Rina Lopez BautistaFor Knowledge Channel Foundation Inc. (KCFI) Transmedia director Edric Calma, work at Knowledge Channel (K Channel) is a means to reach out, help teach basic competencies and transmit good values to millions of learners all over the Philippines, in ways only technology can make possible.

As a former broadcast news reporter, former newscaster, and former college teacher who received very positive feedback from viewers, students and colleagues, Calma views K Channel as a “platform to help in molding the hearts and minds of many, many children into empowered and productive citizens who can and will fulfill their dreams.”

dreams.” Since 2009 when he joined K Channel as content manager, Calma has led a team that would cull learning competencies required from the Department of Education curriculum, for inclusion in the programs to be produced by K Channel. Each learning topic was translated into a script, story boards, a video with an episode guide for teachers, aired on K Channel, uploaded on KChOnline.ph and transformed into an elearning module for interactive sessions that may include games, quizzes and other study guides.

“We are happy to be recognized for our work, for example, in 2013 we won the CMMA (Catholic Mass Media Awards) Best Website (kchonline.ph),” says Calma. KCFI was also a CMMA finalist in 2013 for Best Adult Educational Show for “Wow” and in 2014 for Best Website (kchonline.ph) and Best Magazine Show for “K Now.”

Viewable by households

For channel head Danie Sedilla-Cruz, also a former teacher, the first challenge is to make K Channel, a curriculumbased
Edric calma KCH Transmedia Directoreducational channel, also viewable by households. With K Channel being made available to homes through ABSCBN TVplus, its program grid is slowly being reworked to suit household audiences.

K Channel used to cater solely to schools, so that its program grid follows the school curriculum and schedule. A learning topic shown today will be replayed at a different time tomorrow because it is intended to be shown in different classes or sections in school. But according to Sedilla-Cruz, home viewers are used to appointment viewing, they expect programs to be shown at particular times during the day.

Rising through the ranks from junior copywriter to creative account head and creative account director at the Creative Communication Management division of ABS-CBN Corporation, Sedilla-Cruz was handpicked by ABS-CBN president Charo Santos- Concio to focus on K Channel, primarily how to adapt the channel to the needs of learners outside the regular school hours.

Vital steps

KCFI president Rina Lopez- Bautista welcomes the changes in K Channel as vital steps to the foundation’s evolution. K Channel is one of the media for KCFI learning resources to reach its target audiences, but it is not the only one. The modules are also available online and on-demand through packages provided to public schools.

KCFI also conducts training for teachers, principals and school division superintendents and assistant superintendents, under various programs that ultimately improve public education that is aligned with the curricula of the rest of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations).

Lopez-Bautista says: “K Channel is not meant to be compared with regular entertainment channels. Our objective should not just be to drive viewership, but ‘learnership.’ There is a need to create new content and repurpose old content so we can be relevant to our viewers both in the schools and in households.”

Calma says social justice is the primary value at work when K Channel produces content for all its platforms. “Education is the equalizer. It is necessary for inclusive growth.” Sedilla-Cruz chooses excellence as the primary value for her. “We do not shortchange the audience. We must give them what is rightfully theirs.”

Focus on teachers, pupils

Danie Sedilla-Cruz Lopez-Bautista forges on with infectious passion,focusing on teaching and the learning process. “We in KCFI subscribe to the belief that just like in theater, where you can take away the seats, the stage, the set, the director and everything else except the actors and the audiences, we must focus our energies on the teachers and the pupils for maximum retention of know-how.”

Calma calls on LopezLink readers to continue supporting public education and KCFI. “Support the education of the underserved. Let us continue providing relevant, quality education and proper skills development to our underprivileged learners so they can be useful members of society. Everyone, every employee, every company must invest in the education of our youth, especially the underserved youth.”

Sedilla-Cruz says: “Wherever you are is where God wants you to be. His is a perfect plan and you are equipped for whatever challenge is facing you. Make the most out of your circumstances. They are there for a purpose. The question is not why—which seems burdensome—but what for, which is more empowering.” (Story/Photos by: Carla Paras-Sison)