Globe's GFT takes public high school education level to new heights

MANILA, Philippines - Teachers undergo a six-day rigorous live-in training on the use of ICT for classroom instruction through the Global Filipino Teachers program of Globe Telecom in cooperation with the Coalition for Better Education and the Department of Education.

“Change is constant. Now we are in the age of technology. We have to deviate from the usual chalk-talk to the resources and technological means around us,” thus, stated Faith Lalaine Lopez, the first valedictorian of the Global Filipino Teachers (GFT) program of Globe Telecom.

GFT is a holistic teacher enhancement program focusing on information and communications technology-enabled learning processes. It is being implemented by Globe Bridging Communities (Globe BridgeCom) in cooperation with Cebu-based Coalition for Better Education (CBE) and the Department of Education in Region VII.

More than just providing public schools with free internet connectivity, Globe also considers it the company’s responsibility to equip the schools with the necessary and relevant skills that would allow both students and teachers to harness the powers of the internet.

“We believe that the teacher is the most influential person in the classroom and if we want to make an impact on the lives of the students, it is through the teachers that we have to conduct these interventions. Right now, new strategies are emerging to make teaching more effective. And with the emergence of new advances in the field of ICT, we are now harnessing this powerful tool to further improve the standards of education in the country,” said Jeff Tarayao, head of Globe Corporate Social Responsibility.

Thus, through GFT, Tarayao said that Globe expects to provide teachers with essential skills to fully integrate ICT to their classroom instructions and improve students’ participation in class by introducing interactive learning activities.

According to CBE president Dr. Caridad Labe, using Project-based Learning (PBL) approach in tandem with ICT integration helps teachers make lessons more relevant by melding different subject areas. “It is student-centered learning at its core. Through PBL, teachers help students develop critical thinking and problem solving skills and these skills translate to better academic performance,” she said.

The inspiration for the conduct of GFT came in the heels of the successful implementation of Globe BridgeCom’s Internet-in-Schools Program (ISP). Launched in 2004 to harness Globe’s broadband and mobile technologies to enhance education, ISP has provided internet connection to a total of 2,012 public schools nationwide.

GFT involves ICT Skills Assessment, Teacher Enhancement Program and an evaluation system for monitoring the classroom programs the teacher-participant implements.

GFT teachers are now present in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. From the initial 97 teachers who finished the training from the first batch, there are now 247 GFTs across the country.

GFT graduates are already helping other educators harness ICT in classroom instruction. From conducting seminars in their departments and schools to developing new modules for their colleagues to learn from, GFTs are focused on letting fellow educators enjoy the benefits of the digital age to the fullest.