Technology has revolutionized
education. Learning and acquiring
information has gone beyond the halls of the school, and teaching has become so
much more interesting and dynamic than ever before. The 21st century educator is
slowly but surely adapting himself/herself to the learning style of the 21st
century learner. With technology being a constant companion of the digital
native student, the innovative teacher strives to create a blended learning
environment where technology is used by students to gain knowledge and skills.
There is an increasing interest in
the use of technology in education. But
there is more to creating a blend of learning environment using technology. Just what exactly is Blended Learning and how does
one get started? These are important questions that were answered last
September 14 when EduPower Publishing Corporation brought to the MIBF a
learning event entitled Blended Learning
for English Proficiency.
The learning session was
facilitated by Mr. Jasper Vincent Alontaga, a professor at DLSU-Manila handling
Educational Technology classes for both undergraduate and graduate levels. From his presentation, Blended Learning or
also called Hybrid Learning was defined as the convergence between face-to-face
learning environment and computer-mediated learning environment. It is a
combination of strategies and approaches in the process of teaching and
learning using technology-driven instructional resources. It was said that bringing in technology into
the classroom is not to cut short teaching time for the teacher nor to fill-in
a gap in the absence of things to do; several benefits of blended learning
include pedagogical richness via access to new resources, increased flexibility
and convenience, and differentiated instruction suited to the academic needs
of learners.
 |
| from top left: Ms. Agnes Apostol, Project Director of EPC ICT4E; Mr. Jasper Alontaga, resource speaker; learning event attendees Dr. Alice Buni and Dr. Lorna Caballero of PLP with EPC Business Development Specialist Mr. Paolo Garcia |
There are a number of blended
learning models which educators can choose to implement. From a face-to-face
driver model where teachers use online learning for supplemental instruction to
an online driver model where courses are primarily online and students work
remotely most of the time and face-to-face check-ins are sometimes optional and
other times required. As with any new
idea, the task of blending can be daunting at first but knowing that in the
convergence between the traditional and computer-mediated instruction lie the
standard principles of learning theories such as discovery, constructivism,
cognitivism, active learning, and interactivity.
To get started in blended
learning, educators should get to know available tools that will best complement
classroom instruction. EduPower gave participants a sneak peek at its unique set
of learning solutions for them to create and implement an effective blended
learning experience. In building English proficiency, participants were invited
to try English Discoveries Online, a
blended learning solution that takes the best from both computer and classroom
experiences to create a flexible, comprehensive mode of instruction that suits
a wide range of learning styles and abilities.
The learning event was held at the
meeting room 3 of the SMX Convention Center.
Attendees include educators from Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Pasig, University
of Makati, Colegio de Sta. Rosa-Makati, Phil. Cultural High School, San
Sebastian College, La Consolacion, PNU, and Lorma Colleges among others. EduPower commits itself to providing educators
and learners with the best in print and digital learning materials.
