ICT IN EDUCATION
The Philippines
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Moving towards global competitiveness through ICT utilisation in education
The Philippines has begun to re-conceptualize the policies and strategies of ICT in education towards life-long learning, in its Information and Communication Technology Plan. With IT involved in education as an enabling and productivity tool that will enhance learner performance, educational efforts will be re-focused on the requirements of the learners and the job market through ICT.
Initiatives on the Use of Information and Communication Technology
DepEd initiatives on the use of ICT in education were embedded in the DepEd Modernization Programme, begun in 1996, involving the introduction and use of modern technology to improve the teaching and learning process, educational management and support operations in the educational system.
The 1996 General Appropriations Act (GAA) laid the grounds for the provision of IT equipment in public secondary schools, providing the necessary funds for the procurement of hardware and software, teacher training and courseware development. Six hundred sixty-one public secondary schools and more than seven thousand secondary school teachers and principals benefited.
Vision and Mission of the 21st Century Filipino Learner
The Government believes that basic education should "evolve and nurture an ICT framework designed to enhance, broaden, strengthen and transform learning to develop the Filipino learner into a person who is excellence-driven, global in perspective, innovative, ingenious and creative, with a deep sense of community and concern for harmony and the common good."
Toward this vision, basic education must empower learners, equipping them for the challenges in the new millenium by improving the quality and accessibility of education through the use of appropriate ICT.
Goal and Objectives of the Information and Communication Technology Plan
(see also Information Technology and Electronic Commerce Council (ITECC))
The Philippine government believes that to foster lifelong learning skills in learners, educational development with a principal focus on quality and access should form the core of its ICT programme. In pursuit of this goal, the sector shall strive through the use of ICT to achieve the following objectives by 2009:
- Provide the physical infrastructure and technical support necessary to make information and communication technology accessible and useful to students, teachers, administrators and support staff
- Develop competence in the use of the technology and in the design, production and use of ICT-based instructional materials
- Ensure access to the latest developments in ICT and to support research and development
- Undertake a curriculum improvement programme focused on the integration of technology
- Promote the use of appropriate and innovative technologies in education and training
The operational targets for these are as follows:
- 75% of public secondary schools and 50% of public elementary schools shall have a computer lab equipped with basic multi-media equipment
- All public science-oriented secondary schools shall be connected to the internet
- All public schools shall have an electronic library system
- 75% of the public school teachers will have been trained in basic computer skills and in the use of the internet and computer aided instruction (CAI)
- All public schools shall be provided with appropriate educational technology equipment packages
Thrusts of the Information and Communication Technology Plan
1. Upgrading the Curriculum
Curriculum development will be an area where innovations shall be introduced. The curriculum will be streamlined in scope but approached holistically. Courses in Mathematics, Science and English will be strengthened by the introduction to hands-on production and technology transfer.
2. Improving the Delivery Support System
Basic education will have to be re-engineered to improve the delivery support system. To do this, performance has to be quantified, accountability established, resources provided, units, processes and goods standardized and appropriate technology sourced and promoted.
3. Improving Fund Generation
Imaginative financing schemes will have to be identified. This will involve proactive programming, resource mapping and extra-budgetary financing.
4. Retooling of Human Resources
Training programs will be conducted at different levels involving different sub-systems and focusing on the different components of basic education.
Programmes and Projects - the following are specifically designed to enforce the Government's goals on ICT in Education
1. Curriculum and Materials Development Programme
2. Staff Development Programme
3. Facilities Acquisition and Development Programme
4. Advocacy and Promotion Programme
5. Technology Access and Development Programme
6. Monitoring and Evaluation Programme
Phases of Implementation
Phase I - Pre-Implementation 2000 – 2001 - Gathering of Baseline Data,
Identification of growth areas and required assistance and Preparation of detailed plans and projects on IT in education.
Phase II - Implementation 2002 – 2008 - Implementation of projects on ICT and Monitoring of the implementation of ICT projects
Phase III - Evaluation 2009 - Conduct, preparation and submission of a technical report on the implementation of the ICT Plan