University of The Philippines Open University Los Baños, Laguna 4031 Philippines

University of the Philippines
OPEN UNIVERSITY
Los Baños, Laguna 4031
Philippines
Reason of Applying for Admission to Master of Distance Education in UP Open University
Philippines have just acquired their title as the “Facebook Capital of the World”, Majority of the
people, including the experts, do not know what to make of it. An abundance of researches
argued that despite the fact that we ranked high in terms of the use of such social networking
sites, it is not sufficient to represent our position in the world in terms of technology or,
specifically, the internet. Sociologists explained that Filipinos’ technological literacy is limited to
useless sites such As Facebook and/or Instagram attributing this to the limited data which is
offered by the local internet providers that is hardly affordable to the majority of the Filipinos
who are mostly within the low-income class. To me, as an educator, this phenomenon implies a
different reality.
When I have separated from my parents to stay in an apartment, make my own living to earn
enough for my wants and needs. I began to value money like never before, compared to the
times I was living under my parent’s roof. Narrowing the story to my career and education,
despite my frugal lifestyle, I never hesitate on spending when it comes to my education, for I
see it as an investment for my future.
Internet is a good part of it. I have never resented every peso I’ve spent on it. Internet is
another realm which contains the minds of the greats and the ordinary, the common and the
uncommon, the rich and the poor, the popular and the unpopular. Internet holds a very large
array of information never before offered in the history of man. Still, despite the distance
mankind, throughout the globe, has travelled when it comes to technological advancement, we,
the Filipinos, are yet to unravel the power it offers to aid our progress such as in education
(which is my focus in applying for this program).
Different countries are learning to harness the power of the internet in the education of their
people, resolving much of their educational concerns such as overpopulation and/or
educational access of the people from the remote places. I know the educative advantages the
internet offers to our system, for I have witnessed this firsthand, learning much from the tons
of materials scattered throughout the internet, from the how-to’s in the Youtube to the the
current events, ideas and opinions (genuine or not) posted in Facebook. Thus it is very easy to
uphold the internet’s role in improving the educational system of our country.
However, I know, for a fact that implementing this on a large-scale—on the surface or
mainstream level—would pose a lot of problem. For instance, how would this be accessible for
the ordinary people who don’t have access to the internet beyond Facebook (using limited data
subscriptions)? In other words, how can this be accessible to the economically marginalized
Filipinos? How about to the Filipinos who lacks the skills in learning remotely (e.g. technological
skills and independent learning skills)? How can education, through the means of the internet,
online education or e-learning target other levels below college level? How should online
education place itself in the education of young Filipinos so as not to compromise the other
aspects learning such as social and collaborative aspect?
One country—in this case, the Philippines—can’t just imitate entirely how another country
implemented a radical innovation such as the integration of internet to the education of their
people. The difference in their reality (e.g. tradition, culture, laws, beliefs, practices, etc.) could
(or more accurately ‘would’) differ with the other country’s realities. They might use another
country’s program as a mere pattern, but not entirely replicate it because surely it will conflict
with the existing local reality. The implementation should be done gradually, studying every
conflicts and concerns that might emerge along the integration of internet in the education of
the people. Otherwise, instead of advancing the educational system, it might cause the
opposite.
As an educator, I see the internet as an opportunity to improve the educational system of the
country. Internet might be the resolution to the many issues and concerns our country faces at
the time. For instance, it can be the resolution in the issues with regards to the overpopulation
in the country marked by the disproportionate ratio of the schools to the students of the
country. Another is the concern about the reduced rate of enrolment upon reaching high
school, which drops in an alarming rate as we go to the higher levels.
This is the best time to study distance education. Personally, I believe that the dawn of the age
when internet would be an integral part of education of the Filipinos, even to the less
fortunate, would be inevitable. Professionally, this means that a lot of doors would open for me
to advance my career. Similarly, a lot of opportunity awaits the country if more and more
Filipino educators would take the same path. This easily becomes my advocacy as a teacher.
JORDAN MITCHELL C. CRUZ

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University of The Philippines Open University Los Baños, Laguna 4031 Philippines

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Reason of Applying for Admission to Master of Distance Education in UP Open University

JORDAN MITCHELL C. CRUZ

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