Last Saturday, September 27, 2008 I took my final examination in Communication Skills I and Kasanayan sa Komunikasyon I. I will admit that upon seeing the test paper, I was alienated because the examination is composed of essay type questions. You are required to write essays to answer a single question. Take note that the questions aren’t like, “write about your life in 10 sentences or so”. Way back in high school, we are usually given multiple-choice type of questions. And writing a good essay under time pressure isn’t an easy task. Also take note that during the examination, we all felt an earthquake and everyone was in panic. I actually thought that we are going to evacuate the room. But I thank the high heavens because I was able to finish answering the two examinations on time. Although I almost ran out of paper for my COMM1 examination because we were tasked to write so many things and I forgot to bring a spare bluebook.

Next week, I shall take the final examinations in Natural Science 1 (Chemistry and Physics) and Computer Education 1. I am really worried about the final examinations in Natural Science 1. I can’t imagine how will I review for that course because our course manual is very abbreviated especially in explaining how you arrived at this answer and that. I hope the high heavens would guide me in this one.

A lot of people are asking me how to cross-register to UP Diliman for Physical Education courses, I hope that this entry I posted a few months ago can help you.

I am quite worried about the courses I want to take up for the second semester. I am planning to take up COMM2, COMPED2, NATSCI2, MATH1, HIST1 and another PE course at UP Diliman. COMM2 and COMPED2 have prerequisite subjects that I took this first semester. What I am worried about is that the final grades of my first semester subjects are not yet released. I don’t know if I can already enroll in COMM2 and COMPED2 without knowing whether I passed COMM1 and COMPED1 or not. I already e-mailed my program adviser and learning center coordinator regarding this matter. I am hoping for their replies as soon as possible.

Good luck!

Undergraduate Assessment Test for AA and BAMS applicants
August 30, 2008

Graduate Admission Test for MPM applicants
August 30, 2008

Doctoral Admission Test in Education for PhD applicants (UP Diliman only)
September 3, 2008

For more information, please contact your respective learning centers and or the Office of the University Registrar. More details are posted on the official UPOU website.

Well, our KOM1 chat session is similar to a typical classroom environment wherein your teacher would discuss you the topic and you will respond to your teacher’s question. The difference is 1) you don’t see each other unless you use a webcam 2) you are in the confines of your home, office or wherever you might want to be 3) you don’t talk but you type your answers or questions unless the teacher allowed a conference call and 4) you can multi-task.

The attendance during our first chat session isn’t great. I think there are only 11 of us who attended the chat session (including our teacher). Despite the low number of attendees, everyone in the chat session is attentive and responds to the questions promptly. Actually, during the chat session we are waiting for our celebrity classmates to join (Aldred Gatchalian and JC De Vera). But both of them didn’t attend. I learned from my classmates that Sharon Cuneta, Richard Gomez and Sarah Geronimo, Jackielou Blance are taking up Soc Sci 1 or is it Philo 173? They also told me that some of their celebrity classmates attend face-to-face study session, chat session and even post on the course site.

It’s just saddening on my part that they are some students who doesn’t bother to go online, participate on the online discussions and such. As a UPOU student, one cannot live on modules alone.

That’s my observations so far.

Everyone in the learning center is in a hurry since the general orientation would start in a few minutes. The general orientation was held at the College of Public Health Auditorium still in UP Manila. A problem with the LCD and laptop that will be used in the said orientation caused everything to be delayed. After a few minutes (or an hour) of trying to solve the technical problem, they all gave up and proceeded with the program without those things.

Dean Fe Mendoza of the Faculty of Management and Developmental Studies is with Professor Juvy to facilitate the said orientation. The programs offered in UPOU together with the different academic policies were discussed during the said orientation. Questions coming from the new students were also entertained. On the other hand, my mom had a talk about her experiences as a UPOU student. She also shared a couple of tips on how to be a successful UPOU Student. You can view the video below. Just pardon my shaky hands and my crazy camera. Nevertheless, I think everything is viewable.

The general orientation ended at around 11 in the morning.

At 1:00 pm, I attended an orientation about MOODLE and the UPOU webmail at the Lara Hall of UP Manila. Moodle serves as our virtual classroom. It works just like a traditional classroom but the difference is everything is done online. Prof. Juvy facilitated the said orientation where she thought us on how to create our own UPOU e-mail address and how to enter our course site (or virtual classroom). The orientation ended at around 3 o’clock in the afternoon.

After the orientation, our enrollment keys were distributed. An enrollment key is required in entering a certain course site for the first time. Since the trend nowadays is open and distance learning, one can take mba programs on the comforts of his/her home.