DepEd finds 41 errors in self-learning modules

Public assistance personnel of the DepED Command Center located at DepED Central Office in Pasig City answer queries from stakeholders on October 7, ranging from enrollment procedures to learning modules clarification as the DepED shifted to distance learning due to the coronavirus pandemic. INQUIRER file photo / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) has monitored 41 errors in self-learning modules (SLMs) being used by students in view of the distance learning setup being implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Of the total number of errors referred through DepEd Error Watch from October 12 to 20, the 27 errors are from modules locally developed by DepEd field units, three are from modules that went through quality assurance from the agency’s central office, and 11 are from unknown sources, according to Undersecretary Diosdado San Antonio, of DepEd’s Curriculum and Instruction.

“When we say unknown sources, ito po ‘yung hindi namin mahanap, hindi namin makita kung saan ginagamit (When we say unknown sources, these are those that we cannot trace, those modules which we could not know yet where these is being used),” he said in an online press briefing on Friday.

San Antonio said that there were originally 56 errors reported during the period but there were 15 errors that are “entries appearing twice or reports indicating suggestions or queries, and errors from YouTube lessons.”

Of the 41 blunders, 20 are factual errors, seven are computational, two have wrong format in terms of font or illustration, four are printing errors, four are mistakes on spelling or punctuation, three are typographical, and one is on grammar and syntax.

According to San Antonio, among the criteria in quality assurance of SLMs are its content, language, and design and layout.

He said, however, that DepEd has already launched efforts to deal with the errors in the modules, including the Error Watch platform and engaging with third-party experts and volunteers from the academe as SLM “conformance reviewers.” Earlier, he also assured that erratum will be made on the erroneous modules.

DepEd Error Watch aims to receive and collate reports of errors found in learning materials, such as SLMs and TV episodes, that will be forwarded to appropriate offices for validation and correction. DepEd urged the public to report such blunders to [email protected] or 0961-6805334.

JPV