Teachers in Mandaue National Science High School focus on their online classes on Monday, October 5. | Photo courtesy of Mae Hinoguin
MANDAUE CITY, Philippines — On the first day of classes for public schools, teachers in a public school in Mandaue City struggle to learn and adopt to apps and suffer through some internet connection problems.
Farah Judaya, Mandaue City Science High School (MCSHS) officer in charge, said these two were two of the challenges that teachers had to face on the first day of teaching classes in the new normal.
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Judaya said although simulations last week were a big help the teachers still struggle to adopt using the apps because they were not so used to them.
” Ang struggle sa among part (the struggle in our part) is we need to adapt to the new normal, we need to learn mga apps, maong nagtraining sad mi (That is why we had some training on this). We need to adopt in such a way nga (that) our lessons must be integrated with the different apps that would make the lesson very interesting for them,” she said.
Then there was the minor problem of the internet connection on the students’ side sinceThe school had just upgraded its internet connection.
This posed a minor difficulty in the online classes because some students due to the slow internet connection on their side would suddenly get disconnected. Although, the internet connection will be back a few minutes later.
“There are times nga hinay ila connection kung i-on ang camera, so that’s why muconsider lang sad mi, okay ra, turn off your camera but once your name is called i open lang sa kadiyot,” said Dante Infante, Information and Communication teacher.
The session is recorded so, the students can just review the lessons if they did not understand a lesson. The teacher can also review it to assess the performance of the students.
Judaya added that they were satisfied with the first day of classes.
” So far, we are satisfied, we enjoyed (it). Ang ubang teachers sad are there, nag enjoy ra sad sila,” she said.
READ: A tale of two teachers handling online and modular distance learning classes in Cebu
Meanwhile, there are only four students enrolled in modular distance learning, three from grade 7, and one in grade 9.
The School has 479 students enrolled it is higher compared to the last school year with only 451 students.
The MCSHS and Mandaue City Comprehensive National High School are the only public schools in the city that implemented both modalities — having online classes and modular distance learning classes.
Modular learning involves using printed modules for class discussions and activities while online learning uses the internet and digital modules for the classes.
Modular learning fit students, who don’t have access to the internet or those who could not afford to have gadgets needed for online classes./dbs