Diwa convenes education leaders in an innovation congress

The innovation age has come. And aware of the challenges induced by these rapid changes, the country’s leading educational publisher Diwa Learning Systems Inc. (Diwa), in partnership with its social development arm Bato Balani Foundation Inc. (BBFI), held the third run of Diwa Innovators’ Congress (#DiwaICON3) last December 2 at Function Room 5, SMX Convention Center Manila. 

#DiwaICON3 is a learning opportunity that aims to equip education leaders with the mindset and skills that will help them remain effective and relevant in the 21st century. With the theme “Leadership in the Innovation Age,” this year’s congress illuminates the minds of Filipino education leaders and inspires them to initiate positive changes that will propel their schools to the future.

To realize that goal, Diwa and BBFI have put together a powerhouse set of local and international leaders to give #DiwaICON3 participants a chance to reflect on their role as advocates of innovation, keep their strategies and plans attuned with the changing times, and get ahead and remain ahead. 

Setting the entire tone of the congress was Dr. Brian Vincent L. Belen, President of Diwa and BBFI, who explained in his keynote talk how the two aforementioned companies help educators and school leaders approach and overcome the barriers to educational innovation. 

Meanwhile, inspirational speaker and Success Options Inc. President Francis J. Kong utilized his session to encourage participants to use their influence as leaders to transform their schools into hotbeds of creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking.

Also joining the roster of speakers was Cesar J. Harada, a renowned TED Talks speaker and the Director and Founder of MakerBay.Org, the first full-scale MakerSpace that empowers artists, designers, engineers, scientists, and even students to work together on meaningful creative projects with social and environmental impact. His talk allowed the participating school leaders to understand the concept of Maker Education and how their respective schools and students can possibly benefit from it.

The first Filipino female President of Utah Valley University Dr. Astrid S. Tuminez was also invited to take the floor. During her session, she shared her personal thoughts and experiences about running an educational institution in the Innovation Age, helping teachers cope with technological change, and responding to the needs of highly digital learners. 

Moreover, a moderated panel discussion with the speakers was conducted towards the end of the congress to create an interactive synthesis of the learnings from the different sessions of the day. It was facilitated by Dr. Edizon A. Fermin, Vice President for Academic Affairs of National Teachers College.

Diwa iCON is just one of the many innovative training opportunities provided for educators and school leaders alike to effectively capture and keep the ever-changing interests of students, both now and in the future. 

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