Every meeting in our subject Technopreneurship didn’t failed to surprise me. The meeting was always fun and it includes many unexpected happenings like what happened from the past two meetings. Our jaw still drops with our facilitator’s surprises in the third meeting in technopreneurship but still amaze in the reasons that everything or in any events, the presence of technopreneurship is there and can be applied. It is usual and I guess it cannot be avoided that there were still late in our class and if we will talk about their reasons, well there are many. Maybe, there are some certain things that came along in their way that cause them to being late in the class like forgetting to wake up early, or some unexpected happenings in going in the school, and many more. But whatever the reason of being late in the class, late comers should face the consequences. As what our facilitator said to us, being late is an immortal sin and since it’s a crime, then sinners must face the consequence. In the first meeting, the consequence of being a late comer will perform any talents. You can sing, dance or even roll in the floor. As our facilitator will be satisfied in your talent, then that’s the time that you are allow to sit in your seat and will attend the class. Letting yourself to hide in your shell and avoid the consequence will be free to leave the class and will receive an absent mark in the class attendance. Therefore, it’s better not to be late if you’re too shy to stand in front and do your talent in the class.
In the second meeting, there were still late and the numbers of it is still the same with the first meeting which is not good. As what I said earlier, in our class, being late is an immortal sin and many of us were still late. Though the late comers do their talents in front of the class in the last meeting, they were still late and do the same thing. The purpose of doing the consequence is to lessen the late comers as possible. The consequences serve as the discipline for each student included in the class but it seems that the objective of the consequences was not followed since doing the talent in front is not so difficult to do since the class were used to it. So as a result, there were changes regarding to the consequences for late comers. Instead of performing any talents in the class, the late comers will provide a breakfast in the whole class. Knowing that the class has fifty more students, it will be costly for the late students to provide foods that will make the student’s tummies full. I think if there are two late comers in the class, fifty pesos is not enough. Though I didn’t yet experience of being late in the class, I’m still afraid or even more afraid to be late after knowing the new rule. As I heard the new rule, I just said to myself that I will wake up as early as I can to be able to catch up the class without having the record of being late especially if the money will be consume. Though this rule will be costly, I find it good in terms of disciplining the students from being late in the class. It was effective and was proven in the fourth meeting which happen last Tuesday. Many of us were so early, worried to face the consequence. Though there are few who were still late, at least, it was lessen and for the next meeting, we will welcome with open arms the breakfast that is waiting for us to full our tummies.
Another thing happened which is part in the surprises in the third meeting is the application of technopreneurship. We were ask to bring out a clean short bond paper for that day’s activity and unfortunately, we don’t have it. I guess no one of us in the class has the required paper in the activity. We panicked and some of us go out just to buy short bond paper. There is also a classmate who bought two rims of short bond papers and since our class is technopreneurship, the bond papers were sold two pesos each. Though the worth of it is not too high, still the coins count. This only proves that whenever people are in time of needs, you can be a technopreneur and will earn money from it. So, after buying a short bond paper worth two pesos, we proceed to the activity. The class were divided into three groups based in the columns that also forming three. The first thing that was showed to us was the three images and it was assigned in the three groups. The first image pictured out a poor scenario of a child and a father. The second image is the two ladies which has unpleasant personality in terms of physical appearances. The third image is a scenario about the rally of workers. Each image has meanings and we have a task that we will have sharing of thoughts within the group. The group must provide solutions to ease the scenario illustrated in the images. In the activity, we have given time to jot down our insights in giving the solutions as well as the sharing of ideas in the group which is presented in front of the class. The part of the meeting that I like is the sharing of thoughts regarding with the three pictures. I like the sharing of the possible solutions that we can provide if we were the person in the shown images. I find it good also since the sharing of thoughts is not only just saying burst of thoughts but it must include a technopreneur kind of thinking. The first group was assigned into the first image which was about what a father can do if he doesn’t have any sources to live and to sustain the daily needs of his family. Though there are confusions within the first group, I find their thoughts as a nice one and it makes sense and worth to hear it. The first group’s representative said many things about what they can do in aiding the poor situation in the image. As what I remember, he stated that being part of the family were parents doesn’t have enough money to sustain your needs is very difficult especially if your parents is unemployed. He also shared a true story about his friend in some school. His story was really inspiring especially for us students that whatever we have, or whatever situation we are in, these must be not a hindrance to finish our studies and make our steps to attain our dream careers, our dream paths. So the story goes like this. His classmate was studying and after of the class or before the start of the class picking of recyclable things is what he do. This recyclable thing was sold to help himself as well as his parents through paying his fare in going to school. Whoever he is, he was really amazing that even though he has that kind of situation, he was one of the best students in the field of programming. He doesn’t have computer since he cannot afford it but he can do well and excel in the programming subjects. Back in the true subject, the group one’s representative present also an idea of helping themselves through taking scholarships or being a working student. In this way, they can help their father. Also, they presented the idea if he will be able to graduate, he will take first a job to earn money. As the time that he has enough money that will serve as a capital, he will make a studio. He cited that embracing the alternative thinking is the way to make life better and a way how technopreneur thinks. Creating a studio means that their citing the idea that people must not settled as an employee only but to strive to be an employer. This studio is not only for the idea of being an employer and just benefit in own self but also to help others. He said to the class that the studio will serve as the training ground of the working students. This is a kind of program were students work for them in exchange of their service and they will receive money and also could gain more experience than just staying in the four corners of a classroom. There answers were not really the exact point that meets the answers that our facilitator wants. But the ideas they presented was good for me. As what our facilitator said, their answers fit in the second image. As what I said, the second image tackles about the qualifications to be hired in a distinct job. Our facilitator asked us that what if we will be in the position of the two women in the image that doesn’t have the qualification needed by the employer. This image as I said has the two women. The upper part is a woman who doesn’t have pleasant face. The second girl is a fat person who does the peace sign.
The questions that we must answer individually are these: What if we don’t have the good physical appearance in the position we are applying? How can we get our life better if no one will accept us because of our deficiency? Since I’m part of the second group which was assigned in the second image, I also answer those and after the brainstorming we made, our representative present the idea of majority in the group. She said that being an ugly, fat or even a person who doesn’t have a good appearance is not a barrier to make life better and to have job. There are many jobs right now that can be done through online which doesn’t requires personal meet ups. In this way, you can still earn money and there’s no need to wear uniforms and travel everyday just to go to work. As there will be an enough money from the online job, that’s the time of building own business. It’s likely the same with the first group’s ideas. Maybe, at first, you may find that life is really unfair. Being rejected because you’re not their type or just simply you’re ugly is really depressing. You may just question yourself why you were born without those qualities. You may be down and will just lose hope for yourself. Instead of acting like it’s the end of the world, you must face it and just deal with it. You must not stop there and instead of weeping of being rejected, find ways to attain what you want. Life is always unfair and things can be changed if you will make a move. In connection to this, for me, the third image is also same idea about what I am referring. The third image was about the workers who do the rallies because of not enough salary or there are issues regarding with their right. This kind of scenario is very common. Once that the human rights was stepped down, the common solutions that were presented is to shout like a mad people to their bosses and making a scene in the roads or in the front of the building. There are some alternative ways than doing those things like what the third group suggested in that meeting. Their representative said that instead of participating in the rally and consumes your energy in shouting in the road, saving your energy and think what could be a possible thing that you can do in your situation is better. You must think what could be an alternative way to earn money if being an employee is not successful. As what our facilitator said, if you’re not happy with your job, then quit. It’s just simple as that rather than making some noise out there. If quitting is the options you decided to take, then building up a business could be a right option. With enough money as a capital, join with courage and knowledge for the business you want to create then you’re ready to put up your own. Another thing that the third group suggested is allowing many investors in the country to make the business livelier. After the sharing of ideas about the given situations, our facilitator reveals that these three images are connected to each other. The first and the third images will end up to the second image. This explains that whatever situation that a person could have, the alternative way to ease the situation is the option. It’s an option were a person could build his own business for his own good and also for the other people who have needs also. This also proves that being wise and possessing an alternative mindset is really helpful and could change things enormously.
Actually, there are many suggestions that came from the groups but I forgot the rest of it and what I remember is the one that marks in my brain. I mostly like all the part of the sharing. Everyone have its own perception of what we can do of being stuck in the situation presented to us by our facilitator. We provided the possible solutions that we can give to aid the problem and think like a technopreneur. I also like the part that our facilitator cited some example connected to the three images. He took the example of the beggars in the road. He said that giving them money won’t help them and just teaching them to be dependent. As you gave a one peso or any amount of money, they will keep on doing that again and again and that how their life goes. It’s the same thought of what Confucius said. I can’t said the same thing he said but the thought of it is that providing what they need without any effort won’t work and help them. Instead, you must teach them how to get what they want so that they can have a better life than providing the money they ask just for the purpose of surviving in a day. There are times that your assumptions are wrong and just let the situation worse. So, to help them in their living, you can still provide money for them through letting them to have work. In this way, they will learn that working hard to get something you need and you want is one of the best feeling in the world. It could also a great experience for them that can really help them to sustain their needs for lifetime. In sharing moments in this subject, I also earn not only the knowledge regarding with the world of technopreneurship but also the reality of life. I just learned that helping other people is good but firstly must consider things before lending your hand to them and weigh things if it really helps them. Though you have the good intention to help them, it’s not enough and the basis that you will just slip it out without thinking what could be the right thing to do.
Asking me what could be the least like or what I hate in the sharing happened in the third meeting is a difficult question to answer. I really like the thoughts I perceived from our facilitator as well from my classmates. Learnings are the best thing that a person could have and I took the sharing as a positive part which I find it really helpful. It’s a helpful one for me because of the reasons that I can reflect it to myself and also I can gain awareness of what are the happenings in my surroundings that I didn’t notice. But then, there are some point in the third meeting’s sharing that I least like not for the reason that it doesn’t make sense or I didn’t get the idea of it but the truth behind the images. The three images doesn’t only serve as our activity to produce ideas as a technopreneur but it also illustrate the current situation of most Filipinos in the country. I don’t like the reality that those pictures shown to us really happen and until now, it continuously happening. Until now, many of the Filipinos are those people whose mindsets are same with the images. Like in the third image which is about the workers. Until now, there are still group of people who fight their rights through doing the rally. Fighting what is your right as an employee is not wrong but did shouting and walking all along in the road satisfy you and answers your problem? I’m not saying that the way of other people like doing the rally stuff is wrong but people nowadays must think logically. Rally can cause many troubles and sometimes, it can cause one life or even many lives just to push what the people asking to their employer. There are any instances that many people end up to injuries because of making a scene in front of their company. Therefore, we cannot assure the welfare of the people who will participate the rally because we don’t know what will happen as the moment that people will try to shout their concerns. As what I said, it can cause many problems and another effect of it is that it can cause problems in road like having the heavy traffic in the road. It can also disturb other people because of the noise cause by the rally. This is the reality and people must do what the third group suggested. If only people will embrace the alternative mindset, it’s a great possibility to lessen these problems cause by rally. I also don’t like that real thing about the employment. Many of the employees rally because they find their jobs that there is something wrong with it. It’s a natural thing that this occurs but it’s still disturbing in the sense that this means something about in our country’s economy though I can’t point out it clearly.
If there are things that I liked in the sharing in the second images, there are also some part of it that I least like. As I said, I didn’t say that I don’t like how it was presented or the idea itself but the point that it could be possibly happen if there are some crazy employers who will just accept only the people that passed the qualification of beauty even the work is so different of its basis. As our facilitator said the situation in the second image, I just laugh about it, thinking that it’s a funny situation. Though I find it like a joke, somehow I manage to digest the given situation in my mind. While trying to answer the question of what we can do if we were the two women in the image, questions pops out in y head. What if the qualification to be hire in a particular job is the beauty of faces and the perfect curves of the body? What if being a programmer, a web designer or a system analyst must have a gorgeous body like the sexiest FHM models like Angel Locsin and Marian Rivera? What if IT companies will hire an applicant whose smile can leap the hearts of all the women in town and can drools every creature in the world as he show his perfect abs? It sounds crazy for me but I don’t want to stop the possibilities that it could happen someday. If it will happen and the mind of these employers will be invade by criticisms of physical appearance, I will find it so humiliating, disgusting, degrading, and whatsoever words that can describe of the feeling of being disappointed with this kind of standard. We cannot change our faces nor can decide what will our face and body looks like. In the process of giving birth of a child, even the parents who made the baby can’t decide that she or he could have a bright eyes like Zac Efron, pouty lips like what Angelina Jolie have, and perfect body like Brad Pitt’s. It’s not right to make it as a standard. Having the height requirement is enough and I think it’s a nonsense thing if it will be the one of the basis for hiring an applicant. If it will be the standard of being hire to a distinct job, consuming time like 150000 years is useless since face and the body is the important factor to be not rejected. There are many people who have great skills but don’t have the faces and bodies like what the great celebrities in the Hollywood have. There are many people who can make amazing things but because of this kind of standard, their skills will be turn into a trash and I’m expecting that the economy of the country which had this kind of standard won’t reach the zenith of success. If it possible that it will be implemented in the future, people in that generation must go back in the past and reflect the importance of being an open-minded which is very important to be a great technopreneurs and entrepreneurs. For the technopreneurs, face and bodies is not important as long as they can contribute to the betterment of the business as well as to the economy. Well, I’m positive though that it will not happen especially in our current situation regarding of the status of our economy.
Although the idea of my classmates about the first image, I find the image itself that it’s really the true to life situation and this situation is very alarming. It’s not new for me to see beggars in street. It’s not new for me to see a family in the road, walking under the heat of the sun, finding food together carrying their children. But, every time I see these kinds of people, I’m wondering what will happened to them in the next day. What will be the future of their children if even they can’t have a permanent and a comfortable place to stay in? If they can’t even eat three times a day? It’s impossible for them to send their children in school and therefore, the possibilities of having a better life in the future is less. As soon as these children will grow up, they will just become like what they’re parents do and what they’re parents are. As what I heard from our teacher and what I read from the book of Rizal, youth is the hope of the country. We, young people are one who is in charge in our country’s future. Principally, we are the one will replace the great people in the community and will continue the good legacy that was started. But how will be the future will be in the good side if the numbers of the children who can’t afford to go to school are continuously increasing? I just realize how this situation massively affects the state of a country. It can affect the economy of the country for the reason that there will be few children that can lead and can help the country in the future. It’s like in the situation that, as the old technoprenuers will end on their terms, no one will continue what was started and will just vanished. Many problems will also arise not only within the family but also in the community. I may sound like I’m too in the topic of technopreneurship far but it’s one of the possibilities and the reality. I also hate the fact that these people who don’t have enough money to sustain their daily needs are those people who didn’t control their family. If they can’t afford to feed the twelve stomachs in three times a day, then why they produce so many children? I’m aware that there are some verse in the bible quoted that go to the earth and multiply, but is it right to make dozens of children when they can’t make their roles in the family as a good parents. They must remember that being a parent is not an easy job. As what my parents said to me, to be in their shoes is very difficult especially when providing the needs of the family. Love is really important and that’s true but money matters also. You cannot buy all the things in the world, but money can feed the stomach of your children, can provide comfortable place to stay in, and can send your children in a good school. Based in the image in the activity, a father doesn’t have a job and don’t have other source of income. Ideally, a father should be the one that will provide the needs of his family. If this is the case, then how they he can provide and secure a good future to his family? Well, thanks to the alternative mindset and somehow this can be solved. I guess, there are many situations like this not only here in the Philippines but also in the other country. Regarding with this matter, I think that there are many ways to solve a problem. If a father has this kind of situation, he can do many things which can at least provide the important needs of his family. He must stand up and face it with determination and courage to do something with his situation.
In relation to technopreneurship, our facilitator discuss about the importance of technopreneuship in many aspects which I like it too. I learn more what can tecnhopreneurship do and as an IT student, I understand how this subject is really important. So back in the discussion, the three situations above that I stated has something to do with technopreneurship. The three images were connected and the answer of each situation of the three images is pointing out the use of technopreneurship. In technopreneurship, I become aware that there’s an alternative mindset to lead an individual to become a successful person in his chosen field. Alternative mindset is a kind of mindset which has the purpose to strive hard not aiming to be an employee only but to be an employer that creates and owns a company. I find it really useful in the three situations that were shown to us since it talks about the possible situation in the absence of career and problems with employment. As I said, one of the importances of technopreneurship is for the employment creation which the application of alternative mindset is included. Technopreneurship is a big help when it comes to employment creation. It can be prove when you notice the prosperous cities in the Philippines and also in the other countries like Japan and South Korea. Our generation today is currently in the time of modernization. Huge companies are no longer belonging to the business ventures that use simple tools in daily activities. They are now more dependent in the product of today’s technology which has a better effect in the routine of working. Since the world today embraces the touch of technology, it could help in the field of employment creation as modern companies will be put up in the cities. In relation to this, technopreneurship is also a helpful one in terms of local resources and the decentralization and diversification of businesses. Aside from employment creation and what I mentioned earlier, technopreneurship also promotes the use of technology in the business world. As the huge companies are more dependent in the touch of technology, many great people who have intelligent minds will do more technology products which will help more the city or the country. As this will happen, that’s the attack of promoting the culture of entrepreneurship and capital formation in the country. As there will be more business ventures in a particular place, it makes the life of the people more improved since there are many opportunities to grab on. Technopreneurship is the answer of today’s problem for the reason that it could help in many ways which has the main goal and that is to help the people and the economy of a country.
Our facilitator also include the course model SEED in the discussion which I find it good to hear since I knew what’s with this SEED. SEED stands for Self Mastery, Environment Mastery, Enterprise Mastery and the Development of Business Plan. As I remember, our facilitator gave us hints about this course model in the first and second meeting though it was not really elaborated. SEED was explain more to us in the third meeting but I remember the most is how I laugh so hard as our facilitator cracks a funny thing connected to his discussion. Well, there are times that it takes me time to digest what’s the joke of it but still I like the point that the class is not always in a serious mode. So what is S in SEED? Self Mastery is about knowing yourself associated with passion. Being a self mastered is a person who knows himself very well in the sense that he knows what he wants. From the word self mastery, it’s not about how you are intelligent but it’s about the inner skills you have as a technopreneur. If a person is a self mastered already, there’s a big possibilities that he will pass through the challenges successfully especially in times of problems in his business. Technopreneurs must possess the self mastery to be able to cope up easily in times of problems and can achieve the dream success since being a person possessing the self mastery is a person who is competitive, risk takers like like Steve Jobs, and positive to its outcomes. Environment Mastery is about the forming of ideas and looking for opportunities through observing the environment that you have. It can be done through serendipity walks like you’re just taking your moment then accidentally, you just came up a nice idea. It can be done also through observing the trends in the country and think what could be a possible solution to address it. As what our facilitator said, being an environment mastered is a person who seeks opportunities instead of a problem. He gives an example of it like in a rally. Since the place where rally is held is a crowed place, you can sell ice waters and foods in there. As there many people, you can earn money and it depends in how you seek opportunity in this kind of situation. Next is the Enterprise Mastery which tackles about the knowledge on how to start a business and how to deal with it. Our facilitator also includes the integration of the process in management which I remember somehow since I already knew about this because of our subject Project Management. This includes the Planning, Organizing, Directing and Controlling. The last one is the Development of Business Plan which I honestly can’t remember the whole part of it in the discussion. What I just remember is that, it’s all about the development of a business plan through making a business plan then presenting it.
As I said, I don’t really hate or dislike the sharing happens in the four corners in our room. All the ideas and thoughts that I heard from our facilitator and from my classmates are things that must be treasured. Because of the sharing happened in the third meeting, I just found out that each of us has an idea about being a technopreneur and what technopreneurship is all about. I’m also blessed to learn something new and very important in that day not only about technopreneurship but also the lesson about life. I’m also amaze that every meeting, surprises of our facilitator never fails me. Though it can risk our money with his surprises, at least we learn the real essence of being a technopreneur who seeks opportunities in any situations. I’m also looking forward that every meeting in this subject is a real fun and challenging especially with the new policy of being a late comer since it will make our stomach full. Weighing if what is heavier than the most like and least like? Well, I guess most like is heavier.
