This School Year comes with the new modes of learning which we called as “New Normal”. At first, I wondered! Where do I start? or Shall I say How do I start in this New Normal Thing in Education? As a former School Administrator in a higher institution, I still asked this question in my mind. I have read in the gazettes and heard a lot of news that New Normal Education is being established as a precaution against the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
We are beset of different challenges in the New Normal Education as we are implementing it this School Year. Yes, this is the 1st ever implementation. According to the recent hearing of the Committee on Basic Education, there are 10 million learners- have signed up! 10 million learners! Wow! It is a very large number of learners. Administrators, teachers, parents and even students, have a lot of things in mind. Since this school year is focused on the teaching and learning without depriving the rights of a student, there are a lot of things to consider when we talk about learning.
There are different modalities of learning in the New Normal in Education namely: Modular printed and digital copy, Online Distance Learning, Radio and Television and the Blended learning. Different schools have adapted different modalities of learning.
Each learning modality has its own pros and cons for both teachers and students. As I randomly asked my colleagues and students and as per kin observation of their daily routines, I have summed up with these pros and cons. First, let us talk about the Modular printed and digital copy type of learning since, this is a form of distance learning that uses Self Learning Kit based on the most essential learning competencies (MELCS) provided by our Department of Education. For the pros, namely:
a) Find it comfortable reading and answering/checking the Activity sheets;
b) It is cost saving since teachers and students cannot pay daily transportation;
c) Modules has been simplified since it is easier to grasp;
d) It is very flexible since teachers and students have their own pace in answering and checking; and
e) Student-centered, students are given their own way of learning, thus they are given a full sense of responsibility.
For the cons, namely:
a) Too many activities that somehow reduces the speed ability of the students;
b) Too many items to be checked that somehow led to stress in the part of teachers;
c) There is less interaction between the teachers and students; and
d) It is not accessible since the students have the difficulty to approach anytime the teachers especially to the subjects, they find it difficult. No personal discussion takes place.
Next, is the Online Distance Learning. There are pros and cons as well. For the pros, to wit:
a) It is convenient since you are working from home;
b) It is an individualized instruction; and
c) It offers flexibility both to teachers and students;
For the cons, to wit:
a) In the Philippines, internet connectivity is really a problem though we have internet server companies, but monthly internet payment is higher compared to other countries;
b) There is no teacher hounding the students to finish the tasks;
c) It requires the teachers even the students to find their own path to learning;
d) Both teachers and students should have a good time-management skills’ and
e) It isolates, it may somehow create a sense of isolation; and
f) Eventually, there would be health effects due to prolong use of different technologies. A recent research study conducted by the Lyceum of the Philippines University found that there are short- and long-term effects in using technologies every day.
One of the alternatives in effectively bringing the Education in times of pandemic is the Radio and/or Television-based programmes. Africa seems to be the most active in the efforts to leverage TV or radio according to UNESCO (2020). For the pros of this learning modality is that teachers and students can access this programme with the use of Radio and Television. For the cons, to wit:
a) The non-availability of educational content in audio-visual formats;
b) In the Philippines, there is still the difficulty to produce quantity and quality in a short period of time;
c) The need for communication and collaboration between the academe specialists and the professionals of the audio-visual sector for the educational programmes.
Many chose blended type of learning, since in this way students can learn both styles, the online and the modular type of learning. It is a style of education in which students learn via electronic and online media and modular type. There are pros, namely:
a) It increased student engagement in learning;
b) Enhanced teacher and student interaction thus there is more collaboration;
c) Improved student learning outcomes; and
d) It is a more flexible teaching and learning environment.
For the cons, these are the following:
a) It may not be effective if there is a lack of IT knowledge;
b) Students can fall behind; and
c) There is a strong technological dependence.
There are some pros and cons in using the different modalities of learning which have not mentioned here depending on the school itself, administrators, teachers and even students in handling every situation though we have this different learning styles in handling these different modalities of learning.
All of these come down to two major challenges: Internet connectivity, the issue of the curriculum and education materials that must be adapted for use with a blended learning environment. As for the case of improving how blended learning can be unpacked, we need the support of our administrators, teachers, students, and family, our dear parents. Indeed, parents – and guardians – must be empowered to help us especially the students in the learning process of this New Normal in Education.