E4 Concept paper
Dr. Gil Nonato C. Santos, Mr. Edward Palabrica,
Dr. Auxencia Limjap, Mr. Cesar Bermundo
Stakeholders in education worldwide have been convinced of the need to shift paradigms to constructivist based frameworks of learning and teaching. Research has shown how “technology can expand information sources, provide for individualization and help students and teachers make interdisciplinary connections” which are necessary to create an authentic constructivist learning environment in the classroom (Dimock & Boethel, 1999). Empirical studies also showed how technology is able to engage the students in the learning process and offer opportunities for reflective thinking in authentic settings (Alonso, Lopez, Manrique & Vines, 2005, Motschnig-pitrik & Holzinger, Moron-Garcia, 2002). The Association on Supervision and Curriculum Development and the Partnership for 21st Century Skills identified information, media and technology skills as vital to the attainment of the critical thinking skills of the citizens of the future. These were recognized by the Unite d Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization at the Perth Declaration on Science and Technology 2007. While stakeholders have shown interest in empowering teachers for successful technology integration in the classroom, this trend in education generates a lot of issues in the Philippine educational arena. In light of the direction that education worldwide has taken towards technology enhanced instruction and the challenges that Filipino teachers are facing in the practice of their profession, the E4 program was conceived.
The E4 Program was established to develop and promote technology designed to complement and enhance education delivery systems for our educators. E4 stands for Electronic Enablers for Excellence in Education, which calls for further integration of the use of
technology in our educational system, to improve productivity, cost and efficiency, thereby, allowing the system to provide high quality and highly affordable education for an even greater number of people in the Philippines.
It envisions greater access for students and school administrators to superior educational materials, prominent educators and thought leaders, innovative tools and applications. Furthermore, E4 aims to nurture creativity and adopt innovative ideas through its forum.
The program caters to major stakeholders of the educational spectrum, the academic community which include students and educators, the corporate and research community (private and government sectors), and the general public. Our major activity will include the E4 Forum.
The E4 Forum intends to engage the educational community and stakeholders to have a voice in determining the shape and direction of our educational system and ultimately the future of our children. This forum aims to create a design or draft for a realistic Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) program that can catapult or leapfrog the Philippines into 21st Century Science.