What’s with ‘new normal’ in education?

RAYMOND R. CURIBANG

Education must and should continue amidst the global COVID 19 pandemic.

This is the crystal clear message of the Department of Education (DepEd) as it gears up to the opening of classes slated on August 24, 2020.

But the means of providing education will definitely change. With the quarantine measures and health safety protocols being implemented in the country, the health and safety of the students are the top priorities.

DepEd and even President Rodrigo Duterte himself strongly warned that ‘face-toface’ learning is not possible this school year. Students are not encouraged to go to school especially that they are tagged as members of the vulnerable sector, or those that are most prone to get infected by the virus. Until such time that medicines and vaccines are clinically tested and available, young people ages 20 years and below are ordered to stay at home.

DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones reiterated, ‘Education must continue whatever the changes and even dangers we confront now and in the future.’ True to her words, they crafted the Basic Education Learning Continuity Plan in the Time of COVID 19. Its main content are the different learning opportunities to be used in school. If ‘face to face’or the normal classroom set-up is not possible, DepEd made sure that they are ready for other learning delivery modes.

Those areas under Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) at General Community Quarantine (GCQ) where ‘face to face’ is definitely a no, distance learning san be utilized wherein student can learn at the comfort of their homes. It has three modes: online, modular and TV-Radio-Based.

Under online distance learning, using gadgets at internet connection, teachers will provide learning materials online. Through computers, tablets or mobile phones, students will read, answer exercises and exams and may interact with their teachers and classmates in virtual classroom using apps like ZOOM.

For modular distance learning, teachers will print learning materials or modules and will be distributed to the students. The school will find a way for modules to be sent on learners’ homes and will set a schedule for collection of exercises and exams answered for checking.

The power of television and radio broadcast will be explored under TV-Radio Based Distance Learning modality.

For areas neither in ECQ nor GCQ, blended learning or the combination of distance and face to face learning modes will be implemented with minimal number of days and hours in school and smaller class size.

Parents may opt to do homeschooling if they wish to take the responsibility of teaching their children at home.

We may be in trying times but we cannot just take education for granted. Fortunately, we have advanced technology and new modalities that could help us in coping up with the challenges in teaching in the midst of pandemic. We just have to be open and be willing to be trained so we could use it to our great advantage.