Former eBay CTO and top tech leaders gathered for DEVCON PRO Summit 2023

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DEVCON PRO Summit 2023 was the professional developer event of the year, bringing together a former eBay CTO and an impressive roster of tech leaders in the Philippines.

In celebration of innovation, impact, and technology, DEVCON PRO Summit 2023 brought together some of the brightest minds in the tech industry, including former eBay Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Tom Fisher. This summit is renowned as a premier event for professional developers seeking to harness the power of technology for positive impact.

DEVCON PRO Summit delivered an immersive experience for attendees, providing the opportunity to hear from thought leaders and changemakers utilizing technology to address real-world challenges. The event showcased cutting-edge topics designed to tackle social issues, offering professionals a chance to stay at the forefront of industry advancements. Some of the topics discussed include The Latest in Cybersecurity: How to Stay Ahead of the Curve, The Future of Work: How Will AI Change the Jobs of Developers?, The Making of a Tech Leader : The Skills and Experience you need to Thrive, How to Build Ethical AI: A Guide for Developers, and How to Make a Positive Impact on the World Through Technology

 

This year's theme, "Technology for Impact," reflected DEVCON's commitment to promoting the use of technology for positive societal change. The summit featured distinguished speakers, including the esteemed Tom Fisher, who has a rich international track record in developing and delivering high-tech solutions.

 

Tom Fisher, who has held leadership roles at eBay, Qualcomm, and SuccessFactors (now SAP), praised the DEVCON PRO Summit, calling it “a unique gathering that brings together professionals committed to leveraging technology for meaningful impact.” He added, "It's an honor to be part of an event that fosters innovation and collaboration in the tech community."

Winston Damarillo, Silicon Valley veteran, and the Founder and President of DEVCON Philippines, shared insights into the summit's focus: "As technology continues to evolve, it's crucial for professionals to come together, share knowledge, and explore ways to use their skills for the greater good. DEVCON PRO Summit is not just a conference; it's a platform for collaboration and inspiration."

This summit delved into a range of topics, including using emerging technologies. to solve social problems, the future of development in the age of artificial intelligence (AI), building inclusive and equitable technology ecosystems, and the ethical implications of AI. The goal was to provide a specialized program experience that catered to the unique interests and needs of professional developers.

DEVCON PRO Summit is co-presented by Accenture.


About DEVCON Philippines

DEVCON Philippines is a non-profit organization that has been empowering geeks for good for over 14 years. DEVCON is the Philippines' largest community and tech non-profit organization of technology experts, developers, and IT enthusiasts. Visit devcon.ph to learn more.

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Panelists profile


Tom Fisher

Former Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at eBay, led technology teams at Qualcomm as CIO of CDMA technologies, and served as CIO and Vice President of Cloud Computing at SucessFactors (now SAP)

Tom Fisher is a senior executive with an accomplished international track record in developing, implementing, and delivering high-tech solutions. He has held leadership positions at eBay, Qualcomm, and SuccessFactors (now SAP). Tom is a proven business developer with a creative, industry-leading vision.



Winston Damarillo

Founder and President of DEVCON Philippines

Silicon Valley veteran with three successful startup exits, a former venture capitalist at Intel Capital, and a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum (WEF)

Proven serial entrepreneur with a track record of building and selling successful technology startups to major IT players, including Gluecode Software, Logicblaze, and Webtide. He is also a visionary tech leader and a passionate advocate for innovation and growth in the Philippine tech community. Additionally, he has been recognized for his achievements by the World Economic Forum and De La Salle University.



Arvin Yason

Managing Director, Accenture

Global IT Delivery Senior Executive

Arvin Yason, a seasoned IT leader with over two decades of experience, currently serves as the Managing Director at Accenture. He specializes in driving innovation in various technology domains, including Analytics, IoT, Artificial Intelligence, and Human-Centric Design. Arvin's expertise spans a wide range of areas, from communications and billing to customer care and automation, making him a valuable asset in the IT industry.



Dr. Julie Banatao

Part of DIWATA-2 Dev Team

Science Research Specialist, Phil Space Agency

PhD in Aerospace Engineering

Dr. Julie Banatao, a member of the DIWATA-2 Dev Team and a Science Research Specialist at the Philippine Space Agency, serves as the Systems Engineer and technical lead for the MULA satellite project. With a PhD in Aerospace Engineering from Tohoku University, Japan, and a background in Electronics and Communications Engineering from the University of the Philippines Diliman, she ensures the successful operation of MULA in orbit by coordinating satellite subsystems and meeting system standards.



Doc Ligot

CTO at Cirrolytix, a social impact AI company AI Ethics Advocate

Founder, Data Ethics PH

Doc Ligot is the CTO at Cirrolytix, a social impact AI company, and an AI Ethics Advocate. He is the Founder of Data Ethics PH and is on a mission to make AI understandable and responsible for all. With a diverse background as a data analyst, researcher, software developer, and technologist, Doc champions data literacy, AI safety, data ethics, and social impact. His work spans human rights, public health, food security, political risk, and combating disinformation through computational social science, AI, and data engineering. He's received numerous awards for his contributions, including the Geospatial Innovation Award in 2023 and recognition from UNICEF Innovation Fund.

FDCP, Tatino Films open call for Southeast Asian projects for Full Circle Lab PH

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To provide opportunities for filmmakers to elevate their film projects to their highest potential and reach international standards, the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) and Tatino Films open call for applications for Full Circle Lab Philippines’ (FCL PH) 6th edition to be held in March 2024.

Full Circle Lab Philippines is a capacity-building program aimed at supporting Filipino and Southeast Asian filmmakers. Through conducting various film labs ranging from the stages of pre-production to post-production, the program enhances selected projects and participants to encompass the diverse voices and cultures within Southeast Asia.

Full Circle Lab Philippines is open to filmmakers from the Philippines and Southeast Asian countries: Brunei, Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore,Thailand, and Vietnam.

The program’s four film labs are as follows:

● Fiction Lab - eight (8) projects in development (feature films, series, animation)

● Creative Producers Lab - eight (8) producers with or without project/s in development

● Story Editing Lab - three (3) script editors

● First Cut Lab - three (3) projects in post-production (feature films and documentaries)

Fiction Lab

The Fiction Lab is the central lab of the program that focuses on the development of original and world-class film projects. It welcomes eight (8) projects at various stages of development with formats ranging from feature films, series, and animation.

This lab is composed of a script consultant and a production consultant for each group of four projects. The director/writer and producer of each project must attend all Fiction Lab sessions.

Creative Producers Lab

Recognizing the essential role of a creative producer in enhancing the production value of films, the Creative Producers Lab welcomes eight (8) producers who will receive mentorship on the key areas of production: project development, legal and financial issues, and company development.

Producers with or without affiliation to production companies are eligible to apply.

Story Editing Lab

The Story Editing Lab aims to train film professionals who are capable of accompanying authors and directors in the creative process of scriptwriting. This lab is open to aspiring script consultants, scriptwriters, heads of development in production companies, or commissioning editors of broadcasters.

Three (3) selected participants shall work hand-in-hand with the Fiction Lab, with one Story Editing Lab participant per Fiction Lab group. They will also receive training from mentors specializing in script development and production.

First Cut Lab

The First Cut Lab is a comprehensive training and consultancy program supporting feature films and documentaries at the editing stage. It aims to help creative teams in achieving their artistic vision and potential for international circulation.

Three (3) projects will receive expert advice from editor consultants and industry advisors chosen according to the specific needs of each project. The director and editor of each selected project must also attend the whole duration of the First Cut Lab.

After the workshop, First Cut Lab participants will receive a memo report that can serve as guidance for further editing. Moreover, an online follow-up session will take place around 6 weeks after the workshop where participants will receive feedback on their film cuts.

Fiction Lab, Creative Producers Lab, and Story Editing Lab applications are open until November 24, 2023. Meanwhile, First Cut Lab has two deadlines: documentary requirements must be submitted on or before December 8, 2023, while film cuts must be submitted by February 1, 2024.

Selected projects and participants will be announced by February 2024 while the lineup of industry experts who will serve as mentors will be released soon.

To check the complete guidelines and list of requirements, visit FCL PH’s Facebook page.

Launched in 2019, the Full Circle Lab Philippines was designed by Tatino Films’ CEO Matthieu Darras in collaboration with the FDCP. To date, almost 200 film professionals and more than 80 film projects have undergone FCL PH under the mentorship of esteemed international advisors and industry experts from Southeast Asia, Europe, South Africa, and Latin America among others.

Stay tuned to FCL PH’s and FDCP’s social media pages for more news and updates.

5 Strategies For Teaching Social-Emotional Lessons

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Teaching comprehensive social-emotional classes within the study room is critical for college students' fulfillment in faculty and life. By deliberately helping students broaden self-recognition, self-management, social attention, dating abilities, and responsible decision-making, you equip them with crucial abilities needed to navigate lifestyle challenges and thrive.

However, efficaciously teaching social-emotional getting to know calls for willpower, time, proactive plans, and constant implementation of the right techniques. In this very significant article, we are able to deeply explore 5 validated, rather powerful techniques for coaching multilayered social-emotional training.

By reflecting on those strategies and making use of them diligently in your classroom, you may cultivate assured, concerned, and responsible college students ready to flourish academically, individually, and as international citizens.




1. Implement Engaging Social-Emotional Learning Activities

A diverse array of social and emotional learning worksheets, lesson plans, and activity books are available both online and offline to reinforce the competencies students need.

Highly interactive, well-designed exercises teach students to accurately identify and label emotions in themselves and others with nuance. In addition, it teaches us to take others' perspectives, positively resolve conflicts, set goals and prioritize effectively, manage stress through positive self-care strategies, show kindness, and make wise, ethical decisions.

Escape rooms, strategically created board games, expressive arts and crafts projects, theater exercises, and in-depth role-playing activities make learning engaging, enjoyable, and memorable. Choose activities thoughtfully aligned to your specific curriculum goals and the particular social-emotional needs of your students.

Tailor activities to connect with their interests, cultures, and preferred learning modalities when possible. Spending 15-20 minutes daily on focused, reflective social-emotional learning activities can profoundly enrich their competencies, especially when you model enthusiasm and participation.



2. Model Desired Skills And Attitudes Daily

Actions, as they say, speak louder than words. One of the most powerful ways you can teach social-emotional lessons is by consciously modeling the attitudes, behaviors, and skills you want students to develop every day. For instance, if you want students to be respectful, make sure you speak respectfully to them and others at all times.

Use a calm, empathetic tone, actively listen without interrupting, validate and build upon their perspectives, and foster inclusive discussions. If you want them to be organized, keep an orderly, neat, and efficient classroom space and be prepared and punctual for each lesson. Have well-designed lesson plan materials ready in advance and transition smoothly between activities.

When you inevitably fall short in an area, as all humans do, humbly acknowledge it, sincerely apologize if needed, reflect on how to improve and refocus on being your best self. Your actions don't have to be perfect as an educator, but they should align with the values and competencies you're teaching as much as possible.

Students are constantly observing and learning from your example.




3. Facilitate Insightful Class Discussions


Class discussions often targeted on social-emotional topics provide priceless possibilities to make connections, share various perspectives, and increase self-attention. You can spark deep, positive speech by discussing impactful modern-day occasions associated with social troubles or feelings. Moreover, carefully curated motion pictures showcasing compassion or perseverance, multifaceted hypothetical scenarios relevant to students' lives, and considerate reflective prompts inspire vulnerability and increase mindsets.

Please inspire college students to think critically and articulate their minds, reactions, emotions, reports, and beliefs with nuance and care. Consider their developmental stages and any sensitivities. Ensure all college students feel secure to participate overtly by means of maintaining confidentiality and upholding clear hints for respectful, nonjudgmental interactions.

If touchy issues arise, deal with them with compassion, awareness, and open-mindedness. Guide college students to see change viewpoints through differing lenses whilst honoring their emotions. When students connect meaningfully, feel authentically heard, benefit from new views, and analyze each differently, it builds community, empathy, resilience, and emotional intelligence.




4. Make Reflection a Consistent Priority

Regular mirrored image fosters deeper self-know-how, facilitates college students to fully technique emotions, and cement social-emotional getting to know. That's why it has to be constructed into instructions always. Provide adequate centered time for individual reflection via reflective journaling prompts, self-evaluation rubrics, nuanced feeling charts, and "headline information" summaries of insights won.

Also, incorporate substantial pair stocks, small organization discussions, and complete magnificence reflections unpacking bigger takeaways. Guide students to mirror without a doubt new ideas, express and evaluate complex feelings, and pinpoint specific cognitive and behavioral boom points or regions desiring development.

Be certain to thoughtfully version reflective practices yourself by sharing your social-emotional takeaways when appropriate. Keep reflections constructive, boundary-conscious, and answers-focused. When made ongoing precedence, meaningful established reflection facilitates college students to combine social-emotional standards into their self-identity and makes gaining knowledge endure.





5. Give Encouraging, Specific Positive Feedback

Sincere, descriptive encouragement and praise are effective intrinsic motivators that assist scholar conduct, self-idea, and identity. Make it a regular practice to give superb feedback whilst you study social-emotional abilities. Notice times when a pupil confirmed exemplary willpower, wholesome courting capabilities, kindness to others, advantageous initiative, true judgment, or any value you've got focused on.

Comment specifically on the precise conduct, character trait, or competency they displayed and the tremendous impact you discovered. These remarks show the scholar you are paying close interest to and support the attitudes and capabilities you're cultivating.

Your phrases can assist a scholar to see themselves in a new light and spur their persevered boom and leadership in that region. The extra distinctive and applicable your praise, the extra the motivational influence.




Conclusion


Teaching multifaceted social-emotional instructions requires determination, aim, proactive plans, and constant implementation of evidence-based strategies. Consciously model favored attitudes and behaviors daily. Facilitate normal insightful discussions, make social-emotional getting to know particularly enticing and personalized, provide frequent reflective opportunities, and supply encouraging precise comments. These engagements will profoundly increase socially aware, assured, concerned, and accountable college students equipped to thrive.

They will advantage of important abilities to correctly navigate life's private, instructional, expert, and civic-demanding situations. With your considerate steering and dedication to social-emotional boom, your students can flourish academically and in my opinion, create a high-quality exchange.