The circumstance of the education system of the Philippines has dramatically changed due to the pandemic that is being experienced at present. Avoiding and limiting the risk of infection in the academic community has been a primary concern. Thus the implementation of community quarantine and the conduct of face-to-face classes need to be put on halt. The challenge of continuing the conduct of classes along with the teaching and learning was then the priority concern.

With CHED CMO no. 4 s. 2020 mandate, there is an urgent need to explore other innovative learning modalities that will facilitate migration from traditional to flexible teaching and learning options. As learners are differently situated in terms of time, pace, and place, these options allow customization of delivery modes responsive to students’ need for access to quality education. This shall also give students the option to choose the delivery mode most convenient to them as early as the time of their enrollment.

The paradigm shifts therefore in the teaching and learning process in Philippine higher education necessitates collaboration among stakeholders and strengthening the culture of sharing knowledge, resources, and best practices. Everyone is called to be part of this transition and transformation towards the new normal. To achieve this, “humanity needs leadership and solidarity to defeat the coronavirus”.

A strong clamor felt and discussed among the educational institutions was the design of technological solutions that will ensure effective and efficient teaching and learning modalities. With the conduct of the 21st Century education and the approach of the 4th industrial revolution, there is a need for educators to be equipped with skills. Hence, educators need to be abreast and skilled to integrate information technology in education.   

Currently, in Mindanao, no schools are offering this program. Hence, the UIC as an Autonomous educational Institution possessing a LEVEL IV accredited status for the program on Teacher Education as well as the Center of Development for Information Technology Education collaborates to address this urgency.   

The University of the Immaculate Conception administration recommends the opening of a new specialization under the existing Ph.D. in Education program of the Graduate School. This is the Doctor of Philosophy in Education major in Information and Technology Integration. The offering of this new program will benefit the different educational institutions of Mindanao and respond to the CHED’s mandate to collaborate and share best practices in providing very efficient and flexible delivery of instruction among Filipino learners.   

The Ph.D. in Education major in Information and Technology Integration aims to prepare students to design and create innovative technological solutions to learning challenges in varied situations and develop teachers who can collaborate digitally to develop instructional tools and materials for teaching and learning with the use of emerging technologies. Further, coursework that is based on theory and research will prepare the students to design and conduct scholarly work that will culminate in a dissertation. Graduates shall be able to contribute to the different approaches to research utilizing the skills in the field of information technology integration as it relates to education.