Online college classes slated for Summer 2020 begin on 20 April, announced Ateneo de Davao University President, Fr. Joel E. Tabora SJ in a Zoom press conference yesterday, 13 April 2020.
“Enrolment will entitle a student entry into the online learning system. Teachers and professors will present content online. Students will learn online by studying and mastering content. Interaction online between students and teachers will be vibrant,” Tabora said.
“Students will be provided with Home Prepaid Wifi units that will allow wireless Internet connection to facilitate learning and student-teacher interaction,” Executive Vice President Jeremy S. Eliab added.
Teachers have received training for Google Classroom and the Moodle learning management system and are putting learning content online, according to Academic Vice President Dr. Gina Lapaza Montalan.
“They have planned the lessons for Summer 2020 and uploaded this Online Instruction Delivery Plan along with the online learning materials for the actual classes next week. Administrators are also being trained this week for online monitoring of classes,” Montalan said.
Tabora said that Ateneo de Davao offers “a near fully online education.”
He explained that “near fully online education means that to get academic credit for a course, students will take a face-to-face final exam. It also means that in subjects where skills and competencies need to be honed through face-to-face interaction, these will be honed through face-to-face interaction between teachers and students.”
“During the COVID-19 health emergency, all face-to-face interaction will be postponed to after the emergency,” Tabora added.
An easy payment scheme is also in place for computer loans for students. “Ateneo is also extending computer loans to qualified students who want to acquire a laptop, desktop, or tablet for educational purposes,” EVP Eliab said.
“The University has set aside devices to be lent for free to a limited number of college students, with preference for the needy and financially challenged scholars,” Eliab added.
Enrolment is also online at Ateneo de Davao. “Students can access their account through the Student Information System (SIS), register for the courses they need to take and pay through electronic banking or other payment channels,” said VP for Finance and Treasurer Jimmy E. Delgado.
Online bills payment can be coursed through BPI, BDO, GCash, Landbank, Metrobank, PNB, RCBC, UCPB, and Union Bank, according to Delgado.
Other payment channels are East West Bank, BDO Network Bank, Cebuana Lhullier, M. Lhuillier, and Savemore and SM Payment Centers.
Graduate School (master’s and Ph.D. classes) will also use the same online learning system starting this summer.
The Preschool, Grade School, Junior High School, and Senior High School all begin classes in June 2020. Enrolment for these units is also conveniently online and currently ongoing.
