reach heaven.”

This is a cliché common to most of the schools located in the mountainous part of the Philippines. With schools in this areas, one could say heaven is almost at the tip of their fingers. One of these schools is Hilaan National High School (HNHS) in Bontoc, Southern Leyte.

Despite the 18-km distance from the highway, HNHS has 358 enrollees where majority of the students still excel academically. Even though it costs almost 100 pesos for the motorcycle fare, HNHS actively participates in the secondary activities organized by Department of Education (DepEd). They do not just participate, they also win.

The distance and the road going to HNHS is both a curse and a blessing. A curse because of the bumpy ride, the rocky roads and the apparent danger because of the cliff on the road sides. Passing through these roads is sometimes next to impossible if there is a heavy rain downpour. At the same time, most of the teachers of HNHS consider the distance as a “blessing” instead.

The location of Hilaan National High School subjects HNHS to be exempted of periodic visits from the regional office of DepEd. Being exempted means lesser expenses and lesser class interruptions as observed by the students and teachers alike. Even though they often get exempted, it does not mean that the quality of their education is of less quality compared to those schools from the city.

In addition to proving the fact that distance is not a hindrance to quality education, HNHS has been chosen as a recipient school of the iSchools project. This project of President Gloria Arroyo is being implemented by the Commission of Information and Communication Technology (CICT) in partnership with the different state universities and colleges of the country. The project gives twenty one computers to the recipient school and an internet connection.

With the internet connection and the state-of-the-art computers given by the iSchools project, HNHS will now be more connected with world. It will not just encourage the students to do better; it will also improve the quality of education.

HNHS, being a recipient of the iSchools project, implementing and sustaining the project itself needs strong leadership to guide the school in this big opportunity. HNHS is lucky to have Ms. Evangeline Maraon as their head teacher. She does not just have the convincing power of a saleswoman; she also has this strong connection with the local government officials. It helps a lot to have a strong rapport especially in asking for financial support. HNHS is also gifted with dedicated and talented teachers.

Strong leader, dedicated teachers and students that excel: these are just but some of the assets of Hilaan National High School. These assets help HNHS to prove to the world that despite the distance, quality education is still at reach. Just like the cliché that heaven is at the tip of the fingertips, so is quality education for HNHS.

VSU’s pride: quality education and the beauty of nature at its best

These pictures are the result of our discussion in photojournalism under the close eye of Jimmy Domingo. During the Basic Online Writing Technique in Visayas State University from April 21-24, 2010.


This students are on their to quality education. the bridge will lead them to the College of Engineering where summer classes are currently held.

Visayas State University (VSU) - where beauty is at its best. VSU is situated between the mighty Pangasugan Mountain still with its virgin forest and the Camotes sea with its clear, clean and blue waters. VSU envisions to provide excellence in human capital with its quality education while providing its community with paradise-like environment.

The historical frogs of VSU. This is donated by class 1959-60 of VSU when its name was still Baybay Agricultural College. The water coming out from the mouth of the frogs has quenched the thirst of many students and visitors of VSU.

My last stand

If I am to make a gadget, it would be a make-up-your-mind-danator. Why? Because I cant seem to make up my mind. I need a gadget so that when I hit a button, voila! A decision is made. Oh how I wish decision making would be this simple.

What is there to make up my mind for anyway? I needed to make up my mind whether to attend the Commitment Setting and Planning Workshop for the iSchools Writers in Manila or to go to Cebu or to finish checking the works of my students.

Just like anybody else, decision-making needs careful assessment of the consequences of saying yes or no. If I am to stay in school and continue checking the students’ works, I can submit grades on time but I will miss the opportunities and the responsibilities that entails of being an iSchools writer. And I love being a writer. If I am to go to Cebu and attend to my personal stuff, submission of grades will be delayed and I will still miss the meeting of the iSchools writers. Decisions… decisions…

That is why I need to invent my make-up-your-mind-danator. Kidding aside, I remember a quote by an American entertainer Peter Marshall.

“Give to us clear vision that we may know where to stand and what to stand for - because unless we stand for something, we shall fall for anything.”

So, I decided to attend the meeting in the University of the Philippines-Diliman. I made my stand. The meeting-workshop in Manila will give the participants like me a clear idea of how it is to be an iSchools writer. It will also point out the responsibilities and benefits that goes along with being a writer for iSchools. I know it would be difficult. I am pretty sure of it. But, I have to stand for something or else, I would surely fall for anything. See, the gadget did the trick! I arrived at a decision.

Off I traveled and arrived in Manila on the 14th of March. Attended the training on the 15th and met wit the other would-be iSchools writers. Others are determined to be a writer already while some, like me, are still caught up in the height of work and personal conflicts.

During the meeting, I finally come to terms with myself. An introduction made by Ms. Rosella Torrecampo, one of the training speakers, is from the Greek Oracle of Delphi, “Gnothi se auton.” In English, know thyself. Indeed! If I know myself better, it would not have been hard on my part to decide which is which. If I know myself better, I would know what things I should stand for. I would have known that I can multitask and I can work even under pressure.

Although I cut short by one day on the meeting to go to Cebu, I submitted the required outputs. While I was in Cebu, I checked my students’ works from time to time. All is well that ends well. I get to attend the workshop, I went to Cebu and I even managed to check the works of my students. The bonus is I get to know myself better and that is because I made my last stand: that is to fully accept of being an iSchools writer.