Equipping Teachers with Knowledge, Skills, Attitudes, and Values for the 21st Century: A Reflection

 How relevant and applicable were the course contents in helping you enhance your competencies as 21^st Century teacher?

This short-term course allowed me to assess the competencies expected of a 21st-century educator. Despite the four years of preparation, I received during my teacher education days, as well as the numerous workshops and seminars I have attended, it has become an excellent forum for me to rekindle the path I took.

The demands of being a teacher have changed. Previously, paper-and-pencil tests and teacher-talking time were the off-the-shelf strategies. But now, you cannot go a day without using a television set/digital light processing projector, speakers, laptop, among others. Similarly, teachers have updated their students via social media. Indeed, things and times have changed.

Given these classroom realities, I am grateful to have been introduced to the requirements of the twenty-first-century teaching landscape. We must learn, relearn, and unlearn because teachers are the most important people in any classroom. As a result, this course is a huge help in meeting the requirements and contributing to the department's goal of providing quality education.

What significant learning insights did you gain from the course?

The discussion about the changes in the educational landscape and critical attributes of the twenty-first century was very important to me. As a result of the major changes brought about by Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), climate change, inflation, the political landscape, and technological invasion, the educational sector has been substantially impacted and challenged. These changes in society strongly suggest reforms to how instructional delivery should be done; how instructional materials should be planned and developed; how assessment tasks should be employed and utilized; and how policies should be aligned with the needs and complexities of learners.  

Today, it is valuable to learn the art of flexibility as a teacher with a mix of Gen Z and Alpha learners. It is challenging to stay up with how our learners learn in today's world. The teacher must innovate, create, and fully utilize the advantages of technology, relevant educational devices, social media, and educational software/ applications.

What challenges or difficulties did you experience during the course?

Prior to the start of this course, I was quite apprehensive because I had a lot on my plate. I am a postgraduate student in educational management, and I supervise a group of teachers at our school. With the supplemental demands of my career and personal life, I must juggle the numerous requirements and reports that must be submitted. Aside from that, my PhD class falls on a Saturday—what a coincidence!

 Further, I also experienced difficulties in accessing my "i.flex" online account. I also had trouble figuring out how to proceed with the course that I was enrolled in after I was able to access it. Fortunately, I was able to view, download, and scan all of the materials two days before the course began.

 When the course started, I had no clear idea as to what it would be. Excitement made me curious about the lesson. When I started scanning the topic, I was quite happy that I am able to relate with the modules. It also pays to have a 10-year experience in teaching, because of your experience, you can clarify your practices.

 Moreover, the second live session was one of the most difficult experiences I had because it shared the same schedule as my PhD class, both of which ran from 2:00 to 5:00 PM. I had to contend with the complexities of time, technology, and content. Nonetheless, I was relieved at the end of the day because I had made it through both classes. Both are essential to me, so I must live with these limitations/ challenges.

What areas related to 21^st Century teaching and learning do you still need to improve on and why?

With the educational arena changing and transforming, I am eager to learn more about the benefits and drawbacks of using technology in the classroom. I enjoy utilizing technology. I am also looking forward to learning new things about technology. That is why; I still need to improve my skills in the use of new applications and other software that will improve students' learning experiences.

 COVID-19 provided us with the opportunity to explore a world that was unfamiliar to many educators. And, as a result of this opportunity, we are able to perform various functions, learn the significance of online learning, and explore the possibility of modular distance learning. But what has been most memorable is that we can become distant and still have a significant impact on our students.

 It is for this reason that I want to enhance my skills on how I could enhance my curricular delivery. I want to implement new strategies that will excite my students. Presently, I am also making use of some social media platforms as our generation is spending so much time glorifying the different contents available online. With their enthusiasm, I hope to take advantage of this opportunity to improve my teaching while connecting with my students.

What can you say about your overall experience (i.e. comment on chat, forum, course requirements, FLT competency, and the online modality)?

This GURO21 experience has given me a new perspective on DepEd training. Well, I am not going to go into detail about what happened to me, but it was quite different.

 With respect to the live sessions, it was exciting because Socratic reasoning was prominently used. I enjoy conversing because it allows me to express myself and share what I know. However, I am embarrassed at times because my Microsoft Teams account does not appear to cooperate during the breakout discussion. Nonetheless, it was fixed after a few minutes.

 In terms of the course requirements, the activities are manageable for me. But because of my classroom responsibilities and other administrative tasks, I feel like I am being chased by deadlines. However, the tasks were very interesting, especially the blog. I remember starting my first blog in college, and it is only now that I am able to do it again. What is funny is that it has changed (layout and features) so much that I have to rediscover and explore it all over again.

 Further, our FLT expresses herself with grace and confidence. You can tell she genuinely enjoys what she does. And, given her hectic schedule, I am amazed at how she manages her time. When it comes to our discussion, she always has high expectations for all of us. She makes an effort to allow everyone to speak and converse. Furthermore, she raises the bar so high that we tend to raise our own too.

 Lastly, my only reservation is that the online learning mode be blended so that we can meet with other classmates. I am a kinesthetic learner who also enjoys talking. Because of the flexible learning, I am only able to sit and listen. I would prefer to be able to engage in healthy discussions while seeing the expressions on my classmates' faces.

What are your other comments / suggestions for improving the content coverage and future course deliveries?

The course material is current and relevant. The fact that the topics were aligned with the current situation in the department is proof enough that the international organization is aware of the education sector's future needs.

 If there are any topics that could be included in the migration from GURO21 to GURO22, I believe they would be how teachers manage a smart classroom. Furthermore, it may be necessary to investigate how micro schools and Minerva schools operate. We can't avoid technology, so it's time to talk about hyper trends in education, the fourth industrial revolution, machine learning, chatbots, and artificial intelligence in education.

 In terms of course delivery, I would prefer to have in-person classes. I would also like to see how these apps and emerging trends in education are used in the classroom, as I would like to simulate it. Truly, we will be at par with the world in terms of educational innovation and information and media literacy.