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June 21, 2014

Mobile learning package Text2Teach celebrates 10th Anniversary

Ayala Foundation, DILG, DepEd, ULAP, Microsoft and Globe sign commitment to bring tech innovation to all Philippine public elementary schools.

Mobile learning package Text2Teach celebrates its 10th year Thursday June 19, 2014. In line with the anniversary, Ayala Foundation, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Department of Education (DepEd), Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP) , Microsoft, and Globe Telecom have signed a commitment to mainstream Text2Teach, implementing it in all 38,000 public schools across the country. Text2Teach uses Lumia Devices installed with the Microsoft Education Delivery (MED) software application. MED harnesses mobile devices, networks, applications and cloud technology to deliver more than 300 educational video materials on grade 5 and 6 Math, Science, English, and Values Education even in remote communities. It comes with a Globe prepaid SIM and a 32-inch LED Toshiba TV that will play the videos for classroom use.

To mainstream the program, Text2Teach works closely with ULAP and the DILG in advocating and sharing the program with local government units. ULAP will hold advocacy workshops with LGUs and highlight the benefits of Text2Teach.

In addition to this, Ayala Foundation, with its aim to reach all public elementary schools in the Philippines, will conduct capability-building training sessions for all 203 local DepEd divisions, which in turn will train teachers in their respective areas to implement the Text2Teach program.

In celebration of Text2Teach's 10th anniversary, representatives from the Text2Teach Alliance sign a commitment to mainstream the project into the public elementary school system. From left: Czarina Medina-Guce, Executive Director, Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines; Ana Bonagua, Director, Bureau of Local Government Development, Department of Interior and Local Government; Dina Ocampo, Undersecretary for Projects and Programs, Department of Education; Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, Chairman and CEO, Ayala Corporation; Ernest Cu, President and CEO, Globe Telecom; Sanna Eskalinen, Global Lead for Social Solutions, Microsoft; and Rowena Lopez, Senior Director for Programs, Ayala Foundation.

As part of its mainstreaming efforts, Text2Teach will also have all its materials and content available for DepEd teachers, through DepEd’s Learning Resource Management and Development System (LRMDS) portal. Videos, teaching guides, and other Text2Teach materials will be made available online as supplemental guides for teachers.

Text2Teach will also receive a system upgrade using Microsoft’s new devices. Text2Teach schools will be using Lumia Devices, which run on Windows OS8.1. The MED application where the Text2Teach videos are sent and stored will be updated with a new user-friendly interface. Additional features also include the ability to comment and ask questions about the media files. Text 2Teach will also make use of the mirroring function of the Lumia Devices, with the help of a dongle connected to the television. This means that teachers no longer need to hook up the phone to the 32-inch LED Toshiba television through a cable connector. Through its mirroring function, teachers can wirelessly connect their phones to the television and play the Text2Teach videos.

Text2Teach is the Philippine name of the global program BridgeIT conceptualized by Nokia, Pearson, the International Youth Foundation, and the United Nations Development Programme. The Philippines has the longest-running Bridge IT program from among 12 countries in the world. Last year it was hailed by Nominet Trust, a UK funder for tech projects, as one of the 100 most inspiring social tech innovations. It was also identified as one of the ten “Exemplary Information Communications Technology Innovations for Education” at the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Forum on ICT in Education held at Shenzhen, China last 2013. This year, Text2Teach received a Merit Award for Best Community Program at the 6th Annual Global CSR Summit and Awards in Bali, Indonesia.

The use of Text2Teach has shown improvement in student’s performance and National Achievement Test scores. It has fostered positive attitudes towards learning and the use of technology for teaching. The program’s impact can be seen in disadvantaged schools, thus helping bridge the social gap. To date, Text2Teach has served over 300, 000 students from 1,103 schools nationwide, covering a total of 78 cities and municipalities.

The mainstreaming of Text2Teach marks the fifth phase of the program, led by the partnership among DepEd, DILG, Microsoft, Globe, ULAP and the Ayala Foundation. The success of Text2Teach is also credited to Toshiba and Pearson Foundation who have supported the program in its earlier phases. Text2Teach also thanks the teachers, students, and volunteers who continue to believe in the program.

Be a part of Text2Teach! The program is open to groups and organizations who wish to become a partner in mainstreaming the program.

For more information on Text2Teach visit http://www.text2teach.org.ph/

or email info@ayalafoundation.org

About AYALA FOUNDATION

Ayala Foundation Inc. (AFI) envisions communities where people are productive, creative, self-reliant, and proud to be Filipino. As a believer in creating shared value and inclusive business, it has four key program areas— Education, Youth Leadership, Sustainable Livelihood, and Arts and Culture. AFI is a member of the Ayala group of companies.

Visit us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ayalafoundation