First, break all the rules.

This is the title of the first book that Marcus Buckingham authored based on a Gallup study of the world’s best managers. I have not read that yet (but I will).

In a nutshell, that book says that these are the two assumptions that guide the world’s best managers:

1. Each person’s talent are unique and enduring.

2. Each person’s greatest room for growth in the areas of his or her greatest strength.

Quite a departure from many organizations beliefs that:

1. Each person can learn to be competent in almost anything.

2. Each person’s greatest room for growth in the areas of his or her greatest weakness.

I must admit that I adhered to the old way of thinking before but have begun to realize that I’m better off focusing on my strengths rather than my weaknesses. In the first place, I feel that I have much to improve on these expertise I have, secondly, I enjoy learning about them more. It feels second nature and unforced.

And Now, Discover Your Strength made me cross the line forever. Out with the old and in with the new way.

Included at the back of the book is a unique code which you can use to answer a series of questions at Strengthsfinder.com to find out your strengths. There are 34 profiles of strengths that the “test” uses that encompass much of the spectrum of humanity’s uniqueness. You top 5 strengths will be given to you.

Here are mine: Read more

“Study your lessons!”

You heard it when you were still in school. If you are still in school, is that your mother I hear? If you are the parent, this may be something you tell your kids, in different tones, from begging, to angry, to exasperated. I can imagine these words being said using the whole emotional spectrum.

Studying has become a second priority to kids nowadays. They are so into texting as I quoted in my recent post from A talk Tonly Lopez gave posted at ebalita.net forum.

What if we can merge learning with the mobile phone? And here merges three things I am passionate about: Technology, Education and Business.

Most mobile games available today are mostly about entertainment value. Some have a bent for giving you some brain food and so few about direct school-related subjects.
This idea has been implemented in the area of PC gaming (am not sure about conscole games, though) and have been successful up to a certain degree. My impression is learning games for the PC are mostly targetted to the toddler and younger-aged children. For the tweens and teens, titles are too far few in between.

Why would this idea work for the mobile phone? Read more

Here are some specific Philippine SMS and Internet 2005 data I extracted from eBalita.net forum, from a speech (purportedly) delivered by Tony Lopez, journalist and publisher of a Businessnews magazine.

$10.7 billion in 2005 - OFW remittances
98 percent of the 7,107 Philippine Islands are linked, wirelessly, by cellular phones.

Read more

There. I said it. I let it out in the open. i just posted it in PTB as a comment in an entry about Sun Microsystems‘ chairman Scott McNealy vision about education which is congruent with mine. Read it his vision here and my comment here.
I dream of a free online school for grade school and high school in the Philippines. Eventually, this could take evolve into something bigger.. But let’s not get ahead of the dream shall we?

Ever since I’ve been introduced to eLearning and open-source, this idea has been bugging me. But I like the bugging part which drives me to think. It’s the “idea” part that I hate. I want it to become a reality.

My platform of choice is .

Open-source, free, evolving and widely supported. It’s fairly easy to post content and there is exelearning for offline content creation. There are other features and tools which make it an ideal platform but that may come on a later post.

As with every dream, there are several barriers to overcome. Lack of infrastructure and computers, engaging quality content, and questions like will it be acceptable to the public , hound the project. Not to mention the funding needed to build, maintain, support and expand. But if it was easy, we would not dream of it, would we?
These are daunting, real obstacles.But rather that focusing on why it can’t be done, I am focusing on why and how it can be done.
Here are several ideas, albeit disjointed:

1. Ask the input of Martin Dougiamas. He is the guy who started moddle and is still the prime mover of Moodle. I’m sure that he has ideas how to pull this off. He knows the right people to connect with. The Moodle developers and community will surely tag along with him. Hmmm, imagine what a good a word or two from him do.

2. Use a social, collaborative model, like Wikipedia, Digg or YouTube. I’m sure there is a workable model we can draw from their successes.

3. Make it a project/thesis of the education courses. While the mandatory actual teaching hours is essential for any teacher, it might do us some good if we can introduce our future educators to this new realm of learning. Think of this: If all 100 BS in Education graduating students of Philippine Normal University would create a one hour, one topic content, that would amount to 100 hours!

4. Ask ADB or World Bank to fund it. To do this, we need a business plan. I have a couple of people in mind from the Philippine eLearning Society (PeLS) who are working together to establish elearning in the country. They are adept in their respective fields and their share vision can take this project through the roof. (Can anybody help me draft the project/business plan please?)

5. Find “open-minded” people in DECS, CICT, DOST who will champion this initiative. The more people who are actively rooting for the success of this project, the better. Especially in the deparments which have a direct stake in this endeavor.
6. Find a good revenue model. Advertising, membership fees, sponsorships?

7. Ask for Volunteers. This could be the Gawad Kalinga of education. Volunteer your time, effort, resources, expertise. Instructional designers, teachers, coders, multimedia artists, testers, trainers, webhosting, etc.
8. This is the great equalizer. 24×7, cheap, renewable, easily upgradeable, a long-term solution to our education systems’ dilemma. It feels right, it is doable and non-partisan . Its success would translate to great economic benefit for our country and who wouldn’t like that?

What do you think?

Would you help make a dream come true?

CNNMoney Business 2.0 has an article on 12 startup businesses to launch now. In brief they are:

1. Build cheap Wi-Fi networks for Brazilian resorts.

2. Become a biodiesel producer in Argentina.

3. Create an ad network for India’s mobile content developers.

4. Launch an exclusive social network for Russian millionaires.

5. Open an American-style restaurant in one of China’s fast-growing cities.

6. Remodel homes for China’s burgeoning middle class.

7 Flip mining claims in Bolivia.

8. Export the planet’s next great wines - from Greece.

9. Import fine wines to upscale restaurants - in India.

10. Export gourmet coffee from Rwanda.

11. Become a social entrepreneur in South Africa.

12. Be among the first to invest in the new Libya.

Click here for the complete article.

That being said, I’m sure that angel investors worldwide are thinking along these lines too.

Translate to the Philippines: What startup businesses can be launched here? Criteria should be that it will create a global impact - that we can start locally and expand globally. We have the right tools, the right people and despite many naysayers, there is no better time than now to be a startup.

On top of my mind right now are those that deal with mobile content, gaming and gaming in general, graphics, multimedia production facilities and those that require artistry and creativity. We have animators and programmers who have carved a name for themselves.

Do you have any ideas what good businesses to start?