FROM OUTBREAK TO BIG BREAK

By: Rommel K Manwong | Insights

LEAPS Academy Philippines

April 18, 2020

The Online Learning challenge is yet another Big Break! It is becoming the new normal.

In 2018, our institution started to embark on the online system of learning trying to be at par with the ongoing platform of the international community on professional development. This sort of saying that even before the current state of the pandemic, online learning, long distance, self-directed or lifelong learning approaches has been going on for a quiet sometime. By the time the pandemic strike almost all industries, the educational sector was hit and seen in the dark on how to proceed and keep the business.

How to do it? How online classes are managed? How do we ensure quality learning when internet connections are poor and unstable? What are the technicalities involved? Will it be like a television or movie style where one just watched and have meals on the side when a TV ad pops up? Is it like social media style where one can just upload his face and food? These are some of the frequently asked questions we received when we started our online classes in 2018. And this is how some members of the academe and students picture an online class scenario. A clear indication that very few, if not all, are really not ready for such a development, for such a new trend in education and learning. Even CHED and DEPED are unclear on this matter. Perhaps even members of the so-called millennial generation are too blurred to handle this issue.

Reality check, from our records, reveals that very few are able to manage online classes. Only few can bear such a privilege. Even among college graduates who are said to be “professionals” question this educational solution. Many would consider it equally as an illusion considering incapacities to afford internet access and the technical know-how to deal with online instructions. Our societal problems on the provision of basic needs of food and housing is rather a much more priority among many. This is much a greater challenge on the poorer group of students.

Exactly like the government who is overly slow in supplying basic services to the people, we have a sluggish internet connection, slow and at often times nerve-wracking. Some colleges and universities must be terribly in the same spotlight, although, some private academic institutions have better internet connections. But these few institutions can only address the few capable and the rich. Thus, this remains to be an issue of both accessibility and quality education.

Yet the optimists would always say that in any problem, every dreadful incident, comes great opportunities. Certainly, the pandemic will reshape and change our way of living. It offers opportunities for the academic sector to bring about acceptable solutions. While the Philippines may be said to be far flung as global participant in the educational setting, for sure, online learning management system will be brought to light and become easier, accessible, and online classes become the new normal.

As it is stated therefore, there is no other way for students to cope up and start to live on long distance learning methodologies. Looking at the new wave of long-distance relationships (LDR) took its new form, brought by the millennial years; considering social distancing as a way of life now brought about by the pandemic; we therefore must now consider online/long distance learning as the new norm in our educational system. We must embrace such change; we must welcome it as another great opportunity. Anyway, the Filipino breed of learners is said to be adjustable to such given situation.

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