Students and parents aren’t the only ones adjusting to digital education. Educators and the rest of the academe have also been working hard at adapting to this major switch. With the challenge of virtual classes, it’s not just a question of how well the students are doing but also how efficient the teachers are in maximizing their knowledge and platforms.
This is one of the key reasons schools and universities continue to seek innovative ways to enrich and equip their faculty. Having been awarded the Globe Research Grant in 2018, the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde Manila has been one step ahead in paving the way for their full-time professors and instructors to access funds for further research.
A byproduct of a three-year partnership between Globe and DLS-CSB, the Globe Research Grant was awarded to full-time faculty members whose studies focused on the pedagogies, spaces, and effects of technologically-aided education.
“Our purpose is to link the students and faculty of DLS-CSB with other institutions in terms of academic improvement,” said Mark Humphrey G. Mendoza, Director of the Center of Academic Linkages, which was the office in charge of facilitating the grant. “When it comes to coordinating with Globe, everything has been very easy – from the fund deposit to the follow-ups in between. We were looped in every step of the way.”
The grantees are Geronio G. Ulayao, Vice Chancellor for Academics, and Maria Sharon Mapa Ariola, Associate Dean for the New Media Cluster. Their grant topics were on soliciting parental perception about digital education and building virtual versions of cultural heritages, respectively.
“Our research was basic but pioneering,” Ulayao shared, pertaining to their study about the perceptions and attitudes of parents towards virtual learning. “When DLS-CSB first switched to online classes during the onset of the pandemic, there were no complaints from the parents. Their response was actually, ‘Okay, how can we help, how can we improve this?’ And that gave us the avenue to pursue the extent of parental involvement in the digital shift given its difficulties.”
Marc Sherwin Ochoco, Head of Center for Faculty and Institutional Research and a team member of Ulayao’s grant project, added that their data reflected the demographic of parents who were more open to the idea of online learning.
“The parents whose children were in technologically-oriented courses tended to have a more positive attitude towards the use of it,” he said.
Ariola’s team on the other hand worked on creating virtual prototypes for the four baroque churches in the Philippines, namely the San Agustin Church in Manila, the San Agustin Church in Paoay, Ilocos Norte, the Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion in Santa Maria, Ilocos Sur, and the Santo Thomas de Villanueva Church in Iloilo.
“The grant has provided me and my team the opportunity to work on a research project that is as big and ambitious as producing virtual reality content,” shared Ariola, also a full-time faculty member of the Multimedia Arts department. “These four churches need to be restored, and through our study, people can see the details of their original forms and even the materials used.”
Preservation of cultural heritage may not be the first thing that comes to mind regarding online learning. However, this study proves just how important and relevant it is, especially with the education setup during this pandemic.
“At the time we chose these topics, we thought they were worlds apart. But came the pandemic, they somewhat became prophetic,” said Rogelio Dela Cruz Jr., Head of Educational Technology Office. “We hope that the cycle of research will be embedded in the functions of the faculty.”
Issues when incorporating newer technologies with traditional methods are inevitable. But with Globe’s timely and relevant response and support through the Globe Research Grant, DLS-CSB hopes to continue growing their digital education knowledge. In fact, scholarship grants for their faculty have been extended until 2022.
“Our wish is that these digital learning studies would be picked up again so the literature would grow richer,” Dela Cruz added.
With Globe escalating their partnerships with schools and universities for virtual education empowerment, DLS-CSB has a steadfast ally in tech integration and learning innovation.
"The Globe Research Grant on Digital Learning aims to contribute to the body of research in digital learning," said Mark Abalos, Segment Head for Education at Globe. "As a partner, we are very much willing to support Benilde and recognize its pursuit for advanced knowledge and expertise in online education and educational technology."
#Reinvent the way you learn
By bridging teachers to information and technology that enable continuous learning, especially during times of crisis, Globe continues to prove itself an invaluable partner in promoting 21st Century Learning and in improving resilience in education.
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