2024: Creating Pathways for Equitable and Sustainable Futures: Fostering Research in Basic Education

In the summer of 2023, De La Salle University commenced its first-ever Annual Research Congress for High School and Elementary Teachers, Researchers, and Scholars (ARCHERS). The congress is an annual convergence of basic education teachers, researchers, and scholars from all over the Philippines as they bring ideas and concepts anchored on the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The 2nd DLSU ARCHERS was held virtually on May 16-17, 2024, with the theme “Creating Pathways for Equitable and Sustainable Futures: Fostering Research in Basic Education.” This year’s ARCHERS is the continuation of its goals, this time to promote collaboration among stakeholders, strengthen partnerships, advocate for policy changes, and advance the SDGs in Research, especially in Basic Education. This is on top of encouraging a research culture in basic education.

Studies under these disciplinal themes are centered on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) touched upon the key areas in the teaching and learning process and the school’s instructional leadership, such as (1) teaching strategies, (2) learning assessments, (3) curriculum development, (4) teacher training, and (5) stakeholders’ engagement. In line with the Sustainable Development Goals, there was also a presentation of learning plans showcasing innovative strategies in instruction and assessment.

The relationship between an equitable and sustainable future and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is profound. It aligns closely with the 17 SDGs adopted by the United Nations in 2015. These goals provide a comprehensive framework for addressing global challenges, including poverty, inequality, climate change, and environmental degradation.

Achieving an equitable and sustainable future necessitates collaboration. It serves as a roadmap for positive change on a global scale. With less than seven years to achieve the Global Goals, now is the time to explore continuously to close the knowledge gap on how to achieve the SDGs. ARCHERS hopes that by filling these gaps through fostering research and collaboration in Basic Education, it will tap into solutions that advance more than one goal at a time. ARCHERS’ goal is to provide platforms for teachers to accelerate research in basic education and contribute to getting to Agenda 2030.

This thrust is essential for fostering collaborative efforts and ensuring that policies genuinely reflect the interests and aspirations of both current and future generations. As teachers contribute their perspectives and insights through research, the collaborative approach becomes a bridge that spans these gaps, paving the way for a more effective and sustainable future.