Schools gear up for education under the new normal

MANILA, Philippines — Some of the country’s top schools are gearing up for the opening of classes this August with varying strategies to cope with the new normal.

All units under the University of the Philippines (UP) system, all courses in the first semester shall be delivered remotely.

The pandemic has led to the adjustment of the academic calendar of UP, including the possible opening of its first semester on Sept. 10 and the shortening of the first and second semesters to 14 weeks.

Remote teaching involves “asynchronous,” or nonreal time communication, such as email, Facebook, Messenger and Viber or real-time communication such as lectures, webinars and teleconferences using Zoom and Google Meet.

In May, the University of the East and University of Santo Tomas (UST) announced they would start the coming school year in August for the college level using alternative learning schemes.

University of the East said the school year both for undergraduate and graduate students at its Manila and Caloocan campuses would start on Aug. 5.

UST rector Fr. Richard Ang said they will start classes on Aug. 13 with the semester ending on Dec. 18.

Ang said UST would implement an “enriched virtual mode, with classes facilitated remotely using both online and offline strategies.”

Based on Ateneo de Manila University’s June 15 memorandum, all Loyola Schools’ undergraduate and graduate programs will go fully online in the intersession and first semester of school year 2020 to 2021.

Classes offered during the 2020 intersession may use Moodle or Canvas online tools. The official learning management system of the Loyola Schools will be Canvas.

Miriam College has set its online orientation for incoming first year students on July 18 via Zoom.

De La Salle University said it would implement the Lasallians Remote and Engaged Approach for Connectivity in Higher Education (REACH), a technology-enabled or blended learning method, as its most viable and flexible alternative for the students.

Payment of confirmation fee for incoming freshmen is extended until Aug. 15.

Classes at Far Eastern University (FEU) will start on Aug. 10.

FEU said it has been using the Canvas learning management system since 2016.

The San Beda University will begin classes in September except for the College of Law.

St. Scholastica’s College in Manila shall be using its Holistic Instruction and Formation through Technology (SHIFT) program to respond the “uncertain times.” The learning system, it said, shall respond to students varying degrees of connectivity.