Standardized, IT?enhanced Learning Awaits STI Students

While the advent of Information Technology (IT) has given birth to a lot of conveniences for humankind, it has also given rise to new set of challenges. For one, the corporate culture has changed so much that our young Filipino graduates – the future knowledge workers of the country – should now be equipped with essential skills needed for them to survive that jungle also known as the workplace.

 

'Nowadays, it's not enough that you're a degree holder of one particular discipline. You also have to understand the way businesses operate and possess a knack or the talent required for the job,' explains Mr. Mitch Andaya, a former faculty member of De La Salle University (the youngest dean of DLSU's College of Computer Studies at 27) and now vice president for the Learning Systems Division of STI where he is responsible for the development of its academic programs. He shares that a large number of comments he's gathered from the industry had been one similar complaint: Most of the newly hired graduates still had to be trained in the way of the corporate world. 'Fact is, even employability skills now need to be learned,' he muses. Armed with this knowledge, he and his group then set off to work in improving and updating contents of STI's standardized courseware or a set of lesson plans per course that are centrally developed used as a standard teaching tool in more than 100 schools of STI.

 

Being a pioneering institution in the field of IT education to date, STI is also quick to ride the crest of the tide and is now training its eyes on one of the latest trends to evolve in technology-enhanced education -- the application of blended-learning solutions. The idea behind blended learning is that instructional designers review a learning program, chunk it into modules, and determine the best medium to deliver these modules to the learner.

 

'For general education subjects, an example of the blended-learning approach we will use includes case studies, film showing, or even games which will be incorporated with the usual face-to-face delivery of lessons by the teachers. Powerpoint or slide presentations will come with 3D animation effects using LCD projectors and Algebra and even Accounting, would you believe, will be taught using games!' exclaims Mr. Andaya.

 

While realizing the need for an IT-enhanced learning for general education subjects and a constantly evolving curriculum or a set of subjects for the students to take, Mr. Andaya shares that 'At STI, we do our best to make things happen by going beyond just offering education,' he says. 'In fact, one of STI's main aspirations right now is to help produce more globally competitive graduates,' he beams. With the help of academicians, industry experts and practitioners in the field who shared their inputs on 'key learnings' required, his division has re-designed a standardized set of course manuals that's been industry- approved for use as a syllabus, thereby eliminating the need for teachers to create their own programs of study.

 

'In other schools, the teachers usually prepare their own lesson plans. It is generally considered OK but now, we know that it would probably be subject to biases or limited to what that particular individual knows,' explains Mr. Andaya. 'Right now, I'm happy to say that we've already perfected the content of the courseware. What we're working on right now is the form, or the other ways on how the content may be delivered aside from the usual analog or face-to-face learning setup we have today in classroom settings.'

 

Indeed, the new standardized courseware has been thoroughly researched, reviewed and fitted to match the strict requirements of the industry, with the prospective employers themselves having a say in helping shape the future workforce. What's more, students of STI get the same benefits of learning from the same source regardless of where they opt to attend classes in. Students in the provinces need not go to Metro Manila to get 'Manila quality' education. The standardized courseware assures them of high quality education right in their hometown. Even in areas as far as Indonesia where there is an STI school, students shall receive the same level of quality education.

 

To illustrate, each courseware contains the course objectives, a syllabus or specific set of lessons and a review guide for the teacher to impart to his students. Each lesson plan is followed by a teacher's manual detailing how each particular session is to be delivered and highlights some of the key points for discussion. The proposed length of time for each session is also indicated so that other topics may equally be covered as well.

 

Aside from the efficiently-arranged, book-bound courseware that's readily available for powerpoint or slide presentation, Mr. Andaya's division has likewise instituted a Quality Assurance at the end of the courseware program to determine its effectiveness. Results derived from measurements are then evaluated and the courseware is regularly updated based on the recommendations of industry experts. An Assessment Group then sees to it that the new courseware is attuned further to the need of the times (i.e., trends).

 

'At STI, we've practically made it a lot easier for the teachers to just concentrate on the delivery of the subject matter. The research part, as well as the right interpretation, has all been done by STI,' adds Mr. Andaya with a smile.

 

As a vital cog in STI's E2E (Enrolment to Employment) system, which aims to cover a student's needs from the time he enrolls in STI up to the moment he applies for a job, the revolutionary courseware that's been constantly updated by Mr. Andaya and his group is truly a welcome development. So now more than ever, prospective job seekers from STI can stand a good chance of surviving the odds in a corporate world. With the help of its strategic partners, STI Universal Workers, an international consulting firm specializing in training, educating and preparing qualified professionals for a successful life and career abroad and Global Resource for Outsourced Workers (GROW), Inc., one of the premiere placement agencies in the country today, a student's skills are honed further so they can become more globally competitive.

 

In the end, STI graduates are assured not only of superior quality education but also the right career opportunities. This, after having been equipped with appropriate and applicable knowledge and skills through the standardized courseware and kept updated on the latest industry trends that will help prepare them for the rigors of an actual work environment.