DISTANCE learning has revolutionized education around the world by greatly changing the way educational institutions deliver knowledge to their students.

Today’s students, no matter where they are, may have online access to a limitless range of possibilities in education and further enhance the quality of their learning. It has also opened doors of opportunities for undergraduates or the uneducated to go back to school without fear of humiliation or insecurity.

Indeed, the world has become their classroom.

In the Philippines, a number of educational institutions have yet to integrate distance learning courses/programs into their curriculum. But most institutions like the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) are already fully utilizing the huge benefits to full potential.

How has distance learning changed the education landscape?

• Elementary or secondary school teachers may now teach students from a rural school in the province or even hold a conference or meeting with fellow teachers, all within the confines of the teacher’s office or classroom.

• Students can have interactive classes with other schools around the world. Exchanging views with fellow students or studying under the best teachers in various countries is now possible. They can go on electronic field trips to museums, science centers, historical sites or zoos and undergo live interaction with experts.

• Teachers can do team teaching through a wide selection of subjects – like Science, Math, History, Cooking, Art, Business, Technical skills, Functional skills, Reading and more.

• In language classes, students can now have live cultural exchanges to fully comprehend the language they are studying.

• Teachers can invite guest lecturers and experts in a particular subject to chat with the students online in the classroom.

• Aside from gaining access to the world’s best educators who are mostly willing to share their knowledge and expertise, distance learning can also be used for conducting research, in any job for professional development and for implementing community programs with far-reaching effects.

Open education, as it is also called, saves time, increases interactivity and enhance course design.

According to research studies, distance learning technologies delivered in interactive, multimedia format, provide equal or better learning environments/ performance when compared to traditional classrooms. The study also noted that it can also provide additional ways to teach students with disabilities.

"Distance learning can deliver more training, more courses to a bigger number of people on more subjects with greater effectiveness and lower cost than it is possible in the traditional classrooms," explains Elaine Shuck, director of the Polycom Global Education for Primary and Secondary Schools.

With over 10 years experience in distance learning, Shuck is recognized in the United States as a leader in utilizing interactive visual communications for innovative and engaging education programs. "This is the education of the 21st century. Distance learning is not only video conferencing, it’s all the technologies put together," she notes.

Schuck was recently in Manila to present to members of the academe and the private sector Polycom’s latest Avaya Meeting Exchange software and equipment for video-conferencing as an important tool in distance learning.

In UP, some 2,000 students are currently enrolled in the distance learning program called UP Open University (OU).

Dr. Nemah Hermosa, UPOU Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs reports that aside from housewives and professionals, among her students are celebrities like Sharon Cuneta, Richard Gomez, Sarah Geronimo, Rachel Anne Go, Jackie Lou Blanco, Claire dela Fuente (who is taking a masters program), and Sen. Miguel Zubiri (taking up Environment and Natural Resources Management Program.

"Graduate din namin si Mayor Binay who took a diploma course. We also have a police official taking open education. My students also come from different parts of the Philippines and the world. I have 25 students, some are foreigners and OFWs or offshore students who are scattered all over the world," Dr. Hermosa reveals.

UPOU has programs available in 34 countries and Dr. Hermosa says it has been attracting a lot of OFWs now. Last semester, it had at least 150 students.

She says many are also availing of her Professional Teaching Certification. This program allows non-education graduates to take 18 units of education courses so that they can take licensure exams and become teachers.

Since its inception in 1995, the UPOU has grown much faster and established an infrastructure for distance education and open learning that is unequaled among any other institution in the country today, claims Dr. Hermosa.

"It’s a virtual university. Students can study at midnight. They can come in the discussion boards at any time during the day 24/7. We have a learning management system. If they enroll at UPOU they will get a log-in name, a password and the enrollment key for the course they are enrolled in. Then they can already start and participate in the online discussion boards. I conduct quizzes online," explains Dr. Hermosa.

For major exams though, students are encouraged to take them face-to-face or at the various learning centers UPOU has set up in the different parts of the country. For offshore students, they can take the exams at the Philippine consulates in their respective locations.

Dr. Hermosa discloses that the university is also planning to conduct online exams through webcam technology to make it easy for OFWs who have to travel far just to take exams at the designated testing centers.

UPOU offers three faculties of studies in distance learning. These are Education, Information and Communication, and Management and Development Studies.

It also has several diploma programs and more than 20 post-graduate programs. Its two-year Associate in Arts program is equivalent to general education or the first two years in college, says Dr. Hermosa.

It has also began offering a Bachelor of Arts program in Multimedia Studies. Two or more undergraduate programs will be introduced in the next three years.

According to Dr. Hermosa, the UPOU is also putting up a building called the Center for Digital Learning that will integrate the different types of technologies available today with focus on the WEB 2.0 technologies.

"The advantage of distance education is the convenience and flexibility. You study at your own convenience and you don’t have to report on a particular timeslot. But they get the same quality of education. We in UP are very strict with our goal for excellence. Our courses are parallel to the quality of residential programs offered by the university," she relates.

All UP campuses across the country are already using the latest video-conferencing equipment that Polycom has introduced to the Philippines. The centennial lectures this year are webcast across all the UP campuses.

For ordinary delivery systems, she says the university uses the Skype technology and a smaller webcam camera. But for larger conferences across learning centers, the Polycom is much more effective and efficient.

"There is a need for the Philippines to further improve its distance learning education and the solution is through video-conferencing. They have yet to explore all the possibilities that it can offer in education, in the hospitality industry, and many other sectors," Schuck points out.

She further believes that countries need to prepare their people for the 21st century and for the rapidly-developing global economy.

"We have to really be on the cutting-edge of what’s happening around the world to be able to keep up with the times. The Philippines has to learn content from around the world, as much as it can offer to countries like Australia, America and the United Kingdom," Schuck concludes.