In a collaboration between the Saint Louis University (SLU)- Community Extension and Outreach Programs Office (CEOPO) and the School of Accountancy, Management, Computing, and Information Studies-Information Technology/CS & CAD Department (SAMCIS IT/CS&CAD Department), Epiphany Christian Academy of La Trinidad Inc. (ECALTI) has embarked on a transformative journey to elevate the educational experience for its students. This initiative includes the implementation of an E-Learning Management System, an innovative solution tailored to address the challenges faced by both faculty and students during the ongoing global health crisis spanning from August 2022 to December 2023.
The need for continued learning amid the COVID-19 crisis has prompted ECALTI to explore new avenues. In particular, they sought to overcome challenges such as:
- Delivery of Lessons: With lessons provided in written materials like modules, students had to navigate the content independently. This posed difficulties for students with lower comprehension levels who needed guidance. Additionally, communication between faculty and students was limited.
- Feedback: Feedback on student performance was delivered through SMS, causing delays due to the volume of students in each class.
- Assessment: Assessing student work was hampered by delays, missing or misplaced activities, and a lack of visibility for students regarding their progress.
Recognizing these issues, the SLU SAMCIS IT/CS&CAD Department sought to enhance its current learning modality by introducing a Learning Management System (LMS).
Aiming to develop and deploy a customized LMS tailored to meet the needs of ECALTI, this program will provide on-demand access to learning materials from any location, empowering teachers to efficiently distribute and monitor learning activities while enabling students to track their progress. This intervention seeks to create a dynamic and interactive learning environment while addressing the challenges posed by the pandemic.
Project 1: Needs Assessment, Feature Identification, and LMS Design and Development
Held from August to December 2022 and under the leadership of Ms. Ria Andrea N. Fernandez, Project 1 was charged with the task of identifying the features necessary for the LMS, assessing the existing infrastructure, and proceeding with the design and development of the system. This essential phase aimed to create a robust foundation for the subsequent stages of the LMS implementation.
Project 2: Implementation of the LMS, Training, and User Evaluation
Also, under the guidance of Ms. Ria Andrea N. Fernandez and conducted from January to May 2023, Project 2 was dedicated to deploying the customized LMS, providing comprehensive training to users, and collecting valuable feedback from faculty and students. This feedback played a pivotal role in refining the system to ensure it aligned with the educational needs of ECALTI.
Project 3: Deployment of Enhanced LMS and Program Assessment
Project 3, set to run from June to December 2023, is divided into three sub-teams, each with distinct responsibilities. The first sub-team will oversee the deployment of the enhanced LMS, including the creation of user accounts and administrative functions. The second sub-team will be dedicated to training faculty and students on using the LMS effectively. Finally, the third sub-team will evaluate the LMS project’s success. This phase will include the collection of feedback from students and faculty, allowing for continuous improvements to the system.
The success of this extension program will be assessed through interviews, surveys, and questionnaires to determine the usability and effectiveness of the LMS, offering an efficient, sustainable, and enriching learning experience for both students and teachers.
