Filipino students prefer skills-based education

MORE Filipino students are pursuing a skills-based education to make themselves more competitive in the job market, a study by an educational technology company showed.

Instructure Holdings Inc.'s «State of Student Success Report» noted the top motivations of Filipino students, administrators, and faculty members to pursue skills-based learning include the desire to learn new skills (77 percent), career advancement (68 percent), program flexibility (59 percent) and career readiness (56 percent).

Instructure is an education technology company which developed the Canvas Learning Management System and several products that serve K to 12, higher education and professional education.

The survey polled 571 students, administrators and faculty members.

The students said they are likely to consider certificates (43 percent) and apprenticeships (39 percent) as a barometer for them to consider courses and programs that would better prepare them for professional roles.

Instructure Asia-Pacific Managing Director Harrison Kelly said that students recognized that the modern workforce will require a «diverse and rapidly adaptable skill set.»

«As a result, they are opting for more flexible, skills-focused learning avenues that offer quicker routes to employment and a broader range of career opportunities,» Kelly said.

He said the shift highlights the importance of adaptability in educational institutions to offer micro-credentials and programs that align with the expectations of students and employers.

The survey also examined the integration of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in the education sector, noting a «cautious embrace» of the sector.

While 46 percent of the respondents said their institutions introduced light guidelines on the use of generative AI, only 28 percent said their institutions imposed strict guidelines.

Only 48 percent of Philippine schools offered step-by-step tutorials on the use of AI tools.

Filipino educators also weighed in on the use of AI, with 62 percent saying that AI is helpful in creating content for their class, 56 percent use it for research and writing, and 53 percent for personalized learning.

The study found that 83 percent of students