From http://aralpinoy.org/ How we do: Seminars

Seminar 1

Aral Pinoy conducts RI Seminar for FREE

Reflective Inquiry (RI) on Learner-Centered (LC) Teaching Beliefs and Practices is an initiative undertaken to inquire on how LC the participants are in terms of their teaching beliefs and practices and eventually recommend specific course of actions based on the results and findings of the said inquiry.

What is a Reflective Inquiry?

Inquiry as a method encourages and enhances thinking. Critical Thinking as a process constructs meaning and confirms understanding. Reflective Inquiry is where critical thinking integrates the reflective and shared activities of a community of inquiry. Thus, inquiry and reflective thought are conjoined (Garrison, 2004).

An inquiry learning experience (1) is problem or question driven, (2) typically has a small-group feature, (3) includes critical discourse, (4) requires self-direction, (5) is frequently multi-disciplinary, and (6) incorporates research methods such as information gathering and synthesis of ideas” (Institutional Learning Plan, 2003 as cited in Garrison, 2004).

Garrison (2004) describes Critical Thinking as, "(1) the means to personal meaning, (2) (re)construction of knowledge, and (3) an educated person. The addition of the adjective – critical – reflects the essential element of questioning and skepticism. To think critically is to make sense of things through questioning, debate, and confirming understanding collaboratively."

In terms of its educational implication, Garrison (2004) claims that, "thinking does not occur in a vacuum; it is thinking about something." Thinking is best taught as (1) an integral aspect of a course of studies and (2) acquiring a deep understanding of specific content. Reflective inquiry is seriously compromised by an excessive emphasis on content (Donald, 2002 as cited in Garrison, 2004). That is, teaching of thinking must occur in concert with the teaching of content (Garrison, 2004).

What are the results and findings of the Inquiry?

The wealth of data drawn from the participants through their surveys, reflections, discussions and recommendations will be collected in a systematic manner so that results and findings of the said activity can be strongly validated and supported through and by other sources or data from other areas/departments within or outside a school.

Painter & Rigsby (2005) provide below these two phases of the said activity, namely (1) data gathering through Reflective Inquiry and (2) the course of actions or the products produced based on the results and findings of the inquiry.

Reflective Inquiry:

* Teacher thinks about why he/she "does something in a certain manner" and talks about how to improve.
* Has a central question that is being explored; Q. remains static throughout project.
* Teacher uses journal to write reflectively and collects some data systematically.
* Teacher has gotten feedback from others to refine his/her inquiry. But. generally, does not systematically consult to get other perspectives
* The subjectivity of the view is checked by only a few types of data
* Researcher begins to show how research is tied to others' research

Course of Actions/Product Produced:

* Improved classroom practice/new teaching techniques
* Reflective writing may be sculpted into a short essay with some back-up evidence.
* Contains findings that can be backed up by some evidence.
* Presentation story: Tells a personal story that is backed up by some specific pieces of evidence about how to improve teaching practice.

Seminar 2

Aral Pinoy runs Modules on RYPPT w/o AC for FREE

A. Project Objectives

Running Your PowerPoint Presentation Without A Computer (RYPPT w/o AC) is a project that aims to come up with an innovative-alternative for doing electronic presentations that can improve and maximize the use of TV in a classroom for the purpose of efficiency of learning and teaching.

B. Description and Rationale of the Project

Running Your PowerPoint Presentation Without A Computer is a self-paced tutorial modules and trainor's manual that will guide the users/trainors the step-by-step on how to convert PowerPoint presentations to play on a digital still camera and view them on a TV screen. Today digital cameras come with video-out cables that connect to a TV monitor's video input jack, you are no longer tied up by PC in running your presentation. A Digital still camera does not only capture pictures to be used for presentations. It also serves as digital storage and a player for PowerPoint slideshow. But how is it done? You maybe are thinking that you could simply save your PowerPoint file to a digital still camera and it would just run. It does not work that way. But it is not that difficult. Of course you still need a computer to create your presentations. However, when you display your presentations, a computer is no longer needed. But how is it done?
Running Your PowerPoint Presentation Without A Computer consists of the following six modules on:

* Presenting PowerPoint slides run without a computer
* Optimizing PowerPoint slides on TV
* Resizing PowerPoint slides to 8.89 x 6.67 inches (or 640 x 480 pixels)
* Converting PowerPoint slides in JPEG File Interchange Format
* Storing PowerPoint slides on a digital camera
* Viewing the PowerPoint slides on TV with a digital camera

Why Run Your PowerPoint Presentation Without A Computer? It is an excellent tutorial module for:

* Showing your presentations without the need for a computer
* Offering you cost-effective presentation digital appliance and method
* Providing you an alternative for instruction delivery
* Designing more effective visual aid for presentation
* Creating your new learning and teaching materials
* Maximizing your class time and minimizing equipment failure
* Increasing the speed with which your students acquire knowledge, learn more and better
* Helping you learn new skills in instruction and learning materials development
* Giving your presentations more of a TV feel (and a movie feel)
* Sharing your slideshows to your colleagues and students through digital cameras or memory cards

C. Output

Each module is laid out through the following sections:

* Title is basically a short description that provides you a clear idea of the module.
* Topic is the perspective of the module which gives you a brief outline of the matters to be dealt with and presenting you what exactly the module intends to explore and demonstrate.
* Objectives serve as guidelines on what specific results being expected from you as module users/trainors
* Discussion is the content of the whole lesson where instructions and screen shots explain the concepts and take you step by step visually through each procedure. This allows you to engage in performing and learning with ease, speed, flexibility and enjoyment through varied tasks.
* Summary 5 is the recap of the major concepts and procedures that are presented and the methods that are covered in the discussion section

From http://aralpinoy.org/ How we do: Programs

Aral Pinoy's Project is Alagang Silid-Aralan Program

Last March 25, Mr. Eduardo Verzosa generously shared his website design talent and web hosting free of charge to Aral Pinoy (AP). The following month, April 16, Aral Pinoy launched its official website.On May 3, AP launched its MOODLE HUB http://aralpinoy.moodlehub.com/

Alagang Silid-Aralan (adopt and nurture a classroom) as one of Aral Pinoy's initiatives to support teachers and students in classroom level. To adopt and nurture a classroom, anybody (groups and individuals) can be a partner with Aral Pinoy through its ongoing operations and continual improvement of teachers' training, students' learning, classrooms' learning-equipments and facilities. As to whoever is willing to sponsor this project still remains to be seen. Are you the one? Would you like to contribute to our projects?

Support Alagang Silid-Aralan, and get FREE Aral Pinoy T-Shirt

Aral Pinoy (AP) introduces "Matuto 't Umunlad Para sa Bayan" slogan for Alagang Silid-Aralan Project. AP will give FREE Aral Pinoy T-SHIRT to whoever is willing to support and contribute to AP projects. Are you the one?

From http://aralpinoy.org/ Why we do: Solutions

Aral Pinoy Solutions:

1. Identify partner communities/institutions/corporations that are willing to sponsor a sustainable teacher training programs to schools mentioned above.

2. Design and offer modules/manuals/short-courses to suit teachers with different needs at all levels.

From http://aralpinoy.org/ Why we do: Objectives

Aral Pinoy Objectives:

1. Identify schools that need assistance especially those with insufficient instructional materials/equipment and insufficient budget or funds.

2. Train teachers to improve teaching and enhance students’ learning and to assure that the teachers that are trained actually apply what they have learned.

From http://aralpinoy.org/ Why we do: Values

Life-Giving Relationships Values (L-GR Values)

Justice concept in the Old Testament could best be translated as "Right-Relations" or even better as "Life-Giving Relationships" (Fuellenbach, 1998). This "Life-Giving Relationships" Values (L-GR Values) can be associated with harmony, wholeness, caring, compassion, reciprocal regard, and mutual valuation of intrinsic worth (Acorn, 2004).

For Fuellenbach (1998), these essential relations extend in four directions: to God, to oneself, to neighbor (both as individual and as part of society) and to creation as a whole. Therefore, to be just means human beings should live in life-giving relationships with their fellow human beings, with themselves, with nature (creation) and ultimately with God.

Curran's relationality-responsibility ethical model sees also the human person in multiple relationships with God, world, neighbor and self, and his personal response in the midst of those relationships (Curran, 1987).

Radford Ruether reinterprets sin (injustice) as a condition where life-giving relationships (of equivalence) are turned into death-dealing relationships (of dominance and subordination) (Wessinger, 1993).

L-GR Values as Aral Pinoy Educational Philosophy

Aral Pinoy upholds these Life-Giving Relationships Values (L-GR Values) as AP's Educational Philosophy. Aral Pinoy dreams of a venue where these values can possibly find an expression. Aral Pinoy sees each learner as truly unique and endowed by God with talents and gifts which should be understood, appreciated and nurtured. Aral Pinoy's goal is not only to assist students in their academic skills to help them develop self-responsibility but also to provide their teachers better access to training and professional development.

From http://aralpinoy.org/ Who we are: Volunteers

Volunteers

In 2007 Antonio, Rogelio, and Marissa worked together as volunteers to assist a group of teachers how to facilitate and conduct online learning. This collaboration led to the creation of StrongARM Team which simply means Antonio, Rogelio, and Marissa.

Mr. Antonio Levy “Toni” S. Ingles Jr., Mr. Rogelio “Tugel” B. dela Cruz Jr., and Ms. Marissa “Witay” A. Rodriguez are faculty members of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, teaching theology, social science, and natural science respectively. They are among the six pioneer graduates of De La Salle University Manila's Master in Learning and Teaching (MaLT) program, the second masters degree successfully completed by all three. Their mentors include, among others, Dr. Allan I. Bernardo, Dr. Auxencia A. Limjap, Dr. Miguel Q. Rapatan, and Dr. Barbara F. Wong.

The MaLT curriculum provides students with a strong theoretical understanding of learning principles and learner-centered pedagogical practices. It also allows teachers to explore innovative instructional strategies such as technology-supported learning, and differentiated instruction. The StrongARM has extensive experience in facilitating learner-centered teaching and online learning, serving as the College's resource persons in the areas of instruction, research, and instructional technologies. Toni, Tugel and Witay are members of key committees, whose tasks are related to student learning, faculty development, and curriculum design.

I, (Antonio Ingles, Jr.) as Aral Pinoy's convenor, believe that the work we have started will evolve into helping more schools, teachers and students out there in the future. Aral Pinoy was conceived to continue what was once a simple collaborative effort to help an important request to conduct an online seminar, and now an advocacy dedicated to education for life-giving relationships.

On March 25, 2009, Mr. Eduardo Barrantes Verzosa generously shared his website design talent and web hosting free of charge for Aral Pinoy (AP). Edward is a Pinoy professional web/graphic designer based in Norway (http://eccentriccolours.com).

On March 29, 2009 I (Antonio Ingles, Jr.) as Aral Pinoy's convenor had an initial exchange with Mr. Santiago Flora, Acting Vice President for Academic Affairs of Quezon City Polytechnic University (http://www.cmobn.com/news/io_QCPU.html). Aral Pinoy agreed to partner with QCPU through Alagang Silid-Aralan (adopt and nurture a classroom). Mr. Santiago is very muchwilling to even name the classroom to whoever (group or individual) who would be part of this endeavor. I will ask him to name one classroom to Mr. Verzosa.

On April 13, 2009, Daphne Oliveros gave Aral Pinoy (AP) official website the permission to use her photographs about the different faces of Pinoy children. You may visit her site athttp://daphneoliveros.com/ or http://www.flickr.com/photos/daphnerakstar/.

On April 16, 2009, Aral Pinoy launched its official website http://www.aralpinoy.orgon the Feast Day of St. Bernadette Soubirous. May the Immaculate Concepcion direct and guide Aral Pinoy's every endeavor.

On April 21, 2009, Vonnaire Menchate gave Aral Pinoy (AP) official website the permission to use his Kinitang Barya Sa Divisoria Documentary. You may visit his weblog at http://rhastavon.multiply.com/.

On April 25, 2009, DYNAMIC TEEN COMPANY gave Aral Pinoy (AP) official website the permission to use DTC Video Clips found in You Tube. You may visit DTC - Making A Difference at 1177 Julian Felipe Blvd. BGY 17 Caridad, Cavite City 4100 Philippines, Tel. no. (6346)431-8586 / Mobile +63917-558-8586, website: http://www.dynamicteencompany.org.

From http://aralpinoy.org/ Who we are: About us

About us

"Ever more people today have the means to live, but no meaning to live for." ~Viktor E. Frankl

They need purposes in their own particular contexts and conditions, in their works and lives. Aral Pinoy tries to respond to these needs by involving Pinoys serving Pinoys, our people and the community in the field of Education, be it Basic or Adult Literacy . By turning our work into ministry and service -focused and energized, in our humble way, we continuously work with students, teachers and communites discover and sustain this initiative. Aral Pinoy helps students learn and teachers teach.

We continuously seek volunteers (groups and individuals) who can be partner with Aral Pinoy through its ongoing operations and continual improvement of teachers' training, students' learning, classrooms' learning-equipments and facilities. With trust in God and confidence in the meaning and purposes of what we are doing, we are convinced that we can make a vital difference in the life of our kababayan.

At the moment , Aral Pinoy is into Alagang Silid-Aralan (adopt and nurture a classroom) as one the initiatives to support teachers and students in classroom level. For Filipinos or Pinoys to adopt is "mag-ampon". The "mag-ampon" means to nurture an adopted. Ang mag-alaga ng inampon (to nurture an adopted) means that nurturing can not be separated from adopting. Ang Alagang Silid-Aralan ay Alagang Pinoy.

When I read about the RA 8525 Adopt-A-School Program of 1998 (ASP) (http://www.deped.gov.ph) which gets "support from all stakeholders in education through various needs-based and sustainable interventions – harnessing technology, providing electric and water facilities to schools, enhancing health and nutrition and teacher development programs and supporting relevant education – that will eventually improve the schools, increase learning outcomes of the pupils and therefore, improve the quality of life of the generations to come," (http://www.gov.ph/news/default.asp?i=19527) I seek ways on how I can be of help in the same direction.

I observed that according to this program one simple way to support poor schools is to provide them the following educational equipment, like PCs, slide projectors, color TVs (21 inches), VHS players/recorders, DVD players and photocopying machines.

This inspired me to take the same direction since I have been in education way back 1990. My initial plan to help is to pilot test my project: Tutorial Modules and Trainors Manual on a step-by-step conversion of PowerPoint presentations to be played on a digital still camera and be viewed on a TV screen.

In my intention to help poor schools, teachers and students, I started looking for people whom I believe will support my initiative. I told them that I would like to share my project: a new alternative teaching tool, which is beneficial to schools, teachers and students that have no enough technology and financial resources and no opportunity to afford computers and multimedia projectors.

With the help of my colleagues, we then created a dynamic team of volunteer teacher trainers for poor schools. I believe that with the support of my fellow Masteral Degree in Learning and Teaching (MaLT) graduates, MaLT students, this dynamic team of teacher trainers can eventually sustain this initiative. As to whoever is willing to sponsor this project still remains to be seen. Are you the one? Would you like to contribute to our projects?















Antonio Ingles, Jr.
Aral Pinoy Convenor
antonio@aralpinoy.org
09178661006

From http://aralpinoy.org/ Support Alagang Silid-Aralan

Support Alagang Silid-Aralan, and get FREE Aral Pinoy T-Shirt

At the moment , Aral Pinoy is into Alagan g Silid-Aralan (adopt and nurture a classroom project) as one of the initiatives to support teachers and students in classroom level. To adopt and nurture a classroom, anybody (groups and individuals) can be a partner with Aral Pinoy through its ongoing operations and continual improvement of teachers' tr aining, students' learning, classrooms' learning-equipments and facilities.

For Filipinos or Pinoys to adopt is "mag-ampon". The "mag-ampon" means to nurture an adopted. Ang mag-alaga ng inampon (to nurture an adopted) means that nurturing can not be separated from adopting.

Ang Alagang Silid-Aralan ay Alagang Pinoy. Aral Pinoy (AP) introduces "Matuto't Umunlad Para sa Bayan" slogan for Alagang Silid-Aralan Project. AP will give FREE Aral Pinoy T-SHIRT to whoever is willing to promote, support and contribute to AP projects. Are you the one?

Aral Pinoy has a dynamic team of teacher trainers/trainors offering their services for FREE. But as to whoever is willing to sponsor this project still remains to be seen. Our team is like a well trained driver without a car. We can provide you great driving experience in the field of education, but we can not provide the vehicle. As to whoever is willing to provide it, we are here to join you!

From http://aralpinoy.org/ Serving Selflessly Our Kababayan

Serving Selflessly Our Kababayan

In an interview by Paul Bradshaw with Rick Warren, author of the Purpose Driven Life, Rick said: People ask me, What is the purpose of life? And I respond:

"In a nutshell, life is preparation for eternity. We were not made to last forever, and God wants us to be with Him in Heaven."

He also said that life is a series of problems:

"Either you are in one now, you're just coming out of one, or you're getting ready to go into another one. No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something bad that needs to be worked on. And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always something good you can thank God for."

You can focus on your purposes, or you can focus on your problems: If you focus on your problems, you're going into self-centeredness. Aral Pinoy focuses on its purposes! Aral Pinoy always looks forward for something good to thank God for, serving selflessly our kababayan!

From AP Website From http://aralpinoy.org/ Welcome to Aral Pinoy!

Aral Pinoy ay Pagaaral na Alagang Pinoy. Aral Pinoy is dedicated to education for life-giving relationships. This is inspired and born out of helping and working with the marginalized sectors of our society since my seminary days.

To make a vital difference in the lives of our kababayan has always been my vision, and I, Antonio Ingles, Jr., as Aral Pinoy's Convenor, dream that one day if God’s generosity allows, I will build schools in the rural areas, schools for life that empower them.

Today, education is an urgent call to action for and by the rural poor: the indigenous people, the rural women, the fisher folks, the farmers, the rural youth, the elderly, persons with disabilities and the informal sector.