Archive for June 9th, 2009
Posted on June 9, 2009 - by Vic Desotelle
Organizational Psychology in Human Resource Management
Dr. Graham Tyler asked:
Organizational Psychology is a subject which applies the principles of psychology into one of the most important areas of people’s life – work. Specifically, we work with the human aspects of the workplace and aim at improving people’s efficiency, and hence organizational effectiveness, through our knowledge about human functioning.
There exist a group of professionals who share a similar aim and are working closely with us, the human resource professionals. Despite the close relationship with HR professionals, Organizational Psychologists are distinctive professionals. Unfortunately, there is always some confusion among the general public that people just cannot tell who is who. More importantly, even some HR professionals do not know what we are doing and what can we offer them.
When we tell them we are Psychologists, a frequent reply is “but we don’t have any mental problems”!
As Organizational Psychologists, we work with a wide range of domains that are related to people’s everyday work life. We design work activities, schedules and workplaces; we design reward principles that are based on human motivation theories; we develop training principles and train the trainers; we develop selection procedures and tools; we formulate performance appraisal systems; and we advise on organizational development issues as well as career development decisions.
As you may recognise, our work reaches every working individual on the planet and our working field is very closely related with the work of HR professionals.
Although there are quite a few overlapping areas between Organizational Psychology and Human Resource Management (HRM), there are fundamental differences between us.
The first and perhaps the most obvious difference between us is the knowledge foundation. As psychologists, we base our work heavily on science. All work has to be backed up by scientific evidence and statistics is always in our toolbox.
In contrast, HRM is essentially a business study which emphasizes more on the practical side, with less focus on the scientific side. Moreover, in addition to working on overlapping areas, we work on different levels. Organizational Psychologists focus more on the design and development of procedures, tools and principles while HR professionals work more on the operational level, such as implementation of selection systems and applying training principles in real training scenarios.
The discrepancy between the knowledgebase of Organizational Psychologists and HR professionals has been documented in academic journals.
For example Sally Carless and colleagues pointed out that although there are important advancements in HR-related research, the everyday HR practice have benefited from it to a minimum level. They found that this is due to the lack of knowledge among HR professionals, especially when the training of the HR professionals emphasizes on general skill and knowledge in favour of science.
In contrast, the training of Organizational Psychologists is built upon the scientist-practitioner model which emphasizes on both research and practical skills and stipulates that practice must be supported by scientific evidence.
Another reason may lie in the Continuous Professional Development (CPD) requirement. As Organizational Psychologists, CPD is a statutory condition for registration and this helps them to keep updated with the latest developments in the field. However there is no such requirement for HR professionals. Carless’s study confirmed that Organizational Psychologists are experts in the field, especially in the area of selection and the authors articulated that “scientific integrity is a key differentiating feature of I/O (Organizational) psychologists.”
Having closely related working areas, our work is actually complementary to each other. Without Organizational Psychologists in the design and development work of various HR processes and tools, the HR professional would not be enjoying these scientific and highly effective products.
On the other hand, without the help of HR professionals we could never apply our work to such a broad range of people. Moreover, our relationship is much more complex and interactive than one might be aware of. Besides the above mentioned supplier-user relationship, HR professionals are also partners, advisors and sometimes suppliers for Organizational Psychologists.
HR professionals are our partners in projects where we provide them with the technical skills and knowledge while they take care of the operational part. Furthermore, HR professionals are experts of their company; therefore we work side by side during consulting jobs where we need them to assist us with internal matters as well as providing us with an insider view.
More importantly, as HR professionals are frequent users of our services and products, we rely a lot on their opinions and requests in developing our products and services. They are also providers of valuable data and participants for us to carry out scientific studies (e.g. validation of assessment tools). All in all, we are inter-dependent parties with entwined relationships rather than independent parties or competitors.
Being Organizational Psychologists, what can we offer to HR professionals? A lot. With the expertise in assessing human characteristics and knowledge about human performance, we are experts in selection.
Based on the understanding about the requirements of the job as well as the characteristics needed for any particular position, we can come up with an ideal person profile that the organization is looking for. Then we can design, or choose among proper tools that accurately measure the required characteristics, knowledge and skills.
According to research these procedures enable us to create the best selection system which predicts future performance of the employed staff. One should not be surprised that the best selection tools like psychometric tests, assessment centres, and structured interviews as well as standardized selection procedures are all designed and developed by Organizational Psychologists.
Another contribution of the organizational psychology profession to the HR field is in training. A brief look at the training market reveals that it is flooded with many training courses and providers.
Obviously their quality varies and some of them do not even know what they are talking about! Our own company has undertaken work for clients who have come to us after being dissatisfied with trainers who appear to have simply taken some information from the internet to put together a training session without any real understanding of the subject matter!
As Organizational Psychologists we are working hard to turn around this situation. We are experts in training design; some understand how people learn and how people learn the best! In designing and delivering training courses, scientific human learning theories and training principles are followed, but not just by gut feelings or experience only. Factors like transfer of learning, specific needs of the organization and maintenance of learning are all fully considered.
Besides selection and training, Organizational Psychologists also offer various consultancy and advisory services to HR professionals. The range of work can be as small as reviewing a performance appraisal check list or an assessment centre exercise to as big as designing a tailored selection system.
On top of that, we can also go into the organization to diagnose the roots of problems and solve them accordingly, using our scientific approach and advanced knowledge about mechanisms and dynamics within the workplace.
However, as mentioned at the beginning of this article, one big obstacle we face is the lack of knowledge about our profession within the HR profession (particularly in Asia), as well as the public in general.
The implication is that we often face questions like “what is organizational psychology?”, “what is the difference between Organizational Psychologists and HR consultants?” and even “why do I need to employ scientific tools and procedures?” It can be hard work explaining all this to prospective clients! Another related problem is people always think we are very expensive!
But the fact is all the products and services we offer are based on scientific research which means they have undergone lengthy and sophisticated processes of development and the cost of all these are huge. By employing our scientific tools and principles the benefit is long lasting and continuously contributing to the performance of the organization, and these are all documented in the scientific literature.
Another hidden obstacle for us in Asia is caused by the organizational hierarchy. Very often, the first contact point between our clients and ourselves are assistants of HR professionals who have minimal understanding of what we are talking about. When they do not understand they just cannot relay our message precisely to their manager.
The result is obviously that the management level does not receive our message and the name of Organizational Psychology just remains unheard no matter how hard we try!
As Organizational Psychologists, we see a real need to educate the public, and more importantly, HR professionals about the subject of Organizational Psychology so that the fruit of science can be returned to them.
There are major overlapping work areas between Organizational Psychologists and HR professionals such as selection, training, career development and performance management, but we work on different levels and perspectives thus our relationship is actually collaborative rather than competitive.
Organizational Psychologists can offer help to HR professionals in various areas such as training design, development of selection systems, supervising performance management processes and many more. Nevertheless Organizational Psychologists in Asia face obstacles as the subject is relatively unheard of among HR professionals and communication is often blocked by organizational hierarchy.
Therefore one very important task for us as Organizational Psychologist is to promote this subject so that people know what we can offer and make use of our expertise! We are sure that with the growing popularity of the subject, HR professionals, and other related professionals like career counsellors and coaches, will benefit highly from Organizational Psychology.
Website content
Organizational Psychology is a subject which applies the principles of psychology into one of the most important areas of people’s life – work. Specifically, we work with the human aspects of the workplace and aim at improving people’s efficiency, and hence organizational effectiveness, through our knowledge about human functioning.
There exist a group of professionals who share a similar aim and are working closely with us, the human resource professionals. Despite the close relationship with HR professionals, Organizational Psychologists are distinctive professionals. Unfortunately, there is always some confusion among the general public that people just cannot tell who is who. More importantly, even some HR professionals do not know what we are doing and what can we offer them.
When we tell them we are Psychologists, a frequent reply is “but we don’t have any mental problems”!
As Organizational Psychologists, we work with a wide range of domains that are related to people’s everyday work life. We design work activities, schedules and workplaces; we design reward principles that are based on human motivation theories; we develop training principles and train the trainers; we develop selection procedures and tools; we formulate performance appraisal systems; and we advise on organizational development issues as well as career development decisions.
As you may recognise, our work reaches every working individual on the planet and our working field is very closely related with the work of HR professionals.
Although there are quite a few overlapping areas between Organizational Psychology and Human Resource Management (HRM), there are fundamental differences between us.
The first and perhaps the most obvious difference between us is the knowledge foundation. As psychologists, we base our work heavily on science. All work has to be backed up by scientific evidence and statistics is always in our toolbox.
In contrast, HRM is essentially a business study which emphasizes more on the practical side, with less focus on the scientific side. Moreover, in addition to working on overlapping areas, we work on different levels. Organizational Psychologists focus more on the design and development of procedures, tools and principles while HR professionals work more on the operational level, such as implementation of selection systems and applying training principles in real training scenarios.
The discrepancy between the knowledgebase of Organizational Psychologists and HR professionals has been documented in academic journals.
For example Sally Carless and colleagues pointed out that although there are important advancements in HR-related research, the everyday HR practice have benefited from it to a minimum level. They found that this is due to the lack of knowledge among HR professionals, especially when the training of the HR professionals emphasizes on general skill and knowledge in favour of science.
In contrast, the training of Organizational Psychologists is built upon the scientist-practitioner model which emphasizes on both research and practical skills and stipulates that practice must be supported by scientific evidence.
Another reason may lie in the Continuous Professional Development (CPD) requirement. As Organizational Psychologists, CPD is a statutory condition for registration and this helps them to keep updated with the latest developments in the field. However there is no such requirement for HR professionals. Carless’s study confirmed that Organizational Psychologists are experts in the field, especially in the area of selection and the authors articulated that “scientific integrity is a key differentiating feature of I/O (Organizational) psychologists.”
Having closely related working areas, our work is actually complementary to each other. Without Organizational Psychologists in the design and development work of various HR processes and tools, the HR professional would not be enjoying these scientific and highly effective products.
On the other hand, without the help of HR professionals we could never apply our work to such a broad range of people. Moreover, our relationship is much more complex and interactive than one might be aware of. Besides the above mentioned supplier-user relationship, HR professionals are also partners, advisors and sometimes suppliers for Organizational Psychologists.
HR professionals are our partners in projects where we provide them with the technical skills and knowledge while they take care of the operational part. Furthermore, HR professionals are experts of their company; therefore we work side by side during consulting jobs where we need them to assist us with internal matters as well as providing us with an insider view.
More importantly, as HR professionals are frequent users of our services and products, we rely a lot on their opinions and requests in developing our products and services. They are also providers of valuable data and participants for us to carry out scientific studies (e.g. validation of assessment tools). All in all, we are inter-dependent parties with entwined relationships rather than independent parties or competitors.
Being Organizational Psychologists, what can we offer to HR professionals? A lot. With the expertise in assessing human characteristics and knowledge about human performance, we are experts in selection.
Based on the understanding about the requirements of the job as well as the characteristics needed for any particular position, we can come up with an ideal person profile that the organization is looking for. Then we can design, or choose among proper tools that accurately measure the required characteristics, knowledge and skills.
According to research these procedures enable us to create the best selection system which predicts future performance of the employed staff. One should not be surprised that the best selection tools like psychometric tests, assessment centres, and structured interviews as well as standardized selection procedures are all designed and developed by Organizational Psychologists.
Another contribution of the organizational psychology profession to the HR field is in training. A brief look at the training market reveals that it is flooded with many training courses and providers.
Obviously their quality varies and some of them do not even know what they are talking about! Our own company has undertaken work for clients who have come to us after being dissatisfied with trainers who appear to have simply taken some information from the internet to put together a training session without any real understanding of the subject matter!
As Organizational Psychologists we are working hard to turn around this situation. We are experts in training design; some understand how people learn and how people learn the best! In designing and delivering training courses, scientific human learning theories and training principles are followed, but not just by gut feelings or experience only. Factors like transfer of learning, specific needs of the organization and maintenance of learning are all fully considered.
Besides selection and training, Organizational Psychologists also offer various consultancy and advisory services to HR professionals. The range of work can be as small as reviewing a performance appraisal check list or an assessment centre exercise to as big as designing a tailored selection system.
On top of that, we can also go into the organization to diagnose the roots of problems and solve them accordingly, using our scientific approach and advanced knowledge about mechanisms and dynamics within the workplace.
However, as mentioned at the beginning of this article, one big obstacle we face is the lack of knowledge about our profession within the HR profession (particularly in Asia), as well as the public in general.
The implication is that we often face questions like “what is organizational psychology?”, “what is the difference between Organizational Psychologists and HR consultants?” and even “why do I need to employ scientific tools and procedures?” It can be hard work explaining all this to prospective clients! Another related problem is people always think we are very expensive!
But the fact is all the products and services we offer are based on scientific research which means they have undergone lengthy and sophisticated processes of development and the cost of all these are huge. By employing our scientific tools and principles the benefit is long lasting and continuously contributing to the performance of the organization, and these are all documented in the scientific literature.
Another hidden obstacle for us in Asia is caused by the organizational hierarchy. Very often, the first contact point between our clients and ourselves are assistants of HR professionals who have minimal understanding of what we are talking about. When they do not understand they just cannot relay our message precisely to their manager.
The result is obviously that the management level does not receive our message and the name of Organizational Psychology just remains unheard no matter how hard we try!
As Organizational Psychologists, we see a real need to educate the public, and more importantly, HR professionals about the subject of Organizational Psychology so that the fruit of science can be returned to them.
There are major overlapping work areas between Organizational Psychologists and HR professionals such as selection, training, career development and performance management, but we work on different levels and perspectives thus our relationship is actually collaborative rather than competitive.
Organizational Psychologists can offer help to HR professionals in various areas such as training design, development of selection systems, supervising performance management processes and many more. Nevertheless Organizational Psychologists in Asia face obstacles as the subject is relatively unheard of among HR professionals and communication is often blocked by organizational hierarchy.
Therefore one very important task for us as Organizational Psychologist is to promote this subject so that people know what we can offer and make use of our expertise! We are sure that with the growing popularity of the subject, HR professionals, and other related professionals like career counsellors and coaches, will benefit highly from Organizational Psychology.
Website content
Posted on June 9, 2009 - by Vic Desotelle
Distance Learning – Distance Education. How Far Away? – Part 1
Eric Matthews asked:
Authors note: I recently dug this up. I wrote it in Sept 2000. After reading it again I realize it is still relevant.
I must admit the slightest pang of professional jealousy watching my counterparts involved in the new playground when I have not had the time. Of course looking at distance education from afar I have had some questions, even concerns with it as a viable means of education.
We live in an age where we email when a phone call should be made, and phone when we should speak in person. It is so easy to hide behind technology. It is difficult for many to know in what medium is the most appropriate to communicate in.
On-line has become the recent rage in many organizations and academic institutions. The savings to a company in travel and per diem are certainly compelling. One of the biggest edges I can see thus far is the ability to spread a class over a longer period of time. I have felt from day one in this business that trying to learn to do something non-trivial (program in a new language, design and implement telemetry systems, etc…) in three to five consecutive days of instruction is a major compromise in quality. It is further impractical to teach these classes over a spread out period of time where travel and per diem are factors. From this vantage distance education alone has a higher potential for learning to occur. But back to the reason it is the rage.
It is my premise that distance education is hot and available and being backed because of its potential for savings and its potential to educate a greater number that might not have the opportunity because of distance and schedule. I do not believe for a minute that the ivory towers are screaming for this medium because of its potential to be a better form of education than standup.
I can only point you to the frenzy that surrounded the shameful “boot camp” craze where one could actually learn a new profession in just a few weeks for a few grand. I smile inwardly every time I read one of the many articles (Authors Note: referring to the year 2000) talking about how IS managers are hiring CNE’s and MSCE’s that can’t mirror a disk or troubleshoot a problem. While I do not deny there may be a few gifted people that can really learn “How to administer NT Server” by going to 2 weeks of classes that help you cram for a paper based certification test, the majority of us are mere mortals that need some time and some practice and some experience. Also, I am greatly offended by the notion that one can become a certified engineer whose job competencies are performance based by taking a knowledge test. But to some managers a few hours in the evening and a few grand look mighty fine on the planning spreadsheet than the practical alternative. Reminds me of the old line, “How does one get to Carnegie Hall?”
My point here is not to trash boot camps, rather to offer an illustration as to the motivation for most people holding the purse and resources with respect to motivation. In many cases the first factor is typically not quality of education!
As educators, our first thought within a given medium of education had better be quality of education. I phrase this in this manner as there are times when factors apart from education itself have direct impact on the medium we get to use. As much as some of us would like to be total purists, reality dictates otherwise.
My greatest concern with on-line learning is that it has the potential of providing more physical distance between us. When will the first “on-line” marriage be held? There is a whole sociology and psychology emerging from the on-line culture. It is in a sense frightening for this introvert to watch a society move from the bonds of human interaction to this forum. No doubt we could dig up “death to the world as we know it” articles involving the advent of the telephone, the motion picture, television, and most other ground breaking inventions. This is not to say that these folks concerns were not (and still are not) very valid today.
I must admit the prospect of this medium excites me as I have visions of my log cabin home in the mountains, getting up every morning and after taking a morning walk in the woods before going to teach a class in my home office to 12 people scattered across the country! While this scenario to me is pretty cool, I feel some sense of a higher calling to my profession in that I have been initially somewhat reserved and skeptical regarding this
medium. The question for me becomes, can “On-line” be a valid and viable and sustainable form of education?
I believe it can. I also believe that money and resources will dictate that it stays around long enough to establish itself as the new frontier. I hope we never abandon stand-up as a medium. But after a careful and highly skeptical examination of this medium I have come to the following conclusions.
1. Enough quality educators will develop and deliver in this forum and give it the legitimacy and credibility it deserves to sustain it.
2. Just like stand-up it is and will continue to also have its share of charlatans and other misfits that have nary a clue with regard to the profession of education. These people certainly exist in droves in classroom based education and will end up migrating down this path.
3. As technology continues to advance, particularly in the area of telecommunications and bandwidth more opportunities will be available to us to use this form of education.
4. The need for student participation and interaction is just as high as it is in a stand-up class. I suspect the nature of this forum over stand-up, given the same good educator, presents itself as a better forum for interaction and community of learning than traditional college lecture halls, and time compressed corporate training.
5. Given the nature of this medium it will likely require a better formalization of course objectives, assessment and measurement tools than we currently have (or do not have) in stand-up.
Caffeinated Content for WordPress
Authors note: I recently dug this up. I wrote it in Sept 2000. After reading it again I realize it is still relevant.
I must admit the slightest pang of professional jealousy watching my counterparts involved in the new playground when I have not had the time. Of course looking at distance education from afar I have had some questions, even concerns with it as a viable means of education.
We live in an age where we email when a phone call should be made, and phone when we should speak in person. It is so easy to hide behind technology. It is difficult for many to know in what medium is the most appropriate to communicate in.
On-line has become the recent rage in many organizations and academic institutions. The savings to a company in travel and per diem are certainly compelling. One of the biggest edges I can see thus far is the ability to spread a class over a longer period of time. I have felt from day one in this business that trying to learn to do something non-trivial (program in a new language, design and implement telemetry systems, etc…) in three to five consecutive days of instruction is a major compromise in quality. It is further impractical to teach these classes over a spread out period of time where travel and per diem are factors. From this vantage distance education alone has a higher potential for learning to occur. But back to the reason it is the rage.
It is my premise that distance education is hot and available and being backed because of its potential for savings and its potential to educate a greater number that might not have the opportunity because of distance and schedule. I do not believe for a minute that the ivory towers are screaming for this medium because of its potential to be a better form of education than standup.
I can only point you to the frenzy that surrounded the shameful “boot camp” craze where one could actually learn a new profession in just a few weeks for a few grand. I smile inwardly every time I read one of the many articles (Authors Note: referring to the year 2000) talking about how IS managers are hiring CNE’s and MSCE’s that can’t mirror a disk or troubleshoot a problem. While I do not deny there may be a few gifted people that can really learn “How to administer NT Server” by going to 2 weeks of classes that help you cram for a paper based certification test, the majority of us are mere mortals that need some time and some practice and some experience. Also, I am greatly offended by the notion that one can become a certified engineer whose job competencies are performance based by taking a knowledge test. But to some managers a few hours in the evening and a few grand look mighty fine on the planning spreadsheet than the practical alternative. Reminds me of the old line, “How does one get to Carnegie Hall?”
My point here is not to trash boot camps, rather to offer an illustration as to the motivation for most people holding the purse and resources with respect to motivation. In many cases the first factor is typically not quality of education!
As educators, our first thought within a given medium of education had better be quality of education. I phrase this in this manner as there are times when factors apart from education itself have direct impact on the medium we get to use. As much as some of us would like to be total purists, reality dictates otherwise.
My greatest concern with on-line learning is that it has the potential of providing more physical distance between us. When will the first “on-line” marriage be held? There is a whole sociology and psychology emerging from the on-line culture. It is in a sense frightening for this introvert to watch a society move from the bonds of human interaction to this forum. No doubt we could dig up “death to the world as we know it” articles involving the advent of the telephone, the motion picture, television, and most other ground breaking inventions. This is not to say that these folks concerns were not (and still are not) very valid today.
I must admit the prospect of this medium excites me as I have visions of my log cabin home in the mountains, getting up every morning and after taking a morning walk in the woods before going to teach a class in my home office to 12 people scattered across the country! While this scenario to me is pretty cool, I feel some sense of a higher calling to my profession in that I have been initially somewhat reserved and skeptical regarding this
medium. The question for me becomes, can “On-line” be a valid and viable and sustainable form of education?
I believe it can. I also believe that money and resources will dictate that it stays around long enough to establish itself as the new frontier. I hope we never abandon stand-up as a medium. But after a careful and highly skeptical examination of this medium I have come to the following conclusions.
1. Enough quality educators will develop and deliver in this forum and give it the legitimacy and credibility it deserves to sustain it.
2. Just like stand-up it is and will continue to also have its share of charlatans and other misfits that have nary a clue with regard to the profession of education. These people certainly exist in droves in classroom based education and will end up migrating down this path.
3. As technology continues to advance, particularly in the area of telecommunications and bandwidth more opportunities will be available to us to use this form of education.
4. The need for student participation and interaction is just as high as it is in a stand-up class. I suspect the nature of this forum over stand-up, given the same good educator, presents itself as a better forum for interaction and community of learning than traditional college lecture halls, and time compressed corporate training.
5. Given the nature of this medium it will likely require a better formalization of course objectives, assessment and measurement tools than we currently have (or do not have) in stand-up.
Caffeinated Content for WordPress
Posted on June 9, 2009 - by Vic Desotelle
Alternative Learning System for the Aeta Community: Equalizing Education to Cultural Minority Groups in Lopez, Quezon, Philippines
Reynald Cacho asked:
“ALS is expected to provide solutions in areas of conflict, critical thinking, in indigenous people communities and in areas where literacy is most wanting and where literacy is needed.”
Hon. Jesli Lapus, Secretary of Department of Educatin
The government’s vision for non-formal education is revitalized and epitomized through an Executive Order No. 358 S. 2004, rnaming and reinventing of the Bureau of Nonformal Education to Bureau of Alternative Learning System (BALS) whose vision is to view the Philippines as a nation where all the citizens, especially the marginalized individual or group of learners who could not equitably gain access to formal education because of unwanted conditions, be given equal access to quality education by taking an alternative learning system that will enable them to become productive workforce and members of the land. As its mandates, ALS is propelled by its functions to:
Address the learning needs of the marginalized groups of the population including the deprived , depressed, and underserved citizens;
Coordinate with various agencies for skills development to enhance and ensure continuing employability, efficiency, productivity, and competitiveness in the labor market;
Ensure the expansion of access to educational opportunities for citizens of different interests, capabilities demographic characteristics and socio-economic origins and status; and
Promote certification and accreditation of alternative learning programs both formal and informal in nature of basic education.
This mini case study focuses on the role of the ALS programs catered by the Lopez East District ALS coordinator and its local instructional managers to address the present needs and to delineate briefly their clienteles’ way of life in the settlement or community in Brgy. Villa Espina, Lopez, Quezon. The Aetas in Lopez, Quezon can not be overlooked for they are already adapting to the changes in their surrounding. Furthermore, being members of the disadvantage group of people, giving them the opportunity to equal access to education is a priority concern of the government being carried over by its local counterpart.
While some nongovernmental organizations also take part in aiding educational facilities and health and sanitation service, this mini-case study highlighted only the application of ALS in the promotion of literacy among the Aetas of Lopez, Quezon, describing the attitude or responses of the clienteles in Aeta community toward the realization of educational efforts starting February 2008 to the present.
This case study includes the initiatives and actions of the ALS coordinator and her instructional managers’ common experience with their clienteles and the attitude or behavior of the Aeta clienteles toward its programs. It also includes ethnographic account of how the usual ALS class goes on. The student-researchers were able to validate such remarks and notes in direct observations and interview they conducted at the Aeta clienteles and its immediate community.
Majority of the data used in this report were drawn from interview and observations from the school site and reports of the Lopez East District Alternative Learning System Office. On the other hand, this mini-case study had also limitations. The researchers initially recommend that another follow or related study on the subjects be conducted concerning on the cultural impact of this learning in an alternative way.
ALTERNATIVE LEARNING SYSTEM OF LOPEZ EAST DISTRICT AND THE AETA CLIENTELES IN BRGY. VILLA ESPINA
The Alternative Learning System Coordinator of Lopez East District who is in-charged of delivering the programs of BALS to the Aeta community is Mrs. Angelina J. Oblina. On her team are two Instructional Managers (IM) and an Aeta coordinator. The two instructional managers are the key teachers and implementers who directly get involved and supervised and promote ALS program to the Aeta Community. Mrs. Mabel A. Oblina and Wilma Capistrano are the IMs, who are paid by the local government with a monthly honorarium of P 4, 500.00 pesos each. The Aeta coordinator is Andy Villa Franco, local villager who maintains direct contact to the Aeta community clienteles in the absence of the IMs or the ALS coordinator.
From non-formal to ALS, it formally opened last February 2008. Through local ALS Coordinator’s initiatives of hiring local funded instructional managers and her unquestionably commitment to its program implementation, ALS instruction to the Aeta community begun. Since its target clienteles are the Aeta community, encouragement and recruitment to this displaced minority was the biggest toll at the onset.
Formerly, on her report, Mrs. Oblina was able to delineate some of its beginning noting the following points.
Tribal groups, specifically Aetas are the deprived, depressed and undeserved population. Their settlement can be found in a far-flung area. Uncivilized and illiterate, only few attended formal schooling because they do not understand the benefit that education could give to a person. On September 1, 1994, Non-Formal Education (NFE) brought the school for the Aetas, through “Magbasa Kita Project” a basic literacy program of the department. I was assigned to handle the class or community of Aeta as “para-teacher” at the same time “ate” not ma’am or teacher by the Aetas. Back then, I introduced the phono-syllabic lessons. The school was made up of nipa that existed in Villa Espina. The enrollees of these classes are of no age limit.
Dealing with Aetas as one of the NFE/ALS clienteles is not an easy task for me. So, I mobilized our local system. It is indeed very challenging on our part. We had a hard time encouraging and motivating them so that they will come to school. Convincing them to come to school even included drinking liquor with them. Furthermore, we use variety of ways and approaches to be able to win their interest. The school set-up lasted for some years yet their ways of living have not changed despite all the efforts exerted by their other mentors. Some still carried the old practices and do not even own a house where they can live permanently and comfortably.
Construction of two-room building sponsored by the ABS-CBN “Tree of Hope Program” built last year (2007) became one of the motivating factors that led the Aetas to take ALS program. ALS program formally started from February to April 2008. Fortunately, out of more or less 50 households, Fifty-four Aetas were its first batch of students. The group was divided into two separate classes. The first group consisted of young Aetas for 6 to 13 years old under the tutelage of Mrs. Wilma A. Oblina. This group is at the beginning level of instructional. The other class, under Mrs. Wilma Capistrano comprised of the teenagers to adult consisting of 13 years old to as old as forty-four. This group could be considered as emergent learners progressing from the very basic level. During this grace period, meetings were done three times a week. Instruction during those times focused mainly to basic literacy focus, which is more on reading of the alphabet (phono-syllabic lessons), writing (specifically writing their names) and clienteles’ adjustment to alternative schooling.
Alternative Learning System programs continued starting this beginning school year, June 2008. There was an increased enrolment. From fifty-four (54) Aetas who enrolled last February, it escalated to seventy-four (74) this June. Out of this 74, majority of which is female, 65% and male, 35%. Ten of which are parents and mostly are young ones. “However, maintaining 100% attendance is the biggest problem,” the instructional managers noted. On the average, 50-60 % of the total enrolment comes to school regularly. Consequently, the food for school program requested by the ALS District Coordinator which the Local Government Unit (LGU) addressed the problem of abseeteism among the Aetas. However sustaining the program is another concern. Meetings this time are from Monday to Friday not unlike the previous one, which is only three times.
The coordinator and instructional managers would recount that the usual or typical day would go like this…
The Aeta-clienteles would come to school in the morning. Not all students would come early. Others were still be coming from Brgy. Pisipis and other neighboring barangays. Some wore uniform others in their ragged cloths. A flag ceremony used to be held at the start of the week. Then, the Aetas did housekeeping and other pre-routinary activities. Basic alphabet to word reading, writing, and arithmetic activities were provided for three hours. We would read aloud the alphabet, minimal pair words, read short passages, and ask them to read aloud and write. Most of them get bored easily for they had different types of learning. Most of them had usually short span of attention so we had quick breaks from time to time.
Preparing the meal of the day was the most important for them. Since some of them had not taken breakfast or suffer the day before. After the early morning routinary activities, we would be preparing the meal of the day where everybody will be part. Food is the best reward and encouragement we could offer them. Because of food nourishment, they come to school. There was even an incident that Aeta would come very late to school just in time for lunch. After a while or a siesta, Afternoon session would be allotted to free and varied activities. Film viewing occupied the most times, because of the Television set and educational package, we have recently received from a donation all the way from Hawaii. Televiewing became a part of the afternoon session. When the day was over, we teachers could not help but be challenged different adjustments met so as our Aeta clienteles.
We find teaching and learning with them demanding yet very stimulating because of some reasons:
· Some unsanitary practices of some of the Aeta clienteles are lessened. We introduced teaching of basic sanitary hygiene. However, for customary reason few would not heed our advice for it already became their system since they were born. Consequently, we got use to some of their unsanitary practices but we always address them as much as possible teaching the parent clienteles the right ways though most of them do not care much to their children for customary reason.
· Abseetism is also common problem since the approach is new for them at the start. Looking at them from a day-to-day perspective, most of them skip school because some work in farms by harvesting young anahaw leaves or working with their specific “Amos”, and for very apparent reason, if there are times that we don’t have food or meal of the day to offer them, we would rather have an empty room than to have clienteles with empty stomachs.
· Aetas clienteles interact with the ALS program differently. Students learning style and mental capacity vary different from one another. Some learn smoothly. Others need constant review. At the beginning level, it is common to see Aeta-clienteles to misspell their names what is even the worse is that they sometimes forget their surname or they change their names.
· Few of their practices are still prevalent but mostly are dead or forgotten. One Aeta client even shares that they could no longer remember any tribal rites taught to them by the elders. Still, some of them wander and work from the community to nearby barangays. They don’t permanently stay in one place, except of course for those who have learned to fit in to the local villagers. What is quite pressing for us in relation to their ways is that an early marriage is common thing. An Aeta could already find and live with his/her partner at the age of 12. In addition, they could easily switch or change partner as the pair pleases. Another noticeable activity they often engage with is drinking. Moreover, in certain occasion, a villager could get along with most of the Aeta over bottles of liquor or any alcoholic drink and if Aetas drink alcohol, it ends to a drinking spree. This manner somehow affects their attitude to learning. An adult Aeta clientele could compromise going to school just to a bottle of liquor.
Battling these all sort of things every day, we as their teachers or “Ate” as they call us, could freely tell that we influence their lives toward the basic literacy and even more. Most of them have already accustomed to the ways of the civilized people. Emerging clienteles whom we have been teaching hard can already read and write basic Filipino words, can calculate numbers so that they well not be cheated by their “Amos” for their fair share of farm works, can practices basic sanitary hygiene from brushing of teeth to basic housekeeping, and for some who have fitted in to the latest technology can send short messaging service (SMS) via cellphone. The Aetas in Brgy. Villa Espina are becoming like civilized people because of us, other local villager’s intervention, and the influences of the latest technology-stricken world.
With the programs being offered by the District, seeing ALS greater impact for the future of the Aeta community, has a long way to go, of which the District Coordinator and the researchers unanimously agreed upon adding that a lot of concerns or priorities still must and should be acted promptly.
OTHER CONCERNS
“Education to be meaningful must be rooted in the community life and experience of the people; because learning takes place in this context as well as in the way they understand the stages of their cycle.”
BALS framework
To ensure the expansion of access of educational opportunities and capability building, the BALS national office has been training its ALS district coordinators starting the opening year. One seminar on ALS Trends & Updates for Full Time District ALS Coordinators impacted much the approaches of Mrs. Oblina and her team of local counterparts. Myriad of realization was absorbed by contemplating and living up with the BALS framework. It does require change from their usual approaches.
Meanwhile, on a division level training, the local ALS people and some of the Aeta representatives attended just recently this month (August 2008). They were exposed to training framework for the Indigenous People (IP) and Indigenous People Core Curriculum (IPCC). With the help, expertise of local indigenous people and in coordination with the National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP) Summer Institutes of Linguistic (SIL) and other IP concerned agencies: the Bureau was able to develop an Indigenous Peoples (IP) Core Curriculum. The competencies identified by the ALS curriculum are now realized through a modular system of education that will guide the coordinator, Instructional Managers and the Aeta clienteles to mode and education the clienteles will receive.
Citing this remarkable interventions or realization, the following concerns and points are noted by experts for the culturally sensitive and integrative delivery of instruction to the IP, specifically the Aeta clienteles:
The development process not only ensured a culture-sensitive core curriculum but also maximized local participation in all aspects of decision making and actions relevant to the finalization of the IP Core Curriculum.
Expert on IPCC remarked that without necessarily emphasizing an overkill tone, the highly western-entrenched current educational system has contributed to the further marginalization and exploitation of IPs. The said system has been producing graduates who are trained to become employees and not as entrepreneurs who can become employers.
The Right-Based Approach (RBA) to education verbalizes these facts. Its strengths sustainable development and the exercise of self-determination in as much as education is supposed to be an “enabling” (for recognition and empowerment), an “ensuring” (for protection) and an “enhancing” (for development and promotion) tool for indigenous Peoples, their ancestral domains and their cultural integrity.
Adding the important issues mentioned, on the literature of a news article of Ina Hernando-Malipot, available at http://www.mb.com.ph/issues/2008/08/18/YTCP20080818132815.html, she stressed the study done by Dr. Jill Bevan-Brown, associate professor at Massey University in New Zealand during the 5th International Conference on Teacher Education (ICTED) marking that the children with special needs from ethnic minority groups can have additional disadvantage.
In her talk entitled, “Culturally Appropriate Provisions for Children with Special Needs from Ethnic Minority Groups: A Story of Two Maori Initiatives,” Dr. Brown mentioned that for children with special needs from ethnic minority groups, having access to special education provisions is not a problem. In fact, in various special education categories, they are over-represented. “However, receiving an education that is culturally-appropriate and effective is major issue.”
“Thus, we have developed two initiatives that aim to improve this situation – the teachers conducting a cultural self-review of their early childhood center or school as part of their SpEd qualification; and the involvement of government agencies, teachers and parents of the children,” Dr. Brown revealed.
Dr. Brown finally said that in gaining education, children with special needs have additional challenges compared to their non-disabled peers. “Similarly, children with special needs from ethnic minority groups face challenges their disabled peers from majority cultures do not face, these children have been dealt ‘double whammy’.”
The literature clearly appeals that change or innovation must be made to fit to the educational needs of the Aeta community in Brgy. Villa Espina, Lopez, Quezon. Since the ALS in this community is newly born, greater measures adaptive to their or Aeta clienteles’ culture which is being compromised should and must be acted upon not only by the ALS people, but also by the LGU, the NCIP, and most of all by people who are in control of major local resources.
IMPLEMENTATION REQUIREMENTS
The following questions have become starting points to ponder. Is the ALS in Villa Espina “enabling” its Aeta clienteles (for recognition and empowerment)? “Ensuring” (for protection)? And “enhancing” (for development and promotion) tool for indigenous Peoples, their ancestral domains and their cultural integrity?
Mrs. Oblina is hopeful that the modules on functional literacy that they have been waiting to be delivered by the national office would be received at the soonest possible time to empower the process of instruction and therefore the Aeta clienteles. The Local Government Unit through the Municipal Mayor, Hon.Isaias Ubana, has been planning an initiative that would give the Aeta community a place of home and refuge where their inherit and latent cultural ways and norms will be restored and revived. The Municipal Mayor himself has just disclosed this local initiative to the ALS coordinator. This mode of action if achieve would ensure protection. However, issues about ancestral domain surfaces. This is not the first time, municipal heads before the incumbent mayor had been appealed by the Aeta community though their local chieftain for support of their ancestral land recovery. Unfortunately, the petition for land recovery fell to deaf ears or should the researchers say “no clear response at the moment”.
With the trainings and supports given by the national and local government units side by side with the non-governmental sectors, the ALS Lopez East District and the researchers envision that the ALS for the Aeta community in Lopez, Quezon on its long-term target goals will continue to realize and realize those following plans of:
· Offering of food for school program be sustained and as time progress be replaced by a sustainable livelihood programs which the Aeta clienteles can be trained of and apparently leading to their independence from aids to self-sufficient and working individual or group of the community;
· Liberating the members of the Aeta community from ignorance to functionally literate people. A functionally literate person is defined as one who can communicate effectively, solve problems scientifically, creatively and think critically, use resources sustainable and be productive, develop himself/herself and his/her sense of community and expand his/her world view;
· Accessing to accreditation and competency tests is given to the ALS Aeta graduates. If the clientele is successful in the competency exam, going or transferring to the higher formal education if he or she desires, will be straightforward for them;
· Having properly paid, equipped, and trained instructional managers. Nationalization of the locally compensated IMs will empower them further to work not only as a teacher but as highly committed social workers for the betterment of the clienteles; and
· Educating them not only for literacy but also for restoration of their cultural ways as Indigenous People (IP) who have their cultural integrity and ancestral domains creating their own cultural identity as part and parcel of the Lopez, Quezon community and of the Filipino people.
To achieve all of these, which some are still in plans, need hand-in-hand actions emanating both from the government and from the Aeta community. If this will be realized, equitable access to education is now at hand to those who need and aspire for it. Apparently, tt comes from alternative ways, if non-governmental sectors even take part to this movement like the ABSCBN school building project for the Aeta, and other philanthropic individual who are all genuine in their interests, the social cultural revival and education empowerment for the Aetas will surely be accomplished.
References and Further Readings:
Ina Hernando-Malipot news article available at http://www.mb.com.ph/issues/2008/08/18/YTCP20080818132815.html
Executive Order No. 358 S. 2004 available at http://www.ops.gov.ph/records/eo_no356.htm
The Indigenous Peoples Core Curriculum by Department of Education, Bureau of Alternative Learning System (BALS) Handouts 2006
Lopez East District Alternative Learning System Initial School Reports SY 2008-2009
Acknowledgements are given to the following persons for the interviews, observation and other data gathered of which the researchers are greatly indebted with.
MRS. ANGELINA J. OBLINA, Lopez East District ALS Coordinator
MRS. MARIVEL A. OBLINA, Instructional Manager
MRS. WILMA S. CAPISTRANO, Instructional Manager
THIS MINI CASE STUDY, WHICH THE RESEARCHERS CONSIDERED AS LABOR OF LOVE, IS IMPLICITLY DEDICATED TO THE AETA COMMUNITY OF BRGY. VILA ESPINA, LOPEZ, QUEZON. MAY YOU FLOURISH AND BE NOURISHED BY THE ALTERNATIVE LEARNING SYSTEM OF LOPEZ EAST DISTRICT.
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“ALS is expected to provide solutions in areas of conflict, critical thinking, in indigenous people communities and in areas where literacy is most wanting and where literacy is needed.”
Hon. Jesli Lapus, Secretary of Department of Educatin
The government’s vision for non-formal education is revitalized and epitomized through an Executive Order No. 358 S. 2004, rnaming and reinventing of the Bureau of Nonformal Education to Bureau of Alternative Learning System (BALS) whose vision is to view the Philippines as a nation where all the citizens, especially the marginalized individual or group of learners who could not equitably gain access to formal education because of unwanted conditions, be given equal access to quality education by taking an alternative learning system that will enable them to become productive workforce and members of the land. As its mandates, ALS is propelled by its functions to:
Address the learning needs of the marginalized groups of the population including the deprived , depressed, and underserved citizens;
Coordinate with various agencies for skills development to enhance and ensure continuing employability, efficiency, productivity, and competitiveness in the labor market;
Ensure the expansion of access to educational opportunities for citizens of different interests, capabilities demographic characteristics and socio-economic origins and status; and
Promote certification and accreditation of alternative learning programs both formal and informal in nature of basic education.
This mini case study focuses on the role of the ALS programs catered by the Lopez East District ALS coordinator and its local instructional managers to address the present needs and to delineate briefly their clienteles’ way of life in the settlement or community in Brgy. Villa Espina, Lopez, Quezon. The Aetas in Lopez, Quezon can not be overlooked for they are already adapting to the changes in their surrounding. Furthermore, being members of the disadvantage group of people, giving them the opportunity to equal access to education is a priority concern of the government being carried over by its local counterpart.
While some nongovernmental organizations also take part in aiding educational facilities and health and sanitation service, this mini-case study highlighted only the application of ALS in the promotion of literacy among the Aetas of Lopez, Quezon, describing the attitude or responses of the clienteles in Aeta community toward the realization of educational efforts starting February 2008 to the present.
This case study includes the initiatives and actions of the ALS coordinator and her instructional managers’ common experience with their clienteles and the attitude or behavior of the Aeta clienteles toward its programs. It also includes ethnographic account of how the usual ALS class goes on. The student-researchers were able to validate such remarks and notes in direct observations and interview they conducted at the Aeta clienteles and its immediate community.
Majority of the data used in this report were drawn from interview and observations from the school site and reports of the Lopez East District Alternative Learning System Office. On the other hand, this mini-case study had also limitations. The researchers initially recommend that another follow or related study on the subjects be conducted concerning on the cultural impact of this learning in an alternative way.
ALTERNATIVE LEARNING SYSTEM OF LOPEZ EAST DISTRICT AND THE AETA CLIENTELES IN BRGY. VILLA ESPINA
The Alternative Learning System Coordinator of Lopez East District who is in-charged of delivering the programs of BALS to the Aeta community is Mrs. Angelina J. Oblina. On her team are two Instructional Managers (IM) and an Aeta coordinator. The two instructional managers are the key teachers and implementers who directly get involved and supervised and promote ALS program to the Aeta Community. Mrs. Mabel A. Oblina and Wilma Capistrano are the IMs, who are paid by the local government with a monthly honorarium of P 4, 500.00 pesos each. The Aeta coordinator is Andy Villa Franco, local villager who maintains direct contact to the Aeta community clienteles in the absence of the IMs or the ALS coordinator.
From non-formal to ALS, it formally opened last February 2008. Through local ALS Coordinator’s initiatives of hiring local funded instructional managers and her unquestionably commitment to its program implementation, ALS instruction to the Aeta community begun. Since its target clienteles are the Aeta community, encouragement and recruitment to this displaced minority was the biggest toll at the onset.
Formerly, on her report, Mrs. Oblina was able to delineate some of its beginning noting the following points.
Tribal groups, specifically Aetas are the deprived, depressed and undeserved population. Their settlement can be found in a far-flung area. Uncivilized and illiterate, only few attended formal schooling because they do not understand the benefit that education could give to a person. On September 1, 1994, Non-Formal Education (NFE) brought the school for the Aetas, through “Magbasa Kita Project” a basic literacy program of the department. I was assigned to handle the class or community of Aeta as “para-teacher” at the same time “ate” not ma’am or teacher by the Aetas. Back then, I introduced the phono-syllabic lessons. The school was made up of nipa that existed in Villa Espina. The enrollees of these classes are of no age limit.
Dealing with Aetas as one of the NFE/ALS clienteles is not an easy task for me. So, I mobilized our local system. It is indeed very challenging on our part. We had a hard time encouraging and motivating them so that they will come to school. Convincing them to come to school even included drinking liquor with them. Furthermore, we use variety of ways and approaches to be able to win their interest. The school set-up lasted for some years yet their ways of living have not changed despite all the efforts exerted by their other mentors. Some still carried the old practices and do not even own a house where they can live permanently and comfortably.
Construction of two-room building sponsored by the ABS-CBN “Tree of Hope Program” built last year (2007) became one of the motivating factors that led the Aetas to take ALS program. ALS program formally started from February to April 2008. Fortunately, out of more or less 50 households, Fifty-four Aetas were its first batch of students. The group was divided into two separate classes. The first group consisted of young Aetas for 6 to 13 years old under the tutelage of Mrs. Wilma A. Oblina. This group is at the beginning level of instructional. The other class, under Mrs. Wilma Capistrano comprised of the teenagers to adult consisting of 13 years old to as old as forty-four. This group could be considered as emergent learners progressing from the very basic level. During this grace period, meetings were done three times a week. Instruction during those times focused mainly to basic literacy focus, which is more on reading of the alphabet (phono-syllabic lessons), writing (specifically writing their names) and clienteles’ adjustment to alternative schooling.
Alternative Learning System programs continued starting this beginning school year, June 2008. There was an increased enrolment. From fifty-four (54) Aetas who enrolled last February, it escalated to seventy-four (74) this June. Out of this 74, majority of which is female, 65% and male, 35%. Ten of which are parents and mostly are young ones. “However, maintaining 100% attendance is the biggest problem,” the instructional managers noted. On the average, 50-60 % of the total enrolment comes to school regularly. Consequently, the food for school program requested by the ALS District Coordinator which the Local Government Unit (LGU) addressed the problem of abseeteism among the Aetas. However sustaining the program is another concern. Meetings this time are from Monday to Friday not unlike the previous one, which is only three times.
The coordinator and instructional managers would recount that the usual or typical day would go like this…
The Aeta-clienteles would come to school in the morning. Not all students would come early. Others were still be coming from Brgy. Pisipis and other neighboring barangays. Some wore uniform others in their ragged cloths. A flag ceremony used to be held at the start of the week. Then, the Aetas did housekeeping and other pre-routinary activities. Basic alphabet to word reading, writing, and arithmetic activities were provided for three hours. We would read aloud the alphabet, minimal pair words, read short passages, and ask them to read aloud and write. Most of them get bored easily for they had different types of learning. Most of them had usually short span of attention so we had quick breaks from time to time.
Preparing the meal of the day was the most important for them. Since some of them had not taken breakfast or suffer the day before. After the early morning routinary activities, we would be preparing the meal of the day where everybody will be part. Food is the best reward and encouragement we could offer them. Because of food nourishment, they come to school. There was even an incident that Aeta would come very late to school just in time for lunch. After a while or a siesta, Afternoon session would be allotted to free and varied activities. Film viewing occupied the most times, because of the Television set and educational package, we have recently received from a donation all the way from Hawaii. Televiewing became a part of the afternoon session. When the day was over, we teachers could not help but be challenged different adjustments met so as our Aeta clienteles.
We find teaching and learning with them demanding yet very stimulating because of some reasons:
· Some unsanitary practices of some of the Aeta clienteles are lessened. We introduced teaching of basic sanitary hygiene. However, for customary reason few would not heed our advice for it already became their system since they were born. Consequently, we got use to some of their unsanitary practices but we always address them as much as possible teaching the parent clienteles the right ways though most of them do not care much to their children for customary reason.
· Abseetism is also common problem since the approach is new for them at the start. Looking at them from a day-to-day perspective, most of them skip school because some work in farms by harvesting young anahaw leaves or working with their specific “Amos”, and for very apparent reason, if there are times that we don’t have food or meal of the day to offer them, we would rather have an empty room than to have clienteles with empty stomachs.
· Aetas clienteles interact with the ALS program differently. Students learning style and mental capacity vary different from one another. Some learn smoothly. Others need constant review. At the beginning level, it is common to see Aeta-clienteles to misspell their names what is even the worse is that they sometimes forget their surname or they change their names.
· Few of their practices are still prevalent but mostly are dead or forgotten. One Aeta client even shares that they could no longer remember any tribal rites taught to them by the elders. Still, some of them wander and work from the community to nearby barangays. They don’t permanently stay in one place, except of course for those who have learned to fit in to the local villagers. What is quite pressing for us in relation to their ways is that an early marriage is common thing. An Aeta could already find and live with his/her partner at the age of 12. In addition, they could easily switch or change partner as the pair pleases. Another noticeable activity they often engage with is drinking. Moreover, in certain occasion, a villager could get along with most of the Aeta over bottles of liquor or any alcoholic drink and if Aetas drink alcohol, it ends to a drinking spree. This manner somehow affects their attitude to learning. An adult Aeta clientele could compromise going to school just to a bottle of liquor.
Battling these all sort of things every day, we as their teachers or “Ate” as they call us, could freely tell that we influence their lives toward the basic literacy and even more. Most of them have already accustomed to the ways of the civilized people. Emerging clienteles whom we have been teaching hard can already read and write basic Filipino words, can calculate numbers so that they well not be cheated by their “Amos” for their fair share of farm works, can practices basic sanitary hygiene from brushing of teeth to basic housekeeping, and for some who have fitted in to the latest technology can send short messaging service (SMS) via cellphone. The Aetas in Brgy. Villa Espina are becoming like civilized people because of us, other local villager’s intervention, and the influences of the latest technology-stricken world.
With the programs being offered by the District, seeing ALS greater impact for the future of the Aeta community, has a long way to go, of which the District Coordinator and the researchers unanimously agreed upon adding that a lot of concerns or priorities still must and should be acted promptly.
OTHER CONCERNS
“Education to be meaningful must be rooted in the community life and experience of the people; because learning takes place in this context as well as in the way they understand the stages of their cycle.”
BALS framework
To ensure the expansion of access of educational opportunities and capability building, the BALS national office has been training its ALS district coordinators starting the opening year. One seminar on ALS Trends & Updates for Full Time District ALS Coordinators impacted much the approaches of Mrs. Oblina and her team of local counterparts. Myriad of realization was absorbed by contemplating and living up with the BALS framework. It does require change from their usual approaches.
Meanwhile, on a division level training, the local ALS people and some of the Aeta representatives attended just recently this month (August 2008). They were exposed to training framework for the Indigenous People (IP) and Indigenous People Core Curriculum (IPCC). With the help, expertise of local indigenous people and in coordination with the National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP) Summer Institutes of Linguistic (SIL) and other IP concerned agencies: the Bureau was able to develop an Indigenous Peoples (IP) Core Curriculum. The competencies identified by the ALS curriculum are now realized through a modular system of education that will guide the coordinator, Instructional Managers and the Aeta clienteles to mode and education the clienteles will receive.
Citing this remarkable interventions or realization, the following concerns and points are noted by experts for the culturally sensitive and integrative delivery of instruction to the IP, specifically the Aeta clienteles:
The development process not only ensured a culture-sensitive core curriculum but also maximized local participation in all aspects of decision making and actions relevant to the finalization of the IP Core Curriculum.
Expert on IPCC remarked that without necessarily emphasizing an overkill tone, the highly western-entrenched current educational system has contributed to the further marginalization and exploitation of IPs. The said system has been producing graduates who are trained to become employees and not as entrepreneurs who can become employers.
The Right-Based Approach (RBA) to education verbalizes these facts. Its strengths sustainable development and the exercise of self-determination in as much as education is supposed to be an “enabling” (for recognition and empowerment), an “ensuring” (for protection) and an “enhancing” (for development and promotion) tool for indigenous Peoples, their ancestral domains and their cultural integrity.
Adding the important issues mentioned, on the literature of a news article of Ina Hernando-Malipot, available at http://www.mb.com.ph/issues/2008/08/18/YTCP20080818132815.html, she stressed the study done by Dr. Jill Bevan-Brown, associate professor at Massey University in New Zealand during the 5th International Conference on Teacher Education (ICTED) marking that the children with special needs from ethnic minority groups can have additional disadvantage.
In her talk entitled, “Culturally Appropriate Provisions for Children with Special Needs from Ethnic Minority Groups: A Story of Two Maori Initiatives,” Dr. Brown mentioned that for children with special needs from ethnic minority groups, having access to special education provisions is not a problem. In fact, in various special education categories, they are over-represented. “However, receiving an education that is culturally-appropriate and effective is major issue.”
“Thus, we have developed two initiatives that aim to improve this situation – the teachers conducting a cultural self-review of their early childhood center or school as part of their SpEd qualification; and the involvement of government agencies, teachers and parents of the children,” Dr. Brown revealed.
Dr. Brown finally said that in gaining education, children with special needs have additional challenges compared to their non-disabled peers. “Similarly, children with special needs from ethnic minority groups face challenges their disabled peers from majority cultures do not face, these children have been dealt ‘double whammy’.”
The literature clearly appeals that change or innovation must be made to fit to the educational needs of the Aeta community in Brgy. Villa Espina, Lopez, Quezon. Since the ALS in this community is newly born, greater measures adaptive to their or Aeta clienteles’ culture which is being compromised should and must be acted upon not only by the ALS people, but also by the LGU, the NCIP, and most of all by people who are in control of major local resources.
IMPLEMENTATION REQUIREMENTS
The following questions have become starting points to ponder. Is the ALS in Villa Espina “enabling” its Aeta clienteles (for recognition and empowerment)? “Ensuring” (for protection)? And “enhancing” (for development and promotion) tool for indigenous Peoples, their ancestral domains and their cultural integrity?
Mrs. Oblina is hopeful that the modules on functional literacy that they have been waiting to be delivered by the national office would be received at the soonest possible time to empower the process of instruction and therefore the Aeta clienteles. The Local Government Unit through the Municipal Mayor, Hon.Isaias Ubana, has been planning an initiative that would give the Aeta community a place of home and refuge where their inherit and latent cultural ways and norms will be restored and revived. The Municipal Mayor himself has just disclosed this local initiative to the ALS coordinator. This mode of action if achieve would ensure protection. However, issues about ancestral domain surfaces. This is not the first time, municipal heads before the incumbent mayor had been appealed by the Aeta community though their local chieftain for support of their ancestral land recovery. Unfortunately, the petition for land recovery fell to deaf ears or should the researchers say “no clear response at the moment”.
With the trainings and supports given by the national and local government units side by side with the non-governmental sectors, the ALS Lopez East District and the researchers envision that the ALS for the Aeta community in Lopez, Quezon on its long-term target goals will continue to realize and realize those following plans of:
· Offering of food for school program be sustained and as time progress be replaced by a sustainable livelihood programs which the Aeta clienteles can be trained of and apparently leading to their independence from aids to self-sufficient and working individual or group of the community;
· Liberating the members of the Aeta community from ignorance to functionally literate people. A functionally literate person is defined as one who can communicate effectively, solve problems scientifically, creatively and think critically, use resources sustainable and be productive, develop himself/herself and his/her sense of community and expand his/her world view;
· Accessing to accreditation and competency tests is given to the ALS Aeta graduates. If the clientele is successful in the competency exam, going or transferring to the higher formal education if he or she desires, will be straightforward for them;
· Having properly paid, equipped, and trained instructional managers. Nationalization of the locally compensated IMs will empower them further to work not only as a teacher but as highly committed social workers for the betterment of the clienteles; and
· Educating them not only for literacy but also for restoration of their cultural ways as Indigenous People (IP) who have their cultural integrity and ancestral domains creating their own cultural identity as part and parcel of the Lopez, Quezon community and of the Filipino people.
To achieve all of these, which some are still in plans, need hand-in-hand actions emanating both from the government and from the Aeta community. If this will be realized, equitable access to education is now at hand to those who need and aspire for it. Apparently, tt comes from alternative ways, if non-governmental sectors even take part to this movement like the ABSCBN school building project for the Aeta, and other philanthropic individual who are all genuine in their interests, the social cultural revival and education empowerment for the Aetas will surely be accomplished.
References and Further Readings:
Ina Hernando-Malipot news article available at http://www.mb.com.ph/issues/2008/08/18/YTCP20080818132815.html
Executive Order No. 358 S. 2004 available at http://www.ops.gov.ph/records/eo_no356.htm
The Indigenous Peoples Core Curriculum by Department of Education, Bureau of Alternative Learning System (BALS) Handouts 2006
Lopez East District Alternative Learning System Initial School Reports SY 2008-2009
Acknowledgements are given to the following persons for the interviews, observation and other data gathered of which the researchers are greatly indebted with.
MRS. ANGELINA J. OBLINA, Lopez East District ALS Coordinator
MRS. MARIVEL A. OBLINA, Instructional Manager
MRS. WILMA S. CAPISTRANO, Instructional Manager
THIS MINI CASE STUDY, WHICH THE RESEARCHERS CONSIDERED AS LABOR OF LOVE, IS IMPLICITLY DEDICATED TO THE AETA COMMUNITY OF BRGY. VILA ESPINA, LOPEZ, QUEZON. MAY YOU FLOURISH AND BE NOURISHED BY THE ALTERNATIVE LEARNING SYSTEM OF LOPEZ EAST DISTRICT.
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Posted on June 9, 2009 - by Vic Desotelle
E-learning Profiled by Manufacturing Journalist Tr Cutler
Thomas Cutler asked:
The cost of training, the logistics of bringing trainers in house, learner travel costs and down time; site planning and costs, all have a fairly high cost component. The demand for e-Learning is increasing rapidly because compared to onsite training; the costs is often less and the ability to provide a customizable solution that suits the company culture and approach is achieved more readily and drives better bottom-line impact. Most importantly, the company owns the training, allowing a more successful knowledge transfer.
In the current issue of The Insider, by AS411 (www.as411.com) leading manufacturing journalist, Thomas R. Cutler profiles the importance and changing role of e-Learning. e-Learning has taken on increasing importance as most companies have global operations. Like franchise operations manuals that ensure a Big Mac is prepared consistently worldwide, e-learning allows the nature of global operations to achieve standardization. According to Six Sigma Master Black Belt Training and Instructional Design expert, Diane Lippman, “Adult learners prefer a menu of options in learning methodology. ILT (instructor lead training), e-learning or CBT (computer based training; WBT (web-based training, such as WebEx), and m-learning (mobile learning), each have traits and characteristics that will facilitate learning and foster an environment of adoption and compliance when training is mandatory.
Part of a Cultural Change
Until recently companies brought in Six Sigma consultants and used a significant amount of staff time to conduct training. There was often resentment because while this training occurred, staff was still expected to complete all usual functions and meet responsibilities and deadlines. According to Lippman, “One of the biggest obstacles of Six Sigma or Lean is the cultural hurdle. As part of the change management strategy, e-Learning orientation can be a tool in the arsenal to bridge the awareness and orientation gaps.”
Measuring is always the key
The core concept of Lean, Six Sigma, and Lean Six Sigma is the ability to measure process improvement. e-Learning utilizes quizzes and assessments built into the online courseware. Lippman noted, “Data can be measure through the Learning Management Systems (LMS) which allows for assessment of both training content analysis as well as the ability to quantify learner comprehension and subsequent application.” Prerequisites and mastery level courses may be required before a (perhaps a passing grade of 80% or better can be established before the next course or lesson can be taken.)
Training web resources provide easy-to-use, self-paced educational tools for everyone who needs an introduction to standards and conformity assessment activities. e-Learning content highlights the value and importance of standards and compliance programs in the U.S. and around the globe. By taking e-courses and exploring related educational resources and employees gain a strong understanding of key organizational metrics and processes.
About TR Cutler, Inc.:
TR Cutler, Inc. was founded by Thomas R. Cutler almost a decade ago. Cutler maintains extraordinary relationships with clients, journalists, editors, trendsetters, and key business leaders worldwide and has become a key resource for those writing about the manufacturing sector. Cutler founded the Manufacturing Media Consortium™ in the 1999. This extraordinary group of more than 3400 journalists worldwide is writing about trends, data, case studies, profiles, and features in the manufacturing and industrial sector. Cutler has worked with thousands of media outlets to expand manufacturing media coverage. Cutler has authored more than 2,000 articles for a wide range of manufacturing periodicals, industrial publications, and business journals including most of the leading monthly trade publications.
Cutler established a Manufacturing Marketing Research division dedicated to measuring the pulse of the manufacturing sector, particularly manufacturing firms which are privately held and rarely accounted for when gauging the industry sentiment. TR Cutler, Inc. provides a voice for manufacturers worldwide.
TR Cutler, Inc.
www.trcutlerinc.com
Thomas Cutler
trcutler@trcutlerinc.com
888-902-0300
Caffeinated Content
The cost of training, the logistics of bringing trainers in house, learner travel costs and down time; site planning and costs, all have a fairly high cost component. The demand for e-Learning is increasing rapidly because compared to onsite training; the costs is often less and the ability to provide a customizable solution that suits the company culture and approach is achieved more readily and drives better bottom-line impact. Most importantly, the company owns the training, allowing a more successful knowledge transfer.
In the current issue of The Insider, by AS411 (www.as411.com) leading manufacturing journalist, Thomas R. Cutler profiles the importance and changing role of e-Learning. e-Learning has taken on increasing importance as most companies have global operations. Like franchise operations manuals that ensure a Big Mac is prepared consistently worldwide, e-learning allows the nature of global operations to achieve standardization. According to Six Sigma Master Black Belt Training and Instructional Design expert, Diane Lippman, “Adult learners prefer a menu of options in learning methodology. ILT (instructor lead training), e-learning or CBT (computer based training; WBT (web-based training, such as WebEx), and m-learning (mobile learning), each have traits and characteristics that will facilitate learning and foster an environment of adoption and compliance when training is mandatory.
Part of a Cultural Change
Until recently companies brought in Six Sigma consultants and used a significant amount of staff time to conduct training. There was often resentment because while this training occurred, staff was still expected to complete all usual functions and meet responsibilities and deadlines. According to Lippman, “One of the biggest obstacles of Six Sigma or Lean is the cultural hurdle. As part of the change management strategy, e-Learning orientation can be a tool in the arsenal to bridge the awareness and orientation gaps.”
Measuring is always the key
The core concept of Lean, Six Sigma, and Lean Six Sigma is the ability to measure process improvement. e-Learning utilizes quizzes and assessments built into the online courseware. Lippman noted, “Data can be measure through the Learning Management Systems (LMS) which allows for assessment of both training content analysis as well as the ability to quantify learner comprehension and subsequent application.” Prerequisites and mastery level courses may be required before a (perhaps a passing grade of 80% or better can be established before the next course or lesson can be taken.)
Training web resources provide easy-to-use, self-paced educational tools for everyone who needs an introduction to standards and conformity assessment activities. e-Learning content highlights the value and importance of standards and compliance programs in the U.S. and around the globe. By taking e-courses and exploring related educational resources and employees gain a strong understanding of key organizational metrics and processes.
About TR Cutler, Inc.:
TR Cutler, Inc. was founded by Thomas R. Cutler almost a decade ago. Cutler maintains extraordinary relationships with clients, journalists, editors, trendsetters, and key business leaders worldwide and has become a key resource for those writing about the manufacturing sector. Cutler founded the Manufacturing Media Consortium™ in the 1999. This extraordinary group of more than 3400 journalists worldwide is writing about trends, data, case studies, profiles, and features in the manufacturing and industrial sector. Cutler has worked with thousands of media outlets to expand manufacturing media coverage. Cutler has authored more than 2,000 articles for a wide range of manufacturing periodicals, industrial publications, and business journals including most of the leading monthly trade publications.
Cutler established a Manufacturing Marketing Research division dedicated to measuring the pulse of the manufacturing sector, particularly manufacturing firms which are privately held and rarely accounted for when gauging the industry sentiment. TR Cutler, Inc. provides a voice for manufacturers worldwide.
TR Cutler, Inc.
www.trcutlerinc.com
Thomas Cutler
trcutler@trcutlerinc.com
888-902-0300
Caffeinated Content
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