"The highlight of the ceremony will be the turnover of the University Mace, the symbol of authority of the UP presidency, by outgoing president, Emerlinda R. Roman, to the incoming president, Alfredo E. Pascual,"
"Pascual was elected by the UP Board of Regents last December. His term begins on February 10 and ends on February 9, 2017."
Editor's note: The following notes of the second public forum for the Search for the next U.P. Diliman Chancellor was sent to us by Former Faculty Regent Judy M. Taguiwalo. We are posting this in view of continued reader interest in the changes in leadership throughout the University of the Philippines System
By Former Faculty Regent Judy M. Taguiwalo
The second three-year term of UP Diliman Chancellor Segio Cao ends on February 28, 2011. The search for the next UP Diliman Chancellor started early this month with the constitution of the Search Committee.
Two of the three public fora on the nominees for the Chancellor have been held. The first one, principally for the students, was held last January 24, 2011 at the NISMED Auditorium. The second one, principally for the faculty was held this morning at the College of Law Auditorium . I missed the first forum as I had to attend the UPD Executive Committee meeting. But I made sure to attend this morning’s forum to share with you pictures and an account of what transpired this morning.
All five nominees were given seven minutes to present their vision paper. The order of presentation determined by drawing lots was the following: Former Engineering Dean Rowena Guevara, College of Science Dean Caesar Saloma , Dr. Patrick Azanza, UCWS Director Sylvia Claudio and College of Mass Communication Dean Rolando Tolentino . After the presentations written questions submitted by the audience were asked and answered by all five nominees.
Here are the questions based on my notes. (These are not verbatim as I could not write that fast)
1. What is your track record in practicing democratic governance? And what are your concrete plans to ensure such if chosen as Chancellor?
2. There is a sense of the dominance of the natural science and engineering in the university as indicated by the resources channeled to them and the use of natural science criteria for evaluating faculty. Corollary to this, the humanities and the social sciences appear to be in the margins. Please comment.
3. The Administration’s assessment of the RGEP has still to be disseminated widely but news has cropped up of the flaws of the program. What will you do as Chancellor to address these flaws?
4. How do you intend to handle issues of plagiarism in the university?
There are flaws in the tenure process for faculty with the Sarah Raymundo case as the most recent example. 5. How are you going to handle such cases taking into account departmental autonomy?
6. Paano mo ipatutupad ang palisiya sa pambansang wika at ano ang maging papel ng Sentro ng Wika sa iyong administrasyon?
7. What are your thoughts on the recent approval of the BOR of the Ayala contract to lease the present UPIS site?
8. Who among your professors/colleagues have inspired you the most?
The forum ended at around 11:45 am. The third and last forum, principally for the REPS and administrative staff, will be on February 7, 2011, from 2:00 to 4:30 pm at the Claro M. Recto Hall, Faculty Center .
The Search Committee will also be available for consultation to all sectors of U.P. Diliman on February 3 (Thursday) from 10:00 am to 12:00 nn at the BOR Meeting Room in Quezon Hall.
The Board of Regents will choose the new Chancellor on February 24, 2011 during its regular meeting.
The Diliman Diary is a bilingual online weblog that features stories in Diliman area in Filipino and English. It features everything from personal stories, technology, business, the arts, music, literature, theatre, film, politics, sports which impact the Diliman area and its netizens who may be located anywhere and in any time zone.
If you want to submit comments, stories, pictures, poems, events, opinions or even the everyday happenings in your life then you may email this to:dilimandiary@yahoo.com
All submissions are considered the property of their respective submitters and no copyright infringements are intended.
Nominees for the chancellor of the University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD) laid out their visions for the university at the National Institute for Science and Mathematics and Education (NISMED) on Tuesday.
The five nominees, including College of Mass Communication (CMC) dean Roland Tolentino, presented to students their plans for UP to become a national university that combines academic excellence and public service.
Other hopefuls include businessman and education senior lecturer Patrick Azanza, Science dean Caesar Saloma, former Engineering dean Rowena Guevara and UP Center for Women Studies director Sylvia Estrada-Claudio.
A frenzy of real estate deals by the U.P. Board of Regents (BOR) dominated the proceedings of Outgoing U.P. President Emerlinda R. Roman's last meeting at the BOR on January 27.
According to the Facebook page of Student Regent Jaque Eroles, the BOR approved the following real estate deals: The LoveNature! Park in UPV-Miagao, the Solar Power Plant Project in UPLB, and the AyalaLand lease in UPIS land were all approved today at Roman's last BOR meeting.
The Diliman Diary will be updating this dispatch as more details become available.
Editor's note: The following statement was sent to us by UP Kilos Na and we have decided to upload the statement in full because it contains many historical truths which must be balanced against President Roman's contentions that her biggest achievements are the passage of the 2008 U.P. Charter (R.A. 9500) and the successful celebration of the U.P. Centennial.
Kaninang umaga ang huling pulong sa BOR ni Emerlinda Roman bilang Pangulo ng UP bagamat Pebrero 10, 2011 ang turnover ng presidency sa kay Alfredo Pascual.
Anim na taong panunungkulan ni Roman bilang Presidente. Bago niyan ay anim na taon ding Chancellor ng UP Diliman. Kung ibibilang pa ang mga taon bilang University Secretary, bilang Faculty Regent, halos di na bumababa sa pwestong administratibo ang unang pangulong babae ng UP.
Pero malalim ang sugat na idinulot ng kanyang pamamalakad. Sabi niya dalawa ang mahalaga niyang naaccomplish bilang Presidente: ang pagpasa sa UP Charter at pamamahala sa senternayo ng UP . (http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=1&t=1&id=13220)
May ibang pagtatasa ang mga nagprotestang estudyante, kawani, faculty at REPS kanina: pinabilis ni Roman ang proseso ng pribatisasyon ng UP sa pamamagitan ng 300% tuition increase noong 2006 at walang patumanggang pagpapaupa sa lupa ng UP sa mga korporasyon, laluna ang paborito niyang Ayala at ang malinaw na pagyurak sa mga demokratikong proseso ng pamamahala sa ginawa sa pagpapatalsik sa Student Regent, sa pag-alis sa pwesto sa noo'y nanumpa nang PGH Director Jose Gonzales at sa patuloy na di pagpapatupad sa desisyong bigyang tenure si Sarah Raymundo. Tumingkad din ang isyu ng diskriminasyon sa hanay ng mga kawani at REPS sa mabilis na mga dagdag na benepisyo para sa faculty at laluna sa mga senior faculty habang ang matatagal na mga kahilingan para sa kawani at REPS at para sa mga junior faculty ay hindi ibinibigay.
Kung gusto may paraan, kung ayaw may dahilan ang naging tema ng pamamalakad ng Administrasyong Roman. At sa ganitong pamamalakad, tinatangkang wasakin ang pagkakaisa ng komunidad ng UP. Ginagantimpalaan ang mahuhusay magpalabas ng sariling pondo sa pamamagitan ng dagdag na mga pribilihiyo tulad ng sariling dorms. Ang mga walang pondo ay kailangang mahusay na umawit ng pondo sa administrasyon laluna't walang transparency sa kung ano talaga ang kaperahan ng UP.
Good riddance Emerlinda R. Roman. Tuloy ang laban.
UP kilos na para sa demokratikong unibersidad na pilipinas na naglilingkod sa bayan!
Ipagpatuloy ang mga laban
Pagpapatupad sa desisyong magkatenure na si Prof. Raymundo
Labanan ang Pribatisasyon ng FMAB
Dagdag na 10 days leave benefits para sa mga kawani at REPS
Labanan ang Pagsasara sa UFS ng UP Diliman
Hustisya para sa mga biktima ng Had. Luisita Masaker at Ampatuan Masaker
Tunay na reporma sa lupa kabilang na ang kagyat na pamamahagi ng lupa sa mga magsasaka at manggagawang bukid ng Had. Luisita.
Dagdag na P125 sa sahod ng mga manggagawa sa pribadong sektor! Dagdag na P6,000 sa minimum na sahod ng mga kawani sa pampublikong sektor!
Salary upgrading ng mga public school teachers!
Back COLA!
Demokratisasyon ng pamamalakad ng unibersidad!
Paglaya ng lahat ng bilanggong pulitikal!
Pagbigay wakas sa impunity!
Paglaban sa patuloy na pagpapatupad ng neo liberal na mga patakaran sa bansa at sa unibersidad!
Paglaban sa VFA at Balikatan exercises!
Pagtutol sa OPLAN Bayanihan na kapalit ng OPLAN Bantay Laya
Prosecution ni Gloria Macapagal Arroyo sa mga krimen ng plunder, korapsyon, paglabag sa karapatang pantao
Ang mga iskolar, kawani at guro ng bayan, patuloy na lalaban
ROCK4RAI, a benefit concert for University of the Philippines Integrated School (UPIS) student Raigene Busi, will be held on February 4, from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., at the UPIS parking lot.
Rock4Rai, which will feature about 50 performers, including UPIS bands, aims to raise funds for the recovery of Rai, a fourth-year student of the school who was struck by a motorcycle on December 17. Since the accident, Rai has been confined at the Philippine General Hospital where her father, a single parent, works as an administrative assistant. Rai suffered serious injuries, leaving her in the surgery intensive care unit until her transfer to an isolation room in the trauma ward only recently.
She battled lung and kidney infection and was dependent on a respirator for several weeks. Doctors also removed her spleen and pancreas after both organs sustained heavy damage due to the accident. On Tuesday, Rai underwent a colostomy after she developed a block in her large intestines.
Doctors continue to watch her closely and are waiting for her condition to further improve before they start working on her other injuries—two broken ribs, plus a break in her collarbone and left arm.
For tickets to Rock4Rai, contact May Datuin at 0917-5840760. Those who want to help out the family may call Rai’s father, Raymundo Busi, at 0919-4610592. Donations may be coursed through his DBP bank account (account name Raymundo Busi, account number 5053784109).
Editor's note: The following Facebook post by Kristian Jacob Abad Lora was posted on the Facebook page of Incoming University of the Philippines (U.P.) President Alfredo E. Pascual, and is a narration of a live update by incumbent UP Visayas-UP Cebu College Representative to UP University Student Council Liezyl Ann Gomez on a visit of Systemwide student leaders with Mr. Pascual last January 23.
Mr. Pascual's six-year term as U.P. President starts on February 10, 2011, replacing Outgoing U.P. President Emerlinda R. Roman, who will resume her teaching position as a professor at the College of Business Administration at U.P. Diliman
By Kristian Jacob Abad Lora on Sunday, January 23, 2011 at 8:52pm
Sa lahat ng mga Iskolar, Guro, at Kawani ng Bayan, narito ang ilan sa mga importanteng pahayag ng ating bagong pangulong si President-elect Alfredo Pascual sa Systemwide Student Leaders Convention with President-elect Pascual, Enero 23, kanina.
"Unang-una ang UP ay public university, and we have to protect its public character."
"I will not agree to the budget cut and I will raise protest against it."
"No military presence in UP campuses."
Magaganda at promising nga ang mga naging pahayag ni G. Pascual sa kumbensyon. Sana'y magpatuloy siyang maging kakampi nating lahat at hindi lang ng iilan. Sana'y patuloy siyang kaakibat natin sa pag-uphold ng demokrasya sa loob ng pamantasan at sa pag-uphold "public character" ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas bilang Unibersidad ng at para sa Bayan.
Padayon lalo na sa ating pagmamatyag! SERVE THE PEOPLE! GOD BLESS! ^^,
Credits to the incumbent UP Visayas-UP Cebu College Representative to UP University Student Council Liezyl Ann Gomez for the live update.
TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, Jan 25, (PIA) – It was a short talk yet the message from the outgoing UP president rings to the ears of the crowd from the UP Visayas community.
In the short message delivered by Dr. Emerlinda R. Roman, outgoing UP president during the ceremony held today at the auditorium of UPVTC campus as a tribute to her, said she will be judged by her performance as UP’s 19th and first ever woman president.
Dr. Roman said she never saw herself competing with her predecessor in terms of achievements because according to her the only objective she has is just to finish one’s term of office which is six years.
Ang aking pagboto kay G. Alfredo Pascual ay nakabatay sa mga pinagkaisahan at pinagkasunduan sa ginanap na Systemwide Sectoral Conference noong Setyembre 2 at 3, 2010 na ginanap sa UP SOLAIR at dinaluhan ng iba’t ibang kinatawan mula sa sektor ng estudyante, guro, REPS, at administratibong kawani, gayundin sa mga nakalap na mungkahi sa aking ginawang pag-iikot sa iba’t ibang kampus.
Ang pangkalahatang pamantayan na napagkaisahan ay ang sumusunod:
I wish to convey this message to our fellow Iskolar ng Bayan to clarify on the matter of my tenure as Chairperson of the University Student Council of UP Diliman and hopefully lay to rest the issue so we may focus on the more pressing concerns of our University. It is my hope that this be forwarded to every student.
On the matter of my academic standing. Yes, it is true that I have been dismissed from the Psychology Department of the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy and am no longer a Student of the BS Psychology Program. I have been readmitted into the University and to the college on a Non-Major status and on the condition that I find a suitable degree program in the University to shift-in to. Now I plan to shift into the Department of Filipino and Philippine Literature in the College of Arts and Letters in the Philippines Studies Program, in fact I have enrolled the courses required by the degree program I plan to shift-in to.
QUEZON CITY, Jan 24 (PIA) – Tagged as the “killer highway” due to the alarming number of motor mishaps credited to its name, Commonwealth Avenue will have separate lanes for buses, jeepneys, and motorcycles beginning Tuesday to mitigate road accidents and ensure safety among motorists.
Starting 4:30 a.m. today, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will assign the yellow lanes to public utility buses (PUBs), the second lane next to the bus lane to motorcycles and public utility jeepneys, and the remaining five lanes to private vehicles with two lanes reserved for U-turn slots.
The lane assignments will be initially implemented from Batasan to Philcoa and vice versa.
MMDA enforcers will also be armed with speed tracking guns to make sure motorists observe the 60-kilometer per hour speed limit along the highway. Violators will be fined PhP 1,200.
Commonwealth Avenue, according to the MMDA, has a total of 18 lanes with nine lanes going from Fairview, Quezon City to the Quezon Memorial Circle, and nine lanes going the opposite direction. (PIA-NCR/Jayson P. Leguiab)
MANILA, Jan.24 (PIA) - Secretary Jesse M. Robredo of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) warned local government units that non-compliance with the full disclosure policy of the DILG would warrant administrative sanctions.
Full disclosure policy requires local government units to post their budgets and finances, and bids and public offerings in government websites, newspapers of general circulation, and in other conspicuous and appropriate places.
Adherence to the policy is now compulsory, as provided by Section 90 of Republic Act 10147 or the General Appropriations Act of 2011.
“This is a big step towards ensuring that government resources are used responsibly and for the right purpose,” said Robredo. He said failure to comply with the policy would merit disciplinary actions in accordance with existing laws.
In a directive to provincial governors, city and municipal mayors, presiding officers of local legislative councils and the ARMM regional governor, the DILG chief said that non-compliance with the full disclosure policy may subject concerned local officials to suspension or removal from office on the ground of gross negligence or dereliction of duty in accordance with Section 60 of the Local Government Code of 1991.
“We want to strictly adhere with the full disclosure policy because we want to uphold transparency and accountability in government and it is in keeping with President Aquino’s principles on good governance. More importantly, we hope that through this reform, we will be able to improve our services to the people,” Robredo said.
A Commission on Audit memorandum also includes compliance with the full disclosure policy among the requirements in the auditing process.
Documents and transactions that are required to be posted by LGUs include the following: Annual Budget Report; Quarterly Statement of Cash Flows; Statement of Receipts and Expenditures; Trust Fund (PDAF) Utilization; Quarterly Report of SEF (Special Education Fund) Utilization; and 20 percent Component of the IRA Utilization, among others.
Robredo added that a local government unit without a website should post the required information on the website of the DILG regional office concerned or on www.dilg.gov.ph, the website of DILG central office.
"A whitewash-- this is how the scientist group AGHAM-Advocates of Science and Technology for the People called the findings of the Department of Justice fact-finding panel that cleared the military of any wrongdoing on the death of Leonard Co, forest guard Sofronio Cortez and farmer Julius Borromeo last November 15 in Kananga, Leyte."
“The DOJ panel totally ignored the testimony of the witnesses that attest to the culpability of the military on the death of the Kananga 3”, said Dr. Tapang, chairperson of AGHAM and convenor of the Justice for Leonard Co Movement."
Dr. Oscar Hilario, vice president of the MMG-Aklan, said the aggressive move of President Aquino in further strengthening the Philippine Health Insurance (Philhealth) is one of the concrete ways of helping the poor gain access to quality health.
Vitamins Philippines Health Partnerships
Vitamins Philippines invites partnerships with LGU's and Doctors nationwide to help and support all Filipinos to live healthier lives.
She is a Filipino. Just like me. She is from the University of the Philippines Diliman. Just like me. She is a role model. Just like me. Lol. But yesterday she was named the Ford Supermodel of the World 2011. Kudos to her. I feel proud. She is now signed to Ford Modeling Agency. It is just one of the most prestigious modeling agency in the entire world that handled Christy Turlington, Elle MacPherson, Twiggy, Bar Refaeli and Paris Hilton among others."
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has cleared government troops of any liability in the killing of noted botanist Leonardo Co and two guides in an encounter with communist rebels in Leyte last November.
In a 26-page report, a fact-finding panel composed of Assistant State Prosecutors Diosdado Solidum Jr. and Bryan Jacinto Cacha and lawyer Romulo Asis of the National Bureau of Investigation’s Death Investigation Division said the soldiers involved in the firefight were not responsible for the death of 56-year-old Co, Sofronio Cortez and Julius Borromeo.
The bullets that killed the three, according to the panel, came from the lines of the New People’s Army (NPA).
MANILA, Jan. 20 (PNA) - The University of the Philippines (UP) College of Music will present the world premiere of Dr. Ramon Santos' "Ang Mahiwagang Hardin (An Opera Tableaux)" on January 31, 2011, at the Abelardo Hall, UP College of Music in Diliman, Quezon City .
The musical play is under the direction of Roselle Pineda, visual design of Teta Tulay and musical direction of Christopher Borela.
The 1964 opera tale of the protagonist Ligaya and her flower friends is a visual and musical journey that crosses the real and surreal illustrating that truth, love and beauty transcends time, place and form.
The opera features some of the most celebrated Filipino groups and performers - The UP Madrigal Singers, Coro de Sta. Cecilia, the UP Dance Company, and solo artists Jesper Mercado, Mary Jane Egloso, Biance Camille Lopez, Kitbielle Pagui and Ervin Lumauag. (PNA)
LAM/JCA
"But many of us who are observers of the Philippines also at least observe that there are some deeply structural issues in the Philippines that at least fuel some of the inequality and injustice and also corruption. And foremost among those, it seems, is the maintenance of a at least semi-feudal structure of overall society in the Philippines that is something more akin to Pakistan than to maybe some of -- other countries across the region.
And my question to you is do you accept that characterization of the Philippines, and if so, what is and can your government do to address these deeply structural issues?
AQUINO: One of the current issues that has been brought up by the Philippine Senate has been our emphasis on conditional cash transfers in the budget. They say that these handouts are not the solution and we should go back to the traditional methods of having -- rely on trickle-down economics as the key towards uplifting the lot of our people."
Editor's note: We are embedding below the schedule of public forums for readers who are interested in the Search for a New U.P. Diliman Chancellor, to replace Outgoing U.P. Diliman Chancellor Sergio S. Cao. (Source: http://up.edu.ph/pdf/memo%20re_%20open%20forums%20-edt.pdf)
Editor's note: The following announcement was posted yeterday at the website of the University of the Philippines System (see: http://up.edu.ph/features.php?i=246) announcing that five individuals had accepted nominations to be the next Chancellor of U.P. Diliman. The announcement is embedded below:
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Listed in alphabetical order are the nominees to the position of Chancellor of U.P. Diliman:
1. Dr. Patrick Alain T. Azanza
2. Dr. Sylvia E. Claudio
3. Dr. Rowena Cristina L. Guevara
4. Dr. Caesar A. Saloma
5. Dr. Rolando B. Tolentino
All nominees have formally accepted their nominations and expressed their willingness to serve as Chancellor, if selected, on a full-time basis for the full term of three years.
Click here to read a copy of the memo from the Search Committee for U.P. Diliman Chancellor.
UP Diliman Recyclables Fair January 26, 2011, Wednesday AS Parking Lot (Lower Level) 9AM-3PM
YOU MAY DISPOSE / SELL THE FOLLOWING ITEMS:
Printer cartridge - toner and ink cartridges Used lead-acid batteries - genset, UPS and motor vehicle batteries E-waste - non-working electronic and electrical appliances, CPUs Paper - used paper, cartons, boxes, old newspapers, magazine, obsolete books, TetraPak cartons Plastic and Metal - PET bottles, containers, plastic furniture, VCDs and CDs, VHS and beta tapes, aluminum cans, tin cans, other metals
Others (no monetary value): Tarpaulin streamers, polystyrene packaging, clean sando bags,cassette tapes, mobile phones and chargers
Items not accepted for disposal: Computer monitors and TV sets, wood, ceramics, colored bottles,old clothes, tires, and busted fluorescent lamps
We have attached the price list for your review. Prices may change without prior notice.
"The picture shown is the back of the UP Theater (Villamor Hall), known commonly as the Dalisay Aldaba Hall," said Chrismar Punzal in an email to the Diliman Diary today.
For correctly identifying this mold-infested U.P. Diliman building, Chrismar gets to win one (1) Bioessence Gold Gift Certificate. This will be at Bioessence's 47 West Avenue, Quezon City Head Office where the lucky winner will be able to enjoy a Swedish Massage in an atmosphere constituting the Ultimate Italian Spa Experience.
Editor's note: Two Diliman Diary Readers have already responded to the email sent to us on January 16 by Dr. Leonardo Leonidas, a member of the U.P. Medical Society in America (UPMASA) regarding antiquated teaching methods at the University of the Philippines (please see: http://diliman-diary.blogspot.com/2011/01/editors-note-following-was-emailed-to.html) but for the original consumption of incoming U.P. President Alfredo E. Pascual. The original email seems to have acquired a life of its own, however due to reader interest in the subject. We are including both emails below. The first is from Dr. Gabriel G. Carreon and the second is from Mr. Romeo Santos, who sent us a comment to our Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Diliman-Diary/107709502591529 The first email:
Dear Dr. Leonidas,
I was pleased to read your article of 17 January 2011 in the Diliman Diary on improving teaching methods. Congratulations! The essence of learning are curiosity and initiative, among others. I would like to complement your experience with some observations and comments.
[1] There appears to be a revival on the fundamentals of a good physical examination – inspection, palpation, percussion and auscultation. There should be equal re-focus on good history-taking.
[2] Some U.S. medical schools are introducing the patient to the student as early as the first year; as well, the student is being introduced to the community early in the medical course. This should help in the early development of a social conscience in addition to a scientific mind.
[3] There is a pressing need for the early introduction of the student to the realities of the health care system where he will apply his medical knowledge, participate in organization, teamwork and networking and learn to prioritize decisions and actions.
[4] There is a need to learn to translate thoughts and words into action and to look for reasonable outcomes from available inputs and resources.
We hope these will be helpful to the UPCM.
Gabriel G. Carreon
UPCM 1953.
The second email:
You hit it bulls-eye, Prof. Leonidas! I appreciate your insights.
Yes, there must be a 'radical' change in the way instructions are done in UP- actually, it should be in the whole country. I agree with your 'evidence-based education', it's actually our 'results-based' advocacy, in which performance and success are measured not only by outputs, but more on outcomes.
I think it's an issue of pedagogy -why the professor you mentioned teaches the way he does. Most professors still stick to the pedagogic approach of 'transmission' and not 'transformation'. Transmission makes one professor think that students are just receiving vessels, that teachers are ‘know-all’ lords in the classroom, and what students shall do is to absorb, absorb, and absorb from the ‘most-knowing’ being. What makes it worse is that what students absorb is usually knowledge that the profs have accumulated through books (grey literature, mostly) and the lessons, styles, and mindsets, among many, were the same worn-out stuffs handed down to them by their own mentors. Transmission treats students as fraternity applicants that are under-going initiation, -that because profs have experienced ‘difficult life’ under their ‘masters’, it’s now their turn to get even.
On the other hand, transformation recognizes that students are partners in learning, that education is not a one-way process –both sides should learn from the teaching endeavor, and profs and students have equal stake in the learning initiative. Actually, the basic reason for education is to make one a well-rounded individual - one who is ‘changed’ for the better, not just for the betterment of himself, but the society. That is the very ‘LOGIC [THEORY] OF CHANGE’ central in any educational program. Otherwise, if the products of learning are individuals that have one-track mind and a narrow sense of learning (solidly focused on the technical, field or discipline-fixed application of the knowledge learnt), that he will use for self gratification and not for the common good, then the society will suffer disastrously. Learning outcomes (as measurable results) are evident in students who undergo education if they imbibe the values on which this education is basically premised. That is what we call evidence-based learning. If the purpose of the education is to produce individuals who are more concerned with becoming cum laude, board topnotcher, ‘crema del crème’ and to just graduate to advance own selves, then education is mere output-based.
It is no wonder why we always lament the fact that while, we, Filipinos are known to be intelligent people, we, as a society, do not progress much. My theory is that our education is basically flawed. It is very output-oriented and not what you said as ‘evidence-based’ or ‘results based’. We are turning out graduates who are mostly ‘parroting’ what their teachers did (and what these teachers had become), more often, self-centered and narrowly focused on the technical skills and knowledge of their disciplines, while evidence of values imbibed for the common well-being and upliftment of the collective whole are absent.
Have we ever asked ourselves?-WHY is corruption so selfish? ...When do we ever learn? - EDUCATION is not rote, it should be built around values that advance common good, and these values should be evident outcomes seen in the students we produce.
The above creepy photo was taken somewhere in the U.P. Diliman Campus. The first Diliman Diary reader who is able to correctly identify the building in this picture taken gets to win one (1) Bioessence Gold Gift Certificate. This will be at Bioessence's 47 West Avenue, Quezon City Head Office where the lucky winner will be able to enjoy a Swedish Massage in an atmosphere constituting the Ultimate Italian Spa Experience. Please email us at: The Editor at dilimandiary@yahoo.com by 11:59 p.m. of January 20, 2011 and we will contact the winner for further instructions. Good luck everybody!
Editor's note: The following email was sent to us on January 16 by Dr. Leonardo Leonidas, a member of the U.P. Medical Society in America (UPMASA) with the request that we upload this for the possible consideration of the incoming U.P. President Alfredo E. Pascual. We are also posting this on the Facebook page entitled, Messages to new U.P. President Alfredo E. Pascual at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Messages-to-New-UP-President-Alfredo-E-Pascual/172909116063538 Dr. Leonidas may be reached for comment at: nonieleonidas68@gmail.com
To the New UP President Mr. Alfredo E. Pascual,
Changing Old Teaching Method
One day last February at one in the afternoon, I attended a lecture at UPCM, BSLR room, 42 years after my graduation. The topic was muscle diseases. The professor I think was in the mid 40s.
Except for the use of Power Point, the format of the talk was similar to my experience when I was student. It was a “show-and-tell” one-way talk with the professor doing all the action.
The lecture was just as boring and sleep inducing like we had years ago. I was sitting in the front first row. I looked back to my right and noticed that some of the students are bored and sleepy. During our time, I remembered I also felt sleepy in many of the lectures at the same lecture room.
After about half an hour of the talk, I left the room because I did not see any new teaching method from the professor that I can adopt.
I am Leonardo Leonidas, UPCM class 68 graduate, Assistant Clinical Professor in Pediatrics (till 2008), Tufts University School of Medicine. Boston. For about 30 years I mentored third year medical students. My role was to teach and demonstrate to how to diagnose, do physical examination, and treat patients.
I think the problem of our University is we have antiquated method of teaching which was designed during the industrial age. Our teaching methods are experienced base, rather than “Evidence Based Education” like the new wave in medical education’s “Evidenced Based Medicine.”
I think the teaching model of most Professors is “One-Size-Fit-All” one-way lectures. They have different mind-set that strongly believe they should teach the Net Generation Student Learners the same way they learned.
However, the Net Gen Student Learners grew up in a digital world of the 21st Century with a different mind-set who gets sleepy easily with a boring one-way lecture even though they are using Power Point.
Our student of the 21st century prefers to discover for themselves the solutions to a problem. They are more comfortable searching for the answer rather than Professor lecturing to them subjects that they are not interested with at that particular time.
The Net Gen Students are better in collaborating with other students or teachers. They learn better creating their own learning environment using technology and less of the paper-based note-taking, reading heavy hard copy books.
However, if our University is not offering tools and opportunities for collaboration, just-in-time learning, rapid on-line 24/7 libraries, these students will be bored and stressed on graduation. I think these are the student when they become professionals might be prone to early burn-out, reduced productivity, depression, and probably prone to corruption at the workplace.
How can we help the 21st century Learners?
We should change our methods of teaching. We should make it Student-Centric and Fun. And these are the features of newer teaching method:
Instead of Professors lecturing, they should interact with students and help them discover for themselves.
Instead of delivering a “One-Size-Fits-All” form of lecture, Professors should customize learning module to fit the student’s way of learning and studying.
Instead of isolating the students to work alone, the Professor should encourage them to collaborate with other students, teachers, business managers, and researchers.
Instead of teaching them what to learn, Professors should teach them how to think for themselves and do extensive research to solve a particular problem at hand.
Instead of loading their power point slides with words, they should put more cartoons, pictures, and videos to illustrate the main idea. The brain learn and remember more visually.
Instead of being serious in their demeanor, Professors should smile more, make frequent eye-contact with some students, give one-liner jokes, or show magic to make the amygdala pay attention.
Instead of forgetting the names of their students,
teachers should request their student’s e mail, so communication and teaching will be easier and fun. With a group e mail, teachers can follow up their students and make outcome studies of their methods. Updates of their lecture can be distributed with a click of the mouse. Armed with e mails, teachers can easily hook up a student with researchers and future contacts for employment.
I suggest that the first step for UP to help to the Net Gen Learner is to make all of the lectures available in a Website, a Blog from each Professor, group e mail, Facebook, or an Apple App. Professor should have a recorded audio or video of their lectures available 24/7 wireless.
I think one of the best tool that helped my students is the e mail. With this tool, I created cases of typical patients for them to solve within a few days. I requested students to analyze the case then send me their diagnosis. The response and comments were positive. And my Tufts medical students enjoyed it.
From that experience, about five years before I retired, I invited some third year students from UP College of medicine for an e mail discussion on selected pediatric patients. About 20 of them was in my e mail group. One of them e mailed me saying that he learned more from our long-distance discussion than his six-weeks of rotation at the Pediatric Department of PGH. This student later on was accepted at Johns Hopkins Training program and now a Fellow at Mayo Clinic.
I also created a website that my students can visit to look for differential diagnosis in diseases of children. Instead of my students going to a textbook to look for the many causes of headache, fever, abdominal pain, etc., they just visit my website and with a few click of the mouse, they have at least 20 causes of whatever chief complaint of a patient they are dealing with.
Students will not be required to attend lectures, but will be required to learn in small groups and collaborate with other students or researchers. Instead of taking multiple-choice examinations for their “grades”, students should have a portfolio of their work that can help the community.
Since paper based text-books are often at least three to five years late, there will less hard-copy books but more e-books for technical, biological, health, and sciences.
However, we should design an outcome-based learning environment. Before one student can go to the next level, he or she should demonstrate that the teaching module is well ingrained in their brain and attitude. That they can remember and apply the principles in their daily life or environment.
The goal of a Student-Centric education is founded on Evidence Based Medicine "Just-in-Time" to be used to solve the current problem.
Lastly, I think all student should have a mandatory course on how the brain works, remember, and decide based on the pre-frontal cortex, not on the amygdala, the emotional center. They should also know the latest research on how to motivate ourselves and others based on the research of Harry Harlow and Edward Deci.
This 21st Century Education is now possible and the University of the Philippines should be the first Institution to morph into it.
The University of the Philippine has already selected its next President. I suggest the next one use Evidence Based Teaching methods and create a master’s degree program about how the brain works as applied to teaching.
Leonardo Leonidas, MD
Parent’s Diagnostic Aid (Apple App Store)
Assistant Clinical Professor in Pediatrics
Tufts University (Retired)
Outstanding Alumnus, UPMASA, 2010
Teacher of the Year, UPMASA, 2006
Distinguished Career In Teaching Award from Tufts University's Class 2009 Award Ceremony on May 13, 2009 at Parker House Hotel, Boston. Email: nonieleonidas68@gmail.com
The first email:
Dear Dr. Leonidas,
I was pleased to read your article of 17 January 2011 in the Diliman Diary on improving teaching methods. Congratulations! The essence of learning are curiosity and initiative, among others. I would like to complement your experience with some observations and comments.
[1] There appears to be a revival on the fundamentals of a good physical examination – inspection, palpation, percussion and auscultation. There should be equal re-focus on good history-taking.
[2] Some U.S. medical schools are introducing the patient to the student as early as the first year; as well, the student is being introduced to the community early in the medical course. This should help in the early development of a social conscience in addition to a scientific mind.
[3] There is a pressing need for the early introduction of the student to the realities of the health care system where he will apply his medical knowledge, participate in organization, teamwork and networking and learn to prioritize decisions and actions.
[4] There is a need to learn to translate thoughts and words into action and to look for reasonable outcomes from available inputs and resources.
We hope these will be helpful to the UPCM.
Gabriel G. Carreon
UPCM 1953.