INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS AND THE 21ST CENTURY LEARNERS

ANGELITA N. CUDIA

Gone were the days when all the students who entered the school, greet their teachers, carry their heavy bags, clean their tables or bring flowers and fruits to make them happy and smile. Students nowadays are somewhat very busy and in a hurry to learn and grow. A teacher using the chalk, chalkboard and eraser in teaching is now considered passé since most of the students afford to use the internet even with their meager allowance. Everything they do in the net are interactive and very colorful.

As a teacher we compete with the internet, the Social Media like Facebook and Instagram so a conventional teacher usually experience behavioral problems since most of the students are bored to the usual chalk – talk method. A teacher should be more competitive by using Instructional Materials that are being experienced by the 21st Century learners who learned fast at a short time. These learners hate memorization and very long reading but they will be interested if the materials they are using are interactive and they know that they will be benefitted from using the materials.

Instructional Materials ranges from Modules, Strategic Intervention Materials (SIM) and Powerpoint presentation. These are easy to prepare and can be edited from time to time (depending on what type of learners will use the materials) and just a click away if you have your computers or smart phone with you and always make sure your soft copy is safe. Pictures and concepts are readily available from the internet and the printing is much cheaper compared to the hassle of manual writing and drawing. There is no reason for a learner to be bored and failed in class if the teacher is dedicated and passionate to her calling and most importantly know how to use and prepare Instructional Materials.

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The author is Teacher III at Pitabacan Elementary School, Magalang North District