Multimedia arts students from De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde have introduced Sinibatao, a set of art-integrated learning materials designed to help Grade 3 students in public schools better understand values and ethics.
The team — Aldrin Isaac Baltazar, Ayesha Decena, Aliyah Azel Macatol, Abram Olivar, and Kyla Marie Uy — created the project to offer new ways of teaching good manners and right conduct (GMRC), particularly for children with diverse learning styles.
Motivated by Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget’s cognitive development theory, which states that children aged 7 to 11 understand concrete logic but struggle with abstract thinking, the group focused on Grade 3 learners. They said early education on morality plays a crucial role in shaping beliefs and behavior.
After months of research, including interviews with students and educators to study teaching strategies and classroom experiences, the team produced a range of offline tools, such as storybooks, audio plays, visual and auditory animations, flashcards, placards, coloring sheets, and metacards.
They said the materials promote the role of arts in developing students’ cognitive, emotional, and physical skills. The name Sinibatao combines the Filipino words sining (art), bata (child), and pagpapakatao (being human). It also plays on the phrase sino ba tayo? (who are we?), reflecting the theme of self-awareness and moral development.
The students said that using tangible materials in classrooms helps children better engage with lessons and form stronger connections with teachers and classmates, especially in public schools where access to digital tools may be limited.
The project aims to support various teaching and learning styles, with the students hoping it will increase classroom participation and reduce the burden on educators to create their own visual aids.
More information about the project is available at facebook.com/sinibatao.