The courses I am taking this semester: Math 1, Natural Science 2, Computer Education 2, Communication Skills 2, and Kasaysayan 1

Total units for this semester: 15 units

I have my course modules with me already and read through the course guides. I was actually surprised to know that we don’t have any module in Computer Education 2 and that means our course would be 100% online. But you know, I still prefer a hard copy rather than reading an electronic / soft copy especially if it’s long.

Upon logging on our course websites, I saw a lot of new and familiar names and faces (uhm, avatars :P). Speaking of course websites, our course websites would be undergoing a scheduled maintenance from November 6, 2008 – November 9, 2008. Therefore, we won’t be able to access Moodle on those dates. GREAT!

The Moodle Announcement

I just wish they could improve the templates / themes being used in our course sites. And I do hope they move to a better server.

Math 1 Course Site (full of red fonts)

Oh by the way, I’ll be registering tomorrow in UP Diliman. I do hope that I could enlist a good PE course this time. I’ve been hearing a lot of enlistment/prerog/enrollment horror stories from my friends studying in UP Diliman. Wish me luck!

I am thinking of producing a couple of screencasts on how to use Moodle to help those who are new in this kind of set-up. I still don’t know if this would push-through.

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!

Since you handle your own study time, it is very very very easy to procrastinate by not doing your assignments on time and / or not reading the modules, resources and books given by the faculty-in-charge. It is easy such as, “Oh I’ll just read this later or tomorrow or next week or next month.” Only to find out that there’s something you need to submit tomorrow. I cannot emphasize on that more. There are subjects that are quite demanding when it comes to the requirements to be submitted. You really need a lot of time to sit down, read your books and do your lengthy assignments. But I am lucky because the teachers in UP Open University are considerate enough to extend the deadlines or sometimes they would make adjustments to the assignments.

Discipline is the key the to excel in this mode of learning. Others won’t think that learning this way is easy. Yes, we don’t attend regular classes. Yes, we don’t have daily quizzes. But we are given a lot of required readings, online forums and exercises to answer, chat and study sessions to attend to, lengthy assignments and many others. Disciplining yourself is hard especially when you’re on your own. There is no teacher to scold when you’re sleeping instead of reading your books. No teacher to force you to do your assignments and submit them on time. I am not saying that there are no teachers that will guide you to fully understand the course. What I am trying to say is that open and distance learning is very much different from the traditional mode of learning. In fact, your teachers together with the school administrators are a call, SMS or e-mail away.

Whenever I tell my friends that I only attend class once every month, they would be amazed and would say, “Ay, gusto ko rin n’yan! (Oh, I want that too!) ” Without actually knowing what open and distance learning is and how this mode of learning really works.

Honestly, there are times where I would struggle just to finish a single assignment because of the Internet — chatting, blogging, etc. Well, I cannot fully abstain myself from the Internet because I communicate with my classmates and professors through it. Whenever I would access the Internet to check on our course site, it is very unavoidable for me to visit other websites such Twitter, Plurk, Multiply, Friendster and others. In fact whenever I face the computer, I tend to multi-task — blogging, listening to music, plurking and doing my assignment. I am not encouraging you to do the same because I know that it’s not good. I’m just trying to say that I’m not a perfect student and I sometimes procrastinate and cram. I believe those two are normal in everyone’s academic life.

I believe that if you can discipline yourself well, then you’ll probably can survive in open and distance learning. Even though the lessons are the same with the traditional mode of learning, open and distance learning is very much different from the traditional and conventional mode of learning. If you’re planning to study through distance education you must be ready to be on your own. Well, earning a degree online is not an easy task.

According to Director Geman B Doria, head of the PNP’s Human Resource and Doctrine Development unit, this is the fifth batch of cops who received their Criminology degree through distance learning. The director added that another batch of cops is now taking the same course, which is being offered by the University of La Sallette of Santiago City in Isabela province under its Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency Accreditation Program.

“This will be a chance for all PNP personnel to fulfill their dreams in obtaining their bachelor’s degree or to have a second course. Review classes for PRC Licensure Examinations for criminologists and graduate degrees are also included in the program,” Doria said in an interview conducted by GMANews.TV.

Director General Avelino Razon Jr, PNHP chief, was quoted in the statement saying the program will not only help some PNP personnel to accomplish the basic educational requirements but also addresses the attrition issue.

The sixth batch of cops taking the course through distance learning had it’s opening ceremonies last June 29 at the PNP Grandstand.

[via GMANews.TV]

This only means that high school students who are physically challenged or have difficulty in attending regular classes, they can avail of this new mode of learning which will be available soon. We can now say that everyone has an access to education online.

Here’s the full article:

Distance learning gets push

MANILA, Philippines - The House of Representatives has approved on final reading before it adjourned early this month a bill that will institutionalize distance education.

Called “Open High School System (OHSS),” House Bill (HB) 4082 seeks to set up an OHSS division under the Department of Education.

The OHSS seeks to deliver educational services to high school students using print, radio, television and computer-based communications, satellite broadcasting, teleconferencing, and other multimedia learning and teaching technologies.

Students under the OHSS will be allowed to study on their own without having to regularly attend classes in conventional classrooms.

The system will be open to those who have finished their elementary education as well to adults who are high school qualifiers under the Philippine Educational Placement Test.

Principally authored by Albay Rep. Edcel C. Lagman (1st district), HB 4082 seeks to set up Distance Learning Centers in a regular secondary schools in the regional or division level.

Four similar bills are pending at the committee on education, arts and culture. - 

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/103540/Distance-learning-gets-push

It goes to show that open and distance learning is the trend nowadays.

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.

1. JC De Vera - COMM1, KOM1, COMPED1, MATH11
2. Aldred Gatchalian - COMM3, KOM1, NATSCI1, MATH11
3. Rachelle Ann Go - COMM3, COMPED1, MATH11
4. Sarah Geronimo - to be determined
5. Jackielou Blanco - to be determined
6. Sharon Cuneta (Sharon Pangilinan) - COMM1, SOCSCI2
7. Gee-ann (Gianina) Abrahan (unverified) - COMM1, NATSCI1, COMPED1, MATH11
8. Richard Gomez - to be determined

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.

1. Go to the UPOU website and download the “Permit to Cross Register” form under the forms section of the site. Fill-up the necessary information. One PE course is equivalent to two (2) units.
2. After filling up the “Permit to Cross Register”, visit your Learning Center and submit the permit to them for the dean and registrar to affix their signatures. Wait for one to two weeks before picking up your “Permit to Cross Register”. When you have picked up the “Permit to Cross Register”, be sure that the dean and the registrar of UP Open University have affixed their signatures.
3. Go to the new Office of the University Registrar Building of UP Diliman. Upon arriving at the building, go to the second floor and enter the office of the University Registrar. Give your “Permit to Cross Register” to the secretary. Wait for a few minutes for the Registrar to affix her signature.
4. Proceed to the Admission and Registration Section located on the first floor. Get a number near the entrance for the Admission Section. While waiting for your number to be called, get two copies of the Student Directory near the windows and fill them up.
5. When called at the Admission Window, present your PCR (Permit to Cross Register) and the two copies of your Student Directory. Get a seat again and wait for your name to be called.
6. When your name is called, go back to the window again for your Form 5A. This is the time that you will pre-enlist your PE subject. If you have a friend / relative who is knowledgeable about the location of buildings in UP Diliman, it would be best to ask them to accompany you. If not, then you could always ask the students or the UP IKOT or UP TOKI jeepney drivers.
7. Go to the College of Human Kinetics, Gymnasium to check on the available PE subjects. You could choose any PE subject (except those with prerequisite) that suits your schedule. However, if you are a first year student PE I would be best. If you have chosen your PE subject, copy the details posted on the blackboard to your Form 5A.
8. Submit your Form 5A to the student assistant for validation (still at the CHK Gym). Wait for your Form 5A.
9. When you have your Form 5A validated, proceed to the Office of Admissions Bldg again and ask for a Form 5 from where you get your number in step 4. Fill-up the Form 5 properly. After that, proceed to ARS-Admission and submit your Form 5A and Form 5. Wait for your name to be called.
10. When you receive your Form 5, get a number again for the Assessment window. Wait for your number to be called. When you’re called, present your Form 5, inform them that you’re a cross-registrant from UPOU, and present your UPOU Form 5 so that your miscellaneous fee could be waived. Wait for your name to be called.
11. When you are called, check if you need to pay something. Payments are done at the 3rd floor of the OUR Bldg. If none, then you’re all done!

Please take note that this is based from my experience. Also, take note that you could only cross-register on the specified dates by the university. Enjoy your UP life!