It is believed that many among today’s generation are either dependent or addicted to technology and gadgets. It has been observed that the greater percentage of learners have an expressed preference to utilize the wonders of technology every time they are assigned to engage in research.
It is a situation that has become a common flashpoint of arguments among parents and their children, particularly those who have wound up losing sleep while engaging in the joys and escapes gadgets and technology offer.
To adapt to the technological appetite of the so-called millennials, the Science Education Institute of the Department of Science of Technology (DOST-SEI) developed the DOST Courseware.
It is a software application that enables learners to turn their “fix” of technology into productive use while engaging in activities that will help them better understand—and even enjoy—their learning of science and mathematics subjects.
Josephine Feliciano, Science Research Specialist II of SEI, said the courseware is one of the educational technologies featured in the 21st Century Learning Environment Model (21st CLEM), which the SEI has spearheaded since 2007.
Feliciano, the current technical person in charge of the project, had the DOST Courseware digitized and reviewed in partnership with Advanced Science and Technology Institute (ASTI-DOST), Department of Education, Philippine Normal University, and the University of the Philippines National Institute for Science and Mathematics Education (UP-NISMED).
The DepEd recently shared the information during the Regional Science and Technology Week event in PAMAMARISAN (Pasig, Mandaluyong, Marikina and San Juan) in Pasig earlier this month.
The DOST Courseware is an all-original Filipino-developed, interactive multimedia teaching and learning resources or lessons in science and mathematics from Grades 1 to 8
It supports the DepEd basic education curriculum, which aims to optimize the teaching and learning of science and mathematics through technology and assist in upgrading the quality of learning science in the Philippines.
It equips teachers with blended-learning tools and resources to deal with lessons that are deemed hard-to-teach and hard-to-learn.
Feliciano believes providing students and teachers easier access to teaching and learning resources and mainstream technology will greatly assist in students learning faster and better.
The courseware, which amplifies and standardizes innovative education technology, is cost-effective since these can be availed for free and of high quality.
It has come a long way since it was first introduced 12 years ago, when the first volume of courseware was in MS Windows format stored in compact disks, which can only be installed in personal computers.
Today’s Courseware modules are now more ubiquitous, or which can be accessed on different platforms — MS Windows from the SEI website, Android from Google Play, and iOS from the Apple Store.
Thus, they are easily and readily made available for schools and mobile phone or tablet users, designed to adapt to the demands of mobile technology, Feliciano added.
The Courseware’s Android version comprises of 40 lessons for Grade 7 and 8 Science and Mathematics (Volume 2), 60 K-12 ready Grade 1-6 Mathematics (Volume 3) and 12 Grade 3-6 Science (Volume 1) for a total of 112 lessons.
The MS Windows version contains 413 lessons, which incorporates 102 Modules in Science and Mathematics for Elementary Schools (Volume 1), 60 Grade 1-6 Mathematics (Volume 3) and Grade 7 and 8 Science and Mathematics, with 133 and 118 lessons respectively (Volume 2).
The Apple iOS version has 10 modules each for Grade 7 and 8 Science and Mathematics.
The initial edition Grade 1-6 Modules in Science and Mathematics for Elementary Schools, launched in 2007, only had 102 modules.
To align the succeeding lessons to the K-12 curriculum, the 60 lessons in Grade 1-6 Mathematics were structured to have the parts Activity, Fixing and Evaluation.
The Grade 7 Science and Mathematics Courseware has 133 lessons covering the domains of Matter, Earth and Space, Numbers, Algebra and Geometry.
The 118 lessons on Grade 8 Science and Mathematics Courseware focus on Ecosystems, Biodiversity, Evolution, Linear Equations, Radicals and Sequences using themes designed to amuse students while they learn such as Magicademy, Freddy’s Lab and D’nayao, which were all launched in December 2014.
All the modules can be downloaded from the SEI website www.sei.dost.gov.ph
For comments or suggestions, interested parties may email their inquiries to [email protected].