The e-Learning Club as a Support Strategy in Technology Integration

1. The e-Learning Club as a Support Strategy in Technology Integration Presented at the 1st National ICTs in Basic Education Congress 6-7 December 2004 Cebu City, Philippines

2. Project Background • The Coca-Cola ed.Venture pilot project is a core pilot project under Pilipinas Schoolnet • Launched in April 2001 through the generous support of The Coca-Cola Export Corporation (Philippines & Asia Pacific) • Project components are: • Connectivity • Training and Professional Development • Support Services • Monitoring and Evaluation

3. Project Background • Set-up of 15 computer laboratories in 15 public HSs in Metro Manila, Bohol, Cebu, Iloilo, Negros Oriental and Leyte • Training programs for teachers, school administrators and technical staff • Teacher professional development: • Basic Computer and Internet Literacy • Information Literacy • Strategies in Curriculum-Technology Integration • Telecollaboration

4. Rationale • Monitoring results after SY 2002-03: • Teachers had difficulty completing their telecollaborative projects due to scheduling conflicts, lack of ICT skills and/or lack of opportunities to hone basic skills. • Suggestion to involve students through the formation of e-Learning Clubs • Recognizing the reality that students are highly motivated to learn and eventually adapt to the new technology

5. Rationale • Instead of working on inter-school telecollaborative projects, it may be more appropriate/feasible for students and teachers in each school to work together in designing and implementing learning activities that use the ICT facilities in the school. • Formation of e-Learning Clubs in each school through workshops involving both students and teachers • Complemented with a workshop on Curriculum Integration for teachers

6. Objectives of the ELC • To better prepare students and teachers for ICT-based learning activities • To design, promote and implement learning activities in every year level that use ICTs • To enhance the ICT skills of students through peer-to-peer tutoring and teacher-guided activities

7. The E-Learning Club activities are CURRICULAR, meaning: • they are based on units and lessons in the curriculum; and • for the most part, they will be done during class hours, or regular class sessions. Nature of the Club

8. Core Membership • One (1) Over-all Coordinator1 • Four (4) Year-level Coordinators2, one for each year • 10 students per year level, representing different sections handled by the year-level coordinator • the Center Manager and Assistant Center Manager • Preferably a Subject Area teacher • Must be Subject Area teachers

9. Roles & Responsibilities Student members: • Help classmates and schoolmates master the skills needed to complete assigned activities (e.g., surfing the Web, creating an e-mail account, working with e-mail, creating an e-group, etc.) • Assist teachers in planning and implementing ICT-based learning activities in their class and within their year level • Plan and lead the implementation of at least 1 school-wide ELC project per year

10. Roles & Responsibilities Year Level Coordinators • Plan the ICT-based learning activities for the year level with the year-level club members • Ensure that there is a fit between curricular goals and the learning activities for their year level (instructional design) • Monitoring and reporting the progress of year-level activities • Serve as mentors or guides to new teacher members

11. Roles & Responsibilities Over All Coordinator • Monitor and report the progress of year-level club activities • Provide whatever assistance is necessary to the year-level coordinators towards the successful completion of year-level activities • Ensure the provision of assistance and guidance to new teachers by the Year-Level coordinators • Regularly update their own skills in the use of ICTs for education and share knowledge and skills with other Club members

12. Center Manager & Assistant Center Manager • Closely coordinate with the Over-all Coordinator and Year-Level Coordinators in scheduling center use for e-Learning Club activities • Assist student members in conducting website design and others skills trainings for other students • Provide technical assistance to the Over-all and Year Level Coordinators Roles & Responsibilities

13. Teacher reactions • Students were highly motivated to use computers and Internet • Being able to observe group dynamics closely; seeing how students work together and how they cooperate to achieve a single purpose • Being able to focus on students who need more guidance and help than others Some Observations

14. Teacher reactions • Shared responsibility; being able to entrust leadership tasks to students • Learning from their students’ work, which in turn, they use in enhancing their resource base for teaching • In some cases, students’ enthusiasm and drive to finish the projects became the teacher’s source of motivation Some Observations

15. Student reactions • Enjoyed working with computers and the Internet and doing field research; developed specialized skills such as web designing • Recognized the need to develop other skills such as interviewing experts and real-world sources and working as a team – authentic learning • Recognized the role of the teacher as a guide in the process: sought after closer guidance • What they learned aside from the subject area: patience, cooperation, self-confidence, connections between subject areas, pride in their independent work Some Observations

16. In some cases, creating a “community of practice” within the school: teachers working in teams, sharing each others’ experiences in implementation, “critiquing” of each other’s work • Facilitating the recognition of innovation within the school since efforts are subsumed under an organizational structure • In some cases, facilitating the provision of better or improved administrative support Some Observations

17. Classroom management issues: • Supervising students’ time in the laboratory and in the field as well • Handling large groups of students (8 to 10 members each) • Integrating results of the assessment of student outputs • In some cases, lack of focus on curricular goals • Scheduling issues for teachers and students • In some cases, difficulties in coordinating the use of the laboratory • Intermittent technical problems Problems Encountered

18. Addressing classroom management and scheduling issues • Appropriate instructional design that integrates the use of available technology • Continuous updating of skills of teachers in order to provide support to student members • Membership expansion through skills trainings for both students and teachers Challenges

19. Provision of consistent administrative support at the school level: recognition of innovation, creation of an incentive system • The ELC as an instrument to gain community support: awareness-raising among parents, community leaders and members Challenges

20. THANK YOU!!! Liezl S. Formilleza Deputy Director for Programs and Research FIT-ED lsformilleza@fit-ed.org www.pilipinasschoolnet.org