MEMBERS of the Network of Outstanding Teachers and Educators, Inc. (Noted) in the Philippines and abroad gathered during the first virtual conference to exchange research works and ideas amid the learning issues brought by the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.
“The contexts and constraints brought by an environment characterized by volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity have posed challenges made even more complex by the pandemic-spurred changes to education and to society in general,” said Dr. Josephine Calamlam, president of Noted and associate professor of the Philippine Normal University.
“We come together in this conference to engage meaningfully through exchange of ideas, collaboration and exploring paths to transform challenges to opportunities,” added Calamlam during the recently concluded 3rd International Noted Conference.
Following the theme, “Equity, Solidarity and Engagement: Purposive Education in Times of Change,” the top educators organized the conference “to serve as platform for creating actions in building a vibrant, uplifting, conscientious and authentic society” despite the global health crisis.
“Virtual conference may sound strange and unfamiliar, but this should be seen as revolutionary and liberating, opening doors and allowing its participants’ words to be heard across the world,” the organizer said.
During the two-day conference, education leaders, researchers, and teachers collaborated and explored new ideas “in the pursuit of addressing and finding solutions to the myriad and complex challenges presented by the modern world.”
“It was a great experience to be part of this conference because it gave me the opportunity to share the good result of my action research or innovation with outstanding people in our society...Their positive feedback to the outcome of my study motivated me to do another innovation that is also beneficial not only for teachers and students but also to our community,” said Angelo Amurao, a teacher at Belvedere Elementary School in General Trias City.
“The conference enabled me to benchmark my practices as a classroom Science teacher in national and international standards in terms of research where most of my institutional reforms are rooted,” added Frosyl Miguel of Ramon Magsaysay High School in Manila.
Ruth Lebes, participant and full-time staff of Edmonton Public School-Florence Hallock School in Alberta, Canada, congratulated the organizer and speakers, saying that "when high-minded individuals converge to plan and to showcase in a professional and timely manner a convergence of critical-novel academic conference, a masterpiece is created.”
“The Noted 3rd International Conference served as a conduit for important conversation pieces to keep us abreast of the Covid-19 related pressing issues,” said Lebes, adding that the insights and experience she got during the international gathering “can be highly transferable to our own classroom practices."
The speakers during the plenary lectures include Dr. Bert Tuga, president of Philippine Normal University; Dr. Chris Forlin, international education consultant, University of Notre Dame, Australia; and Nelson Salangsang, International Projects Unit of Queensland University of Technology.
Winners of the Metrobank Foundation’s Search for Outstanding Teachers served as speakers and moderators during the panel discussions.
Metrobank Foundation, Inc. President Aniceto Sobrepeña and Department of Education Secretary Leonor Briones also delivered their messages during the event.
Noted, which was established on October 26, 1997 and registered with the Security and Exchanges Commission on August 5, 1998, envisioned to “create future actions and build communities of practice (partnership) where sustainability of the gains from the conference will be ensured.” (SunStar Philippines)