August 2003 updates

PHILIPPINES: Philippine elementary schools enrich teaching with text2teach videos
By Chin Saik Yoon in Penang, Malaysia. August 2003

Eighty teachers in 40 schools in the Philippines have been experimenting with "text2teach videos" to enrich lessons for their pupils since June 2003. Schools taking part in this pilot project are equipped with a television set and a digital video recorder hooked up to a satellite receiver and dish antenna.

In the experiment teachers send text messages on their mobile phones to start downloading videos to the digital video recorders in their classes. Teachers can now select from a list of 80 videos. Each video covers a key component of the science curriculum. The videos are used later by the teachers to enrich the conduct of lessons on that particular part of the curriculum.

Students have responded well to the experiment so far saying that the visualization of lessons through the videos help them remember lessons better. Teachers have also reacted favourably saying that the lesson plans which are supplied together with the videos help to ease their teaching load and they can now use the time to prepare materials for experiments and groups activities. A report from Sero Central School in Cotabato City, one of the schools participating in the experiment, is available at: http://www.newsflash.org/2003/05/si/si001632.htm.

The project is led by the Ayala Foundation http://www.ayala-group.com/news/default.asp?news_id=78 in collaboration with the Department of Education and SEAMEO INNOTECH.