E-inclusion

IS EVERYONE E-INCLUDED?

Everyone should have equal access to education regardless of gender, socioeconomic status, and cognitive ability. With ICT emanating the education and surfacing the new era of learning, I believe that everyone should be e-included. But the question is, how could it be possible?

Educators in the new normal should not just be innovative but sensitive. As I learned from e-inclusion, teachers should utilize the available technologies of the students. For instance, most of the students only have phones, but not all of them have internet connectivity. In this case, a teacher should make activities that can be manipulated offline. The teacher could either install applications that can be used offline or create computer-assisted instruction through PowerPoint presentations.

Also, I believe that most of the schools, particularly the public secondary schools have been provided with tablets and laptops. In connection, the teacher may allow students to borrow this, and have it utilized by those who have no access to such technologies, thus, making the learning community inclusive.

Indeed, providing e-learning activities that make use of what’s available is an example of e-inclusion. With this, we are making our students part of the mainstream and leaving no one behind.

Moreover, the teacher may be the only facilitator of learning in every discussion, but he/she has eyes set on every side of the classroom. In simpler words, the teacher observes everything that is happening inside his/her class.

One of the teachers’ observations is that there is always social exclusion. This always happens to learners perceived to be different from the mainstream. However, such things can be avoided without compromising the strategy used, particularly when using ICT.

Firstly, students with physical or sensory disabilities are seldomly excluded. To make sure that these types of learners will be part of the discussion, the teacher should provide them with ICT-based instructions that aid them throughout the discussion. For instance, when you make computer-aided instructions, see to it that it involves visuals, audio, and videos so it caters to all types of learners.

Secondly, to make a very inclusive environment, teachers should know the available resources for the students. Learning activities that utilized technology should be designed in a way that they can be manipulated offline. There are also many mobile applications that after being installed can now be accessed even without the internet. Also, if the schools do not have tools to lend to students, then the teachers can make the activity by pair or by a group.

Lastly, to achieve a completely inclusive learning environment, the activities created should not dictate gender roles. Activities should be fair enough in a way that they would not suggest an advantage to either gender. Teachers should utilize activities focusing on the strengths of the learners and not on what they can do because of their genders.

ANALYSIS OF VIEWPOINTS

The article entiled “Promoting ICT Education in Developing Countries: Case Study in the Philippines” by Kubota, Morioka, and Yamamoto (2007) seeks to describe and investigate the status of ICT Education in schools located in rural and urban areas while identifying the gap. It shows that both schools regardless of their locations have encountered similar problems, particularly on the budget, human resources, and facilities. The only difference is that the school that is in a rural area has little to no access to ICT. Nonetheless, the study seeks to address the persisting problem through third-party organizations or collaborating with other universities.

Kubota, Morioka, and Yamamoto (2007) show how the Philippines as a developing country coped during the early days of ICT4E. The article gives an implication that universities outside the Philippines have already been focusing on ICT literacy skills, while the Philippines on the other hand is still struggling with facilities such as computers. It also presents a notion that with the collaborative practice of sharing information from other institutions, then the Philippines might overcome the digital divide.

Subsequently, the article “ICT Integration in the Educational System of the Philippines” by Tomaro and Mutiarin, (2018) reviews two studies that give a deeper look into the integration of ICT in the Philippines' education. This article mainly presents the problem and solution as identified in the two reviewed studies and highlights that the Philippine government should revamp the curriculum relevant to advancing the ICT competence of the students.

The article of Tomaro and Mutiarin, (2018) suggests that it is through government support that the Philippines can better implement ICT. Government should create more initiatives on how to maximize the use of ICT in teaching and learning so students will be equipped with the skills necessary to combat the challenges of the 21st century. With the evolving pressures of ICT competence in the global arena, the Philippine educational system should then focus on providing equitable provision of ICT education.

Moreover, the article “Benchmarking ICT for Education in Japan: Best Practices, Trends, Challenges, and Lessons Learned for Philippine ICT-Based Education and Development” by Nuncio (2020) compares the implementation of ICT4E initiatives between Japan and the Philippines. It shows that the Philippines have unclear directions as depicted in its ICT4E initiatives compared to Japan. This article emphasized the importance of having an independent commission to focus on and lay out plans for the effective use of ICT in education—which is considered lacking in the Philippines. However, it has been suggested in this article that the Philippines should benchmark Japan as a country known for its leadership in technological innovations.

All these three research articles, despite being conducted by different researchers at different timepoints clearly depict that the Philippines lacks implementation of ICT in the Educational System. Despite the emerging demands of ICT competence in the 21st century, the Philippines has not yet placed a clear direction on the integration of ICT in the country. This is clearly reflected during the forced emergency remote learning during the time of pandemic. The schools have utilized modular distance learning since they have no necessary equipment to resort to online learning. There were many places without internet connections, no available laptops, and phones, a lack of skills to operate computers, and not enough knowledge to utilize online platforms.

Moreover, the forced remote emergency has revealed the absolute importance of ICT in the Philippines' Education. Should have been given focus by the government even before, like lay-outing clear policies, modernizing educational programs, allocating more budget, providing teacher training, equipping schools with technological facilities, finding technological leaders, and supplying enough human resources for technical assistance, then education during the pandemic could never have been a struggle to the extent that it sacrifices quality. The government should have realized that investing in ICT is the best choice to help the economy foster in the future years.

The three articles have made me realize that it is very indispensable to integrate ICT into education. The fourth industrial revolution speaks of cyberspace, thus, we should be literate enough in terms of ICT to take space in our future. Also, if we do not want to walk far behind the other countries, then we should update our curriculum to focus on advancing ICT competence. Additionally, I believe that it is a very crucial move for the government to make curriculum adjustments and complete the lack of inadequacies towards ICT adoption. It is because, with better implementation of ICT, learning will become dimensionless.

Lastly, as an educator who wants to take part in encouraging a more inclusive ICT4E, I want to study a lot about interactive electronic materials, and technology-based approaches and their effect on students learning. Additionally, I also want to compare the academic performance of students with access to technology or internet connection and those who do not have. This is because I believe that the results of these studies may imply the need for learners to have equal access to ICT.

References:

Kubota K., Yamamoto, R., & Morioka, H. (2007). Promoting ICT education in developing countries: Case Study in the Philippines. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/3LAGUvd

Nuncio, R. (2020). Benchmarking ICT for Education in Japan: Best Practices, Trends, Challenges, and Lessons Learned for Philippine ICTBased Education & Development. Asia-Pacific Social Science Review, 20(2), 136-148. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/386B2vV

Tomaro, Q. P. & Mutiarin, D. (2018). ICT Integration in the Educational System of Philippines. Journal of Governance and Public Policy, 5(3). Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.18196/jgpp.5399

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