Digitalization of Learning Materials: A Study of UPOU Faculty Adoption of H5P

Abstract

This research delves into the exploration of utilizing H5P (HTML5 Package), to enhance student engagement at the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU). UPOU, recognized for its leadership in distance education, is committed to seeking strategies to enrich the learning experience for its widely dispersed student community. With digital technology continually evolving, UPOU strives to uphold its role by adopting approaches to develop and deliver curriculum content, thus fulfilling its mission to disseminate best practices among other educational institutions. Establishing the Center for Open and Digital Teaching and Learning (CODTL) signifies a step towards these objectives. Among its initiatives is the integration of H5P, enabling educators to craft learning opportunities that can be seamlessly incorporated into UPOU's Moodle-based course platforms. This study seeks to inform strategies to promote greater adoption of H5P by faculty members and contribute to the ongoing digitalization of learning materials at UPOU. While some studies on H5P suggest that it is user-friendly and beneficial due to the various content types it can support, its adoption at UPOU still needs more training so that the faculty members can fully appreciate its benefits.  For the survey, faculty members who attended the Faculty Orientation with H5P were invited to answer the questions.  The findings were that most faculty indicated that they have not yet adopted H5P due to either a heavy workload or insufficient available time in general. For those who adopted H5P, the participants in the survey found initial challenges during the process but quickly became comfortable with its format.  It was evident that there was a strong interest in using H5P to enhance student engagement in the participants' courses, but time and a learning curve were identified as hindering wider adoption. The study's implications indicated a need for UPOU to develop specific strategies to overcome those challenges and possibly support those faculties who wish to incorporate H5P in their courses. By doing so, UPOU will be better positioned to improve the student learning experience and maintain its standing as a pioneering institution in digital distance education.

Keywords:  H5P, Digitalization, Distance Learning