The International Conference on Open and Distance eLearning (ICODeL 2023) and the International Symposium on Education and AI Convergence (ISEAC 2023) concluded on the third day of the Tri-Conference 2023. Awards, certificates, and prizes were granted to the recipients who presented the best papers and practices of the two conferences. The Concentrix Innovation Excellence Award for Best Conference Paper was assessed based on clarity, content ability to answer questions and quality of writing. This was awarded to the paper entitled “Pandemic in Retrospect: Students’ Evaluation of Distance Education during the COVID -19 Pandemic,” written and presented by Maria Virginia Aguilar, [...]

Two Unconference Sessions were held within the International Conference on Open and Distance eLearning 2023, held from 22-23 August 2023. Unconferencing sessions are informal and unconventional platforms for sharing ideas, experiences, and best practices through collaborative workshops, walking methodology, and other creative approaches. Photos Courtesy of Dr. Maranan The first session is aimed at fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and experimentation, as well as generating new ideas, insights, and solutions that address emerging issues related to sustainability in education. It was facilitated by Dr. Diego S. Maranan, Dean of the UPOU Faculty of Information and Communication [...]

The 5th International Conference on Online and Distance eLearning (ICODeL 2023) made waves on 23 August 2023, as it explored universities' pivotal role in advancing sustainability in education. The hybrid event, featuring in-person and virtual panel sessions, convened under the theme "Sustainability in Education: Intersections, Ideation, and Innovations." This enlightening conference, held simultaneously at the UPOU Headquarters and on Zoom, brought together a diverse array of experts to discuss three crucial facets of sustainability in education. For Panel Session 5 titled “Universities as Catalysts for Sustainability,” Dr. Ricardo T. Bagarinao, the Director of the Center for Open and Digital Teaching [...]

The 5th International Conference on Open and Distance eLearning (ICODeL 2023) took place on 22-23 August 2023 and featured sessions showcased education technologies from its institutions that contributed to making the entire Tri-Conference 2023 possible. One of the sponsors of Tri-Conference 2023, Concentrix Software Solutions, presented during Panel Session 6 of ICODeL 2023. Mr. Jose Kristopher Serrano, the Associate Director for Project Management of Concentrix Software Solutions, took center stage to introduce the services that the company can offer to its clients. The presenter also briefly discussed Advanced Learning through Bot and Automation, or ALBA, an artificial intelligence (AI) tool [...]

The International Conference in Online and Distance eLearning (ICODeL 2023) featured a blend of virtual and in-person panel sessions. The panel sessions delved into topics aligned with the theme of "Sustainability in Education: Intersections, Ideation, and Innovations'' held simultaneously at the UPOU Headquarters and via Zoom. Dr. Finaflor Taylan, Director of the Office of Gender Concerns and President of the Asian Association of Women’s Studies (AAWS) led the discussion on Gender, Diversity, and Inclusion. The panel session was joined by Dr. Maria Lourdes Jarabe, Program Chair of the Diploma in Women and Development program of UPOU and Secretary General of [...]

On 22 August 2023, the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) opened the Tri-Conference 2023, its first ever multimode three-conference-in-one. The opening ceremony was held at the UPOU Headquarters in Los Baños, Laguna, with the theme "Sustainability in Education: Intersection, Ideation, Innovations." Hosted by Asst. Prof. Ria Valerie Cabanes, the Tri-Conference marked the debut of a transformative academic journey. Atty. Angelo A. Jimenez, University of the Philippines President, has a resounding message amidst the volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA) of recent times. In his welcome remarks, he emphasized the necessity to strategically strengthening institutions, including the academe, [...]

The International Conference on Open and Distance eLearning (ICODeL), since its inception in 2012, has consistently served as a platform for exploring innovation in the realm of education. On its fifth run, ICODeL featured a Pre-conference Workshop dedicated to tackling Micro-credentials, titled "Opportunities of Micro-Credentials in Higher Institutions." The special session was aimed at exploring the potentials of micro-credentials in reshaping the educational landscape. This was held in-person at the UPOU headquarters in Los Baños, Laguna on 21 August 2023 and was attended by 72 participants from 22 institutions all over the country. As the host and moderator of [...]

Asst. Prof. Queenie Ridulme, Director of Ugnayan ng Pahinungod UPOU, and Dr. Naneth Labrador, principal of Sto. Domingo Elementary School shared their messages of encouragement during the Parents Orientation held on 7 September 2023 In continuing the commitment of the office in developing reading intervention programs, the Ugnayan ng Pahinungód UPOU launched the Bata, Basa Reading Program (BBRP). BBRP aims to assist the teachers and parents/guardians in improving the reading skills of K to 3 learners using their Mother Tongue and develop students' appreciation for reading. For its pilot implementation, 50 identified struggling readers from Grade 3 of [...]

The University of Batangas Distance Education (UBDE) and the UP Open University (UPOU) were engaged in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on 11 September 2023 at the University of Batangas, Kumintang Ibaba, Batangas City. The activity highlighted the partnership between two organizations, as well as the launch of the UBDE Distance Learners Application (DLA). The activity was attended by Dr. Melinda dela Peña Bandalaria, UPOU Chancellor, and Ms. Margaret Jarmin-Suarez, Program Development Associate for Institutional Linkages from UPOU. From UBDE, the attendees were Mrs. Lily Marlene J. Hernandez, UBDE President; Dr. Abegayle Machelle M. Perez-Chua, Vice [...]