Shaira F. Tanay

Assistant Professor of Information and Communication Studies

Shaira Tanay is an Assistant Professor at the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) with expertise in development communication, educational media production, and massive open online courses (MOOCs). She formerly administered UPOU’s official MOOCs platform, Massive Open Distance eLearning (MODeL), supporting over 500,000 users, and spearheaded the promotion of MOOCs. Her pioneering research on online content virality has deepened the understanding of digital engagement and informed more effective strategies for maximizing online reach and impact, resulting in wider reach and increased media traction for UPOU MOOCs. Additionally, she served as the Accreditation Coordinator for the Accreditation System of the Asian Association of Open Universities (AAOU) and is the key liaison for the Consortium of Open Distance Education Providers in the Philippines (CODEPP). Ms. Tanay has also served as Faculty-in-Charge for ASEAN 222 Art in the ASEAN Region. Her extensive experience in instructional design, tutoring, and multimedia content development underscores her commitment to advancing education through innovative technology and impactful research. Her current research interests include development communication, MOOCs, quality assurance in technology-mediated education, and indigenous studies, with a particular focus on making education more inclusive and transformative for underserved communities.