DepEd's online learning platform now accessible without data charges
Published Apr 20, 2020 12:00 am
By Merlina Hernando-Malipot
Recognizing some equity consideration among learners and teachers, the Department of Education (DepEd) has partnered with a telecommunications service provider to help ensure that they can access educational tools online without incurring data charges on their devices.
Education Secretary Leonor Briones
(DepEd / MANILA BULLETIN) Issuing a statement, Globe Telecom confirmed that teachers and students interested in advancing their knowledge while under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) due to COVID-19 may now visit the DepEd’s new online learning platform called “DepEd Commons” without incurring data charges on their Globe or TM-powered smartphones. “In this time of crisis, it is important that we make it possible to overcome this challenge with solid partnerships with the private sector,” Education Secretary Leonor Briones said. Briones also extended gratitude to Globe for “supporting our initiative for the continuity of public education by providing us free data for DepEd Commons access amid the COVID-19 situation.” DepEd Commons, an online platform for public school teachers to support distance learning modalities, was launched by DepEd in March to continue the delivery of basic education to children amid the ECQ. Due to the threat of COVID-19, classes have been declared suspended and the school year (SY) 2019-2020 ended earlier than scheduled. The DepEd Commons, which can be accessed online, contains online review materials and Open Educational Resources (OER) authored by public school teachers who are subject matter experts. Here, teachers can retain, reuse, revise, remix, and redistribute the content by blending it with a learning management system to deliver a distance learning modality. The DepEd Commons also also integrates the Globe eLibrary, an online platform that features age-appropriate and engaging e-books ranging from storybooks for children and young adults to textbooks on core subjects such as Math, Science, English, Filipino, Music, Arts, among others. Globe eLibrary also has a collection of eLearning videos, some of which were developed by teachers themselves to introduce important concepts in English, Math, and Science, incorporating sights and sounds that are familiar to the students. DepEd undersecretary for administration Alain Pascua said that in partnership with Globe, “DepEd is steadily moving forward in bringing educational resources to the teachers and the learners wherever they may be” despite “facing many challenges in ensuring the continuity of education, especially in this extremely difficult situation that we are in.” As of April 18, DepEd Commons has 4, 131, 471 unique users. Aside from public schools, DepEd Commons was also made available for private schools as well as those who are under the Alternative Learning System (ALS). By providing free access to DepEd Commons (https://commons.deped.gov.ph), Globe also hopes to encourage educators and learners to take advantage of supplementary online instructional materials without worrying about data charges. These resources were designed to serve as alternative forms in the teaching-learning process during class suspensions and other similar circumstances. “Under this situation where teachers and students have to stay at home like many of us, it is important for learning to continue,” Globe chief sustainability officer and SVP for corporate communications Yoly Crisanto. Globe, she added, continues to support the education sector by “providing access to this alternative learning platform free of charge.” Globe clarified, however, that while access to the site using the Globe/TM network will not entail any data charges, it “does not cover the links outside the DepEd Commons domain,” thus, “all links clicked and visited will still incur standard data charges.”
Education Secretary Leonor Briones(DepEd / MANILA BULLETIN) Issuing a statement, Globe Telecom confirmed that teachers and students interested in advancing their knowledge while under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) due to COVID-19 may now visit the DepEd’s new online learning platform called “DepEd Commons” without incurring data charges on their Globe or TM-powered smartphones. “In this time of crisis, it is important that we make it possible to overcome this challenge with solid partnerships with the private sector,” Education Secretary Leonor Briones said. Briones also extended gratitude to Globe for “supporting our initiative for the continuity of public education by providing us free data for DepEd Commons access amid the COVID-19 situation.” DepEd Commons, an online platform for public school teachers to support distance learning modalities, was launched by DepEd in March to continue the delivery of basic education to children amid the ECQ. Due to the threat of COVID-19, classes have been declared suspended and the school year (SY) 2019-2020 ended earlier than scheduled. The DepEd Commons, which can be accessed online, contains online review materials and Open Educational Resources (OER) authored by public school teachers who are subject matter experts. Here, teachers can retain, reuse, revise, remix, and redistribute the content by blending it with a learning management system to deliver a distance learning modality. The DepEd Commons also also integrates the Globe eLibrary, an online platform that features age-appropriate and engaging e-books ranging from storybooks for children and young adults to textbooks on core subjects such as Math, Science, English, Filipino, Music, Arts, among others. Globe eLibrary also has a collection of eLearning videos, some of which were developed by teachers themselves to introduce important concepts in English, Math, and Science, incorporating sights and sounds that are familiar to the students. DepEd undersecretary for administration Alain Pascua said that in partnership with Globe, “DepEd is steadily moving forward in bringing educational resources to the teachers and the learners wherever they may be” despite “facing many challenges in ensuring the continuity of education, especially in this extremely difficult situation that we are in.” As of April 18, DepEd Commons has 4, 131, 471 unique users. Aside from public schools, DepEd Commons was also made available for private schools as well as those who are under the Alternative Learning System (ALS). By providing free access to DepEd Commons (https://commons.deped.gov.ph), Globe also hopes to encourage educators and learners to take advantage of supplementary online instructional materials without worrying about data charges. These resources were designed to serve as alternative forms in the teaching-learning process during class suspensions and other similar circumstances. “Under this situation where teachers and students have to stay at home like many of us, it is important for learning to continue,” Globe chief sustainability officer and SVP for corporate communications Yoly Crisanto. Globe, she added, continues to support the education sector by “providing access to this alternative learning platform free of charge.” Globe clarified, however, that while access to the site using the Globe/TM network will not entail any data charges, it “does not cover the links outside the DepEd Commons domain,” thus, “all links clicked and visited will still incur standard data charges.”