Citing pieces of evidence that show how internet-based learning is creating “renewed zealousness” for learning among students across all levels, an education think tank is pushing for legislation that would institutionalize online or blended education.
The Philippine Normal University (PNU), in a statement issued Saturday, April 10, said the repeated studies of its education expert has been proving that “online education is inevitably becoming pertinent” in 20th century education.
Researches over the last 10 years compiled by Dr. Edna Luz Raymundo-Abulon of PNU “even indicate that technology” - as part of other education strategies - can spell the difference in Philippines’ reversing the “brain drain” phenomenon.
“Apparently, the brain drain phenomenon - where Filipino teachers choose rather to work abroad than teach here - is caused not only by the low wage at home, but also the lack of opportunities to growth,” PNU said.
Thus, new methods in teaching through technology “may turn out to be the hope toward brain gain— winning back home lost teaching workforce.”
The PNU research is a compilation of 89 published researches in recognized refereed scientific journals and 38 research reported to the Educational Policy Research and Development Center (EPRDC).
The researches were authored by PNU teaching professionals and conducted from 2010 to 2020.
The report supports PNU’s mandate under Republic Act 9647 which designated PNU as the country’s National Center for Teacher Education (NCTE).
It also made PNU a center on innovations and alternative systems and their utilization and application to teacher training and development.
PNU teacher-researchers are among those that instruct the country’s learners in grade school, high school, college (HEIs), and teaching leaders and administrators. PNU has also trained many teachers in more difficult subjects under STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture, and Mathematics).
The use of technology in - via blended modality - in higher education has been proven to be effective, PNU said. “This was especially true for teaching Learning Management Systems—a software for administering of educational or training programs (Balagtas et al. 2018),” it added.
Another PNU study (Mancao and Morales, Abulon, Ermita & David) also explored students’ thoughts regarding blended learning. “The study showed that blended learning—integrating online lectures with classroom lectures - is an “efficient and effective” way to teach or learn college courses,” PNU noted.
But while college students have positively welcomed the use of internet and gadgets such as laptops, netbooks, and mobile phones as part of education, PNU noted that problem - oftentimes - is the “lack of readiness” to used these.
“Cost of gadgets and internet connection remain to be a major hindrance to online learning,” PNU said. “Moreover, the presence of qualified teachers adept in software and hardware is another problem,” it added.
Given this, PNU said that “this is where a legislative policy may come in.”
Institutionalizing online or blended learning, PNU noted, will help “ensure that gaps in blended learning” collectively addressed by the Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Information Communications Technology (DICT) and relevant agencies.
As the government has a thrust to enhance education on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, agri-fisheries, and mathematics), the PNU report also stressed that new pedagogies (teaching methods) including the use of technology must be introduced.
PNU noted that “blended learning” is actually being suggested as a solution to addressing the problem of large classes across all levels in the Philippines.
Ideal class size may just be 20-30 students per class but PNU noted that it is not uncommon to find classes of 40 and above even in grade school.
“Studies looked at approaches that can be used in order to address limitations like large classes. One such study examined the effective teaching strategies that can be applied in large classes,” Abulon said in the report. “Another study looked at an innovative approach that can integrate technology in teaching—blended learning,” she added.
However, PNU noted that the fact remains the gaps in technology use in schools have to be addressed.
“One basic facility that has to be enhanced in higher learning (college and graduate) is the online library,” PNU said. The university itself promotes a web-based research management system as part of developing a university research portal.
Moreover, a PNU research also found out online learning is not only effective. “Important, it can also be fun and enjoyable as one class in a Teacher Education Institution (TEI) showed,” PNU said. “A TEI is a school focused on training teachers,” it added.
In 2020, the coronavirus disease (COVID 19) pandemic compelled the government to shut down schools. To ensure the continuity of their operations, many schools resorted to online methods of teaching.