By Daniel P. Tapaoan, Jr.

For more than a year now, the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) maximizes its Virtual Learning Environment (MVLE) for the new normal instruction. 

This year, the MMSU Information Technology Center (ITC) is currently upgrading this learning management system into a more responsive and reliable platform.  

To address the technical glitches it committed in the past years, the ITC is enhancing the MVLE’s features on uploading class resources, administering examinations, creating assignments, and conducting virtual meetings. 

Dr. Saturnina Nisperos, ITC director, said they are also adding more features to the instructional platform that includes the advancement of the Big Blue Button (an open-source web collaboration software used for e-learning and training). 

“We already have it but somehow, the server right now cannot cater too large number of users of the Big Blue Button. So, we are trying to procure a server that will be able to handle it,” Nisperos shared. 

She added that an mVLE’s mobile app version may be up anytime in the future to provide a better experience.

The ITC director bared they also proposed a project under the MMSU’s Smart Campus initiative, which aims “to have Moodle on Cloud so that in case there are internet service provider (ISP) problems or power outages here in our area, the use of MVLE will still be seamless and unaffected.”

For her part, MMSU President Shirley C. Agrupis said the University will continue to improve its flexible learning delivery so that faculty and students can overcome the challenges of new normal environment. 

The University developed the MVLE in 2013, making it ready to facilitate flexible learning when the COVID-19 pandemic came. The instructional platform is expected to level up after MMSU opened the Center for Flexible Learning and as it develops the Seamless Campus Network this year. (StratCom)