CRISIS AND OPPORTUNITIES OF
COMPUTER SCIENCE IN THE PHILIPPINES
Sherwin M. Alejandro
awin_sher@yahoo.com
Computing is a broad field that extends well beyond the boundaries of computer science. Computer science draws its foundations from a wide variety of disciplines.
The field of computer science faces a crisis of national confidence in the Philippines and even in many other countries around the globe. This involves some of the several problems , each is threatening the fields future ability to play a major role in the economic health of each country. In the Philippines, these problems includes the declining student enrollment in the field, reduced government and industry support, low public interest and even antipathy or maybe even the unsympathetic political climate.
The supply and demands of IT professionals in the Philippines is now going down because of these problems. Thousands of specialist and larger numbers in technical support, web support and network support are in need yearly. But majority of the country’s college graduates in IT do not posses the skills of an IT job and only a percentage are ready for an actual job.
In response computer specialist must acknowledge that there is indeed a crisis and begin to address it. However, it also represents an opportunity to re-examine the discipline and invigorate in ways that will make even more exciting and important than it has been. Computer science has been enormously successful over the past years, generating an intellectually rich discipline and producing a major international industry that has reshaped modern life for everyone no matter where they live.
We can consider how to expand the scope beyond the traditional way of technology to produce contributions in the area of commerce, communications, and entertainment.
The new research agenda might focus on the major problems facing the society and contribute to interdisciplinary teams in emerging applications related to national security, personal privacy, community support, health care, and quality of life for everyone. We need to consider the industry drivers which has a rapid growth of Web and E-commerce, the acceptance of outsourcing programs, the rapid increase of telecom penetration rate, worldwide IT labor movement and the popularization of and necessity for information technology.
None of these facets will be solved by computer professionals alone. With the new research agenda will not diminish the importance of such core computer science topics as theory, systems, artificial intelligence (AI), graphics, databases, human-computer interaction and networking but would expand the range of their applications and impact through collaborations.
Computer science must reoriented to deal more with the societal problems collaboratively. The academic leaders must address the need for greater diversity among faculty and students while reversing the decline in enrollment. The development of computer science curriculum must also attention in different universities and colleges because of the changes of technology, new development in pedagogy and the importance of life learning. Curricula must include professional practice as an integral component. Upgrading computer science is very important, these guideline may be of help: review of the whole curriculum and compare with recommendations, guidelines and policies; compare curricula with actual teaching practice; review syllabi and identify problem areas; concentrate faculty development efforts on problem areas; ensure that introductory courses thought properly and prioritize core courses over electives. Young people like students with a broader range of talents, interest or backgrounds would attracted to the new computer science themes and the emerging applications including the digital government, distance education, social computing, healthcare, and services science.
With the help of academic institutions, increased emphasis on education through active learning and service-oriented projects that would spawn new forms of collaborations while benefiting the communities in which the student apply their skills.
The commercial success of new technologies plays a big role in guiding curricular revisions then computer science courses will more regularly cover such flourishing commercial applications as Web site design, mobile devices, and cell phone services. The Philippines experiences tremendous growth in mobile phone penetration. According to a survey the daily number of SMS messages sent in the Philippines is higher than that of the whole Europe. The Philippines’ was dubbed as the text messaging capital of the world. Filipinos have become more emotionally attached to the mobile communication devices. Wireless technology is helping bridge the digital divide in the country and made Filipinos technology appreciative and created opportunities for young developers.
Another increasingly popular topic is multimedia like music, photos video animation, and podcasting which has a profound influence but swallow presence in most computer courses.
The increase of e-Government implementations to different agencies has been increase. These includes e-filing systems, e-permit and e-payments to different sectors of the government. Some of these systems implemented which are already available like e-filing includes: eLib, e-reklamo, SSSText and SSS Web Online Inquiry, TIN verification Ssytem, Phil-JobNet, Passport Direct, SEC iRegister, Open University; e-payment: SSSNet, SSS Auto-Debit Arrangement, Electronic Filing and Payment Systems, e-Census.
One indication of students strong interest in new application systems programs in business schools that emphasize information Web design, information architecture, social computing, online communities, especially healthcare, education, e-business, digital government, content development courseware development, open source software development. This success reflects the attraction of these new topics for students and of the researchers, as well as strong job market for students with the related skills. With the different areas mentioned there are needs of improvement for the research and development. Like e-commerce, Philippines is one of the fastest growing economies in the area of e-business and web sites are experiencing growth. The challenges are there’s a need to develop higher-end skills in e-commerce, more local expertise in the e-commerce security and need for more banking reforms. Online communities present a big potential that e-businesses may further explore. Filipinos have a large online presence. Some factors maybe its because of the large overseas Filipino populations and the large number of young urban professionals and students who are the largest users of the Internet. Content development is in need more content for urban poor, farmers, fisherfolks, tribal Filipinos as well as content development in different languages like Tagalog, CEbuano Ilongo, Ilocano and some other Filipino languages. To develop, improve review modules, books, and other instructional materials for schools and various learning institutions. To design evaluation methods and materials for both students and teachers is much in need for courseware development.
Research and product development much in need in the Philippines, Technology areas are very important in supporting businesses. The assistance in the development efforts of businesses, opportunities for businesses to share in new technologies and the improvement in technology management and business practices.
In the Philippines, there is a need to strengthen its competitive advantage in Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Computer scientist can advance basic research while developing groundbreaking applications in collaboration with other disciplines. Doing so would help and attract brightest students inspire public interest, and expand resources. The future of the field of computer science depends on winning back student enrollment, public interest in information technology, government research funding.
COMPUTER SCIENCE IN THE PHILIPPINES
Sherwin M. Alejandro
awin_sher@yahoo.com
Computing is a broad field that extends well beyond the boundaries of computer science. Computer science draws its foundations from a wide variety of disciplines.
The field of computer science faces a crisis of national confidence in the Philippines and even in many other countries around the globe. This involves some of the several problems , each is threatening the fields future ability to play a major role in the economic health of each country. In the Philippines, these problems includes the declining student enrollment in the field, reduced government and industry support, low public interest and even antipathy or maybe even the unsympathetic political climate.
The supply and demands of IT professionals in the Philippines is now going down because of these problems. Thousands of specialist and larger numbers in technical support, web support and network support are in need yearly. But majority of the country’s college graduates in IT do not posses the skills of an IT job and only a percentage are ready for an actual job.
In response computer specialist must acknowledge that there is indeed a crisis and begin to address it. However, it also represents an opportunity to re-examine the discipline and invigorate in ways that will make even more exciting and important than it has been. Computer science has been enormously successful over the past years, generating an intellectually rich discipline and producing a major international industry that has reshaped modern life for everyone no matter where they live.
We can consider how to expand the scope beyond the traditional way of technology to produce contributions in the area of commerce, communications, and entertainment.
The new research agenda might focus on the major problems facing the society and contribute to interdisciplinary teams in emerging applications related to national security, personal privacy, community support, health care, and quality of life for everyone. We need to consider the industry drivers which has a rapid growth of Web and E-commerce, the acceptance of outsourcing programs, the rapid increase of telecom penetration rate, worldwide IT labor movement and the popularization of and necessity for information technology.
None of these facets will be solved by computer professionals alone. With the new research agenda will not diminish the importance of such core computer science topics as theory, systems, artificial intelligence (AI), graphics, databases, human-computer interaction and networking but would expand the range of their applications and impact through collaborations.
Computer science must reoriented to deal more with the societal problems collaboratively. The academic leaders must address the need for greater diversity among faculty and students while reversing the decline in enrollment. The development of computer science curriculum must also attention in different universities and colleges because of the changes of technology, new development in pedagogy and the importance of life learning. Curricula must include professional practice as an integral component. Upgrading computer science is very important, these guideline may be of help: review of the whole curriculum and compare with recommendations, guidelines and policies; compare curricula with actual teaching practice; review syllabi and identify problem areas; concentrate faculty development efforts on problem areas; ensure that introductory courses thought properly and prioritize core courses over electives. Young people like students with a broader range of talents, interest or backgrounds would attracted to the new computer science themes and the emerging applications including the digital government, distance education, social computing, healthcare, and services science.
With the help of academic institutions, increased emphasis on education through active learning and service-oriented projects that would spawn new forms of collaborations while benefiting the communities in which the student apply their skills.
The commercial success of new technologies plays a big role in guiding curricular revisions then computer science courses will more regularly cover such flourishing commercial applications as Web site design, mobile devices, and cell phone services. The Philippines experiences tremendous growth in mobile phone penetration. According to a survey the daily number of SMS messages sent in the Philippines is higher than that of the whole Europe. The Philippines’ was dubbed as the text messaging capital of the world. Filipinos have become more emotionally attached to the mobile communication devices. Wireless technology is helping bridge the digital divide in the country and made Filipinos technology appreciative and created opportunities for young developers.
Another increasingly popular topic is multimedia like music, photos video animation, and podcasting which has a profound influence but swallow presence in most computer courses.
The increase of e-Government implementations to different agencies has been increase. These includes e-filing systems, e-permit and e-payments to different sectors of the government. Some of these systems implemented which are already available like e-filing includes: eLib, e-reklamo, SSSText and SSS Web Online Inquiry, TIN verification Ssytem, Phil-JobNet, Passport Direct, SEC iRegister, Open University; e-payment: SSSNet, SSS Auto-Debit Arrangement, Electronic Filing and Payment Systems, e-Census.
One indication of students strong interest in new application systems programs in business schools that emphasize information Web design, information architecture, social computing, online communities, especially healthcare, education, e-business, digital government, content development courseware development, open source software development. This success reflects the attraction of these new topics for students and of the researchers, as well as strong job market for students with the related skills. With the different areas mentioned there are needs of improvement for the research and development. Like e-commerce, Philippines is one of the fastest growing economies in the area of e-business and web sites are experiencing growth. The challenges are there’s a need to develop higher-end skills in e-commerce, more local expertise in the e-commerce security and need for more banking reforms. Online communities present a big potential that e-businesses may further explore. Filipinos have a large online presence. Some factors maybe its because of the large overseas Filipino populations and the large number of young urban professionals and students who are the largest users of the Internet. Content development is in need more content for urban poor, farmers, fisherfolks, tribal Filipinos as well as content development in different languages like Tagalog, CEbuano Ilongo, Ilocano and some other Filipino languages. To develop, improve review modules, books, and other instructional materials for schools and various learning institutions. To design evaluation methods and materials for both students and teachers is much in need for courseware development.
Research and product development much in need in the Philippines, Technology areas are very important in supporting businesses. The assistance in the development efforts of businesses, opportunities for businesses to share in new technologies and the improvement in technology management and business practices.
In the Philippines, there is a need to strengthen its competitive advantage in Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Computer scientist can advance basic research while developing groundbreaking applications in collaboration with other disciplines. Doing so would help and attract brightest students inspire public interest, and expand resources. The future of the field of computer science depends on winning back student enrollment, public interest in information technology, government research funding.
