The University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) is turning 26 on February 23! The UPOU is one of the leading distance education institutions in Asia. To celebrate, here are 5 reasons why you should consider studying at this online school to either specialize or diversify.
# 5 Aside from undergraduate and doctorate degrees, the UPOU offers diploma courses that can lead to master’s programs, graduate certificates, short courses, and massive open online courses (MOOCs). These options might be more practical if you want to acquire advanced skills with your limited time and budget.
# 4 UPOU will sharpen your technical writing skills by requiring you to write comprehensive answers to recite in class. Original posts and replies in the discussion forums are UPOU’s counterpart to brick-and-mortar schools’ recitations. No one survives UPOU’s classes without submitting forum posts that are essentially “mini-essays” (yep, that’s on top of the major papers).
# 3 UPOU will train you to be ALWAYS evidence-based. Your professors will require you to cite solid research not just in your major papers but also in your recitations in the discussion forums. You must write your sources in the text and in the reference list at the bottom of your post. After all, this is the UPOU, not Reddit!
# 2 The online programs are highly accessible to persons with disabilities (PWDs) who qualify for advanced training. Because of the asynchronous format, PWDs will get to learn at their own pace. They can choose to study in work spaces that are conducive for them instead of going to classrooms. Some professors occasionally conduct live online and campus-based classes to help clarify concepts. Moreover, the faculty and the administrators are prompt in replying to the students’ concerns.
# 1 UPOU embraces viewpoint diversity. Because everyone is required to cite their sources ALL THE TIME, even the most controversial perspectives are judged by their merit, not based on their alignment with the views of CNN pundits. So if you have evidence-based unpopular opinions (e.g., pro-life, open to the possibility that Hydroxychloroquine can manage COVID-19, skepticism towards climate change alarmism, etc.), you can share them in your UPOU classes without the fear of getting a bad grade. But make sure to prove your claims with solid evidence! The open market of ideas encourages students to challenge each other’s worldviews to develop their critical thinking skills. And that is the hallmark of true high-quality education!
Check out the links below to get a glimpse of the UPOU’s virtual environment.
UPOU MyPortal Overview by Tomas B. Cabagay, Jr.
Library Resources and Services by Jennifer Belen
The UPOU Networks by Luisa Gelisan
(Photos from Canva)
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