Insider Spotlight
As those responsibilities continue to grow, many teachers are embracing technology to work more efficiently without sacrificing the quality of learning.
For educators Daniel Timbal, Richard Empimo, Reyna Orlanes, and Vanda Rema, AI-powered tools such as Canva Code are helping make that possible by allowing them to create lesson plans, interactive resources, and classroom activities through simple text prompts instead of technical coding.
Their experiences illustrate how digital tools can help educators reclaim valuable time while strengthening learning inside the classroom.
Changing demands
After nearly 15 years in education, Timbal has witnessed firsthand how curriculum revisions have transformed a teacher's workload.
Beyond classroom instruction, teachers now spend significant time revising lesson plans, redesigning instructional materials, and learning new competencies to keep up with changing education standards.
"I've been a teacher for almost 15 years. So I experienced firsthand how much time Filipino educators spend on paperwork, making lesson plans, and in several years, since 2015, our curriculum is constantly changing. So every year we have to learn, we have to acquire skills," Timbal said in a statement.
The challenge inspired him to develop GuroHub, a free AI-powered lesson planning platform built around the Philippine curriculum using Canva Code.
The platform attracted more than 2,000 users within its first month, reflecting the growing demand among educators for practical tools that reduce administrative work while helping them adapt to curriculum changes.
For Timbal, supporting teachers ultimately translates into better learning experiences for students.
Saving time
Timbal’s experience resonates with many educators facing similar challenges.
Empimo, a teacher at Cristina Calnantoc Rosario National High School in Davao Occidental, said lesson planning often consumed hours of preparation before he began using AI-assisted tools.
"We know that making lesson plans is very time consuming. There are times when I'd spend hours just to complete a lesson plan," he said.
Using Canva Code to convert ideas into interactive classroom materials has allowed him to prepare lessons more efficiently and devote more attention to improving classroom instruction.
English and Media Arts teacher Orlanes has also streamlined her workflow by consolidating several teaching tasks into a single platform.
Instead of switching between multiple applications for presentations, visuals and classroom activities, she now prepares instructional materials in one place.
"This really makes the work of teachers very easy in the sense that we don't need any additional subscriptions if we want to work on our lesson plans or if we want to prepare presentations," Orlanes said.
For both educators, technology has become less about automation and more about creating space for meaningful interactions with students.
Better engagement
For Science teacher Rema, the greatest benefit lies inside the classroom itself.
With students increasingly accustomed to digital experiences, she has integrated technology into her lessons to encourage participation and make complex scientific concepts easier to understand.
"I incorporate technology into my lessons to enhance learning and encourage student participation," Rema said.
"AI has helped a lot because we treat it as a tool to improve teaching. It's not there to replace teachers because human interaction is still needed," she added.
Through Canva Code, she develops gamified review sessions and interactive learning activities that encourage students to participate more actively in class.
She said these approaches have contributed to stronger classroom engagement and improved academic performance, reinforcing her belief that students learn more effectively when they actively participate in lessons.
Supporting teachers
Although each educator has found different ways to integrate AI into teaching, their stories share a common theme: technology works best when it supports teachers rather than replaces them.
As education continues to evolve, digital tools are helping Filipino educators spend less time on repetitive administrative tasks and more time designing meaningful learning experiences, mentoring students, and adapting to changing classroom needs.
For teachers balancing expanding responsibilities, that support may be one of the most valuable innovations of all—giving them more opportunities to focus on what has always mattered most: helping every student learn, grow, and prepare for the future. —Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
