Manila Bulletin
Philippines
DepEd: Use of social media for learning still 'discouraged' despite COVID-19 threat
Philippines
DepEd: Use of social media for learning still 'discouraged' despite COVID-19 threat
DepEd: Use of social media for learning still 'discouraged' despite COVID-19 threat
Published Mar 13, 2020 12:00 am
By Merlina Hernando-Malipot
The Department of Education (DepEd) remains firm on its stand to highly discourage the use of social media platforms for learning while classes are suspended due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
DepEd Undersecretary for Administration Alain Pascua told the Manila Bulletin that the agency does not promote the use of social media platforms as a means of communication for learners and teachers during cancelled classes.
Education Undersecretary Alain Del Pascua
(Alain Del Pascua official Facebook page / MANILA BULLETIN) “Still no we are introducing DepEd Commons,” Pascua said when asked if DepEd will now allow the use of social media platforms such as Facebook Messenger, among others, so that teachers can give school-related updates to their students while classes are suspended. DepEd Commons allows the free use of teaching and learning content from around the world. Topics vary from arts, business, mathematics, science, social sciences K to 12, and higher education. Its objective is to provide free access to educational resources to teachers and learners. Pascua explained the agency will also utilize DepEd Commons to respond to the challenges of the current COVID-19 situation related to education sector. In the National Capital Region (NCR) for instance, where classes have been declared suspended for over a month starting March 10 to April 12, schools at the basic education level are expected to make adjustments on the conduct of the 4th quarter examinations scheduled next week on a staggered basis. Pascua noted that in the case of Metro Manila schools, schools can administer “online examination” among students using DepEd Commons since users have better access to the Internet. “The teachers can administer lessons for the remaining quarter and students can take examination online, especially those who are not satisfied with the transmutation formula used to compute their class standing,” he said. In June last year, DepEd discouraged the use of social media in the classroom. Pascua, in a memorandum, explained why the department discourages the use of social media in classrooms. “While social media are the easiest mediums to deliver information in this digital age using the latest on-hand technologies, the use of the platform also opens one’s identity to the world wide web, making young learners exposed to different cyber threats,” he said. Even though social media may be considered the “brightest innovation of this era,” Pascua urged educators to “look at the bigger picture, where the reality is that social media in itself is not the proper medium for schools to use, especially in connection the delivery of lessons especially since there are many options specifically designed for educational use.” Given this, DepEd noted that there are existing open-source Learning Management Systems (LMS) that schools can use to support the e-learning requirements of an institution. DepEd also introduced the use of open educational resources (OER) to promote “equitable and quality education” to all Filipino learners. OERs refer to free and/or available educational materials that come with the permission for anyone to use, modify or share. “The use of OER results in tremendous cost savings to benefit families of students as well as impact their performance and completion rates in school,” Pascua explained. Meanwhile, the Federation of Associations of Private Schools and Administrators (FAPSA) urged DepEd to implement and strengthen home-based programs. Students, the group said, can also rely on tablet education. “Indeed it is time to use e-books in schools and DepEd needs to take e-books and online learning seriously,” FAPSA President Eleazardo Kasilag said.
Education Undersecretary Alain Del Pascua(Alain Del Pascua official Facebook page / MANILA BULLETIN) “Still no we are introducing DepEd Commons,” Pascua said when asked if DepEd will now allow the use of social media platforms such as Facebook Messenger, among others, so that teachers can give school-related updates to their students while classes are suspended. DepEd Commons allows the free use of teaching and learning content from around the world. Topics vary from arts, business, mathematics, science, social sciences K to 12, and higher education. Its objective is to provide free access to educational resources to teachers and learners. Pascua explained the agency will also utilize DepEd Commons to respond to the challenges of the current COVID-19 situation related to education sector. In the National Capital Region (NCR) for instance, where classes have been declared suspended for over a month starting March 10 to April 12, schools at the basic education level are expected to make adjustments on the conduct of the 4th quarter examinations scheduled next week on a staggered basis. Pascua noted that in the case of Metro Manila schools, schools can administer “online examination” among students using DepEd Commons since users have better access to the Internet. “The teachers can administer lessons for the remaining quarter and students can take examination online, especially those who are not satisfied with the transmutation formula used to compute their class standing,” he said. In June last year, DepEd discouraged the use of social media in the classroom. Pascua, in a memorandum, explained why the department discourages the use of social media in classrooms. “While social media are the easiest mediums to deliver information in this digital age using the latest on-hand technologies, the use of the platform also opens one’s identity to the world wide web, making young learners exposed to different cyber threats,” he said. Even though social media may be considered the “brightest innovation of this era,” Pascua urged educators to “look at the bigger picture, where the reality is that social media in itself is not the proper medium for schools to use, especially in connection the delivery of lessons especially since there are many options specifically designed for educational use.” Given this, DepEd noted that there are existing open-source Learning Management Systems (LMS) that schools can use to support the e-learning requirements of an institution. DepEd also introduced the use of open educational resources (OER) to promote “equitable and quality education” to all Filipino learners. OERs refer to free and/or available educational materials that come with the permission for anyone to use, modify or share. “The use of OER results in tremendous cost savings to benefit families of students as well as impact their performance and completion rates in school,” Pascua explained. Meanwhile, the Federation of Associations of Private Schools and Administrators (FAPSA) urged DepEd to implement and strengthen home-based programs. Students, the group said, can also rely on tablet education. “Indeed it is time to use e-books in schools and DepEd needs to take e-books and online learning seriously,” FAPSA President Eleazardo Kasilag said.