Get to Know More About Blended Learning in

the Philippines
We’re finally approaching the last days of summer! For teachers and students, this
season marks the start of another school year. Malls and bookstores are usually packed
with visitors scrambling over stacks of pens, notebooks, and other school supplies—
until last year. Whereas bookstore aisles were filled with excited kids and teens then,
they are now far out empty. With the situation we have today due to the COVID-19
pandemic, classroom-type education seems out of reach. Hence, the Department of
Education (DepEd) suggested ways to adapt to the ever-changing teaching landscape.
One of these is the implementation of blended learning in the Philippines. In this blog,
we’ll walk you through this learning approach, its benefits, and other updates. Read on
to know more!

What is Blended Learning

Blended learning is a learning approach that combines traditional face-to-face teaching
method with online-based instructions. Addressing the growing belief that this is an
entirely fresh approach, Department Secretary Leonor Briones cleared that the country
has been practicing distance learning for decades. Several colleges have been giving
online modules and tests to their students as part of their curriculum. In spite of this
statement, challenges surrounding online learning still persist during the present time.
That said; with proper knowledge and support from the government, we’ll be able to
achieve a fruitful semester.

Benefits of Adapting Blended Learning

Enhances Safety
During these dire straits, there’s nothing more we can do than to practice safety
measures such as social distancing. Hence, this school year might not be your typical
classroom-type of learning, for it will mainly adopt online teaching modes. Through this,
students can browse their modules at home without risking their health and safety.

Promotes Autonomy
Studying at home surely provides students ease and freedom to do things at their own
will and pace. They can manage their time on their own since they can access their
modules in advance. If not done wisely, they may end up cramming until the last minute
of their deadlines. Hence, this prompts them to practice proper time management at an
early age.
Improves Feedback System
In this setup, most quizzes and exams are done virtually. Thus, students can receive
their scores right after checking. This feature not only helps students but also adds
perks for the teachers. Through this fast feedback system, teachers will have a firm
grasp of their students’ weak areas and create a better plan to bridge this learning gap.

Boosts Efficiency
Compared to traditional setup, blended learning saves more time and resources.
Students and teachers can access the modules anytime and anywhere—given that
internet signal reaches the area. Blended learning aims for a hassle-free learning with
virtual classrooms and online modules.

Allows Flexibility
Since students don’t have the same learning styles, teachers often find it hard to sustain
their interests, especially if they’re enclosed in a classroom’s four walls. But this
changed when blended learning took part in the usual learning setup. Today, teachers
can use online activities which include podcasts, videos, and other media types to
encourage participation from their students.

Click here to learn the Four Different Types of Learning Styles.

School Updates: Blended Learning in the

Philippines
Now as we embrace this virtual learning approach, there are factors that we need to
consider. Let’s start with the enrollment process. Since we’re still practicing strict safety
measures, kids and teens are asked to stay indoors. How will the enrollment proceed?
Fret no more! Most public and private schools allow remote enrollments for the
upcoming school year.

Next to take note is the mode of teaching. Most lectures today will happen through
online platforms. Teachers will set virtual meetings or provide livestream links as their
main teaching mode. It will be accompanied by online modules and exams to test the
students’ skills.
Enroll Online at CIIT Philippines
CIIT, one of the top arts and IT schools in the country, seeks to provide quality
education amidst the COVID-19 outbreak. Students can enroll online starting June 15,
2020. They can learn and enjoy senior high school programs, bachelor’s degree
courses, and short courses while at home. Visit our online enrollment page for more
details.

“So, now that I’m done with my online enrollment, how can I settle my payment?” CIIT
made it more convenient than ever. You can now pay through our off-campus payment
options. Choose among our wide range of payment channels here. This option is
powered by Dragonpay so you don’t have to worry about the security of your chosen
payment channel.

Learn while at home. CIIT has adopted blended learning in the Philippines and
continues to ensure that it provides top arts and IT education to its students. For more
details, visit our admission page or email us at info@ciit.edu.ph.

Related articles:
Your Helpful Guide to CIIT Philippines Online School Enrollment
Online Classes Productivity Hacks for the Coming Semester
OPINIONOPINION-EDITORIAL

The future is ‘blended’ learning

BY DR. FLORANGEL ROSARIO BRAID
Dec 3, 2022 08:05 AM

PAGBABAGO

Dr. Florangel Rosario-Braid

The Department of Education’s mandatory order of a return by all public and private schools to
in-person learning was a response to public perception about the relative advantages of the latter.
Only schools with “highly exceptional” circumstances may continue using the blended or hybrid
mode. Private schools were given the option to employ the hybrid mode after consultations with
parents. But only 40 percent or 25,700 schools have re-opened, citing the lack of school building
and inadequate health facilities.
This move may have been prompted by initial surveys worldwide that had shown among others
that “extended remote learning had harmed students.” Too, there was pressure to return to the
conventional system as we were one of the last few countries to transition back to face-to-face
learning.
Surveys in some countries had shown that the experience with online learning was not favorable.
Some school districts in the United States noted a decline two to three times greater than those
that taught students in-person. The decline is due to unpreparedness in handling the shift. The
pass/fail system had its pros and cons. While it may have reduced anxiety, the system
discourages students from exerting effort to excel. Like the Philippines, many of the developing
countries have poor internet connection. There is a general lack of motivation, inadequate
technology tools, and stress due to additional paper work.

But if these limitations were addressed, the survey outcomes could have turned out differently.
Perhaps over time, when we shall have provided the needed budgetary resources that would
ensure upskilling of our teachers, improved connectivity and other serious deficiencies, a shift in
favor of the blended modality may be considered.

One hopeful note is that our premier university, the University of the Philippines, will be
implementing blended learning as its delivery mode this year. This realization of the need to
prepare our human resources through blended learning augurs well for the future. It is only
through a radical shift in the learning and delivery systems, and the provision of a wide range of
learning tools in various formats that we can equip learners with the so-called 21st century
competencies. These include critical thinking, creativity, collaboration and negotiation skills,
systems thinking, interpersonal skills, and self-directed learning. The complexities in our modern
world require personal attributes such as openness to challenge, curiosity, mindfulness, resilience
in adversity, and active listening.

Psychologists call it a focus on the “cognitive” domain which means developing capability for
problem-solving or task regulation; and the “social” domain or skills needed for productive
collaboration and participation.

But until we are able to equip our teachers with these competencies, we can only dream in vain.
Thus, we are back to the most important element – political will and the will to succeed.

My email, Florangel.braid@gmail.com
ACT: 'Blended learning' only a short-
term solution to lack of teachers,
classrooms
Philstar.com
April 26, 2023 | 4:57pm

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers called on the Department of Education on Wednesday to move
away from its “apparent instant prescription” of blended learning to solve the country’s education
woes, including recent reports of students and teachers’ difficulty attending class in the summer
months.
Miguel De Guzman
MANILA, Philippines — The Alliance of Concerned Teachers called on the
Department of Education on Wednesday to move away from its "apparent
instant prescription" of blended learning to solve the country’s education
woes, including recent reports of students and teachers’ difficulty attending
class in the summer months.

"Of late, blended learning has been the DepEd’s go-to solution for power
outage, oil spill, and intolerable summer heat, even calling the modality an
innovative approach to classroom and teacher shortage," ACT chairperson
Vladimir Quetua said.

"While it can be useful as a quick and temporary response when in-person

classes are difficult to hold due to unforeseen circumstances, it should not be
abused as the perennial solution, especially to problems caused by lack of
foresight, poor planning and inadequate budget allocation," Quetua added.

Quetua’s remarks follow DepEd’s reminder to school principals that they can
revert to the blended learning modality to protect students’ and teachers’
health from the extreme heat felt in classrooms.

In 2022, DepEd also suggested that schools implement the blended learning
mode, along with other strategies like shifting schedules, to address the
limited number of school facilities that can cater to the growing student
population.

DepEd required all schools to shift to full face-to-face classes in November

after two years of distance learning with limited exceptions. At least 28 million
students enrolled for the school year 2022-2023.

RELATED: DepEd data shows imminent classroom shortages with face-

to-face classes
Quetua, however, said that distance learning during the pandemic
emphasized the digital divide or limited access to devices among students,
which still remain "unresolved."

"Distance learning problems hound our teachers and learners still as they
remain unresolved after two years of its implementation—inadequacy of
modules, lack of gadgets and internet support, and learning loss," Quetua
said.
In 2020, an initial survey by DepEd showed that more than 8.8 million parents
preferred using printed modules to teach their children, while only 3.3 million
chose online learning.

Funding and political will needed to address

shortages
The group also said that the government needs to act on shortages in
education, including the lack of classroom facilities, which would require "full
fiscal support" and "staunch political will."

Quetua again repeated ACT’s call to revert to the old academic calendar,
which schedules students’ academic breaks during the summer months of
April and May.

DepEd spokesperson Michael Poa has said that the department is still
studying proposals to shift to the old academic calendar, especially with
regard to concerns in previous years about conducting classes during the
typhoon season from June to August.

For years, DepEd resisted synchronizing its calendar with the new school
calendar in higher education, which the Commission on Higher Education
recommended for state universities in 2019 to cover the same period as the
government’s fiscal year.

However, DepEd had to delay its class opening in 2020 from June to October
to make way for distance learning preparations during the COVID-19
pandemic. Since then, it has scheduled class openings in August.

DepEd’s Basic Education Development Plan 2030, which is its first long-term
roadmap, mentioned the need to prioritize investments in information and
communications technology and "sustain schools’ experience with blended
learning and the use of online modality." — Cristina Chi