TRADITIONAL VS. FLEXIBLE LEARNING

LOVELY JOYCE A. CASEJA

Teaching and learning amidst this pandemic have taken a great turn in terms of accessibility, delivery, and quality.

Traditionally, teachers and learners meet personally on the school premises and transfer/exchange/transmit knowledge, skills, and values face-to-face. Teachers utilize audio-visual aids/instructional materials, drills, and lectures where learners interact along with their classmates. Group dynamics and individual activities are provided by the teacher to enhance, support, remediate, refine, or enrich pupils’ knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values. The teacher is the main source of information and is the authority figure inside the classroom. Pupils take a more passive role by absorbing knowledge passed by the teacher using rote learning and memorization. The purposes of assessments are carried out using diagnostic, formative, and summative tests, written works, participation/recitation and projects/performance tasks, and quarterly examinations. Learners at risk are given remedial and intervention classes.

Flexible Learning is the design and delivery of programs, courses, and learning interventions that address learners’ unique needs in terms of place, pace, process, and products of learning. It involves the use of digital and non-digital technology and covers both face-to-face/in-person learning and outof-classroom learning modes of delivery or a combination of modes of delivery. It ensures the continuity of inclusive and accessible education when the use of traditional modes of teaching is not feasible, as in the occurrence of national emergencies. This is geared towards providing learners with the most flexibility in content, schedules, access, and innovative assessment. The learning outcomes in the form of knowledge, skills attitudes, and values will be assessed through a portfolio/e-portfolio to include written works and performances (and products), whether hardcopy, softcopy, or a combination of these and through summative tests as conditions allow.

Both modes require the presence of teachers and learners for the teaching and learning process to happen. They pursue the mastery of learning competencies before being able to pass the next level. They utilize materials that aid in the delivery of instruction and the intended outputs shall be gauged using varied forms of assessment to achieve the desired outcomes.

On the other hand, they differ in the mode of delivery, outputs, and process of assessment. Flexible learning highly needs technology to deliver instruction. It uses various social platforms and delivery modes. The learning competencies are streamlined to be compacted in the actual contact time. The learners shall be assessed, as per DO 31, s 2020, using four (4) written works and four (4) performance outputs, unlike before when other components are regarded f to form part of the grade of the pupil. The involvement, engagement, and participation of parents in more pronounced in flexible learning than in traditional.

-oOoThe author is Teacher III at Lauc Pao Elementary School, Lubao West District