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ESkwela project - ESchool for out-Of-school youths and adults, Philippines
Article · July 2010
DOI: 10.1109/T4E.2010.5550039
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T4E 2010
eSkwela Project - eSchool for Out-Of-School Youths and
Adults, Philippines
Machunwangliu Kamei
Communication Department
SN School, University of Hyderabad
Hyderabad, India
kameimachun@gmail.com
Diversifying teaching-learning methods &
practices
• Engaging all stakeholders of education and
adapting to rapid changes in society and the
environment
• Enhancing education efficiency, effectiveness, and
Productivity
The school is no longer the sole and the most attractive
source of information and knowledge. Quick access to
unlimited sources of information is obtained due to modern
technologies. The traditional concept of literacy has been
gradually extended to multimedia literacy referring to
students’ abilities to read, write, and communicate with
digitally encoded materials - text, graphics, still and
moving images, animation, sounds [1].
Abstract - There are 774 million non-literates globally
(UNESCO, 2009) and there is the acute problem of illiteracy
grave in South Asian region. The paper discusses the
implementation of eSkwela project as Alternative Learning
System (ALS) in Philippines. The initiative responds directly
to a national development priority to bring elearning
opportunities and Information Communication Technology
(ICT) for learning resources to mobile teachers / instructional
managers and out-of-school learners in the Philippines. The
paper assesses how the eSkwela project initiatives have
provided opportunities for remote and elearning, blended
learning and how Alternative Learning System (ALS) has been
supported by innovative use of ICT for content development.
It presents a macro view, case study of the strategic approach,
design, challenges and successes faced by the eSkwela project
which is still a work in progress. Rudiments in ICT for
Education for citizens to attain the new-age literacy and
lifelong learning opportunities are also evaluated.
•
The use of technology in education can also be regarded as a
symbol of the new university models for the knowledge
society. Communication technologies represent an interface
of mind and matter: they are the physical means for
representing, manipulating, conveying, and storing
knowledge and ideas [2]. ICT integration in education can
provide, right from breaking time and distance barriers to
facilitating collaboration and knowledge sharing among
geographically distributed students. It also facilitates sharing
of best practices and Knowledge across the world. ICT
increases the flexibility of delivery of education so that
learners can access knowledge anytime and from anywhere.
It can influence the way students are taught and how they
learn as now the processes are learner driven and not by
teachers.
Key Word - Alternative Learning System (ALS); Blended
Learning; Learning Management System (LMS); Virtual
Learning Environment (VLE)
I.
INTRODUCTION
A. Information Communication Technology for Education
(ICT4E)
Information Communication Technology (ICT) is perceived
as widening provision of educational choices, as well as
educational providers; bringing down barriers to learning
and offering learning on `any time, any place’ basis;
increasing motivation, facilitating acquisition of basic skills,
enhancing teacher training; facilitating different forms of
learning- self-directed, collaborative, constructivist learning;
leading to improvement in learning outcomes. Growing
body of research suggest ICT-based learning is beneficial to
learners. Definition of ICT in Education by several authors
includes:
• Comprehensive approach to innovate education
systems, methods, and management through
Information Communications Technology
• Restructuring education system
978-1-4244-7361-8/10/$26.00 © 2010 IEEE
When designing a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) one
could use different mental images (metaphors) of teaching
and learning. Internet and Web gives rise to the cyberspace
metaphor, i.e. an extension and a substitute of a physical
environment. Dillenbourg emphasizes that: “What is
specific to virtual environments compared to any
information space is that it is populated. The users are inside
the information space and see a representation of themselves
and/or others in the space. As soon as students see who else
is interested by which information, the space becomes
inherently social.” [3]. Another metaphor for a learning
environment is place, which could be defined (in the
physical world) as the “setting that transforms mere spaces
168
and activities into unique socio-cultural events: the coming
together of people to the same location, at the same time, for
the purpose of participating in a common, authentic, one-ofa-kind, memorable activity”. The document metaphor (used
by the designers of the Web) sees information as separate
from the people who use it and from the environment in
which it is used. Kalay makes a conclusion, that “placemaking, rather than page-making, is a more appropriate
metaphor for designing cyberspace: in addition to
communication and information management, this metaphor
affords a contextualized locus for situating the activities
themselves, much like physical places do. Thus, the virtual
places will include socio-cultural and perceptual qualities,
enriching them to the point where they may approach perhaps even surpass - comparable physical settings” [4].
1.
This brings about a change in pedagogy where the teacher
becomes the information facilitator from the information
provider. The learning trend changes from ‘push’ method to
‘push and pull’ method. This in turn would better prepare the
learners for lifelong learning as well as to contribute to the
industry. It can improve the quality of learning and thus
contribute to the economy. The process of Knowledge
Building (KB) and Collaborative Knowledge Building
(CKB) is continuously being paid much more attention.
With the development of information technology, the study
of Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) is
more and more widely in practice. ICT enabled education
will ultimately lead to the democratization of education.
There exist socio-economic, cultural, time and geographical
barriers for people who wish to pursue higher education.
Innovative use of Information and Communication
Technology can potentially solve this problem. Education is
the driving force of economic and social development in any
country. Considering this, it is necessary to find ways to
make education of good quality, accessible and affordable to
all, using the latest technology
available. ICT has the
potential to remove the barriers that are causing the
problems of low rate of education in any country.
Quality - There was a decline in the quality of
the Philippine education, especially at the
elementary and secondary levels. For example,
the results of standard tests conducted among
elementary and high school students, as well as
in the National College of Entrance
Examination for college students, were way
below the target mean score.
Figure 1. School Drop Out rate in Philippines (Source: CICT)
2.
3.
B. Problem of education in Philippines
Studies show that an increasing number of school-age
Filipinos are out of school. A huge percentage of Filipino
children and youth aged 6 to 17 years are not attending
school. The Department of Education (DepEd) estimated
that, in 2003, there were a total of 5.18 million out-of-school
youth (1.84 million out-of-school children aged 6 to 11 years
old, and 3.94 million young people aged 12 to 15) in the
country [5]. In 2007, it was estimated that 16.8 percent of
elementary school-age children and 41.4 percent of
secondary school-age children were out of school. Further, a
DepEd official reported that around 17 million Filipinos –
about 20 percent of the population – have not finished the
country’s basic education requirements. In fact, the
government estimates that “one in six school-age children in
the country is being deprived of education and the number is
rising steadily.”[6]
4.
Affordability - There is also a big disparity in
educational achievements across social groups.
For
example,
the
socioeconomically
disadvantaged students have higher dropout
rates, especially in the elementary level. And
most of the freshmen students at the tertiary
level come from relatively well-off families.
Budget - The Philippine Constitution has
mandated the goverment to allocate the highest
proportion of its budget to education. This will
also require a look into the proper allocation of
resources.
Mismatch - There is a large proportion of
"mismatch" between training and actual jobs.
This is the major problem at the tertiary level
and it is also the cause of the existence of a
large group of educated unemployed or
underemployed.
About 80% of the Filipino poor live in the rural areas of
the country. In agriculture-based communities where
farming is the primary livelihood, having children around to
help with the work means more income for the family.
Several reasons have been advanced to explain the high
early-school leaving rate. From teacher interviews with
students and the dropout situational reports of the Division
Offices, several predictors were associated with dropping out
[8]. These predictors or variables were clustered into schoolrelated, student-related, community-related, and familyrelated factors. The school-related factors include poor
discipline system, inadequate counseling, irrelevant
curriculum, uninteresting instructional strategies, disregard
Current problem of education in Philippines and reason
for dropouts can be attributed to the following important
issues [7]:
169
for student learning styles, and negative school climate.
Student-related factors include poor school attitude, poor
attendance/tardiness, behavior/discipline problems, poor
peer relationships, illness, disability, low self-esteem,
efficacy, drug abuse, and pregnancy. Community-related
factors include lack of community support and weak schoolcommunity linkages. Lastly, family-related factors include
dysfunctional home life, low parental expectations, lack of
parental involvement in the education of the student,
ineffective parenting, and abuse.
Department of Education -eSkwela learners achieved a
passing rate of 57 percent, double the national average of 29
percent for the February 2008 test implementation. [10]
For the pilot implementation, CICT-HCDG was able to
secure the initial project funding from the Asia-Pacific
Economic Cooperation (APEC) Education Foundation in
Korea [11]. Most of the grant was used to design and
develop the first set of e-learning modules. The remaining
fund was used to establish pilot eSkwela Centers in four
locations, namely Quezon City, San Jose del Monte, Cebu
City, and Cagayan de Oro City. Recipient communities were
provided with 21 units of networked computers, relevant
peripherals, one-year internet connectivity, funds for site
renovation, relevant educator’s training, e-learning modules,
a customized Learning Management System (LMS), and
project monitoring and evaluation (M&E) activities.
Despite the increasing number of school-age Filipinos
that are out of school, UNESCO reports that the Philippines
is one of “two dozen countries that devote less than 3
percent of its gross national product to public spending on
education. It has had to rely substantially on aid to finance
basic education.”[9] Of this amount, the government funding
to provide educational opportunities to the out-of-school
youth and adults is limited to less than 1 percent of the total
education budget. This has prompted the Commission on
Information and Communications Technology, through its
Human Capital Development Group (CICT-HCDG), in
close collaboration with DepEd-BALS, to implement the
eSkwela Project through an initial grant from the APEC
Education Foundation (AEF) and continuing financial
support from the eGovernment Fund of the Philippine
Government.
II.
ESKWELA PROJECT
A. Project description
The eSkwela project is a flagship project of the
Commission on Information and Communications
Technology (CICT), through its Human Capital
Development Group (HCDG), that envisages providing ICTenhanced educational opportunities for Filipino out-ofschool youth and adults. [11] It aims to help reduce the
digital divide and enhance the capacity of these individuals
to be successful participants in a global and knowledgebased economy. Under this project, community-based eLearning Centers or eSkwelas are being established in major
centers around the country to conduct ICT-enhanced
alternative education programs for interested individuals.
These centers 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 DepEd-Bureau of Alternative Learning
System (BALS), and/or help prepare learners to rejoin the
formal school system, if so desired. The eSkwela Project
utilizes an ICT-enabled, inquiry-based, interdisciplinary, and
thematic approach to learning and teaching.
The project’s impact has been multifold: 1) setting-up of
strategically located eSkwela Centers (usually located in
village halls, Community e- Centers, or on top of public
markets), 2) providing equal access to innovative basic
education opportunities to the educationally underserved,
including the marginalized poor, housewives, and persons
with disabilities (PWDs), and 3) achieving a significantly
higher passing rate than the national average in the
ccreditation and Equivalency (A&E) Test given by the
Figure 2. Major Strategies Employed in the project (Source: CICT)
In return, these communities are expected to commit to
the use of the ICT-based eSkwela Instructional Model –
using the e-learning materials, the customized LMS and the
internet – within DepEd’s ALS A&E framework.
Community stakeholders are likewise expected to participate
intensively in the project by managing and financing the
center’s operations; opening up venues for collaborative,
relevant, and engaged learning; and providing support for
community-based learner projects. The centers serve as
possible venues for the Digital Bridges Program of CICTHCDG, distance learning, and other training initiatives (e.g.
Teacher Training, COOP-ICT skills training).
B. Project management strategies
The Project’s objectives is to help DepEd-Bureau of
Alternative Learning System BALS broaden access to basic
education by providing access to learning opportunities
through a non-formal, community-based e-learning program
as an alternative means of certification for literate youths
and adults 15 years old and above, who are unable to avail of
the formal school system; train teachers and school staff in
the effective use of computer based learning resources;
support the efforts of DepEd to effectively integrate ICT in
the teaching and learning processes and support the
170
development of 21st Century skills among teachers and
learners via the customized eSkwela Instructional Model;
reduce the digital divide by providing access to ICT for
disadvantaged youth and adults; and help BALS produce
and use interactive multimedia learning materials for out-ofschool youth and adults via relevant and interactive
computer-based multimedia learning resources that will be
the primary source of instruction. To maximize the use of
ICT in teaching and learning in the eSkwela framework, the
Project Team has also come up with Version 1 of the
customized eSkwela Learning Management System (eSLMS) that would allow teachers and students to use ICT to
keep track of individual progress, produce blogs, join
discussion forums, create and take online tests, collaborate
on projects, and so on. The eS-LMS was developed using
ATutor, an open-source software freely available on the
internet.
III.
customize the modules even further. The project advocates a
blended learning approach and not a pure-e-learning
approach. Learning facilitators play a crucial role in a
learning session/ program.
A. Instructional Model
At the heart of the eSkwela Project is its instructional
design. It is a blended type of learner-centered instruction
where students 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.
Catering to the 57 out of every 100 students who drop out of
the formal basic education, BALS’ Accreditation and
Equivalency (A&E) Program, targeting functional literacy,
gets a boost from the eSkwela Project that uses ICTs to
broaden access to quality education as well as to make
learning fun, interactive, and more engaging.
PROJECT COMPONENTS
Through the use of the localized interactive e-learning
modules, learners gain the core competencies needed to be
functionally literate. In support of a blended and self-paced
learning environment, trained learning facilitators design and
use learner-centered ICT-supported module guides that
engage the learners to actively participate in their own
learning process. They provide topic clarifications, “thinking
questions”, relevant analogies, authentic real-life
applications, and problem-based projects in addition to
lesson guidance and direction, based on the learners’
individual learning plans. This goes in line with the
Anchored Instruction, based on constructivist approaches to
learning, a learning theory which emphasizes the importance
of motivating learners by involving them in problemsolving (by using technology) in a meaningful context. The
instructional designers should use ‘anchors’ based on
concrete problem solving situation where students are
actively involved [12].
The project has five major components, namely [11]:
1) Customized Instructional Model; 2) Infrastructure
Deployment; 3) Community Mobilization and Involvement;
4) Stakeholders’ Training; and 5) Progress Monitoring and
Evaluation.
Three tracks are provided to participating learners:
1. Accreditation and Equivalency Program – the project
provides an ICT-based Accreditation and Equivalency
(A&E) Program that will prepare learners to take the A&E
Certification Exam which, if passed, would provide a
Certificate equivalent to a High School diploma;
2. Review/Catch-up opportunity for those who wish to
return to formal schooling (i.e. for those who temporarily
drop out due to illness, to help out on the farm during the
harvest season, etc.); and
3. Livelihood – Technical and Vocational Education and
Training (TVET) using existing and planned e-learning
modules geared for skills development, livelihood,
entrepreneurship, and cottage industries or ICT-related
skills (e.g. Digital Media Arts Program) for out-of school
adults, housewives, and other community members who
wish to update their skills; in partnership with the
community’s Public Employment Service Office (PESO).
The curriculum of the Accreditation and Equivalency
Program, developed by the DepEd-BALS focuses more on
life skills rather than theories and concepts (that are still
prevalent in traditional mainstream formal schools to prepare
the students for college). Basically, the A&E program equips
the learner to survive the "real world" with basic life skills.
DepEd-BALS assessed the competencies that learners would
need and from this list, developed corresponding print
modules - i.e. the approach is modular and applicationbased. There is a total of 500++ modules covering Filipino
and English versions of the A&E-primary and A&Esecondary of which 283 are considered "core modules".
What eSkwela did was to convert these print modules into elearning modules - but not just a simple conversion because
these had to undergo instructional design for multimedia and
interactive e-learning and to basically simplify, localize, and
Figure 3. eSkwela Model (Source: CICT)
171
The Learning Management System in this project is used
for:
• progress monitoring
• center utilization
• tracking of learner’s progress
• module utilization and evaluation
• enhancing learning + online collaborations +
learner portfolios
• Blogs, discussion forum, albums, portfolio folders,
webpage links, collaborative projects, etc.
Co-operative learning dominates over competitive
learning. Today’s student can work in a dynamic and
interactive multimedia learning environment where aside
from the tutor and the other students he/she can
communicate and work with his/her virtual friends all over
the world. A new feature of the current stage of the
educational reform is defined by McClintock: “Now,
thinking about educational time and space leads to
conceptions of flexible groupings, across ages and locations,
as people interact according to their interests, needs, and
curiosities” [13]. The eSkwela project uses various software
applications, the Internet, and the customized Learning
Management System are used by the learning facilitators to
assign learners a wide range of ICT-based supplementary
materials and activities to work on, such as online tests,
blogs,
discussion
forums,
digital
simulations,
videoconferencing, emails, spreadsheets and graphs,
multimedia presentations, digital graphics, etc. As such,
instead of having limited and “passive” sources of
information and resources learners are expected to use the
computers extensively to create and maintain their respective
electronic/digital learner portfolios.
B.
Infrastructure Deployment
The eSkwela Project deployed and donated the following
equipment to each of the pilot sites: 21 networked desktop
computers (inclusive of 1 server), 3-in-1 printer, LCD
projector, 2 air-conditioning units, digital camera, 21
computer tables, 21 monobloc chairs, and a fire extinguisher.
Open source software (Edubuntu OS v. 6.02, applications,
the eSkwela LMS, and other educational tools) – compiled
by CICT-HCDG – were pre-installed by the supplier prior to
deployment. An internet connection was provided right
before the launch with Smart Bro Wireless as the Internet
Service Provider (ISP) for all the four sites.
C. Community Mobilization and Involvement
The eSkwela Project Team has conducted successful
runs of community mobilization activities to orient the
stakeholders on the project, to discuss the detailed
responsibilities to be borne by each party involved, as
stipulated in the draft Memorandums of Agreement (MOA).
Furthermore, as stipulated in the MOA, each site was
requested to establish their own Local eSkwela Steering
Committees. Such a committee is tasked to oversee, monitor,
and sustain all aspects of the Center’s operations – both as
an e-learning Center and as a Community eCenter. It’s
responsible for the following:
1. Supervise the preparations for the Center’s operations.
2. Formulate an acceptable use policy for the Center.
3. Assign a Center Manager, Lab Manager and other
support staff to operate the Center.
4. Allow the personnel stated in point 3 to undergo
training as deemed appropriate by CICT and/or DepEd.
5. Meet regularly to discuss and decide on concerns and
issues pertinent to the Center’s operations and management.
6. Formulate, develop and review policies and
procedures relating to Center utilization, data collection,
financial management, and other aspects of center operations
(including but not limited to setting up a logging system,
scheduling, inventory, maintenance, security, replenishment
and use of supplies, staff deployment and supervision,
M&E).
7. Monitor the Center’s schedule to maximize the use of
the Center, with priority given to non-formal educational
purposes.
8. Monitor the Center’s operations and ensure its
sustainability.
9. Review and sign-off the reports prepared by the
Center Manager and the Lab Manager with regards to the
operations of the Center.
10. Undertake additional tasks to benefit the Center as
directed by the eSkwela PMO.
Content Development: The e-learning modules were
subjected to a stringent review by the eSkwela Project
Management Office (PMO) and the BALS ICT Technical
Working Group (ICT-TWG). The group agreed on quality
standards to be used to guide the development and
evaluation of the e-learning modules based on the British
Educational Communications and Technology Agency
(BECTA) Quality Principles for Digital Learning Resources
– covering both core pedagogic and design principles. A
Digital Courseware Evaluation Rubric was developed by the
eSkwela PMO. The Content Development process has been
reviewed and streamlined in cooperation with DepEd-BALS,
seven State Universities and Colleges, and the Technical
Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
Learners do not have to be ICT-literate when they apply
for a slot at any eSkwela Center. To ensure basic computer
skills, the learning facilitators or other community volunteers
provide short training courses on the use of the mouse,
keyboard, and basic browsing techniques just to get the
learners comfortable with the technology. They then get to
explore and gain other computer skills such as file
management and productivity tools as they go through the
different eSkwela modules. Learners have the option to take
the A&E Test which, if they pass, would provide them with
a Certificate equivalent to an Elementary or High School
Diploma.
The community can benefit on the projects to be
produced by the learners through the modules. Projects can
be on community information (e.g. community website or
mapping of eateries/tourist spots), events (e.g. brochure on
fiestas), issues/concerns (e.g. a video on the electoral
process), LGU programs (e.g. a short photo essay on the
recycling programs of the community), etc. This approach
makes A&E learners more aware and involved in the current
climate, needs, and issues of the local community.
172
Personalized Learning Environment (PLE) System, and the
Site Monitoring System. This will allow all eSkwela centers
to be connected online – benefiting learners and
implementers. As of May 2010, there are 27 centers
operating; 113 e-learning modules certified out of the
targeted 283 (still developing and reviewing 170 e-modules
with partners); trained 787 implementers on various
competencies and served at least 2,500 learners since 2007.
The project is targeting a total of 105 CICT-led sites and
assisting DepEd-BALS in setting up 220 more.
D. Stakeholders’ Training
Workshops for CICT, other non-governmental
organizations (NGOs), and the academe have been
conducted on ICT and the Design of Teacher Training
Programs and M&E in ICT4E activities. Training courses on
review of ICT Basics, productivity tools, and e-Learning,
content and design recommendations, as well as an
introduction to the iSchool Webboard that focused on the
use of online educational tools and resources have also been
incorporated. Stakeholders’ workshops on sustaining their
local Community eCenters; Teacher Training workshops on
the eSkwela Instructional Design; Lab Management
Training – both theoretical and hands-on – were conducted
onsite.
B. Challenges
Holmberg states: “Multimedia networks are expected to
lead to or facilitate educational innovations” [14]. However
a lot of research is needed to determine the types
E. Monitoring and Evaluation
The eSkwela Project Team is constantly communicating
and coordinating with DepEd- BALS and the pilot site
implementers, discussing and solving various concerns, and
sharing success stories. Regular progress M&E activities –
online discussions, surveys/interviews, reports, and site
visits – have been conducted to collect feedback and
recommendations on how to further improve the eSkwela
framework and operations.
IV.
Figure 4. Test Performance (Source: CICT)
OBSERVATIONS
of students that e-learning or effective school delivery mode
is the most appropriate for and to help decision makers to
answer some crucial questions in order to make possible “the
power of e-learning to be moved from bright promise to best
practice” [15].
A. Successes
The project’s implementation of the four (4) pilot sites
provided the “proof of concept” that the use of ICTs in
education is highly suitable to the modular approach of ALS
and its emphasis on life skills. The multi-stakeholder
approach that requires the local communities to take the
initiative to source the resources (site, units, personnel) for
the center and sustain its operations is considered as one of
the key success factors observed in the pilot implementation.
Community ownership is considered vital especially in
center sustainability – not only in terms of financial
sustainability but also in terms of social and cultural
sustainability (i.e. social benefits have to be felt), political
sustainability (i.e. policy directives and support), and
technological sustainability. Through a number of hosted
project presentations and dialogues with the target local
communities and their respective stakeholders, the roles of
the DepEd Divisions/Districts, local government units, and
resident non-government organizations are spelled out and
clarified. Support is secured before all other actions are
undertaken.
Although the e-learning modules were widely used as the
main ICT-based material in the eSkwela sites, a big number
of site implementers (teachers) experimented with the novel
approach of using the LMS only for the first few months of
site operations. This may be attributed to a number of
possible reasons, namely [16]:
• Teachers did not have too much time to be “creative”
because of overlapping job roles and other priorities (many
are also teachers in the formal education system).
• Teachers might still be at Stage 1 of ICT utilization – that
of basic user, and might not be ready yet to move on to
Stage 2 – application/incorporation of ICT tools to work
processes and deliverables.
• Some teachers tended to go back to the formal education
setup (i.e. lecture) since it was the mode that they were
comfortable with – also, no performance evaluation
mechanism had been designed to check teachers’ use of the
instructional model. Many educators and technologists tend
to apply or adapt findings from studies of traditional
classroom learning or adult distance learning, but ICT
based education in schools is fundamentally unique [17].
• The LMS, modules, Think.com and the internet browser,
being separate applications/ windows, tended to make
things too complicated for non-regular or new computer
users, such as some of the site implementers.
• The production and distribution of e-learning modules
took too long – for several months, learners only had 20
modules to work with; as such, they had to either rehash
As a validation of its efforts to reduce educational
disparities, the eSkwela Project was cited with a Certificate
of Commendation in the non-formal education category of
the UNESCO ICT in Education Innovation Awards 20072008. With the expert guidance of experienced ICT for
Education (ICT4E) consultants, quality standards,
processes/procedures, and implementation models had been
established and regularly being reviewed. The customized
automated systems have just gone through Systems Analysis
and Design and are scheduled to be developed by this year.
These will include the eSkwela Portal, the online
173
cultural, economic, psychological; be planned for
sustainability; ensure capacity building and training; bring
about development of local content and must ensure multi
stake-holder partnerships. The project is a work in progress.
Systems to be developed include:
• User Account Management System
• Personalized Learning Environment (PLE) System
– for online deployment
• Instructional
Model
Management
System
(including database for capability building)
• Site Management System (from application
process to monitoring)
• Incident Report System
• Content Developers Track Report System
• eSkwela portal – for internal and external
communities
some of the previous modules or go back to the printed
modules.
• Only the site server was regularly allocated for teachers’
use since all the workstations were used by learners.
To respond to these concerns, alternative remedies have
been recommended and are being studied, such as:
• The design and conduct of a more vigorous teacher
training program that will guide them through concrete ICT
integration in education.
• The design and use of a performance evaluation
mechanism that will compel teachers to stick to or even
enhance the eSkwela Instructional Model.
• The design and distribution of module guides for ICT
integration to guide site implementers on possible ICTbased activities and strategies.
• A more robust and integrated LMS that incorporates the elearning modules and various ICT tools and features in a
seamless application.
When it comes to specific policies on ICT in education,
the following elements need to be reviewed: Allocation of
funds; Hardware allotted in a cost effective manner, targeted
student-computer ratios, the configuration and placement of
ICT facilities, and technical support for students and
teachers; Softwares used and Service providers; Teachers are
they first generation users; Adaptation of curriculum
accordingly ; Staff to support computers and related
technology; Network infrastructure for teachers and students
to gain access to knowledge and share information;
Infrastructure development; Interoperation of information
systems; Development of
The learning facilitators, despite being very open and
flexible to the self-paced ICT supported approach, are going
through a learning curve. As such, the team works on the
continuous enhancement of stakeholder competencies via
various training programs, including Training Needs
Analysis (TNA); capability building for Regional eSkwela
Coordinators; training workshops for Learning Facilitators,
Network
Administrators,
and
Center
Managers;
development and review of the next set of Module Guides;
and the regular conduct of the eSkwela ICT Camp to expose
eSkwela implementers and learners on project-based
learning and development of User-Generated Content
(UGC) for their learner portfolio projects. The team is
likewise preparing DepEd-BALS to take over the
management of the eSkwela operations by the end of 2010.
The eSkwela project team is preparing BALS for the
turnover as a lot of the trainers are already from their ranks
and are involved in the process. Further, CICT-HCDG and
DepEd-BALS target 230 new sites by the end of 2010,
contributing to the country’s efforts in providing Education
for All (EFA) by 2015. In connection with this, various
operating models are being experimented on – i.e.
LGU/barangay-sponsored, civic group/NGO-sponsored,
Community e-Center-based, internet-café-based, school
laboratory- based models – depending on the respective
commitments and resources of the host communities that are
responsible for the infrastructure, connectivity, and
sustainability concerns of the centers. Regional Coordinators
and Division-level Coordinators have been allocated to
ensure continuous stakeholder support as well as smooth
operations and sustainability in the field.
V.
Figure 5. Brief Update (Source: CICT)
technological standards; Research and development; ICT
education and training; National ICT development
coordination; International interface and cooperation; Access
to infrastructure; Access to information; Monitoring the use
of ICT; Measurement of the impact of ICT. Scope of ICT in
Education can be further highlighted as: ICT as a subject
(i.e. computer studies)
• ICT as a tool to innovate teaching-learning practice
(i.e. digital content, multimedia, teaching-learning
methods, learning environment)
CONCLUSION
The framework study of eSkwela project serves as a
model to illustrate that ICT4E should be people-driven and
not technology-driven. It must further put the needs of the
users at the center and must be demand driven; be
holistically planned; ensure community participation; use
participatory methodologies; ensure accessibility-social,
174
•
•
•
•
ICT as an administrative tool (i.e. education
management information systems (EMIS)
ICT as an expanding learning opportunity (i.e.
distance learning, e-Learning)
ICT as a facilitator of higher-order thinking skills
(i.e. learner-centered, self-directed learning,
tailored learning)
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Education ICT Transforming Education, Hangzhou, People's Republic of
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Changes towards the information or knowledge society
[18] also lead to new trends in learning. Some of the
changes observed by Siemens [19] are:
• Informal learning is a significant aspect of our
learning experience. Formal education no longer
comprises the majority of our learning. Learning
now occurs in a variety of ways – through
communities of practice, personal networks, and
through completion of work related tasks;
• Learning is a continual process, lasting for a
lifetime. Learning and work related activities are
no longer separate. In many situations, they are the
same;
• Technology is altering (rewiring) our brains. The
tools we use define and shape our thinking;
• The organization and the individual are both
learning organisms. Increased attention to
knowledge management highlights the need for a
theory that attempts to explain the link between
individual and organizational learning;
• Know-how and know-what is being supplemented
with know-where (the knowledge of where to find
knowledge needed just in -time).
An appropriate enabling environment is undoubtedly
necessary. In certain cases at the local and implementation
level, the multi-stakeholder approach signifies a form of
cooperation between actors in exploiting the ICT for
Development (ICTD) opportunity in a win-win manner for
all partners. Conceptual clarity of the ICT artifact will help
in enabling policymakers and donor agencies to better
evaluate the potential impact of technology usage in
education. While such new opportunities for convergent
action are certainly present and need to be maximized, the
all-important issue is to determine which partner determines
the agenda of the activities undertaken. In an attempt of
seeking a replicable model, there is decisive need for
contextualized capacity building requirement both at
institutional and individual level which should not be just
downloading dominant concepts.
The eSkwela project, though a work in progress has several
success stories; it serves as a model for effective
implementation of ICT for education in developing
countries.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
I would like to express my gratitude to the Commission
on Information and Communications Technology (CICT),
Philippines for all the data and figures used in this paper.
Special thanks to Maria Melizza D.Tan eSkwela Project
Manager, for her support and for furnishing all the important
and latest information on the eSkwela project, without which
this paper would be incomplete.
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