ICT4E Article - Manual

iSchools Computer & Internet Literacy Course for TeachersHarnessing ICTs in Philippine Basic Education

“Harnessing ICTs for Philippine Basic Education”

Introduction

It has been said that a teacher from the 1900’s would adjust easily in today’s classroom because despite the huge difference in content, the teaching and learning processes remain the same – the teacher stays in front and, with the typical chalk and blackboard, delivers her lectures to a bunch of passive note-taking or book-toting students arranged in neat rows and columns.

All of us have gone through such a scene. But should this be the scene in our classrooms today? Is it still the appropriate mode of delivery for this day and age when huge chasms of differences exist between yesterday’s society and that of today? Does this type of educational environment deliver the knowledge and competencies we need today?

We are in the Age of Information where human knowledge is growing exponentially – made possible through the proliferation of various forms of media, the personal computer and accompanying software (that allow individuals to produce their own digital content in massive loads), huge advancements in telecommunications, and the Internet (that allow all these digital content to be globally exchanged in real-time). Information, as never before, has become accessible to anyone who wants to access it to grow, network, and participate in this fast-paced, ever-changing society.

Indeed, we are living in a new knowledge-based, global economy that is “powered by technology, fueled by information, and driven by knowledge.” 1

Unlike in the past when the economy can survive with managers and laborers who have one-track “Assembly Line” competencies, the economy of today requires multi-faceted knowledge workers who are flexible, innovative, multi-skilled, and lifelong learners.

The UCLA video on Information Literacy entitled “e-Literate” estimates the amount of information stored in the Internet alone at 14 terabytes – equivalent to a billion pages of text – and doubling every six months. The film warns us, “Your ability to function effectively in the 21st 1 Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS), US Dept. of Labor, 1991.

Commission on Information and Communications Technology – Human Capital Development Group

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Learning can, of course, take place in the classroom, but most of it doesn’t. Today’s learners are not just students; learning has suddenly become everybody’s business. In fact, learning “how to learn” may now be your most critical survival skill.


century is directly linked to your ability to increase your spot knowledge in widely varied and unanticipated areas quickly and efficiently. You must be able to find out. If you don’t have the skills to find out, you will be left behind.”

Further, we must be able to competently negotiate, compete, and collaborate in the international market where chunks of work on the same output is being done simultaneously and collaboratively across continents in real time through outsourcing of various goods and services like software development, helpdesks, call centers, animation, back office processing (e.g. accounting, finance, human resource management), journalism, e-secretaries, e-tutoring, e-reservations, medical and legal transcriptions, etc.

Thomas Friedman, noted journalist, emphasizes this fact in his book The World is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century (Release 3.0) when he notes that massive investments in technology has enabled, empowered, and enjoined groups and individuals by leveling the global playing field where “intellectual work and intellectual capital could be delivered from anywhere – disaggregated, delivered, distributed, produced, and put back together again” at incredible speeds and with great accuracy. He points out that traditionally top-down organizations find that they are increasingly becoming more horizontal and collaborative with corresponding changes in rules of engagement, roles, and relationships. It has been observed that marked gains in productivity have resulted from encouraging individuals and small groups to initiate, engage, participate, collaborate, and innovate.

Gone are the days when employees are required to just focus on one task – the Global Information Revolution requires today’s knowledge workers to develop, inculcate, apply, and enhance 21st Century Skills to be ready and competitive for 21st Century economy. Adriana Vilela, World Links Executive Director, estimates that the average 20th century worker takes on only one to two jobs in his lifetime, while the average 21st century knowledge worker changes jobs 10 to 15 times – thus requiring him to be flexible and adaptable. She further expounds that the 20th century worker is good at what was taught (i.e. mastery in one field) while the 21st century knowledge worker must be good at what was not taught (i.e. critical thinking) to be able to successfully compete in this complex economy.

A publication by the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory of the US entitled enGauge 21st Century Skills: Literacy in the Digital Age 2 goes beyond the more commonly known basic and functional literacies and enumerates four major skills areas, as follows:

2 Available: http://www.ncrel.org/engaugeg/skills/21skills.htm. Accessed: March 2006. Refer to this article for a more detailed discussion of each 21st century skill enumerated above.


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http://www.ncrel.org/engaugeg/skills/21skills.htm


Digital Age Literacy Basic, Scientific, Technological

Literacy Visual and Information Literacy Multi-cultural Literacy and Global

Awareness

Inventive Thinking Adaptability, Managing

Complexity, Self-Direction Curiosity, Creativity, Risk-Taking Higher-Order Thinking and Sound

ReasoningEffective Communication Teaming, Collaboration,

Interpersonal Skills Personal, Social, and Civic

Responsibility Interactive Communication

High Productivity Prioritizing, Planning, Managing

for Results Effective Use of Real-World Tools Ability to Produce Relevant, High

Quality Products

The challenge is then thrown to the education sector to ensure that learners possess such Digital Age readiness – that they value self-direction, adaptability, critical thinking, collaboration, and lifelong learning – to fill the existing gap between the Knowledge-Skills-Attitudes (KSAs) of students versus what is needed by today’s society. Policymakers are enjoined to adopt appropriate policies and practices based on the requirements of a “knowledge-based, global society”.

ICT in Education

Advocates in the education sector see information and communications technology (ICT) as a driver for change to efficiently and effectively leverage knowledge and skills and match these to current needs and opportunities. Likewise, it serves as a door to educational opportunities by making it easier to tap experts, to search for and visualize data, to link to real-world contexts (i.e. make abstract concrete), to get and provide timely feedback, to reflect, and to analyze. 3

Various studies4 have cited among the benefits of using ICT in education as follows:

transforms the teacher’s role from the “sage on the stage” to the “guide on the side”;

transforms the student’s role from passive receivers of content to active and creative participants and collaborators in the learning

3 Bransford et al (2003) in enGauge 21st Century Skills. Available: http://www.ncrel.org/engaugeg/skills/21skills.htm. Accessed: March 2006.

4 Mehra, P. & Mital, M. Integrating technology into the teaching-learning transaction: Pedagogical and technological perceptions of management faculty. International Journal of Education and Development using ICT [Online], 3(1). March 2007. Available: http://ijedict.dec.uwi.edu/viewarticle.php?id=265. Accessed: March 23, 2007.


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http://ijedict.dec.uwi.edu/viewarticle.php?id=265

http://www.ncrel.org/engaugeg/skills/21skills.htm


process towards becoming self-motivated and self-directed lifelong learners;

provides efficiency by making the teacher’s administrative work (i.e. lesson planning, grade computations, materials development and delivery) and school administration’s tasks (i.e. student records, routinary reports, evaluation reports) less tedious and time-consuming and more expanded in scope;

widens access to an increased number of students in very diverse locations and with different learning styles; and,

opens up the learning process to a global orientation.

UNESCO further purports that when used appropriately, ICTs are powerful tools that can: 5

improve motivation and engagement in the learning process; develop multiple intelligences through multimedia presentation of

materials; facilitate comprehension of abstract concepts by making them more

concrete; develop basic skills (reading, writing, arithmetic) by giving learners

opportunities for practice; allow multi-channel learning and accommodate different learning

styles and individual learners’ needs; promote inquiry and exploration through the use of interactive

learning resources in cost-effective and safe ways – i.e. bringing the world into the classroom;

enhance information literacy, critical thinking, problem-solving, and other higher order thinking skills;

facilitate collaborative and cooperative learning by providing tools for learners to communicate and work with other learners; and

develop lifelong learning skills, including learning how to learn.

Several countries – USA, UK, Ireland, Australia, China, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, South Africa, to name a few – have been actively engaged in finding ways to curb this slow uptake by pushing for and implementing various ICT in Education programs and projects for their respective constituents. International organizations, through special units and/or programs, likewise run ICT in Education programs around the world – such as UNESCO-Bangkok, InfoDev, Global eSchools and Community Initiative (GeSCI), World Links, etc.

Based on their experience in using ICTs to improve their productivity and efficiency, the Business Software Alliance (BSA) recommends a view of

5 Haddad, W.D. and Jurich, S. ICTs for Education: Potential and Potency. In Haddad, W.D. and Draxler, A. (Eds.) Technologies for Education: Potentials, Parameters, and Prospects. Paris/Washington: UNESCO and the Academy fro Educational Development, 2002.


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21st Century Learning that would produce knowledgeable, skilled, savvy, globally aware, engaged, and productive students for the global economy as follows:

As seen from the skills pyramid, BSA sets ICT Literacy as one of the foundation skills, second only to the 3Rs. This presents significant implications for the education sector in terms of curriculum (what to teach), pedagogy (how to teach), teacher and student roles, classroom management, tools and resources, assessment, and the role of the community.

Educators need to acknowledge that children of the NET Generation are techno-natives who can easily navigate through new technology on their own. They have been highly exposed to various forms of media and technological tools, multi-sensorial stimulation, multi-tasking, “instant” processes (e.g. click-of-a-button access to information, “instant” products), and a barrage of information from various sources – both accurate and inaccurate. As seen in the orientation of children’s educational shows nowadays (e.g. Dora, Blue’s Clues, Math Tinik), learners of today prefer activities where they can get involved, interact, express themselves, and get immediate feedback.


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General Math, Science, and Engineering Skills: marrying cutting-edge technology with current problems and opportunities – analyze, evaluate, make decisions, assessing and evaluating, recommending enhancements, etc.

ICT Literacy: use of ICT tools to communicate and express ideas effectively, to facilitate analysis and problem solving, to sort through resources, to synthesize, to manage time and tasks effectively – includes technological literacy and information literacy

Global and Civic Awareness: use ICTs to search for relevant information and interact with/ participate in government, economic, and social institutions globally and locally

General Workforce Skills: use ICT to collaborate and practice teamwork; to enhance self-direction, adaptability, accountability; critical thinking and creative problem solving; social responsibility and ethical behavior

Basic Literacy: functional proficiency in language and numeracy

adapted from the publication entitled Educating for the Future by the Business Software Alliance, June 2004

Integrating technology into education in a meaningful way is key to making learning relevant to the generation of young learners for whom technology is an important part of their daily lives.


Effective ICT in Education calls for a pedagogical framework fit for the digital age - a new learning theory by George Siemens called Connectivism that is claimed to be Constructivism 6 in a connected environment. 7 It recognizes that learning and knowledge is developed in a non-sequential, iterative process of connecting with a diverse mix of opinions and making decisions by articulating, reflecting on, and evaluating the connections and options one sees in his environment.

In order to accommodate such a process, it thus requires a shift from the traditional learning model to a lifelong learning model: 8

Traditional Learning Model Lifelong Learning ModelTeachers serve as the primary sources of knowledge planning for teaching rigid

Educators serve as guides, facilitators, catalysts of learning designing for learning flexible

Teacher-centered: learners conform to / receive knowledge from teacher chalk & talk rote-learning & repetition textbook-based exam-driven

Student-centered: learners learn by asking/inquiring, doing, and authentic learning life skills, competency-based,

multiple intelligences & learning styles

vast information resources are recognized and made available, if possible

Learners work quietly by themselves (Quiet = Discipline)

People learn in groups and from each other – productive noise; collaborative learning is valued

All learners do the same thing; same outputs

Educators develop individualized learning plans; varied outputs (based on standards)

Tests are given to prevent a learner to progress until complete mastery of facts/skills is attained, used as culminating activity recall of facts and mastery of

routine skills assessed

Assessment is regular and integrated into the lesson proper, rather than an afterthought 21st century skills assessed guides learning strategies and

identifies pathways for future

6 Constructivism sees learning as an active, personal inquiry, interpretation, and construction of meaning from prior knowledge and experience with one’s actual environment.

7 White, G. Beyond the Horseless Carriage: Harnessing the potential of ICT in education and training. Available: http://www.educationau.edu.au/papers/horseless_carriages_GW.pdf Accessed: October 2006

8 TechKnowLogia, Jan-March 2003, p. 78. Available: http://www.TechKnowLogia.org Accessed: March 2006


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http://www.TechKnowLogia.org/

http://www.educationau.edu.au/papers/horseless_carriages_GW.pdf


used to ration access to further learning

tests are separate from the lesson

learning integrated with the lesson rapid/immediate feedback

Grades are used to establish ranking

Rubrics with clear indicators are used to check if learning has taken place and 21st Century Skills are observed

“Good” learners are identified and permitted to continue their education

People have access to learning opportunities over a lifetime

Teachers receive initial training plus ad hoc in-service training (extrinsically motivated)

Educators are lifelong learners: initial training and on-going professional development are linked and intrinsically motivated

The education sector is aware of this but is faced by the enormous task of making it happen. Such a shift does not happen overnight. It definitely requires time, conscious effort, commitment, and persistence on the part of the teachers and the administration. There have been various initiatives and programs – local and international - to assist the education sector in this respect, such as efforts by UNESCO-Bangkok, World Links, Intel, DepEd, CICT, FIT-ED, UP-NISMED, SEAMEO-INNOTECH, etc.

ICTs in Philippine Education

The National Framework Plan for ICTs in Basic Education (NFP-ICT-BE 2005) starts off by highlighting the fact that the current Philippine education system is in crisis. “The poor performance of students across the country in national and international achievement tests, and the consistently high dropout rates at both elementary and secondary school levels, underscore the deterioration of the quality of the Philippine schools system.”9

Much has been said about the low National Achievement Test results, averages of which are way below the passing mark of 75%. In a recent High School Readiness Test among 1.2 million Grade 6 examinees, only 8,000 passed. It was also found that 75% of elementary graduates cannot read independently. Furthermore, dropout rates are staggering – out of 100 Grade 1 students, only 66 would reach Grade 6, and only 43 would reach High School 4th year – 22% of whom drop out because of lack of personal interest to education.

9 National Framework Plan for ICTs in Basic Education, FIT-ED w/ CICT & DepEd, 2005, p. 1.


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This sad state among Philippine learners have been attributed to big class sizes (averaging 1:50 teacher:student ratio but sometimes reaching 1:70 or even 1:120 due to lack of teachers, lack of classrooms and other resources), the huge number of non-majors among teachers (most especially among Science teachers), and low English proficiency among teachers (80% of teachers rated themselves as having inadequate English proficiency in a Self-Assessment Test).

On another note, CICT projects that, by 2010, at least 1,000,000 Filipinos will be in the ICT (i.e. electronics-manufacturing, software development) and ICT-enabled (i.e. Call Centers, Graphic Design and Animation, Business Process Outsourcing like medical transcription, Back Office Operations, etc.) industry – from 2,000 employed in 2001 to over 200,000 today. However, the education sector has not been producing enough qualified graduates to cover the personnel requirements – take-up rate among applicants is currently at 30% only. Feedback from the companies range from low English proficiency to below-par specialized technical competencies among applicants.

As such, there is an urgent for the country to work double-time to ensure that the industry and the education sector work hand-in-hand to manage the workforce numbers to be able cover this shortfall lest the Philippines lose the opportunities of this sunshine industry to other countries.

Towards this end, information and communication technologies (ICTs) are seen to have the potential in supporting the qualitative shift in the learning process that the Philippine educational system badly needs, in broadening access to education, and in improving administrative and instructional efficiency in our schools.

The Medium Term Development Plan of the Philippines (MTPDP) 2004-2010, the National Framework Plan for ICTs in Basic Education (2005-2010), and the 2002 Basic Education Curriculum (BEC) advocate the use of information and communications technologies (ICTs) as “a powerful enabler of capacity development…targeted towards specific development goals like ensuring basic education for all and lifelong learning, among others.” Furthermore, the MTPDP “provides for the wider use of computers to support teaching-learning processes, the promotion of elearning and information literacy, and the establishment of elearning competency centers.” 10

In response to this realization, the Department of Education, in partnership with various organizations, have come up with ICT in Education

10 Medium Term Philippines Development Plan 2004-2010, NEDA, 2004, p. 2.


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initiatives that provide computer access, connectivity, and relevant teacher training to all the public high schools in the country.

During the 2nd National ICTs in Basic Education Congress held last September 2006k, Secretary Lapus said, “The quality of and access to basic education substantially remains as the overriding goal of educational development. Thus, all educational interventions shall be geared towards the empowerment of learners with lifelong skills through the use of appropriate technologies.” He then presented DepEd’s ICT for Education (ICT4E) Master Plan in four areas:

Improvement of quality and access to education Empowerment of teachers and learners towards lifelong learning Efficient and effective educational planning and governance Coordination and collaboration with stakeholders

…and DepEd’s ICT4E targets by 2010 are as follows: All public High Schools (4,729) with multimedia laboratories by 2010 20% of public Elementary Schools (7,500 of 37,492) with computer

labs, with multimedia equipment 50% of Community Learning Centers with computer labs All public schools with computer labs connected to Internet All recipient schools to be provided with appropriate software and

instructional resources

The development of responsive curriculum policies and guidelines to the use of ICT in Education as well as the conduct of relevant training for school administration, teachers, and staff shall accompany these infrastructure targets.

Most recently, the World Bank funded, through the efforts of the Educational Development Projects Implementing Task Force (EDPITAF) of the Department of Education, the development of the Strategic Framework on Information and Communication Technology for Education (ICT4E) under the Basic Education Sector Reform Agenda (BESRA). The framework is envisioned to provide “focus and coherence, validation and confirmation to existing initiatives and plans within the reform platform.”11

The Strategic Framework classified the applications of ICTs on basic education under three broad categories: ICT for Pedagogy, ICT for Teacher Development, and ICT for Education Governance and Administration. The group likewise came up with a Strategic Framework Matrix that states “The

11 Flor, A. G. Executive Summary of the Draft Final Report: Strategic Framework on Information and Communication Technology for Education (ICT4E) Under the Basic Education Sector Reform Agenda. EDPITAF, Department of Education. August 2006.


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Department of Education envisions an ICT-supported system of quality basic education for all. It is committed to the appropriate, effective, and sustainable use of ICTs to achieve nationwide information fluency and broaden equal access to and improve the quality of equity and efficiency of basic education service delivery for all.”12 It further states the Goal Statement as follows, “The overriding goal of ICT4E in the Philippines is to transform the teaching-learning landscape through: computerization of all DepED workflows at the national, regional and district levels; seventy percent connectivity among all public high schools by 2010; seventy percent information fluency among basic education graduates; and one hundred percent information fluency and computer literacy among school teachers all of which will be achieved by 2010.”13

Issues & Challenges

Since the mid-1970’s, ICTs have been widely accepted by the public especially for the benefits that these tools have contributed to business, industry, government, and the home. Yet, even though there have been well-documented developments and successes in these sectors, the education sector has had a sluggish take-up rate of maximizing the use of ICTs in education, “despite numerous reforms and increased investments in computers and networks.” 14 Note that this is not just unique to the Philippines.

It is globally recognized that planning for and implementing ICT in Education programs and projects is not an easy thing to do. Advocates warn that ICT must not be considered as a “magic bullet” for the myriad mix of problems plaguing education.

Issues usually revolve around a common set of concerns, namely: infrastructure and connectivity, teacher training, content, administrative support, technical support, and sustainability.

Infrastructure & Connectivity

It is estimated that, as of August 2006, of the 4,769 (official count by DepEd15) public high schools in the country, only 80% of public secondary schools already have at least one computer (note: around 800 or 17% of

12 - ditto - 13 - ditto -14 US Department of Education (2004) in White, G. Beyond the Horseless

Carriage: Harnessing the potential of ICT in education and training. Available: http://www.educationau.edu.au/papers/horseless_carriages_GW.pdf Accessed: October 2006.

15 from http://www.deped.gov.ph/cpanel/uploads/issuanceImg/factsheet2006(Mar28).pdf (data as of March 28, 2006). Accessed: August 2006


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http://www.deped.gov.ph/cpanel/uploads/issuanceImg/factsheet2006(Mar28).pdf

http://www.educationau.edu.au/papers/horseless_carriages_GW.pdf


public secondary schools still have no electricity). On the other hand, With regards to connectivity, it is estimated that 28% of the public secondary schools are connected to the Internet as of March 2007.

The NFP-ICT-BE 2005 further puts “computer penetration at one computer for every 25,000 elementary pupils (1:25,000), one for every 111 secondary school students (1:111), one for every 728 elementary teachers (1:728), and one for every three secondary school teachers (1:3).“ DepEd reports that only around 50% of public high schools have 10 or more units. The agency estimates that by year-end, this figure will go up to 70% with the deployment of the PCs for Public Schools Program Phase 3 by DTI.

As yet, there has been no study conducted to justify the 10-PC allocation per school. The number of PCs deployed per school, normally pegged at 10 PCs, is usually dictated by the respective project’s budget. But looking at the ideal class size of 45, this means a 1:4.5 computer:student ratio in the laboratory. At this rate, provided that students are given equal hands-on time, at 40 minutes/session, this translates to a maximum of 9 minutes hands-on time/student per class session. This does not include sessions wherein teachers use the lab equipment for computer-aided lectures (i.e. no hands-on) nor travel time from classroom to the laboratory. Big schools get the worst arrangement – with large student populations and no mobile computers that may be transported from class to class, teachers contend with much less ICT-supported activities (i.e. limiting laboratory availability to the TLE-Computer Education classes) and/or hands-on time for their students. Of course, cooperative group activities are always welcome in view of the limitations. Some school divisions and districts have been creative in finding solutions for their infrastructure constraints – a case in point is the school division of Imus, Cavite that, through the local government unit, taps the local internet cafés to provide computer and Internet time for their teachers and students.

Teacher Training

Numerous research studies have cited the inadequate pedagogical preparation and technical support given during pre-service and in-service in the use of technology for education. Studies agree that it takes a considerable amount of time and effort for teachers to imbibe ICT application and integration into education, despite the provision and availability of ICT infrastructure and resources. Considering that today’s teachers were educated and trained in a traditional teacher-centered lecture-based approach, it takes substantial effort and a major paradigm shift to move on to a facilitative learner-centered approach that is espoused by an ICT-enabled educational setting. Furthermore, it should be noted that there is a logical progression of ICT development in Education through


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time, as put forward by UNESCO and supported by ICT4E advocates. Teachers progress through these stages with increasing levels of confidence and comfort in their use of ICT.

Specializing in the use of ICT Stage 4: Transforming

Creating innovative learning

environmentsUnderstanding how

to use ICTStage 3: Infusing

Facilitating learning

Learning how to use ICT

Stage 2: ApplyingEnhancing traditional teaching

Becoming aware of ICT

Stage 1: EmergingSupporting work

performanceStages of ICT

UsageStages of ICT Development

Pedagogical Usages of ICT

From Padongchart, S. A Curriculum Framework for Integrating ICT and Pedagogy in Teacher Education. National Training Programme for Teacher Educators on ICT-Pedagogy Integration Training Manual. June 2006. Please refer to the section on NICS-Teachers.

A study supports the assumption that even if an appropriate amount of training had been given to teachers on ICT in Education, teachers who have regular access to the technology are more open and motivated to explore and experiment with it than those who do not.16 But in the Philippine reality, while the computer:teacher ratio is at 1:3 for secondary school teachers, the computers are the same ones allocated for student use. There are usually no computers dedicated for teachers’ use in the school – if they need to use computers, they would have to wait for a vacant unit in the laboratory or go to a neighborhood Internet café.

In view of these, it has been recommended that the education sector take a serious look at more appropriate approaches to change management among teachers, administrators, and support staff towards planning and

16 Mehra, P. & Mital, M. Integrating technology into the teaching-learning transaction: Pedagogical and technological perceptions of management faculty. International Journal of Education and Development using ICT [Online], 3(1). March 2007. Available: http://ijedict.dec.uwi.edu/viewarticle.php?id=265. Accessed: March 23, 2007.


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How does a teacher become a catalyst for transforming a plagiarist into the artist? How do we reach for Picasso, when we are entrenched in a “paint by number” ideology?

~~~~~

75% of teachers are found to be sequential, analytical presentersBUT 70% of students do not learn best this way.

http://ijedict.dec.uwi.edu/viewarticle.php?id=265


implementing ICT in Education initiatives. Research further suggests a more comprehensive and iterative approach to teacher training that values openness, innovation, modeling, mentoring, reflective experimentation, and application. Special attention should be given on “learning rather than on teaching” 17 as well as teachers’ readiness in terms of their inclinations/perceptions, “attitudes, concerns, and motivation in [ICT] integration, role of the teacher, classroom management, [assessment,] support systems, and computer coping strategies.” 18 This includes a review and structuring of existing trainer and teacher training activities that are being conducted by various providers – at the pre-service and in-service levels – vis-à-vis curriculum standards and the National Competency Based Teacher Standard (NCBTS), to include a systematic mentoring and follow-through mechanism in the teacher monitoring and assessment program.

Content

Teachers from the field regularly complain that there is a dearth in appropriate and relevant educational content available for instructional use. Only a small percentage of teachers are aware of the various digitized education modules available from service providers or for free over the Internet – and thus, the computers are used as “glorified typewriters”. Those, however, who are aware of such modules find these too westernized for their students or too expensive to be covered by their school funds.

There have been numerous efforts to incorporate content on the different subject areas in the infrastructure packages given out to schools. However, most of the time, these remain unused or ignored due to the concentration of laboratory use to ICT Literacy (linked to computer:student and computer: teacher ratios). Some teachers, though aware of available content, were reluctant to use them due to various reasons – too much work, content-topic mismatch, lack of laboratory time, lack of technical support.

For some, content is considered as an afterthought – something to blame if the computers are not maximized.

Administrative & Technical Support and Sustainability

In some schools that were recipients of various initiatives, computers remain underused (i.e. stuck in the Principal’s Office, laboratory is locked or off-limits) or in disrepair – due to insufficient administrative, motivational, and technical support towards using ICT in education. A number of schools do not know how (nor even care) to sustain the ICT laboratories once the external funding runs out. 17 - ditto -18 - ditto -


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The importance of school leadership and staff participation in ICT in Education projects should not be taken for granted. Inasmuch as teachers undergo relevant training, so do school officials, support personnel, and the rest of the school community (school division officials, parents, community leaders, etc.) in order to emphasize school-wide and/or community-wide ownership of the project and thus gain full cooperation towards ICT4E efforts.

There is a clear need for proper documentation and sharing of best practices and lessons learned as well as robust monitoring and evaluation systems towards better planning, continuous improvement, and sustainability of programs. Active community involvement and other strategic partnerships are likewise seen as necessary in co-sharing responsibility and accountability to ensure program/project sustainability.

CICT’s Efforts

In recognition of the transformative role of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in learning towards building a strong and sustainable Information Society, the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT), through the Human Capital Development Group, has likewise initiated and implemented projects geared towards capability-building by advocating the development of ICT competency standards and the integration of ICT in education.

Educators Training

Applications Dev Content Dev Infrastructure

Deployment

Elementary Limited No No No

Secondary(iSchools)

Yes Yes Yes YesiSchools + Content Development + Webboard

Alternative Learning System

Yes Yes Yes Yes

eSkwela

TertiaryYes Yes Yes No

eQuality

All LevelsNational ICT Competency Standards

Content Development + Philippine Education PortalMulti-stakeholder Approach

The iSchools Project seeks to support the efforts of the Department of Education to 1) ICT-enable all public high schools by 2010, 2) ensure that all high school graduates are ICT literate, and 3) improve the quality of high school education through the effective use of ICT in teaching and learning. Its long-term goal is “to contribute to the efforts of the Philippine


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government in bridging the digital divide by developing an Educational Digital Network that will equip all Public High School teachers and students with ICT literacy skills as well as provide them access to relevant digital content and applications in education that they can use to enhance effective learning”.

iSchools focuses on strengthening classroom learning and instruction by expanding access to various sources of information. In so doing, the project hopes to enhance the capability of public high school students throughout the Philippines to successfully compete with their peers in the rest of the country (as well as in the rest of the world) for jobs and other opportunities in the expanding global knowledge economy.

The project aims to assist DepEd in the provision of computer access (20 PCs + 1 server: 15 units + 1 server in the student lab, 3 for the faculty, 1 for the library, 1 for the principal's office) and broadband Internet connectivity to all public high schools throughout the country by 2010. Efforts are being undertaken to research and evaluate low-cost alternatives for hardware configurations and various Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) for Education to bring down the investment costs for hardware.

In addition to this, a set of Educators’ Training will be conducted to equip the stakeholders with necessary skills. This iSchools component includes the following:

1. Executive Conference / Workshop to get project buy-in and support from the school's administration by discussing program details and benefits,

2. Laboratory Management Training Program to equip lab managers and technicians with skills on networking systems and procedures as well as proper equipment maintenance

3. ICT Literacy Training Program, based on the NICS-Teachers, to train faculty members on basic ICT literacy skills so that they will be able to effectively use ICT technology in their classes, lesson preparation, assessment activities/instruments, and record updates

4. iSchools Webboard aims to jumpstart on-line learning services in the basic secondary education by making use of Internet services to support instruction and learning. Teachers are trained to navigate the World Wide Web towards becoming self-directed learners and quality providers of on-line instructional content and activity in English, Mathematics and Science. The project empowers the teachers to transform the Web as the virtual location of reviewed learning references, as an on-line medium to publish instructional guidance, and as a venue to initiate activities that will encourage students to search for knowledge and continue their learning processes outside the physical classroom.


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5. Project Sustainability Training Program to train school stakeholders on how to sustain the project by their own means, in order to maintain/upgrade laboratory units or provide additional laboratories.

Furthermore, CICT-HCDG plans to organize activities to build a digital library of educational content applications that can be accessed and used by schools nationwide. A mechanism for monitoring and evaluation will be imposed to ensure optimal use of the laboratories and to check if the project’s terminal objectives are being met.

The eSkwela Project, a word play on the Filipino equivalent of "school", is a pioneering project with DepEd-Bureau of Alternative Learning System (BALS) designed envisioned to provide ICT-enhanced educational opportunities for Filipino out-of-school-youth and adults, and assist them to qualify them for an Accreditation and Equivalency Certificate (yes! the one awarded to Manny Pacquiao recently for having passed the exam), equivalent to the High School diploma. The initiative responds directly to a national development priority and will bring e-learning opportunities and ICT for learning resources to mobile teachers / instructional managers and out-of-school learners in the Philippines in an exciting, innovative, and locally meaningful way.

Under this project, community-based e-Learning Centers or eSkwelas will be established in major centers around the country to conduct ICT-enhanced alternative education programs for out-of-school youth and adults. These centers will serve as venues where out-of-school learners and other community members can learn new skills and competencies, review for the Accreditation and Equivalency (A&E) Exam of the BALS, and/or help prepare OSYs to rejoin the formal school system.

The Project utilizes an ICT-enabled, inquiry-based, interdisciplinary, and thematic approach to learning and teaching. At the heart of the eSkwela Project is its instructional design. It is a blended type of learner-centered instruction where students will have one hour of computer-aided learning via interactive elearning modules, one hour of teacher-led instruction (based on the current needs of the learners), and one hour of collaborative group activities and projects. Instructors, called mobile teachers, will be mainly facilitative in a student-paced learning environment. They shall use performance-based assessment, in coordination with the community, to monitor the progress of students.

Partner communities will be provided with relevant educators’ training, digitized versions of BALS’ core modules, and a customized learning management system.


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The eSkwela PMO will likewise spearhead project monitoring and evaluation activities to ensure continuous enhancement of operations and content towards building a stable model from which other eSkwela Centers can pattern after.

The eQuality Program, on the other hand, is an educational partnership among CICT and State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) that is envisioned to:

1. accelerate ICT literacy, awareness, and skills development in the local areas by building the capacities and capabilities of State Universities and Colleges such that they will serve as local ICT experts/consultants in their respective areas;

2. help member SUCs to increase the skills and employability of their graduates; and

3. assist regions to attain their economic development through the adoption and incorporation of ICT technologies and tools in their daily operations.

The Program aims to develop quality ICT graduates and accelerate ICT literacy, awareness, and skills development throughout the country by building the capabilities of the IT, Education and Business faculties of partner State Universities and Colleges (SUCs). The program further seeks to enhance the capabilities of member-SUCs in delivering standards-based ICT education in their areas, facilitate the development of digital schools, and provide technical assistance in other ICT initiatives. It covers four areas:

1. Dynamic Faculty Development Program to continually build the capability of key personnel

2. Curriculum Enhancement which includes the pre-graduation assessment using the National ICT Competency Standards and the IT Proficiency Exam in Programming” developed by CICT.

3. Infrastructure Development which includes assistance in the development of SUC websites, connection to the internet, and construction of their internet and computer laboratories.

4. Outreach Services which include the assistance of member SUCs in the iSchools project of CICT, the conduct of training in their respective localities, and the taking on the role of ICT consultants for their local SMEs.

In the very near future, CICT will be working with recognized educators, content experts, and experienced developers in mapping, compiling, and producing appropriate, relevant, and meaningful educational multimedia content that can be used by schools to improve teaching and enhance learning, matched to national curriculum requirements and possessing locally meaningful content. CICT’s Content Development


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Initiative aims to provide learners with a diverse mix of high-quality, well-designed, and well-produced interactive multimedia educational materials and national heritage collections, as well as government information and other resources deemed of practical importance. These materials will be easily replicated and distributed at low cost, necessary for greater access to all Filipino learners. The project will support effective access, selection, and exploitation of commercial and non-commercial materials.

It is along this line that Philippine ICT4E Portal is being conceptualized. The portal is envisioned to facilitate access to information, resources, services, and networks on education in the country, similar to the national online educational services of Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and Thailand. It will be a one-stop-portal for education policies, standards, databases, professional development activities/events, news and updates, and other relevant information for the education and training sector. It will provide Philippine educational institutions, teachers, and students with online resources that have been collected and recommended by a competent group of evaluators to further improve teaching and learning (i.e. strategies, best practices, model lesson plans, content and applications). It will likewise serve as venue for educators to put their content online, similar to the efforts being done via the iSchool Webboard and the Pilipinas SchoolNet Projects.

An overarching project is the development of the National ICT Competency Standards (NICS) that define the knowledge and skills an individual must possess at a recognized level of competence in specific ICT fields/areas. The standards are seen to guide the design and implementation of ICT skills training programs. The National ICT Competency Standard - Basic (NICS-Basic) defines the basic ICT skills for all Filipinos from high school level onwards; the National ICT Competency Standard – Advanced (NICS- Advanced) defines the additional ICT skills of all Filipinos who graduate from college; and the National ICT Competency Standard for Teachers (NICS-Teachers) goes beyond ICT literacy skills for teachers and defines the fundamental set of knowledge and skills Filipino educators should be able to demonstrate at given levels of proficiency.

The adoption and implementation of the National ICT Standard for Teachers (NICS-Teachers) is meant to ensure the integration of technology effectively into the education process, both in teaching and learning, thereby enhancing teaching and student learning not only in computer subjects but in other academic courses as well. It would likewise have significant impact on “in-service” training (retooling) and school infrastructure deployment. Refer to the section on NICS-Teachers and corresponding Professional Development Program for Teachers, as formulated by DepEd.


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President Macapagal-Arroyo addressed the 2nd National ICTs in Basic Education Congress last September 2006 as follows: “We need more ICT-competent teachers; this is why DepEd and CICT are currently drafting the National ICT Competency Standard (NICS) for Teachers… Most teachers should comply with NICS for Teachers by 2010.”

It has always been the practice of CICT to take on a multi-stakeholder approach that advocates participatory community involvement and support in planning and implementing its various programs and projects. As such, CICT implements its programs and projects with various agencies and organizations in government and in the civil society – with DepEd in the forefront, in collaboration with the local communities. The stakeholders’ mobilization and consultative meetings have been designed and implemented to get the buy-in and support as well as clarify the responsibilities of the stakeholders that are necessary for the projects’ continued success.

Conclusion

ICT in Education does not stop with the provision of infrastructure and connectivity to schools. Much bigger focus should be given to how ICTs can be used effectively with regards to broadening access to and improving the quality of education (through appropriate and relevant infrastructure, training, content), empowering teachers and learners towards lifelong learning, making educational governance more efficient, and improving coordination and collaboration among stakeholders.

It is necessary to reiterate the need for champions, especially among policymakers, school administration, and respected educators, who will model openness to welcome educational innovations and embrace change processes, though how challenging the road. Partnerships and a spirit of collaboration among stakeholders are likewise vital in pursuing and sustaining ICT in Education programs and projects. In addition, good mentoring practices, continued research, documentation, and sharing of good practices and lessons learned are seen to serve as signposts that will guide policymakers and implementers in the challenging and iterative task of harnessing the potentials of ICTs for Philippine Education.


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NICS-TEACHERS from: http://nicsforteacher.blogspot.com/2006/08/nics-teachers-project.html

Final Draft (NICS Teacher)National ICT Competency Standard for TeachersDraft Version 3: September 26, 2006

NICS Domain 1: Social The domain includes competencies related to social, ethical, legal and human issues, and community linkage.

1. Understand and observe legal practices in the use of technology.2. Recognize and practice ethical use of technology in both personal and

professional levels.3. Plan, model and promote a safe and sound technology-supported

learning environment. 4. Facilitate equitable access to technology that addresses learning,

social and cultural diversity.

NICS Domain 2: Technological The domain includes competencies related to technical operations and concept, and productivity.

1. Demonstrate knowledge and skills in basic computer operation including basic troubleshooting and maintenance

2. Use appropriate office and teaching productivity tools3. Understand and effectively use the Internet and network applications

and resources4. Demonstrate knowledge and skills in information and data

management.

NICS Domain 3: Pedagogical The domain includes competencies related to the use of technology in the following components of an instruction process: a. planning and designing effective learning environments and experiences

supported by technology; b. implementing, facilitating and monitoring teaching and learning

strategies that integrate a range of information and communication technologies to promote and enhance student learning; and

c. assessing and evaluating student learning and performances.

1. Planning and Designing1.1 Identify technology resources and evaluate them for

appropriateness. 1.2 Plan strategies to facilitate student learning in a technology-

enhanced environment.1.3 Design developmentally-appropriate learning opportunities that

use technologically-enhanced instructional strategies


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ANNEX A

http://nicsforteacher.blogspot.com/2006/10/domain-3.html




1.4 Access technology resources for instruction planning and design 1.5 Utilize best practices and research results on teaching and

learning with technology in designing learning environments and experiences

1.6 Plan strategies to manage learning in technology-enhanced environments

2. Implementing and Monitoring2.1 Apply tech to develop students’ higher order thinking (HOTS)

and creativity 2.2 Use technology to support learner-centered strategies 2.3 Facilitate technology-supported student learning experiences2.4 Manage a technology-enhanced teaching-learning environment

3. Assessing and Evaluation3.1 Use technology to collect, process and communicate information

on student learning to students, parents, colleagues and other stakeholders.

3.2 Apply technology tools for rapid and accurate assessment and evaluation.

3.3 Apply a variety of methods to evaluate the appropriateness of students’ use of technology in learning.

3.4 Evaluate e & e of ICT integration in t-l process.

NICS Domain 4: Professional The domain includes competencies related to professional growth and development, research, innovation and collaboration.

1. Proactively engage in exploring and learning new and emerging technologies.

2. Continuously evaluate and reflect on the use of technology in the profession for development and innovation.

3. Share experiences and expertise, and collaborate with peers and stakeholders in advancing the use of technology in education and beyond.


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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM Draft from DepEd


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ANNEX B


ICT4E AND VARIOUS SOFTWARE APPLICATIONS

This section introduces you, the teacher, to the many things that you can do with the computer – to whet your appetite. No need to panic! You will be going through the different applications with your iSchools trainer as you go along. Hopefully, this section will excite you to look forward to the upcoming modules and even to explore the different applications on your own, with the aid of this manual.

For each of these modules, we encourage you to reflect on the following questions:

1. Will you be able to integrate what you've learned about ICT in your admin tasks as well as in classroom teaching and learning?

What? How? When? Why? With whom? Cite concrete examples: topics, strategies,

output/product/performance2. What will you commit to (vis-a-vis monitoring)?

Which will you use extensively? Why?3. What kind of support will you need?

From us? From others?Internet

The word Internet evolved form the terms Inter for international and Net for network. Internet refers to a global collection of interconnected networks - a network of networks linking computers globally. Think of it as a huge web spun digitally across the globe, providing access to information stored in these individual computers to anyone who is “linked”.

The Internet offers tremendous educational potential to the educational sector –to provide either access to information or venues for learning, networking, and participation/collaboration. Below are some uses of the Internet that you might find helpful:

Educational Tools and Resources:

There are a number of resources on the Internet aimed specifically at elementary and secondary students and teachers. You may use these to enhance your lesson plans, get hold of visual aids, reading materials, and interactive simulations, set up science experiments with classes in another country, learn how to use computers in the classroom, or keep up with the latest advances in teaching everything from physics to physical education. iSchools WebBoard: a Teacher Training program (stages 2

(applying) & 3 (infusing)) of iSchools that equips teachers in the using


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ANNEX C


the Internet’s educational tools and resources to enhance the teaching and learning process; the website serves as the repository of tools and resources to further one’s professional development, DepEd’s prescribed curriculum standards, and sample ICT-enhanced lesson plans of teachers trained in the program; URL: www.ischoolwebboard.orgfree.com (has an existing link on the DepEd and CICT websites)

ArtsEdge: Federally sponsored Online arts resources for students and teachers, it's available on the web at http://k12.cnidr.org/janice_k12/artsedge/artsedge2.html

Ask Dr. Math: Math professors and college students help K-12 students with tough math questions. Students can ask questions by e-mail and browse past answers on the Web. The e-mail address is [email protected]; the Web url http://olmo.swarthmore.edu/dr-math/dr-math.html

AskERIC: Run by the Educational Resource and Information Center, AskERIC provides a way for educators, librarians and others interested in K-12 education to get more information about virtually everything. The center maintains an e-mail address ([email protected]) for questions and promises answers within 48 hours. It also maintains a Web site that contains digests of questions and answers, lesson plans in a variety of fields and other educationally related information. The Web address is http://ericir.syr.edu/

Kidsphere: a mailing list for elementary and secondary teachers, who use it to arrange joint projects and discuss educational telecommunications. You will find news of new software, lists of sites from which you can get computer-graphics pictures from various NASA satellites and probes and other news of interest to modem-using teachers. To subscribe, send a request by e-mail to [email protected] or [email protected] and you will start receiving messages within a couple of days.

skoool: www.skoool.com, subject matter content for elearning by Intel; features ready-made lesson plans, interactive lessons, various instructional materials, and assessment tools (interactive with immediate feedback, includes simulations); customized for specific curricula of partner countries such as Ireland (skoool.ie), United Kingdom (skoool.co.uk), Thailang (skooolthai.net), among others – soon to have a skoool.ph version!

UNESCO-Bangkok ICT4E website: an ICT Portal for Teachers, offering various materials on the effective use of ICTs in Education, offers an ICT4E Toolkit that guides interested parties in the successfully implementing ICT in Education in their respective schools

various groups, associations and networks to assist teachers: provides lesson plans, recommended strategies, materials, collaborative projects, support groups


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http://www.skoool.com/

mailto:[email protected]



http://ericir.syr.edu/

http://olmo.swarthmore.edu/dr-math/dr-math.html

http://k12.cnidr.org/janice_k12/artsedge/artsedge2.html

http://www.ischoolwebboard.orgfree.com/


elib.gov.ph: online library system of the Philippines, information may be accessed via prepaid cards

http://www97.intel.com/education/ : Intel’s Innovation in Education website, repository of various materials and resources on ICT in Education that are useful for teachers and learners alike

www.teachers.net (offers a discussion forum for teachers to network and share experiences and ideas)

www.SchoolNet.org.ph : part of the SchoolNet consortium that encourages and highlights online/tele-collaborative projects among students and schools in the Asia-Pacific region

EdNA.edu.au: educational portal of the Australian Ministry of Education

PhEdNet: planned educational portal for the Philippine educational system

www.teach-nology.com : very rich site offering lesson plans, recommended strategies, ready-made worksheets, educational games, visual aids, collaborative projects, etc.

www.education-world.com school.discovery.com/teachingtools/teachingtools.html www.teacher.scholastic.com www.apple.com/education/whyapple/teacherresources.html

Resource-Based Learning and Inquiry-Based Learning

Online Scavenger Hunt (Stage 1: applying): requires students to visit prescribed websites to gather information that would answer specific questions – serves as an introduction to students in using


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Tom March’s model: from Best WebQeusts.com

http://www.apple.com/education/whyapple/teacherresources.html

http://www.teacher.scholastic.com/

http://school.discovery.com/teachingtools/teachingtools.html

http://www.education-world.com/

http://www.teach-nology.com/

http://www.SchoolNet.org.ph/

http://www.teachers.net/

http://www97.intel.com/education/


search engines as well as practice problem solving, improve reading and comprehension skills, and learn how to search the Internet. Typically, an activity such as this does not require the student to create a new product from the information that is gathered. The questions can range in difficulty depending on the age of the child and the instructional goals. Visit the following sample sites:

http://www.education-world.com/a_lesson/TM/ WS_invent_hunt2.shtml

http://www.henry.k12.ga.us/pges/projects/around.htm Online Treasure Hunt (Stages 1 (emerging) & 2 (applying)):

“typically used when teachers want students to learn specific, often factual, information about a selected topic, using multiple pre-screened Web resources. Giving students pre-screened Web sites ensures "safe surfing" on the Internet with developmentally appropriate and high quality resources.”

ONLINE TREASURE HUNTfrom the McGraw-Hill website, 2001.

http://www.mhhe.com/socscience/education/cybereducator/cybpart07c.html

The steps below will provide you, the teacher, with guidelines and helpful Web resources for designing the hunt. 1. What is the topic of your Treasure Hunt? (i.e., U.S. Westward

Expansion, female African-American writers)2. Search for high quality Web sites that are relevant to your

selected topic.3. Bookmark and organize your selected Web sites on your Web

browser (Microsoft Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, etc.). 4. Select Web sites for your "Resource Bank" from your collection

of bookmarked sites. Provide both the titles and Web addresses of Web sites in the "Bank".


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Some samples online: Black History:

www.kn.att.com/wired/BHM/bh_hunt_quiz.html

My China: www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/China/sampler.html

Hunting for Migrant Workers: www.web-and-flow.com/members/awolinsk/migrants/hunt.htm#intro (make sure that you view the rubric and guide)



http://www.web-and-flow.com/members/awolinsk/migrants/hunt.htm#intro



http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/China/sampler.html

http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/China/sampler.html

http://www.kn.att.com/wired/BHM/bh_hunt_quiz.html

http://www.kn.att.com/wired/BHM/bh_hunt_quiz.html

http://www.henry.k12.ga.us/pges/projects/around.htm

http://www.education-world.com/a_lesson/TM/WS_invent_hunt2.shtml

http://www.education-world.com/a_lesson/TM/WS_invent_hunt2.shtml


One of the goals of this type of activity is to help students feel competent in using the Web. To avoid anxiety and frustration, direct younger students to the exact Web page where answers to your questions may be found. You may direct older or more experienced students to the home page of a Web site and ask them to search throughout the site to find the answers. Finally, you may offer hints about where to look for the answers as in the following sample Treasure Hunt.

5. Develop Treasure Hunt questions, using information within each Web site one time.

6. Ask a final, evaluative question that asks students to synthesize the information they have learned and develop it into a broad understanding of the topic. Learn more about asking

purposeful questions at Levels and Types of Questions: Bloom's Taxonomy (http://www.oir.uiuc.edu/did/booklets/question/quest1.html). Your final question should be a higher level question within Bloom's taxonomy, requiring students to analyze, synthesize, or evaluate information.

Web Quest (Stages 3 (infusing) & 4 (transforming)): “an inquiry-oriented activity in which some or all of the information that learners interact with comes from resources on the Internet” (discoveryschool.com)

WEB QUEST


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Some samples online: A WebQuest about

Evaluating Websites: http://mciunix.mciu.k12.pa.us/%7Espjvweb/evalwebstu.html

The WebQuest Place: http://www.thematzats.com/webquests/page3.html

Best WebQuests.com: http://bestwebquests.com/

Look Who’s Footing the Bill - An Introductory WebQuest on Democracy and the National Debt: http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/democracy/debtquest.html

So, you’re gifted! A Webquest of Self-Discovery: http://www.ldcsb.on.ca/schools/cfe/WebQuests/Gifted/index.htm

Math and Baseball: http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/baseball/

Buying your First Car - Computer Application: http://www.otsego.k12.oh.us/bernthisel/carshopping

http://www.oir.uiuc.edu/did/booklets/question/quest1.html





http://webquest.org/

http://webquest.org/

http://www.otsego.k12.oh.us/bernthisel/carshoppingwebquest.htm

http://www.otsego.k12.oh.us/bernthisel/carshoppingwebquest.htm

http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/baseball/

http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/baseball/

http://www.ldcsb.on.ca/schools/cfe/WebQuests/Gifted/index.htm



http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/democracy/debtquest.html



http://bestwebquests.com/

http://www.thematzats.com/webquests/page3.html


http://mciunix.mciu.k12.pa.us/~spjvweb/evalwebstu.html




from The WebQuest Place: http://www.thematzats.com/webquests/page3.html

WebQuests consist of five main components: the introduction, task, process, evaluation, and conclusion.

1. Introduction: usually a short paragraph that introduces the activity to the students. It often has a role or scenario involved

2. Task: informs the learners of what their end-result or culminating project will be

3. Process: identifies the steps the students should go through to accomplish the task. It also includes the online resources they will need, and provides scaffolding for organizing the information gathered

4. Evaluation: describes to the students how their performance will be evaluated, and is often in the form of a scoring rubric

5. Conclusion: summarizes what the learners will have accomplished by completing the WebQuest, and often provides additional opportunities to extend their thinking

Additional Elements:1. WebQuests are usually a group activity. Often they are

designed to have 3 to 5 students per group, with the students working cooperatively on the task. Usually the groups work on different aspects of the task.

2. WebQuests often include role-playing, in tune with techniques on catering to multiple intelligences. By incorporating role-playing, students learn to look at issues from multiple perspectives. Each group could represent a role; or each student in a group could represent a role and become an expert on a particular topic. The group then synthesizes the information they find and creates a product that demonstrates their learning.

3. WebQuests can be single discipline or interdisciplinary. WebQuest lessons can just focus on one subject, but they can easily cover multiple subject areas.

Educational Tools: Instant Messaging: similar to SMS/texting, allows real-time

chatting with online “friends”; Yahoo Messenger, Google Talk, Skype, etc.; http://webmessenger.yahoo.com, http://meebo.com

Email: electronic mail, asynchronous means of communication but definitely preferred over snail mail; http://gmail.com, http://mail.yahoo.com

Blogs: online journals, used by many as venues to publicize opinions and ideas; www.blogspot.com


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http://www.blogspot.com/

http://mail.yahoo.com/

http://gmail.com/

http://meebo.com/

http://webmessenger.yahoo.com/



Discussion forums: allow individuals and groups to participate in an open, worldwide discussion on virtually any topic; www.forumsplace.com, www.forumforfree.com

Wikis: allow online collaboration (and comments) among members and non-members on various topics, with guidelines set by the group (popular example: Wikipedia); www.wikispaces.com

Online quiz - http://quizstar.4teachers.org Onine survey – www.freesurveysonline.com Online Storage – www.esnips.com Online Albums – www.flickr.com, www.scrapblog.com Rubric maker - http://rubistar.4teachers.org MindMap - http://freemind.sourceforge.net Social Networking – http://teachers.net, www.teachersnetwork.org,

www.wschool.net, www.multiply.com, www.facebook.com

Online Learning Content Management Systems (LCMS)Online Learning Content Management Systems allow the school and teachers to upload and manage their materials to the school server so that students can access these (including their updated student records and class schedules) and subsequently upload their work from remote sites.

Distance Learning is a type of education delivery mode that allows students on their own at home or at the office and communicate with faculty and other students via email, electronic forums, videoconferencing and other forms of computer-based communication – take for example the UP Open University. This delivery mode, due to its nature, makes use of a LCMS.

The Internet and World Wide Web serve as the foundation for LCMS and other distance learning systems because they are accessible from virtually all computer platforms. Internet provides links to online courses and degree program providers as well as online study resources. There are application software for the delivery of interactive live group learning and training, and web-based training via the Internet or corporate intranets.

Distance learning is becoming especially popular with organizations that need to regularly re-train their staff. It is less expensive than bringing all the students together in a traditional classroom setting.

Most distance learning programs include a computer-based training (CBT) system and communication tools to set up a virtual classroom.

For sample free and open source LCMS, search for the following:


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http://www.facebook.com/

http://www.multiply.com/

http://www.wschool.net/

http://www.teachersnetwork.org/

http://teachers.net/

http://freemind.sourceforge.net/

http://rubistar.4teachers.org/

http://www.scrapblog.com/

http://www.flickr.com/

http://www.esnips.com/

http://www.freesurveysonline.com/

http://quizstar.4teachers.org/

http://www.wikispaces.com/

http://www.forumforfree.com/

http://www.forumsplace.com/


Moodle: needs coding, but robust; usual choice among universities)

ATutor: features a user-friendly GUI interface that’s easy to learn and use

Manhattan Virtual Classroom

Research and DevelopmentResearch and development work has never been most comprehensive and productive than in this period of Internet explosion.

The Internet is synonymous with the Information Superhighway, and as such provides access to a wealth of archived information in several formats, among them, documents, images, technical papers, sound, and animations.

Numerous databases are publicly available over the Internet. Free software is widely available over the Internet, including

software for LINUX machines, PCs, and APPLE computers. Numerous university and public libraries are now accessible over

the Internet, providing their own electronic card catalogs. Many libraries share books electronically.

Numerous computer centers are accessible over the Internet, for use by scientists, researchers, students, businesses and other organizations. The Internet makes it possible for users to work on computers thousands of miles away as though they were sitting on the desk.

The professions, interests, hobbies, research and development work of millions of people globally are represented or published on the Internet.

Word Processing

A Word Processor is a tool for writing, editing, formatting and printing of documents. It makes document creation simple and easier with the use of mouse, menus, toolbars, wizard & templates. You, the teacher, may use a Word Processor in writing/producing letters, lesson plans, test instruments, forms / templates, reports, Minutes of meetings, Project Proposals, CVs / resumés, Information Sheets, Class Schedules, student records, brochures, leaflets, posters, webpages, and any piece of work that needs documenting separately from other work.

Using a Word Processor has distinct advantages over using pen-and-paper or typewriters, namely: you will be able to save your work for future retrieval and editing ready-made templates are available – or you may choose to create your

own – for all future documents of such type (e.g. lesson plans, testpapers, answer keys, seatplans, class schedule)


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bullets and tables may be used for lists and test items like multiple choice, true or false, analogies, matching type, enumeration, short answers, essays, etc.

graphics and other layouting tools (i.e. columns, tables, text boxes, etc.) may be used to make your documents more effective and interesting – sample products: announcements, newsletters, brochures, leaflets, posters, class information, worksheets, textbooks, etc.

graphics and other elements from the Internet may likewise be inserted into your document – just be sure to acknowledge appropriately

the Mail Merge tool may be used to produce just one letter template and send individualized copies to your students’ parents or perhaps potential event sponsors

may be uploaded as attachments to emails or as linked files to websites may be saved and uploaded as webpages

Electronic Spreadsheet

An Electronic Spreadsheet is a tool for setting up tables, entering, recording and processing data, and producing graphical representations of the data. You, the teacher, may use an Electronic Spreadsheet in recording, computing, and graphing grades for all your classes; tabulating financial records; logging experiment results and getting statistical findings; graphing mathematical formulas; and many many more. Alternatively, you can enter data and then use Calc in a ‘What If...’ manner by changing some of the data and observing the results without having to retype the entire workbook or sheet.

Using an Electronic Spreadsheet has distinct advantages over using pen-and-paper or calculators, namely: you will be able to save your work for future retrieval and editing you may enter just one formula and copy it across cells so that when you

enter data, the spreadsheet automatically shows corresponding results you may protect cells to safeguard formulas, layouts, and formats you may create your own templates that may be used for similar needs in

the future (e.g. gradebook, experiment result sheet, Q&A-type review sheet with auto-scoring, class collections)

graphics and charts/graphs may be used to make your documents more effective and interesting (e.g. comparative class performance – bar graph, peso-dollar exchange – line graph, 3-year comparative sales – multiple bar graph, %survey responses - pie chart)

graphics and other elements from the Internet may likewise be inserted into your document – just be sure to acknowledge appropriately



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Slide Presentation

A Slide Presentation is a tool for producing multimedia visual presentations. You, the teacher, may use a Slide Presentation in creating visually attractive presentations to add life to any discussion, seminar, trainings, workshops, and the like. You may use it to produce visual aids for your class discussions, multimedia presentations for various topics, photo essays to get ideas across, educational games with immediate feedback functionalities, or even as a sing-along videoke presentation.

With the various tools in a Slide Presentation, you can express your ideas in a variety of ways. With text, bulleted and numbered lists, tables, charts, clip art, and a wide array of graphic objects along with background, animation, transitions and effects, any visuals can heighten attention and interest.

Using a Slide Presentation has distinct advantages over using cartolinas, manila paper, and markers, namely: you will be able to save your work for future retrieval and editing it’s multimedia and may be made interactive (especially if you wish to

use it for educational games like jeopardy, matching game, etc.) you may create your own templates (i.e. master slides) that may be used

for similar needs in the future (especially for department/topic/organization-specific presentations)

graphics, charts/graphs, sound, voice (recordings), and videos may be used to make your presentations more effective and interesting – follow the prescribed guidelines/tips to ensure that your presentation remains effective (exercises in the section on Impress will encourage you to critique sample and even your own presentations)

graphics and other elements from the Internet may likewise be inserted into your presentation – just be sure to acknowledge appropriately



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Documents

ICT4E Article - Manual