MDFI Staff Visit Mindoro Field Site

Roxas, Oriental Mindoro, 8 July 2008. – MDFI staff paid a courtesy call to the Mayor and made a presentation to the Sangguniang Bayan (SB or Town Council) on the proposed IDRC-funded project on e-Safe Motherhood Program (eSMP). Irma Saligumba, Research Projects Coordinator and Project Lead for the PANACeA e-health project on Safe Motherhood, gave an orientation to the SB and the rural health unit staff, including the municipal health officer, nurses, midwives and other offices, as well as other municipal employees. The project will pilot test an innovative ICT system using SMS as a tool for maternal health promotion, information dissemination, health data collection and monitoring. The town of Roxas, which is a 2nd class municipality in the island of Mindoro, has a high maternal mortality rate, and therefore has expressed a need to upgrade its capacity in delivering quality maternal health services to its citizens. Mayor Jackson Cinco Dy has assured MDFI of the local government unit’s full support, and Dr. Leonor Daite, the Municipal Health Officer, will be the project partner and eSMP coordinator for the study.

Texting as a Learning Tool

By Raquel P. Gomez

Makati City, Philippines, 25 June 2008 – Can you learn Math and English from texting? A project for out-of-school youths called MIND has proven that texting, which is already a habit among Filipinos of all classes, can be used as an effective tool for learning.

            For two months in 2006, more than a hundred out-of-school youths and adult learners in Manila went under MIND, or short for Mobile Technology Initiatives for Non-Formal Distance Education.

            The project was developed by Molave Development Foundation Inc., the Alternative Learning Services (ALS) of the Department of Education, PANdora, and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) to effectively bring distance learning to poor youths and young adults who were enrolled in the ALS, the government agency tasked to provide non-formal education to out-of-school youths,

            According to Angelo Ramos, Molave Development Foundation executive director, testing or sending SMS is an affordable technology for poor students, who do not have access to expensive PCs, which are the more popular technology use in distance learning.

            “Mobile phones are very common and popular, even the poorest, those at the bottom of the pyramid, have cellphones.  Texting loads here are also one of the most affordable which is why the Philippines has been tagged as a texting capital,” said Ramos.  “So we capitalized on the popularity of text and the ubiquitous technology like texting to bring distance learning to poor students.”

            How does MIND work? The project involves the providing of English and Math modules and P100 load to about 150 out-of-school youths and young adults who report to ALS centers located in the different districts in Manila.

            The students answer the multiple choice questions from the modules and use the load to text their answer to the MIND number, which immediately provides feedback – for students to know if their responses were correct.  The students were required to answer and finish all the 40 questions from the two modules.

Ramos said the students find the project very amusing and engaging.  The young mothers among the group would often send their responses in the evening, the time when their chores at home would have finished.  The young men, who were tricycle drivers, would send their answers when they were having breaks from their job.

            Ramos said the non formal students, because they were busy earning a living or attending to their children, would really find it difficult to attend the centers of ALS that provide the modules and education materials.

            “One of the reasons why the drop out rate of students from the ALS centers is because they’re poor and busy earning a living.  So we thought of a project that will bring the educational materials to these students.”

            Ramos said the 140 students who completed the MIND project got better scores in the DepEd high school accreditation and equivalence exam compared to ALS students who did not undergo the project.

            “To many of us Filipinos, a lot of texts have been wasted on jokes and other no-brainer stuff.  With MIND,  texting has been put to better use.”

            The MIND project became a finalist in the prestigious Stockholm Challenge Award 2008, which is a biannual ICT awards program launched by the City of Stockholm.

Source:  Philippine Daily Inquirer

                Special Feature (G4)

                Wednesday, June 25, 2008

MDFI, DOST-PCARRD, CICT to lead PhilCeCNet

Mandaluyong City, 4 June 2008. - The Philippine Community eCenter Network (PhilCeCNet) Executive Council met last June 4, 2008 at The Legend Villas, Mandaluyong City, to formally elect its officers.

During the organizational meeting, the following were elected: Molave Development Foundation, Incorporated (MDFI), represented by its Executive Director, Dr. Angelo Juan O. Ramos (Chairman); Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCARRD), represented by its Executive Director, Dr. Patricio S. Faylon (Vice-Chair); and the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT), represented by National Computer Center – Field Operations Office Director Ms. Maria Teresa M. Camba (Executive Secretary). 

The following were also chosen to chair the various committees: Intel Technology Philippines, represented by its Government Affairs Manager, Ms. Yvonne Garcia-Flores (Infrastructure); Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication (AIJC), represented by its Associate Director, Ms. Flordeliza S. Azarcon (Content Development); University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU), represented by Associate Professor and University Registrar, Dr. Melinda dP Bandalaria (Capability Building); DOST-PCARRD, represented by Dr. Faylon (Resource Mobilization); Municipal Government of Infanta, Quezon, represented by Mayor Filipina Grace R. America (Membership); Mr. Jimmy L. Calata, CeC Manager of the Provincial Government of Nueva Vizcaya, and Ms. Carolina C. Destacamento, CeC User from Calamba, Laguna (Chair and Vice-Chair respectively for CeC Development and Management); and  telecentre.org – International Development Research Centre (International Relations).

CICT Secretary Ray Anthony Roxas-Chua was among those who graced the occasion along with NCC Director General and CICT Commissioner Angelo Timoteo M. Diaz de Rivera. Both gave congratulatory messages to the newly-organized PhilCeCNet Executive Council leadership.

In his message, Sec. Chua, who inducted the officers and members of the Executive Council, urged the body both in their individual and collective capacities “to further the objectives of the program” in view of the shared vision of “a Community eCenter in every municipality” by 2010.

Moreover, Dir. Gen. Diaz de Rivera likewise gave his greetings to the leaders, citing that the PhilCeCNet, with the composition of the Executive Council, shall launch important initiatives consequently “institutionalizing innovation in the Philippine telecenter arena.”

Furthermore, Dr. Ramos, elected Council Chair, presided over the immediate next steps for the Council where it was agreed that committee chairs shall choose their respective members and shall lead the preparation of their work plans for presentation in the next Council meeting on August 6, 2008 to be hosted by Intel.

(from PhilCeCNet.ph)

AKU Project Team visits MDFI

Makati City, Philippines, 7-8 May 2008. – Faculty and Staff of the Health Science Unit of the Aga Khan University (AKU), based in Karachi, Pakistan, recently paid a visit to MDFI in order to discuss with the Molave staff on updates and reporting of the progress of the PANACeA  project in the Philippines. Dr. Ramos and Ms. Irma Saligumba highlighted the progress of the needs assessment studies done on selected pilot sites in the Philippines for e-health projects on maternal health care, and the financial details were ironed out with Ms. Evangeline Panol, together with Doctors Faheem Shaikh and Hammad Durrani of AKU. Ms. Saira Nigar, Communications Officer for the AKU-PANACeA Project, discussed setting up the PANACeA website with Dr. Ramos, and with Mr. Michael Ramos, the Multimedia and Communications Officer of Molave. The AKU staff were also able to visit MDFI’s pilot site for maternal e-health care in the island of Alabat, Quezon, and were able to talk with the local government officials and staff of the rural health unit.

MDFI ED Undergoes Training as WASH Cluster Coordinator

Bangkok, Thailand, 21-25 April 2008. – Dr. Ramos was invited by UNICEF to attend the WASH Cluster Coordinators Training Workshop at the Amari Watergate Hotel, along with other partners of the Philippine WASH cluster, namely from national, local government and NGOs, along with UNICEF personnel from other countries in the Asian region. The participants underwent training on the technical, leadership, resource mobilization and communication skills required for a person who will act as a coordinator for the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene cluster during emergency and disaster situations. Dr. Ramos has also been put on the roster of Cluster Coordinators who will be fielded by UNICEF in the Philippines to provide technical assistance on water supply, sanitation and hygiene promotion when disasters such as typhoons or floods strike the country, which is a yearly occurrence.

Mindoro Town Selected as Pilot Site for e-Health Initiative

Roxas, Oriental Mindoro, Philippines, 17-18 April 2008. – Irma Saligumba, MDFI Health Research Projects Coordinator, visited this coastal town in the island of Mindoro, and discussed with the local leaders such as the mayor, Municipal Health Officer, and other rural health unit staff on a partnership between the local government unit and MDFI in conducting e-health research. This research will focus on the Safe Motherhood Initiative, and will look into the use of ICTs as tools in improving health care service delivery to expecting mothers, and to increase the utilization of such services in the local health centres.

MDFI Participates in Resource Mobilization Training

Nonthaburi, Thailand, 15-18 April 2008. – Dr. Ramos, MDFI Executive Director, recently attended a 4-day Capacity-Building Workshop on Resource Mobilization for Telecentre Networks in Asia. The workshop, held at the Richmond Hotel in Rattanathibet area outside Bangkok, was sponsored by telecentre.org  and IDRC.  Participants came from telecentre networks in India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the Philippines. MDFI is a board member of the Philippine Community e-Center Network, and is part of this group that looked into various techniques and initiatives to source funding for sustainability of telecentres and other ICT-based projects.

Project MIND Named Finalist at the Stockholm Challenge 2008

Stockholm, Sweden, 25 March 2008. – Molave’s research project on m-learning, called Mobile Technology Initiatives for Non-Formal Distance Education (MIND), was selected by the jury of the Stockholm Challenge Prize as one of the 39 finalists in the Education category, for innovative projects that make use of ICTs in learning. MDFI is the only organization in the Philippines that was included in the finalists in education, and only one of two Philippine organizations that were part of 145 finalists in all six categories.

Project MIND is an e-learning research initiative being led by MDFI, in partnership with the Department of Education and partners in Mongolia. It is part of the PANdora (add link- www.pandora-asia.org) Project funded by the International Development Research Center.

SEE LINK HERE

IYS and WASH Caravan Launch in Eastern Samar

Guiuan, Eastern Samar, March 14, 2008. – MDFI and its partners in the IYS 2008 Philippines, successfully launched the International Year of Sanitation outside Metro Manila, in this small but vibrant rural community in Eastern Samar, facing the Pacific Ocean. The WASH Caravan, led by Captain WASH, school children, local government officials, WASH/IYS partners, made its way through 4 municipalities in the province (Quinapondan, Giporlos, Salcedo, Mercedes), before arriving in Guiuan, where the official launch program was done. Mayor Annaliz Kwan of Guiuan hosted the event, and made sure that the Captain WASH and the Caravan had maximum exposure in the municipality, which ensured that the messages of hygiene and sanitation were heard by as many people as possible. Part of the festivities included speeches by the mayor and the provincial and regional health directors, as well as colorful and meaningful dance numbers from schoolchildren. Captain WASH and Mayor Kwan led in a handwashing demonstration, and various booths were set up to feature WASH technologies and educational materials, and local teachers were on hand to demonstrate making of soap. The Mayor, along with her counterpart from the other municipalities, also signed a covenant that they will ensure that their constituents were given access to clean, potable water, and proper sanitation facilities.

MDFI Helps Out in IYS Launch in Mandaluyong

Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila, February 18, 2008. – MDFI, as one of the stakeholders of the International Year of Sanitation 2008 Launch in the Philippines, was active in the planning and successful implementation of the official launch of IYS in the country. Along with UNICEF, DOH, World Bank, the mayor of Mandaluyong, Hon. Benjamin Abalos, Jr., and other officials, and various national and local government agencies, private sector and NGOs, the Foundation carried out the WASH Caravan, as the main educational and promotional vehicle of IYS in the communities and schools in Mandaluyong City. A colorful retinue of vehicles made its way through from the City Hall to the slum areas, and to the local school. Captain WASH was on hand to provide support and rallied the cause of proper hygiene and sanitation to school children and the people in the City. MDFI also produced various IEC materials that promoted the event. Dr. Ramos was interviewed by the press covering the event, including radio and print.

PANACeA Project Leader scans Pilot Sites in Region 8

Palo, Leyte, February 13, 2008. – Irma Saligumba, Health Research and Projects Coordinator, paid a courtesy call to the Deputy Director of the Department of Health Regional Office (Region VIII), and to present the PANACeA project on the use of e-Health Technologies to Improve the Safe Motherhood Program of the DOH. The Deputy Director and her  staff were in attendance during the presentation, and welcomed MDFI as a partner in the Regional Office’s initiatives in Safe Motherhood. The Region VII Staff recommended that the pilot site for the project be situated in the island province of Biliran. Ms. Saligumba then proceeded to the provincial capital, Naval, which is about 2 1/3 hours by road, north of Tacloban City. There, she met with local health officials and NGOs working on maternal health in the area. They all determined that Biliran would be a perfect candidate to be a pilot area for MDFI’s e-health research, as there is already an existing Safe Motherhood Program, and would only need additional technical support, such as in communications and information dissemination.

Island Municipality in Quezon Province Identified as Possible e-Health Research Site

Quezon Municipality, Alabat Island, November 27, 2007. – Dr. Ramos and Ms. Irma Saligumba, Health Research and Projects Coordinator, recently conducted a field visit to this small municipality at the southern tip of Alabat Island, off the mainland of Quezon province. This visit was to formalize a partnership with the Municipal Health Office of Quezon on the conduct of research on e-health and telemedicine, specifically for health care workers in the area. The research, part of the PANACeA Project, funded by IDRC, will look into the viability of using mobile computing devices and applications, such as personal digital assistants (PDAs) and laptops, in upgrading the skills of health workers, strengthening a regional referral network for maternal health and ultimately, improving health care delivery for people in the municipality.

PANACeA Research Network Formally Underway

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Dec. 5-9, 2007. – The 1st Annual PANACeA Workshop was held at the Crowne Plaza Mutiara Hotel, and was attended by a network of researchers from 10 countries in the Asian region. The workshop formally started the research program on e-health technologies, which will run from 2008-2010. MDFI, through Ms. Irma Saligumba, Health Research and Projects Coordinator, is actively participating in three research projects, while Dr. Ramos is one of the research mentors for PANACeA, and is running an initiative on Research Communications and Dissemination for e-Health.

Mobile Learning Project Highlighted in Global Forum

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Dec. 11-13, 2007. – MDFI attended the 1st Global Knowledge Conference, held at the Kuala Lumpur Conference Centre. Dr. Ramos joined his research partners in the PANDORA Project, which made a presentation via videoconferencing, on the results of various studies on e-learning, including MDFI’s Project MIND, which looked into the effectiveness of using SMS technologies for distance education. The PANDORA Network also launched the publication “Distance Education in Asia: Past and Present”, where Dr. Ramos and his colleagues contributed to some chapters. MDFI is also a partner of the Telecentre.org, a global network of telecentres, which also had a booth at the GK3 site.

Mountain Community Eyed as Second e-Health Project Site

Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya Province. January 16-17, 2008. – Ms. Irma Saligumba, MDFI Health Research and Projects Coordinator, visited this upland community, 2 hours by road from Bayombong, the capital. Ms. Saligumba met with local government leaders and municipal health officers to discuss the selection of Kasibu as a site for the PANACeA Research on e-Health. Local leaders were eager to be partners in this initiative, and further discussions are planned to formalize the partnership. MDFI will work with the local health workers, and use technologies such as PDAs, mobile phones and internet-capable computers to improve health care delivery in Kasibu.

MDFI is Charter Member and Active Stakeholder in the Philippine CeC Network

Subic, Philippines, 17-19 October 2007. - Dr. Ramos attended a vital workshop that officially activates the Philippine e-Center Network (PhilCeCNet). This is a multisectoral partner of the Philippine Commission on Information and Communications Technologies (CICT) on the implementation of the Philippine CeC Program. This is a program by the government which intends to install community telecenters or e-centers (CeCs) in all municipalities of the country by 2010. MDFI is an active partner in this initiative, specifically in the planning and content development aspects of the Program. The Foundation is also a member of PhilCeCNet’s Internal Affairs Committee, which will oversee the formalization of the Network, and to establish guidelines for membership, all of which will take place before January 2008, when the Philippine CeC Program will officially be launched.

MDFI Highlights the Use of ICTs in Global WASH Fair

September 26-28, 2007. Mombasa, Kenya. – The Streams of Knowledge has organized and successfully carried out the 1st WASH Knowledge Fair and Marketplace in this seaside resort town on the shores of the Indian Ocean. MDFI, being one of the members of Streams, is also one of the co-organizers of the event.

Dr. Ramos gave a presentation on using ICTs for Behavioral Change and Social Mobilization in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH). He underscored the importance of using new ubiquitous technologies and thinking outside the box, as a way to help communities raise awareness on WASH issues, and to help countries achieve the Millennium Development Goals for water and sanitation.

MDFI Staff Undergo PRISM Training of Trainors

Aug. 13-19, 2007, General Santos City, Philippines. – As part of MDFI’s commitment to the USAID-funded PRISM (Private Mobilization for Family Health) Program in Mindanao, the Foundation’s staff, went to General Santos City, where MDFI has a satellite office and is working on its project:  "Implementing a Maternal and Child Health and Family Planning Project in the Fishing Industry in General Santos City."

Trainors from PRISM in Davao facilitated the week-long training program, where MDFI staff, along with PhilExport, another Mindanao-based cooperative, were tasked to learn about the Program as Facilitators, Peer Counselors and for Monitoring and Evaluation. This will equip MDFI staff, especially those handling the project in General Santos, to echo the training and develop Family Planning and Maternal and Child Health Taskforces in several fishery companies that the project has identified in the area.

MDFI Presents Project MIND Results at International e-Learning Conference

27-29 June 2007, New York City , New York , USA – MDFI’s Executive Director, Dr. Angelo Juan Ramos presented a paper at the 2nd International Conference on e-Learning, hosted by Teacher’s College, Columbia University . Dr. Ramos’ paper was entitled “Using A Ubiquitous Technology for m-Learning in Asia: The Project MIND Experience in the Philippines ”. The presentation is part of the PANDORA Project’s ongoing information and research dissemination initiatives, and highlights progress done on e-learning research in the Asian region. As the only presentation from the Southeast Asian Region, this was met with great interest from the participants, mostly from Europe, and the United States , who were keen to know more about the possibilities of using SMS technologies for blended and distance learning.

PRISM Grant Signing Ceremony

PRISM (Private Mobilization for Family Health) in cooperation with USAID Manila organized a grant signing activity dubbed"Buliding Partnerships for Family Helath in Mindanao" with their project grantees, The grant signing ceremony was held at the Exhibit Hall Ante-Room, NCCC Mall, Davao City last July 6, 2007. The President of Molave Development Foundation, Mrs. Lilia O. Ramos, represented MDFI in the signing of the grant agreement/MOU, with special guest, H.E. Kristie A. Kenny, US Ambassador to the Philippines.

The said activity was attended by Hon. Darlene A. Custodio, Representative, So. Cotobato and representatives of LGU's, DOLE, DOH and other NGOs.

MDFI's PRISM Project is entitled, "Implementing a Maternal and Child Health and Family Planning Project in the Fishing Industry in General Santos City."

Irma F. Saligumba is the Health Research & Projects Coordinator and Cris Lopera is the Project Officer.

 

OSHCA 2007 Conference

On May 8-11, 2007 , Molave staff (Heath Projects and Research Coordinator) attended the annual OSHCA Conference held at the Federal Hotel, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia . She has also presented a paper, “Perspectives on the Opportunities and Issues of FOSS Advocacy for Public Health Care” during the first day of the conference.

The conference had several parallel thematic presentations for the participants to choose from among which were: FOSS Concepts and Status, FOSS Concepts, FOSS Business Concepts, FOSS Applications and Projects, Interoperability and Standards, Trends in Healthcare Informatics, and Use of FOSS. Several world-renowned FOSS healthcare developers and advocates acted as trainers and resource persons in the parallel workshops. A workshop-training of software developers in Asia was also held on the last day of the conference. The OSHCA conference was attended by representatives of countries coming from all regions of the world.

OSHCA, or Open Source Health Care Aliance, is a non-profit organisation that provides the collaborative platform and forum to promote and facilitate Free/Open Source Software in Health Care. OSHCA's membership comprises a community of people, civil societies and professional bodies in health care and informatics industries that promotes the Free/Open Source Software Concepts in Health Care. OSHCA helps policy makers, commercial enterprises, and users take advantage of the benefits of Free/Open Source Software. (OSHCA 2007 Conference Flyer)

Molave is a member of OSHCA since February 2007.

1st International Conference on Living the Information Society :The Impact of ICTs on People, Work and Communities in Asia

23-24 April 2007, Renaissance Hotel, Makati , Philippines . MDFI staff has participated in the 1st International Conference on Living the Information Society: The Impact of ICTs on People, Work and Communities in Asia . The conference was organized by the Philippine ICT Researchers Network through the National College of Public Administration and Governance of the University of the Philippines in cooperation with IDRC.

The goal of the conference is to support growth of Asian community of researchers and practitioners doing work on the effects of ICT in the region. The conference brought together different groups of researchers, presenting research and perspectives on the effects of ICT in society as well as its impact on people’s spheres. Major breakout group discussions revolved around issues  regarding virtual organizations, Gender, ICT and work, The Digital Divide, ICT and identities, Politics/democratization/social movements, ICTs and rural development, ICTs and relationships, technology adoption, Blogging, e-governance, e-learning, mobile phone relationships e/m-commerce, bridging access, political mobilization, and ICT policy/privacy issues. The conference ended with cocktails and launching of the book “The Social Construction and Usage of Communication Technology: Asian and European Experience”.  

PANACeA e-health Research Network Conference

An organizational meeting of the PANACeA e-health Research Network was conducted on 30 January- 03 February 2007 at Holiday Inn, Angeles City , Pampanga. At least 15 researchers from 11 PanAsian countries participated in the conference.

IDRC’s new PanAsia project for health is called PANACeA. It stands for PAN Asian Collaborative for evidenced-based e-heath Adoption and Application. Its objective is to undertake collaborative research that promotes evidence-based adoption and application of technologically appropriate e-heath solutions within the PanAsian (South Asia, East Asia , and Southeast Asian) contexts.

The objectives of the conference were:

  1. To establish a network of renowned researchers in the Pan Asia Region who are involved in the various applications of information and communication technologies (ICT) in the improvement of services in public health;
  2. To share various  areas of expertise and interest among participants in the field of e-health and determining possible areas of common interest and promotion of South-South cooperation;
  3. To develop project proposals among participating agencies and researchers that would further enhance Pan-Asia regional cooperation and improvement on the application of evidence-based research results on e-health in the solution of public health problems and formulation of governmental policies/administration as they relate to clinical services, further research, education, and surveillance/prevention of public health issues ad concerns.

Ten e-health research project proposals were formulated as an output of the conference. Molave headed one of the proposed research projects and partnered with two others. The following projects were:

1.       Assessing the viability of mobile telephone system using its featured SMS to improve referral systems for safe motherhood. Molave leads the project. Pakistan and Indonesia are its partner countries.

2.      Review of different e-health (telemedicine systems) used in various disaster situations to produce comparison based on set criteria and to propose recommendations. Indonesia leads the project. India and Philippines are its partners.

3.      Assessing effectiveness of remote/rural consultation (Telemedicine) using internet-based PC and personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) for maternal health high risk cases. Mongolia heads the project. Philippines is its lone partner.

Mongolian Partners Visit the Philippines

March 16 – 22, 2007

            Project MIND has recently conducted its 2nd Core Group meeting at the MDFI offices in Makati, Philippines.  The meeting was attended to by MDFI and its partners from the Alternative Learning System – DepEd Manila, English for Special Purposes Foundation and Health Sciences University of Mongolia.

            It was an opportunity for the Project MIND partners to update the status of the project implementation in both countries.  MDFI and its partner in Manila, ALS, has recently concluded the pilot testing of the Project MIND Modules in Math and English to the 6 districts of the City of Manila.  Participants of the pilot test are ALS students who recently took their Accreditation and Equivalency (A&E) Exam.  This exam will determine their level of knowledge as well as an opportunity to get a high school diploma.  The results of the A&E exam will also be analyzed by MDFI to determine if the Project MIND SMS modules helped the students to get better scores and pass the test.

            The English for Special Purposes Foundation and the Health Sciences University of Mongolia also reported their project updates.  Both organizations are closely coordinating with Infocon for the development of the SMS server which will be housed in the offices of ESPF. 

            During the core group meeting, the Mongolian partners also received assistance and guidance by MDFI in the implementation of the project in their country. The core group meeting was the perfect venue for the partners to iron out problems and issues affecting the implementation.  The Mongolian partners are confident that the project will proceed smoothly and as scheduled.

 

CLICK ON THE IMAGES TO VIEW LARGE PICTURES

 

Project MIND in full Pilot Implementation

22 January 2007, Makati – MDFI has successfully launched the MIND SMS Server Database and Educational Management System, using a SMS Gateway Server housed at the Foundation’s Office in Makati . The MIND Server is now handling automated content delivery and assessment for students of the Alternative Learning Services (ALS) Manila , Department of Education. The students are studying short modules in English and Math, and using blended or “integrated” learning techniques including audio CDs and printed media, developed by MDFI and ALS, they are also using SMS or “texting” to interact with the system. It is hoped that the students who took the MIND distance learning modules will perform well during the upcoming Accreditation and Equivalency (A&E) Exams that the Department of Education will conduct for non-formal students by the end o February 2007. Students who pass this exam will be able to get the equivalent of a high school diploma.

3rd PANDORA Research Synthesis Meeting

11-13 January 2007, Bali , Indonesia - The Third PANDORA Research Synthesis Meeting was successfully concluded in the cultural village of Ubud , in Bali , Indonesia . All principal investigators of the 9 subprojects, including MDFI’s Project MIND, along with project partners from the entire Asian Region, were on hand to report the progress of the projects, and to map out activities for the remaining year. The process was ably facilitated by IDRC, as part of the Pan Asia Networking Program,  and the PANDORA Project Heads. Dr. Ramos reiterated the value of maintaining open and continuous communications with project partners in order to ensure success in implementing Project MIND. The project also received good reviews from colleagues and research activities in the Philippines and Mongolia are now in full swing, with results coming out by the 1st quarter of 2007. 

Jon Baggaley Visits MDFI

19 December 2006, Manila – Jon Baggaley, IDRC Consultant for Distance Education Technologies for the PANDORA Program (www.pandora-asia.org), recently paid a visit to MDFI to discuss with the Executive Director and staff on the status Project MIND and to give his comments and suggestions on how to move forward with the project.

He observed how the Project MIND SMS gateway server is operating, and viewed the modules that were developed for English and Mathematics. He noted that MDFI was proceeding well with its initiative, and suggested that this project is a good example of a sustainable initiative that can be scaled up in the region, and is one of those rare SMS projects that actually deliver educational content. This is part of Dr. Baggaley’s tour of duty around the Asian region for PANDORA. He and his wife recently stayed for a couple of months in Phnom Penh , Cambodia , and are visiting the project partners in Los Banos, as well as in Sri Lanka and Hong Kong .

MDFI’s SMS Project (Project MIND) featured in Asian Digital Learning Magazine

In its November 2006 issue of digital LEARNING (www.digitallearning.in) , which focuses on non-formal education, MDFI’s SMS for Distance education Research Project, funded by IDRC, is highlighted as an innovative initiative on m-learning in the region, along with other projects in India and Malaysia.

Digital learning magazine is the premiere monthly publication for ICT and education in Asia and the Middle East . It is published by the Centre for Science, Development and Media Studies. The article can also be accessed through http://www.digitallearning.in/magazine/nov06/mlearn.asp

Project MIND initiatives expanded with its Mongolian Partners

Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia, 6-10 November 2006 – Dr. Ramos, along with Mrs. Adelina Ranga of the Alternative Learning Services, DepEd Manila and Jerome Trinona, Project Officer of MDFI, visited the beautiful country of Mongolia, and conducted a workshop on SMS Learning Content Development with its project partners in Mongolia – English For Special Purposes Foundation (ESPF), Infocon and the Medical Sciences University of Mongolia.

The workshop brought together all research partners involved in Project MIND, which is a project of the PANDORA Initiative of IDRC, specifically studying the viability of SMS as a tool for non-formal distance education. Project partners agreed on a set of modules to be developed in English, Mathematics and Obstetrics for Doctors. These modules will incorporate the project’s innovative blended learning approach, which is comprised of print and audio media, as well as the use of SMS for self-evaluation and content delivery of the courseware. SMS servers are being set up, both at the MDFI office in Manila and at the ESPF in Ulaan Baatar. 

 

MDFI Forges Partnerships at Knowledge Exchange Conference

Maribago, Cebu, 28 September 2006 – MDFI was one of the few NGOs that were invited to the 3rd Knowledge Exchange Conference on Community eCenters, which was held at the Cebu White Sands Resort in Maribago, Cebu . The meet, which was organized by the Development Academy of the Philippines , National Computer Center , with support from IDRC, brought together national and local government officials and other stakeholders of the Community eCenters that are running and are being set up in various municipalities all over the country. Dr. Ramos was invited as a resource speaker on content development. He highlighted MDFI’s experiences and shared the “Molave Approach”, using a bottom-up, community-based and led initiative in creating appropriate and relevant content that people especially in poorer, marginalized areas would use. Participants were eager to scale up and replicate this experience. By the end of the workshop, Dr. Ramos was able to get positive feedback and support from IDRC’s telecentre.org Project, represented by Dr. Basheerhamad Shadrach, as well as partnerships on content development and consultancies with CICT, the CeCs and other organizations.

IDRC Consultant Visits MDFI

  Makati City , September 26, 2006 - Dr. Richard Scott, a professor at the University of Calgary in Canada , recently visited MDFI and discussed with Dr. Ramos future initiatives of IDRC’s Pan Asia Networking (PAN). Dr. Scott is handling the University’s Global e-Health Research and Training Program and is an IDRC Consultant for e-Health projects in the Asian Region. MDFI is working with PAN to define the scope and limitations of a proposed regional research network on e-health , and to design a project development workshop to be done in the Philippines .

As some you know, PAN is currently looking to consolidate and expand our programming on ICTs and Health by building a regional thematic research network. To this end we are currently supporting a project development activity with the University of Calgary 's Global e-Health Research and Training Program (GeHRT) and Angeles University in the Philippines . Over the next few months, Dr. Richard Scott of the University of Calgary will be undertaking a scoping and assessment study and in the process he will be reviewing the e-health projects that PAN has supported through our regular programming and the RnD program. In this context he may be contacting you to discuss your projects and current interests and to arrange selected field visits. This work will help us to define the scope and limitations of the regional network and to design a project development workshop (organised by Dr. Ruben Umaly, Angeles University ) that will lead to a full proposal for the regional network.

MDFI Presents its Research at National Education Confab

Cebu City , September 6, 2006 – Dr. Ramos was invited by the Commission on ICT and the Foundation for Information Technology Education & Development (FIT-ED) to present the results of MDFI’s research on using ICTs for distance education on health at the 2nd National ICTs in Basic Education Congress. With the theme of “Innovating with Technology”, the National Congress brought together all officials of the Department of Education, educational technology providers, and the President of the Philippines , Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Dr. Ramos presented a paper entitled “Developing Localized ICT-enabled Content for e-Health: The WASH Molave Experience”. The presentation was eagerly received by participants, and many asked for more information regarding the project, and Molave’s approach on community-led content development on health.

Project Development Officer attends GEM Workshop

  Gender Evaluation Methodology Workshop, Hotel Nikko, New Delhi India 24-28 April 2006 - The workshop on Gender Evaluation Methodology or commonly known as GEM is co-organized by the Datamation Foundation, a non-profit organization based in India , and the Association for Progressive Communications (APC), an international network of individual women and women’s organizations promoting gender equality.

MDFI Project Featured in Inquirer.net

Manila , 15 August 2006 - MDFI initiatives on e-learning, particularly on the WASH ICT Project, funded by IDRC, was recently featured in the online edition of the country's most circulated daily (Philippine Daily Inquirer). This is from media coverage of the UNESCO-CICT Content Development Workshop.

"MDF Executive Director Angelo Juan Ramos said that rural communities, despite lack of knowledge on computers and the Internet, are still capable of providing important information that could help e-learning developers to create and customize content for them."

The rest of the article can be accessed through this link:

http://technology.inq7.net/infotech/infotech/view_article.php?article_id=15457  

MDFI Presentation at the UNESCO-CICT ICT-based Content Development Workshop

Quezon City , 4 August 2006 – The Commission on Information and Communications Technologies (CICT) and the UNESCO Philippines National Commission, along with Intel Microelectronics, recently organized a workshop, “e-Health Content for the Community: A Content Development Workshop for ICT-based Development Programs and Projects”, at the National Computer Center . This workshop is in preparation for the ASEAN eKnowledge Public Domain Project that will be piloted by UNESCO in sites in Quezon City and Eastern Visayas . Dr. Ramos, MDFI Executive Director, was invited to be one of the speakers in the said event. He made a presentation on the Molave Experience in content development in water, sanitation and hygiene ( WASH ), entitled “Content Planning and Development: The WASH Project Experience”. He shared experiences and learnings in the planning, development and implementation of MDFI’s e-learning projects in Maguinda, Butuan City and Smokey Mountain , Manila . The workshop was attended by members of the academe, ICT experts and policy makers from government and private sector, educators, rural health workers, local government officials and from other NGOs.

Streams of Knowledge Financing Workshop

Pretoria , South Africa , 21 July 2006 – The Streams of Knowledge, a global coalition of resource centers on water and sanitation, of which MDFI is a member, organized the Monitoring Financing Workshop on Water and Sanitation Projects, from 17-21 July 2006, at the Water Resource Commission in Pretoria , South Africa . The workshop was facilitated by WaterAid. In attendance were Streams member organizations from Southeast Asia, East and West Africa . The workshop tackled such issues as analyzing the gaps in financing water and sanitation related projects, particularly in capacity-building initiatives, and how these can affect achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) on water and sanitation. On the table were issues on resource mapping and budget governance, issues on donor financing, and for Streams and its members to form an advocacy strategy on financing. An important output of the workshop is for each member to echo the workshop to local partners, and the development of research initiatives on donor and national financing schemes on water and sanitation. MDFI will be a part of these researches.

Project Development Officer attends GEM Workshop

Gender Evaluation Methodology Workshop, Hotel Nikko, New Delhi India 24-28 April 2006 - The workshop on Gender Evaluation Methodology or commonly known as GEM is co-organized by the Datamation Foundation, a non-profit organization based in India , and the Association for Progressive Communications (APC), an international network of individual women and women’s organizations promoting gender equality. GEM is an online guide for planning and implementing evaluations of ICT initiatives from a gender perspective. The main objective of the workshop was for the participants to gain skills in gender evaluation to be able to apply the skills learned in assessing existing and future projects from a gender perspective. The workshop also aimed for the participants to gain better understanding of gender issues in the context of ICT4D initiatives/projects and have the opportunity to network with other organizations involved in initiatives/projects that address gender issues and women’s needs. The contents of the 4-day workshop were: a) the overall map of the GEM tool and website; b) the guiding evaluation principles of the GEM tool; c) basic gender concepts; d) assessing gender issues in the local context; e) development of ICT and gender indicators; f) understanding and selecting of appropriate data gathering tools; and g) addressing practical issues in gender evaluation. The facilitators employed various methodologies such as lectures, group work, presentations, as well as mind games. Participants of the GEM workshop were from South Asia namely, Pakistan , India , Sri Lanka , Bangladesh and two from the Philippines .

MDFI continues partnership with Plan Philippines

SODIS Workshop, 19-21 June 2006 Eileen’s Restaurant, Catarman, Northern Samar .

The WASH Research and EvaluationTeam of MDFI facilitated a workshop on Solar Disinfection (SODIS) Water Treatment Technology Research Needs Analysis with the Research and Technical Working Group organized by Plan Philippines International (PPI) Northern Samar Project Unit. The Research and Evaluation Technical Working Group (R and E TWG) is composed of staff from PPI Northern Samar Project Unit, local government health and sanitation officials of municipalities of Catarman, Lope de Vega and Catubig, and representatives of Helvetas Philippines , a Swiss-supported NGO based in Northern Samar . The following were achieved during the two-day workshop: defining the reasons behind implementation of SODIS in Northern Samar, the different processes undertaken by Helvetas, the SODIS project proponent, in the conduct of SODIS activities, the inventory of the current expertise of different R and E TWG members with the SODIS procedures, the identification of the SODIS research problems and research objectives, and the inventory of research expertise/capacities of the different members of the R and E TWG. The SODIS research and evaluation is being carried out to establish the effectiveness and acceptability of SODIS technology as a household water treatment alternative in Northern Samar and its applicability on a larger scale. The output of the workshop will define how the SODIS research and evaluation is to be carried out.       

PANDORA 2nd Research Synthesis Meeting

20-23 April 2006 - As subproject leader in IDRC’s PANDORA (Pan-Asia Networking Distance and Open Resource Access) Regional Research Initiative, the ED attended the second Synthesis meeting of the group in Lahore , Pakistan . The meeting was held at the Pearl Garden Hotel and was sponsored by the Virtual University of Pakistan. MDFI currently heads one of the subprojects of PANDORA, which is a research investigating the viability of the use of SMS or “texting” as a tool for distance non-formal education. Dr. Ramos reported that as of April 2006, 88% of scheduled activities have been achieved. MDFI and its research partners from Mongolia, the English for Special Purposes Foundation and the Health Sciences University of Mongolia have re-evaluated the progress of the research in the Philippines and Mongolia, and all are committed to the completion of the project by 2007, and developing innovative modules on English and math for non-formal education, using blended learning tools, including SMS. The team has planned for a series of workshops in Ulaan Baatar , Mongolia in November, to be facilitated by MDFI staff.  

 

MDFI takes part in STREAMS Advocacy Meeting

26-28 January, 2006 - The MDFI ED attended the Streams of Knowledge (STREAMS) Asia meeting at the Viengtai Hotel in Bangkok , Thailand . During the meet, the member organizations of the network focused on developing an advocacy agenda for STREAMS, at the local and regional levels in the water and sanitation sector. Dr. Ramos of made a presentation on invigorating and expanding the role of networks in hygiene and sanitation from “providers” to advocates, promoters, enablers, facilitators and regulators.  His presentation also highlighted the need to look at water, sanitation and hygiene as one issue and not discussed separately, the need to strengthen the participation and inputs of the health and education sector sand even media and marketing sectors. He also mentioned the need for more expertise in evidence based researches striking a balance between qualitative and quantitative methodologies. This meeting was also an opportunity for Molave to introduce to the group its work in the sector, paving the way to MDFI’s full membership to the STREAMS network.

Focus Group Discussions

            A Focus Group Discussion (FGD) on learning needs and SMS usage was conducted to a group composed of 5 women and 3 men aged 19 to 30 who are currently enrolled at the Functional Literacy Program of the Alternative Learning Services (ALS).

            The FGD was conducted last March 2, 2006 inside the main office of the ALS in P. Gomez Elementary School in Manila . A facilitator from MDFI led the discussion, gathering responses from the participants using a set of prepared questions. 

            Highlights of the FGD results:

°          All of the participants have cellular phones.

°          All of the participants are SMS users.

°          Everyone agrees that SMS is a cheaper way to communicate with friends and loved ones.      It is also a very important communications tool for work and business.

°          All of the participants are agreeable with the idea of learning ALS through SMS.

°          Learning ALS through SMS can be very convenient as it will allow them to be with their            family or work and still be able to learn.

°          Expenses from their transportation can be re-allocated to SMS load to be used for learning

°          They want to learn subjects such as Math and English because this will allow them to get a       high-school degree and ultimately find better jobs.

Consultative Meeting

            MDFI organized a consultative meeting with teachers and instructional designers from the Alternative Learning Services (ALS), as well some research experts last February 3, 2006 at the Orchid Gardens Suite in Manila .

             This meeting is the second part of a series of meetings in the preparation and development of learning contents for the SMS project.  This was attended to by the 6 district chairs headed by Mrs. Adelina I. Ranga, Supervisor of ALS-Manila.

            The Assistant Chief of the ALS Division for National Capital Region, Dr. Felicino Trongco, also attended the meeting to give valuable input into the process.

            Several issues were brought up by the participants, which were considered as important factors in the preparation and development of learning content to be used by the project.

 

Project Orientation