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The Consortium of Open and Distance Education Providers in the Philippines (CODEPP) gathered on 19-20 September 2023, at the Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University Open University System (DOUS) in San Fernando City, La Union to chart a promising course toward enhancing open and distance education in the country. The meeting was done through a Strategic Planning Workshop for the Capacity Building Program Towards CHED Accreditation to Offer Distance Education. Promoting Collaboration and Learning The program commenced with welcoming remarks delivered by Dr. Bernardo D. Lamadrid, the Executive Director of DOUS. Dr. Lamadrid expressed his hope that the venue would [...]

The University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU), as a member of the Los Baños Science Community Foundation, Inc.(LBSCFI) and in celebration of the National Science and Technology Week (NSTW), participated in the “KaSYENSAYAhan sa CALABARZON” held at the UP Los Baños Baker Hall in Los Baños, Laguna. The science festival opened on 18 September 2023 in a ribbon-cutting ceremony led by the Regional Director of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-CALABARZON, Dir. Emelita S. Bagsit, and the President of LBSCFI, UPOU Chancellor Melinda dela Peña Bandalaria. “KaSYENSAYAhan sa CALABARZON” is a fusion of the celebration of the Regional [...]

The UP Open University (UPOU) officially launched its Roadmap to Microcredentials at the opening program of the first ever TriConference, held on August 22, 2023, in response to the evolving needs of learners in the 21st century. Dr. Melinda dP Bandalaria officiated the launch of the roadmap with the playing of the UPOU AVP on Microcredentials. UPOU Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Dr. Primo G. Garcia A microcredential is a proof that attests to a person's knowledge and skills in a particular subject or area. A learner receives a microcredential after passing an assessment or successfully completing [...]

Three parallel sessions focusing on the areas of sustainability, culture, education, and health and gender, were featured during the Online International Symposium on ASEAN studies (ISAS) as part of the ASEANnale 2023, 24 August 2023, from 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm via Zoom. Six papers on sustainability were highlighted on the first set of parallel sessions. Three research papers centered on disaster risk management were presented during the session moderated by Asst. Prof. Celeste Tayzon, faculty member from the Faculty of Education. In her study titled "Risk communication integration to online distance learning (ODL) as a disaster risk reduction (DRR) [...]

The ASEANnale 2023, a hybrid cultural dialogue fostering collaboration and innovation within the ASEAN community and a part of the TriConference organized by the UP Open University, marked its successful conclusion with a closing ceremony on 25 August 2023 at the Drilon Hall of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) in Los Banos, Laguna and online via Tricon Platform. The ASEANnale 2023 Conference which spanned two days of insightful discussions, video showcases, and culinary delights, brought together experts, researchers, and enthusiasts from across ASEAN nations to celebrate the spirit of unity and progress. [...]

As part of the International Tri-Conference 2023, ASEANnale 2023 was held on 24-25 August 2023 with a hybrid setup at Drilon Hall, SEARCA, UP Los Baños. It was organized by the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) and co-organized by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA). The ASEANnale 2023 Opening Program started with the singing of the National Anthem, followed by the ASEAN Anthem. After a short introduction of guests, Dr. Melinda dela Peña Bandalaria, Chancellor of the UP Open University, and Dr. Nur Azura Binti Adam delivered opening messages. ASEANnale 2023, [...]

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 [...]