Global Classroom connects Iloilo and Cotabato

In line with the International Day of Peace, PeaceTech together with Ramon Magsaysay Cubao High School and Cotabato City National High School – Main Campus held the first day of the Global Classroom – Cotabato City & Quezon City on Sept. 21, 2016.

In addition to the Program’s regular classes, four more sections are taking part of the Peace Education Module that will be held from September to November 2016. Jen Labang, Susan Villano and Lex Amour Dela Torre are co-facilitating the online classes that connect Metro Manila and Mindanao.

PeaceTech Inc. is eyeing to further expand the reach of the Program to Tondo, Manila and Iloilo students by the end of the year.

The Philippines’ Department of Education(DepEd) and PeaceTech Inc. will commence its 2nd Year of the Global Classroom Program in June 2016. The Joint Program aims to increase tolerance between youth in program areas in Mindanao, NCR, and Cebu; and to improve quality of basic education through Information Communication Technology.

In preparation of the school year, the Global Classroom Teachers Training was on held June 6, 2016. The activity was hosted by Ramon Magsaysay Cubao High School (RMCHS) and Cotabato City National High School – Main Campus (CCNHS-Main Campus). The objective of the Teachers’ Training is to prepare and re-orient the teachers, subject heads, and principals on the Classroom Videoconferencing. The training provided online facilitation skills; it improved ICT skills and knowledge; it expanded cultural understanding and sensitivity towards their partner region; and the training introduced the monitoring and evaluation system to the Teachers.

The SY 2016 – 2017 Global Classroom Teachers comprise of: Bryan Adam, Jeanette Gaudiano, Jonathan Husain and Julius Ledesma for CCNHS Main-Campus; and Haydee L. Dela Cruz, Luzviminda M. Dela Cruz, Lirio Dizon, Cynthia Labbao, and Christine Raterta for RMCHS.

These Global Classroom Teachers will hold simultaneous classroom videoconference classes to students from Mindanao who are paired with a class from Luzon. They will co-teach Araling Panlipunan and Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao to grade 7, 8 and 10 students starting June 2016.

The Philippines’ Department of Education and PeaceTech Inc. held its Global Classroom Instructional Writeshop on April 18-22, 2016. The activity was hosted by Cotabato City National High School – Main Campus. The 5-day event welcomed Dr. Evelyn B. Tacderan of the DepEd Division – Cotabato City, and Sir Agney Taruc and Ms. Emily Enolpe of the DepEd Regional Office – Soccsksargen.

The Global Classroom aims to improve basic education; mainstream peace education in the curriculum, and; increase unity in the Philippines. Using online videoconferencing, trained teachers hold simultaneous classes to students from Mindanao who are paired with a class from Luzon or Visayas.

The Global Classroom is now preparing for its second year implementation. From the existing two grade levels and subjects, the Program is now expanding to Gr.8 Araling Panlipunan and Gr.10 Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao.

The writers and validators of the Global Classroom Instructional Materials are composed of DepEd Teachers, Subject Heads, Education Specialists, DepEd Division Supervisors, DepEd Regional Representatives, and DepEd Central – BCD Specialists. Together with PeaceTech Inc., they ensure that the output adheres to DepEd’s K to 12 modules, student-centered, interactive, and are localized to the pair regions.

In June 2016, the DepEd and PeaceTech Inc. will implement the 2nd Year of the Global Classroom Program to over 400 students of Ramon Magsaysay Cubao High School and Cotabato City National High School.

The secretary of the Philippine Department of Education, Brother Armin Luistro, visited PeaceTech’s Global Classroom at Cotabato City National High School. It was a courtesy visit to see how the Program is using classroom videoconferencing to increase tolerance between regions. The Department of Education and PeaceTech have entered an agreement to integrate videoconferencing into the high school curriculum in specific regions.