Zoefia C. Lapuz
October 01, 2023
In the year 2020, a societal shift occurred. It felt as though the world took a 360-degree turn as the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) struck the globe, changing how we view and live our lives.
The world stopped and breathed in the meantime.
However, there are just certain aspects of living that we cannot delay any further, one of which is education; thus, several learning modalities were born as learning institutions continued to adjust.
In particular, Bulacan State University (BulSU), ranked 25th among the top 100 universities in the Philippines based on EduRank’s report recently, had to find its way too.
Hybrid Flexible (HyFlex) Learning is the primary method used by the university to ensure that no student is left behind. Although there are currently four types of HyFlex Learning implemented, the Hyflex-SPOC modality is more consistently used.
The Small Private Online Courses (SPOC) promise easy-to-access educational possibilities through online learning materials that students can access during the allotted time for the subject.
This is where problems arise.
How many students would actually learn the subject?
During SPOC orientation, professors often reiterated the importance of time management in this modality. For those students new to the setup, they might have assumed it was always emphasized because several failed to do so, leading to the dreaded INC or “singko.”
When asked for their thoughts on SPOC modality, a student answered, “Hindi okay, mas better pa rin ang face-to-face.”
(It’s not okay, face-to-face is still better.)
While some may view this as freedom, others believe otherwise.
The truth is, despite receiving video lessons and modules, students continue to experience a sense of confinement, believing that they must learn everything on their own.
In this modality, there is no guarantee of a quick response once a question arises, unlike in the face-to-face setup where every question can be answered immediately. In some way, it is as though the desire to learn is gradually wearing down.
SPOC can also be challenging for individuals whose learning style involves physical interaction and conversation. It diminishes the fun of studying because there are little to no opportunities for discussions.
Moreover, since students have diverse learning styles, SPOC restricts their ability to learn efficiently, as they typically have only one mode of digesting the topic: watching pre-recorded video lessons. Consequently, since professors cannot fully gauge students' capabilities beyond their written outputs, there is no guarantee that the grades calculated truly reflect the students' full potential.
Students are deprived of the curiosity-filled walls of the classroom, which can make the subject feel more challenging and less motivating.
With everything said above, what could be done to ease the toil?
First, avoid bombarding professors with more students than they can effectively handle.
One of the most ringing rants we may have heard from teaching professionals, regardless of their level and position, revolved around the sheer number of students they must worry about, in addition to the mountains of paperwork they must complete.
Teaching is already exhausting in itself, but to think about hundreds of students at once will surely wear them off. If only there were sufficient funding to provide an adequate number of teachers.
Second, offer options to students that could cater to their learning style, especially in subjects generally deemed challenging.
Students should be granted the freedom to select their preferred method of digesting the presented information, be it modular or face-to-face, as long as they meet their deadlines for assignments. Similarly, it would be better if they are not solely measured through a single method, but are provided with choices in assessing their understanding of the topic.
Lastly, the students must accept that this is a part of our norm now.
Considering that we are currently undergoing technological modernization, it would be challenging to remove SPOC and other alternative learning modalities from our education system.
From a broader perspective, SPOC is a good way to utilize our modern technology; thus, completely rejecting its implementation is not the ultimate solution. The goal is to make it more favorable for everyone involved, professors and students alike. It is crucial to examine its guidelines to make it more inclusive to all students of varied origins, and standing, as well as to respond to its gaps from earlier implementation.
As we strive to improve these learning processes, let us ensure that our discipline is also in check. After all, this is a collaborative effort to make education more accessible to each and every one of us.
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