On 6-8 March 2024, the University of the Philippine Open University (UPOU) showcased its offering of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) in an exhibit at the Charles Fuller Baker Memorial Hall, University of the Philippines Los Baños in Laguna. The exhibit was part of the 115th Foundation Day celebration of UPLB, with the theme “Expanding Horizons through Impactful Public Service.”
UPOU MOOCs are short courses offered online for free and are open to everyone. These are offered on MODeL, the official platform for all UPOU MOOCs. UPOU MOOCs vary in topics such as Open Distance e-Learning, Teaching and Learning, Child Rights Protection and Promotion, Sustainable Development, Business Analytics, and many more. These courses are self-paced, but they should be completed within a specified time frame. UPOU MOOCs run for three to eight weeks, and completers will be provided a certificate once they complete the course. These credentials may be listed on resumes or CVs as a 16-hour training.
At the UPOU booth, the UPOU Office of Public Affairs prepared various information and communication materials, including brochures about UPOU programs, including UPOU MOOCs, and information about Virtual Reality Projects that UPOU has developed. A copy of the UPOU MOOC calendar for 2024 was also given to people who inquired at the booth. UPOU OPA played a steady loop of videos about the undergraduate and graduate programs that the university offers, as well as the free and open educational resources that are provided by UPOU to the public. UPOU books were also on display at the UPOU booth.
The visitors had the opportunity to inquire about the courses and programs offered by UPOU, including degree programs and Continuing Education Programs. As the 115th UPLB Foundation Day celebration was spearheaded by the UPLB College of Agriculture, many of its faculty and staff members and visitors inquired about UPOU courses and programs related to agriculture, including the non-formal course about Organic Agriculture and the Perma G.A.R.D.E.N. project.
UPOU prides itself on providing free and online courses as part of its mission to provide access to quality education to all Filipinos and contribute to Sustainable Development Goal 4, which is to “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.” Through this exhibit, UPOU was able to share the opportunities that people have at UPOU, be it for formal degree programs, non-formal courses, or MOOCs.
Written by Anna Cañas-Llamas ♦ Edited by Myra C. Almodiel
#UPOpenUniversity
