As schools transition to a flexible remote learning arrangement where lessons will be delivered digitally or via online platforms, Makati-based school iACADEMY has paved the way for a series of discussions that will promote a safer digital space for students and the whole school community.
iACADEMY is set to hold iACADEMY Webinar Series: Digital Peers, a three-part webinar that will discuss media literacy, digital etiquette, cyber bullying, cyber libel, and how to grow a community of responsible digital citizens. The first session is scheduled on July 17, 2020 while the second and third sessions will be on July 28 and August 10, respectively.
“iACADEMY has always been at the forefront of Safe School campaigns. In 2014 we launched a metrowide anti-bullying campaign called, Bullyproof. We gathered school administrators and guidance counselors to share best practices and provided tools to better prevent and respond to cases of bullying. It became an annual and continued effort to spread awareness. iACADEMY sent resource speakers to different schools to provide seminars to students and school employees.” shared Vanessa Tanco, iACADEMY President and CEO.
“In this day and age, we source out most of information via digital platforms and because of the current health crisis, schools like iACADEMY are challenged to deliver lessons through a flexible remote learning arrangement. Through these series of webinars, we aim to extend our help to our students by ensuring that they are protected, discerning, and knowledgeable in using these online platforms,” Tanco added.
On the first part of the webinar, iACADEMY invited TV5 Senior Correspondent Maeanne Los Baños, and UP Journalism professor and Media Asia editor Danilo Arao to discuss the fight against fake news and the importance of media literacy. The speakers will also share the proper fact-checking and digital etiquette that shall guide the students from fake news and misinformation amidst a global health crisis.
“Now, more than ever, we are in fervent need of news, as a source of truth and information to empower the public in making decisions. In an unprecedented moment like this, we are racing against time and so every decision we make must be well-thought of and should be based on accurate, objective, and factual information. There is no room for misinformation during these days. Fake news has no business in the mainstream media, not even in our social media and never in this lifetime,” said Los Baños.
“The responsibility to be vigilant – to hold those in power accountable does not lie on the media, the power is within a well-informed citizenry” Los Baños added.
“Trolling and “fake news” peddling may be done wittingly or unwittingly. We should define the terms of engagement and draw the line between truths and lies. That’s where media literacy and digital etiquette come in,” according to Arao.
The second part of the webinar will be focused on Cyberbullying, cyber-libel, and relevant issues to be tackled by lawyers from AYALA Law.
The last part of the series will be presided by iACADEMY’s Guidance Counselors together with some of its students who were trained by Facebook Philippines on responsible digital citizenship. They will discuss how the school aims to extend help to students who are adjusting to a new learning environment through the creation of a digital peer group, which will guide students on how they can protect themselves from potential risks and dangers in the virtual space.
This webinar series is just one among the school’s initiatives that aim not just to extend help to its students but also to lend assistance to other schools.
On the last week of July, iACADEMY will hold another webinar series called SHARE or Students Health in Adapting to Remote Education which aims to foster an alliance among counselors of other schools by sharing counselor-led strategies that will support social connections between students in this new normal.
“Staying true to our mission to provide game-changing education goes beyond our service to our students. Since we are a community of educators, it is through these meaningful discussions where we believe we can foster an alliance with other schools whose purpose is to provide a safe and supportive virtual environment for our students,” Tanco added.
What do you think about this? Let us know in the comments!
Do you have a story for the WhenInManila.com Team? Email us at story.wheninmanila@gmail.com or send us a direct message at WhenInManila.com Facebook Page. Interact with the team and join the WhenInManila.com Community at WIM Squad! Join our Viber group to be updated with the latest news!
