Sunday, August 24, 2008 IT students attend regional conference
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Students from 27 schools and universities in different parts of Central Luzon trooped to this capital city over the weekend to attend the largest regional conference on Information Technology (IT).
The Philippine Society of IT Educators (Psite) held the Student Conference on Information Technology Education (Scite) at the Hilaga Philippines (formerly Paskuhan Village) here where IT students participated in a two-day workshop and seminar on the current trends of the IT sector.
Neil Datu, president of the Psite in Central Luzon, said the Scite aims to gather all IT students in an event that fosters leadership, ingenuity and responsibility towards IT. Participating schools and universities in the event include the Asian College of Science and Technology (Acsat)-Baliuag, AMA Computer College (Cabanatuan and Olongapo), Angeles University Foundation (AUF), Baliuag University, Bataan Heroes Memorial College, STI Angeles, Systems Plus College Foundation, and Holy Angel University (HAU).
The event also featured the IT Skills Competition 2008. Students from the different school matched wits in the movie-making contest and the Java programming Quiz Bee.
The Psite has been the regular host of the Scite.
According to Datu, Psite was established to pursue the promotion of quality information technology education. Specifically, it aims to serve as a venue for the optimation and development of faculty members, curricula, projects and linkages in IT education.
The group started with the modest membership of 14 individuals and five institutions. The AUF and HAU in Angeles City provided initial leadership and support for the group.
The Psite said that with the declining demand for IT education, an organization like the Psite can help in promoting IT education. Providing means to train IT faculty to become better educators and be at par with the developments of the industry is also another mandate of the group.
Commissioner Monchito Ibrahim of the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT) said the Scite event organized by the group is a welcome development in IT for the regional level.
"This is a testament that IT can become the next frontier for developing provinces in region three. Events like this can prepare our students for that," Ibrahim said. (IOF)
