I entered the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) as an Associate in Arts student (which I am pursuing to BA Multimedia Studies) during the first semester of 2008. I was just a fresh high school graduate that time and didn’t have any idea on what college life would bring. Two semesters and a summer have passed. Alas, I’m now in my second year here at the national university of the Philippines.

The weeks before the official start of the first semester for the current school year were pretty hectic for me. I was trying to catch up with the school works that needed to be done for the courses I took during summer—projects, reaction papers, assignments, examinations most of them were given at the very last minute. I was about to give up because of the amount of work that needed to be done. I was really worried. But, I wanted this. It was my decision to take up summer classes for I wanted to graduate on time—that is, second semester of this school year.

The first semester for the school year 2009-2010 started earlier than expected. May 30, 2009 is supposed to be our “first day” of classes—Moodle course sites are open, introduction yourself, etc. But up to this date, June 14, 2009, I haven’t received any of my course packs yet. Our course packs in UPOU would normally include the module/s for the course and a course guide where assignments, study schedule, etc. are indicated. Discussion forums have started, and deadlines for the different writing assignments are fast approaching but still I’m clueless about what’s happening. I wanted to work and finish the assignments that are needed to be submitted soon, but I cannot. I am not sure if my professors or instructors are aware of the problem regarding the course packs. There’s still a handful of people who still don’t have their course packs including myself. We’re way behind the study schedule, and I am not sure how will I catch up. I hope that the problem gets addressed very soon—at least before the semester ends, kidding.

But, one great thing about this semester is that UPOU is now offering PE and CWTS courses for undergraduate students. For the past years, an undergraduate student will have to cross-register to other UP units or school/institution to take up the required 8 units of PE courses and 6 units of NSTP. I went through the hassle of cross-registering at UP Diliman for the past two semesters. I would usually spend my entire day looking and enlisting for a PE course—long hours of waiting, looking for available courses, library clearance etc. But now, I don’t have to worry about enrolling and enlisting for PE and NSTP courses as these can now be taken at UPOU. PE classes at UPOU are done twice or once a week. For Hatha Yoga (which I am currently taking), our classes are held every Saturday from 4:00pm to 6:00pm.

I am looking forward to a fruitful semester. I just hope I can deliver what my professors are expecting from me as a student.

If you have questions, comments or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to comment below or e-mail me at agpena@up.edu.ph. If you want me to discuss anything about distance education on this blog, please inform me.

Here’s a quick update: We’re just a few weeks away from the end of the second semester for the academic year 2008-2009 and that only means one thing – VACATION! As for me, I decided to make my vacation more productive by taking up summer classes instead of just bumming around. PI 100, one of the required courses is only offered during summer so I might as well take it.

I’m still deciding whether to take up another PE course this summer. But taking up PE classes during summer is not that easy for classes meet everyday (Monday to Friday) for 1 hr and 20 minutes. I was checking UP Diliman’s CRS and I couldn’t find any interesting PE class. I have already submitted my “permit to cross-register” for signing just in case I decided to take up PE classes.

Anyway, I am looking forward to a great semester ahead!

First of all let me congratulate my friend, Brian ‘Bong’ Ong for being elected as one of the twelve councilors of UP Diliman – University Student Council for the academic year 2009-2010. I’m so happy for you!

Second, it’s final examination week here at UPOU. I’m a bit nervous for my final examinations in NATSCI2 and KAS1 are just a few days away. Nervous because I don’t know what kind of examination would our professors be giving us. Is it multiple choice? True or false? Essay? Comparison and contrast? I do know that essay-type examinations or quizzes are quite normal for UP.

Third, our group is not yet done with out final project in COMPED2 (Web Design), which should be submitted by the first week of March. I’m worried. Working on this project is very hard for me because we (the group) can’t find any common time wherein we could talk about projects. Most of my groupmates are busy with their work and personal life. I do hope that we meet the deadline.

Aside from being examination week, it’s also the foundation week of UPOU. Weird, right? Various activities are being held at the UPOU Headquarters in Los Baños. Although I really want to go there and participate on the different activities, I can’t for I have to prepare for my examinations too (which falls on the same week). Anyway, Happy 14th Anniversary UPOU!

Wish me luck!

Brian ‘Bong’ Ong for USC Councilor

From AA Program Chair, Professor Aleta Villanueva:

ALL UPOU STUDENTS

A referendum involving the U.P. Office of the Student Regent (OSR) will be conducted on January 26-31. Exercise your right and responsibility as members of the U.P. community.

For general information about the referendum, visit: http://upou.webs.com/

Engage in the forums pertaining to the Codified Rules For Student Regent Selection (CRSRS):
http://www.upoucommunity.net/index.php?option=com_fireboard&Itemid=53&fu…

The said forum at the Community Site will be updated every now and then to keep you well informed.

I should be studying right now instead of writing this post. But I know that it’s been awhile since I last posted something on this blog. So, let me update you with what’s happening on me .

Last December 17, 2008, a couple of UPOU students, faculty and even administrators attend the Centennial Lantern Parade at UP Diliman. It was really really fun cheering and shouting chants on the top of our lungs as we pass by different buildings around the campus. Photos from the UP Centennial Lantern Parade.

I’ve been sick the past few days and wasn’t able to check on the course sites. In fact, I even took my NAT SCI 2 (Geology and Biology) Midterm Examination last Saturday, January 10, 2009 despite my fever. I do hope that I will pass that examination even though I wasn’t able to study well since I’m sick.

On January 17, 2009, UPOU students will have a conference with UP Student Regent Shahana Abdulwahid regarding the upcoming referendum. It will be held at UPOU Multimedia Center, NCC Bldg., C.P. Garcia Ave., UP Diliman, Quezon City from 8:30am to 10:00pm. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to attend the said conference as I will be in UP Manila for my Math 1 Midterm Examination. 

I guess that’s all what I’ve got now. Back to studying (or stalling)!

Hello fellow UPOU students!

If you haven’t heard, UP Open University would be joining the annual UP Lantern Parade happening on December 17, 2008 at the UP Diliman Campus. This year’s would be different for this is the UP Centennial Lantern Parade where different UP units, colleges, organizations and others would be together as a community.

I hope to see you tomorrow!

UPOU Assembly Points

1:oopm – 2:30pm  - National Computer Center Building, CP Garcia Ave., UP Diliman (The UPOU Diliman Learning Center Building)

2:30pm – University Theater (near Abelardo Hall, UP College of Music)

Parade Walk starts at 4:00pm. Please wear your UPOU t-shirt. If you don’t have your UPOU t-shirt yet, you can buy at the NCC Bldg tomorrow from 1:00pm – 2:30pm. Be sure that you have registered for the UP Lantern Parade here for food allocation and other matters. For more UPOU announcements, please visit our virtual learning center.

UP Diliman’s Lantern Parade and Traffic Rerouting Map

And the second semester begins!

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

Total units for this semester: 15 units

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

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

The Moodle Announcement

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

Math 1 Course Site (full of red fonts)

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

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

Two more final examinations and one research paper to go and my first semester in UP Open University will officially end. I never thought that time flies this fast that I am only a few days away in completing my first semester in UP Open University.

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

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

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

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

Good luck!

As a distance education student, one has to study on his/her own pace, own time and by him/herself. Despite the freedom given to students to control their study time, one has to comply with the deadlines imposed by their respective faculty-in-charge to avoid incomplete grades and or deductions. One of the traits that a distance education learner / student should have is DISCIPLINE.

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

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

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

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

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