The Commission On Higher Education (CHED) is clear that learning should not stop, even in the middle of an outbreak. And that is what the PHL CHED Connect distance and blended learning programmes aim to ensure at this time. CHED is determined to streamline all issues around remote and virtual learning that have been necessitated by the shutdown of almost all face-to-face learning.
Towards this goal, they have launched an interactive platform for students wanting to continue their learning journey. The portal is easily accessible and learners can explore a wide array of educational materials from both local and international sources that can be conveniently obtained on-site.
The educational materials range from categories like agriculture, forestry, fishery, architecture, business administration, education, engineering and technology, fine and applied arts, home economics, humanities, IT, criminal justice, and more. The site contains 1,332 modules (content), 1,352 PDFs, 353 videos and 18 HEI contributors. Materials from the academic contributors can easily be downloadable as they are in PDF format.
CHED Chairman J. Prospero E. De Vera III said that the initiative in its entirety would not have been possible without the help and guidance from both the international and local education and institutional partners who generously donated and loaned their valuable online resources to the platform. CHED is still accepting academic content and research papers to ensure continuous and on-going excellence for the e-learning platform.
Interested contributors may send in their academic portfolio along with their work for the CHED PHL Connect Portal, through a simple process:
- Contributors – Approved contributors can share content (PDF or Video) to CHED Regional Offices; the content will be categorised to help them easily tag the content.
- Approver – Once contributors have uploaded their content, the approver will review and analyse the content to confirm its suitability for a relevant category. The approver may be assigned RQAT or ES II in-charge of the programme.
- Students/teachers – Stakeholders then have access to the content on PHL CHED Connect.
Lauding the assistance by Globe Telecom of the Philippines, CHED is committed to supporting an e-learning experience for everyone. With free mobile data charges, Both Globe and TM subscribers can have access to the educational platform using their devices.
CHED reiterated that the portal will aid students and teachers effectively by allowing access to educational materials anytime, anywhere. It is has been designed to give both the teachers and students confidence while embracing the new normal. Although there are challenges associated with e-learning, a study has suggested it can increase retention rates by 25% to 60%.
Earlier, OpenGov Asia reported on a new version of educational technology for Learning Management Systems (LMS) called KHub or Knowledge Hub that serves as a library of teaching and learning guides for teachers and students respectively and that also serves as a portal for all academic needs in the coming years.
While many institutions across the world had already launched e-learning, virtual learning and Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), the pandemic has brought about a sense of urgency. Globally almost all secondary and tertiary education institutions have embraced e-learning n abid to continue education and remain operational.
The e-learning segment is projected to increase by US$ 38.09 billion between 2020-2024 and other estimates indicate that by the year 2025, this market will touch US$ 325 billion. With the culture of learning to pivot towards digitalisation, tech experts are confident that it will drive new technological advancements.
Already AR/VR has opened up opportunities for trainers to better engage their students through immersive experiences that make learning much more practical, effective and enjoyable. Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality (AR/VR) has been proven to make e-learning more effective and practical.
OpenGov Asia also reported on Singapore’s NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine that helps students to experience the process of patient safety and immersion in operating theatre procedures through virtual reality.
On 4 Septemeber 2020 OpenGov Asia discussed uses of RPA at its Virtual Breakfast Insight where Peter Buckmaster, Director of Digital Experience Design at the NSW Department of Education shared his expertise in this area with delegates.
