Thames Faculty’s Rapid Response to the New Normal in Education
By: Carlo Rivera, Academic Coordinator
Having been implementing Blended Learning in its classes since 2018, Thames International was able to rapidly transition to the new normal of Full Online Teaching when it started its Spring Term last March 2020. This academic term coincided with the start of the Enhanced Community Quarantine in NCR so to ensure the effectiveness of this transition, our faculty members honed their online teaching skills with a Designing Engaging Online Learning Experience (DEOLE) workshop early on in the lockdown in April-May, followed by an Admin Console Training and Google Classroom Training last June 27.
The DEOLE Training, facilitated by Akadasia Singapore, was designed for our faculty members to deepen their understanding of course design for online platforms. The training also developed their skills in using different technological tools to enhance their teaching interactions into full online. On the other hand, the succeeding Admin Console Training and Google Classroom Training, provided by Q Software Research Corporation, equipped its participants with the knowledge and skill set to effectively utilize classroom-based tools and techniques on their specific organizational needs.
The workshops have empowered our faculty to deliver content online with a forward-facing outlook. One insight that came out was that the online environment can in fact be a useful venue to develop essential skills among our learners in this current state of volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity. Our Associate Dean, Ms. Sheila Lo Dingcong, shared: “Our lecturers’ retooling and upskilling were necessary to appropriately respond to the needs of our students for quality and relevant education that is delivered online. Learning by doing continues to be part of the process for our teachers to fully grasp the ropes in online teaching and learning. Together with our students, the Thames model of virtual education continuously evolves but remains grounded on the mission of leaving no student and teacher behind, in this time of the pandemic and beyond.”
On top of this, students report that their experiences online have been meaningful as well as educational. Thames Entrepreneurship student, Joe Sto Domingo, shared: “I appreciate my professors this term in understanding the unique challenges of online learning and adjusting to help students.” Truly, Thames has become one of the first few educational institutions in the country that effectively provided online learning in this time of pandemic. And in the spirit of “Bayanihan” Thames International continues to actively seek other educational institutions in the country that need training and development as regards online learning.
Thames is committed to helping in nation-building through providing teacher training for schools and other organizations that need further help in adjusting to our new normal. For any inquiries on this matter, feel free to contact the school via inquire@thames.edu.ph.
