Reasons why we have very low PISA scores/Prof.

Oligario, UP Diliman

1) Performance tasks have been interpreted as performing arts tasks (i.e., dramatization
instead of reading analysis tasks)

2) Memorization instead of direct application. Exams instead of correct experimentation

(wrong experimentation is when students simply follow steps)

3) Computation instead of authentic problem-solving. Students use

the ruler to draw a line, instead of measure the length of actual objects. Teachers give
too many computation tasks and not enough experience in real-life problem-solving.

4) And let me add, the wrong interpretation and implementation of "no child left behind"
as simply mass promotion, thus promoting students despite lack of competence. And
they know this. The focus should be on developing competence.

5) Wrong interpretation and wrong implementation of the spiral curriculum, leaving

students to learn fragmented knowledge in different math areas and science areas.

6) Teacher observation has become simply for grading of teachers and PBB concerns,
instead of equipping them with skills to improve teaching.

7) NAT is used to rank schools, instead of checking where the schools can improve
instruction. And worse, schools manipulate the scores in NAT to make it appear that
there have been improvements in student performance when in fact, none.

8) The term "facilitating learning" being interpreted and implemented as leaving the
tasks to the students and not lecturing to the students anymore, so meaning, not giving
input to the discussion anymore.

9) Much time spent on other matters like paper works and programs, when teachers
should be spending more time on action research and finding ways to improve teaching.

10) Focus on teacher training, instead of mentoring. Teachers collect certificates from
fragmented series of trainings when they can be mentored in the classroom as they
face daily challenges.

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My takeaways...

Rethinking what we consider to be effective teaching—and how we facilitate it—is an

integral part of ensuring students receive a quality education.
It is assumed, that teachers and the actions they take in the classroom fundamentally
impact students and what they learn.
When a child join a school and start attending the classes, teacher is the only person
who decides what should be taught and how. A child is like a clean paper, where
teachers are responsible to write on.
Uplift, Inspire and Motivate Teachers' morale 👍

‘Publish or perish’/ByJESUS JAY MIRANDA JR. OP/January 26, 2020

In higher education today, the aphorism “publish or perish” exasperates many
educators. It sounds fairly like a threat or a callous meter for one’s worth in the
academe. It sums up the increasing pressure on both higher learning institutions and its
faculty to produce research that is relevant, useful, unique and, at times, profitable, too.
To be true, meeting the criteria alone is not easy. How much more difficult can those get
when educators compete with other scholars across continents for a space in small
selections of reputable journals? This unenviable task of conducting and writing the
study, while working against time and opportunity that is made heavier by the risk of
losing one’s job, is a reality for many of our educators.
At times, even if their work sees print, people in the academe do disservice to
researchers and educators by taking their studies for granted or, worse, immediately
dismissing these as “low impact” or “trivial.” In the public sphere, many of us still prove
to be ignorant about the nature of research, its purpose and the benefits society can get
from it. Sometimes, researchers and their works only come to mind when we start
looking for band-aid solutions for daunting situations. Then, we get surprised by the
data available, which could have prevented or mitigated, for example, the effects of
tragic events.
The eruption of Taal Volcano reminds us of the importance of research. I have seen
studies in the University of Santo Tomas conducted by its faculty and graduate
students. These discuss the ecology surrounding the volcano, including biodiversity in
its important lake. The studies, which have been continuously updated for many years
now, have been noting critical points for risk reduction efforts by the stakeholders of that
area of Batangas.

Meanwhile, historical records describe the previous eruptions of the volcano, which
include its chronology, the death tolls, the destroyed properties and lands, and the long-
term effects of the destructive natural phenomenon. These must be preserved and
reviewed in contemporary studies to perpetuate the knowledge on this active volcano
for the sake of future generations.
For sure, the researchers of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology
have conducted several researchers to understand better the behavior of the Taal
Volcano so as to prepare the people for and save them from any possible volcanic
activity.
People need to understand and appreciate researchers. In the conduct of their study,
researchers hurdle challenges — from physical discomfort to procedural glitches and
even emotional problems. They can work for hours every day under the heat of the sun,
expose themselves to hazards in laboratories to advance technology, or endure
browsing through thousands of old documents in archives, then present the results of
their research in the most effective way possible.
These tough realities make our teacher-researchers become even more admirable.
They somehow give a different meaning to publish or perish.
Publication is not the end of their research. For them, aiming alone to have one’s
studies ending up in high-impact journals or books is mere vanity. The gems of higher
education research and publish not to bask in prestige or retain their jobs to ensure that
they have food on their table. Rather, they do so because of their personal resolve to
produce knowledge so that society will not “perish.” Many of them have the best interest
of society at heart.
Based on last year’s record, the Philippines only has an average of 189 researchers per
1 million Filipinos. In other nations, these are the averages for every 1 million of their
population: Israel has 8,300 researchers; South Korea, 6,900 researchers; Singapore,
6,700 researchers; Malaysia, 2,100 researchers; and Thailand, 974 researchers.
Much is left to be desired for this country. May the tribe of competent, compassionate
and committed researchers increase!
Jesus Jay Miranda, OP is the secretary-general of the University of Santo Tomas
(UST). He holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership and Management (ELM) and
teaches at the Graduate School of UST and the ELM Department of the Bro. Andrew
Gonzalez, FSC–College of Education of De La Salle University-Manila. Contact him
at jaymiranda.op@ust.edu.ph.