Someone else’s got the answers to your stupid questions. We can’t be bothered.

***

Yup. Maybe we should start offering this as a basic course in college. Better yet, teach Googling as early as basic education.

I remember that our teachers use to discuss the Dewey Decimal System to locate books in a library. Forget that. How about teaching effective use of keywords when using search engines.

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Usually, a discussion of starting salary’s one of the most interesting portions of my English 30 class. Everyone was keen on sharing their opinions on the matter.

Not these days. Today, it’s one of the shortest since the shared opinion is that “We don’t really have the pressure to earn so starting salary’s not an issue.”

***

Pressure to earn.

Back in my day, those of use (fresh graduates) who weren’t immediately pursuing graduate studies jumped into the job market ASAP. If there was any sould searching to be done, we did it while getting paychecks. Being a bum, even for a week was utterly disgraceful.

The reason mostly was because most of us come from middle class backgrounds who were, thanks to Philippine culture, obligated to help out with the family. Some of us had siblings to help put to school. Some of us had sick parents.

But not today. Many of the UP graduates seems like they can now take their sweet time before entering the job market. Take a vacation. Travel. Bum around.

I felt pretty good having recruited some of our program’s fresh graduates (former students) for writer and editor position. I asked them what are the rest of you batchmates doing, they simply told me, “Soul searching, sir.”

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Since traditional media has now found social network trends newsworthy, the jejemon phenomenon (jejemonon?) warranted a writeup from Inquirer.net calling the so-called jejemons the new jologs.

So who are these jejemons anyway? I’d hate to cite UrbanDictionary.com but based on what appears to be Facebook consensus, the jejemons are the breed of computer-mediated communicators who use a hybrid code which draws from jologspeak, leetspeak, textese, and gamer language. The code is manifested through their use of media such as SMS and the Internet.

A cursory observation offers the following features:

1. Insertion of “h” (coming from jologspeak e.g. “Jhun”)
2. Alternating cases (coming from leetspeak later adopted by textese)
3. Substitution of numerals to similarly looking letters of the alphabet (coming from leetspeak)
4. Substitution of letter that also represent similar sounds (coming from leetspeak later adopted by gamer langauge e.g. “jeje” for “hehe”)
UPDATE: Lowell reminded me that “jeje” may also come from the Korean laugh in MMORPGs “keke.”

My history with my take on the jologs and prescriptive grammar has produced quite a few interesting (and quite scandalous) discussions. Now let me play devil’s advocate yet again. Why the sudden uproar? I believe it’s simply because someone found a witty label for this social group.

As a language teacher (which requires a bit of Grammar Nazism), it is quite alarming. How many job application emails have I encountered in my previous stint as headhunter suffer from such use of an informal (and context-inappropriate) register? Quite a few. Such instances highlight the problem of the use. It’s not in the way they flout the “rules” of standard grammar, it’s their disregard for contexts in which they can use such register.

While, as an applied linguist, I see this phenomenon as a manifestation of language-in-flux and an expression of linguistic creativity, the disregard for context appropriateness can be considered alarming. In a world where premium is given to those who can use language effectively in appropriate contexts, the over-use of the jejemon register works to their disadvantage.

Then again, as a critical discourse analyst, I would say this is also hegemonic. It boils down to the aesthetic appeal of standard language. Many Facebook users have decided to discriminate against these jejemons particularly because they situate themselves as part of the elite. Their access to better education and greater exposure to “beautiful” use of language have minimized their tolerance for those who express themselves differently.

One must not overlook the “mon” in the blend “jejemon.” It may seem so innocent but we must be reminded that “mon” in Pokemon means “monster.” Isn’t this a way of demonizing this social group? That they are of a lower species? That people need to “catch them all” and tame and train them to do one’s bidding? Language as a repressive state apparatus.

Just a thought. If it’s all about flouting the standards of syntax and orthography, then how about ee cummings? Anyone dare call him a jejemon?

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This might be a bit of sourgraping but it seems that it’s just so easy to get honors these days. The Revised Genereal Education Program (RGEP) has been the subject of controversy over the past few years.

Ever since students have had the “freedom” to choose the general education subjects, grade inflation has appeared to be a problem. We’ve seen it all over the Internet. What was once a Peyups.com phenomenon can be seen over many a social network – fora that discuss the recommended classes and professors mostly based on the “petiks” workload and “unoability.”

I’ve had my fare share inside the classroom and I’m pretty sure that my previous students would classify me (based on today’s grading standards) as “kuripot.” I can still count with my fingers the students to whom I’ve given the grade of 1.0. Barely scrape by in my class and you get a 3.0. Do a good job, 2.0.

I belong to a generation of the “old” GE program where you plainly had to go through NatSci 1 and STS, both of which are simply not “unoable” bny mere mortals. Not unless you’re some kind of intellectual demigod (or demigoddess).

Still, I graduated with a pretty decent grade average and even with that, I feel that I too have benefitted from grade inflation.

When I hear my mentors reminisce about the rigors of their undergraduate work, I really feel like my honors aren’t justified. Many of them graduated “mere” cum laudes but I am willing to bet that if they studied in today’s environment, they’d probably score off the charts.

But with today’s choices of unoable professors and courses, it appears like luck would be more than enough to get you honors.

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Study.

Contrary to what some might believe, my real passion is computing. Ever since I keyed in my first DOS command some sixteen years ago, I knew that I’ll have a lifelong passion for these brilliant machines. Too bad my shitty law school pipe dream made me take up English Studies. Don’t get me wrong, I like applied linguistics and I’ve grown to be quite good at it.

Now, I want to pursue my real passion. The tricky part is knowing how to go about it properly. It has been four years since I actually coded a piece of software (aside from the minor WordPress PHP tweaks here and there). I have minimal understanding of basic principles of computer science and my math has decayed to somewhere below the level of high school algebra.

It’s not really practical for me to waste another three or four years to get a degree. Maybe I’ll just focus on the things that I like (web and game development) and try to wing it. Anyway, I could always approach some people to help me out.

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Much like long-winded Academy Awards acceptance speeches, acknowledgement pages would list all the people the writer considers “instrumental” (even those very remotely instrumental) to writing their thesis, religious deity, parents, siblings, clan members, advisers, panelists, teachers, lovers, friends, and pets included.

In my case, unlike my 150-page exposition, my acknowledgements page is made up of only a few lines. Just about a third in length of my BA thesis’ ack page. And I can think of a number of possible reasons why but I can’t pinpoint the exact one.

Maybe it’s the nature of the study. The graduate degree is basically “optional” and it isn’t what I would consider my “greatest achievement to date.”

Maybe it’s because there aren’t really many people who helped me finish my degree in the first place.

Maybe it’s my own devolution as a social creature for the past five years. God knows that many of the people I thanked in my BA thesis aren’t my friends any more.

Still, I feel that I have to give credit where credit’s due. That even if I refer to some people in vague generalities, my heartfelt thanks will always be sincere.

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As I’ve mentioned in a Facebook status post:

I wonder based on what “standards” are we judging these kids. Some of us call them “walang modo” and “bastos” but isn’t it just part of student activism? How far we you willing to go for our convictions? There will always be “better” ways of resolving things if we contemplate on the ifs and buts. Still, if most of us simply stand idly by, then who are we to judge a few hurled paint bombs?

Part of me appreciates the mischief and playfulness displayed by the kids. Activists elsewhere have done more “radical” things. Part of me thinks that there could’ve been better ways of addressing the issue. On a grander level, we can all debate about whether or not dropping the bomb on Hiroshima was the best thing the Allies could do.

We could just hope that we can get sidetracked by the issue. It’s simple strategy and tactics though. Never let your enemy exploit what you do to his/her advantage. I’m sure this will be used to direct attention away from the real ugly underlying issues that needed to be addressed.

How do you put out an oil fire? Start a bigger fire next to it. Self-immolation, anyone?

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I’ve been involved in IT education as writer, editor, trainer and consultant largely because part of my personal advocacy is the importance of IT. I do think that technology education should be given as much weight as math, science, and English courses in basic GE. However, since that education policy is still non-existent, we must do something about our current generation of learners.

It is frustrating that in terms of research methodologies, we language scholars are still stuck to early 90s qualitative approaches. Especially in today where research tools for doing corpus-assisted research such as textual analysis software are now widely available. It’s not because the software is too expensive as freeware versions are already coming out. It’s because of students’ limited knowledge on computing.

In my thesis, I was able to use such software to fuse together qualitative and quantitative approaches and, as such, I believe that my claims are better substantiated. Anyone who has tried doing manual frequency counting of, say, pronouns in a 10,000-word corpus would attest to the difficulty. I did not had to go through such an issue all because I was willing to explore and experiment with these tools.

I still encounter people who would rather create their TOCs and bibliographies manually even though MS Office have had ways to automatically generate them. The efficiency these tools provide can help free students from the life of clerical drudgery so that they can pay attention more to deeper levels of analyses.

I believe that there is a need for basic IT courses to be offered. I know that several movements in the University. But can’t we have it institutionalized so that it will be required? Especially now that the RGEP is under review?

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My topic’s not really that alien to me since it’s basically a continuation of my analysis of representations of identities in discourse. Back in 2005, for my BA thesis, I examined representations of Fernando Poe Jr. in the editorials of the PDI. For my MA thesis, I examined the representations of GMA in the 2001-2009 SONAs.

I enjoyed writing my BA thesis. I enjoyed going over PDI editorials and examining the representations of FPJ. And even though I personally agree with PDI’s ideologies, it wasn’t too tough to keep the discussion objective.

I wasn’t really expecting that MA thesis to be that different. Besides, I was applying the fundamental theoretical assumptions that I already used in my previous study. But I was wrong.

To quantitatively and qualitatively account for the grammatical features that show GMA’s representations (which Gene Hunt would refer to as “cleaner than a virgin’s pudendum”) was a much worse experience than the collective hours I spent suffering from toothache.

Anyway, I’ve finished writing my draft so at least the tedious part’s done and over with. I just hope what I’ve managed to come up with will be enough to move to the next phase.

I’ll probably share some of the key insights I’ve gotten from the study once it’s been weighed and judge by a competent panel.

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I just recently heard from my good friend Randwin (a fellow MA student, former classmate, and instructor at UP Los Baños) that their administration has allegedly mandated their division to turn all English GE courses to large classes of 160 students or more.

Any ESL teacher would see the flaw in such an arrangement. The lower the student ratio is, the better. For starters, it allows for more interactions between student and teacher. The teacher will also be more capable of monitoring each student’s progress.

Grading 25 papers on the merits of the good old Content, Oragnization, Style, Grammar and Mechanics is already a huge task. Imagine doing that for 160.

Obviously, some people at Los Baños are not too happy about the matter. Here’s Randwin’s take on the matter.

On Large Class UPLB: A Resounding “No!”

In one of my MA classes in Diliman, I once shared this plan of the UPLB administration to convert Eng 1, Eng 2, and Eng 10 large classes. A large class has 160-250 students while the status quo lecture class has 30-40 students. My classmates, ESL teachers and Call Center trainers were shocked and appalled. My teacher, a student of Noam Chomsky and an initiator of key subjects in Diliman, chuckled because the plan was absolutely crazy.

(According to a DOH survey, 3 of 10 government employees suffer some form of mental condition. I can think of 2 way up in the UPLB administration who might belong to those 3.)

As early as a few months after Chancellor Luis Rey Velasco took office, there have been rumors that the GE subjects offered by the Department of Humanities will be converted to large class format. On September 4, 2006, Prof. Ruperta Asuncion, who was then the English Division head, called for an emergency meeting. The administration told her to tell us to alter the syllabus of Eng 1, Eng 2, and Eng 10 so that it can be taught as large class. The administration expected it the following day because large class was to be implemented next semester. (As if rewriting a syllabus was as easy as making a cup of coffee.)

Several concerns were raised in our meeting: first, because Eng 1 and Eng 2 are GE courses approved by the BOR shouldn’t the BOR be informed first; second, what was the reason for the implementation of this scheme; and third, because all existing studies on ESL claim that small classes produce more competent students, aren’t we sacrificing our quality of education?

Instead of a syllabus, we submitted position papers against the large class scheme. One of my sources later told me that the administration just laughed at our papers. “Pa-position-position paper pa kayo,” one of them reportedly said.

Every semester, the administration would tell us to convert to large class. Every semester, our division head would present our reasons against it. When Prof. Asuncion stepped down as head (and later retired), it was Prof. Emerita Cervantes’s turn. And she defended our cause just as her predecessor did. Someone form the administration reportedly said: “Sawang- sawa na kami dyan.” If I was there I’d tell that person: “Kung sawang-sawa na kayo, ba’t di nyo pa kami tantanana?”

January 2010. A memo from the chancellor reached the Department of Humanities and the Department of Social Sciences. The memo came with a verbal instruction: Large class will be implemented for all GE classes next school year. It also came with a verbal threat: Take it or leave. (In the case of temporary faculty it’s take it or no renewal.)

On January 18, 2010, 9AM, the faculty of the Department of Humanities will be met by RGEP council head Panopio and Vice- Chancellor for Academic Affairs Laude not to consult but to tell us that we can’t do anything about it. It’s curious why Laude would be there. She’s the one who endorses our renewal to the chancellor.

Technically, it is the administration that is proposing the large class scheme. But so far, we have not been provided the rationale for such a move. (The situation is a far cry from Velasco’s promise of transparency when he took over from Chancellor David.) The rumor is that it has to do with money. Large class means fewer teachers. Fewer teachers means more items. More items means more money in the bank. More money in the bank means more interest. More interest means more savings.

(What is an item? Each department has a set number of items. Items correspond to the number of teacher you can hire. I’m not sure, but I think the government budgets salary according to items and not necessarily according to actual number of teachers. Therefore, even though no one is being paid for that item, there is money being set aside for that item. If no one uses it, the money goes to the bank. It’s an elaborate version of the 15-30 scheme in baranggays.) This is the worst time to be a member of the Academic Personnel Committee. Because few teachers are needed, it pains me to know that I would be one of the people responsible for determining who among my colleagues will not be renewed next school year. (In our division alone, there’s some 20 faculty members. The Department of Humanities has some 60.)

If you ask me, only one person deserves the boot. If money is the problem, our Chancellor shouldn’t be squandering UP’s precious budget on sidewalk displays (those infamous three-coat painted solid concrete Oro can sized bangas littering the sidewalks), 60-foot Christmas trees, and life-size Nativity scenes. If money is the problem, our Chancellor should be creative enough to think of ways to tie up with international research institutions and earn money by simply being a university in the truest sense. Or have the balls to demand a bigger budget from the government. Elections is just around the corner anyway.

Fire Velasco and hire someone new. Preferably someone who understands that the one thing every UP student is proud of is quality education.

January 15, 2010
Los Baños, Laguna

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