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TEANOTES - Teachers and university officials share their insights on how they deal with the demands of their present workload, reveal some teaching and learning tips, and look back on memorable experiences that lead them to where they are now. Page Page
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Opening Remarks of Dr. Cynthia Ticao during the TLRC 21st Anniversary Celebration
Ricorded Conversations: An Interview with Chancellor Ricardo Babaran
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Happy and Gay! A talk with the VCAA
Those sChOOL Days at TLRC: Revelations from a constant staff
TUTIPS -
Teachers, students and staff in the university share interesting stories about their professional experiences, i n n o v a t i o n s , achievements, and their journey in the University. In this maiden issue, the main story focuses on the two UP scientists as a married couple engaged in teaching, research, and public service activities. Page
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MAIN STORY: Sci-Test of Time How love for work and each other go together
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How did young faculty adjust to the shift from being a student to being a teacher?
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We asked the senior faculty: What kind of student/s do they remember the most?
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UP Life in Pixels: Your UP journey in digital format To Code and to Compete: Mastering -and winning - the art and science of coding
TEANOVATION - This section features the technological innovation that TLRC has done and will continue to do to improve the delivery of service to the students, and the members of the faculty and staff of the University. Technologies: What’s new in TLRC? Page
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The cover features Iskolars ng Bayan doing collaborative learning at TLRC’s learning spaces: students are encouraged to discuss, study and perform do-ityourself (DIY) activities that complement their academic needs and requirements. The colors (maroon, green, yellow and blue) represent the four colors found in the TLRC logo.
TEABRAIN
- TLRC includes fun and mindboggling activities that you can enjoy and gain insights from and spice up your reading experience. Page
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What’s missing from your journey in Miagao UPV? Take the test to know how to make your college years remarkable.
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EDITOR’S NOTE
This is TeleSKUP, your teaching and learning pop magazine. It’s primarily for you, teachers, and students. It is also for readers who get bored of reading theses, proposals, term papers, and academic outputs written formally using a specified format and structure. As what the title suggests, TeleSKUP is news, feature articles, and things talked about in the University: people, research, academic outputs, teaching tips, upcoming events, experiences, and activities. These are interesting pieces written in a light, entertaining manner. We hope to bring to you “the lighter side” of academic life all woven into one reading experience that will make you smile a bit, learn a bit, and laugh a bit. Enjoy reading through the pages. Please share your feedback and suggestions to help us improve our succeeding issues. Please share your stories with us. Let your stories be an inspiration to enhance teaching and improve learning. Sincerely, AMY DAQUILANEA-TANOY
Editorial Editorial BOARD MICHAEL ANTHONY REMOTIN Writer
CZAR IAN ANGEL ESQUIVEL Layout Artist, Illustrator, Writer
JOHN ERIC CAYONA Collator ARSENIO SALAYA Contributor
SHARON GARGARITANO Writer
PROF. MA. JOJI TAN Language Consultant
PROF. AMY D. TANOY Editor-in-chief
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EMIL Q. JAVIER President, University of the Philippines 1993-1999
Photo from: UPLB Facebook
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I am delighted to hear that the UP Visayas Teaching and Learning Center had kept faith and persevered all these years in providing essential additional learning experiences to generations of students in Miag-ao. Actually the Learning Resource Center initiative took inspiration from the efforts of Dr. Maria Cristina D. Padolina who was then Director of Academic Affairs to elevate the teaching-learning environment in UP Los Banos. (She later was the founding Chancellor of the UP Open University and now President of Centro Escolar University). The Center attracted a host of faculty and student volunteers and became a popular hang-out for students, for sure more productive than the watering holes in campus town in Grove. My kudos and appreciation therefore to Prof. Amy Daquilanea-Tanoy and staff members, and their predecessors for keeping the flame alive. May your tribe increase!
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OPENING REMARKS OF DR. CYNTHIA TICAO DURING THE TLRC 21ST ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION Greetings. It’s good to be back. “The first UPV LRC Director.” This title reminds me of my dear friend and TAGUPCI co-founder’s words, the late Dr. Reginald Hao, when he graduated from the UP Manila College of Medicine. He said, “I may not be the best pediatric surgeon in Negros Occidental, but I’ll always be the first.” And so, this morning, I am here with you as UPV LRC’s first director. You have had many directors in the past 21 years and many more will come in the next 21. I may not be the best, but I will always be the first! For believing that something good would come out of LRC, I would like to thank Dr. Arsenio Camacho, Dr. Ida Siason, and Prof. Marilyn Alcarde. I would like to thank President Emil Javier for his vision that this office would, indeed, be the center for learning at UPV. Of all the LRC offices in the UP System, UPV was the first to be established. At that time when owning a laptop was prohibitive for many, the Center provided
access to computer use to students and teachers and tutorials for students who needed them in four UPV campuses—Miagao, Iloilo City, Cebu, and Tacloban. Vice Chancellor for Administration Mary Ann Gumban served as the first Iloilo City LRC Coordinator then. For one or was it two years (?), we held the Summer Bridge Program, a truly innovative idea that helped incoming freshmen from other parts of the country to adjust to the Miagao campus and cope with Math and English courses one month ahead of regular students. On one of those summers, one participant asked me why he had to attend the program. He said, “I was the Class Valedictorian in high school.” And being the brash/ harsh/brutally honest teacher I was back then, I answered him, “Halos tanan man kamo di Valedictorian sang inyo klase. You are not an exception.” Education is said to be the great equalizer. Such was the belief of Puritans when they first settled in America. Same here at home. UP
education is said to be the great equalizer. Such was (and still is) my belief that UP education would ensure that all children of any class had a shot at success and that, should it happen, it would happen in UP. And as we have witnessed over time, many of our graduates are now “somewhere, somehow” doing good work that none of us would have thought he or she would pursue 20 years ago. “Who would have thought” is the question we ask ourselves when someone tells us he’s now VP of a large company or congressman so-and-so, or someone living somewhere else in the world as a nurse or a doctor or an aid worker. And so we are reminded—the same fire that melts butter hardens the egg; the same fire that melts butter tempers steel. However, education alone does not make a man or a woman. Yes, putting importance on course content would ensure that we know what we ought to know. But course content alone, by itself and on its own, is not the only thing that’s important in learning. Just as
5 important is how we get to know something, why we need to know it, and how we can apply what we know, if it is applicable at all. 1 + 2 + 3 = 6, but when the formula gets complicated, how easily do we give up or how persistent are we in getting the answer? When taking Math 11 once doesn’t cut it, will we learn the value of perseverance and resourcefulness until we finally make it by Math 33 (which means Math 11 taken 3s) or Math 55 (taken 5x)? When we are enrolled under a “terror” teacher, how well do we manage “terrorism”? How resilient are we after getting a 3 or a 4 or a 5? As teachers, how important is student learning to us? Is it as important as being promoted from Instructor to Assistant Professor? How important is it to work at improving our teaching styles? Is it as important as having a funded research project or being assigned to an administrative position and getting honorarium? How important is it to make learning fun for all? Are we effective teachers because we work at it? Can we look back and say I did well? And so today, as TLRC celebrates its 21st year – I’ve been wondering why we are celebrating at 21 though – we ask ourselves these questions. We ask ourselves the most important question, “Where do we go from here?” I am happy to know that LRC is now TLRC. The “T” was just a dream then. I remember preparing a proposal for the teaching excellence role of the center. Except for a few students who thrive well in spite, not because of, their teachers, teachers are essential in education. They are the keys that would open the locks, so to speak. And so I ask, as teachers, are we the keys or are we the locks? There was no resource center for teachers back in my time. Those of us who tried to teach, pretended to teach, or believed we were teaching, did it by ear by imitating many of those who came before us. We were not mentored. We bought our own books or we muscled our way through the technical section of the library to get the new books before others did. I did not like marking blue books and correcting theses drafts, but I got teary-eyed during commencement exercises because I felt I was doing something meaningful. Because teaching is not just a job; it is a vocation, a calling that many of us have answered and answered with a big YES! I hope that since I left 18 years ago, UPV has nurtured a community of learners of both teachers and students. I hope that TLRC has been and will become the hub of exciting curiosity, a village of students and teachers who come to its doors to learn together, not as problem students and ineffective teachers, but as passionate learners of what can be. As instruments for good. Because when we leave the University, when we graduate, we will face a bigger, more complicated village. One where we need to navigate socially, emotionally, sometimes wisely and sometimes not so wisely. Social skills
that are so important when we become doctors or research scientists or managers and when we face a patient in pain, a business that failed, or a rude client. One where we need to understand diverse cultures that we only heard about when we were studying history or Soc Sci I. One where we no longer have teachers to guide us when we are faced with many hard choices. One where we will be made to choose between being kind and being cruel. One which may require the compassion we only read about in our English or psych classes. We may need the resilience we learned in finding that one big solution to a math problem to decide what to do after we fail. We may need the patience we learned from listening to a really boring teacher whose classes were all about him. We may need the insights that we learned in Humanities classes to see the beauty in others, to appreciate the good things we are given. We may need the humility that we so bravely learned when we had to repeat a chemistry class or after we found out we were not promoted. One of the joys of being “old and retired” is when I meet up with former students who now own schools, work as professionals in foreign lands, are nurses or doctors at our local hospitals, or are engaged in community work. They face many challenges—office politics, bringing new ideas to their work, dealing with illnesses while working, and so many more. I only have profound admiration for them. I am proud of them and what they have become. Not so much about what they have or who they are, but of what they have become as they continue to make their own little corner of the world better than when they first found it. Only a nurturing community of learners can bring these about—the lessons, the successes. We forget what we read the moment we pass a course or we complete a thesis. But we will not forget how kind (or cruel) our adviser was, how much guidance (or the lack of it) we got, how giving he was of his time and talent. What we will remember will be what we did together. The specifics and the details would fade as the years go by, but the excitement of learning and doing new things, the changes in how we think, the interests we pursue because of a great learning experience, and passing on the values that went beyond content, that went beyond sticking to the curriculum –these we will remember for the rest of our lives. The same fire that melts butter hardens the egg. The same fire that melts butter tempers steel. May TLRC be that fire. May it continue to thrive for UPV’s community of learners. May we all—teachers and students—cross many learning bridges together and become bridges to others. Thanks for having me here this morning.
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by Prof. Amy D. Tanoy
The pronouncement was made: “Ricardo ‘Ric’ Babaran” is the 10th Chancellor of UP Visayas.With that, a ray of light struck the shadows of uncertainty that pervaded the UPV community for several days. Slowly after he started to take the lead, rays of renewed hope awakened kindred spirits and started to move with him according to what he has planned in keeping with the vision of the University. The role as UPV’s leader has been added to his other roles - father, husband, teacher, and researcher. As a scientist married to an artist and creative writer, their match works perfectly well. The artist’s moods may be erratic at times, he admits “but a lot of times, I solicit advice from her in terms of things that I want to implement in the University that need a certain blend of the arts...this way, I get to integrate science and the arts.” Home is his residence at Quezon City during weekends (if opportunity permits) where he finds comfort and relief after stressful days and nights disposing and performing his administrative functions. Home is a place where he spends precious time to bond with his wife and his only child, an 18-year old daughter
presently in Senior High at the Philippine Science High School in the main campus in Manila. But while being mostly away from home can be lonely, painful, and challenging at times, the arrangement to live apart from each other to pursue their individual paths was a carefully deliberated decision and agreed upon by the three of them. Looking at how this set-up affects his work as Chancellor, he quips “it has been useful for the University.” Chancy Ric is an Itawis, a native of a place that borders between Isabela and Cagayan (near Tuguegarao) in the province of Cagayan Valley. While his love for fisheries started even when he was a child, he revealed then he wanted to be an engineer by profession. “I would probably be doing something of construction works if I am not here, or maybe something about instruments.” But his interest in fisheries prevailed because when he entered UP in 1980, he was one of the 65 Ferdinand E. Marcos (FEM) scholars who were qualified to take the BS Fisheries degree at the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences. Later his interest in fishery education heightened when he
took his MS in naval architecture and ocean engineering at the University of Washington and Ph.D. in Fisheries Science at Kagoshima University in Japan. “I find it interesting coz’ fishing is associated with responses of the fish like eyes, smell, chemoreception ...to be a successful fisher, you have to understand this process.” Moving to the Miagao campus was quite a difficult transition after coming home to the country from the US. “It was quite difficult then because water was a bit scarce, the streets were not so well-lighted, and the facilities were not yet all in place… it was relatively difficult to move around…it was likewise difficult to go to Iloilo City because while you could hitch a ride, you don’t expect to come back right away. I would always go there everyday after my classes and then come back to Miagao again.” But having not much expectations helped a lot, Chancy admits. “I would always leave my house early, come home late at night... it’s my usual activity to walk here at 2 o’clock in the morning...” His wife calls him workaholic. By nature, he has been used to working on his own in silent places
7 when nobody is around. This kind of working style, however, took a shift into “working with others” when he started to assume the Chancellorship. Aware of the challenges and problems the University is facing, he focuses on providing interventions amidst frustrations; he would turn these challenges into opportunities to address specific concerns. “...Work is always there and work is always seemingly increasing as you approach it ...when it ends, you are relieved, but then, another set of work comes... it comes in phases, and I would prefer working and realizing targets by the end of the week.” As an academic executive who is fully aware of the changing conditions, he feels the need for teachers to level up. “We are a national university.. and for teachers to be effective, one need not stop at reading a book. There is need to share related experiences with students. After all, he added, “extension work connected with research and translated into teaching is an important process. As such, there is a need for university professors to play an active role as participating members of groups who can engage communities, get inputs from communities, do activities related to their research, support the community, and to use all these as inputs to nurture their teaching experience.“ His advice is for students to use technology wisely, knowing that conditions are getting more complex and tougher. “Gadgets limit their ability to deal with challenges as they grow in life; thus, they should be able to balance the use of these things in their future activities.” Even as he speaks his mind, his heart yearns for one best wish: good health. “With good health comes the strength that should come from a divine being,” he philosophizes. And just like many dynamic leaders in the world who make things happen despite all the odds, Chancy Ric is fueled with energy and a strong sense of determination to lead and serve not only his own family but also the University he has grown to love and nurture.
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by Prof. Amy D. Tanoy
Sedulous and always on the go. This is the projection that people seem to see in the person of a busy lady who walks out of the official car, bringing with her loads of papers to sign and documents to read. In the office, the same piles of papers await her that give her not much time to sip her coffee in between breaks. And if that is not enough, she finds herself in various places for meetings, conferences, and almost everything academic. But is she really the lady that we know from what people see in her? Ms. Gay Defiesta is in love... in love with Economics as a discipline. Despite her family wanting her to pursue law studies, she insisted on teaching at UPV. With her BA degree in Economics, she studied at Faculté Universitaires Notre Dame de la Paix á (University of Namur) in Namur, Belgium to pursue her Master’s degree in International and Development Economics and proceeded to finish her PhD in Agricultural Economics back in UP Los Banos. For this reason, no doubt she chooses to be a researcher and a teacher more than being an administrator. She loves doing research and is so fascinated with the application of how the theories work and share these experiences with her students. But not everything for Gay is “economics”—- there was a point in her life when she felt there was nothing much to do, and during lull times when she was still a junior faculty, she enrolled in the Master of Management program (MM) major in Business Management at UPV. She said, “Wala lang maobra .” And consistent with her personal dictum “ to finish what is there to finish,” she aced her MM course on time. Perceived to be demanding as a teacher, she thinks “ amo na guro nga ginapalagyuhan ko seguro sang mga estudyante ko.” Ms. Gay, however, feels for students who yearn for a learning atmosphere conducive for study. As VCAA and teacher at the same time, she now sees the bigger picture rather than view the classroom setting in a microscopic way: she now considers the overcrowding of classrooms, provision of facilities, access to quality materials, and the emphasis on Outcomes-Based Education (OBE) as part of a favorable
learning environment. “That’s why nag-strive kami to have ebooks and PlagScan application bisan mahal-mahal na,” she said. With the quality materials on file in the library, she hopes that students can visit the library more often. This lady Vice Chancellor finds administrative work quite exciting yet frustrating at times. Hesitant at first to take on the position as Vice Chancellor because of her limited experience in administration, Ms. Gay works doubly hard to keep pace with what her job requires her to do. Now that she is tasked to push for curricular revisions and completion of the Quality Assurance of academic programs for the University, the workload, indeed, falls on her shoulders. Hoping to put in place the assessment of the degree programs using the AUN-QA framework, (come December of this year), she is propelled and consoled by the positive acceptance of such a task by the UPV faculty, making it easier for her and her team to push for implementation of plans and activities under this program. She believes that the lack of facilities should not deter the teacher to innovate and be creative. And with information at the tip of their fingertips, students who now have access to technology should realize that not everything they need can be found in Google, or that technology can answer all their needs. “My faith in God keeps me anchored.” Pressures from work can be discouraging. Human as she is, she gets downhearted but her friends and family have become her sources of strength. Given her siblings composed of 5 girls, and 3 nieces, it excites her to go back home to Bacolod to be with her newborn nephew, the first and only boy in the family, other than her father. And while she thinks it is quite late to have a family of her own, she, too is open to possibilities that may come her way. “Wala ko kabalo, kun mag abot, mag abot pero kun wala man, ok man ko..” So, is this lady happy and gay? Surely she is, inside and out.
9 “It never occurred to me that I would land in a “Learning Resource Center,” given my list of “dream jobs.” For one, as a graduate of a degree in BS Fisheries with some earned units in Master of Education at UPV, I had other plans in mind. Second, I had always thought of working abroad. But looking back, those 15 long years that I have spent in TLRC as Administrative Assistant VI have been 15 “cool” years of my professional life, having been under four fantastic Directors: Dr. Liah Catedrilla, Prof. Gilma Tayo, and Dr. Zoilo Andrada, Jr., and presently, Prof. Amy Tanoy.”
An account of Sharon Gargaritano with contributions from Arsenio Salaya
T he Begi nni ngs It was a pleasant hot Monday of May 2005, the very first day I reported at the TLRC on the Miagao campus where I happened to have a short acquaintance with the staff, namely, Ms. Sharon Rose Galorport, a University Research Associate I, and Ms. Shiela Villamor, a Computer Operator. Mr. Arsenio C. Salaya was then stationed at the Miagao Interactive Learning Center (MILC). A month after, June 2005, I was stationed at the TLRC satellite office on the Iloilo City campus, a small office equipped with 12 units of computers running in Windows ’98 and a LaserJet printer, considered top-of-the-line technology at that time (as I would compare it to the Dot Matrix printer that produced a deafening sound during our student years). To recall, LRC trainings then called the Compleat Mentor (later renamed as The Teaching Act) were usually held at the TLRC AVR at the Iloilo satellite office, a space bigger than that of the TLRC Miagao office that we are occupying now. At that time, although students were entitled a free 15-hour computer use, they still needed to pay 25.00 per hour for them to access the internet. Printing cost then was only P5.00 per page, photocopies ranged from P2.00 – 6.00 per copy while books and movies were charged rental and overdue fees ranging from P2.00 – 50.00. TLRC already conducted free tutorial services handled by a pool of peer tutors for Math, English, and Physical Science courses sometime from 1997-2012. While there were a good number of tutees, there had been a significant decline among the number of tutors. I guess the thriving online tutorial businesses were in boom at that time and incentives for TLRC tutors were not that lucrative.
T he Experi enc es My first two years (2005-2007) at the satellite office on the City campus was indeed, overwhelming. Being a one-man army, I learned how to depend on no one else but myself. It was a period of self-discovery, of selflearning. I discovered that one of the most essential tools for survival is courage, and one must have tons of it! For a novice like me, I had to learn how to operate and manage the office without a boss and co-staff to consult with because most of the time the boss was reporting on the Miagao campus. I learned how to troubleshoot and repair computer hardware malfunctions, install computer software applications, understand basic accounting through the daily remittance of cash collections, and hone my interpersonal skills in dealing with people of varied personalities and characters. Indeed, in solitude, there was that never ending feeling of “wanting to learn.” In 2008, the task became heavier when I was moved back to the Miagao campus because there were more students to serve. I learned the art of multi-tasking that I credit to my mentor – director, Dr. Liah Catedrilla, whom I look up to as a leader, follower, boss, servant, woman, mother, sister, and preacher, rolled into one. She is one person who would “walk” her “talk”. After all these years of working at TLRC, I realized that the struggles I went through had prepared me for a much bigger responsibility in the years to come. And as I look back on those 15 long years of service at TLRC, I can say that those “COOL” days made me the person that I am who had learned lessons I never thought I could.
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Where It All Began Their partnership started in 1987 when these two researchers worked on a marine science project at the Marine Science Institute in UP Diliman. Call time to dive was at 7:30 AM but the lady study leader overslept and the food she was tasked to bring for the diving trip got delayed. Meanwhile, the project leader, hardly able to maintain his composure, caused a splash in the waters, sending signals of distress to fellow research boat passengers. Despite this and many turbulent waves thereafter, this husband-andwife team continued to work together with a single purpose in mind—that of building a home offshore for them and their two children. The Husband-and-Wife Team Annabelle and Wilfredo Campos, popularly known as Belle and Willy, are stationed at the Division of Biological Sciences. As University Scientists, they have created waves in the UPV community. They have strengthened their teaching and research engagement in and out of the lab along the areas of fisheries and marine sciences. Both University Scientists have earned their PHD degrees (Doktor Rerum Naturalium) from Hamburg, Germany. Willy specializes in Fisheries, Fisheries Management, Ichthyology, Coastal Management, Coral and Larval; Belle specializes in Biodiversity, Ecosystem Ecology, Species Diversity, Animal Ecology, Community Ecology, Biodiversity Assessment, Population Ecology, Distribution, Field Ecology, Invertebrate Zoology, and Population Biology. Leaving Manila The decision to uproot themselves from the urban city of Manila was
by Prof. Amy D. Tanoy
no mean feat. After coordinating research in marine science and fisheries all over the country, they were mindful of what needs to be done to support fisheries as a livelihood resource. Even before they left for Germany, they knew the best places to work would be those outside of Manila. By the end of their PhD, the couple started to write to many universities in the country: Cagayan, Bicol, Tawi Tawi, and finally found their second home in UP VIsayas. Other Loves Regular routine at home starts at 2 AM for Belle; Willy joins her for breakfast at around 4 AM. Driving all the way from Iloilo, the two are in the faculty room at the Biology Department in UPV Miagao by 6:30 AM. Having been married for 29 years, their love for food and travel has brought the family to places here in the country and abroad in between breaks. “She loves to cook while I love to eat,” Willy quips. When they visit a place, going to the museum is a must (for the family) as it is a way to learn more about people and their history and culture. They may have a tight schedule woven around the house and rules in place like no cell phones during meals but eating together as a family is a norm. They have two children and both were given the choice to decide what courses to pursue. The younger one earned a degree in Environmental Science while the older one in Interdisciplinary Studies with focus on creative writing.
What Works Two scientists living in the same roof is convenient and helpful. “I don’t have to explain to him na natagalan ako sa lab kasi meron pa akong ginawa and I don’t mind him ignoring me for a weekend because he’s busy,” Belle relates, “and If I’m tamad, he applies constant pressure.” They complement each other. “She gives me advice and vice versa. We may not see eye to eye in certain things pero may kaniyakaniyang reason naman,”Willy adds. Where work is concerned, both know that boundaries are constructive. Belle says Willy understands her without being intimidated; he has good ideas and they can discuss these. “Pwede kaming mabuhay nang sabay, we complement....ang pagka gwapo niya, bonus na lng yun para sa akin.” Besides, “Willy is really my best friend. He has really helped me become a better person and I wouldn’t have achieved half as much without him in my life, including my bilbil!” What They Were They may be scientists by profession, but they too had their share of doing fun activities. Often described as a tall and gorgeouslooking professor, Willy would call himself a kanto boy. “Noong binata ako, wild din ako…I had no idea what I was going to be or I was going to teach... basta tapusin ko na to kasi itong pinasok ko...I was an athlete ever since I was in elementary school.. pag summer, basketball
12 pero mostly baseball, softball. There was a time noong nasa UP Mindanao ako, I always had this feeling I was more complete if I do other extra co-curricular. At magmula college, every night ako umiinom.” Though smoking and drinking were activities of the past, Willy has not outgrown wearing his long hair, which Belle hates, “Ang pangit. Yun ang pinag-aawayan namin... yung talaga ang ayaw ko sa kanya.” Belle’s social circle was limited to her membership in a school organization. “Meron kaming Marine Biological Society, yun yong pinaka social life ko.” But while she was serious with her studies, she too once had a taste of occasional drinking that made her win (once) a beer drinking contest. She believes that sometimes one needs to know what it takes to have too much of something to learn lessons from it.
government officials, NGO personnel, and the various SUC’s had contributed to “an increase in the level of awareness on fishery concerns, higher than what it was, maybe 20 years ago.” The said collaboration they said had helped these fellow researchers pursue graduate and master’s degree studies and ultimately gave them the opportunity to teach in other universities and work with the NGOs and some other companies. Willy also believes that emergency issues in marine and fishery sectors are problems that can be anticipated and preempted such as the issues of commercial companies wanting to fish into the waters reserved for small fishermen, and, as in the most recent pronouncement of
Tips for Students With all the years spent in teaching and doing research work, this couple shares some practical tips on how to survive the academic world. Willy has a few things to say: “Do not cram kung hindi niyo kaya. And for the students who are not so diligent enough in having to repeat the same subjects, “Tapusin mo na lang in take 1, kasi sayang ang oras... and if you know you can’t cram, do the minimum that is needed to pass the course because all the rest of the good time magagawa mo yan anytime.” Willy believes that college education trains one to be a critical thinker. “Learn to do things systematically and document your work, so that pag tinanong ka you know what you did, you can show it, and you can prove it... It is not so much memorizing the names but understanding why you need to do it.” Willy added, “Don’t look at time; count the productivity.” Belle, on the other hand, feels students take a course they do not like because their parents want them to. She advised students to pursue a degree they want for themselves. “Kung gusto mo siyang gawin, you will enjoy doing it. Pero kung ayaw mo, it will be a very big burden. That’s why they should decide early kung yan talaga ang gusto nila.” But just like the lesson she has learned from experience, one needs to consider not only one’s own capability but the capability of what others can do too. She said, “College was a realization. Valedictorian ako sa high school, from elementary.. bright ako, tingin ko... pagdating ko sa UP Diliman, di ako bright.... sakit sakit naman... Dagok sya sa self-esteem ko. I had to adjust kasi I had Math 17, tapos nag aadjust ka pa sa mga classmates mo... Wala naman silang honor pero bakit ang bright nila... na realize ko, tama yung there will be always be people greater and lesser than yourself.” Offshoot All these science postulates that result from their mentoring and research efforts translate into policy implications, although Willy mentioned that in the political milieu, it is not always easy for them to push for policy recommendations. But certainly, their efforts to collaborate with fellow researchers, the fisher folks, local
the President, that allow the Chinese to fish in the West Philippine Sea. Towards this end, Willy hopes to strengthen the collaboration with various SUC’s all over the country through the science advisory group that they have formed. “To be a part of the solution, we have to start working with them,” Willy said. “Kahit konting mentoring lang basta matulungan lang namin sila and then when we retire kaya na nilang gawin yun and hopefully they can also pass on the information to their students.” Endings and Beginnings And so, how do they keep sailing along on and offshore together? “We share many things; we love the underdog. Very early on we’ve agreed on involving and engaging other smaller institutions. That’s our common ground as scientists and researchers.”
No doubt, years of teaching, researching, experimenting, and living life together as a couple and University Scientists inside and outside the four walls of the laboratory have made a dent in their family and in other people’s lives. The waters in the sea may be turbulent every now and then, but Belle and Willy manage to make it to the shore as they always do, standing the sci-test of time.
13 “During my job interview, I was asked, “Why did you consider teaching in UP?” I answered: I think this job will serve to bridge the gap between my student life and employment. It’s like you just continue to go to the University you were enrolled for the past four years and at the same time, gain job experience and earn for myself and my family! I feel comfortable working in the same environment that I had as a student but also challenged since I take a different role- a teacher. Adjusting from a student to a faculty for me is not a big deal since I view it as a continuous learning process. I still study at night, cram the readings and preps, prepare for discussion as if I have a thesis defense everyday, attend to committee works, etc. That is, I grow and learn everyday academically, personally, and professionally. Above all, the joy of sharing knowledge and love for economics to my students keeps me going.”
Ms. Gay Margarett Gange
Instructor, Division of Social Sciences “When I was an undergraduate student, I enjoyed teaching concepts that my batchmates found hard to understand. It made me happy every time I saw the transition of their facial expressions due to peer-assisted elucidation. I never had adjustment problems when I became a faculty; the only difference now is I get paid.”
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Mr. Edcel Sudaria
Instructor, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
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14 “It was kind of difficult adjusting to be honest. In my college years, I was a very ‘involved’ student. I have a lot of friends and I am very fond of leading and joining student orgs. So it was difficult putting up a wall that separates myself from the students and student activities. I had to learn how to draw a line, well, metaphorically, inside the classroom. As a student, I create my schedule and avoid early classes. Now, somewhat, I didn’t have the choice. I recall comments from my students that I was late a couple of times in my 7am classes. Being a teacher means I am now responsible for facilitating learning inside the classroom compared to just being the receiver of knowledge. Being a teacher is not an easy job. But I am up to the task of learning this craft.”
Mr. Christian Catalan
Instructor, Department of Chemistry
y t l u ?
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The main adjustment I needed to make was to consider how I would impart knowledge. Since my learning experience is still fresh and I still have the hunger for knowledge, the opportunity to become an educator was timely. I used methods from my past education, combined it with ideas that I thought were missing, and tried various techniques to deliver a satisfying and fulfilling education to students. I made myself available for consultations and actively communicated with students in my class to address their concerns regarding the course. I just have to increase my self-discipline and patience. I have found that many students responded positively to these qualities.
Ms. Joanah Faith Sanz
Instructor, Division of Physical Sciences and Mathematics (Computer Science Cluster) “The shift was more meaningful than I expected. I had anticipated some of the discomforts that come with returning to familiar places without the familiar faces, and I certainly had a headstart on what responsibilities to expect from myself, given that I was going to work away from my immediate family. But teaching enriched a yearning for learning that I thought I had satiated after 14 years in school. For over a decade, I have grown accustomed to the linearity of institutionally dictated schedules and tasks. I was fearless about pursuing thought experiments and new ideas within walls that allowed this freedom. After college, the structure was torn down and I was left to gamble everything that I’ve worked on since pre-school. The anxiety welled with the excitement, and going back to this university with a different set of goals and obligations stirred it more. But with that challenge of paving and defining my own path came new perspectives that continuously teach me to balance patience and understanding with discipline, theory with application, abstract with concrete, and advocacy and words with action. The shift entailed a lot of learning and unlearning of habits and mindsets, but, most of all, it taught me to be as teachable as my students. It made me realize that a love for learning comes from a willingness and openness to be taught. The road to this profession wasn’t easy and the journey ahead is quite daunting, but I’m eager to move forward.”
Ms. Isabella Marie Zerrudo Lecturer, Division of Humanities
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Vox Populi
With Senior Faculty members What kind of student do you remember the most?
‘
I seem to always remember with amusement the worst performing, the ones with odd behavior or the nonconformists or those who are difficult to categorize deportment wise, the physically attractive as well as those who are least pleasing to look at according to my admittedly subjective evaluation. Oh, I also tend to remember with disgust the “sipsip” - those who are obsequious to the point of being sycophantic - and those with attitude problem.
Prof. Martin Genodepa Division of Humanities
“I tend to remember students who are very bright and very helpful in the laboratory. They are also the ones who are very resourceful, very decisive, and are leaders in the class. Their classmates would normally follow their instructions and they can work independently and require only very minimal supervision.”
Julie Corcino Baylon
“Ang narember ko talaga ma’am yung bright pa din pero nakakahanga siya kasi di ko pala alam may exam kami nun then meron pala siya lagnat, at tinatawagan na siya ng parents nya na papauwiin na at nagtake pa rin siya.”
Racquel Tabornal
“I can easily remember students who are enthusiastic and those who are eager to learn & actively participate in class activities.”
“Ang dungol nga alam.”
Vicenta Gacutan
Retired faculty, Division of Biological Sciences
Benmar Panaguiton College of Management
Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, UPVTC
Nathaniel Añasco
College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
“1) Students who come to class 30 to 40 minutes late....I had two students who did that in my Aquatic Science 1 class...Of course they were marked absent.” 2) Students who submitted unique and well-written commentaries... some even incorporated their own drawings/ art work...of course, I gave additional points for their effort.” “Those who would make us laugh and those who would always give a helping hand in some classroom activities.”
Division of Biological Sciences
“The creative ones. These are the students who write unforgettable poems and essays.”
“I would always remember the ‘goats’.”
Dr. Liah Catedrilla
College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
John Barrios
Division of Professional Education
May D. Pison
Division of Physical Sciences and Mathematics
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by Yan Esquivel
Aron Miles Samson and his group mates started working on a project as part of their course requirement in one of the courses they enrolled in Computer Science. As a project leader who has the passion for exploring and creating, he inspired the group into rendering an exceptional output called UP Life specifically titled, Lab-uta ko bi: CMC 21. Lab-uta ko bi: CMSC 21 is a computer game that shows the struggle of a Computer Science student as he/she works his way around towards reaching the top of the CAS Building. Every stage of the way represents the hurdles the player has to take towards completion of the prerequisite courses to be able to gain access to the next level until he/she reaches the goal of reaching the top: that of finishing his academic requirements. This game is said to mirror UP life, as Aron talked about the game. Aron describes briefly how he and his groupmates’ game surpassed the expected programming requirement in class: The task was to come up with a simple black and white and simple text programming project. But as lead graphic designer, Aron said, “I did go beyond what was expected.” Ginkumpleto ko siya; may ara na mga graphics and all, which wala man gina-require.” And as part of the collaborative output, his group dedicated their waking hours illustrating, coding, and rendering a Donkey-kong inspired game using the architectural structure and design of the College of Arts and Sciences Building. Aron is taking BS Computer Science. Although “first, before UP, wala pa ko gid idea kung ano ang Comsci, pero gin-try ko lang gid intende kung ano siya and if kaya ko man. Then, amo to nga narealize ko nga gusto ko man gali siya, kay ara ang akon gusto, like Math and Technology.” He then further realized, “If Comsci ka, damo ka gid pwede himuon nga bag-o.” But he knows that while he has the knack for mathematics, he lacks the experience in coding. With the making of UP Life, their 2018-2019 batch recognized that the challenge the project imposed was difficult. But one thing is certain: they wanted it to be about UP. They wanted it to have graphics. They wanted it fresh and fun. And they actualized it. For Aron, UP life has opened to him another brand of interest that made it his “newfound love” in a digital landscape inspired by the sceneries in Miagao he is currently building using the popular game, Minecraft. And with this next game in the offing, who knows? Who knows if or when we’ll really get to explore UP life in pixels.
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by Yan Esquivel
Shookt!
—this is probably the exact word that encompasses the feeling of computer science students for having bagged first place in the 2019 Philippine Programming Challenge that won them Php 50,000 in cash. Paul Decierdo, then fourth year Computer Science student, was one of the team players of Team UPV that represented the University in a national programming competition in Manila on March 8, 2019. With him were Rhevie Rose Albonian, Lorenzo Antonio Baquiran, Rachel Castor, Rean Neil Luces, Alan Christopher Mongcal, Harley Davidson Regua, Kent Rio, Aira Torres, and Vaughn Malachi Ventura. Armed with the knowledge learned from their computer science classes, they reviewed their preferred coding language and strategy as a team before they competed to qualify for the first level competition. After the team aced the mock programming challenge, the second hurdle was to build codes to solve sets of programming problems landing them to the top ten of 26 competing teams from different universities all over the Philippines. With proper coaching from Professor John Roy Daradal, the team went on to the final round of the competition. This time the team was again tasked to create codes to solve programming problems, much more complex and difficult than the preliminary and second stages. In the end, the team’s accumulated points from the first to the final level competition landed them to the top spot. “Kada isa sa amon may gin contribute, wala gid may nagpabuhat.” Paul shares that their key tool in winning was really rooted in their knowledge of the subject. The test may have been demanding, but with teamwork, they were able to hurdle what was there to hurdle. The University of the Philippines’ motto “Honor and Excellence” made sense in the competition. “Strict gid sila.” Paul narrates what the competition was like, mentioning that all the participants’ computers had a livesetup programmed monitor to ensure that nobody got to cheat during the competition. When asked about post-graduation plans, Paul said that most of their teammates might probably plan to work in companies that specialize in technology. Meantime, Paul hopes that during this stage of their student life, there would be more competitions they can join. What matters, most after all, he said is “doing what we love doing.” And, for other students who are interested in joining similar competitions, Paul added that it is always important to practice to hit that mark that they aim for.
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TLRC INNOVATIONS INNOVATIONS TLRC In today’s world of Digital Age Technology, people use technology as a medium of communication. Its use is vital to the daily tasks as technology becomes more and more integrated into organizations, collaborations, and group discussions. In connection with this, TLRC wants to introduce its innovation through this technology: Computers used by the students for their assignments and/or researches using the User Management Software with Barcode Technology The barcode technology is an optical, machinereadable representation of data and represented by varying widths and spacing of parallel lines. One of the benefits of barcode technology is the accuracy of the data input. Relying on a barcode to process data is far more accurate than relying on manually entered data which is prone to errors. The user management software, together with the barcode technology, keeps track of the students’ free internet access. The feature of this software is the ability to generate reports of the students’ usage and statistics. Students must register their student ID to be able to access the designated computer for their use. Once registered, the staff scans the barcode, which is found at the back of the students’ IDs using the barcode scanner, and logs the student in. When a student wants to log out or finish using the service, the staff simply scans the barcode again and they are automatically logged out of the system. The accounts of the registered students refresh every semester, which grants their accounts 30 hours of usage by default. This project was implemented in September 2017 in TLRC and July 2018 at the MILC. Borrowing of Books and Movies using the Barcode Technology In previous years, the borrowing of books and movies followed the manual process of writing on the record book. Students surrendered their IDs to the Staff inCharge to borrow the desired books and movies. These are expected to be returned after two weeks, for the former, and one week, for the latter. Implemented in January 2019, TLRC has introduced the use of the Barcode Technology in borrowing these media. The act of simply scanning the barcodes attached to these books and movies makes the processing and recording of data fast and accurate. Students no longer need to wait for the long queue to avail of the service. In addition to that, the System also detects overdue
by Mike Remotin
borrowed books and movies, making it easier for the Staff-in-Charge to impose corresponding fines. Implementation of the Student Lounge Logging System The Student Lounge is a nook for students to study, interact, and take time out; it is both a place for resting and recreation during breaks in-between classes. The TLRC also introduced the Student Lounge Logging System in January 2019. This system was created to help TLRC track students who visit the premise and was intended for monitoring purposes. Replacement and Deployment of Old and New Computer Networking Routers Routers play a vital role in computer networking communication. They provide gateways or send data to the internet and other networks. This means that when a host wants to contact another host on a different network, it simply sends that network traffic to the router. TLRC uses modern equipment such as routers to send and receive data to communicate to other departments or those outside the University. Currently, TLRC routers are so old that, at some point, the connectivity of the device gets lost. In order to deliver stable connectivity and flawless communication, TLRC purchased a new computer networking router for both TLRC and MILC. These newly acquired routers now connect and cater to multiple users simultaneously and enhance device connectivity. The router can accommodate multiple connections seamlessly all at once with the router MU-MIMO technology or the Multi-User Multiple Input Multiple Output. “MIMO is an antenna technology for wireless communications in which multiple antennas are used at both the source (transmitter) and the destination (receiver). The antennas at each end of the communications circuit are combined to minimize errors and optimize data speed.” (https:// searchmobilecomputing. techtarget.com/ definition/MIMO). This project is in progress but TLRC assures its clients that, once this project is done, users can connect any time and have a stable and reliable connectivity.
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Miagao, Iloilo, where the UPV main campus is located, is truly a sight to behold. Aside from the mountainous landscape where you can trek, the breezy seaside provides the ambiance where you can relax, meditate, and even play. Chirping birds greet you as you wake up in the morning in dormitories, and the stars shine brightly as you look up to the sky at night. These and many more add up to an exciting academic journey in the University in a town that makes your stay memorable. We have listed several things you can experience in Miagao (both in and outside the campus) below. Check the things you have done, refer to the interpretation of your score below, and see what kind of Miagao wanderer you are. 1. Eaten hotdog in Manang Betch’s food stand 2. Gone to class in shorts and slippers
18. Known where to go when somebody says, “Tapsi ta!”
3. Attended a protest rally
19. Randomly chant, “lower, lower…”
4. Slept through a regular scheduled brownout
20. Joined cheering
5. Sat on the football field in the middle of the night
21. Have a picture with Oble (not recommended)
6. Swam in the OWL seaside
22. Know what TBAC is
7. Visited the new SoTech Building
23. Complained how expensive an UPBEAT shirt is
8. Went to the City campus and back to Miagao on the same day
but bought one anyway 24. Spent the night on the beach looking at the stars
9. Known the “sapa” – to “banwa” shortcut
25. Eaten at a Miagao resident’s house during fiestas.
10. Jogged at the lovers’ lane
26. Slept at the TLRC Estudio
11. Used the word “beh” quite often
27. Eaten Nerizen’s Batchoy
12. Eaten packed food without using utensils
28. Visited the Miagao Church and took a photo like
13. Stayed up until the sun rose
a tourist
14. Tried the famous Single-Double
29. Trekked the Nature Trail after class
15. Known where Narnia is
30. Counted the hundred steps to find out if it’s really
16. Heard of the famous “portal” legend
a 100 step-stair
17. Went to Angel’s Burger after 9:00 PM
1-10: You are a novice adventurer. Learn more about Miagao life by trying out some new things, going out to eat someplace else other than the cafeteria and UPV canteens, attend University events, explore the campus, meet some new friends, and hang out or chat. The University is a community where diverse people share a lot of things, and, to be part of that community, to engage, will surely make your college experience memorable.
11-20: You almost ventured the University environment, but not quite. There are more stuff out there, more places to eat, and more people to meet. You have adjusted to the culture, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing left to experience. Be more active and engaging, and you will surely make the most out of your college life.
21-30: You have journeyed far and beyond! Exploring Miagao might be regular to you as you have immersed in the culture, but, as change is constant, there will always be new things to experience. Surely, your experiences in Miagao will be memorable.
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Prof. Amy Tanoy Director
Sharon Gargaritano Michael Anthony Remotin Administrative Assistants Czar Ian Angel Esquivel University Extension Associate Arsenio Salaya John Eric Cayona Administrative Aides
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TEACH
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URC
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GE) E L L O AN C B O L AC UPV T
Racquel Tabornal Coordinator
Bernadeth Tingson Administrative Aide
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RS I A F F IC A
LOR
CEL N A H CE-C I V E H E OF T
DEM A C A FOR
OFFIC
OFFICE OF THE UNIVERSITY REGISTRAR
GRADUATE PROGRAM OFFICE
OFFICE OF STUDENT AFFAIRS
UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
TEACHING AND LEARNING RESOURCE CENTER
NATIONAL SERVICE TRAINING PROGRAM OFFICE
teleSkUP Official Publication of TLRC Vol. 1, No. 1 Published and printed at the University of the Philippines Visayas Teaching and Learning Resource Center November 2019