DepEd's future: The alpha learners

Photo credits: toddlers inside room photo – Free Image on Unsplash

The Next

The alpha learners are the next in line. They will be the most advanced, digitally capable, social media savvy, and critical and reactive learners.

As with our Gen Z, the alpha learners will outnumber their contemporaries since they will be born into a generation of smart classrooms, online commerce, and affordable internet access. As their first babysitters, the next generation will be increasingly exposed to technology. They will have access to "mine" and "screenshot done." A cohort that leverages the use of the internet and technology.

Aside from that, the next students are the most powerful characters on social media. Some of these students will go on to become the next generation of social media influencers, live sellers, Tiktokers, and YouTube vloggers. Indeed, we are completely altering the landscape that existed 50 years ago. In terms of how childhood traditions become happy moments, fruits and vegetables become the standard of simple living, and values are fostered in every home, there will be no traces of the past.

Change is definitely coming. Nobody, not even the future, can stop it.

In the next 20 years, they will dominate the classroom settings. They have to be treated with love, care, and compassion if DepEd adheres to child-friendly schools since their attention span is short, their emotions change from time to time, and their resilience to adversity differs from those of the past.

Inside the classroom, they will be the most outspoken and suggestive. They will definitely change how lesson planning and implementing are done. And who will deal with them? It is the Gen Z teachers with Gen Y as the consultant of comparison and contrasting between generations. What an exciting part of the educational arena it would be!

According to my observations, generation Z learners have begun to exhibit the indications and symptoms of the next generation of learners. In my class, I have noticed that many students have technological skills. They would like to participate in more activities involving social media, cell phone use, and improving their video and layout editing skills. To give you an idea, check out the video below. The output was completed in under 48 hours, but the output is imaginable for students 20 years ago.

I asked today's learners who would be the future generation of students. Their response is shown in the video.

Video Editor: Uzzhyl Bagaslao

Smart Classroom: The Future of DepEd Learning Spaces

School buildings, particularly those supported by the Basic Education Facilities Fund (BEFF), should adhere to the architectural criteria. These requirements are agreed upon following the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement between the Department of Education (DepEd) and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). As a result, the department issued DepEd Order No. 64, s. 2017, or the Minimum Performance Standards and Specifications for DepEd School Buildings, for alternative building materials.

DepEd has also unveiled new construction designs, including disaster-resilient school structures. What is required is that the school building's architectural, structural, electrical, and other plans comply with the National Building Code of the Philippines, the Architecture Act of 2004, the National Electrical Code of the Philippines, the Revised Fire Code of the Philippines, and the Revised Philippine Mechanical Engineering Code, among other laws and rules.

We should think about our learning environments as we prepare for the future. I propose a smart classroom that will be technologically advanced, relevant to future demands, and strategically designed to provide meaningful and engaging learning experiences. Thus, this smart classroom will have multimedia learning tools, a class-home arrangement, a virtual reality section, a little studio, and internet access.

• Multimedia Learning Resources. I believe that multimedia resources should be present in schools to the greatest extent possible. Projectors, televisions, speakers, tablets, and smart phones are all examples of multimedia. It assembles a collection of resources into a single facility where both teachers and students may find vital materials for teaching and learning. The facility can be divided into rooms that serve diverse purposes. A school multimedia center benefits both teachers and pupils. Certainly, its usage improves the quality of learning and instruction since it allows both to realize their full potential.
• Class-Home Setup. Water, a sink, a comfort room, and a dining area where students may chat and enjoy themselves as if they were at home are all required for it to be more integrative in terms of experience. Because it does not appear to be different from what they are used to, a class home setup makes learners, particularly young ones, feel at ease and confident. Certainly, it enhances learning outcomes and reduces problems.
• Virtual Reality Corner. Technology is paving the way for the future of education and work. Schools are one of the best examples of how Virtual Reality technology can be used in the real world. Using virtual reality in the classroom keeps students interested and gives them something to look forward to. It enhances real-life experiences and makes learning more exciting for students.
• Mini Studio. The facility will aid learners in catering to and developing their potentials and talents in the arts such as dance and music arts under the Special Program. This facility's implementation provides students with immediate access to materials that are readily available in the classroom. They can use the materials/equipment whenever they have free time instead of doing other things. Among other things, this facility offers painting supplies, cameras, a full-body mirror for dancing and musical instruments, and speakers.
• Internet Facility. Because almost everything is moving online, it is high time for schools to obtain internet connection. The internet will surely be quite useful for the different learning areas and lectures. Students regard Google as a new teacher, and the Internet as a school. The education department should provide the infrastructure for teachers and students to use technology in the classroom.

The department has long spoken about innovation. An innovative classroom employs educational strategies that change and vary from day to day. Innovative learners will set and achieve their own goals. These objectives might be broad or specific, or they can be a combination of the two, but they should drive learners toward creativity. But how do we get there? This initiative will include smart classrooms. Certainly, if this classroom is realized in the coming years, the learning experience will be dramatically enhanced. As a result, the overall quality of education in the country will improve.

Co-Creation in Leadership for Advancing Education

The educational landscape is always evolving in today's fast-paced society. It has gone through many ups and downs, but it has always been at the forefront of implementing reforms for the growth of learners and providing excellent education. However, I am concerned about the current level of education in the country. Is it due to changing landscapes? Are we producing more leaders with IQ than EQ? This is what we have to ponder.

Education stakeholders should be concerned about the future, particularly procedures/tasks/jobs that employ automation, games, and robots. Will we be able to keep up with the changes in society? Are we prepared for the benefits and drawbacks of these developments for our students?

As we move along the continuum of the 21st century, it appears that the country is falling behind other countries in terms of closing the gaps in attaining significant learning competencies. Based on the participation of the country in the three assessments: the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMMS) in 2019, the Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics in 2019, and the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) in 2018, the overall performance was not promising, and it revealed poor learning outcomes among our learners falling below the minimum levels of competency.

Are we on the right track with the Philippine basic education system? We have to think about it.

To keep up with societal developments, our curriculum should be reassessed. Indeed, we must always be ready to exploit the various current trends, such as massive open online courses, hyper-educational trends, and educational technology trends. With this in mind, I hope that one day, the classrooms of the region's affluent private schools will be identical to those of public schools. It is nothing but an impossible dream, but hopefully, we could somehow address the social, cultural, political, and technological divide among our schools in the country.

Speaking of which, leaders in the nation should recognize that this gap has led to our students' low performance. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, statistics on the National Achievement Tests had been dropping, with the bulk of results in the assessed learning areas falling short of 75%.

What do we need to change if we want to remedy this? We should strive towards smart classrooms and campuses. All of them are byproducts of the past. I doubt it would be the same if we had it now. As can be seen in our country right now, we are attempting to take baby steps in resolving various difficulties, which is a good thing for a Third World country. However, we must not forget that in terms of governance and leadership, we are still far behind Singapore, Japan, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

Now, what do we need? We need visionary leaders to effect societal transformation. We need leaders with higher EQ who can co-create to empower stakeholders and bridge social divides. Through this, we can address socio-economic equity. Hence, bridging leaders make a difference. They are what the future needs.