In light of the Covid-19 pandemic and the limitation of educational institutions to hold physical classes, the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) said it will be offering free online courses to train teachers in online teaching.
In fulfillment of RA 10650 (Open and Distance Learning Act), which mandates UPOU to assist national agencies and educational institutions in developing distance education programs, UPOU has a special set of online courses and webinars offered free to the public.
The free courses are expected to capacitate teachers, administrators, and support staff in using open and distance learning (ODeL) as an alternative to the customary classroom-based education.
While UPOU has been fulfilling the RA since its enactment in 2014, UPOU said it sees the need to level up given the current circumstances.
“The current crisis has led the country to realize the potentials of incorporating online learning and distance education as part of its education system. And even when the lockdown is lifted, online learning and remote teaching will no doubt be part of the ‘new normal’ not just in higher education but including basic education as well,” it said.
UPOU’s free open and online courses for online teaching include:
- Google Classroom and Course materials Conversion to Online Teaching
- Designing Learning in Online Teaching
- Virtual Classrooms
- Open Educational Resources for Online Teaching
- Assessment in Online Teaching
- Learner Support in Online Teaching
- Quality Assurance in Online Teaching
The courses are available at model.upou.edu.ph. Other free online courses on various areas are also available in the platform. Completers of the courses will receive a digital certificate.
All educational institutions who are resorting to e-learning may avail of UPOU’s massive open online courses (MOOCs) for free. The courses are also open to anyone who is interested to learn more about ODeL. For more information, email model@upou.edu.ph.
