Open University: An Emerging Technology in the Philippines

Open University: An Emerging Technology in the Philippines

Alyssa Miclat, April Razote, Kristine Gorayeb, Jaclyn Maghirang,

Michael Yu, Agustin Guanco, and Patricio Soyao

MBA Standard, Ateneo de Manila University Graduate School of Business,

Makati City, Philippines

I. Open University: A Technological Description

A. Technical Environment

        Over the past decade, major changes have occurred in the field of information technology. These changes prompted the researchers’ attention to determine the emerging technology in the global and Philippine landscape. While this technological growth is booming, the world, however, still suffers from literacy gaps in all levels of education due to poverty, geographical distance, limitations of physical classrooms, and both inflexible working and class schedules. (McFarlane, 2001, p. 5) Fortunately, the continuous and emerging technological developments on the World Wide Web  (WWW) offer strategic solutions to fill in this social gap and to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) on literacy in the form of open education.

Open education offers flexible learning opportunities that free individuals from the bounds of time, distance, and place. It is called “open” mainly due to its web-based access approach to education. The Commission on Higher Education [CHED] Policy on Transnational Education issued Memo No.6 (2003), which defines open or distance education as “a mode of educational delivery whereby teacher and learner are separated in space and time and instruction is delivered through specially designed materials and methods and is supported by organizational and administrative structures and arrangements. Distance education may utilize various types and combinations of print- and non-print-based learning methods. Face-to-face tutorials or virtual discussion groups may support learning.”

To overcome the time and distance barriers, open learning uses various forms of Information and Communications Technology (ICT’s) to communicate, present materials for education, and provide interaction among students. ICT is the study or business of developing and using technology to process information and aid communications. (Kretschman, 2015, p. 68) In the case of an open university, ICT effectively and efficiently utilizes non-print media and technologies in the academe to enrich and to strengthen the learning experiences of students and instructors for distance learning in teaching. (Satyanarayana and Meduri, 2015, pp. 44-48) The potential of digital ICT is growing exponentially every year. Its path is determined largely by the “concept of convergence” within the lexicon of Internet of Things (IoT). (Bojanova, Voas, Hurlburt, 2015, P. 14) The “convergence of technology” refers to the coming together of the advances both in telecommunications and computing that is made possible by storing and communicating data in a binary digital format that is characterized by openness, integration, connectivity, and flexibility (Hermosa and Anday, 2008).

Currently, open learning courses are conducted in the realm of WWW. The students make use of ICTs offered by the university or the ones available in the market. The developments in the platforms used are evolving rapidly, alongside the growth of ICTs and the push for more internationalized, interdependent society. Open learning creates a new horizon for knowledge exchange and intercultural dialogue with just a click of a finger. The growing digital divide is actually narrowing in as open learning continues to provide the tools that enable the illiterate populations, rural communities and disadvantaged groups to become part of the educated and Internet community.

In the Philippines, the University of the Philippines (2012) serves as the pioneer of open and distance eLearning for establishing its Open University on February 23, 1995 through the use of a virtual classroom dubbed as “MyPortal”, which is recognized as one of the ten best e-practices in Asia by the APEC Digital Opportunity Center. In a study conducted by Bagarinao (2015, pp. 107-108) on the student performance in the case of University of the Philippines Open University  (UPOU), where he serves as an associate professor, learning outcomes within this technological environment can be predicted from the active participation of students in the discussion forum and their frequent access to class materials.

1. Trends in Open University

Open learning has becoming an important element in the present and future of education systems. Most universities nowadays have already incorporated electronic learning in their curriculum that facilitates the increasing acceptance of open learning. Furthermore, the trends in open learning in an international scale are intensified by globalization other than the integration of ICT-based technologies. (Olusola and Alaba, 2011, pp. 69-70) This trend should push our government to continue funding the development, integration, and access to open learning at least in state universities. Issues such as lack of funding and professional competence are still the major barriers to hurdle. Nevertheless, open learning remains an opportunity than can be used as a major strategy to guarantee the expanding access to education that further translates to achieving economic viability without compromising the quality of learning.

The trends in open learning are moving towards the offering of resource-based course curriculum. Presently, instructors in some universities and colleges source their modules and class materials from online resources instead of merely relying on conventional textbooks or set modules, which have become partly or wholly obsolete, to emphasize the value of critical thinking and relevant research. (BoarerPitchford, 2014, pp. 1068- 1069) The use of Web 2.0 features such as blogs, wikis, online forum, and virtual communities has tremendously helped update the education in light of the present advancements. Podcasts, webcasts, journal databases and other web-based publications in digital format are relevant sources of latest information too. The delivery process of learning to students can be widely and rapidly executed with the advent of mobile technology, such as smartphones and tablets.

Education does not exist in a vacuum but in an evolving world for literacy is valued as a basic human need and right. (SOS Children’s Villages, 2013) For this reason, innovators of education have been constantly working towards achieving this goal amidst the challenges of the modern world. Due to the rapid evolution of technology, education can no longer be confined in the four walls of the classroom. While classroom sessions develop interactive skills, online learning offers a futuristic kind of feel and knowledge. With the availability of tablets and smartphones and their increasing affordability today, Filipinos enjoy the wireless access to latest information, making every moment a learning experience.