Saturday, September 22, 2018

Habi Trade Fair Showcasing Filipino Craftsmanship on October 12 to 14, 2018

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Non-profit organization, HABI, The Philippine Textile Council, is showcasing the artistry of the country's indigenous weavers . This year, the fair is dubbed, "Woven Voyages: 8th Likhang HABI Textile Fair 2018.  



The trade fair will showcase more than 80 exhibitors, making this year HABI's biggest event to date. The show will include textile exhibitors from the ASEAN region, including: weaving communities of Brunei, Indonesia, Myanmar, Malaysia, and Vietnam. 

Natural Fabrics

HABI will spotlight products that are made of natural fabrics, and will include the colorful merchandise of established brands that use the fabrics made by the weavers. One of which are fashionable bags adorned with the resplendent cloth made by the Yakans of Basilan. Make sure to also watch out for the hand-woven blankets, covers, and napkins from the Ilocos region. There will also be toys and novelty items made by local craftsmen. 

Friday, September 14, 2018

The Importance of Classroom Assessment in 21st Century Learning

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The fourth industrial revolution changed the dynamics of living: we see the convergence of physical, digital, and biological dimensions emerge, powered by new technologies and platforms that connect us in new ways. An era of limitless possibility and opportunity, the 21st century is seen not only as a time of rapid advancement in technology but also a period where continuous improvements for learning and knowledge sharing has become a primary concern. Teaching tools, assets, and content offerings and evaluation have undergone change and disruptions to raise the bar of excellence higher to comply with a globally competitive horizon.  

Last 2015, the Department of Education released a policy which sought to reinforce the importance of comprehensive methods of student assessment, a move which works to complement the then newly implemented K to 12 program. DepEd Order No. 8 mandated educational institutions to make classroom assessment an integral part of the curriculum. Assessment helps keep track of learners’ progress, induce self-reflection and personal accountability, as well as enhance profiling systems to help students learn better within a dynamic environment. The assessment of an individual learner´s performance is no longer limited to the academic portfolio but has since shifted to include an ongoing process of identification, gathering, organization, and interpretation of qualitative and quantitative sets of information. These new categories are designed to highlight how and what learners know, and more importantly, what they can do with it in practical, real-world situations.

With this, the mixing and matching of skills from thorough evaluation processes could be an answer to the growing demand of a more diversified audience, moving towards better customization and personalization of education. This integrated method is centered on the student not only as a learner but more so as a whole child, a dynamic person. 

TYPES OF CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT

In this framework, there are two levels of classroom assessment. First is formative assessment which is an in-process evaluation of students’ performance during a lesson, unit or course. This type of assessment helps educators identify the strengths and weaknesses of learners, which in turn is vital in improving lessons, modules, instructional techniques and academic support provided to improve a students’ learning experience.

The second level is called summative assessment. Usually provided after a unit or period of learning is completed, this next step helps describe the degree or standard reached by an individual learner after a certain period in the educational calendar. The results are recorded and used to report on the learner´s achievement, based on the rubrics followed by the institution´s program. These forms of evaluation aim to heighten the potential of every learner, guiding them to face the challenges of the real world by providing concrete measures or valuation for each learner´s unique learning capacities and cognitive processes.