MODULE 2

ICT Policies: Road Map for ICT

Integration

LESSON 1- ICT Policies in the Educational System

ICT and National Policies

In the 1987 constitution, the State shall “give priority, among others, to science and
technology education, training services and shall support indigenous, appropriate, and self-
reliant scientific and technological capabilities, and their application to the country’s
productive systems and national life.”
In the past three decades, national policies were carried out to execute the mandate of
the constitutional provisions. To respond to the technological changes of the 21 st century, the
National Information technology Plan for the 21 st Century (IT21) crafted in 1992 vis-à-vis the
Medium -Term Philippine Development Plan, aimed for the Philippines to be “a newly
industrialized country” and Asia’s Knowledge Centre” (DICT2019).
Aiming to harness the full potential of ICT in ensuring fast and efficient government
services, the Government Information Systems Plan was promoted by the Information
Technology and e-Commerce Council (ITECC) and the National Computer Center (NCC) in
1998, along with the e-Philippines Strategy, which envisioned an electronically enabled
Society.
In 2006, the Philippines Strategic ICT Roadmap was developed by Commission on
Information and Communication Technology (CICT) to achieve the vision of the Philippines to
be an empowered nation through ICT.
The Philippines’ Digital Strategy (PDS) was formulated in 2011 to make the Philippines
a digitally empowered, innovative, globally competitive, and prosperous society affordable
and accessible to Filipinos.
In 2014, to expand and further democratize access to quality tertiary education through
promotion and application of open learning as a philosophy of access to educational access,
RA10650 otherwise known as the Open Distance Learning Law was enacted.
In 2016, Republic Act No. 10844 created the Department of Information and
Communication Technology (DICT) to serve as the primary policy, planning, coordinating,
implementing, and administrative entity of the government to promote national ICT
development agenda. Collaborating with Department of Education (DepEd), the Commission
on Higher Education (CHED) and the Technical Education Skills Development Authority
(TESDA), the Department is mandated to develop and promote ICT in education consistent
with the national goals and objectives, and responsive to the human resource needs of the
ICT and ICT-ES sectors.
Serving as a blueprint for harmonizing and coordinating national ICT plans, Programs
and projects and promoting national ICT development agenda, the National ICT Ecosystem
framework (NICTEF) was promulgated by DICT in 2019,. The National ICT Ecosystem is
comprised of several interdependent framework elements:
 Standards, Regulations, and Policies. Provides the boundaries that will allow the
players and elements within the ecosystem to safely and productively inter-connect
and inter-operate.
 Human Capital. Refers to the individuals who access the applications, services,
contents, and data that the players in the ICT ecosystem provides.
 Affordable Access and Devices. Refers to the interfaces where humans access
applications, services, content and data.
 Platforms. Refers to the solutions accessed by users in the ecosystem to achieve
equitable, inclusive, and sustainable development in our society and potentially
improve their quality of life.
 Infostructure/ Infrastructure. Refers to the physical and logical components that
collectively provide secure connectivity between the users, their devices and the
platform they are accessing.

ICT and the Trifocalized

Educational System
In the light of the vision of
the Department of Education
(DepEd) to provide “21st
Century
Education For All Filipinos,
Anytime, Anywhere,” the
department came up with the
ICT4E Strategic
Plan. DepEd, in recognition of
the major role of ICT in creating
a new and improved model of
teaching
and learning, aims to:
1. completely integrate ICT into
the curriculum, which includes
the development of
multimedia
instructional materials, and ICT
enabled assessment;
2. intensify competency based
professional development
programs;
3. establish the necessary ICT
infrastructure and applications;
and
4. develop processes and
systems that ensure efficient,
transparent and effective
governance.
The curriculum of basic
education was also attuned to
the demands for ICT
integration. The
enhanced Basic Education
curriculum of the Department of
Education is aimed at producing
holistically
developed learners with 21st-
century skills, which include
literacy in information, media,
and technology.
In the elementary school
curriculum, particularly in
Grades 4 through 6
Edukasyong Pantahanan at
Pangkabuhayan (EPP), there are
lessons focusing on ICT,
particularly safe and responsible
use of ICT,
gathering and organization of
information through ICT,
evaluation of information
using ICT,
communication and
collaboration using ICT, and
knowledge products creation.
ICT is also one of the
specializations in Technology
and Livelihood Education (TLE)
for Grades 7 to 10 and
Technical-
Vocational-Livelihood (TVL)
Track for Grades 11 to 12. In its
curricular map, computer
programming is
emphasized. Other specific
specialization includes
animation, medical transcription,
technical drafting,
among others (Department of
Education, n.d.). Moreover, in
the Alternative Learning System
program,
catering to the non-formal
education component of the
Department of Education, one of
the strands is
digital literacy learning.
In the Senior High School (SHS)
curriculum, ‘Media and
Information Literacy’ is one of
the core
subjects. The course
introduces the learners to
basic understanding of media
and information as
channels of communication and
tools for the development of
individuals and societies.
Likewise, it also
“aims to develop students to be
creative and critical thinkers as
well as responsible users and
competent
producers of media and
information” (Department of
Education). Specific content
includes the evolution,
types, and sources of media; the
legal, ethical, and societal issues
in media; opportunities,
challenges,
and power, current and future
trends of media and information,
among others. Further,
‘Empowerment
Technologies’ is one of the
subjects in the applied track of
the SHS curriculum. The subject
covers
information and communication
technologies as a tool for
curating, contextualizing,
collaborating, and
creating content and
experiences for learning in the
professional tracks (Department
of Education). The
primary learning competency is
the development of a working
prototype of an ICT Project for
Social
Change integrating advanced
productivity tools, image and
graphics design tools,
multimedia, and
online collaborative platforms.
In the curriculum for tertiary
education programs, ‘Living in
the IT Era’ is one of the
elective
subjects in the New General
Education component
(Commission on Higher
Education, 2013). The
course is about the science,
culture, and ethics of
information technology, its
influence on modern living
and human relationships, and
uses for personal, professional,
and social advancement. The
2017
ICT and the Trifocalized Educational System
In the light of the vision of the Department of Education (DepEd) to provide
“21st Century Education For All Filipinos, Anytime, Anywhere,” the department came up
with the ICT4E Strategic Plan. DepEd, in recognition of the major role of ICT in creating a
new and improved model of teaching and learning, aims to:
1. completely integrate ICT into the curriculum, which includes the development of
multimedia instructional materials, and ICT enabled assessment;
2. intensify competency based professional development programs;
3. establish the necessary ICT infrastructure and applications; and
 4. develop processes and systems that ensure efficient, transparent and effective
governance.

The curriculum of basic education was also attuned to the demands for ICT
integration. The enhanced Basic Education curriculum of the Department of Education is
aimed at producing holistically developed learners with 21st-century skills, which include
literacy in information, media, and technology. In the elementary school curriculum,
particularly in Grades 4 through 6 Edukasyong Pantahanan at Pangkabuhayan (EPP), there
are lessons focusing on ICT, particularly safe and responsible use of ICT, gathering and
organization of information through ICT, evaluation of information using ICT,
communication and collaboration using ICT, and knowledge products creation. ICT is also one
of the specializations in Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE) for Grades 7 to 10
and Technical-Vocational-Livelihood (TVL) Track for Grades 11 to 12. In its curricular map,
computer programming is emphasized. Other specific specialization includes animation,
medical transcription, technical drafting, among others (Department of Education, n.d.).
Moreover, in the Alternative Learning System program, catering to the non-formal education
component of the Department of Education, one of the strands is digital literacy learning.

In the Senior High School (SHS) curriculum, ‘Media and Information Literacy’ is one of
the core subjects. The course introduces the learners to basic understanding of media
and information as channels of communication and tools for the development of individuals
and societies. Likewise, it also “aims to develop students to be creative and critical thinkers as
well as responsible users and competent producers of media and information” (Department of
Education). Specific content includes the evolution, types, and sources of media; the legal,
ethical, and societal issues in media; opportunities, challenges, and power, current and future
trends of media and information, among others. Further, ‘Empowerment Technologies’ is one
of the subjects in the applied track of the SHS curriculum. The subject covers information and
communication technologies as a tool for curating, contextualizing, collaborating, and creating
content and experiences for learning in the professional tracks (Department of Education).
The primary learning competency is the development of a working prototype of an ICT Project
for Social Change integrating advanced productivity tools, image and graphics design
tools, multimedia, and online collaborative platforms.

In the curriculum for tertiary education programs, ‘Living in the IT Era’ is one of
the elective subjects in the New General Education component (Commission on Higher
Education, 2013). The course is about the science, culture, and ethics of information
technology, its influence on modern living and human relationships, and uses for personal,
professional, and social advancement. The 2017 CHED Memorandum Orders specifying
the Policies, Standards and Guidelines for Teacher Education programs, a course
‘Technology for Teaching and Learning 1’ is mandated (Commission on Higher Education,
2017). The course aims to introduce the basic knowledge, values, and skills in the use of
technology for teaching and learning. The course is prerequisite to another course,
‘Technology for Teaching and Learning 2’ which provides opportunities to students to utilize
technology tools to develop project-based collaborative tools and learning plans as applied to
their field of specialization. The said CMOs also require that the school offering Teacher
Education programs must have an ICT laboratory as well as an educational technology
laboratory. Other non-ICT courses also require ICT-based courses such as Nursing
Informatics in the case of Nursing, Telehealth in Medicine, IT Applications in Business in
Accountancy, and Computer-Aided Drafting for Civil Engineering, among others. ICT-related
degree programs include Information Technology, Computer Science, Information Systems,
Multimedia and Entertainment Computing, and Library and Information Science.

The third component of the trifocalized system of education in the Philippines, being
the transformational leader in the technical education and skills development of the Filipino
workforce, the Technical Skills Development Authority (TESDA), is offering ICT-related
certificate courses. In 2012, the e-TESDA, TESDA’s online program was launched. The
program envisions to provide training opportunities to all the Filipinos, at their own pace, at
their own time, thru the online courses that would be made available thru the TESDA online
facility. These online courses will make technical education and skills development more
accessible to the citizens with internet technology. Courses in Agriculture, Automotive,
Electronics, Entrepreneurship, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration,
Human Health/ Health Care, Information and Communication Technology, Lifelong
Learning Skills, Maritime, Social, Community Development and Other Services, Tourism,
TVET, Processed Food and Beverages and 21st Century Skills. Online ICT courses include
animation, basic computer operations, mobile apps development, and technopreneurship.

Levels of Technology Integration

Ham, et al. (2002) categorized
levels of ICT integration into
three, namely: curricular,
spatial,
and pedagogical integration.
Curricular integration refers to
the extent to which, and ways in
which, an
ICT activity relates directly to
appropriate curriculum goals,
and to the same or
complementary
curriculum content or skills as
other learning activities in a
given unit of work or sequence
of lessons.
Spatial integration is the extent
to which the use of computers or
ICT is separated in place or
location
from other learning activities in
a unit of work. Pedagogical
integration refers to the extent
to which the
choice of particular ICT, and
the ways in which they are
used in classes, are consistent
with and
between the pedagogical
philosophies, orientations and
intentions of the teacher, and
the learning
styles, abilities and motivations
of the students.
Levels of Technology Integration
Ham, et al. (2002) categorized levels of ICT integration into three, namely:
1. curricular integration, which refers to the extent to which ICT activity relates directly to
appropriate curriculum goals;
2. spatial integration, which refers to the extent to which computers or ICT is independent
from other learning activities; and
3. pedagogical integration, which refers to the extent to which the choice of particular ICT
jive the pedagogical orientations of teachers and learning styles of students
UNESCO (2002) identified approaches to applying ICT in education. The model
suggests that schools should be able to move from one phase to another as they continue to
adapt technology. The model has two dimensions: technology and pedagogy. The technology
dimension represents the increase in amounts and variety of ICT in use. The pedagogy
dimension represents the changes in teaching practices resulting from the adoption of ICT.
Within these dimensions are four stages which describe the ICT integration practices of
school.
Emerging stage. Schools at
the emerging stage have just
begun to introduce computers.
Administrators and one or more
pioneering teachers begin to
explore the potential of ICT for
school
management and for classroom
teaching. The focus in the
classroom is often on learning
basic ICT
skills and identifying ICT
components. Teachers
frequently use available
equipment for their own
professional purposes, such as
word processing to prepare
worksheets, spreadsheets for
managing
class lists and, if the internet is
also available, for locating
information or communicating
by e-mail. In
this way, teachers develop their
ICT literacy skills and learn how
to apply ICT to a range of
professional
and personal tasks. The
emphasis is on learning to use a
range of tools and applications,
and becoming
aware of the potential of ICT in
their future teaching. Classroom
practice is still very much
teacher-
centered.
Emerging stage. Schools at the emerging stage have just begun to introduce
computers. Administrators and one or more pioneering teachers begin to explore the potential
of ICT for school management and for classroom teaching. The focus in the classroom is
often on learning basic ICT skills and identifying ICT components. Teachers frequently use
available equipment for their own professional purposes, such as word processing to
prepare worksheets, spreadsheets for managing class lists and, if the internet is also
available, for locating information or communicating by e-mail. In this way, teachers develop
their ICT literacy skills and learn how to apply ICT to a range of professional and personal
tasks. The emphasis is on learning to use a range of tools and applications, and becoming
aware of the potential of ICT in their future teaching. Classroom practice is still very much
teacher-centered.

Applying stage. Schools at the applying stage have acquired additional ICT
equipment throughout their organization, and are usually in countries where there are national
ICT policies in place and where various ICT strategies are being trialed. School
administrators use ICT for more organizational and management tasks. Teachers begin to
adapt the curriculum in order to increase the use of ICT in different subject areas,
applying specific software tools such as drawing, designing, modelling and simulations
in their teaching. ICT are used almost as a separate curriculum area. Teachers still
tend to dominate learning activities in the classroom. However, they use ICT for
professional purposes, focusing on improving their subject teaching in order to enrich how
they teach with a range of ICT applications. They gain confidence in using specialized ICT
tools in teaching in their subject fields. The opportunity to apply ICT in all their teaching is
often limited only by a lack of ready access to ICT facilities and resources.
Infusing stage. Schools at the infusing stage are incorporating ICT across the curriculum.
Almost all classrooms are equipped with computers and schools have internet connections. A
wide variety of other ICT is in evidence across the institution. ICT infuse all aspects of
teachers’ professional lives in such ways as to improve student learning and management of
learning. The approach of senior staff is to support active and creative teachers who are able
to stimulate and manage the learning of students, and to integrate a range of preferred
learning styles in achieving their goals. Teachers easily integrate different knowledge and
skills from other subjects into project-based curricula. The curriculum begins to merge subject
areas to reflect real-world applications. While teachers integrate ICT in all aspects of their
professional lives to improve their own learning as well as the learning of their students, ICT
are not completely fused with other regular learning activities. Students, however, are slowly
given more control over their learning and a degree of choice in projects undertaken.
Teachers use ICT to assist their students to assess their own learning in achieving the aims
of personal projects.

Transforming stage. The infusing stage is already leading to transformation. A major

challenge is to move teachers through the infusing stage to a point where ICT are tools used
routinely to assist learning in such a way that they are fully integrated in all classes. When ICT
are fully integrated in all regular classroom learning activities, when ICT is used to rethink and
renew institutional organization in creative ways, and when ICT are a regular part of the daily
life of the institution, then schools are at the transforming stage. ICT become an integral,
though invisible part of daily personal productivity and professional practice. The focus in
classrooms has moved fully from teacher-centered to learner-centered that integrates
subject areas in real-world applications. ICT may be taught as a separate subject at
senior levels of secondary schools and incorporated into vocational areas. Teachers with
expertise in ICT may be on staff along with other subject specialists. With the school head,
such staff may assist in developing an ICT plan for the institution. When the
transforming stage is reached, teachers and other support staff regard ICT as a natural part
of the everyday life of their institutions, which have become centers of learning for their
communities.

The four stages of ICT integration can be mapped onto learning and teaching, are the
steps that learners typically pass through as they learn about ICT and, correspondingly, the
steps teachers generally progress as they teach with ICT.

ICT Policy Components

While policies can be strategic statements that provide a broader context for change,
policies can also be operational; action plans, programs, or projects that provide the
mechanism and resources by which the vision is to be realized. UNESCO (2011) laid out the
various strategic and operational components of ICT policies, to wit:
Articulating policy goals and a strategic vision. Policies can provide a rationale, a set
of goals, and a vision of how the education system might look with the introduction of change,
and how students, teachers, parents, and the general population might benefit from these
changes in schools.
Professional development. Teacher professional development and initial teacher
training are an important component of ICT in education policy. ICT policies and programs
related to teacher training should be structured in a way that connects to specific classroom
practices or engages teachers in a community of professional practice and ongoing
development. In the early phases of ICT introduction, teachers need training in the operation
of hardware, software, and, to some extent, networking. As ICT use by teachers becomes
more common, professional development shifts to the pedagogical integration, the creation
of content, and the development of shared knowledge and practice.
Pedagogical change. Advanced ICT applications associated with pedagogical changes
consider students as players engaged in group projects working real -world problems or
investigations.
Curricular development. In the initial stages of ICT use in education, the focus has often
been on the introduction of courses on ICT literacy in the curriculum. Students learn
how to operate equipment and common productivity software. But as education systems
become more experienced in the use of ICT and as it becomes more embedded in schools
and classrooms, the curricular emphasis can shift to the integration of ICT throughout the
curriculum to support the learning of school subjects.
Assessment reform. Traditional assessments are focused on the memorization of facts
and the application of simple procedures to set up, one-step problems. Assessment
reform emphasizes the need to assess a new set of twenty-first century skills not
traditionally measured by standardized assessments. It also emphasizes the need for
continuous assessment that is integrated into regular, ongoing instructional activity and
involves new assessment methods that include performance tasks and portfolio
assessments. ICT can be a crucial enabler of these changes and assessment should be an
important part of ICT policy.
Technological infrastructure. ICT policies must address issues of hardware, software,
content development, networks, and technical supports including the provision of and budget
allocation for computer hardware.
Networks. Wireless networks provide more flexibility in numbers and locations. In
some school systems, with limited resources for equipment, wireless networks have been
combined with carts of laptop computers that can be wheeled to classrooms for
scheduled use. Bandwidth will depend on the number and amount of users, the kind of
content to be used, and the origin of the content. Wireless networks would support the
generation and sharing of students’ digital content.
Technical support. Another important component of ICT in education policies and
programs is the provision of ongoing technical assistance. Teachers need this support not
only in early phases of ICT use, when they need help operating the equipment, but also as
hardware and networking technologies become more sophisticated and educational
applications become more complex. As with teacher training, assistance is needed to support
teachers’ operation and connection of hardware and software, as well as help in integrating
the use of ICT across the full range of curricular subjects.