By Hanah Tabios
With President Duterte’s declaration of a month-long class suspension in Metro Manila amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, an education technology expert suggested some practices on how to sustain distance learning.
(Flickr / MANILA BULLETIN)
This entails the use of collaborative online learning tools to continuously facilitate teacher-student interaction in a virtual way.
Dr. Edmund Centeno, an assistant professor of the College of Development Communication at the University of the Philippines-Los Baños (UPLB), shared with the Manila Bulletin at least 10 learning applications which academe practitioners could adapt during times of crisis or emergency.
These learning apps include Edmodo, MOODLE, Zoom, Facebook Messenger, Skype, Canvas, Blackboard Course Sites, Google Hangouts, Google Classroom, and iSpring Learn.
Centeno said these technologies are proven to be efficient as students can access the learning content “anytime, anywhere, at any pace” provided there is a stable internet connection.
“This encourages students to be more active in facilitating their own learning,” he said.
Learning tools
Long before the declaration of a global health emergency, several academic institutions in the Philippines were employing online platforms as a mode for teaching, among them the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU), De La Salle University (DLSU), Ateneo De Manila University (ADMU), University of Sto. Tomas (UST), and the Asian Institute of Management (AIM).
But as a long-time professor in UPLB, Centeno has been using these learning tools in his classes, such as the subject courses DEVC (development communication) 40, DEVC 144, DEVC 145, and DEVC 103, which are all visual and audiovisual production classes.
Centeno believes social media apps Facebook and Skype are the simplest and easiest to use platforms for online learning in the Philippines.
This is not a surprise as a 2019 study revealed that the Philippines was the world’s heaviest internet user, where people spent an average of 10 hours and two minutes a day online in 2018.
Centeno said by using the live feature of apps, teachers can connect with their students real-time.
“You can send a personal message to your students kung anong oras kayo magtatagpo (what time you are meeting) online. You may share your presentation or screen in Skype,” he added.
He also recommends setting up a Facebook group to enhance the virtual discussion and as a platform for sharing teaching materials.
But using these apps require teachers to create more comprehensive presentations as he advised them to add audio to the slides for better comprehension.
“In terms of efficiency and effectiveness, learning management systems (LMS) like Edmodo and MOODLE will be able to provide us the appropriate environment for learning,” Centeno said.
A learning management system is a software application that serves as an alternative modern classroom for virtual students enrolled in a subject.
Edmodo is an LMS that serves as a social learning network to which teachers can upload supplemental readings and video materials. It engages students in online classroom discussions and activities such as timed recitation questions. Educators can see students’ progress through its unified database.
It comes in web-based, iOS, and Android versions.
MOODLE, on the other hand, stands for modular object-oriented dynamic learning environment. Like Edmodo, it also helps the separate parties collaborate with each other.
It is a free online LMS that enables educators to create their own private website. Similar to Edmodo, teachers can add gradable assignments and quizzes and conduct collaborative discussions. Content can also be uploaded using a drag-and-drop button.
But since this application is open source, teachers may modify its features by producing more plug-ins fit for their needs. It also has a multi-language content filter to bridge communication gaps.
Another type of LMS is Google Classroom where teachers are required to “create a class” for collaborative interaction. Here they easily share their files, post announcements, and upcoming assignments. Teachers can also send emails to students’ parents using this technology.
Google Hangouts and Zoom, on the other hand, are fit for “webinar” type of classes or class meetings.
The other applications such as Canvas, Blackboard, CourseSites, and iSpring Learn, according to Centeno, are suggested for some advanced types of education.
E-learning challenges
Centeno said there is an array of challenges facing the shift in teaching platform.
“The challenges include the readiness of both the teacher and the students in embracing this learning modality since this is a shift from the traditional method of learning na kinagisnan ng (that has been traditionally used by) teachers and students,” he said.
He also emphasized that the shift based on the current adjustments made by the government may not suit the learning style of students.
“There are many distractions like checking social media while studying lessons online,” he added.
With the advent of the Fourth Industrial Revolution marked by the shift to digital, Centeno recognizes there are still students who do not have access to online facilities and resources.
The internet is still a privilege, and many families cannot afford personal subscriptions.
While the government is still ironing out the logistical procedures of the soon-to-be imposed community quarantine in Metro Manila, an education official announced that it is best for teachers to facilitate lessons online at the moment to curb the spread of the virus.