Innovation in Teaching

Our world today has experienced rapid and amazing technological advancements. Modern technology such as mobile phones, computers and Internet has become an indispensable and an integral part of everyone's lives.

The academic sector is not exempted from this sweeping trend. Technology enhances and improves the learning process. For this reason, educational institutions are expected to be at the forefront of modern technology and are called upon to utilize the latest know-how to facilitate learning.

Nowadays, Internet, wireless LAN, personal computers and on-line educational contents are considered basic educational tools in several schools of progressive countries. The dependence of students on the computer and the Internet for example is now more evident then ever.

• At the University of Hong Kong, almost 90% of incoming students bring notebook PCs with them in school. Thus they adapt faster to new technology such as wireless LAN and online applications.
• Also, in USA today, only 26%of students still visit the library for research; the rest rely on online and other resources.

Most schools now provide wireless connectivity to allow students and teachers to move around and seamlessly access the school's LAN and the Internet, and take advantage of the benefits of online education.

Clearly, the learning and teaching process has changed and the roles of technology in this transformation are evident.

Roles of Technology in Teaching

Technology offers easier access to education

The availability of a reliable and accessible network is necessary in order to optimize the benefits of technology in education. Online educational contents should be easily accessible.

Learning institutions should be linked into one common network or the Internet to provide students and teachers easy access to online educational contents.

Technology provides basic tools to everyone

The use of multimedia and interactive online communication improves quality of teaching and makes learning more interesting. To make this possible, teachers and students must be equipped with the basic technology tool – the PC.

There should be a conscious effort to proactively increase the computer-to-teacher and computer-to-student ratio to optimize available technology today.

Technology encourages interaction among learning institutions

Development of innovative educational multi-media contents is very important to stimulate the learning experience. To improve quality of online educational contents, learning institutions should have collaborative agreement to share and consolidate contents developed.

Learning platforms should be strategically set up for easy exchange of information among schools with a view of creating an education network.

The eCampus Solution

The Philippines is not far from being at par with more developed countries like US, UK, and Australia and its neighboring countries in Asia like Singapore, Hong Kong, and Thailand in using modern technology in education.

eCampus, a complete networking solution for schools provided by PLDT in partnership with Intel, enhances education through “Innovation in Teaching” using modern and latest technology.

eCampus enables the students, faculty members and school administrators to:

• access the school’s LAN and the Internet anytime and anywhere;
• avail of specially priced notebook & desktop personal computers, and;
• develop online educational contents that could be made available to and shared by the academic community.

eCampus Network Access Solution

eCampus allows teachers and students to enjoy high speed wireless access to the school's LAN and the global Internet anytime and anywhere.

Wireless access points are installed within the school's premises to provide high-speed LAN and Internet access to notebook-PC-carrying students, teachers and administrators. The solution is equipped with a usage-monitoring tool that will enable the school to specify access rates, and create & terminate accounts.

Dial-up lines connected to the school’s LAN are provided to allow remote nationwide access.

eCampus Desktop and Notebook PC Solution

In partnership with Intel, specially priced desktops and notebook personal computers, with financing options are available for the students, faculty members, and administrators.

eCampus Online Learning Solution

PLDT provides secured collocation facilities to host the school’s online contents or application servers.

Benefits of eCampus

eCampus offers varying benefits and impacts to the school, as well as to the students and faculty members.

Benefits to the School

• Expands the school’s network reach (wireless LAN) & improves internal communication
• Drives the students and faculty members directly to the school’s content (via intranet or the web)
• Introduces long term cost savings – if students have their own notebook PCs and could easily tap into the school’s LAN through wireless technology, then there would be no need for the school to expand its own computer laboratories.

Benefits to Students & Faculty Members

• Offers broadband and convenient access to the school’s LAN and the Internet anytime and anywhere
• Presents reasonably priced unlimited broadband Internet access
• Provides opportunities to avail of discounted desktop and wireless enabled notebook PCs, which is definitely more competitive than the market price