Mapúa University Empowers Filipino STEM Educators with Free Online CPD Event

Reinforcing its leadership in STEM education, Mapúa University (MU), along with Mapúa Malayan Colleges Laguna (MMCL) and Mapúa Malayan Colleges Mindanao (MMCM), welcomed 788 junior and senior high school STEM teachers from across the Philippines to its flagship continuing professional development event – STEM Teach Mapúa 2024. Held from July 6 to August 3, 2024, the event was endorsed by the Philippine Department of Education and recognized by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).

STEM Teach Mapúa 2024 aimed to equip participants with cutting-edge knowledge, strategies, and approaches in STEM education, often not yet pervasive in Philippine high schools. The program offered comprehensive training in competency- and outcome-based lesson design, hands-on practice in teaching STEM online, and insights into the latest trends and challenges in the field.

Now in its third installment, STEM Teach Mapúa is a pioneering initiative launched in 2018 to provide free, flexible, and fully online training for STEM educators across the Philippines. For the 2024 program, 788 licensed professional teachers were selected from over 1,000 applicants. These educators completed 32 hours of combined online synchronous and asynchronous training, developed by leading professors, scientists, and researchers from the three Mapúa schools. The training modules covered topics such as outcome-based STEM education, teaching with artificial intelligence, game-based learning in science education, cybersecurity, project-based learning, stoichiometry calculations, Monte Carlo simulation, and modular arithmetic and coding theory. All modules were accessible through the University’s learning management system, Cardinal EDGE (Education for the Digital and Global Environment).

For the first time, STEM Teach Mapúa 2024 earned recognition from the PRC’s Board for Professional Teachers, granting 10 Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Credit Units (Program Accreditation No.: PROG-2024-80684). CPD units are essential for the renewal of professional teachers’ licenses in the Philippines, where access to CPD opportunities is often limited and expensive for public school teachers who face heavy workloads and undercompensation. The recognition of STEM Teach Mapúa by the PRC reflects its quality and relevance as a valuable resource for Filipino STEM educators seeking affordable, high-quality professional development.

Dr. Dodjie S. Maestrecampo, President and CEO of the three Mapúa schools, highlighted the broader impact of the program, stating, "By training teachers, we are investing in the future of countless students. Training teachers creates a ripple effect that has the potential to transform the education and the lives of those we teach. The impact of this program is far-reaching, with the potential to improve the learning outcomes of thousands of students across the country”.

STEM Teach Mapúa 2024 aligns with Mapúa University’s reputation as a leading institution in engineering and technical education. For nearly a century, Mapúa has been at the forefront of educational innovation, setting high standards for STEM education in the Philippines. This initiative reinforces the university's commitment to academic excellence and its role as a catalyst for positive change in the Philippine education system. It also contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

During the closing ceremony, Dr. Edward Jay M. Quinto, Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning - Outcome-Based Education (CTL-OBE) and Project Leader of STEM Teach Mapúa 2024, expressed his optimism about the program’s impact and challenged participants to go beyond the program’s teachings. “At Mapúa, we never shut our eyes on the problems that beset the basic education sector of the country. You can expect that STEM Teach Mapúa 2024 will continue on in the years to come. Our only hope is that you take upon yourselves to pay it forward. When the online meeting ends, the Cardinal Edge courses close, and the plenary talks finish, we are only as good as the last student we taught. Let’s cultivate in them a love for STEM education and a passion for STEM learning,” Dr. Quinto said.

With Mapúa University leading the charge, this initiative is set to inspire and empower educators for years to come, paving the way for a brighter future in STEM education. The success of this program underscores Mapúa’s unwavering commitment to partnering with schools and teachers, fostering excellence, innovation, and the transformative power of STEM education in the Philippines