An effective blended online teaching and learning strategy during the COVID-19 pandemic

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7847201/

According to Pastor, 2020 and Mirandilla-Santos, 2016, In an effort to stop the COVID-19 pandemic from spreading
further, the higher education system in the Philippines has undergone significant transformation, including a notable
shift toward online instruction. Because a significant portion of the population has erratic internet access and few
electronic devices, this abrupt shift to online instruction worried many teachers and students. This led to all courses
being advised to shift online until the end of the second term. The sudden shift to full online instruction led faculty
members to adjust their teaching plans, teaching styles and assessment methods. The shift to online instruction was a
contingency plan to secure the continuation of the courses offered by the University and enable students to continue
with their studies. However, developing countries, like the Philippines, have areas that do not have a reliable or existent
internet connection which posed a great and major challenge to the shift to full online instruction.
As the immediate future is uncertain with new outbreaks and looming lockdowns, many instructors had to consider
online instruction, which can be given in one of three pedagogical approaches: (1) synchronous, (2) asynchronous and
(3) blended learning strategy. In synchronous online lectures (real-time), instructors and students meet online using a
video conferencing software during the designated class hours and instructors give lectures on the course. Students
participate in the lectures and are able to ask questions vocally or via live text chat. In asynchronous lectures, instructors
record lecture videos and upload them in Blackboard learning management system (LMS) or YouTube, so that students
can access them in their most convenient time.

THE NEW NORMAL IN EDUCATION: A CHALLENGE TO THE PRIVATE BASIC EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS IN THE
PHILIPPINES?
https://iiari.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/The-New-Normal-in-Education-1.pdf

The conduct of lessons in defiance of the closure order is one of the fundamental issues identified by Kasrekar (2020).
The best option is online teaching and learning because in-person sessions have a higher chance of spreading. This
platform presents fresh experiences for both teachers and students, which challenges both groups. This demands for a
"adapt swiftly" response to the pandemic-related new normal in teaching and learning (TanhuecoTumapon, 2020). The
transition to online learning came about too quickly and too abruptly, yet academic institutions must plan forward and
quicken the adoption of new teaching pedagogies. It is yet unclear how technologically prepared the schools are,
therefore this subject remains open. At this point, reopening the schools would be very expensive (Felter & Maizland,
2020).

The Philippines' current educational climate seems hopeless. According to the Department of Education's most recent
statistics release as of July 2020, the initial enrolment is just slightly more than half the 27.7 million students from that
year. Financial and internet connectivity issues are the main causes of the fall in enrollment. Private educational
institutions face greater closure concerns while the public school system struggles to find resources for distant learning.
Only 866,935 students were registered in private schools according to DepEd data, down from 4 million students in
2019. Due to the economic downturn, approximately 200,000 students have switched from private to public schools.
According to Magsambol (2020), the Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations threatened to close more
than 400 private schools because of a lack of students.