Wednesday, November 25, 2009

My Initial Reaction on Elearning Tools



My experience with elearning tools is a peculiar one. Let me share it with you

Literature has always been the love of my life. I have studied it, lived it, hated it, and loved it again and again. As a teacher, I always wanted to share my passion for literature to my students. This was of the utmost importance to me. Not only was it my job, not only was it my calling, it was also a very personal matter. I was sharing something that I loved, the stories and poems that constituted my life. In short, I was also sharing myself to my students. So when I first heard that the curriculum was changing in order to include elearning tools as a mode of teaching some of the lessons that we did not have time to tackle in the classroom, I was really caught off guard. I detested the idea. How could something as cold and as impersonal as a computer possibly convey and pass on the passion for literature? The first thoughts that came to my mind was that these students will be hand fed information, memorize them, and just answer a quiz from memory. I felt like there would not be enough of that internal processing necessary to spark that passion I keep talking about. There would be no connections between the self and the text, no real meeting where the self will be see itself in this new light and forever be changed.



But as I soon discovered, elearning tools were actually not that bad. It was not actually meant to replace teachers. I was still there to moderate the thing. It just functioned as a textbook, an interactive textbook which is what makes it better. Now I have changed my opinion of elearning tools for good. I think this new technology is a boon that will help teachers in any subject, so long as it simply an addition to teaching, not a full replacement.

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Noynoy Aquino – Saving What Chiz Escudero Left Behind

Chiz Escudero made headlines the other day when he announced his decision of walking out of the National People’s Coalition. No one was more surprised about his decision than NPC itself, the very party that had supported him all the way during his Senatorial bid. Reasons for this alleged falling off remain undisclosed but according to Winnie Monsod, it might have something to do with Danding Cojuanco’s lack of support for Escudero’s supposed Presidential bid. Winnie added that the old Cojuanco reiterated that he would only support Chiz as long as he and Loren would stay as running mates. Obviously, the two seem to hate each other’s gutsy political ambitions, so Chiz was left with no choice but to walk away from the party and go on his own.

Escudero’s unexpected resignation left NPC struggling to re-organize the party. NPC is now considering other options available for them. The party’s spokesperson, Valenzuela Representative Rex Gatchalian, said, “All options are open. Lahat puwede naming i-entertain (We can entertain different options)”. However, NPC firmly stated that they are not entering into a merge with the party of the administration.

While the media is having a field day with this political drama, Noynoy Aquino said in an interview that the Liberal Party is willing to negotiate on a possible coalition with NPC. To make the story short, NPC got dumped by their strongest candidate, Chiz Escudero and golden boy Noynoy Aquino is doing a rebound.

http://isangpanata.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/mar-noynoy.jpg

“Klaro naman ang posisyon namin na parehong baligtad sa administration (The NPC and LP have clear and similar positions against the administration),” Noynoy declared in an interview about the possible merge of the National People’s Coalition and the Liberal Party. Noynoy needs additional reinforcements to launch a successful Presidential campaign and if LP and NPC were to merge, it would mean extra arms and resources for his Presidential bid.