Page 171 - Open and Distance Education In Asia : Good Practice From AAOU Members

Asian Association of Open Universities (AAOU) 151

in the most basic indicator of openness, have to evolve to align with the emerging
which is admission to the program and needs of Distance eLearning. Specific
the learning environment. This is the first for UPOU, the Learning Centers were
unique feature of DE in the Philippines: transformed into Mega Learning Hubs
managing it through the abduction of which can become the Regional Centers
policies, processes, and procedures as mandated in Republic Act 10650 or
from the residential or conventional the Open Distance Learning Act (https://
instruction. www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2014/12/09/
republic-act-no-10650/). At the same
2. Remote management. As described, the time, they can still perform some of the
implementation of DE in the Philippines, functions of the Learning Centers as the
similar to other countries, highlighted the need arises.
important role of the Learning Centers,
where the students go for the different 3. Integration of modern ICTs into the
processes associated with being a university administrative processes
student, and Testing Centers for sit-down to facilitate the remote management.
and proctored examinations. Hence, Given that, the staff and offices are not
the management of a DE institution centralized in one location e.g., some of
during its early years also involved the the full time staff are holding office in
management of the Learning Centers the university learning centers and there
strategically located all over the country. are also part-time staff like the lecturers,
tutors, and proctors who are based not
With the implementation of distance only all over the country but outside the
eLearning as the main mode of delivering country as well, the use of modern ICTs to
instruction, the transformation of connect, communicate and collaborate,
Learning Centers became necessary. With and compensate the services rendered
fewer students reporting physically to the became necessary.
Learning Centers, the major functions will

University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU)