CENTER FOR MSU-IIT E-LEARNING

The MSU-IIT Center for eLearning (MICeL) conducted an InFLeX Faculty and Mentoring Certification (IFMC) program in the first quarter of 2022. The goal of IFMC was to create a community of InFLeX facilitators or mentors from all colleges who can contribute to enhancing their competencies in the development of Open Educational Resources (OER) and the use of technology to support teaching and learning in innovative and flexible learning environments. The IFMC Program is also part of the “Better Universities and Knowledge for All” - BUKA project implementation. The first phase of the program ran from February 23 to April 22, 2022 which consisted of four modules with 1-hour online lectures and 3-hour face-to-face workshops and activities through the MSU-IIT Online Learning Environment (MOLE). The online lectures were delivered by Dr. James Brunton of Dublin City University. 

Participants to the IFMC program are faculty members who were duly recommended by their respective Department Chairpersons and Deans. Out of the sixty nine (69) participants, forty eight  (48) completed the training. The successful participant-mentors were then required to conduct echo-training in their respective departments for the second part of the IFMC program. From July to December, 2022, faculty members of the colleges of Computer Studies, Economics, Business and Accountancy, Nursing, and Education-IDS were successfully trained and mentored. The IFMC program's aim was to better equip faculty members with the necessary skills and knowledge to enhance their syllabi and incorporate OERs, which would eventually lead to the offering of selected CHED-recognized programs online, and, more progressively, to becoming one of the leading providers of online programs in Mindanao and in Visayas.

(Left) Dr. Cenie V. Malabanan, MICeL director, gave the rationale during the Workshop session of the participants from the College of Arts and Social Sciences. (Right) Dr. Malabanan together with the participants from the College of Education and Integrated Development School faculty members.

MSU-IIT is currently engaged in an international project consortium that implements the Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education Programme - Advancing Equity and Access to Higher Education Through Open and Distance Learning, called BUKA (or the Better Universities & Knowledge for All) Project. Our university partner, the Tampere University of Applied Sciences (TAMK) in Tampere, Finland, has invited all of its partner universities - 2 universities from Malaysia, 2 from Indonesia, Dublin City University (DCU), Ireland, and 2 from the Philippines (with UPOU  and MSU-IIT) to attend the project development and training meetings which were divided into two (2) parts. Part one was held at TAMK in Tampere, Finland from 26th to 30th September 2022. And part two was held at DCU in Dublin, Ireland, from 3rd to 7th October 2022. These two meetings were hosted by TAMK. 

In this BUKA travel, the composition from MSU-IIT involved Chancellor Alizedney M. Ditucalan (Project Leader), Vice Chancellor Gaudencio C. Petalcorin Jr. (Asst Project Leader), Prof. Amelia Buan (Pedagogy), Prof. Cenie M. Vilela-Malabanan (Technology Integration), Assoc. Prof. Dante D. Dinawanao (ICT Infrastructure), Assoc. Prof. Roxan A. Consolacion (Instructional Design), and Asst. Prof. Nenen S. Borinaga (Training Management)

(Left photo) L-R VCRE Dr. Gaudencio C. Petalcorin, Jr., Dr. Cenie V. Malabanan, Assoc Prof. Roxan Consolacion. AssoProf Dante D. Dinawanao. AsstProf Nenen S. Borinaga, and Prof. Amelia (Right photo) BUKA project team members from member universities

The Center continues to be a source of assistance in the university, particularly in the conduct of university events, webinars, online meetings, and commencement exercises. The MICeL team have live streamed the limited face-to-face 11th Mid-Academic Year Graduation on February 26, 2022; the investiture of the 4th Chancellor of MSU-IIT Atty. Alizedney M. Ditucalan on July 12, 2022; the 52nd Commencement ceremonies for the school year 2021-2022 on July 26, 2022; and the Special Commencement ceremonies on November 27, 2022, for students who were unable to graduate due to the pandemic.

Subsequently, MICeL provided technical assistance in the first Mindanao State University System Academic Summit, which was hosted by MSU-IIT from November 28, 2022 to November 30, 2022.

Participants of the Teaching and Learning Cluster from  different campuses of the MSU-System during the Mindanao State University System Academic Summit

During the 260th meeting of the Board of Regents held on October 6, 2022, renaming of the MSU-IIT Center for eLearning to the Center for Pedagogical Innovations (CPI) was approved through BOR Resolution No. 333 series of 2022. A launching program was held on December 13, 2022 to officially introduce to MSU-IIT constituents CPI which has also the broader scope of the former MICeL. This event was attended by the Chancellor and Vice Chancellors, Deans and Directors, MICeL Training Experts and Consultants, Instructional Designers, and the MICeL team. This momentous event was also graced by former Chancellor Marcelo P. Salazar who established MICeL during his term. Also with him are the original members of MICeL management support team. 

Former Chancellor Marcelo P. Salazar (left) and Dr. Fe I. Destura (right) gave their talks reminiscing the journey and small beginnings of MICeL during the launching of they Center for Pedagogical Innovations

(Left) The original MICeL management team. From the left, Asst. Prof. Nenen S. Borinaga, Dr. Cenie V. Malabanan, Dr. Esmar N. Sedurifa, Dr. Rhodora  SN  Englis, Dr Fe I. Destura, Dr. Luchi S. Castro, Prof. Fermina Salazar, former Chancellor Marcelo P. Salazar, and Assoc. Prof. Dante D. Dinawanao. (Right) Attendees of the Center for Pedagogical Innovations launching together with current Chancellor Alizedney M. Ditucalan (center).

By the end of academic year 2022, MICeL has provided multimedia and technical expertise,and allowing the use of its facilities to host various online activities. A total of 10 university events, 27 webinars, dry runs of various on-site and online events,and 6 online meetings.

The Center for eLearning (MICeL) will ultimately continue to serve the university using its new name - the Center for Pedagogical Innovations (CPI) with its expanded scope starting on January 2023. Consequently, all transactions and operations of CPI will be held in its MICeL building (retaining its building name). The MICeL building was inaugurated in September, 2018 under the chancellorship of Dr. Sukarno D. Tanggol.