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Meridian goes iPad, La Salle picks Galaxy Tab

Sat down with the rep of Sybase this afternoon and talked about their enterprise and mobile solutions. The person then mentioned they’re doing a tablet project with Samsung to deliver tablet solution for La Salle’s grade school students.

I’m also set to guest on News to Go with Howie Severino tomorrow morning to do a tablet round-up (Playbook, Transformer, Iconia, iPad, Streak, Galaxy Tab in tow) after they feature Meridian College using Apple iPads for all their students to use in the classroom.

Here’s what I got form their FB page though:

We’re extremely happy to announce for the pioneering MINT College Class of 2015 that your iPad 2s are here!!! Despite the worldwide shortage of this popular device, we have them and now they’re yours. They will be available for pickup on Wednesday, June 22 at the MINT Playhouse. And as an added bonus, we are including an exclusive Paqrat Slingbag for your iPads. The future of education is here – only at MINT.

Don’t know much about Meridian College’s plans (just watch that feature tomorrow to learn more about it) but my chat with the Sybase guy ended with the note that they’re the ones providing the back-end delivery system and content management for the tablet program.

Jun Lozada’s name also came up but that’s not a surprise anymore (remember our The St. Paul Android Tablet per Student Project story back in December 2010).

Back then, the thought of using tablets as a teaching tool in the classroom seemed impractical and expensive. This year, it all seems to be the fad already — good way to attract enrollees too!

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Avatar for Abe Olandres

Abe is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of YugaTech with over 20 years of experience in the technology industry. He is one of the pioneers of blogging in the country and considered by many as the Father of Tech Blogging in the Philippines. He is also a technology consultant, a tech columnist with several national publications, resource speaker and mentor/advisor to several start-up companies.

72 Responses

  1. Avatar for Dog Training Dog Training says:

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  4. Avatar for summerbreeze summerbreeze says:

    Kesa naman na magcomment kayo ng hinde maganda, suportahan nalang po natin ang ganitong klase ng edukasyon, hinde ba kayo natutuwa na may ganitong klaseng school sa Pilipinas? Isa sa mga negatibong ugali ng isang Pinoy ay CRAB MENTALITY, baguhin po natin yun. hinde maganda…

  5. Avatar for Kid from MINT Kid from MINT says:

    Haters gonna hate.

  6. Avatar for Jedaiah Jedaiah says:

    I’m from meridian and You guys are acting so violently to this advancement in our schools but to tell you honestly we played games with it, used Facebook, twitter and stuff but it is mostly used for our reports/PowerPoints, assignment submission etc.

    Marami sa amin ang hindi sosyal, at hindi nagpapasosyal. Kung meron man, nasa ugali na iyon nung indibidwal.

  7. Avatar for jojohudyo jojohudyo says:

    tablet offerings on schools is actually a nice introduction— technology put to use… just a word., as long as its utilized-FOR STUDY AND NOT TO QUENCH SOCIAL NETWORKING ADDICTION…
    AHMM one thing more….
    i dont see the point of considering supermahal gdgets for this., even epad/apad or whatever as long as it will deliver…
    COMMERCIALISM,. kesehoda so what if ipad or anu pa yan… hindi pagandahan ng item to., kundi should be on content and implementation of technology- substance, not bling factor of the device

  8. Avatar for Sam Sam says:

    It will be a smart choice for those schools to provide iOS/Android Applications Development courses, if they still don’t have.

  9. Avatar for fran fran says:

    WOW! Yaman nila. :D

    While I don’t like the idea of using gadget giveaways to attract enrollees, I welcome the development, and part of me is actually envious.

    I remember carrying TC7 and Physics Vol II and I know kung gaano sila kabibigat. Wala pa ako Chem nyan, and di pa kasama dyan mga ibang readings. Hahaha

  10. Avatar for Dan MD Dan MD says:

    I wonder when they’re going to implement integrating tablets in the humble campuses of our beloved UP… :p

  11. Avatar for nameless nameless says:

    haha! I guess, the schools electric outlets will be in demand too.

  12. Avatar for coollearner coollearner says:

    personally i find this positive coz the people buying them can afford them…sana nga lang kung Philippine made mas maganda… hopefuly huwag tayong magnegative sa mga developments na ganito kasi di naman kayo ang gagamit…respect them they’re using the technology the best that they can for good… if we are happy with books and pens because we can’t afford the gadgets then be happy and be silent and leave those happy people using the latest gadgets in school

  13. Avatar for 21 21 says:

    Wise people will still choose pen and paper over this sh_t technologies. Experiences, good characteristics and quality education are the foundation of this country. I’ll rather stop talking about this, anyway, if this techs will benefit you and d country , then why not. Go.

    • Avatar for 22 22 says:

      Really? “Wise” people? Narrow-minded bigots, maybe.

      The mark of a wise man is his ability and willingness to adapt to change. To be flexible and willing to alter goals/beliefs/principles when he realizes the old ways no longer hold true either as a result of advancement in technology or shift in paradigm. Tablets can JUST AS GOOD, if not better, as pen and paper. It is how they are used.

      Storing 20 textbooks/books in your tablet means you have already left a smaller carbon footprint. You don’t have to make room on your shelves to keep them and you won’t feel bad when you dispose of them when a newer edition comes out. Students won’t have to spend money on photocopying handouts. That’s only the start.

      As a man who has bought and read hundreds, if not thousands, of books through the years, I am glad that now, I don’t have to give any of them away just to make room for new ones. As it stands, I still have 3 balikbayan boxes filled with books in our bodega, and a couple of hundred of books on my shelves. And I have probably given away just as much. That is a lot of paper. Tablets have their uses if you are willing to open your mind to them.

  14. Avatar for trololol trololol says:

    Ano ngayon kung may iPad sila eh kung wala naman sila ibabatbat after graduation? Go UP and ADMU pa rin

  15. Avatar for Zymesh Zymesh says:

    Repace those Ipads with TC7 Leithold book and lets see if ganyan kalaki ngiti nila….

  16. Avatar for Jeric Jeric says:

    maka tayo nga ng repair shop at ipad accessories shop sa tabi ng school.. im sure dadami yung customers ko.. hihih..

  17. Avatar for ODYSSEY ODYSSEY says:

    nice naman! yaman yaman!
    sila na ang my tablet.
    i hope na makatulong to sakanila.
    basta pen and paper pa rin ako.:)

  18. Avatar for boying boying says:

    Until such time as the implementation has taken place, it’s improper to jump to conclusions on what may or may not happen. I’m sure that the school administration already talked with the publishers to provide either e-book or interactive versions of the printed books they provide. Just like in companies, the school administration, through their IT department or consultants may restrict the applications that may run or the sites that may be visited on these devices. If you are parents of grade schoolers in private schools, you will take pity on your children seeing them carry or pulling luggage-sized bags to school because of the books they need to bring everyday.

  19. Avatar for Andrew E Andrew E says:

    Nagbabasa b kayo? Problem with most of us are emotional and negative agad.

    Didn’t you read the bold word “Sybase”? which means that this will be the back support for the project.

    Of course the school knows the purpose of the gadget is for education only, so the job of sybase which i believe is to block certain apps and functionality sa gadget. we are talking here of a SAP accredited software company.

    Natawa nmn ako sa comment nung nagsabi na photocopy nlng ung book? c’mon P1/Page then mostly books are 300-500 pages, then how many books on a per year will it be? you do the math.

    Its more convenient to digitize a book then just share it to the devices, this will solve the problem of book shortage specially sa college level.

    Think green, save trees! For students papers are prone to be misplaced and destroyed, unlike if your notes are on the gadget you can sync it sa iCloud online.

    Finally this is aimed for an International School and a pilot project sa top school like la salle, so i believe hndi issue and cost sa parents to provide their child the convenience in studying!

    Now, students have no more reason to say na, naiwan ung book, hndi nkapag take ng note, out-of-stock ung book na required, and more.

    Plus, Parent’s may even track the location of their kids using “Find my iPad”

    Buti pa nga ung new prime minister ng thailand that she aims to provide a tablet for every student.

    • Avatar for Ray Ray says:

      Yes most of us do read the article. Nice of you to open your argument with an insult.

      Sybase will be used for the Galaxy tabs for the grade school students at la salle not for the ipads at meridian college.
      meridian has partnered with SW!TCH which is an Apple Reseller. so please excuse my skepticism if i think that this is all just a gimmick to earn more money for the school.

      500 pesos for 500 pages for 20books is 10k. still waaay cheaper than an ipad. heck im betting buying all the original books will still be cheaper.

      oh and by the way its a myth that all la salle students are filthy rich, that costs will not be a problem for their parents.

    • Avatar for bart bart says:

      iCloud the cloud system of apple was just merely announced not even implemented, if implemented na bago pa rin, di pa high-level gaya ng ibang cloud system.

      bago lng nagka-issue ng “CORRUPTION” ang Thailand..

      eh kung bibili ka ba ng gadgets na ganyan, na-save mo ba ang EARTH, naging green ka ba. Mas-marami yata ang technological waste kaysa ecological waste. maraming rare earth materials ang naubos dahil sa mga gadgets na yan.

  20. Avatar for chie chie says:

    Also, what value does a young kid owning an expensive gadget like a tablet teach?

  21. Avatar for chie chie says:

    Why grade school? Yung padalhan mo lang ng cellphone anak mo sa school nakakatakot at baka nakawin o mawala o maging distraction sa pag-aaral lalo pa tablet? If the problem is the weight of the books students carry daily, there is still the lockers and why not just let the kids take home only the books they really need. Schools can probably give them a study period where they can already do their assignments at hindi lahat gagawin sa bahay and this will teach them also how to study on their own even at a very young age.

  22. Avatar for radioactive_balut radioactive_balut says:

    Sa tingin ko dito mas angat sana ang HTC Flyer dahil pwede ka mag-doodle in short mag note taking na parang nagsusulat ka lang sa papel. Good for writing mathematical formulas like Biggs pointed out.

  23. Avatar for Jonaflormicfren Jonaflormicfren says:

    Gadgets get amazing these days. It’s wonderful.

  24. Avatar for JoMi JoMi says:

    Ang sowsyal naman nila, lucky you guys of MINT College Class! No need to bring pad papers, heavy binder or notebooks, you can do a lot of things with your new IPAD2! =)

  25. Avatar for Eason Eason says:

    I guess for the galaxy tab I can see some productivity, but for iPad2? All i can see that is productive there is browsing, email WITHOUT attachment.

  26. Avatar for RaGe RaGe says:

    nung time namin natuto kami maging resourceful panu na lang kung magiging dependent sila sa ganyan… -_-“

  27. Avatar for Nakurita Nakurita says:

    Hay nakoh, kalurkey. Sana lang tumalino kayo kaka cut the rope at kaka angry burdz! Kaloka!

    Now we can do our assignments anywhere!!! Juice ko!

    We created an entirely new way to flaunt we are rich!

  28. Avatar for Ray Ray says:

    tignan nyo yung student sa upper right side. facebook agad ang nasa ipad. haaaay

  29. Avatar for adam adam says:

    Most probably it will bring destruction than educating the students. PvZ, Angry birds, facebook, chat and everything. Though it has an advantage and that is being handy. Pero if I’m the parent of those kids I will still choose the old school pads and pens. Kahit meron ako pambili ng Ipad2.

  30. Avatar for Jam. Jam. says:

    Which La salle school sir abe?.

  31. Avatar for Ray Ray says:

    @Jhay
    what makes your “piehole” more special than mine? I have my opinion and you have yours.
    my opinion is that ipads are toys and are not practical inside the classroom. As a parent i would much rather have my kid carry a laptop to school than an ipad.
    you have a different view so just express your own views and not resort to insults ok?

    • Avatar for EdwinC EdwinC says:

      I think he is a little bit insulted because he is also using a toy… I mean iPad… I mean toyPad. Iyoooon!

    • Avatar for jose rizal jose rizal says:

      hahah wag kna magtaka sa reaction ni jhay… tingnan mo salamin pa lang halata ng boy gadget yan… kulayan mo ng green buong katawan nyan magmumukhang ANDROID yan… isa lng nmn ang point dyan… ipads were not made for use in schools, if you can afford one, wala nmn problema dun… basta gamitin mo lng ng tama. isang bagay lang ang sure ako dyan.. it will generate more income para sa school hehehe alam nyo na…

      bago na mga maririning nila sa school…

      ok exchange ipads!
      pag may quiz… walang manghihingi ng ipad

    • Avatar for sarcasticfoureyed sarcasticfoureyed says:

      Maybe Jhay is using his “bunghole” to speak his mind. Respect first before anything else. No wonder that all he talk about is sh1t.

    • Avatar for BERT-10 BERT-10 says:

      @jhay

      I think what everyone wants here to say to u is “P**+@&6!¤ mo!” nerdo Hahah!

    • Avatar for BATAS BATAS says:

      @jhay

      PUTANGINA MO ! PANGIT NG NANAY MO. . . !!

  32. Avatar for Ray Ray says:

    Look at all those students holding up their shiny new TOYS. except for using it as an book reader (though i highly doubt that all the current college books needed are available in ebook format here in the phils) i can see no practical use of an ipad inside the classroom.
    angry birds 101?

    • Avatar for Jhay Jhay says:

      You have to shut your piehole first before you construe such an opinion. Let’s wait and see first what this brings to the table before we start ranting about something that’s unverifiable at the moment.

    • Avatar for Biggs Biggs says:

      Tama naman eh. Most of the books needed are not in ebook format. Yung iba pa ngang books ay wala sa mga libraries. So anung gagawin ng mga universities, magscan ng mga books at idistribute as pdf? Mas makakamura pa sila if they would resort to photocopying.

      If students have such devices, thieves will be circling those universities. And if a student happen to loose or break such device, that would be additional charges which will be shouldered by the parents.

      Students would also find it hard if they are going to use it for note taking. Imagine taking down notes for Algebra, Trigonometry and Calculus using your Tablet. Good luck to that!

      Pads, pens, books, photocopied materials and stabilo markers pa rin!!!

    • Avatar for EdwinC EdwinC says:

      @Jhay
      I agree with what Ray has to say. Those toys… I mean those iPads… I mean those toys are shiny and I bet those students will have a grand time reading Marvel superheroes comics in their new toys… I mean iPads.

    • Avatar for Louie Louie says:

      Ayan nnman tayo kaya di mkausad eh iniisip agad na hinde pwede. Actually mbbawasan nman yung kurakot kapag ganun mas effcient unless magiging iba naman ang pangungurakot.

    • Avatar for erick erick says:

      @Biggs
      I agree, mas mabilis pa rin gumawa ng notes by hand. Pero marami din namang advantages yung tablets so if they can afford the device it should be ok.

      Sana lang hindi compulsory. Sana hindi ginagamit ito ng mga schools para pandagdag sa kita nila. Kasi nga bad PR ang tuition fee increase, kaya binabawi na lang sa ibang fees.

  33. Avatar for Beni Beni says:

    I teach senior college students and I always see these developments as a good thing. Nowadays, students bring their own laptops to finish their thesis. It’s a welcome change wherein years ago, students will spend nights together and bring their huge beige boxes to school.

    Soon, everything school related will involve adhoc collaboration, paperless evolution and seamless automation.

  34. Avatar for Mr. rious Mr. rious says:

    I’m a lasallian thou not in the grade school division, I think this project sucks at all. Why not improve the online enrollment facility which would be beneficial to all?! It’s been alot of years of burden with this kind of system. (T_T) to catch up with what I ‘am saying, to you guys this is the story. Every 7:59 am (day of enrollment) time would stop and everyone’s so tense, nervous, almost gonna die, why? because the server already crashed and no one can enter the site anymore.. you just have to wait for a miracle to enroll (probably it would take less than 30 mins) and that’s really pain in the ass.. T_T why not invest money on that??? T_T

    • Avatar for aron aron says:

      i agree with you sir. schools like lasalle have bad enrollment system. they must improve that first befor implementing such tech gadgets like galaxy tab.

    • Avatar for XxXxX XxXxX says:

      don’t be a brat. sa ibang schools kelangan pa pumila para mag enroll. pumasok ka sa school mas mabilis mag enrol pag school comp gamit mo

    • Avatar for HushHush HushHush says:

      Dude, you can’t be serious? The On-line enrollment is the latest in the academe in the Philippines, check other institutions on their enrollment system.

      As for the Galaxy Tab for elem students, they should have a wall to inhibit apps that are not helpful in schooling. Something that would be difficult to jailbreak. Also they should not make it mandatory. I really would prefer Kindle, Nook, Sony Reader or Kobo in the academe.

    • Avatar for Eizan Eizan says:

      Pasalamat ka nga na advanced ang enrollment system sa atin. Yung ibang unis dyan, kelangan pa ng mga estudyante nila na pumila at mag-manual enrollment. Tip ko sayo, igihan mo ang pag-aaral mo para maka-consistent DL ka, para pasok ka sa advanced enrollment. :)

      Tsaka iba naman ang DLS Zobel sa DLSU ah, the ITC is doing everything that it can to improve the system.

      @aron
      Talaga lang ha. If bad ang environment sa La Salle, how about in other schools, aber? DLSU is lucky to have facilities that provide convenience for their students. It comes with a price, of course, a price that the student body is very much willing to pay. :)

    • Avatar for coollearner coollearner says:

      i disagree to the comment that DLSU enrollment system is bad… my last enrollment took only less than 5 minutes…di ako pumila…courteous ang mga personnel and no hustle…didn’t try online yet pero isee the technical support of DLSU very responsive on my previous online problems…I would say that DLSU has the best enrollment so far that i tried and observed

  35. Avatar for Michael G. Antonio Michael G. Antonio says:

    still i am seeking for a job ok ok !!! Well i can handle an under pressure really well !!! HAVE A NICE DAY !!!!

  36. Avatar for Michael G. Antonio Michael G. Antonio says:

    well i am a tesda scholar and this is what i trained the call center agent course with in the boundaries of trace college at los banos ok!!! HAVE A NICE DAY !!!

  37. Avatar for June June says:

    Why hate the kids of this generation ? di na nila kasalanan kung may PAD or TAb sa panahon na to at ginagamit na ng mga school. Malamang uusok lalo mga butsi ni rich 10 to 20 years from now. Malay mo kanya kanyang robo pet na ang bitbit ng mga estudyante. My goodness yung rich na poster dyan. LOL and weird creature

  38. Avatar for creativeyou creativeyou says:

    off topic.
    In our college we do stuff in yellow pad papers and projects using regular laptops, theres no rule or anything regarding what specific materials and equipments to be used when doing school stuff, and yet i see my colleagues having an ipad and using macbook? sony vaio at school! as* holes! Haha and like 80% hav iphone from evry gen. while the other college their students cant even afford a phone! how imbalance of hierarchy is evident in our university.

    • Avatar for bong bong says:

      Education is a privilege and not for free.. same as gadgets..

    • Avatar for boying boying says:

      @ creativeyou

      That’s a reality not only in our country but everywhere else. There will always be inequality everywhere you go. It’s not the fault of these students if their parents can provide these devices to them.

    • Avatar for Eizan Eizan says:

      I don’t see anything wrong with that. We rarely used papers in college too, because we were encouraged to use email. That’s more economical and environment-friendly. College education is already a privilege, unlike basic education (elementary and high school) which is a right. Some people can afford things while others can’t. That’s life.

    • Avatar for Earl Earl says:

      I was once advised once– “life is not fair, deal with it!”. I took it to heart and it helped push myself to succeed faster, and aim higher.

  39. Avatar for Calvin Calvin says:

    not free. discounted lang and payable in installments.

    pero the question is, what will stop students from playing angry birds or words with friends or scrabble while in class? since pwede rin naman nilang madownload yung podcast or lecture video and watch it at a later time.

    maganda sana kung may app yung school that will push lessons and assignments sa ipad ng students through cloud-synching.

    @rich… hahaha panalo comment mo.

  40. Avatar for Ronald Redito Ronald Redito says:

    Stick pa rin kame sa Yellow pad. =P

  41. Avatar for Rich Rich says:

    Pasosyalan ampotang mga to!
    sige, PUP and PLM goes for Apad and Epad! LOL!

  42. Avatar for Jeric Jeric says:

    so the question now, free? or paid? im sure nothings free and all those ipads will be included on their next tuition fee.. just correct me if im wrong.

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