DepEd launches laptop for every pupil program

By INA HERNANDO-MALIPOT

December 6, 2010, 5:35pm

 

LUBANG, Occidental Mindoro, Philippines — Pupils in two public elementary schools here were introduced to the wonders of digital learning as the Department of Education (DepEd), in partnership with Education Kindling (eKindling), officially launched the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) Program Monday.

Education Secretary Armin Luistro graced the launching and lauded the program saying that this would indeed scale up the quality of education especially with the use of modern technology.

“I would like to tell our students to make the most of this and use this to dream for your future,” he said.

Luistro also encouraged local officials as well as the schools to work together and find creative means of addressing problems in the basic education sector.

Mr. Ryan Letada, eKindling executive director, said the OLPC is a worldwide project that aims to create educational opportunities for the poorest children of the world by providing each child with a rugged, low-cost, low-power, connected laptop with content and software designed for collaborative, joyful, self-empowered learning.

“When children have access to this type of tool they get engaged in their own education. They learn, share, create, and collaborate. They become connected to each other, to the world and to a brighter future,” Letada explained.

This program, said OLPC Philippines Susan Abaya, is first of its kind in the Philippines and in South East Asia and seventh in the world. “If possible, we want to replicate this not only in the entire province of Mindoro but in the whole country.”

A total of 100 XOLaptops were deployed by eKindling, a Philippines-based nonprofit dedicated to creating meaningful learning experiences by bringing technology-based, educational innovations to children, classrooms and communities across the country.

The XO is considered a potent learning tool that is designed and built especially for children especially those living in some of the most remote areas such as in Lubang Island. The laptop is about the size of a small textbook and has built-in wireless, unique screen which makes it possible for the children to read even they go outdoors.

Through these extremely durable, brilliantly functional, energy-efficient, and fun laptops, 95 grade four pupils in Lubang Central School and Maligaya Elementary School were introduced to new and joyful ways learning using modern technology. Four units were given to the teachers and one to the technical support for maintenance.

According to eKindling Education Director Tessa Yuvienco, it is very important for children to experience the educational possibilities of digital learning. “We want to show how technologies can provide a meaningful, transformative, and connected education to the children of the Philippines,” she explained.

The XOLaptops that were given to the students during the pilot testing cost $ 228 or about P10,000 each. The recipients would be able to use it until they finish elementary school. “The students can bring the laptop in their homes and they can do their assignments and even share it with their siblings and parents,” added Letada.

The laptops already contain educational materials developed by eKindling. In the classrooms, educators and students are expected to use the XOlaptops to enhance their learning in English, Math, Science, and Makabayan. “In the course of the academic year, they will also be introduced to new concepts of digital learning that is anchored on 21st century learning methodologies and a contructivist learning philosophy,” Letada explained.

http://bit.ly/rXzwIM 
 

Mobile learning now possible with tablet

Saturday, 01 October 2011 16:42 Rizal Raoul Reyes / Correspondent 

DIWA Learning System, a leader in the education publishing industry, recently unveiled the Classroom in a Tablet mobile education system to address the growing need for more efficient ways of delivering content. 

 

Jose Maria Policarpio, executive editor of Diwa, said the company decided to pursue a mobile platform to enable their content to become more relevant to the times.

“So we have put together Genyo eLearning, eTextbooks, digital classroom magazines, and our online portal in one mobile device to give our schools, teachers, and students their personalized Classroom in a Tablet,” said Policarpio in a press statement.

The Classroom in a Tablet is Diwa’s response to the growing need for effective ways of delivering content. With the wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi)-ready Acer Iconia W500 tablet, teachers and students alike can access Diwa’s extensive array of multimedia, curriculum-based resources through touch browsing.

“We’ve invested heavily in eLearning because as the Internet becomes more accessible and hardware becomes inexpensive, we want to make sure that quality content is delivered in an interesting and informative manner to learners,” explained Policarpio.

Through the program, Diwa is helping future-proof the current generation of learners by combining traditional resources such as the textbook with technology-driven educational materials.”

Genyo—the country’s first and only Web-based e-learning management system that contains learning objects, lesson plans, tutorials, activities and exercises for science, math, english, Filipino and araling panlipunan—is the core driver of the Classroom in a Tablet program.

Completing this mobile education package are e-textbooks, digital editions of Bato Balani and Salaguinto science classroom magazines, and the online portal Diwa Learning Town, a virtual library for teachers and students that hosts more lessons, teaching plans, reading materials, e-games, supplementary educational materials and more.

Policarpio said the Classroom in Tablet program is a leading-edge solution because it merges both traditional and new media in one portable PC tablet that can be carried in any place.

http://bit.ly/mobile-learning-now-possible-with-tablet