Dizon wants gadgets for students

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Councilor Alvin Dizon is asking the Office of the Mayor to study the possibility of equipping all public school students in the city with gadgets and other devices needed for them to cope with the blended learning approach.

Dizon is also requesting Mayor Edgardo Labella to carefully consider the feasibility of installing fiber optics in order to provide “fast, reliable, and affordable” internet connection in every household.

“This is to ensure that no child shall be left behind when it comes to access to quality education,” the councilor said.

Dizon is set to introduce the proposed resolution with regard to the said requests during the City Council’s regular session on June 24, 2020.

The Department of Education proposed to implement blended or distance learning modalities, particularly online learning classes for school year (SY) 2020-2021, owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The department said schools are not allowed to conduct face-to-face classes, and “lessons will be delivered to the students in the comfort and safety of their homes through the various methods.”

Classes are slated to begin on August 24 and expected to end in April 2021.

According to Education Secretary Leonor Briones, the blended or distance learning will include the “use of printed or digital modules delivered to the homes of students, or picked up by parents at designated places following coordinated schedules, as well as the use of online learning resources such as ‘DepEd Commons’ and educating through television or radio-based instruction.”

“The adoption of the mixed method of learning in the face of the public health crisis means heavy dependence on the internet,” said Dizon.

He added that there is a necessity for all students to be equipped with gadgets and other devices for readiness to cope with the new learning approach, as well as for every household to have a reliable internet connection to ensure that no one shall be left behind.

Learning, teaching strategies

Meanwhile, non-online modes of learning are among the options considered to continue providing students quality education as the country shifts to a blended form of learning amid the health crisis.

Aside from online and printed modules, schools and educators are looking into home-based learning through television and/or radio.

The said modes of learning are in consonance with the Central Visayan Institute Foundation (CVIF)-Dynamic Learning Program (DLP), a disaster-resilient, innovative, and low-budget teaching strategy.

The brainchild of Filipino Theoretical Physicists and Ramon Magsaysay laureates Dr. Christopher Bernido and Dr. Ma. Victoria Carpio-Bernido, the program is designed to train students to learn independently, effectively, and responsibly, even with minimal supervision from both teachers and parents.

The program, which was first implemented in 2002 at CVIF, focuses on student activity and aims to produce students whose competence in the Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology (STEM) disciplines are comparable to global standards.

The program was adopted by Bernidos’ secondary school in Jagna, Bohol and yielded positive results.

Students showed improved academic performance in class and on national scholastic aptitude tests and higher success rates in entrance exams in premier universities in the country and abroad. This, with zero homework and face-to-face interaction with a teacher for an equivalent of only 20 percent of school time.

The program has since been rolled out in public and private schools all over the country.

By focusing more on student activity rather than traditional lecture, DLP has proven to be effective in addressing the challenges teachers and learners face in difficult situations, such as sudden interruption of classes and restrictions imposed due to the COVID-19 health crisis.  KQD (FREEMAN)