EDUCATION: Trends and Issues

I. SOME PERENNIAL ISSUES IN EDUCATION

Lack of facilities in public schools
School year
Number of years
Medium of instruction
Subjects
Gender issues
Drop-out rate
Quality of proficiency of the teachers
Rising cost of Philippine education of sending a child to school
Trends in teacher Education

Education in all disciplines are getting a big push through the products of the
technologyand its accompanying technical know-how.

This century poses increasingly difficult challenges for all in various realms of
life political, economic, social, ecological and spiritual.

There is heightened concern for quality teacher education.

The UNESCO reports an important trend towards the development of a

culture of lifelonglearners.
Professional Problems upon curriculum
Connection to Student Learning.
The ultimate goal of professional development is to improvestudent learning
(Speck, 1996). "Teachers value increased student achievement as an
outcome ofprofessional development more than any other variable and judge
the value of their professionaldevelopment activities by how much they see a
leap in student learning," notes Lockwood (1999,p. 13).
Hands-On Technology Use
. "Teachers who received technology training in the past year are morelikely
than teachers who hadn't to say they feel 'better prepared' to integrate
technology intotheir classroom lessons," notes Fatemi (1999). "They also are
more likely to use and rely on digitalcontent for instruction, and to spend
more time trying out software and searching for Web sites touse in class."
Variety of Learning Experiences.
"To help teachers incorporate technology in ways that supportpowerful
instruction requires an array of professional development experiences quite
differentfrom traditional workshops and how-to training sessions," notes
David (1996, p. 238). Professionaldevelopment for effective technology use
can come in a variety of forms, such as mentoring,modeling, ongoing
workshops, special courses, structured observations, and summer
institutes(David, 1996; Guhlin, 1996).
Curriculum-Specific Applications.
If technology is to be used to produce improvements instudent achievement,
teachers must see a direct link between the technology and the curriculumfor
which they are responsible (Byrom, 1998). Professional development for
technology use shoulddemonstrate projects in specific curriculum areas and
help teachers integrate technology into thecontent.
New Roles for Teachers.
Technology encourages teachers to take on new and expanded roles,both
inside and outside of the classroom. Within the classroom, technology
supports student
centered instruction. The teacher assumes the role of coach or facilitator
while students workcollaboratively (Jones, Valdez, Nowakowski, & Rasmussen,
1995; Kupperstein, Gentile, & Zwier,1999). Outside of the classroom,

technology supports teacher collaboration. Instead of working inisolation,

teachers can work together on schoolwide programs.
Collegial Learning.
A professional development curriculum that helps teachers use technology
fordiscovery learning, developing students' higher-order thinking skills, and
communicating ideas isnew and demanding and thus cannot be implemented
in isolation (Guhlin, 1996). In addition toworking in pairs or teams, teachers
need access to follow-up discussion and collegial activities, asrequired of
professionals in other fields (Lockwood, 1999).
Active Participation of Teachers.
If technology is to be used equitably for all students, amajority of teachers
should be included in the professional development program. One strategy
tomotivate teachers to spend the time and energy necessary to develop
technology competency
isto mandate participation in technology professional development. Another s
trategy forencouraging teachers to participate in professional development
for technology use iscreating incentives for technology use.
Ongoing Process.
A high-quality professional development program is conducted as an
ongoingprocess, not a one-shot approach. Teachers need continued practice
to become comfortable
withand to implement change, especially in technology use. In evaluating the
best practice inprofessional development, Speck (1996) concludes:
"Professional development takes time andmust be conducted over several
years for significant change in educational practices to takeplace. Substantial
change in school practice typically takes four to seven years, and in some
caseslonger" (p. 35).
Sufficient Time.
An effective professional development program provides "sufficient time
andfollow-up support for teachers to master new content and strategies and
to integrate them intotheir practice," notes Corcoran (1995). For any
professional development activity, teachers needtime to plan, practice skills,
try out new ideas, collaborate, and reflect on ideas.
Acquiringtechnology skills and becoming proficient at new ways of teaching i
n which technology isappropriately integrated requires additional time
(Brand, 1997; David, 1996
Technical Assistance and Support.
Another important component of effective professionaldevelopment for
technology is access to on-site technical support personnel who are
responsiblefor troubleshooting and assistance after the technology and
lessons are in place. When
teachersare trying to use technology in their classrooms and they encounter
difficulties, they needimmediate help and support. Technology that is not
easily accessed and implemented will not beused.
II. CURRICULAR REFORMS IN THE PHILIPPINES
Reform implementation
The reforms were implemented after project preparation was undertaken
(with the assistance ofa foreign-funding organization). Two major initiatives
were launched. Both were geared towardsoverall quality, access and
efficiency improvements in education sector performanceduring andbeyond
the project cycle. New curricula, with mass training of teachers, were
components of the
Program for
Decentralized Education (PRODED)
and the
Secondary
Education DevelopmentProgram (SEDP)

which focused on the elementary and secondary levels, respectively. The

PRODEDwas funded with a loan from the International Bank for
Reconstruction and Development (IBRD).
Outcomes
The reforms at the elementary and secondary levels have been implemented
over the lastfifteen and nine years, respectively. Current indicators are that
PRODED and SEDP have indeedsucceeded in improving the quality of basic
education and in making the sector more
effectiveand efficient in the delivery of basic educational services. As for outc
omes related to the
implementation and management of reform, the PRODED and SEDP have
meant those involvedfrom policy makers to program implementers and
target beneficiaries.The curriculum is continuously
undergoing refinement ensure its relevance to changingneeds and demands.
The ongoing basic education curriculum review has provided for moreindepth
indigenization/ localization of the curriculum and integration of information
technologyor multimedia resources in the teaching/learning process.
Benchmarking has provided
valuableand reliable data about school and student performance. At this point
in time, significantimprovements in the learners and schools performances
have been recorded.
Future prospects
In the context of international assessments, the educational performance of
the Philippinesstill needs a lot of improvement. The need for the curriculum to
develop students who are
globally competitive
is another factor with which the educational sector will have to contend inthe
future.
Curricular Reforms in tertiary level
Dubbed as the Philippine Main Education Highway, the reforms in the tertiary
level will beimplemented in two phases, following the adoption of the
10+2+3 formula. Accordingly, after thecompletion of 10year basic education (6 years primary and 4 years secondary education),stud
ents may opt to go to technical schools or take a 2-year pre-university
program before finallypursuing the 3 years specialization courses.Under the
proposed curricular reforms, phase I shall take effect starting next school
year (2009-2010) formalizing into 5-year program all existing courses that
require licensure examinationadministered by Professional Regulation
Commission (PRC).Angeles, also the deputy chair of Presidential Task Force on
Education (PTFE), said these courses,namely, Education, Nursing, Accounting,
Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Pharmacyshall follow the
10+2+3 system under the Bologna accord.The Engineering and Architecture
programs, on the other hand, shall follow the 10+2+(3 or 4)system in
accordance with the Washington Accord, APEC Registry for Engineers and
Architects andother international accrediting bodies.Phase II, on the other
hand, will take effect on school year 2010-2011 for all 4-year board andnonboard programs following the 10+2+3
system.Angeles said graduating high school students will continue to take cur
rent National CareerAssessment Examination (NCAE) administered by the
Department of Education
(DepEd).The NCAE measures not only the academic and scholastic aptitude b
ut also the technical-vocational knowledge and skills as well as the
entrepreneurial inclination of the student.Angeles, however, said, for
academic year 2009-2010 CHED will use the scholastic aptitude test(SAT)
domain of the NCAE as a guide in admitting students to degree programs.SAT
will eventually conduct a mandatory examination for students who wanted to
pursue collegeeducation while those who wanted to enter the polytechnic
programs does not require SAT.Those who graduated from polytechnic

programs and wish to pursue higher education howevermust undergo

equivalency/validation test.
implementation and management of reform, the PRODED and SEDP have
meant those involvedfrom policy makers to program implementers and
target beneficiaries.The curriculum is continuously
undergoing refinement ensure its relevance to changingneeds and demands.
The ongoing basic education curriculum review has provided for moreindepth
indigenization/ localization of the curriculum and integration of information
technologyor multimedia resources in the teaching/learning process.
Benchmarking has provided
valuableand reliable data about school and student performance. At this point
in time, significantimprovements in the learners and schools performances
have been recorded.
Future prospects
In the context of international assessments, the educational performance of
the Philippinesstill needs a lot of improvement. The need for the curriculum to
develop students who are
globally competitive
is another factor with which the educational sector will have to contend inthe
future.
Curricular Reforms in tertiary level
Dubbed as the Philippine Main Education Highway, the reforms in the tertiary
level will beimplemented in two phases, following the adoption of the
10+2+3 formula. Accordingly, after thecompletion of 10year basic education (6 years primary and 4 years secondary education),stud
ents may opt to go to technical schools or take a 2-year pre-university
program before finallypursuing the 3 years specialization courses.Under the
proposed curricular reforms, phase I shall take effect starting next school
year (2009-2010) formalizing into 5-year program all existing courses that
require licensure examinationadministered by Professional Regulation
Commission (PRC).Angeles, also the deputy chair of Presidential Task Force on
Education (PTFE), said these courses,namely, Education, Nursing, Accounting,
Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Pharmacyshall follow the
10+2+3 system under the Bologna accord.The Engineering and Architecture
programs, on the other hand, shall follow the 10+2+(3 or 4)system in
accordance with the Washington Accord, APEC Registry for Engineers and
Architects andother international accrediting bodies.Phase II, on the other
hand, will take effect on school year 2010-2011 for all 4-year board andnonboard programs following the 10+2+3
system.Angeles said graduating high school students will continue to take cur
rent National CareerAssessment Examination (NCAE) administered by the
Department of Education
(DepEd).The NCAE measures not only the academic and scholastic aptitude b
ut also the technical-vocational knowledge and skills as well as the
entrepreneurial inclination of the student.Angeles, however, said, for
academic year 2009-2010 CHED will use the scholastic aptitude test(SAT)
domain of the NCAE as a guide in admitting students to degree programs.SAT
will eventually conduct a mandatory examination for students who wanted to
pursue collegeeducation while those who wanted to enter the polytechnic
programs does not require SAT.Those who graduated from polytechnic
programs and wish to pursue higher education howevermust undergo
equivalency/validation test.
The 2 years pre-university or the so-called pre-specialization program is
composed of generaleducation courses which will develop
competency/occupational skills.Starting school year 2010-2011, Angeles said
SAT shall be conducted by the National EducationalEvaluation and Testing
System (NEETS) which would eventually be a mandatory examination
inpursuit of college education.Angeles said the proposal to reform the

curricular requirement in tertiary level were only

amongthe various recommendations made by Presidential Task Force on Educ
ation (PTFE) inbenchmarking the countrys professional programs to conform
to international standards.
III. FUTURE OF EDUCATION IN A CHANGING WORLD
The Change Is Coming
Thomas Frey, founder of the DaVinci Institute, has a vision. He sees a radical
shift beginning inthe world of education within two years--which
would be 2009. While many are debatingvouchers, No Child Left Behind, teac
her shortages, grading systems, teacher certification,parental involvement,
truancy and dropouts, Frey is thinking out of the box..."Star Trek type" outof
the box. Frey believes that in two years private funding will cause disruptive
education systemsto emerge. And, in 5 years, there will be dramatic
changes...dramatic.
Courseware-Builder
This is a $100 word that can be confusing. What is it? Frey believes that
technology will drive
thefuture and that items like iTunes and Amazon will determine the vehicle fo
r education.Courseware-Builder will be the software that makes education
possible on any conceivable topic.Frey believes that many companies will
compete for the market but that one will come out thewinner. Then, the
consumer will select an education that suits personal needs.
Blast From The Past
Mathematics is a critical component in a successful society. Greek civilization
was famous formath--Archimedes, Pythagoras, Euclid, Hipparchus, Posidonius
and Ptolemy all furthered mathconcepts. When the Romans became the
dominant force on earth, they did not focus onmathematics. The Romans had
the Roman numerals system which made little sense. It preventedthe Romans
from furthering the mathematics that the Greeks built. Unfortunately, the
Romanswere not aware that their "system" was holding back progress.
Fast Forward To Today
Frey points out systems that we have today that prevent our society from
achieving great things.Like the Romans, we have systems today that are
holding us back.

Income Tax System

. Frey states that our present income tax system is the anchor thatprevents a
boat from sailing...the elephant in the living room...the albatross around our
necks.The tax code is approximately 64,000 pages long and chokes the
brightest and the best to agrinding halt.

Half-Implemented Metric System

. With the rest of the world on metric, we cling to ourfeet, yards, and gallons.
Why?

Keyboards.
Frey maintains that computer keyboards are highly inefficient. The most
usedkeys should be placed in different locations. Having the most used keys
placed randomly on thekeyboard is highly ineffective

Laws.
The U.S. has more laws on the books than any other country in the history of
theworld. No one really knows how many laws we have on the federal level,
state level, local level,ordinances, rules and regulations. It is enough to choke
any society.
U.S. Is Not Alone
Another society that is not moving forward as it could is China. The Chinese
alphabet has 47,035characters. So much time is spent learning all the
characters, that time is wasted. It could beused more effectively learning
other things.Foresight on Philippine educationThe quality of public school
education is generally considered to have declined since the post-waryears,

mainly due to insufficient funds. The Department of Education aims to

address the majorproblems affecting public education by
2010.Private schools are able to offer better facilities and education, but are
also much moreexpensive. There is a wide variety of private schools,
including all-boys and all-girls schools,religious schools, nonsectarian schools, Chinese schools, special schools, and internationalschools.
Due to economic difficulties, there has been a recent increase in the
popularity ofhome schooling and open universities in
the PhilippinesAccording to Vladimir Kinelev in his
Paper presented at the Second International Congress"Ethical, Legal and
Societal Challenges of Cyberspace"at Monte-Carlo, Principality of Monaco,
on1-3 October 1998
It is my opinion that the key features of the evolving educational system shall
be:

Switching over from 'teaching' to 'education'.

Stronger bias towards fundamental knowledge and development of an

individual's creativepotential.

Utilization of new information technology in the selection, accumulation,

systematization,and transfer of knowledge.