DepEd Learning Modalities Amidst Crisis

The impact of COVID 19 on education is felt worldwide. About 1.1B learners are affected by the Pandemic with 111 country-wide closures. Studies show that long vacation of students breaks the rhythm of instruction, leads to forgetting, and requires a significant amount of review material when they return to school. In the Philippines, ensuring the welfare of more than 27 million learners in basic education alone requires indomitable commitment amidst this crisis. However, as UNESCO reiterates its stand: “Education cannot wait. If learning stops, we will lose human capital.” Meeting the needs of the most vulnerable populations in these times is essential to achieving SDG4 (UNESCO, 2017). Hence, the DepEd opened all public schools on October 5 with high hopes for distance learning education.

Lessons are anchored on the most essential learning competencies (MELCs) which marked the significant outputs of the K to 12 review. The review entailed mapping of the essential and desirable learning competencies within the curriculum which includes ;

a.Identification of prerequisite knowledge and skills needed to prepare students for essential learning competencies; and

b.Analysis of the interconnectedness of prerequisite knowledge and skills among the learning competencies for each subject area.

c.Essential learning competencies are defined as what the students need, considered indispensable, in the teaching-learning process to building skills to equip learners for subsequent grade levels and subsequently, for lifelong learning. On the other hand, desirable learning competencies were defined as what may enhance education but may not be necessary in building foundational skills.

The MELCs shall be taught to learners via flexible learning options. A learner may adopt either Digital Modular Distance Learning (DMDL) or Printed Modular Distance Learning (PMDL). Learners with devices at home like laptop, desktop, or tablet, may adopt DMDL. The SLMs in different digital formats such as flat PDF, education videos, audio lessons, e-SLMs and others may be stored in a CD/ DVD/ USB flash drive/ pen drive while the printed SLM shall be used by learners adopting PMDL.

Another modality is the Online Distance Learning which features the teacher as facilitator, engaging learners' active participation through the use of various technologies accessed through the internet while they are geographically remote from each other during instruction.

The internet is used to facilitate learner-teacher and peer-to-peer communication. Online learning allows live synchronous instruction. It requires participants to have a good and stable internet connection. It is more interactive than the other types of distance learning and the responses are in real-time. The learners may download materials from the internet, complete and submit assignments online, and attend webinars and virtual classes.

Schools may adopt a combination of synchronous and asynchronous online teaching in consideration of the Screen Time Guidelines by Age as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and World Health Organization (WHO) which is as follows: i. Kindergarten – maximum of one hour daily ii. Grade 1 to 5 – maximum of 1.5 hours daily iii. Grade 6 to 8 – maximum of 2 hours daily

For Grades 9 to 12, a maximum of 4 hours daily (2 hours in the morning and another 2 hours in the afternoon is recommended.

The 20/ 20/ 20 rule, where one needs to look away from the screen every 20 minutes and focus on an object at least 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. It is also recommended that children should walk away from the screen for at least 10 minutes every hour. Schools must ensure that learning facilitators are oriented on the recommended screen time as well as break time from the screen.

Synchronous learning in each subject may be done at least once to a maximum of three times per week depending upon the age and grade level of the learners.

For asynchronous online platform, LMS or any educational platform shall be utilized for self-paced learning. Also,TV/Radio-BasedInstructionisanotheroption.

This utilizes SLMs converted to video lessons for Television-Based Instruction and SLMs converted to radio scripts for Radio Based Instruction. Schools shall provide the learners as well as their parents/ guardians/learning facilitators the broadcast schedule of lessons. Learners shall be directed to watch an educational TV program or listen to a radio program facilitated by DepEd. The duration of every lesson episode shall depend on the complexity and length of the modules based on the targeted learning competencies and the allowable airtime agreed upon by the DepEd and the TV/ radio station.

Lastly, the Blended Learning. This refers to a learning delivery that combines face-to-face with any or a mix of online distance learning, modular distance learning, and TV/ Radio-based Instruction.

Blended learning will enable the schools to limit face-to-face learning, ensure social distancing, and decrease the volume of people outside the home at any given time.Schools which adopt any of these combinations must meet the requirements of each type of distance l ear ni ng.

Regardless of the type of distance learning modality, the teacher/ learning facilitator/ para-teacher shall monitor learner’s progress, provide learning feedback, and be available for consultation or one-on-one conference.