Meeting Friends Old and New at Perps, Binan Laguna

I was happy to have been a guest of the learning community of the University of Perpetual Help, Binan Campus. I was there for a talk on blogging. My audience were students of the College of Education which included LIS students in the undergraduate and graduate levels. I have been neighbors with Perps for a few good years but it was only last week when I learned that it is the only university offering BLIS (Bachelor of Library and Information Science) and MLIS (Master of Library and Information Science) in Laguna.

Perps peeps! Friends and colleagues from the UPH learning community.

I am thankful to Dr. Lindie Masalinto for inviting me over. I enjoyed my lecture since I felt the genuine interest of the students present in the audience that day. According to the Dean of the College of Education, Dr. Remedios de la Rosa, the talk is part of their Alternative Learning Program (ALP). I do believe in alternative learning because it is a non-traditional way of reaching out to learners. Formal education is meritorious, providing theory and conceptual framework to student learning. On the one hand, I think, ALPs provide the "action" part in formal education. I paraphrase John Dewey's philosophy that it is in doing where we learn much. What do we do now with the experience? This where reflection comes in, and yes, another opportunity to act on reflections as learning gateways.

Learning is indeed a lifelong process.

At the Beacon Academy, where I gave them a tour of the campus

Before my talk, my hosts brought me to the main library. I was impressed at its physical layout, arrangement and over all appearance. The staff were friendly; the reading area is spacious, well lighted and had sufficient ventilation. There is a corner for research made evidence by books in the reference area and the rows of computer terminals hooked to the internet. Headed by Dr. Elizabeth Malabanan, the library and its staff are poised for accreditation in the coming days.

As my neighbors, Dr. Lindie, Dr. Elizabeth and Ms. Pam brought me back to the Academy. There, I returned the favor. I gave them a tour of our campus. There were talks of further collaboration and resource sharing. After all, that's what neighbors and communities do. It is only a matter of time when we shall meet again to find ways on how we can network and help each other out.