Friday, September 18, 2009

20 Topics to Start Your PhilNITS Review On

A recent visitor (BK) to my blog wanted to know if I had a list of recommended topics to focus on in reviewing for the PhilNITS exam. So I came up with one.

Actually those who have attended my reviews were provided a list of Frequently Appearing Topics/Questions, plus subsequent discussions on them. But since that might be difficult to share here, let me give you a list of the 20 most important topics. As the actual scope of questions of PhilNITS is very wide, I hope this short list will be more manageable and can help get your review going:
  1. Radix Conversion
  2. Data Structures (Lists, Queues, Trees)
  3. Basic Search, and Sort Algorithms
  4. Flow-charts and Pseudo-codes
  5. Memory Architecture, and Performance Calculations
  6. Processor Performance Calculations
  7. Auxiliary Storage Capacity and Performance Calculations
  8. State Transitions
  9. Data Flow Diagrams
  10. Basic SQL Commands
  11. System Availability (MTBF, MTTR)
  12. Software Development Methodologies
  13. Testing Methodologies, and Phases
  14. OSI Basic Reference Model
  15. TCP/IP Addressing, and Common Protocols
  16. Database Normalization
  17. Public Key Cryptography
  18. Basic Accounting (Break-Even, Profit, Loss, Inventory)
  19. Seven QC Tools
  20. Arrow Diagrams, and Critical Path determination

As for Tips and Techniques on how to prepare for the exam, and how to improve your chances of passing, these past entries may be useful :

http://abrightfit.blogspot.com/2009/04/pointers-on-how-to-pass-philnits-fe.html

http://abrightfit.blogspot.com/2008/07/pointers-on-how-to-pass-philnits-fe.html


The best of luck to you.

Friday, May 8, 2009

Lessons Learned from PhilNITS

Today is May 8, 2009. I just finished eating an early lunch when I visited the PhilNITS website (www.philnits.org). I was surprised to see the results of the April 26 (2009) exam already posted, as I expected it to come out after a week more or so.

I immediately looked for passers from Davao (starting with FE005-...), and was surprised to find only 5 in the list of FE passers. I have set my mind not to expect too much (as I did last time), lest I might be dissapointed. But to be honest, I was hoping more from Davao would pass. Maybe because some took the "Removal" exam only. Maybe because some of the examinees already took the October 2008 exam and some of them even got very good scores. Maybe because our current batch of examinees really showed very good promise during our review program. Maybe because some of the examinees were quite confident about their performance when I asked them immediately after the exam.

Today, I was just reminded how difficult it is to pass the PhilNITS exam, and how unexpected the outcome can be. I have learned these so many times before while helping to prepare examinees to pass it. I have not really forgotten those lessons, I just thought that with all the lessons I already learned, and with all the new techniques I introduced to prepare for the exam, that "this time" would be "the time."

But alas, it was not to be.

Today I feel down... I feel I let so many people down.

But I will not give up. PhilNITS is definitely hard to pass, but it is not impossible. And I will continue to find ways to help people do well in the exam...

Sunday, April 26, 2009

PhilNITS Exam (Davao City) -- April 26, 2009

Today is another exciting day for Davao IT!

Today, April 26, 2009, a total of 76 IT students, professionals, teachers and enthusiasts are challenging the PhilNITS certification exams. Majority are taking the exams for the first time (most of them college students in their 3rd year of education), while some have experienced taking it before and are determined to continue the challenge. Almost all examinees are challenging the FE (Fundamental IT Engineer) exam, but there was one who challenged the SW (SW Design and Developent Engineer).

To facilitate the exam, and to provide morale support, Shinichiro Kato (PhilNITS' Vice President for Finance) and PhilNITS Davao staff members Joy Alferez and Renan Cruz were there. Arriel Nengasca also lent a hand in behalf of DTI-XI. I too visited the UIC (Bonifacio) Campus to give support to the PhilNITS people and to the examinees, especially to those who attended my reviews and orientation seminars.


My hopes are high that our examinees will do well in the exam. But with an average passing rate of only about 10% nationwide, I am realistic in my expectations. Still, knowing personally the capability of most of the examinees, I am confident that they have done well. I am just hoping their scores are good enough to reach the passing mark. Last year our review program helped to produce the first student passer from Ateneo de Davao University (Jedd Benedict Kris Mahilum), and also from University of Southeastern Philippines (Rendell Andrin). Three of our review participants from UP-Mindanao also passed (Larvi Jerrick Badoy, Raymond Bryan Brion, Ian Jay Plaza). A good number also got good scores, but ufortunately were a little short of the passing mark.

The PhilNITS review courses were made possible through the generous sponsorship of Data Horizon (a Japanese SW Development company). PhilNITS Foundation also found additional sponsors, allowing more DavaoeƱos to take the examination in spite of their tough financial standing. This was all made possible through the tireless efforts of PhilNITS president, Ma. Corazon Akol, and its vice president, Shinichiro Kato.

It would be about a month or so before the results of the exams will be known. For the time being, we can relax knowing we prepared well for the exam. Pass or not, we have already benefited a lot (in terms of IT knowledge and skill improvement) from preparing for the exam.

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Pointers on How to Pass PhilNITS (FE) - Part II

(this is a sequel to an earlier post : http://abrightfit.blogspot.com/2008/07/pointers-on-how-to-pass-philnits-fe.html)

My previous pointers on passing the PhilNITS-FE exam focuses on the "preparation" stage, this entry focuses on tips for the "actual exam day."

Reminder : General Description of the Exam (both AM and PM exams)




Tips for the AM Exam


  • Try to simplify first before computing/solving (especially true for large numbers, decimal points or complicated equations)
  • Do not leave any item blank. Actual scoring might have weighted score per choice.
  • Do not spend too much time on “conceptual” or definition-type questions if you do not have any idea about it. Better to guess then proceed with next item.
  • Units” are very important during computations
  • Choose the best answer when you feel there seems to be more than one correct answer
  • Usually you can readily eliminate one or two of the answer choices
  • Sometimes you can quickly (but intelligently) guess the correct answers (you may review your answer using the conventional way if there is still time later)
  • Review your answers if there is still time remaining. There are no additional points for submitting your papers early
  • Suggested time allocation : 1.5 mins per question
Tips for the PM Exam
  • Decide your language of preference (C, Java) prior to the exam (but quickly scan also the other option, just in case it offers a much simpler problem to solve)
  • Tracing the program may be the best way to find the correct answer (so practice your tracing/debugging skills so you can do it very quickly)
  • All questions are designed that they can be answered, and “hints” and “clues” can be found within the program/question
  • The fewer the sub-questions, the more weight (in points) they carry
  • Exam questions are designed with the intent that any examinee with general knowledge can answer them
  • Do not get intimidated by technically sounding terms that you are not familiar with, as usually a brief explanation about them is mentioned, or, they are not critical to the actual program
  • Do not get overwhelmed by long questions, flowcharts, or codes (if you do, you will fail to properly understand the program flow)
  • The longer the question, the more “clues” are mentioned in the question itself
  • Sometimes the answers are already inside the question text, and can be found without reading the code or flowchart
  • Program modules are often highly independent from each other (as part of a good coding practice), so you can break them down and analyse by modules (instead of analyzing the program flow as a whole)
  • It might be a good idea to have a “quick glance” at the answer choices to better understand each question
  • It is most likely that you will have to go back and refer to the original questions when answering the sub-questions
  • Manage your reading time well (see suggestions for time allocation)
  • Suggested time allocation : 15 mins each (for the "Easy" questions #1, 2, 3, 6, 7), 30 mins each (for the "Difficult" questions #4, 5, 8, 9)

Properly Filling Up Your Answer Sheets
  • If you filled up your examinee number incorrectly, you get NO SCORE for the entire exam set!
  • If you improperly marked your answers, you get NO POINTS for that particular question
  • All questions for the morning exam is compulsory. Do not leave any item blank
  • If you failed to mark the “Selection Column” (between C and Java questions) properly, you will get NO POINTS for those particular questions
  • If you change your answer, completely and neatly erase your previous answer (exams will be checked by scanning machines)

As a last piece of advice, it might be wise to bring little snacks (more of the "brain food" type) and bottled water which you may eat during the long exam. Better bring also packed lunch as it might be hard to find fastfood centers during the exam day (usually falls on a Sunday).

Best Computer Science SP (Special Problem) 2009 (UP-Mindanao)

I have always had a high regard for University of the Philippines' (UP) students and UP graduates, as I believe they have one of the best curriculum, professors and students amongst the universities here in the Philippines.

Here in Davao, there are a few admirable universities producing top quality IT engineers (CS, IT, IM, CoE, ECE, etc.) every year. But the fact that majority of those who are passing the PhilNITS certification exam are coming from UP-Mindanao (UP-Min) reinforces my respect for UP, particularly for their Computer Science course. But learning that only a handful of their CS students graduate on time (it takes 4 school years to complete the regular CS course) made me a bit curious why. Apparently, one of the main factors for not graduating on time is their Special Problem (SP) subject, wherein each of students are tasked to focus on a particular problem, and provide solutions (or probable solutions) by applying what they learned from their entire CS course. As per my discussion with UP-Min's CS Department Chair, Ms. Vanessa C. Ramoran, the ideal SP is one which introduces a new (may even be revolutionary) algorithm, demonstrating the field of expertise of the CS course (as a differentiated from other IT related courses).

When Mr. Riannel Tecson, a CS faculty member of UP-Min, invited me to be one of the judges for their 2009 Search for the Best SP for CS (April 17, 2009), I took it as an opportunity to personally see the kind and quality of SP UP-Min produces, and maybe even get an idea why some of their students find it hard to finish on time.

The quality and contents of the manuscript and the presentations of the finalists (please see list below, ordered according to the sequence of actual presentation) did not dissapoint me :
  1. Sedfrey Dickson Atay : Barangay Mintal's Human Resource Management System
  2. Kevin Bernard San Gaspar : Windows Vista Compatibility and Addition of a Compiler Function for the Examination On-Line (an exam system used by the CS department)
  3. Precita Samonte : Office of Student Affairs (OSA) Student Organizations A.S. (SOAS) Website
They might be a bit different from what I am used to in my experience in the IT industry, but as an academic exercise they are quite impressive.

After the presentations by the finalists, and also after some discussions with Ms. Ramoran and my co-judges (Mr. Tecson, and Professor Vicente Calag), I now have a better understanding why the SP might cause a student not to graduate on time. Here are some of the possible factors that I learned :
  • SP is an individual exercise (and usually takes a lot of effort to complete)
  • SP corresponds to only 3 units (side-by-side with other major subjects and school activities, sometimes focus is lost on the SP completion)
  • SP usually is started from the fourth-year of the CS course (so if you miss it's completion, you cannot graduate on time)
  • Some UP students are already working (usually as part-time) while studying (so sometimes there is reduced motivation to finish the course on time as they are already earning)
  • As more and more students are needing one or more extra semester to finish their course, it might have brought the wrong notion to younger students that it is the norm rather than the exception
But these factors are well known by the students (and is common also with other universities). And although they might make the SP more challenging, there is still no excuse for not finishing the SP on time. And it still is the responsibility of the student to manage his/her time well so as not to loose focus on their SP's completion. But with the able guidance, coaching and mentoring from their teachers, I believe the situation would definitely improve. Perhaps, it's solution can even become the subject of one student's SP in the future :)

Saturday, February 21, 2009

IT Olympiad Quiz Bowl

Yesterday, me and my wife attended the IT Olympiad Quiz Bowl, as part of the contest's judges. The IT Olympiad is a yearly event organized by CDITE-XI and PSITE-XI, and participated by schools under their group. Aside from the Quiz Bowl, part of their event was their Research Paper Presentations, and a Programming Contest.

This time, it was a partnership with PhilNITS to formulate the Quiz Bowl's questions. Being located here in Davao and a known advocate of PhilNITS, and being neutral (no official affiliation with any particular school), I was requested to develop the questions. It helped also that both me and my wife (who helped by reviewing the questions I made) are passers of the exam.

I had to skip sleep the night before as it was the only time I had to finish developing the questions. It was all worth it after seeing that the participants, organizers and even the audience appreciate the questions. All my tiredness and sleepiness went away when I observed several organizers and audience trying to answer the questions too :) That was part of my objective as I wanted the competition to be "engaging and educational" too.

The questions were said to be more challenging as compared to previous ones. But basing on the result of the competition, if you have fundamental knowledge on IT concepts, you can answer the PhilNITS-based questions. That's pretty much the same with the actual PhilNITS exam. At first glance they seem impossible to pass, but once you get to know how it is organized, from which topics (they call it IT Body of Knowledge) they base the questions, and what are the most important areas to focus on, you will gain that confidence and pass the exam. It was one of the messages I was hoping to deliver during the event. And I am hoping it will inspire more students to join the Quiz Bowl next time, and also take the PhilNITS exams.

Congratulations by the way to the organizers for such a meaningful, and successful, activity. Congratulaions also to all participants and their coaches, and also the audience who came in support of their respective school mates. Of course, a congratulation is in order to the winners :
1st place = Jose Maria College
2nd place = UP Mindanao
3rd place = Davao Del Norte State College

Saturday, January 31, 2009

My Guiding Principles for Year 2009

Year 2008 marked my return to the IT industry (click here to read a previous post on this) since relocating here to Davao city.

For year 2009, I plan to be more focused and involved with IT.

Based on my actual IT work experience in the past, there are several areas of IT I can participate in, e.g SW development, Quality assurance, Human resource development, etc. I can opt to work for an existing IT company here in Davao, work as a consultant, or maybe even put up my own company. But I believe in starting small, and doing all you can to succeed in every step.

I have decided that the most fulfilling for me would be to get involved in the Human Resource Development (knowledge, skill, competency) side of IT. Naturally the main core of my activities would be trainings and seminars, but they would also be supplemented by the following :
* PhilNITS ==> to serve as the base standard of our knowledge and skill level in IT, and also as a tool (PhilNITS exam) to objectively measure our competency
* SW Development ==> to serve as a venue for practical application of the skills learned during the trainings, and to gain actual experience needed to become a competitive IT engineer
* HR Deployment ==> to serve as an end goal of our skill improvement activities. for most at least, the goal is to get employed in a reputable and highly competitive IT company

To make sure I do not go off target, I have the set the following as my guiding principles :
1. Earn a living for my family, and find fulfillment in what I do
2. Promote PhilNITS and contribute to it's sustainability
3. Improve and promote IT capability of Davao

Financial earning is very important, specially so because I have a family to raise. Currently, much of my efforts now are done without much regard to the immediate gain I might be getting in return. But it is my hope that the foundation I am laying down today will reap rewards for PhilNITS, for me, and for Davao in the near (hopefully very soon) future :)

Consistent with my guiding principles, I try to represent PhilNITS any possible way I can (specially here in Davao). I strongly believe that by utilizing PhilNITS (the standards it sets and the actual certification exam), we can even surpass our Asian neighbors (Japan, Korea, Singapore, etc.) in terms of IT knowledge and skill. Capability wise, we definitely have the potential. And now we have the tool (PhilNITS).

In my previous work in the IT field, I have worked with IT engineers who hailed from different cities and provinces of the Philippines. It is my observation that those coming from Davao generally have the traits that makes for a good IT engineer : technically adept, easily trainable, very sociable, and has the potential to be good leaders. I has since made it a personal mission to help develop the IT skills and promote Davao as a good IT destination.

As my initial activities, I have conducted PhilNITS reviews (contributing to the passers from Davao), shared my learnings and experiences with IT students (preparing them to be more competitive when they become IT professionals), and personally promoted Davao (to my Japanese friends and aquaintances, in my trainings in Japan, and other activities done outside of Davao). I am also actively encouraging our graduating students to excel as IT engineers, and let the world know that they hail from Davao, as they are Davao's most effective promoters.

The number one challenge I am facing now is finding similar-minded people to help me turn my plans and ideas into reality. Activating the PhilNITS-society (passers of PhilNITS) members living here in Davao would be best. As working together we can work towards having more PhilNITS passers from Davao, get more sponsors for IT skill development programs, and conduct IT-related trainings and seminars. Another option is to collaborate with teachers and students who are involved in IT, as this could have the widest reach and coverage for our advocacy of IT skill improvement in Davao. I know that alone my activities may not bring much of an impact, but I strongly believe that the day will come (soon) when we can form a group that would embrace and promote that advocacy of having a brighter future in IT, starting here in the Davao region.

Thursday, January 1, 2009

2008 : The Year I Returned to IT

When my family transferred to Davao year 2006, I temporarily hibernated from the IT industry, where I worked for more than 12 years. In that span of time I got to experience and manage different aspects on an IT company, e.g. Software Development, Project Management, Offshore Assignment (IBM Japan), Quality Assurance, Recruitment and Training.

Year 2008 marked my return to IT. It was kicked-off by a 5-week training in Japan for "Bridge Systems Engineer," (click here to read a previous post on this) wherein I confirmed I still had what it takes to lead and manage SW development projects, particularly focused on offshore contracts from Japanese companies. It was good to be able to visit Japan again after some time. Aside from the very good technical learnings I got, it also provided me with a good opportunity to plan my return to IT.

Upon my return I discussed with PhilNITS for a possible tie-up to conduct some IT trainings here in Davao. PhilNITS Foundation president, Ma. Corazon M. Akol, was very kind to accomodate my ideas. Our first collaborative activity was a PhilNIS-FE review program. We found it hard to gather interested participants (our target were Davao IT professionals) for the review. But I guess the timing and situation was just right, as PhilNITS was able to secure a sponsor which allowed us to accomodate several participants for free. We even got more sponsors to be able to to offer the same review programs to selected Davao students. I think the outcome of the review was decent enough, producing all 5 student passers from Davao for the October 2008 exam. (click here to view October 2008 results for Davao)

November of the same year I got another chance to visit Japan, this time for a 3-week training on "Software Design and Development Engineer." (click here to read previous post on this) I learned many valuable information about the PhilNITS exam on this training, which I would later use to improve my PhilNITS review program. The time spent in Japan also gave me the chance to reflect on how successful my return to IT is for the year 2008. Although actual activities done were not many and only occasional, I think I was still able to lay down a good foundation for my plans for 2009.

Hopefully year 2009 would be a much busier and much fruitful year for me, for PhilNITS and for the IT engineers of Davao...