NAMRIA NEWSCOOP


FGDs and Tours for Public Elementary Schools held
By: Jeffrey Quodala

Three batches of focus group discussions (FGDs) with 25 Grade IV Araling Panlipunan (AP) teachers and tours of facilities for 97 Grade IV students of public elementary schools were held. The activities are in line with this writer’s conceptualization and implementation of the re-entry project (ReP) entitled “Learning While Having Fun: The Interactive Philippine Geography Map.” The primary goal of the ReP is to make the tour of facilities more lively and interactive for elementary school students. The AP elementary teachers could also take advantage on the use of the interactive map as a stand-alone teaching aid for geography.
 
The FGDs were participated in by the AP teachers for three consecutive days, 15-17 August 2017, and were done respectively in the cyber lab of Kapt. Eddie T. Reyes Integrated School (KERIS), Brgy.Pinagsama, Taguig City, in the conference room of Pembo Elementary School (PES), Brgy. Pembo, Makati City, and in the Samsung® interactive room of EM’s Signal Village Elementary School (ESVES), Brgy. Central Signal Village, Taguig City. The teachers were asked to comment on the official audiovisual presentation (AVP) of the NAMRIA profile and on the leaflets being given to those would be availing the agency tour of facilities. The inputs of the teachers will be used in the development of the interactive geography map.
 
While the students from PES, KERIS, and ESVES tour of the agency’s facilities were conducted on 22-24 August 2017 at the NAMRIA compound, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City. The students viewed the AVPs of the NAMRIA profile and the mapmaking process and visited the facilities of the Mapping and Geodesy Branch (MGB) and the NAMRIA Museum of Surveying and Mapping (NMSM). They were also provided with survey questionnaires, where the result of which will be used in making the future tours more child-friendly and lively.
 
Relatively, the project is also the second phase of the yearlong Middle Managers Class of the Development Academy of the Philippines-Public Management Development Program, wherein upon its successful implementation, this writer will be conferred the degree of Masters in Development Management.
 
Grade IV AP teachers of PES giving their inputs and suggestions during the FGD with the ReP team held at their school.
 
Engineer IV Sheila P. Eugenio explaining the basics of map appreciation to students from KERIS
during their visit at the Cartography Division, MGB.
 
Information Officer IV Celeste E. Barile, Ph.D. of the Geospatial Informaion Services Division
discussing the history of Philippine maps using the displays at the NMSM.
 


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