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Are you ready for the school opening?

17 Jul
A group of seven diverse adults sitting around a table engaged in discussion with architectural plans, a laptop, and a map

A diverse group of adults collaborating on a project with design plans and maps spread out

School opening is one of the special events in the yearly calendar. People are getting busy as the first of day of school approaching. Indeed, school heads, teachers, non-teaching personnel, learners, parents and guardians have so much preparations ahead of time.

School districts are busy in preparing essential things for the school facilities, operation, curriculum, supervisors, administrators, non-teaching staff, utility, maintenance, security, educators, parents, and learners. 

School administrators are busy in planning, implementing, and assessing school policies, programs, projects, and events. 

School educators are busy in attending, participating, and collaborating with other colleagues in various in-person and virtual training for ease teaching and learning. 

School learners are busy preparing their basic school needs such as school uniform, shoes, bag, digital device, reading, writing and art materials.

Parents and guardians are busy helping their kids in providing those school basic needs mentioned. 

Whether you are a superintendent, supervisor, administrator, coordinator, educator, paraprofessional, front desk staff, payroll staff, counselor, nurse, utility, maintenance, security, bus driver, police, parent or learner, are you ready for the school opening this year? 

Podcast Episode: Writing Science Reports

15 Jul
Scientists analyzing environmental trends, neural networks, and biomedical data on a high-tech transparent screen

Scientists discuss global environmental and biomedical data on a transparent digital display.

Pip: If you have ever stared at a blank document wondering whether your introduction goes before or after your theoretical framework, masmeron has some thoughts.

Mara: Today we are covering the architecture of academic writing — how research papers are structured, from the thesis chapter format all the way to the science investigatory project report. Let’s start with how those chapter structures actually work.

Research Paper Structure: Thesis and Scientific Formats

Pip: Two formats, one underlying question: what does a research paper actually need to contain, and in what order does it need to contain it?

Mara: The thesis format post lays out the architecture chapter by chapter. Here is how it defines one of the most foundational pieces: “Statement of the Problem serves as heart of the research paper. It has a main problem or purpose and some specific problems or purposes. The specific problems should be anchored from the main problem or purpose.”

Pip: So the whole paper radiates outward from that central problem — the hypothesis, the literature review, the methodology, all of it is downstream of getting that statement right.

Mara: Exactly, and the thesis format spells out what surrounds it. Chapter One alone contains the introduction, theoretical and conceptual frameworks, the statement of the problem, hypotheses, significance of the study, scope and delimitation, and definition of terms. Each has a defined role.

Pip: That is a lot of scaffolding before you have written a single finding — which is either reassuring or a little alarming depending on how close your deadline is.

Mara: The hypotheses section is worth pausing on. The post distinguishes alternative, null, and conditional forms, noting that “researchers prefer to use null hypothesis in their research paper” — the negative framing that statistical tests can then accept or reject.

Mara: Chapters Two through Five then carry the paper from literature review through method, data presentation, and finally summary, conclusions, and recommendations.

Pip: The scientific format post covers the same territory but compresses it differently — no chapter divisions, just Title, Abstract, Introduction, Materials and Method, Results and Discussion, Conclusion, and Recommendations.

Mara: The scientific format folds what the thesis format treats as separate chapters into a single Introduction section. Theoretical framework, specific problems, hypotheses, significance, scope — all absorbed there. The trade-off is density for brevity.

Pip: One architecture for depth, one for publication efficiency. Same destination, different road.

Mara: Both formats converge on the same endpoint: findings that answer the stated problems, supported by the literature, and followed by conclusions written in paragraph form with no numerical data — then suggestions for further work.

Pip: Which brings us to a related but distinct document type — the investigatory project report.

The Science Investigatory Project Report

Pip: The investigatory project report is the research paper’s more hands-on sibling — built around an experiment rather than a literature-heavy argument.

Mara: The post titled Parts of the Science Investigatory Project Report maps out the sections that give a student-led experiment its formal shape, providing the structural skeleton that holds observations, methods, and findings together in a coherent document.

Pip: Structure as the thing that turns a science fair table into a replicable record.

Mara: That is exactly the function — without the report format, the experiment stays local. The structure is what makes it communicable.

Pip: Format is not bureaucracy — it is the agreement that lets one researcher’s work build on another’s.

Mara: Whether it is a thesis chapter or an investigatory project report, the structure is doing real work. More from Hands-on next time.

Baston, Pamaypay at Punda

14 Jan
Wooden walking cane, black decorative folding fan, and folded embroidered cloth on wooden table

An antique wooden cane rests on a rustic table alongside a decorative hand fan and embroidered cloth.

Dahil napagod ang aking isipan sa maghapong paggawa ng mga gawain pampaaralan ay hirap ako makatulog ng Linggo ng gabi nang ika-10 ng Enero, 2026. Mga pasado alas 10 ng gabi na seguro ako nakatulog kalaunan. Habang mahimbing akong nakatulog sa kalamigan ng kuarto ko ay nanaginip ako at ganito ang mga pangyayari na isasalaysay ko sa inyo.

Ang Pagdating ni Nanay sa Bahay

Sa probinsiya namin ay may okasyon na nagaganap sa bahay. Pagtitipon ng buong pamilya at mga kamag-anak. Nagulat ako nang buksan ko ang pinto ng bahay namin ay bumungad sa aking harapan si Nanay. Parang pagod siya na dumating galing sa paglalakad sa gitna sikat ng araw. Naka kulay lila siyang duster na suot. Puti at maiksi ang buhok niya. Ang sabi ko, “Sino kasama ninyo dumating?” “Mag-isa lamang ba kayo?” Hindi siya nakasagot. Mag-isa nga dahil wala akong nakitang kasama niya. Pumasok siya sa bahay pero kalaunan ay lumabas siya ng bahay at umupo siya sa kabilang gilid ng daan na yari sa semento. Walang bangko o upuan doon pero umupo pa rin na para bang namamahinga o may hinihintay. Wala siyang katabi o kausap sa may daanan.

Ang Pag-uwi ni Nanay at Indo Pancing

Nang kalaunan ay nagpasyang umuwi si Nanay. Mabilis ang kanyang paglalakad. Sinusundan ko daw siya para alalayan. Hinawakan ko ang braso niya na payat, malambot, kulubot na parang naglalaylayan na ang mga balat. Pero maliksi at malakas pa rin ang pangangatawan niya kahit na siya ay payat. Ayaw niyang pahawak sa braso kaya binitiwan ko na lang ang braso niya. Nang paliko kami ng daan ay napansin si Nanay na itinapon na baston na yarin sa bakal, itim ang hawakan at itim din ang paanan ng baston. Hindi niya basta makuha dahil nakapulupot ito sa water hose at basa ito dahil sa tumutulong tubig. Ang sabi ni Nanay, “Kailangan ko ito.” habang pilit niyang hinihila yung baston na napupuluputan ng water hose. Mukhang ayos at buo pa ang baston. Nahugot niya rin at nag-umpisa ng maglakad gamit ang bastong nakuha sa harapan ng bahay. Nang akma na kaming papaalis ay may lumabas na babae na may hawak na tatlong pamaypay na may ibat ibang kulay, may kulay berde, dilawan at pula na nakabalot pa ng plastic. Iniaabot ng babae sa amin. Seguro naawa dahil naglalakad kami sa gitna ng araw. Sabi ko kay Nanay, “Baka may may-ari ng baston na yan na napulot natin.” Sumagot yung lalaki na nakasalamin na asawa ng babae na lumabas rin bahay nila. Ang sabi ng lalaki, “Sa inyo na yan dahil may nabili na kaming bago.” Nagpasalamat kami sa lalaki. Habang naglalakad kami ni Nanay, hindi namin namamalayan na nakasunod pala sa amin si Indo Pancing, kapatid ni Nanay na pauwi rin. Si Indo Pancing ay nakasuot ng duster na dirty white ang kulay ng damit. May napulot din siya na mga punda ng unan sa daan sa tapat rin ng bahay na kung saan namin napulot ang baston ni Nanay. Ang mga punda ng unan ay marami kaya nakasayad pa ang mga ito sa lupa habang si Indo Pancing ay naglalakad. Ang punda ng unan ay yari sa manipis na tela na parang tela ng kulambo ang ginamit. Ang mga punda ay parisukat Ang hugis na parang pang throw pillow ito at may ibat ibang kulay rin na light mga kulay nila, may berde, pula, asul, at iba pa.

Nauna nang nauna si Nanay sa paglalakad at hindi ko na natanaw. Nakasunod sa kanya si Indo Pancing na may hila-hilang mga punda ng unan. Ang sabi ko, “Nasaan na si Nanay?” Nakita ko sa malayo na nakarating na si Nanay sa tirahan niya. Nakikita ko sa malayo ang bubungan ng bahay na parang bungalow style nito na isang palapag lamang. Nakita ko si Nanay na nasa harapan ng bahay niya at hindi makapasok dahil nakapadlock pala yung gate nito. Isang lalaki na lumabas sa Isang malapit sa bahay ni Nanay sa gawing gilid sila ng bahay parang si Ca Raul at may dala-dalang baril. Tumayo Yung lalaki na naka puting T-shirt sa kabilang gilid ng kalsada at nakaharap sa harapan ng bahay ni Nanay. Para mabuksan ang gate ay itinutok niya yung baril na dala sa kandado para mabuksan lamang ito.

Nagising ako ng pasado ala una ng madaling araw ng Lunes, ika-12 ng Enero, 2026. Pumasok sa isip ko na parehas pala ang araw ng kamatayan nila Nanay at Indo Pancing, magkapatid sila, na natapat sa hindi inaasahang pagkakataon ay sa tuwing Enero 28 ang death anniversary nilang dalawa. Tapos si Nanay ay namatay ng 1:03 ng hapon at ang kaarawan niya ay sa buwan ng Disyembre.

 

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Tatlong-Palapag na Gusali

11 Jan
Stone building with tree sculpture, people walking around, mountain valley at sunset

People gather around a detailed stone building set in a lush mountain valley at sunset.

Gabi ng Sabado petsa Enero 10, 2026 nataon sa kapistahan ng Santo Nino ay nanaginip ako ng isang gusali na may tatlong palapag. Nagsimula ang panaginip ko na umakyat ako sa isang gusali na may tatlong palapag. May hagdanan ito pataas at umabot ako sa ikatlong palapag ng gusali. Mukhang bahay yung gusali na inakyat ko. Nang nasa ikatlong palapag na ako ay nakita ko na ang mga dingding at kisame nito ay yari sa semento na pininturahan ng light color na parang pinaghalo ng puting pintura at konting asul kaya medyo bluish ang puting pintura nito. Nakita ko sa pag-akyat ko na may malaking tubo yari sa bakal sa loob ng bahay na malapit sa hagdanan. Nakapintura din ito katulad ng kulay ng nasa dingding at kisame ng bahay. Hindi ako nagtagal sa ikatlong palapag at bumaba na ako. Paglabas ko ng bahay ay napalingon ako sa gawing kaliwa at natanaw ko ang isang gusali rin na may tatlong palapag. Sa pakiwari ko ay isang paaralan ito ng sekondarya na may light color din pero yung paaralan ay medyo matingkad ang pagkaasul niya kaysa sa bahay na kung saan ako bumaba. May isang lalaki na nakaputing kamiseta na may kwelyo na nasa edad 30 hanggang 40 siya at may dalang flashlight dahil parang magdapit hapon na noon. Nakita ko tatlong palapag na gusali ay madilim at walang mga ilaw. Yung lalaki na mukhang bantay ng paaralan at ako ay naglakad patungo sa paaralan. Yung lalaki na nakaputing kamiseta na may kwelyo ay pumasok sa gawing kaliwa ng gusali. Hindi ako sumunod dahil madilim ang gusali at nagkaroon ako ng takot na pumasok sa gusali. Habang nasa baba at harapan ako ng gusali ay maya-maya ay nakita ko na maraming mga bata na bumababa sa gusali na nagdudulot ng ingay ang kanilang pag-uusap habang bumababa sa mga hagdan ng paaralan. Hindi sila naka-uniporme na parang nagpraktis sila. May mga lalaki at babae na pawang mga estudyante sa sekondarya. May mga lalaki na nakashort at nakasapatos. Yung isang mataas at kayumangging lalaki ay nakasuot ng gray na kamiseta. Ang mga babae ay nakashort din. Ang isang maputi at magandang babae ay naka-kamiseta na satin na may stripe na kulay na pababa ang disenyo ng stripes nito. Ang kulay ng stripes ay dark blue o navy blue sa magkabilang gilid at ang stripe sa gitna ay kulay puti. Ang babae ay nakapony tail ang kanyang buhok. Marami ang bumababa at nagstand by pa sa harap ng paaralan dahil may silongan ito at may mga upuan pa at doon nila inilatag ang kanilang mga bags habang patuloy silang nakikipagkwentuhan sa isa’t isa.

Nagising ako at alas singko y media (5:30) na pala ng umaga ng Linggo, Enero 11, 2026.

 

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Hapunan sa Isang Kainan

3 Jan
Rustic wooden dining table with candles, fruit, open book, model boats, and telescope

An inviting rustic dining table set with candles, fresh fruit, and nautical-themed decorations

Ika-03 ng Enero, 2026 nang madaling araw ay nanaginip ako na nasa isang kainan kaming mga magkakapatid sampu ng kanilang mga pamilya. Dumating daw kami sa kainan na gabi na at doon maghahapunan. Nasa bukana lang kami ng kainan at naghanap ng mauupuan dahil maraming kumakain sa loob na pawang mga banyaga ito at may mga mapuputing mga tao na nakaupo sa loob ng kainan na nagkukwentuhan. Nababanaag ko sa panaginip ko ang isang maputing babae na malapit sa aming kinatatayuan na nakaupo at nakikipag-usap sa kanyang kaharap. Blonde ang buhok nito at naka-pony tail ito at nakasuot ng sleeveless na itim na damit. Nakatagilid siya sa amin na nakikipag-usap kaya yung gilid ng mukha lamang niya ang nakikita ko. Ang ilaw sa kainan ay medyo dilawan ang kulay at hindi gaanong maliwanag. Nakita ko na punong-puno ng tao ang kainan. Wala kaming maupuan kaya tumawag kami ng isang waiter para bigyan kami ng upuan. Nag-abot ang waiter ng dalawang bangko na natitiklop. Ang bangko na unang inilatag ay isang mahaba at sinundan ito ng isang maiksi. Inilatag muna yung mahabang bangko na natitiklop na parisukat ang bawat sukat nito nang makita ko ito sa top view na magkakabit kabit ang bawat sukat na kulay brown ang kulay at walang sandalan ito. Mukhang nakadesenyo ang bawat sukat nito sa bawat tao na uupo. Sa mahabang bangko na nasa gilid inilatag ay doon naupo halos ang mga babae na kapamilya ko. Tapos may lamesa na natitiklop din sa gawing harapan ng mahabang bangko. Pagkatapos nailatag yung mahabang bangko ay inilatag din ang maiksing bangko sa kabila nito. Sabi ko raw sa sarili ko na “Bakit maiksi yung isa eh marami kami”. Tapos sa likod namin pag uupo na kami ay daanan ito ng mga tao na magiging sagabal kami sa pagpasok ng mga tao sa kainan dahil malapit kami sa pintuan ng kainan o baga nasa bukana kami ng kainan.

Umorder na ang mga kapatid ko ng mga pagkaing Filipino. Habang kami ay naghihintay ng inorder na pagkain ay may dumating na isang maputing babae na mukhang Hispanic ang itsura nito. Marami itong bitbit na mukhang mga pinamili niya dahil pawang nasa loob ng paper bag ay yung mga pinamili niya. Tumayo yung babae sa tapat ng aming lamesa. Iniisip niya kung uupo ba siya sa lamesa namin dahil wala ng maupuan sa loob ng kainan. Maya-maya na nga ay umupo na rin siya sa aming maiksing bangko para kumain sa lamesa namin. Sabi ko raw sa isang kapatid ko na babae habang naghuhugas ako ng kamay bago kumain na “Pwede ba siya makikain sa atin?” “Magugustuhan kaya niya yung pagkaing Pinoy”. Sumagot ang kapatid kong babae at sinabi niya na “Pwede naman siya makisabay at makikain sa atin. Kaya lang baka mag-aagawan sila sa pagkain at mahihiya siya makiagaw. Hindi rin siya makakain ng husto.”

Nang malapit na ako matapos maghugas ng mga kamay ko ay may pumila na babae na naka bistida na sleeveless at kulay itim ang bistida niya. Parang siya yung babae na Hispanic na maghuhugas ng kamay rin ng mga kamay bago siya makisalo sa hapag kainan namin.

Nagising na ako at 7:30 ng umaga na pala ng Sabado. Nagreflect ito sa kisame ng kuarto ko nang oras na yun.

 

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Distance Education: Creates Demand and Supply

11 Jun

Historical Development of Distance Education

Distance Education has been operated by technologies from the ancient times up to the present.  As what had been narrated from the stories in the Holy Bible, pharaohs, the ruling leaders of certain kingdom or empire, were sending their orders, letters and information to leaders of another kingdom or empire through trusted messenger.  The messenger carried the readily rolled documents and handed it directly to the ruling pharaohs or leaders of the other kingdom or empire.  The said message was very important to protect their own territories against invaders.

When postal services were available in most countries, the correspondence schools had been rampant.  Learners, regardless of age, sex and socio-economic status, tried to avail distance education through correspondence courses.  During those years, print media had been a great tool for the success of correspondence school.  Teachers of the correspondence school were sending course modules to the distant learners.  The learners read the learning materials.  Then, they answered the set of questions that had been asked and sent it back to the teachers in charge for checking, evaluation and assessment.

Demand creates its own supply

The given scenarios above clearly figure out the theory that demand creates its own supply.  The first scenario suggests that there was a need for pharaohs to send messages to the friendly allies as well as there was a need for leaders from the other kingdom to receive such warning messages or reminders for them to prepare their combat men and own people in case of troubles or big fights.  The second scenario suggests that people learn to go with informal education without face-to-face interactions such as correspondence course due to various reasons. For them, taking up correspondence courses through postal services was cost-effectively without leaving their present job.  Certified graduates of correspondence courses may be get instant job promotion due to learning skills acquired during their distant studies. When people got promoted into a new job position, they tend to receive higher salaries and good compensation in return which may support or sustain their family needs or their own personal needs.

Distance Education had been evolved as years passed by.  After the success of print media, broadcast media followed through the use of radio programs and T.V. programs.  The ‘talk’ programs in the radio developed awareness to the listening public in all fields of study.  The people need information medically on how to cure and prevent illnesses.  They learn ‘what to do’ in agricultural and economic practices, business enterprise, family and legal matters.  People who are watching educational T.V. programs also learn various things.  They learn ‘how to do’ things due to live demonstration on T.V. of methods and procedures needed for a particular product or process.

Upon the successful invention of the computer technologies such as hardware and software, the Distance Education promoters and advocates designed learning programs through audio tapes and video tapes.  They were sending audio tapes and video tapes to learners in remote places as supplement learning materials of the printed course modules. The cassette tape, Betamax, VHS, CD, VCD, LD and BD had evolved and grew rapidly. The evolution of these learning materials influenced the Distance Education at stake

Learners in all levels of education showed great demands on their learning.  Spending too much time in a public library browsing plenty of books for a particular topic needs patience and perseverance.  Instead of writing too long, learners tend to photocopy the pages of the book which spends much money and cuts off their daily school allowance.  Thus, the learners shift to go to the nearest internet café or computer for rent just to answer their school assignments.  When the internet technology has been introduced to school libraries, private and public schools up to college and universities have utilized the benefits of using the internet.  Learners started to avail those free or paid internet services just to cope up with their urgent assignments and serious studies.

The demands of the learners to information technologies open to schools, colleges and universities to offer courses online.  The courses that they offer respond to the needs and demands not only of the student-learners but also the working professionals and skilled individuals that need professional trainings for employment or job promotion.  The learner’s demands create more courses and more open universities that can serve the whole community as well.  Online students learn how to text, chat, email, participate in the forum, submit assignment online and study synchronously and asynchronously.  Thus, the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and next generations of Distance Education had been built up and developed for lifelong and life-wide learning.

Supply creates its own demand

When the wireless phone was introduced in the country in the early decade of 80’s, beep pagers increased in number wherein you have to look for a public telephone or pay phone once you received a beep sound from your pager around your waistline.  The said message tells the receiver to respond immediately to the caller.  Within that decade also when huge Smart mobile phones were introduced.  It was actually a line telephone but cordless that has monthly bill.  This huge mobile gadget got attract several families at home of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW).  The minimum fixed rate of two thousand pesos excluding international calls was not a big deal for overseas workers who were earning much abroad.  The Smart Communications produced more units for their local markets. As one of the pioneers of the mobile communications in the country, they sold cellular phones competing with other companies like Nokia, Erickson and Motorola.  Along the business ventures, the Smart Company sold sim cards to market their mobile business and compete with other companies like Globe and Sun. With the introduction of this mobile technologies, people learn to buy these gadgets even at high cost for a unit.

The continuous supply of mobile technologies locally and abroad create demands for computer technicians for technical assistance and trouble-shooting purposes.  The production of internet-ready mobile devices such as smart phones, tablet, netbook and laptop that were displayed in the shopping malls attract learners and other stakeholders to have one or more devices.

The various software applications installed in each smart phone increase buyers of touch-screen mobile devices. The Distance Education (DE) institution provides opportunities for learners to use the beneficial software applications in their online learning.  For instance, they should learn how to convert files into readable documents.  There are software applications that can convert video files into audio files only.  The technical side of the DE institution designed interactive software programs which facilitate teaching and learning.  Thus, a well-designed course has been developed for online learners.

The supply of great computer programs in the information markets create more demands on what particular courses will be appropriately and timely be offered by the DE institutions.  It can also create what particular DE curriculum will be planned, implemented, evaluated and assessed.  If the said curriculum had been proven effective for employment and business, it creates social stigma or influence peers to enroll in this particular course of study in order to land on a job or business ventures that fits and qualifies them.  This is one valid reason for the implementation of the K to 12 Curriculum of the Department of Education in the Philippines.

Framing up the Distance Learning today

Distance learning or Online learning faces challenges today for various reasons.  First, distance learning is quite different from a classroom setting of learning.  Online learners do everything online and offline as well. They do their tasks independently anytime, anywhere.  This method of learning supports the theory of Jean Piaget about learning by doing wherein the online students learn through actual experience. This method of learning also supports the theory of B.F. Skinner about constant repetition of certain situation or constant practice makes the task perfect wherein students did particular task and continuously and repeatedly doing the same task until they attain it completely and correctly.  Thus, lifelong learning gets in.

Since no face to face interaction with the teacher in the distance education setting of learning, feelings and emotions of the learners are hardly to detect by the online teacher unless they tell it directly to the teacher what they really feel.  Second, the teacher may subjectively evaluate and assess learners based on their outputs.  He may not assure if these outputs be truly authentic enough as their own or work outputs of somebody else. Third, distance education may or may not provide equal opportunities to all in terms of lifelong learning and life wide learning is concerned.  The DE may provide equal opportunity for those people living in the remote places; for those working professionals that aim for job promotion or gain skills and competencies; for those people who cannot attend classes in a regular classroom for whatever reasons.  On the other hand, the DE may not provide equal opportunity for those people who do not have any computer gadgets; for those who have computer gadgets but lack of skills in computer operation; for those who have computer gadgets and computer skills but no internet access; for those people with internet access but lack financial resources to sustain its online connectivity for lifelong and life wide learning.  Fourth, distance learning allows open learning resources which hardly determine the real, correct, accurate, precise, acceptable, reliable and valid information in the world-wide web.   Certain websites welcome everybody to edit the content or information within the website.  Finally, distance learning should be equipped with highly qualified online teacher; well-designed learning materials; appropriate means of teaching and learning experience; cost-effective and learner-centered approach. Distance learning also applies other learning theories such as constructivism, realism, essentialism, existentialism, pragmatism, naturalism, and constructionism.  These learning theories are observed in formal and informal settings of learning.

In the Philippines, Distance Education reaches its potential expansion locally and abroad.  There is an increasing number of colleges and universities in the country that open its doors for Distance Education.  Other big universities agreed upon; collectively and collaboratively developed a consortium for the establishment and implementation of online course programs.  Their vision and mission is to attain high quality, accessible and affordable education in the country.  Literate citizens, equipped with values and competencies, help to build the nation’s economy.

https://livegoodtour.com/Masmeron

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Mobile Science Education

30 Nov

Based on the different studies and experiences of schools doing distance education or online learning, the author proposes a mobile education which can shape up the K to 12 science curriculum into a functional one and convenient to the learners.

Mobile Science Education Model (MSEM)

In the infographic study done by Ingenious Mobile Business in the Philippines this year, they had found out that 91% of Filipinos have mobile phones and 56% of them have smart phones. Mobile devices have become such an indispensable part of daily life.  About 66% of Filipinos sleep with their phones; 48% eat with their phones; 20% drive with their phones. About 71% of the respondents say that they won’t leave the house without their phones.

Mobile devices are used for multi-tasking such as 62% for listening to music; 42% for watching tv; 58% are using the internet; 27% are reading online magazine; 30% are playing games; 37% are watching movies and 21% are reading e-books.

By 2017, they estimated 10 billion mobile connections wherein 80% of time on mobile is spent on apps.  An average consumer actively uses 6.5 apps in 30 days.  Analysts estimated 56 to 82 billion downloaded apps in 2013 that could reach 200 billion in 2017. PayPal mobile handled almost $14 billion in payment volume in 2013.  In the Philippines, almost 100 million Filipinos are on mobile sending out more than 1 billion SMS per day.  About 33 million Filipinos are now connected to the internet. The Philippines has emerged as the fastest growing market for smartphones in Southeast Asia.  About 93% of Filipinos are part of a social network wherein 33 million are active on Facebook; 81% of those active members are below 30 years old. (PayBux Channel, 2014)

What is next for this generation? Introducing the Mobile Science Education or MSE. The Mobile Science Education is an open app which aims to provide online science courses intended for learners under the umbrella of K to 12 curriculum. Every school in the public and private sectors should have a computer room or information technology center which is fully equipped and designed for online learning.  Every learner with mobile device has freely download and install the Mobile Science Education app from the internet.

The learning modules are derived from the Department of Education who serves as the content provider.  Curriculum developers and science experts have created the learning modules. Officially enrolled students in public and private schools serve as the online or mobile learners.  It is free to register and use the mobile science education app interactively. The course programs are offered in all grade levels that focus on Earth Science, Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Online learning can be accessible through cable connection in schools or wireless broadband connection at home. Learning resources centers help the students on acquiring information worldwide.  These learning centers are school libraries, national library and Library of Congress.  There is a collaborative network among government and non-government organizations for the successful planning and implementation of Mobile Science Education.

Teachers and learners have respective roles to perform their duties and responsibilities. Classroom teachers should act as the facilitators of learning.  Learners should do the activities accordingly with their own time, pace and wherever they are. However, learners should have meet the deadlines in submitting their works. Further instructions are given in advance by the teacher.  There is a room for conferences, inquiries and topic clarifications.

The budget allocation for launching the Mobile Science Education app is covered by the Department of Education, National and Local budget, TESDA, OWWA, Employers Association of the Philippines and other government and non-government organizations.

Integral Components of Mobile Science Education (MSE)

Free Membership and App Download

Course Programs

  • Earth Science
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Physics

Accessibility

  • Cable Connection
  • Wireless Connection

Resource Centers

  • Local School Libraries
  • National Library
  • Library of Congress

Collaborative Network

  • Public and Private Schools
  • Department of Education
  • Technical Skills and Development Authority (TESDA)
  • Commission on Higher Education (CHED)
  • Chamber of Commerce and Industry
  • Employers Association of the Philippines
  • Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA)

Teacher’s Initiatives

The teacher in the MSEM system initially performs his duties and responsibilities in the learning process. He should provide learning modules with concise and measurable objectives.  He is obliged to give inputs for the student’s learning and able to facilitate teaching and learning situations competently. The teacher should take some considerations to working students with limited time to study. He should understand his learners and carefully responsive in making up decision for his action.. Neither he takes for granted his position nor abuse his authority for any undesirable statements or actions.

Learner’s Incentives

The learners have certain incentives in piloting the Mobile Science Education app such as

  • Grade incentives
  • Scholarship grants
  • Financial assistance
  • Free mobile device

Budget Allocation

  • Local and National government funds
  • Department of Education
  • School funds

Based on the relative performance of the learners, the Mobile Science Education app has possible claims for its effective mechanism and applicability in terms of achieving high quality standards of teaching and learning in the Philippines particularly on Science Education for K to 12 Curriculum. The urgent need for this innovative transition from traditional setting of learning into integrated, open and interactive mobile science education may lead into socio-economic development and educational excellence in the next generations to come.

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