The virtual world has every one at the edge of his seat because whatever happens next is all up to today’s hegemon. One of the most interesting things it offers is the free flow of information from the world’s experts at no cost, and Cebu Technological University has immensely benefited from this.
Over 200 virtual seminars by renowned institutions and organizations served CTU academics from March through July, according to Information, Communications and Public Affairs (ICPA) chairpersons across 23 campuses. Their inputs from colleagues suggested strong approval of this strategy to keep the mind stimulated.
Virtual sessions have quickly gained popularity over a couple of months just as the world has seen the number of COVID-19 victims rising. This phenomenon urges everyone to stay alert and find the means to carry on doing academic life without exposing to the deadly virus.
CTU, among many, has ultimately made the quickest turn to get through the problem by supplying faculty members with various venues to remain acutely informed of today’s innovations. This is imperative so that delivery of instruction is well supported by latest methodologies toward excellent outcomes.
Topics of interest broadly fell into two categories: pedagogical approaches in the new normal setup and the flexible learning environment, where teaching personnel were encouraged to assess their awareness of such platforms designed to overcome constraints brought by the health crisis.
Representatives of the first and second divisions were “AQRA Virtual Conference 5.1: Developing Model to Implement Cooperative Learning: A Lecture Series” by the Asian Qualitative Research Association and “Developing Flexible and Technology-Mediated Learning Programmes,” respectively.
Notable international webinars, among others, included “Balik Turo Webinar Series” by the Association of Fil-Am Teachers of America and “International Webinar on Pedagogical Approaches.”
Meanwhile, some of these national dialogues were “Contextualizing Curricular Priorities: Inclusion in the Time of COVID-19” by UP Diliman; “World Englishes, English as a Lingua Franca, English as an International Language, and Global English: Some Pedagogical Implications Online” by the Linguistic Society of the Philippines; “Planning, Designing and Delivering Course Materials for Flexible Learning” by the Philippine Association for Teachers and Educators.
Local sessions such as “Discussion and Consolidation of Services Concerning Student Welfare and Development” and “Preparation for the Teaching of PE in the New Normal” were also of great help.
The university has shown flexibility to the advantage of academics who are expected to up their games starting this September instead of August, one of the major changes in the academic calendar.
The present culture has posed advantages in that appropriating funds for seminars is elided. More significantly, it brings practicality to individuals who are almost always multitasking. So, much could be done in a single click.
Webinars certainly have academics buzzing, since getting locked down due to the global pandemic served only one choice—to be productive. One eventually finds himself musing and singing to the tune of “the future is here.” The hegemon is not as scary as it appears, at least for now, but who knows what ‘newness’ it keeps up its sleeve?/UICPA