"It's not bringing games in the classroom. It's what can we take from gaming that can change the classroom," explained Christian Anthony "Chanot" Cangao, recipient of the 2009 Best Undergraduate Research Award in the College of Development Communication. Looking back, Cangao shared that he wanted to study something that has something to do with gaming, gaming being one of the things he was strongly passionate about. 

His study entitled "Learning as an Adventure: How values surfaced from online video gaming can help create better classroom environments for the Electronic Generation" focused on how values acquired from online gaming can be recreated in the traditional classroom setting.

Chanot has presented his reseach in the 3rd Annual International Conference on Computer Games, Multimedia and Allied Technology (CGAT) on April 2010 at Singapore Management University and on June 2010 at the 19th Asian Media Information and Communication (AMIC) Annual Conference held at Suntec City in Singapore.

The research presents another perspective in gaming studies. While many existing studies on gaming focus on addiction to games, Chanot's research identifies characteristics valued by gamers, which taken into consideration in designing classroom discussions, may help increase the learning of students.

The qualitative study on learning and gaming revealed four characteristics valued by online gamers, namely: (1) the importance of defining one's self concept; (2) emancipation or %u2018escapism' as a way to be free; (3) the value of practicality; (4) and the value of networking and friendship.  Cangao cleared that the result of his study aimed positive accounts for online gaming because only few looked at it this way. 

A proud native of Los Baņos, he finished his basic education at Maquiling School Inc. in the year 1998. He immediately entered the University of the Philippines Rural High School and was accepted in the University of the Philippines Los Baņos initially as a BS Electrical Engineering student. Chanot later shifted to the College of Development Communication where he majored in Science Communication.

His college life was not ideal at all.  According to Dr. Pamela Custodio of the Department of Development Journalism and Chanot's professor in two major devcom subjects, he almost failed in DEVC 197 (Introduction to Communication Research) because his papers did not turn well. However, Dr. Custodio explained that Chanot's interest in his topic helped him to seek out ways of improving his research proposal and that his best undergraduate thesis award can prove it. "He was one of those students who showed genuine interest in learning and actively participated in class discussions," added Dr. Custodio. 

Apart from writing and editing scripts and articles,  Chanot is also interested in videography and photography.  As proof to his directing and scriptwriting skills, his music video of "Pilipinas" by Purebliss won the Best Song in the 1st Peacetahan Awards by Sulong CARHRIHL in April 2008 in UP Diliman. Prior to this, his short film, "RukTok", became a finalist in the 4th Philippine Women's University's Art Film Festival in December 2007. 

After graduating from UPLB, Chanot worked as a project assistant in the Integrated Research and Development Program on Jatropha curcas (Tubang Bakod) for biodiesel in the UPLB College of Agriculture.  He later worked for the Philippine Agroforestry Education and Research Network (PAFERN) at the UPLB College of Forestry as a research assistant.  He then worked for the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD) as a science research specialist ' a job he termed the closest to Devcom.  

Chanot's dream, aside from being a rock star, is to become a professor. He said, "the moment you stop wanting to learn, you stop living a life of a human." Of all the games he played in the past ' Final Fantasy, Ragnarok, DOTA, Warcraft, and the like, he learned that his concept of adventure is about learning and not about the end goal. 

Earning the CDC Best Undergraduate Research Award entails a lot of effort, courage, and determination.  But according to Chanot, he did not do the research for an award but for himself. 

His advice to students in the process of completing their undergraduate research? "Kaya niyo yan. Mahalin mo lang yung ginagawa mo and think of it as an adventure." [G] MVPAranas