Elementary home-based education centres for geographically isolated children of the Philippines

Meeting the educational needs of children in geographically isolated areas of the Philippines is of critical importance. This study identifies and elaborates the establishment principles and operational strategies needed to ensure that the proposed introduction of elementary home -based education centres in the 26 poor provinces in the Philippines is appropriate and relevant to their educational purposes.

Theoretically, the study applies the concepts of border crossing and border pedagogy developed by Giroux (1992) and the notions of the management of change (Fullan, 1993; Wilenski, 1986) to a non -Western setting to inform the introduction of the proposed centres in the Philippines.

Methodologically, the study follows the constructivist paradigm, uses the case study method, employs semi -structured interview and textual analysis techniques and considers appropriate issues in the ethics and politics of research. Data were collected from fourteen respondents (some in the form of audiotaped interviews, the others providing written responses to the interview schedule), from the Capricornia School of Distance Education in Queensland and the Department of Education, Culture and Sports of the Philippines, and texts provided by the Brisbane and Capricornia Schools of Distance Education and the Department of Education, Culture and Sports.

The analysis of the data revealed several establishment principles and operational strategies that are applicable to the proposed centres and some assumptions and practices

that are needed to indigenise the elementary home -based education centres in the Philippines. These findings suggest the need to indigenise the distance education mode in the Philippines that will enable the creation of a truly Filipino distance education system at the Philippine elementary education level.

This research also clearly identifies other areas for future research which are critical. These are: professional development programs for teachers and home tutors; parental and community support; technological alternatives; cost effectiveness; and government financial support.