Ateneo de Manila University and the Philippine Science High School (PSHS) System signed a memorandum of agreement last October 29 that formalizes the partnership between the two educational institutions that would train over 500 Pisay teachers on Adaptive Design for Learning (ADL).
The agreement was signed by Ateneo President Fr. Roberto Yap, SJ, and PSHS System Executive Director Dr. Lila Habacon, and was witnessed by a benefactor of the program, JJ Atencio, CEO of Januarius Holdings and Chair of the Dr. Rosario Bustos-Atencio (RBA) Endowment Fund for the Scholarship of Public School Teachers, an alumnus of Ateneo.
“We are proud to work together with our partners in the Philippine Science High School System as they equip their educators with the knowledge that will allow them to better serve the needs of their students during these unprecedented times,” Yap said.
“The Philippine Science High School System is grateful for the Ateneo de Manila University for the teacher capability building on Adoptive Design Learning. This partnership is a trailblazer for many ideas that shall improve teaching and learning,” Habacon added.
The training program was formally launched by Ateneo SALT Institute last September 21 and will be conducted for three months. The ADL professional certificate course for the teachers of PSHS is expected to conclude by the latter part of January 2021.
Adaptive Design for Learning is a unique asynchronous project-based program for educators who want to learn online course design and delivery. The program offers a unique framework that enables educators to design an engaging holistic learning experience and to resist the usual temptation of dumping online content on students. Over 2,000 educators from the nationwide network of Jesuit schools and universities have undergone the ADL course in preparation for the fully online academic year.
To make this program more accessible for the PSHS System, Ateneo is subsidizing 65% of the cost of the training program through the RBA Endowment Fund and the VTL Teacher Education Endowment Fund. These endowment funds were established to promote teacher education and professional development.
“It is both a joy and a privilege for my siblings and me to be part of this endeavor between my Alma mater ADMU and one of the foremost public school institutions PSHS,” Atencio said. “The scholarship fund that we established in honor of our mother was so that we could help, even in some small way, uplift the delivery of education services in the public school system. The family is thankful that through this venture, we are able to do that and, at the same time, enhance the legacy of our mother, Dra. Rosario Bustos-Atencio.”
For more information about the Ateneo SALT Institute and the ADL Course, please visit https://ateneosalt.org/.