Digital literacy skills are essential for navigating the modern information landscape, particularly in education. We future teachers should have strong media information and ICT literacy skills that can critically evaluate and select educational resources, fostering a learning environment with accurate and reliable information. ICT literacy enables us to use digital tools for lesson planning, content delivery, and assessment, making learning more interactive. It also allows us to adapt to emerging technologies, stay updated with educational trends, and collaborate with others globally. When it comes to student learning, digital literacy skills are fundamental for academic success and future readiness. Students and teachers must be proficient in media information literacy to distinguish factual information from misinformation, promote critical thinking, and develop technical skills to use digital platforms and create digital content that can aid every task that needs to be accomplished. These skills foster creativity, communication, and collaboration, preparing students for the demands of the 21st-century workforce. As technology evolves, digital literacy skills should also improve and can adapt to emerging change, emphasizing the importance of integrating them into education's curriculum.
As the group, who have presented Gagne's Nine Events of Instruction, we have found this framework to be instrumental in designing and delivering effective learning experiences for students. The systematic approach outlined by Gagne provides a clear structure for instructional design, guiding us through each stage of the learning process. By incorporating these events into our teaching, we have observed that these events can improve students' engagement, comprehension, and retention of material. One aspect of Gagne's framework that we particularly appreciate is its emphasis on capturing learners' attention and establishing clear learning objectives from the outset. The "Gain Attention" event allows us to kickstart each presentation or lesson with a captivating introduction or engaging activity, setting a positive tone for the learning experience. Additionally, informing learners of the objectives helps them understand the purpose of the lesson and what they are expected to achieve by the end, fostering a sense of direction and focus. Throughout the instructional process, we have found that Gagne's Nine Events provide valuable guidance for sequencing and structuring learning activities. By stimulating recall of prior learning, presenting new material in a clear and organized manner, and providing guidance and support as needed, we have been able to uplift students' understanding and facilitate deeper learning. The events of instruction build upon each other seamlessly, creating an effective learning experience for our students. Also, Gagne's framework emphasizes the importance of assessment and feedback in the learning process. By eliciting performance, providing feedback, and assessing student progress, we have been able to gauge the effectiveness of our instruction and identify areas for improvement. This reflective approach to teaching allows us to continuously refine our instructional strategies and better meet the needs of our future students. Overall, Gagne's Nine Events of Instruction have been instrumental in enhancing the quality of our teaching and promoting student learning and success.
Moving with another model, we really acknowledge the significance of Bloom's Taxonomy, initially crafted by Benjamin Bloom in 1956, which underwent a crucial revision by Anderson and Krathwohl in 2001 to align with modern educational needs. In the Philippines' K-12 curriculum, it serves as a cornerstone for educators, guiding our lesson plans and assessing cognitive development. With its six levels, from basic remembering to advanced creation, it empowers students to progress through increasingly cognitive tasks. By emphasizing not just mere memorization but also comprehension, application, analysis, evaluation, and creation, Bloom's Taxonomy equips learners with the skills needed to thrive in real-world scenarios, fostering critical thinking and creative problem-solving abilities within our group. In the latter part, the ADDIE model stands as an important structured instructional design, comprising Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation phases. It serves as a compass for effective knowledge delivery, ensuring connection with learner needs and instructional goals. From the careful analysis of objectives to the execution of assessments in the design phase, each step is vital. We, as educators, recognize that development brings ideas to reality, while implementation and evaluation foster a progressive learning environment. Through formative and summative assessments, the model promotes continuous improvement, emphasizing both process and outcome. Lastly, the ADDIE model empowers us as educators to create engaging, effective learning experiences that benefit learners.
Talking about implementation, we've been innovating a lot as time goes by. We seek ways on how to deliver education despite the challenges along the way. In this continuous change we cross with conventional and online learning. When we contrast traditional and digital resources, we see that each strategy has its own advantages. Traditional education provides a structured atmosphere, ideal for concentrated learning, based on in-person instruction and resources like textbooks. However, it can limit access to dynamic content, affecting curiosity and engagement. On the flip side, digital resources utilize technology to enhance education, offering a wealth of opportunities. Interactive whiteboards, e-books, and computers provide diverse materials tailored to different learning styles. Als, their adaptability to various teaching scenarios, like emergencies or distance learning, allows for personalized experiences. We believe a balanced approach is key. By integrating digital tools with traditional methods, educators can offer comprehensive learning experiences, enabling students to engage with the material in multiple ways, thus enhancing understanding and retention.
Starting from the year 2019, these students are the ones who really felt the change from regular classes to online and blended learning. It really caused inconvenience to everyone because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to the change; everything got affected, including how education is delivered. It wasn't easy for the students and also to the teachers, especially the older ones who struggled with navigating technology and online teaching tools. And wasn't prepared in the first place. Fortunately, some local governments allocate an extra budget to provide students with gadgets to help them with the new way of learning – it's lucky if you got a pocket wifi with extra data. Despite the challenges, the schools managed to adapt to this new approach to education. There are also benefits to distance learning, as the Department of Education implemented. It's cost-effective because instead of spending money on transportation and other expenses, it can be used for other necessities. It's also flexible and time efficient; students can learn from anywhere. Additionally, this method also uses a self-directed learning approach, which research shows is more effective when students can guide their own learning. On the other side of the coin, students are having a hard time with this new approach especially to those who are struggling to learn on their own and lack parental guidance. Too many distractions, which pose one of the challenges. While it may seem cost-effective, there are hidden expenses like internet bills, increased electricity usage, and the need for additional materials. Nonetheless, learning requires extra money, so students can persevere. And that doesn't stop all, because the other aspects are also affected. Including how we socialize, how this approach compromised the quality because the in-person classes are nothing compared to distance one. Lastly, the ongoing issue of unreliable internet connection, particularly in the Philippines, is still a shared concern— I must say that you all agree.
These types of distance learning have greatly benefited us students, aiding us in overcoming the challenges associated with this new method. It indeed requires our cooperation to execute the prepared plan for us, but it's just a simple assistance from which we can all benefit. Scheduling synchronous and asynchronous classes is really beneficial for us; it aids us in saving extra money on purchasing data load for offline learning materials. In addition to virtual classrooms and learning management systems like Quipper and eRTU, there are learning materials that do not require data, such as educational videos aired on selected TV channels, accessible to all students. Furthermore, we have these so-called asynchronous classes that promote a heutagogical approach. These learning materials are either printed modules or video and audio tapes. Well, utilizing the internet for learning doesn't necessarily imply synchronous classes because we have web-based courses that provide materials accessible all the time. Although synchronous and asynchronous methods differ, both provide a quality education that teachers strive to deliver.
One of the negative effects of distance learning is that it doesn't allow much space for socialization. It is not friendly to face-to-face interaction. However, social media is used for social networking, and that promotes relationship-building and healthy socializing. Nevertheless, it is just a virtual version of how we communicate with other people. Yes, it may affect our interpersonal skills at some point, but what virtual environment is for? It's up to us to utilize these platforms, tools, and available websites to improve education. Schools are not solely about improving cognitive aspects; they also encourage student interaction. Despite the disadvantages of this approach, people will always seek ways on how to use it to benefit them. Like collaborative applications which save a lot of time and effort in creating a group output. At the end of the day, we people are very innovative and wise on how to turn things user-friendly and beneficial to use and aid us to avoid inconvenience.
Through discussing all these topics we've had the opportunity to explore how technology can be used in the classroom. How it is engaging for students. How it can make learning more fun and capture their attention. This also can be particularly helpful for students who struggle with traditional methods. We can explore topics in greater depth, find different perspectives, and collaborate with others around the world. Understanding the relevance and appropriateness of technology in teaching and learning is important for effective instruction. Technology aligns with educational goals, addresses students' needs, and promotes critical thinking skills.
Furthermore, we also became knowledgeable about the educational technology policies and those are Digital Literacy Integration, Infrastructure Development, Teacher Professional Development, Data Privacy and Security, Equity and Access, Curriculum Alignment, Innovation and Research Support, Collaboration and Partnerships. These educational technology policies guide the integration of technology into curriculum, protect student data privacy, promote digital citizenship, support professional development for teachers, and ensure proper infrastructure maintenance. Lastly, these policies create a conducive environment for learning and prepare students for success in the digital age. All of these are important because they play a vital role in shaping the modern educational landscape and preparing students for success in a digital world.