Digital school supplies

THE rising prices of school supplies is a reality that opens up the possibility for education and school officials to study alternatives.

The usual requirements for school are notebooks, paper, pencils, pens, books and backpacks. These traditional school supplies are still needed for classroom learning but the availability and easy access to digital tools are changing the ways students learn.

Some of these digital tools are apps or applications on the phone or computer that make taking down notes easier, a digital calendar to instruct teachers and students of deadlines and events, a document storage such as Google Drive that allows students to collaborate on a document, and a digital index to arrange in logical fashion information gathered for a school project.

Those tools cannot replace books, paper and notebooks but students are already familiar with these digital alternatives they use to study and fulfill class requirements.

One of the complaints in the opening of a schoolyear is the rising prices of school supplies. The Department of Trade and Industry’s consumer protection division noted a 15 to 25 percent increase in prices of paper products. Notebooks and paper pads cost much more than in the past schoolyear.

As to adopting digital tools, the common challenges are affordability and availability but many students, particularly those in college, already have laptops, mobile phones or tablets that they use for their daily necessities.

Some elementary and high schools have computers and internet connection used as learning instruments. Others have tablets customized for their classes and donated to schools by foundations and philanthropists.

In 2016, PLDT and Huawei donated laptops and tablets to complement learning materials in four public schools in Cebu. A total of 160 gadgets were donated at the end of the Asian Carriers Conference held here and as part of the conference’s corporate social responsibility. Some of the laptops and tablets with free internet connectivity were donated to the Carmen National High School, Cordova National High School, Babag II High School and Argao National High School.

The Ayala Foundation and Globe Telecom also have the Global Filipino Schools program that gives computers, tablets, internet connectivity and peripherals to schools.

The Department of Education’s “Adopt-a-school program” also encourages private sector participation in upgrading and modernizing public schools, particularly those located in the 20 poorest provinces in the country.

It would be nice to study how the donated gadgets were eventually used and if these helped in the learning process to determine effectiveness of digital tools in schools.

Going digital is a goal the country’s education sector could study further by choosing the devices and applications, seeking funding or sponsorship, and regulating their use through firewalls and school rules. Sun.Star Cebu