DepEd Learning Modalities for S.Y. 2020-2021
By RACEL T. DUMANIG
Butuan Central Elementary School
Central Butuan District I
Education is the key for generations of Filipinos to become full-fledged, productive members of society. This is why we should be looking at how the nation will go back to school this coming August.
However, the Department of Education delivers 3 types of modalities this year.
First is Modular Distance Learning. It involves individualized instruction that allows learners to use self-learning modules (SLMs) in print or digital format/electronic copy, whichever is applicable in the context of the learner, and other learning resources like Learner’s Materials, textbooks, activity sheets, study guides and other study materials. Learners access electronic copies of learning materials on a computer, tablet PC, or smartphone. CDs, DVDs, USB storage and computer-based applications can all be used to deliver e-learning materials, including offline E-books. The teacher takes the responsibility of monitoring the progress of the learners. The learners may ask assistance from the teacher via e-mail, telephone, text message/instant messaging, etc. Where possible, the teacher shall do home visits to learners needing remediation or assistance. Any member of the family or other stakeholder in the community needs to serve as para-teachers.
Secondly is Online Distance Learning. It features the teacher as facilitator, engaging learners’ active participation through the use of various technologies accessed through the internet while they are geographically remote from each other during instruction. The internet is used to facilitate learner-teacher and peer-to-peer communication. Online learning allows live synchronous instruction. It requires participants to have good and stable internet connection. It is more interactive than the other types of distance learning. The responses are real-time. The learners may download materials from the internet, complete and submit assignments online, attend webinars and virtual classes. This is practiced effectively by using a Learning Management System or related technologies. The DepEd Commons and LR Portal fall in this category.
TV/Radio-Based Instruction utilizes SLMs converted to video lessons for Television-Based Instruction and SLMs converted to radio script for Radio-Based Instruction.
And lastly is the Blended Learning. This refers to a learning delivery that combines face-to-face with any or a mix of online distance learning, modular distance learning, and TV/Radio-based Instruction. Blended learning will enable the schools to limit face-to-face learning, ensure social distancing, and decrease the volume of people outside the home at any given time.
Critical for implementation will be the production of the needed teacher’s and learner’s learning materials (LR Portal and DepEd Commons will be maximized), as well as the support of media institutions like TV and radio stations.
School opening will not necessarily mean traditional face-to-face learning in the classroom. The physical opening will depend on the risk severity grading or classification of a certain community pursuant to guidelines from the Department of Health (DOH), the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases in the Philippines and the Office of the President (OP). ###
