Philippine Education Amidst the Pandemic

Leoneth D. Viray

Early 2020, schools were shut down due to the threats of COVID-19 pandemic. It took a while before students were able to study again, but not the traditional way of going to classrooms and attending lessons face-to-face with their teachers and classmates. The modular and digital learning styles were introduced to the Philippine education system.

According to research, online learning has been shown to increase retention of information, and take less time, meaning the changes Coronavirus have caused might be here to stay.

Although online learning has its challenges - lack of needed devices and internet connection among many students - While some believe that the unplanned and rapid move to online learning – experts believe that a new hybrid model of education will emerge with significant benefits.

Meanwhile, modular learning uses modules which are a unit, chapter, topic, or segment of instruction. Modules are usually answered within a week. In the Philippines, parents pick-up the modules at school from the teachers, and take them to their children to answer at home.

But, are these new styles of learning especially online learning really effective? For students who have access to the right technology, digital learning can be effective. Some research shows that on average, students retain 25-60 percent more material when learning online compared to only 8-10 percent in a classroom. This is mostly due to the students being able to learn faster online; digital learning requires 40-60 percent less time to learn than in a traditional classroom setting because students can learn at their own pace, going back and re-reading, skipping, or accelerating through concepts as they choose.

In short, the effectiveness of online learning varies amongst age groups. The general consensus on children, especially younger ones, is that a structured environment is required, because children are more easily distracted.

To get the full benefit of online learning, there needs to be a concerted effort to provide this structure and go beyond replicating a physical class through video capabilities, instead, using a range of collaboration tools and engagement methods that promote “inclusion, personalization and intelligence.”

The author is Teacher

--oOo-

II at Magliman Integrated School