By Arabella Rochynne C. Asis 

Far Eastern University - Institute of Education (FEU-IE) released 14 free basic education workbooks last May 7, aiming to promote independent study and facilitated instruction. 

In an interview with FEU Advocate, IE Department Chair for Undergraduate Studies Joseph Jintalan said that the conceptualization of the project started during the early onset of the pandemic. 

“We believe that as [the] designated center of excellence in teacher education here in the Philippines, it is our mandate, our initiative, to be of help to teachers and students in basic education,” Jintalan explained. 

The project started in June 2020 with the collaboration from the Marketing Communications Office (MCO), Publications Office (PO), and Academic Affairs Office (AAO).

Initially, they planned to launch the project for Academic Year 2020-2021, however, they decided to extend it due to the long layout process. 

For Grades K to 6, the AAO Digital Content Creation and Development (AAO DCCD)  designed the workbooks while the Grades 7 to 12 workbooks were assigned to PO. 

“IE provided us [with a] project brief from each workbook and we gathered information through this. We [also] tried to consider the specific requests from the authors, we took note what particular elements they would like to see and if they have any pegs, inspirations, or design preferences,” Graphic Designer for AAO DCCD Mary Jane Corillo shared. 

Further, Publications Manager Melany Caperal emphasized the importance of considering the purpose and the audience for each material. 

“Designing a learning packet means that the contents—both the textual and the visual elements—should be organized in such a way that they support student’s understanding of the lessons or concepts. Good design facilitates learning,” she added. 

In addition, Corillo incorporated the green and gold color palette and TamTam as a character, both symbolizing FEU. For the latter workbooks, Caperal’s team focused on creating a standardized layout for each book and having visual cues that will guide the students in their learning process.

Guided by ADDIE (Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, Evaluate) instructional model, the Institute assures that the materials are well-planned and appropriate for learners. Also, the authors only chose the most crucial topic for their workbook.

Currently, IE is planning to expand its modules such as Guide to Beginning Reading which will focus on instructing parents on how to properly teach reading. Additionally, they are also discussing the possibility of including IE students to participate in the workbook making. 

(Photo courtesy of Institute of Education)