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ORACLE THINK.COM COMES TO PAETE,
LAGUNA ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
Toronto, Ontario, Canada, March 27, 2006 (Special Release to
PHNO) Think.com is a free online service hosted by the Oracle
Education Foundation, a non-profit organization for accredited
primary and secondary schools. Think.com provides interactive
learning tools to thousands of schools around the world in 8
languages.
Think.com is described as: "An online learning community that
turns students into multimedia authors for global community and
allows peers to think and learn together. Only students and
teachers from member schools can enter this password-protected
learning community. Once inside, members use websites and
interactive tools to publish their ideas, collaborate on
projects, and build knowledge together."
The Web site just introduced the latest version of Think.com 4.0
which includes three main tabs -- My Class (teacher view) or My
Site (student view), People, and Groups. New subtabs under My
Class, My Site, and People allow members to more easily access
features. Email, which was a main tab in version 3, has now
become a link located on the top right corner of each page.
Click here<http://www.think.com/en_us/about/version4.shtml>
Think.com project
In October 2005, the 3 elementary schools in Paete, Laguna,
Philippines became the very first schools in the Philippines to
have Think.com. The schools, Paete Elementary School Central;
Paete Elementary School 'Ibaba' (lakeside); Paete Elementary
School 'Quinale' (mountainside) will be Think.com Philippines'
pilot schools.
Brief history of the Paete Elementary School Think.com
project
In 2001, Paete, Laguna's native sons and daughters from all over
the world gathered at the Paetenians Home on the Net. Led by Mr.
Rey Q. Carolino (Web site moderator of the Paetenians
International Inc.) a 'brainstorm' for a project to computerize
the elementary schools in their native town began. The project
is called the "AlayComputer" (the word 'Alay' means a 'gift' or
'offering') project for 'BatangPaete' (schoolkids of Paete).
Main objective of the project is to develop capability of the
elementary schools of Paete as a training ground for
fast-learner pupils to become computer literate, as well as
innovate instructional materials as tools in the
teaching-learning process using Information Technology.
Mrs. Anne Lan Kagahastian-Candelaria, a Paetenian from the
Ateneo University Center for Educational Development ironed out
the project's implementation mechanisms and began an exploration
for collaboration with specific groups to achieve the project's
goal. As early as May 2002, from her office at Ateneo University
Center for Educational Development, groups of trainers came to
Paete Elementary School and trained twenty teachers. This was in
preparation to the actual implementation of the curriculum in
the 3 public elementary schools in Paete. The training project
headed by Mrs. Anne Candelaria reached its full implementation
in late 2003 and early 2004.
With the help of Paete's Mayor Emmanuel Cadayona, a foundation
called PAETECH was readily established. A Board of Directors and
Executive Officers is organized composed of a broad range of
professionals like university professors, elementary school
teachers, certified public accountants, economists, businessmen,
engineers, IT persons, homemakers; all of them on a voluntary
basis as Paete�os, by birthright or otherwise. Working on a
collaborative framework, the foundation is currently working
closely with the Municipal Government of Paete through its Local
School Board, Civic and Business Groups within Paete, and
Paetenians in cyberspace. It is the objective of the Foundation
to tap into the resource pool of institutions and foundations
interested in developing educational development programs
focusing in Information Technology.
Financial contributions started to pour in via the Paetenians
Yahoogroups Mailing List. Led by early generous donors, Dr.
Angel De Dios, a Chemistry professor at Georgetown University,
Washington and Mrs. Mady Madrinan Rivera, through the Auxiliary
to the Association of Philippine Physicians of America, all the
regional associations of Paetenians International brought in the
results of successful fund-raising. To date, the 3 elementary
schools of Paete, Laguna (The Woodcarving Capital of the
Philippines) are now fully computerized and on the Internet
engaged in the Online Learning process of the Oracle's Think.com.
The successful and rapid implementation of the Oracle Think.com
was made possible by Dr. Angel de Dios' online facilitation and
network of resources. It was also Dr. de Dios' voluntary work
with the help of his friends and the technical group of
Paetenians International that facilitated the Internet access of
the school network in Paete.
On September 2005, Dr. Angel de Dios announced at the
BatangPaete Forum that a Computer Donation Program of the World
Bank which he personally resourced, will be donating 18
computers to Paete Elementary Schools. An excerpt from the
announcement: �The World Bank is happy to donate these computers
to community organizations who will use them to provide
individuals with better opportunities to thrive and do well,�
said Viki Betancourt, Manager of the Community Outreach at the
World Bank. �These computers have many good years ahead of them,
and it is hoped this technology will help people achieve their
full potential,� said Betancourt.
New project: Paete's first public high school
Early last year, the Paetenians International embarked on
assisting the newly established and Paete's first public high
school. Two sisters who are native daughters of Paete, (Dr.
Menchee Q. Fulgado and Mrs. Norie Q. Catiis) donated the land
they inherited from their father where the Paete high school
building is now under construction. Enrollment began in June
2004 and classes are being held temporarily at the upper floor
of the town's 'Palengke' (marketplace). The high school is to be
called "Poten & Eliseo Quesada Memorial High School" in honor of
Menchee's and Nories's late parents. Through fund-raisings led
by a native Paetenian, Mrs. Sonia Adea Paelmo, a successful
entrepreneur, her group at Paetenians in Southern California
made possible the quick reconstruction of the temporary 'Upper
Palengke' (UP!) classrooms for the batch of students, (1st to
3rd year) as well as their contribution of the desktop computers
for the school's computer lab. A $20-Scholarship-Club was
facilitated by Mrs. Saida Cagandahan Dulay. The first high
school of Paete is still under the flagship of the San Juan (Kalayaan,
Laguna) public High School.
(Write-up by PHNO webmaster)
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Chief
News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
� Copyright, 2006 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
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