Decongesting traffic through cyber learning

TRAFFIC CONGESTION AND EDUCATION

Every year, as schools open their doors to multitudes of learners all over the country, from school children in basic education to higher education students in colleges and universities, the issue of traffic congestion has always been a perennial problem. Traffic management has always been a continuing problem in most major thoroughfares where schools and other institutions of learning are located. Traffic Managers have tried to configure the best solutions and alternatives to ease traffic congestion. Driver education, number coding, truck bans, car pooling and other means have been tried and tested but the monstrous traffic jams still abound as schools open their gates to new and returning students who have to wake up early to catch their rides and be on schedule as classes open early in the morning and leave school every afternoon or early evening as the school day ends just to arrive home very late in the evening exhausted from the long traffic lines they have to endure. This is repeated on a daily basis as the commuting public can only grumble from the daily grind they have to bear without seeing any reprieve from the undeserved punishment. Is there really a solution in easing traffic from the multitudes of commuting public composed mostly of students as class starts?

DIGITAL EDUCATION AND LEARNING THROUGH CYBERSPACE

Today’s education is still, sad to say, traditionally face to face, where students learn by attending classes in physical classrooms, where students have to be physically present and participate in learning together with their classmates under the guidance of a teacher who have to make sure that the student attends classes regularly. Fortunately, with the advancement in cyber-connectivity and the proliferation and widespread use of the Internet, new ways of learning with the use of digital devices that can readily connect to any source of data and information is changing the landscape of learning virtually accessible anywhere on a 24/7 basis. Digital education is already at our doorsteps, and making use of this technology makes it possible to decongest classrooms, making education and learning accessible to everyone in the comforts of their homes and enjoy additional benefits that goes with it.

ADVANTAGES OF DIGITAL EDUCATION AND CYBERLEARNING

The core of digital education is connectivity through the use of digital devices that can access just about anything from as many sources made available through a vast array of application software or “apps”. Cyber learning make it possible for any individual to access learning through any digital device like computers, laptops, smart phones, tablets or even smart televisions anytime, anywhere 24/7 without physically going to school. What are the advantages of the shift to digital education and cyber-learning?

1.      Decongested Traffic-Keeping our students at home will greatly reduce not only classroom congestion but also traffic congestion if our educational system will radically shift the curriculum to digital content.

2.      Decongested Classrooms-The need for classrooms, chairs and other school facilities will be greatly minimized and may save infrastructure funds for school buildings that can be used for beefing up capability in developing and implementing a massive cyber learning capability for our existing learning institutions.

3.      Savings for Transportation Cost-The daily commute for students will be drastically reduced as most learning content will be available through the Internet including virtual simulation of real life experiences like machine operation, assembly or disassembly, troubleshooting, etc. which can be repeatedly practiced interactively until the individual comprehensively learn and masters the competencies required for that particular process or task.

4.      Savings for Food Allowance-With most of the students kept at home to learn, food cost or food allowance will be greatly reduced because the budget for food will not be divided for those who stay at home and those students who go to school or elsewhere.

5.      Savings for Dormitory Accommodation– The need for student dormitories will also be greatly reduced as students need not be near their school to study.

6.      Customized Learning Preferences– The students will be responsible for their learning schedules and customize how they will allocate their time to cover as much learning in their own sweet time subject to the set timeframes required by the digital learning curriculum.

7.      Lessen the Workload for Teachers-Teachers will be freed from the traditional tasks of face to face teaching, assessment and evaluation of learning as test and examinations and other teacher centered activities can be digitized and transformed into e-learning content. The teachers will find new roles as facilitators of learning who shall guide the students on how to maximize their learning experiences and become mentors and advisers.

PREPARATION AND TRANSFORMATION TO DIGITAL EDUCATION

We are now in a highly digital world and our education system to respond to the needs of the digital workplace has to radically transform from its traditional practices of face to face learning environment which suits the industrialization era towards a more customized learning system suitable to address the job requirements of an interconnected cyber-physical workplace adapted to the tech-savvy millennial learners. Classifying learning institutions according to their readiness to provide digital learning maybe a good measure to determine which institutions are prepared the most for implementing digital education and at the same time being able to determine what kind of support mechanisms will ensure the transformation of all institutions to provide digital learning for everyone.

1.      “Early Adopters or Pioneer” Institutions– these are the institutions that have changed their learning system from the traditional face-to-face education to transform and shift to e-learning as a major effort to address 21st century learning requirements. These institutions make use of digital technology to transform their curriculum into digital content that can be accessed by their students on-line anytime, anywhere on a 24/7 basis. The early adopters or the trailblazers have adopted learning processes that are attuned to the learners’ environment where connectivity and use of digital technology and devices form the critical elements for a digital education system to prosper. These institutions do not wait for government signals but instead take their signals from events happening worldwide and look at the best international models available outside of the country.

2.      The “Followers and Believers” Institutions– these are the institutions that have followed the lead of the Early Adopters or Pioneer Institutions who have shown the effects and benefits of the digital education system. The Followers or Believer Institutions are following the path taken by the Pioneer Institutions who are the benchmarks for their transformation to the digital education system. These institutions exert a lot of effort to keep abreast of new systems that are practiced by pioneer institutions serving as their models for transformation to the digital education system.

3.      The “Wait and See” Institutions- these are the institutions that wait for government to provide policies and guidelines and exist to provide learning services at the minimum acceptable standards. They would normally wait for the signals from government regulators and operate within the parameters set by government.

PREREQUISITES OF A DIGITAL EDUCATION SYSTEM

1. STRONG INTERNET CONNECTIVITY
2. AVAILABILITY OF SMART DIGITAL DEVICES (COMPUTERS, LAPTOPS, SMARTPHONES, TABLETS, SMART TV’s)
3. DIGITAL LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
4. CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
5. DIGITAL LEARNING CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
   a. INSTRUCTIONAL CONTENT
   b. INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEOS
   c. INTERACTIVE SIMULATION CONTENT
   d. VIRTUAL REALITY APPLICATIONS
   e. LEARNING APPLICATION SOFTWARES
6. ON-LINE LEARNING ASSESSMENT SYSTEM
7. INDUSTRY-GRADE TRAINING TECHNOLOGY EQUIPMENT & TOOLS FOR BLENDED LEARNING AND HANDS-ON APPLICATION PRACTICE,
8. ON-LINE ASSESSMENT AND HANDS-ON EVALUATION OF COMPETENCIES
9. INDUSTRY STANDARD INTERNATIONAL CERTIFICATION RECOGNIZED BY GOVERNMENT
10. COMPETENT TEACHER-FACILITATORS WHO ARE WELL-TRAINED AND ADEPT IN THE USE OF COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY AND CYBER-CONNECTIVITY.

IMPORTANT STATISTICAL DATA ON PHILIPPINES’ DIGITAL EDUCATION TRANSFORMATION 

No. of Public Schools for Basic Education as of 2016
No. of Public Secondary Schools       8,159

Public School Enrollment as of SY 2015-2016   18,889,290        
No. of Public Elementary Schools 38,688
No. of Kindergarten Students 1, 737,313
No. of Elementary Students 11, 151,040

No. of Secondary Students:
Grade 7 1,713,333
Grade 8 1,581,325
Grade 9 1,449,567
Grade 10 1,250,908
Grade 11 3,524
Grade 12 2,280

Technical Vocational Education & Training Institutions as of March 2018
Private TVI’s 3,550
Public TVI’s 332
Total TVET Providers 3,882

Total Enrollment in TVET as of March 2018
All Program Delivery Modes                              182,186

Higher Education Institutions as of 2017 2,396
Public: 233
State Universities and Colleges 112
SUC’s Satellite Campuses 453
LGU run Public Universities and Colleges 107
Others 14
Private Universities and Colleges 1,710

Total Enrollment for HEIs in SY 2016-2017 3, 589,484
Public 1,641,607
Private 1,947,877

TOTAL ENROLLMENT FOR ALL LEVELS               22,660,960

ENROLLMENT STATISTICS FOR METRO MANILA
Kindergarten
Elementary Education
Secondary Education
Technical Vocational Education 29,534 (as of March 2018)
Higher Education 752,761 (as of SY 2016-2017)

Considering the huge number of students that are enrolled at all levels, keeping them off the streets of urban centers remain a perennial challenge. Assuming that we can take out 50% of all students off the streets, approximately 11,330, 480 million students will be out of the streets and will surely lighten the traffic situation in many major urban centers of the country. The challenge is how do we do it?

KEEPING THE STUDENTS TO LEARN AT HOME

One of the most viable options for keeping the students from commuting to their schools is to make the learning programs available anytime, anywhere 24/7. The students can access their lessons through available smart gadgets like i- pads/tablets, i-phones/smart phones or laptop and desktop computers at the convenience of their own homes or designated internet centers within their communities or any internet cafes where internet connectivity is strong enough to access the controlled learning content.

QUALITY OF CYBER-LEARNING ENGAGEMENT

While some people may be concerned as to the quality of learning in the e-learning mode (because students are given a free-hand on when to access learning) the teacher-facilitator and the digital classroom management system will provide maximum timelines for lesson completion as well as the module examinations to assess the comprehension and understanding of the learners at the end of each topic lessons. The recorded achievement (or non-completion of the assigned lessons at hand) will provide the designated (on-line) teachers with the tools to evaluate the learning progress of each student through the electronic record that is generated each time the learner is on-line. The teacher-facilitators who monitor the achievement of the student will be able to provide proper advice through e-mail, text messages or even call any of the enrolled student-learners for any issues or concerns or even commend them for completing the lessons ahead or on time.

MAXIMIZING THE USE OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY

It is high time to make use of available technology to maximize learning. Cyber-connectivity make possible for the student and teacher to meet virtually in cyberspace through video conferencing and lesson podcasts. Likewise, assessment and evaluation of learning can be automatically recorded and chances of cheating can also be minimized if not eliminated with live video recorded examinations. As the level of technology is exponentially increasing, learning has becomes more accessible to a greater number of people at a very minimal cost. There is no limit as to the number of enrollees to on-line courses (this can only be limited as the technology allows it). It also allows learning institutions to offer more courses without increasing classroom spaces as learners go to school only at designated time for hands-on practice and face- to-face evaluation of learning and for assessment and certification of acquired competencies.

One of the main advantages of cyber learning especially for government is the massive access to learning that it can provide to as many people that may want to be trained on specific job-specific requirements. DepEd, TESDA and CHED may want to encourage institutions of learning to at least begin converting their curricula to be accessed through digital learning or at provide e-learning curricular models that can be further enhanced through collaboration with curriculum experts and learning content developers and industry practitioners from various concerned organizations. Such collaborations, just like the development of many innovative ideas that came about in the past few years may well improve on the many facets of developing and implementing e-learning that will be most appropriate for 21st century learners and fits the job requirements in accordance with industry standards and practices.

The digitalization of education and learning is not a new idea. It started with the increased use of computers and the transformation and proliferation of information and learning content uploaded through the Internet. The exponential development in cyber-connectivity made possible the tremendous growth of availability of data, information and learning content of whatever nature posted in various websites that can be easily accessed by anyone who  can connect to cyberspace using smart gadgets. This current reality is providing an avenue to find ways to expand education and learning to reach as many people as possible.

READINESS OF OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM FOR DIGITAL EDUCATION

The Philippines education system is still in the tradition of face-to -face learning. While there are learning institutions that are already using digital education technology as a means of teaching learners, there is still low adaptation towards digital education technology due to several reasons:

1. The perceived lack of available digital learning materials that can support learning curriculum at various levels
2. The suitability of available digital content that will match the learning curriculum requirements
3. The availability of funds to purchase, install and use digital technology equipment, tools and connectivity for on-line learning requirements
4. The lack of qualified teaching personnel adequately trained to facilitate digital learning technology
5. The slow government initiative to pursue massive digitalization of education and learning

AVAILABILITY OF e-LEARNING PROGRAMS

The world wide web (www) is an infinite source of learning resources from almost every conceivable topic. Open source and proprietary programs abound in all fields of endeavor. Anybody who has internet access can browse through a myriad of topics that are made available through cyberspace. As technology advances, there is an abundant source of learning that can be accessed, many for free and some for a minimal fee. From e-books to interactive and virtual reality learning, anyone who has the desire to learn can access from different sources, the topics or content desired to be learned some on simple electronic platform where one can just read, listen or watch in video formats or in more sophisticated and advanced material where the learning can be experienced and immersed in a virtual reality or simulated real life environment and interactively participate in activities to operate, dismantle, assemble or engage in manipulating tools, machinery, among others. The power of digital technology mixes virtual and real life experiences.

From available e-learning resources, one can go through massive, open on-line courses that are mostly provided for free, but without the corresponding formal grant of credentials. On the other hand, many of the Learning Institutions in different parts of the world have made available their courses on-line granting credentials for those who have completed the course requirements. Some institutions have their own e-learning portals that can be accessed directly by prospective clients while other learning institutions can be accessed through third party portals that act as gateway to the courses. Either way, the credentials are provided by the learning institutions upon satisfactory completion of the requirements of the course. These new systems of learning is now termed as Education 4.0 in response to Industry 4.0 requirements.