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INNOVATION IN TEACHING

Part One of Two

My Journey in Teaching

In my many years stay in the different higher, graduate and post graduate educational
institutions, only few names now remained in my continuously aging memory. They
became my ideals and inspirations in what I am doing now as Professor in college and
graduate school level of learning. They were Engr. Orestes Mapua in Algebra, Engr.
Policarpio Mapua in Calculus, Mr. Flaviano Santos in Advanced Mathematics, Dr.
Merciditha Magno in Organic Chemistry, Dean Fernando Vicente in Chemical
Engineering Plant Design, Roberto Atmosfera in Managerial Economics, Dr. Carlito S.
Puno in Business Strategy, and Dr. Emmanuel T. Santos in Political Economics. They
were all very keen and dedicated in their teaching profession that their only motive was
excellent and sincere transfer of learning.

My adherence in the teaching profession was accidental. Fresh from completing my PhD
in Management at the age of 30 in 1985 from International University Foundation, I was
invited by then Dean Panfilo Hincuy to handle Production and Operations Management
in the MBA level in 1987. According to him, the course would be very easy for me to
handle since I was at that time the Engineering Manager of Integrated Microelectronics
Inc, an Ayala Electronics Subsidiary, where I was assigned to manage Development
Engineering, Process Engineering, Equipment Engineering, and Industrial Engineering. I
accepted the offer thinking that I can transfer production and engineering realities into
the academe. I used the book authored by Elwood S. Buffa, our textbook at Philippine
Christian University Graduate School Business Administration.

The book was taken and considered unpopular since the students believed that it was
too technical for non- technical executive and senior manager graduate students. I
added two books as references written by a Filipino author, Esdras T. Martinez and an
Industrial Management book written by Riggs, Bethel et al. I also supplemented the
learning process by using most of the case studies from the book of Emmanuel V.
Soriano from the University of the Philippines. From PCU using Manila paper for
presentation I graduated to acetate in combination of a projector. Instead of writing the
theory and case analysis to the Manila paper, now I directly write it in the acetate and
project it for everybody to see. Through the years I made many innovations in our
teaching equipment, system, and teaching methodologies.

I suggested to IAME to eliminate chalk as it adds to the dust pollution that irritates the
eyes, skin, respiratory track, mucous membranes, and digestive track. Exposure to chalk
dust or calcium carbonate particles has strong impact to liver and lung damage.
Moreover, fine chalk particles could exert oxidative damages in alveolar macrophages
and result to cytotoxicity. Blackboard therefore was changed and replaced with white
board. Later on even the use of CFC white board marker was recommended to be
stopped to help resolve the issue on thinning ozone layer that protects earth from the
direct ultraviolet rays exposure coming from the sun. The computer software Microsoft
Office specifically PowerPoint and Excel in making presentation was also encouraged to
be used in line with the famous Harvard case method of learning.

To be continued

Part Two of Two

Harvard Case Method of Learning

I believed that Philippines as a third world country must not be deprived of teaching
methodologies being used in the first world countries like the United States. Pioneered
by Harvard Business School faculty and one of the highlights of the HBS experience, the
case method is a profound educational innovation that presents the greatest challenges
confronting leading companies, nonprofits, and government organizations—complete
with the constraints and incomplete information found in real business issues—and
places the student in the role of the decision maker. There are no simple solutions; yet
through the dynamic process of exchanging perspectives, countering and defending
points, and building on each other's ideas, students become adept at analyzing issues,
exercising judgment, and making difficult decisions—the hallmarks of skillful leadership.

Simply put, the case method is the best way to prepare students for the challenges of
leadership. When students are presented with a case, they place themselves in the role
of the decision maker as they read through the situation and identify the problem they
are faced with. The next step is to perform the necessary analysis—examining the
causes and considering alternative courses of actions to come to a set of
recommendations. To get the most out of cases, students read and reflect on the case,
and then meet in learning teams before class to "warm up" and discuss their findings
with other classmates. In class—under the questioning and guidance of the professor—
students probe underlying issues, compare different alternatives, and finally, suggest
courses of action in light of the organization's objectives.

As you watch a case study unfold in class, you'll see students doing 85 percent of the
talking, as the professor steers the conversation by making occasional observations and
asking questions. This classroom interaction is enriched by classmates from diverse
industries, functions, and experiences. At the end of the class, you'll be amazed at what
you learn from exchanging ideas with your classmates.

Class participation is so important to the Harvard learning model that 50 percent of a


student's grade in many courses is based on the quality of class participation. This
requires students and faculty to work closely together—another hallmark of the case
method experience.

After more than twenty years at International Academy of Management and Economics,
I was very fortunate to be invited by my long time school mate at MIT, friend and
colleague, Dr. Chit Camba Crisostomo to teach at Southville International School and
Colleges and handle the POM subject for their newly created MBA course. I was very
grateful to Dr Chit that my passion in teaching will be further upgraded in SISC. Most of
the Professors are already on their senior years and likewise with PhD degrees made me
more deeply appreciative as discussion on intellectual matters will be very fruitful.

I was very happy to see the facilities of the School that has been certified by ISO 9000-
2008. English conversation was mandatory from security guard, to students,
employees, faculty, and up to the top management which was the great aspiration of
the Japanese Executives of PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Ernst and Young, and De Loitte
Auditing firms for their senior managers that are now studying in a local Japanese-
owned English School, Grandline Philippine Corporation headed by the husband and
wife team, Junki and Marnelli Kanemitsu where yours truly as their resource person in
the status of the Philippine economy, Philippine Manufacturing Industry, and Philippine
Construction Industry.

The school facilities including their wide parking area, canteen, library, guest waiting
room, students hang out, restroom, meeting room, classrooms, science laboratory, and
teaching equipment were superlative in quality standards. The high speed internet that
has been hooked up with high capacity computer for every classroom made real time
teaching of updated business and economics information possible. Almost all the
needed resources are given to a faculty in order to provide only a quality teaching.

Business, economic, and political Information from CNN, BBC, RT, CNTV, Press Tv. Al
Jazeera, Channel News Asia and NHK including teaching resources from NPTEL of India,
MIT OpenCourseware, and Khan Academy aside from Wikipedia and Britannica
Encyclopedia were now available in real time consumption for the students of SISC
graduate school students. New learning Apps and lecture materials can also be
presented so as they can easily download and transferred them into their personal
smart phone and do their studying anywhere and anytime. Discussion and question and
answers and sometimes debate will only be the primary activities inside the MBA
classroom. This is the best critical thinking process that must be developed to a
graduate student of SISC. This is the only way to prepare and make millennial a prime
mover in shaping our Philippine society for greatness today.

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