THE TAGUIG City University on Wednesday has launched a teaching hub where teachers could conduct classes for the new normal using state-of-the-art information and communication technologies.

The TCU transformed 10 classrooms into “teaching hubs” on November 25 through the Sharpened Online Learning program, the university’s comprehensive response to ensure quality tertiary education amid the pandemic.

The local government, through the City Education Office, improved the classrooms to meet the teachers’ needs.

Each teaching hub has a fully equipped studio with a technical team to assist faculty members while conducting online classes.

The hub may also be used to prepare videos for synchronous and asynchronous sessions. Teachers are also provided cozy lounges and coffee bars to give them an extra energy boost.

The TCU faculty will link up the teaching hubs to an online framework specially designed to deliver quality education.

Teachers will conduct virtual classes through the Taguig Online Resources & Community Hub learning management system (TORCH- LMS), closely related to the system used by education authorities in Ontario and Calgary in Canada, and Ohio, Georgia, West Virginia, Alabama and New York in the United States.

“We have always prided ourselves for being one step ahead in our preparations for the Covid19 pandemic, and the education system is no exception,” Mayor Lino Cayetano said.

“From hardware to software, we covered all the bases. We know very well that learning has to continue whatever the circumstances may be. Our commitment to a better, inclusive and forward-thinking education system continues, even amid a pandemic,” he added.

“Ultimately, we want our students at TCU and in the whole public school system to learn, even when the setup is different. Understanding that the adjustment can be difficult, we have made sure to introduce measures that would ease the burden on both educator and learner,” Cayetano said.

Meanwhile, Taguig City helped TCU students bridge the digital divide by providing them gadgets they can use in distance learning. TCU students received around 8,700 computer tablets.

The city also distributed almost 300 computer tablets to full-time and part-time faculty members of the university.