In this new normal, education has changed drastically. Without face to face classes, students, parents and educators are met with a set of unique challenges all at once. For students, they have to deal with a much larger workload or find the isolating nature of online learning stifling. For parents, they now face challenges such as connectivity and having to make adjustments to ensure that the children learn. Meanwhile teachers have had trouble adjusting to technology or find it difficult to keep students engaged online or have trouble monitoring how well students grasp concepts.
Moreover, both parents and teachers experience having to do work and classes in the same room, which greatly affects the way students and teachers alike interact online. To cope with this, the Department of Education (DepEd) has made platforms such as the free online tutorial platform ETULay and DepEd TV to address these issues.
“Even on summer breaks, we are encouraging our learners to engage in these kinds of activities for them to expand their knowledge and prior skills attained throughout the past school year,” DepEd Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones said. “We want to make sure that our learners are ready and prepared to take their future subjects in their next year level, especially that we are currently implementing the distance learning modality,”
The DepEd has also made sure that these platforms are accessible offline, allowing students easy access no matter how bad the connection. They also implemented the use of printed modules for students in more rural areas to ensure no Filipino student is left behind, allowing the student to self-learn at their own pace. However, there are still many students, teachers and parents who may find adjusting to the new normal challenging and overwhelming.
As one of the major telecommunication companies in the Philippines, Globe Telecom takes it upon themselves to address these problems. With the launch of GoLearn- a company-wide online platform for students and teachers, Globe aims to help the education sector achieve 21st Century Learning for all Filipinos.
As a platform, GoLearn promotes continuous learning and further bridges the digital gaps in the education landscape in the country. This is done via giving people better and easier access to connectivity, learning platforms, and solutions.
“It is our commitment in Globe to work with the whole education sector to bring forth everyone’s aspiration for better education, ensuring that learning never stops for all, wherever they are, regardless of their status.. This is the heart of GoLearn – Globe’s unified initiative to bring together products, programs, services, and solutions that will empower the whole learning ecosystem,” said KD Dizon, Globe Head of Small, Medium Business Group.
Through GoLearn, Globe ensures that the learning doesn’t stop regardless of the situation. It serves to supplement modules given by teachers and is accessible to students no matter how poor the connection. Moreover, it can be accessed at an affordable price, making it accessible to those who are facing financial troubles. Through this, Globe ensures that though the pandemic has severely altered the students’ way of studying and access to resources, it does not have to force the student to give up on their dreams.
“We advocate digital learning and we partner with Globe for the fulfillment of this advocacy,” said Senator Joel Villanueva during the launch last August 27. “That’s why importante ang mga ginagawa o gagawin pa nating mga interventions para hindi tuluyang bumaba ang kaalaman ng mga kabataan. Makakatulong dito ng malaki ang initiative ng Globe to ensure na tuloy-tuloy ang learning ng mga bata,”