Dr. Roberto Figueroa Jr., Director of the Immersive Open Pedagogies (IOP) Program under the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs (OVCAA), paid a visit to the International Christian University (ICU) in Tokyo, Japan last 13 September 2023. He was accompanied by IOP staff Joshze Rica Esguerra.
He introduced UP Open University as the pioneer and leading institution in open and distance eLearning (ODeL) in the Philippines. He also highlighted IOP along with its projects, research endeavors, and the upcoming ISCOLab.
Dr. Figueroa graciously shared insights and experiences from his doctoral studies in Educational/Instructional Technology at ICU, providing valuable perspectives to the ICU students. Additionally, IOP Collaborating Researcher Hiroshi Taniguchi shared his unique observations and reflections on the cultural differences from his time in the Philippines.
The lectures also provided a platform for two BA Multimedia Studies (BAMS) students to showcase their capstone projects to the ICU students through the metaverse. Jericho Dancalan presented “Galeria Sinag,” which displayed 3D scanned models of wooden crafts curated by UPOU throughout the years. Meanwhile, Christian Pelejo guided students through his FrameVR tour, aptly titled “Heaven on Earth,” offering a virtual journey to a place of serenity.
This visit served as a catalyst for future collaborative online international learning (COIL) activities with ICU, promoting mutual learning among students in different countries.
Written by Joshze Rica Esguerra
Edited by Anna Cañas-Llamas
