Embracing the New Normal

Aida V. dela Torre

“Learn what you need; when you need; where you need.”

As the DEPED embraces the new normal to deliver to its clientele amidst the covid 19 pandemic, location, time and space must not be hindrances to teaching and learning. This is where virtual classroom gets in where presence is made possible because teachers are going to present with enthusiasm and essence.

W hat is Virtual Classroom? Mr. Web says that it is a teaching-learning environment located within a computer- mediated communication system. It is an instruction in a learning environment where teacher and students are separated by time or space and or both .In short, Virtual Classroom, VC is an online classroom. You may be wondering if there is an interaction between the teacher and the students. Yes, there is. VC is a social learning. It is accessible via internet, 24 hours a day, 7days in a week. Just like your face-to-face classroom, VC is a busy place for learning. According to google, the key components of Virtual Classroom are as follows: First is the flexible time where students can participate at any time of the day. Simply, learning is flexible. Next is location. Here, students are not limited to courses offered in their geographical locality. We overcome distance. Lastly is focused on more active learning where computer forces response and attention.

Why Virtual Classroom? Good news! VC removes the need to travel to a location in which to participate in the course or lesson. It can also be accessed from any computer that has the necessary software, hardware and internet connection and internet connection and internet browser requirements in order to part in the VC. More so, it is accessible to students with physical abilities. Lastly, it is time, independent since students can access the course at their convenient time.

How about the key features? As teachers, we must be flexible to learn technology. Some of these are the skills in sharing documents where the facilitator can upload a file into viewing window and all participants can view it. Learn what “chat” is because this enables us to communicate through real typed messages similar to an instant messenger program. It can be public so that everyone sees the note or sent privately to one individual user. In addition, learning to annotate allows for real time drawing on top of shared documents or whiteboards. Whiteboard, breakout groups, polling and other application sharing allow learners to see the shared applications on their screen.

While it is true that the new technology is taking over the traditional classroom, even nature must not be the cause of delay for learning.

“Learn what we need… where we need…when we need.”

--oOo-

The author is Teacher III at Pampanga High school