2008 Annual Report

In retrospect, everyone will agree that Training continued to lie at the center of the mosaic of FUSE activities this year.

Training

The Training Program, which is the defining centerpiece of FUSE, has been in great demand.

In a nutshell, 2008 saw 1,526 teachers trained in the use of video-based instruction in 1,264 schools; 353 principals’ oriented to supervise and facilitate the use of the CDs in their schools; and five/eight cities/municipalities served by FUSE: Zamboanga City, Mobo-Masbate, Borongan-Samar, Puerto Princesa-Palawan, Victorias City, Bataan, Batangas and Tarlac City.

Training on the use of the CONSTEC materials has been redesigned, giving equal emphasis now to content and strategy. The Principals’ Orientation has likewise been revised to cover a whole day, to enable the administrators to observe the regular courses and to become acquainted with the episodes in all the learning areas. Mathematics has been added to the learning areas.

Science and Engineering Education Project (SEEP)

A total of 22 scholars graduated from the Ateneo de Manila University: fourteen (14) in Mathematics and eight (8) in Biology.

Fifteen (15) graduated from De La Salle University: four (4) in Chemistry and eleven (11) in Physics.

Currently, twenty nine (29) scholars are enrolled in DLSU: nineteen (19) in Chemistry and ten (10) in Physics. These comprise the last batch of SEEP Scholars.

Website Now Accessible

The Fuse website has now a total of 53 registered users from different areas of the Philippines. Information about FUSE such as its history, training schedules, training pictures, list of participants and recipients of CONSTEC materials can be viewed and downloaded at www.fuse.org.ph.

Research

After deciding to undertake “A Tracer Study on NCR Participants to the FUSE Training Programs from 2004 to 2007”, the Research Committee formulated the methodology for the conduct of the study. It prepared survey questionnaires for the NCR participants of FUSE training programs as well as for their immediate superiors. The survey will be carried out through personal interviews of the participants. The study seeks to determine the extent to which the participants apply or use the learning derived and the materials obtained from FUSE training programs. At the same time, their immediate superiors will be asked about the effects in the school as a result of FUSE training. The research is currently at the stage of sorting out the participants on the basis of their school’s geographical location for more efficient determination of a sample.

CONSTEC Math

All 40 episodes of CONSTEC Math should be ready by summer 2009.

The best news of the year is the forthcoming DOST 5–Million–Peso grant for CONSTEC Math, thanks to Dr. Mila Ibe’s efforts and Senator Angara’s strong recommendation.

CONSTEC Literature

Starting June 9, 2008, the first twenty (20) lessons in the series were aired by the Knowledge Channel, one episode per week, eight (8) times per week. The lessons are currently being used in various schools, including the Manila Science High School.

The My Brother’s Peculiar Chicken lesson was partly shown on Sining Gising on NBN on July 13, 2008.

DepEd issued DepEd Memorandum 394, s. 2008, entitled “Television Modules for Literature Classes at the Secondary Level”, on July 29, 2008, encouraging teachers and supervisors to use the lessons in their classes.

CONSTEC Beginning Reading

The FUSE Reading Project will prepare stand-alone CDs and Teaching Supplementary Materials that will be distributed to reading teachers nationwide to give them the background and the tools to teach reading effectively. Of the four planned CDs – on the Reading Process, the Reading Teacher as Reader, the Reading Teacher as Teacher of Beginning Reading and of Advanced Reading – the CD on Beginning Reading is now ready for reproduction and distribution. The other CDs will be completed by the end of the year.

CONSTEC Elementary English

A new project likely to start this year is the module for Elementary Grade 3 English Teachers. The module was pilot-tested to teachers from NCR last May 2008.

TSMs Updating

The updated TSMs will soon be available.

General Assembly

A rich varied fare of highly informative and thought–provoking talks brought FUSE members together for their monthly breakfast assembly. They will see print in the forthcoming 2007-2008 FUSION volume.

Visiting Dignitaries

A group of six (6) education officials of the Pakistan Ministry of Education were briefed by the FUSE Trustees and Executive Committee Members on the Vision/Mission/Objectives of FUSE as well as its organizational structure and programs. They seemed impressed that an NGO was playing an active role in non–formal teacher development.

LCT for Other Purposes

The LCT continued to serve non – training functions. Users were: The Philippine Association of Chemistry Teachers (PACT) for its Chemistry Week Celebration; the ALT-F Active E – Learning Technologies Foundation Inc. to launch its pilot project called International English for Teachers, Tutors and Trainers; EDCRISCH International, a publisher and distributor of books (English, Math and Science) from Singapore; Human Aggregates to interview applicants for technical position.

More KUDOS for Capitan

FUSE’s primary benefactor continues to reap honors – to wit: Eco Award for Water the Suistainability, 8 Asia Pacific Roundtable for Sustainable Consumption and Production, Cebu; Doctor of Humanities in Business and Entreprenurship, Honoris Causa, Lyceum Northwestern University; St. Antoninus of Florence Award “Most Outstanding Graduate Alumni”, University of the Santo Tomas; 2008 Achievement Award for Service to the Chemistry Profession, 10th Eurasia Conference on Chemical Sciences & 23rd Philippine Chemistry Congress, Manila.

A Bright Year Ahead

A fitting climax to this year of service to teachers was the “Retro” first–prize awarded during the Christmas program, to the indefatigable and inventive Chair of the Training Committee, Dr. Evelina M. Vicencio. For she it was who steered FUSE’s Training Program to grow from strength to strength over a five–year period. In response to mounting demands for her services beyond FUSE bounds, she asked that someone she had mentored take over her responsibilities. Such move is part of institutional growth and continuity.

The year 2008 is gone, but not my boundless admiration for the trademark selfless devotion to duty, the unrelenting passion to serve thru sharing, and undiminished joie de vivre of so many. What else can I say but SALAMAT, SALAMAT !!!.

The 2009 horizon looks bright!

SALVADOR H. ESCUDERO III
President

2008 Guest Speakers

	“The International Illiteracy Dilemma – The 4S Solution Mr. Keith W. Wright Founder, Australian International Language Academy (AILA) January 29, 2008
	“ A Brave Car Named SINAG” Engineer Rene D. Fernandez Assistant Professor, De La Salle University February 26, 2008
	“ Driving Breakthrough Growth in the Philipine Outsoursing Industry ” Mr. Oscar S. Sañez Chief Executive Officer Business Processing Association Philippines March 25, 2008
	“Developing A Problem-Solving Culture in the Philipines” Dr. Queena Lee-Chua Professor, Math Department Ateneo de Manila University June 24, 2008
	“Best Practices in English” S. Angelica Leviste, OSB President St. Scholastica’s College July 29, 2008
	“Best Practices in Science and Technology” Fr. Onofre Inocencio Jr. Superintendent Don Bosco Schools July 29, 2008
	“Best Practices in Mathematics” Dr. Bee Ching U. Ong Kian Koc President Chiang Kai Shek College July 29, 2008
	“Best Practices in Teacher Education” Atty. Lutgardo Barbo President Philippine Normal University July 29, 2008
	“Best Practices in Science” Dr. Ceasar Saloma Dean, College of Science University of the Philippines August 26, 2008
	“Best Practices in Literature” Ms. Michelle Paterno Professor Ateneo de Manila University August 26, 2008
	“Best Practices in Architecture” Arch. John Joseph Fernandez Dean, College of Architecture University of Santo Tomas August 26, 2008
	“Water: A Vital Source” Dr. Teresita Perez Chairperson, Department of Enviromental Science Ateneo de Manila University September 30, 2008
	“Global Economic Crisis” Gov. Joey S. Salceda Governor Province of Albay November 18, 2008

“The world hates change, yet it is the only thing that has brought progress.” The Training Team of FUSE echoes this sentiment of Charles Kettering, such that the year 2008 has been marked by changes and progress—in the training design, in the learning areas, and in the leadership—in response to the continuing evaluation of the courses and as a result of try-outs conducted by the innovative trainers.

Training on the use of the CONSTEC materials has been redesigned, giving equal emphasis now to content and strategy, here before, strategy received more emphasis because of the focus on the use of the CONSTEC materials. Tests and micro-teaching conducted during the courses showed that in general, the teachers lacked the necessary content knowledge of the learning areas, especially in the sciences and mathematics. The Principal’s Orientation has likewise been redesigned to cover one whole day to enable the administrators to observe the regular courses and to become acquainted with the episodes in all the learning areas. Action planning remains a part of their orientation.

Mathematics has been added to the learning areas, to the delight of the teachers who had been asking for training on the subject. Thirty episodes in Mathematics are already in CDs and are being distributed to the participants of the courses.

The Training Team has been strengthened by new graduates of the Training the Trainers course held at the LCT and members of the FUSE Training Committee who have volunteered to coordinate out-of-town courses.

In a nutshell, 2008 saw 1,526 teachers trained on the use of video-based instruction in 1,264 schools; 353 principals oriented to supervise and facilitate the use of the CDs in their schools; and five/ eight cities/municipalities were served by FUSE: Zamboanga City, Mobo, Masbate; Borongan, Samar; Puerto Princesa, Palawan; Victorias City, Bataan, Batangas, and Tarlac City. Except for the last three, the others served also as training venues. These would not have been possible without the responsiveness of the participants, the hospitality of the hosts, the zeal of the trainers, the leadership of FUSE, and the generosity of our patron, Dr. Lucio C. Tan.

Noteworthy is the fact that all trainings in Elementary Science were rated excellent by the participants; a big majority of the rest of the trainings were rated the same.

In any typical Philippine education setting, the best assurance of accomplishing program goals is letting the principal spearhead and/or support such program. This is the main reason behind this orientation of principals in support of the implementation of the CONSTEC materials. It is a necessary step in ensuring the success of the programs.

The Principals’ Orientation Program accompanies the set of courses conducted by FUSE. This Orientation Program is a one-day course that introduces the Principals to the CONSTEC CDs and the accompanying Teaching Support Materials (TSM). The Principals observe how the materials could be used in the classroom to supplement and enrich instruction in English, Science and Health, Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematics. After becoming acquainted with the content and the usefulness of the CONSTEC materials, the Principals identify their roles and responsibilities in supporting and assisting the teachers to maximize the use of the materials. Each administrator prepares an action plan that will serve as a road map in performing his/her roles in using the CONSTEC CDs and TSMs.

In the Principals’ Orientation Program, learner-centered strategies characteristic of FUSE training courses are used. The administrators observe demonstrations on the use of the CDs, view the CDs, have fun activities relevant to the content of the materials, brainstorm on their roles, do individual action planning, and receive unexpected surprises at the end of the Course.

Two years ago, at the request of the FUSE Executive Committee, a project was conceptualized to assist in training teachers at the elementary and secondary levels to teach reading. The FUSE Reading CDs Project, coordinated by Dr. Ma. Lourdes Bautista, aims to produce CDs and Teaching Support Materials dealing with aspects of reading and the teaching of reading that every Reading/English teacher should know.

The topics and writers are:

Module A: The Reading Process (with focus on theories and latest developments in the field) – Dr. Nemah Hermosa

Module B: The Reading Teacher as Reader (including practice exercises) – Dr. Lina Diaz de Rivera and Dr. Elena Cutiongco

Module C: The Reading Teacher as Teacher (including approaches and methods, sample materials and tips on how to develop one’s own materials, assessment, remediation)

C.1 The Reading Teacher as Teacher of Beginning Reading – Dr. Felicitas Pado, Dr. Dina Ocampo, and Ms. Portia Padilla

C.2 The Reading Teacher as Teacher of Advanced Reading – Dr. Ma. Lourdes Tayao, Dr. Nilda Sunga, and Dr. Mila Arias

The progress has been slow but steady. The CD of the final version of Module C.1 is ready for reproduction and distribution. It is composed of five lessons. Lesson 1, Prerequisites for Learning to Read, emphasizes the different skills and attitudes that beginning readers should possess prior to being taught how to read. Lesson 2 provides an overview of the Four-Pronged Approach, an integrated literature-based approach to teaching beginning reading. The different “prongs” of the approach are thoroughly discussed in Lesson 3 to 5: Lesson 3, Developing a Genuine Love for Reading and Critical Thinking; Lesson 4, Grammar and Oral Language Development; Lesson 5, Transfer Stage. A lesson plan on teaching beginning reading is supplied in the Teaching Support Materials accompanying the module.

It is anticipated that the CDs of the other modules will be ready for reproduction and distribution before the end of 2009.

CONSTEC LITERATURE: A TELECOURSE FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS OF HIGH SCHOOL LITERATURE is a series of 40 video lessons on studying and teaching literature in high school. Supplementing CONSTEL English: A Telecourse for Teachers of English, the project addresses the need of high school English teachers to upgrade their knowledge and skills in teaching literature, a major component of the Basic Education Curriculum learning area of English.

Conceptualized, written, hosted, and produced by literary critic and playwright Isagani R. Cruz, the series provides high school students with background material on famous authors and trains high school teachers in the use of teaching methods particularly suited to the teaching of literature. Started in June 2006, the project features 40 different ways of teaching literature, using interactive strategies, methods, and techniques, and includes extensive background material on 40 major authors and works of world literature.

Each 25-minute lesson of the 40-module series consists of two segments. The first segment is meant to be shown to students in the classroom; this segment features an expert speaking on the author or text studied in the lesson. The second segment is meant to be watched only by teachers; this segment features a demonstration lesson taught by a Metrobank or DepEd Outstanding Educator and a description of the teaching method used. Printed Teacher Support Materials supplement the second part and are meant to be used by teachers to utilize fully the potentials of the video lessons.

Starting 9 June 2008, the first twenty (20) lessons in the series were aired by Knowledge Channel, one episode per week, eight (8) times per week. The lessons are currently being used in various schools, including Manila Science High School.

One or more of the lessons were shown at the Oxford Conference on the Teaching of Literature, Reading Across Cultures: Teaching English through Literature, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 6 February 2007; the Alliance of Language and Literature Teachers national seminar on The Language and Literature Connection: Re-establishing the Link, in Lucena City, 29 November 2007; and the Don Bosco schools faculty training in Don Bosco Makati on 23-24 April 2007.

The My Brother’s Peculiar Chicken lesson was partly shown on Sining Gising on NBN on 13 July 2008. The animation sequence in the Spider’s Thread lesson received a Gawad CCP Honorable Mention award from the Cultural Center of the Philippines for achievement in animation on 16 February 2007.

DepEd issued DepEd Memorandum 394, s. 2008, entitled “Television Modules for Literature Classes at the Secondary Level,” on July 29, 2008, encouraging teachers and supervisors to use the lessons in classes.

CONSTEC LITERATURE: A TELECOURSE FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS OF HIGH SCHOOL LITERATURE is a series of 40 video lessons on studying and teaching literature in high school. Supplementing CONSTEL English: A Telecourse for Teachers of English, the project addresses the need of high school English teachers to upgrade their knowledge and skills in teaching literature, a major component of the Basic Education Curriculum learning area of English.

Conceptualized, written, hosted, and produced by literary critic and playwright Isagani R. Cruz, the series provides high school students with background material on famous authors and trains high school teachers in the use of teaching methods particularly suited to the teaching of literature.

A. FORTY EPISODES
The target number of episodes, which is forty (40), will be a reality by the end of Summer 2009:

Episode 1 Divisibility
Episode 2 Coordinate Grid
Episode 3 Algebra as a Language
Episode 4 Grammar of Algebra
Episode 5 Function Rules and Equations
Episode 6 Working with Variables
Episode 7 Graphing Data
Episode 8 Measures of Central Tendency
Episode 9 Making Sense of Irrational Numbers
Episode 10 Polynomials
Episode 11 Quick Mathematics
Episode 12 Factoring Polynomials
Episode 13 Arithmetic Sequences
Episode 14 Ratio and Proportion
Episode 15 Understanding Probability
Episode 16 Math is Art, Art has Math
Episode 17 Meeting the Criteria: Graphing Linear Inequalities
Episode 18 Parts of a Whole: Solving Work Problems Using Rational Equations
Episode 19 Mind Bender: Logical Reasoning
Episode 20 On Target: Circles in Coordinate Geometry
Episode 21 Rise and Run: Slopes and the Slope-Intercept Form
Episode 22 Making Sense Out of Disorder: Linear Correlation
Episode 23 When Paths Cross: Systems of Linear Equations
Episode 24 Avoiding Mathematical Accidents: Finding the Domain and Range of a Function
Episode 25 More or Less: Properties of Inequality
Episode 26 Let Me Count The Ways: The Fundamental Counting Principle
Episode 27 Proving Pythagoras: Proofs of the Phythagorean Theorem
Episode 28 Of Wheels and Tracks: The Unit Circle
Episode 29 Of Shapes and Sizes: Similarity of Polygons and Triangles
Episode 30 Fascinating Duplicates: Congruences of Triangles
Episode 31 Are You Taking Me Literally?: Interpreting Literal Equations
Episode 32 Top That!: Maximization Problems
Episode 33 Mixing It Up: Solving Mixture Word Problems
Episode 34 Meet Me Halfway: The Midpoint Formula and Formulas for Partitioning a Line Segment
Episode 35 Drawing Parallels: Angle Pairs Formed by Parallel Lines Cut by a Transversal
Episode 36 Going Linear: Equations of Parallel and Perpendicular Lines
Episode 37 Shaping Up Regularly: On Some Properties of Regular Polygons
Episode 38 Sine Waves: Hearing the Sine and Cosine Functions
Episode 39 Revisiting Pi: Defining Pi and the Evolution of Pi
Episode 40 Cut in Half : Constructing a Perpendicular Bisector

A. SCRIPTWRITERS AND PRODUCTION

Math teacher-writers who wrote the scripts came from various universities/colleges and organizations of the country like University of the Philippines, Miriam College, De La Salle University and the Association of Metrobank Outstanding Teachers. As practitioners themselves, the writers exemplified expertise and excellence in this field of discipline; thus, these modules are “must have” for Math teachers as they go through improving the quality of teaching Math in their respective schools.

Likewise, production of these video modules has been handled by specially trained production people who have extensive experience in various facets of audio visual work.

In any typical Philippine education setting, the best assurance of accomplishing program goals is letting the principal spearhead and/or support such program. This is the main reason behind this orientation of principals in support of the implementation of the CONSTEC materials. It is a necessary step in ensuring the success of the programs.

The Principals’ Orientation Program accompanies the set of courses conducted by FUSE. This Orientation Program is a one-day course that introduces the Principals to the CONSTEC CDs and the accompanying Teaching Support Materials (TSM). The Principals observe how the materials could be used in the classroom to supplement and enrich instruction in English, Science and Health, Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematics. After becoming acquainted with the content and the usefulness of the CONSTEC materials, the Principals identify their roles and responsibilities in supporting and assisting the teachers to maximize the use of the materials. Each administrator prepares an action plan that will serve as a road map in performing his/her roles in using the CONSTEC CDs and TSMs.

In the Principals’ Orientation Program, learner-centered strategies characteristic of FUSE training courses are used. The administrators observe demonstrations on the use of the CDs, view the CDs, have fun activities relevant to the content of the materials, brainstorm on their roles, do individual action planning, and receive unexpected surprises at the end of the Course.