Eighteen (18) high ranking administrators, educators and vocational training officers from TVET institutions in the Philippines and Malaysia, joined the online program on “Teaching and Learning through Blended Methods” organized by the Colombo Plan Staff College (CPSC) from May 3 to 7, 2021. TVET institutions in CPSC member countries participated in the program to rise above address the educational challenges in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The program provided valuable knowledge on the concept and components of blended learning approach, and on various digital teaching tools and applications to aid and enhance blended learning methodologies of the participating institutions.
Apart from blended learning concepts, elements and components, the program provided practical sessions on developing a learning management system using moodle system, developing a course using an Authoring Tool and on designing a blended learning course. The Program Coordinator and Resource Person, Engr. Abdul Ghani Rajput, engaged the enthusiastic participants to some interesting and interactive sessions on designing and developing blended learning courses for each of their institutions.
The participants were mostly composed of School Directors, an Executive Director, Vice Directress/Director, Education Service Officer, Instructors, Lecturers, Vocational Training Officers and TESDA Senior Specialists. The participating institutions from Malaysia were MARA Japan Industrial Institute, Kuantan-Kolej Kemahiran Tinggi (KKTM), Kuantan, KKTM Ledang, and Politeknik Sultan Azlan Shah (PSAS). From the Philippines, the participating schools were Luciano Millan Memorial School of Arts and Trades (LMMSAT), Concepcion Vocational School (CVS), TESDA Regional Training Center-CALABARZON, Romblon National Institute of Technology (RNIT), and the various centers and technical schools of the Foundation for Professional Training Inc.(FPTI). The participants expressed appreciation on the essential knowledge they gained from the program which they were all eager to adapt and utilize for the improvement of their institution’s program delivery.
Dr. Ramhari Lamichhane, CPSC Director General, in his opening remarks, underscored the importance of developing the blended learning system for today and tomorrow in order to manage the TVET sector and for it to survive in the future, especially in facing the educational challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. He said that, indeed it has been started already in the Philippines and in Malaysia, but he advised that more focus, more investments and preparations are needed to equip the learning environment with digital technology, ICT innovations and all the elements necessary to develop whether online or blended learning system for TVET to be ready for the 21st century.
Apart from Engr. AbduI Ghani Rajput who acted as Program Coordinator and Resource Person, Engr. Sanyog Bhattarai also imparted presentations during the program as one of the resource persons.
