The UP Resilience Institute, in collaboration with the UP Open University Faculty of Management and Development Studies, launched the Basics of Resilience massive open online course (MOOC) last January 2024. On its first run, it achieved remarkable enrollment figures, surpassing 11,000 participants eager to learn about disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation (DRR-CCA). This free online course has seen over 3,000 individuals from various ages, occupations, backgrounds, and geographic locations successfully completed the course. This impressive reach reflects the growing interest and increasing importance of resilience in today’s world.
Here’s what some of the course participants say about their experience:
“The course was very informative and engaging. The instructors and materials were clear and knowledgeable, the assignments were challenging but fair. I would recommend this course to anyone who wants to learn more about how to cope with the impacts of climate change and how to build resilience in their communities.” – Alben, 19, Sangguniang Kabataan Member, Zambales
“My experience in disaster response and human settlement planning makes the learnings from the Basics of Resilience MOOC highly valuable. I plan to share key takeaways with colleagues to enhance regional planning efforts.” – Vincent Uy Hambala, 35, Civil Engineer/Environmental Planner, South Cotabato
“I am grateful for the opportunity provided by the Basics of Resilience course in helping me broaden my perspectives and enhance my professional capabilities. As a full-time mom and housewife, I appreciate that the course is self-paced, which allows me to learn during my free time.” – Maria Josel Robles, 34, Work-from-home Agent, Laguna
“Comparing Basics of Resilience to other MOOCs, I particularly appreciate how it encourages sharing experiences. This focus on application helps solidify understanding of the modules in a way that simply answering questions wouldn’t.” – Jason Awitan, 26, Management Information Systems Analyst, South Cotabato
“Understanding disasters and building resilience is critical for lifesaving interventions. This course emphasized the importance of clear, reliable, and timely public information, delivered through science-based and accessible channels.” – Jezrill Francisco, 29, Security Guard, Davao City
“My learnings from the course equip me to significantly improve road safety. By applying resilience concepts to identify vulnerable areas and populations on the road network, like high-crash intersections and hazardous stretches, I can target interventions for maximum impact.” – Glenn Latonero, Research, Extension, and Professional Services (REPS) Personnel, Rizal
“As a Sanitary Engineer, one of the ways we can contribute is by promoting safety. The knowledge gained from this MOOC can be applied in this field, especially when unexpected disasters happen during construction or even in public places. Insights learned can also be shared to let other people know the importance of prevention, preparation, readiness, and of course, resilience to unexpected circumstances.” – Glenda Rose Hilario, Pollution Control Officer, Batangas City
“My experience in customer service at a BPO allows me to directly apply the occupational safety and health knowledge I gained from this course. This is particularly important because BPOs have a responsibility to ensure employee well-being. By promoting a safe and healthy work environment, we can build resilience not only for everyday challenges but also for emergencies and hazardous situations.” – Rey Norado, Customer Service Representative, Metro Manila
“As a designated planning officer for our office, the knowledge I gained from the “Basics of Resilience” online course will be directly applicable to the programs I prepare. This is especially important since incorporating climate indicators into the Annual Investment Plan (AIP) and Provincial Commodity Investment Plan (PCIP) is now a requirement.” – Runelita Noche-Panganiban, Government Extension Worker, Batangas City
“I am currently doing research on women empowerment and rights, particularly in Mindanao. The knowledge I gained from the Basics of Resilience course can be applied in my analysis of the experience of women during disasters in the Philippines.” – Yrein Aquino Canzon, 23, Master’s Student, Tokyo
“As a crop advisor, I will use the knowledge I gained from the course to suggest sustainable practices and thorough planning to reduce the impacts of hazards and climate change to crops.” – Angel John Baynado, 27, Farm Technician, Albay
“As a youth leader and volunteer, I plan to use the knowledge I gained from the Basics of Resilience online course in creating initiatives and projects that benefit our community.” – Joseph Bernal, 21, Student, Cavite
The positive feedback highlights the effectiveness of the MOOC in equipping learners from all walks of life with the basic knowledge and skills they need to build resilience in their own communities.
Last June 19, the Basics of Resilience MOOC was officially relaunched. The course is once again offered through UPOU’s Open and Distance Learning modality. This self-paced and free online course is now up and running and you only have 16 days left to sign up!
Already have a MODeL account? Log-in through https://model.upou.edu.ph/ and enrol now following the infographic below.
New to MODeL? No problem! Get your free account and learn how to enrol with the easy instructions here: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/8VZBFrvycJzLeAi3/
Let us build back better together!
Posted by UP Resilience Institute Education on July 2, 2024