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Thursday, September 23, 2021

How Alternative Learning Methods During Pandemic Reshape the Future of Filipino Education


In one of Education Secretary Leonor Briones’ interviews, she pointed out how old our country’s education system is. From its introduction in the 1940s, it has basically remained unchanged until the recent introduction of the K-12 curriculum.

The current COVID-19 pandemic disrupted our healthcare, economy, and our education systems. Now we begin to question what needs to be changed in the way we do things, especially for our more than 80-year old education system in order for us to move forward. Aside from restoring normal school operations, we are now also looking at how we can resolve age-old concerns such as improving the quality of and widening the access to education.

According to Bridget Long, dean of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, among the lessons learned by educators during the pandemic is that the one-size-fits-all approach to education does not work anymore. We finally recognize the reality that student needs vary because of the pandemic and it opened us to consider novel teaching and learning methods that may be more beneficial to both educators and students even beyond the pandemic.



Here are some of the emerging teaching or learning methods that experts believe would transform education even after the pandemic:


Focused learning

The K-12 curriculum introduced a more focused approach to learning through its academic tracks. Students can choose their electives that will make them especially equipped to pursue a certain discipline or field.

With the pandemic, educators and learning experts had the chance to reevaluate what our priorities should be in educating our young and to take a step further in making the education system more focused by decluttering the curriculum. With a more focused curriculum, learners can dedicate their time and resources to knowledge and skills that they believe would be more worthwhile for them.

Focused learning takes into account the reality that students face other concerns during the pandemic. They have less time and even less resources to engage in extensive academic activities. By limiting the subjects they take to those essential to their chosen academic or career track, learners and educators can better manage the limited resources available to them.

Through focused learning, learners, educators, and industries can easily match knowledge and skills with the existing needs of the market. Those who wish to pursue entrepreneurship or employment after senior high school may do so with the assumption that they already gained the necessary knowledge and skills to engage in a specific discipline or trade.

As we look into a more fast-paced future with priority on managing resources that gets more scarce by the day, having a more straightforward education seems more responsive to the reality of our learners.



Individualized Learning


Individualized learning may be considered as a combined application of several principles including adaptive and focused learning. It is a method of teaching in which the method of teaching, technology employed, content, and pace of learning are all determined based on the capacity of each learner.

In countries like the United States and Canada, schools are implementing the individualized learning model as a solution to the growing class sizes and fewer resources to support education.

In the Philippines, individualized learning is seen as an effective way to address the challenges faced by learners, educators, and parents during the pandemic. iACADEMY, known as one of the most progressive and innovative schools in the country, wants to mainstream individualized learning in Senior High School through its Home School Program called DRIVE or Design for Remote, Individualized Versatile Education program.

According to iACADEMY President and CEO Vanessa Tanco, DRIVE combines principles of individualized learning with the strengths of the K-12 curriculum. As DRIVE is completely asynchronous, learners do not have to worry about the usual concerns of commutes to school, unguided learning, and heavy-loaded academic activities and requirements.

“Being primarily learner-controlled, DRIVE allows for more flexibility in the pace of instruction and measurement of learning proficiency for learners. However, students under the program may still reach out to their subject teachers and success coaches for guidance and for mentoring,” she said.


Tech-supported and adaptive learning


Technology is already being used in support of traditional education methods. Most teachers rely on tech for their research and to make their classes much more engaging. However, tech has much more to offer in improving education. With the wide applications of big data, user experience, and artificial intelligence, students and teachers can benefit more from the full integration of tech into teaching and learning.

Aside from allowing for access to education in the remote setting, the pandemic allowed more educators to look into other ways technology can improve our ways of teaching and learning. Among the seen strengths of tech-supported education is that it has more flexibility to support adaptive learning.

According to Zachary Pardos, assistant professor at UC Berkeley Graduate School of Education and the School of Information, adaptive learning allows for immediate assessment of a student’s strengths and weaknesses and for the delivery of appropriate individual instruction based on such assessment. The benefit of adaptive learning is that students do not automatically advance to the next lesson until he or she is aptly prepared and capable. The content and pace of each lesson can be adjusted based on the capacity and competency of each student.

While technologies that may support adaptive learning are yet to be developed in the Philippines, the principles of adaptive learning are now being implemented by some progressive and innovative schools.

With the continuous emergence of new coronavirus strains, reverting to the usual face-to-face classroom instruction may take a long while. Experts see that the alternative learning methods introduced during this pandemic may be more responsive to the current and emerging needs of our learners.

Traditional learning methods may have alienated some learners due to their huge demand for time and resources. With alternative learning methods such as adaptive, focused, and individualized learning, we may open up more opportunities for more Filipinos to get the education they need in order to develop. By being accommodating to learners with peculiar learning needs, alternative learning methods may finally make the goal of leaving no child behind a reality.

Wednesday, September 22, 2021

Why we think Disney's Raya and The Last Dragon was actually made for adults than kids?

Raya and the Last Dragon is one of the early Disney releases this 2021 and is one of the best movies I have seen this year. This underrated film just gave me goosebumps. The ending left me in awe.

Honestly, I did not have this feeling ever since Frozen. 


I know that this is purely fiction/ fantasy but I can't help relate this to our current situation as we are battling this pandemic and this is why I think the movie, Raya and The Last Dragon was actually made for adults than kids. 

So why do we think that the movie, Raya and the Last Dragon was made for adults?

Raya and the Last Dragon teaches us one important thing - TRUST. 

In the movie, they were in a situation where there was no end in sight. Many of their loved ones were lost. Kids were orphaned and have to learn to fend for themselves. Something that is not too far-fetched in our current situation. 

While each one of them tried to fight the monster on their own, their efforts were only temporary. It doesn't really kill the enemy. The only solution is that they learn to make a collective effort to fight it.  

There was even a scene in the movie that they built canals over their kingdom to send the monster away since it's afraid of the water. This is very similar when we try to close our borders. We restrict its entry and keep our people safe but it is not a permanent solution. The threat will always be there and that people outside the "safe zone" are still in danger.

Their struggle was prolonged because they do not trust each other. They are fully aware of what they need to do but they were hesitant to let go because of too much distrust. After all, it doesn't make sense to trust each other after the many betrayals that happened in the past. The problem even started because one betrayed another. 

And this is exactly what is happening in our world today. We do not trust each other. 

People do not trust their leaders that the pandemic is real and that lockdowns are in place for the benefit of the people's safety. 

People do not trust our health experts when they say that we need to wear masks and that following health protocols are important.

People do not trust medical frontliners when they say that one is COVID-positive and needs to be confined in the hospital. They do not believe that this is done for the patient's own welfare and is not another way of profiteering.

People do not trust the vaccination program when they say that it is meant to protect and save your life and it is not another conspiracy theory. 

There is so much distrust. 

We know there are so many uncertainties. The treatment and vaccines are still on continuous trials and there is no clear answer to this pandemic. 

But you have to have FAITH that there is goodness in our leaders and medical experts. 

They make decisions that they think would be for the greater good of many. I am not saying that you will become a blind follower but at least be open-minded and not simply refute everything they say and do. 

Sometimes we have to learn how to TRUST even if it doesn't make sense. We have to learn to trust even if it means putting our life on the line because just like the movie, it may be the only way we can beat this "monster."

Anyway, if you haven't seen the movie -- please watch Raya and The Last Dragon and you'll understand what I mean. :) 

Until then, thank you for dropping by! 

Monday, September 20, 2021

More High 5 Things About European Higher Education Fair 2021

The European Higher Education Fair, one of the biggest education fairs in the country, returns on 1-2 October to again give Filipinos everywhere the EUnique opportunity to connect with dozens of institutions in the EU.



Who can join?  

The Fair is open to Filipinos interested in pursuing higher education in the EU. And it doesnt matter where you are in the Philippines. The Fair is virtual, so whether youre in Aparri or Jolo, you can join so long as you have an internet connection. Even your Pinoy friends who are currently abroad can join. The more, the merrier, especially when you eventually get to study in the EU together.


Do I have to attend the entire 2-day virtual fair? 

Participants are highly encouraged to maximize their time in the fair by exploring as much as they can. There are loads of information to take in and activities to attend that will be very helpful to start the journey to Go Higher with EU. That goes for all participants, those who already have a particular field of study or EU member state in mind as well as those who havent quite settled on something yet. The Fair happens only once a year, so its best to take full advantage of this EUnique opportunity.



What can participants expect?

A lot. Dozens of higher education institutions from across the EU are participating this year and they have packed the 2-day Fair with activities. Participants can expect to be fully loaded and raring to Go Higher with EU after the event.


Webinars on research programs, mobility opportunities, and postgraduate degrees

Country presentations from participating EU member states

Live chats with representatives, alumni, and scholars from participating institutions

Virtual meeting rooms for Philippine institutions and their EU counterparts



Is there an age limit for the participants? 

Learning in the EU knows no age, so theres no limit to joining the Fair. Its open to all Filipinos who have finished an undergraduate course, whether here or abroad, and are intending to take higher education.


What programmes are available? 

Astrophysics, Biotechnology, Business, Chemical Engineering, Football management, Geography, Green energy management, History, Information Technology, International Relations, Languages, Law, Literature, Medicine, Sociology, Teaching, Tourism, Zoology, and much more.

You can also avail of study programmes with a modular structure that allows you to build a personalised programme by choosing several different modules or units of study each year. For example, if you are studying Fashion, you might choose one module on Fashion Marketing, one module on Textile Design, and one module on Ethical Textile Production.


Registration is free. Thus, you are interested just visit https://ehefphilippines.com/register/ 

Wednesday, September 15, 2021

These Harry Potter books are so pretty and here's where you can get them

I have been a Potterhead since I was 14 and 20+ years later, I am still in love with the wizarding world. That is why I got so excited when I saw these books online. 

It's so pretty that honestly, I stop thinking about it! So, I did a little research.
Here's what I found out. 

This is not a new edition of Harry Potter books so which means that you don't have to buy a new set to get this. (Thank God!) 

Instead, these are dust jackets from a small family-run business called Nerdy Ink. It retails for $35 or roughly around Php 1,700. Considering that it helps protect our books plus it's the perfect way to brighten up our bookshelves, I guess the price is reasonable. 

They also offer free shipping for orders of $35 and up. Thus, if you are in the Philippines, you only need to worry about the shipping costs from the US to the Philippines in case you decide to use shipping companies like Buyandship. If you don't want to go through the hassle, I saw a seller on Carousell selling this set for Php 2,350 (you just have to confirm legitimacy) 
 
Please note that this is not official Harry Potter merchandise but based on reviews, it seems to be of good quality. Also, this is only suited for the Harry Potter Potter US Hardback Set, ISBN: 9780545044257 so, you might have to check which edition you currently have before ordering. 

Anyway, that's it for now! Thank you for dropping by. 

If you are also a Potterhead, let us know by answering this question in the comments section below. What’s the name of the three-headed dog that guards the door to the Sorcerer’s Stone?