A fully online training for teachers of the new General Education (GE) courses is being offered at Mapúa University, in the Philippines.
According to a recent press release, the Responsive Outcome-Based Online Training, or ROBOT, is a training program that aims to prepare faculty members in teaching the courses under the New General Education Curriculum as per the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Memorandum Order No. 20, s. 2013.
The program will be headed by the University’s School of Social Sciences and Education (SSSE), which is recognised by the Commission as the official Delivering Higher Education Institution (DHEI) for the Modified Second Generation General Education Training for Faculty Members.
The approval and recognition were given through the Commission En Banc Resolution No. 200-2018.
All the teachers of GE courses, coming from across the Philippines, who are enrolled in the training program, are given access to interactive training modules.
While in the program, participants can take self-administered assessments.
They can also read and download articles and presentation tools. More importantly, they can collaborate with certified GE trainers.
The Commission approved the University’s bid based on the successful project proposal presentation and demonstration that was delivered by the SSSE Dean and the SSSE Coordinator for Centre for Teaching-Learning.
Two premises served as the basis for the proposal done during the pitch. These are:
- The University’s capability to facilitate nationwide training using its state-of-the-art online facility called the Blackboard Learn.
- The University’s complete pool of CHED-certified GE trainers in the core courses of the new GE curriculum.
It was during a joint meeting with the Technical Panel for GE and Office of Programs and Standard Development (OPSD) that the presentation was delivered.
There are certain requirements needed in order to teach the new GE courses. One is to retool the faculty members in terms of contents, strategies, and even approaches.
This was evident in the initial effort of the Commission when they launched a series of trainings, with the intention of covering all GE faculty members nationwide.
According to the Dean of the University’s School of Social Sciences and Education, they were invited to make a proposal using their teaching-learning technologies and expert trainers to continue the plan to conduct nationwide training.
The training will cater for faculty members who till teach the courses in the new General Education Curriculum.
The University proudly claims that to date, they are the sole DHEI authorised to deliver the GE training nationwide.
As ROBOT is fully delivered and available online, all trainers will be accommodated flexibly through seamless online learning management structure.
The course is designated to be aided not only by technology but by peers in the field and by the institution.
