Distance Learning

By: Niña Marie M. Mesina

With the emergence of COVID-19, countries all over the world made their own adjustments in the Education sector. Here in the Philippines, the Learning Continuity Plan was implemented to make sure that our learners’ education will not be impeded by this pandemic.

For some students, these closures will only be a temporary shift in their schooling before they’re back on track, but for many in the communities that we serve, this could mean the end of their education.

While distance learning was once considered an inferior substitute for traditional education, it is now considered by many to be outperforming traditional classroom instruction.

This is largely because of the advanced technology. Modern technology such as the usage of videos and interactive websites helps make distance learning feel personal and engaging.

The department of education discussed and presented the different learning modalities in Distance Learning like Modular Distance Learning which is in the form of individualized instruction that allows learners to use self-learning modules (SLMs) in print or digital format/electronic copy; Radio-based instruction or TV Instructions where lessons are aired; Online Distance Learning where it features the teacher facilitating learning and engaging learners’ active participation using various technologies accessed through the internet while they are geographically remote from each other, and Blended leanring where it is a combination of any of the modalities like Modular approach and RBI/TV or Learner’s Materials, textbooks, activity sheets, study guides and other study materials. These are not new learning modalities anyway because these have been used by the learners of Alternative Learning System and even in the Open High School program. It just seems new for others who did not undergo these programs but now that it is implemented to the whole nation as the only types of modalities to use in education, every one must adapt to it.

There are few dilemmas on the side of the parents during this normal education. They fear that their children may not gain the knowledge they should through these modalities since all of it will require a good independent learning skill and not all learners have learned the habit of doing it.

Until things get better, we will not see classrooms being filled with learners yet. For now, the different learning modalities for distance learning are the best methods we can implement to provide education to our learners.