IMPORTANT ROLE OF ICT IN IMPROVING EDUCATION

As San Fernando continues its journey as one of the most business-friendly cities, it is inevitable that pedestrian and vehicular flow within the region, as well as other aspects, will be greatly affected. With this arise problems which could not be controlled right away as the city still copes with the new setting. At the same time, some drivers seem to forget traffic rules, which in turns, aggravates the traffic problem.

Some public transport drivers are always known for their “king-of-the-road” attitude as they act like superiors in their workplace. This is more evident on how they do not acknowledge lanes well and drop off passengers on inner lanes and other unspecified places. These drivers also operate their vehicles with damaged or incomplete lights such as headlights, signal lights, tail lights and park lights. There are also tricycle drivers who rampage their rides on national highways were they are not supposed to be operating. These drivers do not deserve their professional licenses. Private vehicle drivers also have egoistic expressions on the road which reflect their performances on the road. Some of these drivers stay idle while at pedestrian crossings and intersections. Some drivers also do not know the standard procedure when an ambulance on duty passes by, cut corners, ignore traffic signs, and counter flow. Road widening projects were also launched by the local government, yet these additional lanes are just being used as parking areas for nearby establishments.

These are just some of the problems every observant commuter and driver experiences everyday in this city. This calls as a challenge to the Traffic Management Division to apply the theories they have been studying as catalysts of the betterment of a city’s important economic aspect. The Traffic Management Division prides themselves of the conferences and studies they have attended to but poor planning and enforcement are still recognizable flaws. These problems always go unnoticed which is why they still continue to happen, if not, worsen.

— oOo— I at Pampanga High School The author is Teacher

MARIVIC P. DIZON

The Department of Education distinguishes the important role of information and communications technology (ICT) in the improvement of the education in the country. With its capacity to hold an infinite number of resources, the internet can provide accessible and comprehensive education for students, wherever they may be.

Everyone knows that online learning databases do not waste precious natural resources. For example, a single laptop and projector set-up can be used for a learning session for an entire classroom. Instead of reading books and many papers, students can access modules, submit assignments, and consult with their teachers and classmates online.

We as teachers, we can also benefit from learning tools that do not require traditional logistics and multiple materials.

We can give as a good example the launch of the Learning Resources Management and Development System (LRMDS), a portal for online teaching and learning materials created by teachers and education partners initiated by the DepEd.

The ICT programs will help our learners have more access to relevant, up-to-date and quality educational materials.

The technology provides a database to educators where they can derive their lessons from. These materials will assist us in our lesson plans, and may also give an array of contextualized classroom discussions.

— oOo— The author is Teacher III at Gatiawin Elementary School, Arayat West District