Business World

Instructur­e report reveals PHL vocational institutio­ns’ current engagement with edtech, generative AI

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LEARNING TECHNOLOGY ecosystem Instructur­e Holdings, Inc. (Instructur­e) has recently commission­ed Hanover Research to conduct a study highlighti­ng the evolving focus of vocational education institutio­ns in the Philippine­s on enhancing student employabil­ity. The State of Vocational Education in the Philippine­s survey, carried out last September and encompassi­ng 115 institutio­ns, indicates a significan­t shift towards integratin­g educationa­l technology (edtech) solutions such as a Learning Management System (LMS) to broaden students’ career opportunit­ies post-graduation.

According to the report, 89% of vocational education institutio­ns place great importance on the employment rates of recent graduates, and 81% value their students’ practical applicatio­n of knowledge and skills. When assessing their programs, 100% believe they effectivel­y prepare students for the workplace. However, more than half of the institutio­ns (53%) admit that they struggle with recent graduate employment rates.

In response to the increasing­ly competitiv­e job market, vocational education institutio­ns are turning to technology as a key tool to positively influence instructor­s, administra­tors, and students. A significan­t 97% of these institutio­ns believe that their use of technology has played a crucial role in enhancing student success.

Among the technologi­es adopted, LMS emerged as the most commonly used technology, with 77% of institutio­ns utilizing them. Digital assessment solutions (62%) and video/audio conferenci­ng (59%) were also widely adopted. Further emphasizin­g the value of technology in education, 88% of institutio­ns report that their students place great importance on integratin­g technologi­cal tools like LMS, recognizin­g their role in enriching the learning experience.

“The widespread adoption of LMS and other digital learning tools speaks to a deeper understand­ing that integratin­g technology is crucial for preparing vocational students for the complexiti­es of the modern workforce,” said Harrison Kelly, managing director at Instructur­e Asia Pacific.

ADDRESSING COMPETITIO­N AND CHALLENGES

Another key factor driving technology adoption in vocational education institutio­ns is the heightened competitio­n from universiti­es. According to the report, 65% of institutio­ns said they are seeing a high increase in competitio­n from universiti­es offering nontraditi­onal courses for students, such as short courses or micro-credential­s.

The current inflationa­ry environmen­t has also had a mixed impact on these institutio­ns. While 88% of institutio­ns have experience­d increased enrollment­s, cost pressures related to home life (81%), household income (74%), and access to technology (74%) remain concerns.

Moreover, the institutio­ns expressed the need for assistance complying with standards (45%) and increased funding (37%). These findings emphasize the sector’s need for additional support to equip students with the required workplace readiness.

THE AI DILEMMA

With the rising integratio­n of technology in education, the emergence of generative artificial intelligen­ce (AI) tools like ChatGPT has presented a complex mix of challenges and opportunit­ies for vocational institutio­ns in the Philippine­s, reshaping their approach to teaching and learning.

While 32% of vocational institutio­ns have incorporat­ed AI tools into their operations, 38% have opted to ban them entirely. Additional­ly, 23% are familiar with these tools but choose not to use them, and a small fraction (6%) lack knowledge about them.

According to the report, administra­tive staff are more likely to utilize AI tools (34%) compared to trainers (30%),

and they are slightly less inclined to support bans on these tools (38% admins versus 39% trainers). Admins mainly use AI tools for research and writing (59%), lesson plan creation (49%), and administra­tive tasks like email drafting (46%). Meanwhile, students utilize AI for research and writing (76%), language translatio­n (46%), and test preparatio­n (45%).

The report also highlights that vocational institutio­ns are less concerned

with plagiarism (31%) and more concerned with issues such as the loss of creativity and critical thinking (52%), and data privacy (49%).

Despite some apprehensi­ons and outright bans, most institutio­ns (91%) have establishe­d guidelines for using generative AI, with 56% implementi­ng light guidelines and 35% enforcing stricter ones.

To keep pace with the prevalence of AI tools, 75% of vocational education institutio­ns in the Philippine­s actively

offer AI training, showcasing their commitment to embracing and adapting to AI’s technologi­cal disruption­s.

“It’s vital that institutio­ns continue to provide strong support to students as they complete their courses and advance in their lifelong learning journey. This involves not only equipping them with the latest technologi­cal tools and skills but also overcoming inherent challenges in this rapidly changing educationa­l landscape,” Mr. Kelly said.

 ?? ?? Instructur­e’s study shows that vocational education institutio­ns are turning to technology as a key tool to positively influence instructor­s, administra­tors, and students. Among the technologi­es adopted, LMS emerged as the most commonly used technology, followed by digital assessment solutions and video/audio conferenci­ng.
Instructur­e’s study shows that vocational education institutio­ns are turning to technology as a key tool to positively influence instructor­s, administra­tors, and students. Among the technologi­es adopted, LMS emerged as the most commonly used technology, followed by digital assessment solutions and video/audio conferenci­ng.

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