eSkwela

an eLearning variant of the

Community eCenter

eSkwela Project Team

14 December 2006, eQuality Planning Workshop, QC

Commission on Information and Communications Technology

 Project Overview

Commission on Information and Communications Technology

 Status of Philippine Education

“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.”
- National Framework Plan for ICTs in Basic Education, 2005

• ICTs as a powerful enabler of capacity

development towards ensuring basic education
for all and lifelong learning
 CICT-Human Capital Development Group

A nation competent in the use of ICT as a tool for

sustainable human development

An Educational
System that World Class A Culture of
Maximizes the Use Knowledge Worker Creative ICT Use
of ICT in Learning
 CICT's ICT4E: Table of Activities

Educators Applications Content Dev Infrastructure

Training Dev Deployment

Elem Limited No No No

HS Yes Yes Yes Yes

ALS Yes Yes Yes Yes

Tertiary Yes Yes Yes Yes

 An Educational Crisis
COHORT SURVIVAL TREND

100 source: Department of Education

100
80

60
66
58
40
43
20
23
14
0
Grade 1 Grade 6 HS I HS IV College I College
Graduate Graduate Graduate

• dropout rate for HS: 9% in SY 1998-1999 to

13.10% in SY 2002-2003.
 2003 Functional Literacy, Education
and Mass Media Survey
Percentage Distribution: Reasons for not attending school

employment / looking for w ork 30.5

lack of personal interest 22
high cost of education 19.9
housekeeping 11.8
illness/ disability 2.5
cannot cope w ith school w ork 2.2
school is very far 1.5
no school w ithin the area 0.4
no regular transportation 0.2 Source: 2003 FLEMMS Results
others 9.1

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
 Philippine OSY
• 5.18 million out-of-school youth (2005)
– 1.84 M aged 6 to 11 + 3.94 M aged 12 to 15
– 42% considered “idle”
• the Bureau of Alternative Learning System (BALS)
– provides non-formal and informal education
– receives less than 1% (0.068% in 2005) of the total
education budget
 Alternative Learning System

Programs • use print modules

2. Basic Literacy • small number of
3. Accreditation & mobile teachers
Equivalency – Service Providers
a. Elementary (LGUs, NGOs, etc.)
b. Secondary finance additional
Instructional
4. Advanced Level – Managers
Bridge Program • simply not
enough!!
 eSkwela
• Commissioner Emmanuel C. Lallana, Ph.D.
– Idea similar to NotSchool Schools of UK

broadening access to basic education

+
using ICTs effectively in
enhancing teaching & learning
+
21st Century Skills
 eSkwela
• to establish/re-orient Community eLearning
Centers in major centers in the country that
will broaden access to ICT-enabled learning
opportunities through a non-formal,
community-based e-learning program for
out-of-school youth (OSY) and adults
– eLearning experience + blended and collaborative modes
of instruction + performance-based assessment
– pioneering effort with DepEd-BALS
 eSkwela – AEF Grant
• 4 pilot sites:

Note: additional
Quezon City 14 pilot sites by
San Jose del Monte Mid-2007

Cebu City

Cagayan de Oro City

 Three Tracks

Accreditation Catch-up with

and Formal
Equivalency Education

ICT-based
Livelihood
Program
 Projected Results
• at least 600 out-of-school individuals serviced for 1st year
(1st 4 sites)
• pilot the integration of ICTs in education towards the
development of specific curricular standards and guidelines
for national adoption
– more flexible than formal education setting
• assess the effectiveness of the elearning modules for
probable wide-scale deployment and use around the
country (even in formal educ settings)
– received numerous inquiries already!, need for impact study
• assess the pilot run for duplication and rollout of more
eSkwela elearning centers around the country
– LGUs and NGOs are interested!; will receive national gov’t
funding for 14 additional pilot sites!, need for impact study,
Operations Manual to be produced
 Project Components

Infrastructure Materials Development

eSkwela
Community
Support for
Program Stakeholders’
Sustainability Training

Monitoring &
Evaluation
 Project Components

Infrastructure

eSkwela
Infrastructure Deployment

• 21 Computers
– Laboratory:
• 20 PCs loaded with open source
productivity tools, learning modules, etc
• server
• LCD projector
• 3-in-1 printer (print, scan, copy)
• 2 A/C units
• Digital camera
• Computer Tables + Monoblocs
• Free Internet connection for 1
year; wireless
• bidding: finished
• deployment: Dec/Jan
 Project Components

Infrastructure Materials Development

eSkwela
 BALS Core Curriculum
• enhancement of life skills and lifelong learning skills
among its learners (21st Century Skills)
• ALS’ A&E Program - five learning strands:
1. Communication Skills
2. Problem Solving and Critical Thinking
3. Sustainable Use of Resources/ Productivity
4. Development of Self and a Sense of Community / Value of
Collaboration
5. Expanding One’s World Vision

– eSkwela to focus on the A&E Secondary Level Program: 50 of

86 core modules
– based on Curriculum Review by BALS (2005)
 Sample Modules
Communication Skills Problem Solving & Dev’t of Self and a Sense of
Analytical Thinking Community
Are You Listening?
Reproductive Health Building Relationships with Others
A Language of Our Own
Skeletal System
Effective Communication Dealing with Fear, Anger, and
Addictive and Dangerous Drugs Frustration
Effective Writing
The Cost of Environmental
The Interview Ironing It Out
Degradation
Are you a Critical Reader? Changing Roles
Composting
How to Become an Intelligent
Buying Wisely Civil and Political Rights
Listener
Business Math The Beautiful World of Our Native
Panitikang Filipino
Basic Accounting Borthers
Filling-up Forms Accurately
Expanding One’s World Searching for Patterns Sustainable Use of
Vision Resources/
Water and its Costs Productivity
The Major Religions of the World
Marks of a Successful Entrepreneur
Think Globally, Act Locally
Water Pollution
How to Resolve Conflicts Wanted: Clean and Fresh Air

Workers’ Rights

Ideas for Income-Generating Projects

 eSkwela Instructional Design (pilot)

eSkwela
elearning
modules (A&E)
(ver 1) Learner outputs/
eSkwela portfolios
Learning +
Management Teacher-learner
System interactions
(alpha) +
Teacher-teacher &
BALS Session learner-learner
Guides & other interactions
materials

Involvement of Learning Community

+
Livelihood Programs (http://www.e-skills.net.ph/cw/)
 Blended Learner-centered Instruction

one hour of
one hour : collaborative group
computer-aided activities and
learning via projects
interactive elearning (practical
modules application)

one hour: teacher-

facilitated
instruction/discussion
(based on the current
needs of the learners)
 eLearning Modules
• software developer: Sandiwaan Center for
Learning
– module review by BALS-TWG
• Clear standards/ expectations for the developer in
enhancing the modules vs. verbal agreements
(problematic)
• Module Review Form + Digital Courseware
Evaluation Rubric
• http://balsontheweb.wikispaces.com

• (sample to be shown later – separate file)

●
Sample Rubric Sheet: to be given out
●
Score for each item: must be at least a 3
http://balsontheweb.wikispaces.com
 Learning Management System
• For progress monitoring
• For center utilization
• For tracking of learner’s progress
• For module utilization and evaluation
• For enhancing learning + online collaborations +
learner portfolios
– Blogs, discussion forum, albums, portfolio folders,
webpage links, collaborative projects, etc.
 Project Components

Infrastructure Materials Development

eSkwela

Stakeholders’
Training
 Project Components
• Educators’ Training
– Prof. Tim Unwin’s Seminar Workshops (Jan
2006):
• ICTs and the Design of Teacher Training Programs
• Monitoring & Evaluation in ICT4E Activities
– Teacher Training Workshop on ICT4E for BALS-
TWG (7 members, 24-hour training + 56-hour
workshop;
• output: http://balsontheweb.wikispaces.com)
 Project Components
• Educators’ Training
– Teacher Training on the customized eSkwela Instructional
Design (8 mobile teachers/instructional managers per
community, 40 hrs)
• ICT Literacy + ICT-enabled learning + use of the eSkwela LMS
• http://eSkwela.wikispaces.com
– Onsite Laboratory Management (2 participants per, 40hrs)
• Edunbuntu
• eSkwela LMS
– Sustainability Planning Workshop (3 participants/school,
24hrs)
• DepEd rep (pref. ALS Head)
• School Board rep
• Local partner rep (from LGU or NGO or barangay)
http://eSkwela.wikispaces.com
 Project Components

Infrastructure Materials Development

eSkwela
Community
Support for
Program Stakeholders’
Sustainability Training
 Project Components
• Community Involvement
– for Community Mobilization, Sustainability, and Project
Customization
– feeder center for Livelihood Training Programs (e.g.
PESO, CITE)
– site renovations – ongoing
– Local eSkwela Steering Committee – being finalized
– assignment of Center Manager + Lab Manager -
assigned
– teacher- & learner- selection – ongoing
• successful Stakeholders’ Mobilization
meetings!
- draft MOAs and Deeds of Donation being reviewed
 Local eSkwela Steering Committee

• to oversee, monitor, and sustain all aspects

of the Center’s operations – both as an
eLearning Center and as a Community
eCenter
• composed of representatives from the
eSkwela Project Management Office of
CICT, the local government unit, the local
DepEd-ALS Division/Unit, the local partners,
the local community, and other stakeholders
 Project Components

Infrastructure Materials Development

eSkwela
Community
Support for
Program Stakeholders’
Sustainability Training

Monitoring &
Evaluation
 Monitoring and Evaluation
• in close coordination with BALS, the SCL-EDO, and the
recipient communities
• pre-implementation: focus group discussions + interviews
- done
• regular site visits and program assessment sessions
• automated monitoring system via LMS
• class checklists, student portfolios, lab logbook
• pre-test, post-test, feedback, year-end interviews, written
surveys, observations, self-assessment, and focus group
discussions
• Impact study together with BALS and UPOU (discussions
ongoing)
 Possible
eQuality Support

Commission on Information and Communications Technology

 Areas
• Membership in the Local Steering
Committees
• Localization / Customization of modules (i.e.
converting the modules to local languages,
putting in local flavor/samples/activities)
• Teacher Training
• Local Tech Support
• Community-based Projects for the learners
• Monitoring and Evaluation activities
 Areas
• Research (HCDG not capable yet):
– Baseline information on ICT4E activities in the Philippines
– Baseline information on similar initiatives (local and
global, e.g. Mexico, India, Pakistan)
– eSkwela Impact Study: design & implementation
• Teacher Aides & Learner Mentors
• Industry tie-ups for livelihood track
– hands-on app vis-à-vis CITE & Don Bosco elearning
modules, CISCO, Oracle, etc.
– Industry absoprtion (CITE model, SMEs, cottage
industries)
 Thank you.

Maria Melizza D. Tan

Head Executive Assistant, CICT-HCDG
eSkwela Project Coordinator
mdtan@ncc.gov.ph
+63- 2 - 9207412

Commission on Information and Communications Technology