Artists unite to build a school promoting
responsible digital tool usage
As Artificial Intelligence (AI) flourishes and becomes a term you would often hear these days, a school in Smokey Mountain, Tondo, Manila advocates its responsible use among students.
To advance and revitalize the education of the out-of-school youth under the Alternative Learning System (ALS) program, the Sandiwaan Center for Learning sought the support of the Depart of Education (DepEd) to digitize the ALS modules. Now its curriculum incorporates digital tools such as VR, Microsoft Badges, chatGPT, and AI.
Father Benigno Beltran, SVD, the school’s visionary, believes that a digital-based education will equip students with the much-needed skills that match the job requirements of today and the future.
“Using the tools of AI, robotics, blockchain technology, the internet, and all the tools of the 4th industrial revolution, [we] seek to enhance thinking skills,” says Fr. Beltran. “[We want] the kids to use what they learned through our programs in the community and solve global problems.”
“It’s an integrated [way] to educate the kids so that we can light a fire and they will become better human beings who will build a better world,” he adds.
However, there is much work to be done. To help complete the construction of the Sandiwaan digital school, more than 20 artists have pooled their artworks in a benefit art pop-up shop.
Dubbed Pentecostes 2023: Renewing the Face of the Earth through Art, the art sale and exhibit features the works of Collab Artists headed by physician-artist Dr. Orestes Monzon, the Tanay Group of Artists with Koi Fish art specialist Jo Florendo at the helm, and the Guhit-Larawan Group which includes homegrown talent in the artist priest Fr. Lito Salvador, SVD. Among others, the exhibit comprises donated paintings including Haring Aguila by Maxi V. Ramos and two Ballerina paintings by renowned artist Ronna Manansala, granddaughter of National Artist Vicente Manansala, which are also up for sale.
The week-long art pop-up shop will be held at the Finemman Spirituality Center inside the Christ the King Seminary compound on E. Rodriguez St., Quezon City, from Pentecost Sunday, May 28 until June 4, from 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM daily.
Opening of the exhibit to the public is on May 27, 2023, at 5:00 PM.
Apart from the exhibit, art workshops will be conducted by select artists for the ALS students – to appreciate a traditional painting by hand and use it as inspiration for digital art creation. For more information and updates, visit the Sandiwaan Center for Learning Facebook page.
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