Upgrading Teaching Approaches in the Digital Era

Armie D. David

Many things have changed in the current situation we are in. The Philippines has been battling an invisible opponent since the first month of the year. The pandemic has metamorphosed even the educational system. The higher-ups in the Department of Education (DepEd) have been doing their best to adapt to these changes. In reading various articles and blogs on related topics, I selected my cream of the crop by identifying five methodologies which I think can be effectively used in the new normal.

Project-Based Learning (PBL)

PBL allows learners to respond to real-life dilemma. To me, if you connect a lesson to the lives of the learners, learning will take place. If they can relate to certain concepts, it will not be difficult for them to come up with an output. Also, PBL is a combination of the new teaching methodologies and the new versions of existing methodologies. When blended together, they create a powerful combination in the classroom setting.

Gamification

Since I have been using this methodology since day one of my teaching career, I can testify to its effectiveness. Let’s admit the fact that the 21st century learners love playing games. Traditional methodologies alone do not work anymore. They are more interested and eager to learn if there is a tinge of gamifying a lesson. This is effective as long as the purpose of the lesson is not defeated. Teachers must not be overwhelmed of the concept of a “game” by being overly hyperactive while forgetting the targets or objectives of the game.

Problem-Based Learning

Challenging the mind of the learners is a key towards higher-order thinking skills (HOTS). Teachers should not just be mere fountains of information in the class. More so, learners must not just be recipients of these pieces of information. In order for learning to take place, there must be an active engagement in the learners’ metacognitive processes. This is possible if we present them problems which they need to solve using their own strategies.

Thinking-Based Learning

TBL is about allowing learners to contextualize, analyze, relate, argue, and convert information into knowledge. I believe that teachers are not only the ones entitled to do the talking inside the classroom. In fact, learning is more effective when the learners are in the spotlight. We must give them avenues to think critically. There must be 3-5 minutes of thinking time whenever we present a new concept. This methodology is more helpful than rote memorization, which is the lowest level in Bloom’s Taxonomy.

Competency-Based Learning

DepEd compressed the K to 12 competencies to Most Essential Learning Competencies (MELC). Since the whole academic year will also be compressed starting October 5 (which is still temporary), DepEd selected the most helpful competencies that suit the new normal. This methodology is effective in our current situation because our learners will be guided as to what they should specifically learn even without attending their classes 5 times a week. These competencies will serve as their targets in this to-be-adopted module-based learning.

Overall, it is still up to the teacher on how lessons will be given life in the modules. These strategies are just frameworks, but the teacher still acts as the best instructional material in the classroom, either physically or virtually.

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The author is Teacher III at San Agustin Integrated School Annex, City of

San Fernando, Pampanga.