World Links Philippines is a teacher professional development (TPD) program on Web-enhanced learning and telecollaboration. Two instructional design courses are offered. The first course introduces two Web-enhanced learning activities, the online treasure hunt and the WebQuest. The second course focuses on educational telecollaboration, from activity structures to the creation, design, implementation, and dissemination of original projects. Post-training instructional and administrative support are also provided to teachers to facilitate adoption of the pedagogical strategies introduced thru the program.

One hundred fifty two teachers from 87 high schools and 16 teacher education institutions have participated in the TPD program since the project’s inception in July 2005. These teachers have in turn trained 813 of their local peers. Five World Links centers are currently being set up in Laoag City, Baguio City, Iloilo City, Cebu City, and Iligan City. These centers, which will be managed by partner teacher education institutions and schools divisions, each have a three-year program agenda that includes, variously, TPD activities, instructional materials development, pedagogical support and mentoring, action research and impact assessment, and community outreach activities.

The Philippines project is part of the Southeast Ásia Program of the international non-governmental organization World Links, along with projects in Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, and Vietnam. It is made possible through the Japan Social Development Fund administered by the World Bank.

Visit Our Village, the resource center for the World Links Southeast Ásia Program.

Intel Teach is a worldwide effort of Intel Corporation to help teachers and teacher educators to use computers and the Internet in the classroom to enhance students' higher-level thinking skills and improve learning outcomes.

Intel Teach offers courses in ICT literacy (“Getting Started” for content teachers; “Skills for Success” for students) and ICT-curriculum integration (“Essentials Course” for content teachers), and provides continuing planning, administrative, and pedagogical support to participating institutions.

FIT-ED joined the management team of Intel Teach Philippines in 2005. Since then the program has benefitted around 6,000 teachers and 250 education administrators.

Visit the Intel Philippines website.

e-Curricula for High Schools aims to address the lack of resources for teaching and learning in the secondary school system by making available to pubic schools interactive, multimedia courseware aligned to the National Basic Education Curriculum. Courseware in Philippine History, Asian History, General Science, and Biology are in the pipeline.

Funding for this project is provided by the Coca-Cola Company and Mirant Philippines Foundation.

EFAR is a nationwide effort to harness radio as an effective medium for expanding access to education particularly in remote and otherwise marginalized areas throughout the Philippines. Implemented by FIT-ED in cooperation with the Department of Education and the Coca-Cola Company, EFAR was launched in August 2007 with the airing by national and local radio station partners of “Mga Alaming Pangkalusugan at Pangkabuhayan”, a 16-part science literacy program developed by the University of the Philippines National Institute for Science and Mathematics Education Development.

EFAR is targeted at elementary school science and mathematics teachers as well as community leaders, women’s and youth groups, and other community organizations. Face-to-face teacher training workshops and community discussions are organized by the Department of Education, partner teacher education institutions, and cooperating non-government organizations to complement the radio-based instruction.

Since its inception, EFAR has reached over 400 schools in 11 schools divisions across the country thru the Southern Broadcasting Network - Mom’s Radio, the Catholic Media Network, the Nueva Ecija Provincial Government’s DWNE, Foundation University’s DYFU - FM, University of Eastern Philippines’ Huni Radio, Aklan State University’s DYMT - FM and DYIA - FM, Radio Ranao, and Radio ng Bayan - Tuguegarao.

An after-school program developed by the Boston Museum of Science and funded by Intel Corporation, the Computer Clubhouse is envisioned as a space where young people from low-income and underserved communities can use the latest technology for creative self-expression. Working with adult mentors, Clubhouse members learn to use graphic design and animation software, music and vídeo production tools, Web development applications, and other professional-level tools to create projects that tap into their own interests and creativity while at the same time help them acquire skills that are in demand in the workplace.

Two Computer Clubhouses were established in the Philippines in 2003, one in General Trias, Cavite and another at Mater Dolorosa Parish in Makati City. FIT-ED currently provides technical assistance to these Clubhouses.

On its third outing this year, with the theme, “Teaching the Web Generation: Curriculum, Pedagogy, and 21st Century Learning,” the ICTs in Basic Education Congress is the largest national forum for education practitioners and stakeholders to examine key issues surrounding the educational use of technologies and to share good practices. Organized by FIT-ED in partnership with the Department of Education, this biannual event is attended by over 1,000 representatives from both the public and the private education sector, education and development NGOs, research institutions, donor agencies, and the corporate sector. Recommendations coming out of this event are fed forward to the Department of Education for consideration in ICT policy-making and planning at national and local levels.

The 3rd Congress will be held on September 10 to 11 at the Waterfront Hotel in Lahug, Cebu City.

View the presentations given at the 1st and 2nd Congresses.

FIT-ED is conducting an assessment of a 1:1 e-Learning Pilot in two elementary schools in Muntinlupa City - the Alabang Elementary School and the Muntinlupa Elementary School. The pilot is an initiative of Intel Corporation, launched to introduce 1:1 e-learning as a cost-effective model for the public elementary school system. As the term implies, 1:1 e-learning involves individualized, dedicated and mobile access of students to PCs. Since students do not have to share a computer with other students and they can bring their personal laptops with them whether they are in the classroom, elsewhere in the school, or even at home, they are able to use technology continuously and are empowered to learn “anytime anywhere”.

This evaluation aims to identify the factors that promote or inhibit successful adoption of the 1:1 e-learning model, and to describe the impact of using this model on teacher competencies, classroom practice, and student outcomes.

The results of the evaluation will be published in June 2008.