Nobody predicts that a pandemic would come to this world. Everybody is shocked and caught unguarded. 2019 suddenly became a year of fear, distress, mental stress, and anxiety. Many people died and suddenly people were trapped inside their houses. A lot were affected, most especially the education. Places where education takes place needed to be shut down. But learning should continue, so government and different institutions all around the world thought of ways how to continue the learnings. After thorough thinking, a learning continuity plan was developed and introduced. Different modalities were offered to the students and parents. Education which is the right of everyone became a privilege to the few. Learners who belong to the middle and upper class choose to continue their learnings through the help of technology. The hype on online learning was everywhere. Of course, we are in the time of technology and it is only logical that in the time of pandemic we maximize the use of technology. And one of the features of online learning is LMS.
But questions arise along with this LMS, How effective is the Learning Management System as the virtual classroom of learners nowadays? What are the characteristics of a good and reliable LMS? What will happen to these LMS when we go back to the face to face learning?
Learning Management System is what we need nowadays to somehow keep the learning process continued. Teachers and students still can connect, interact and communicate through this platform. And that is the main feature of a teaching-learning process. A connection between the two—teacher and a student. It would help in the continuity of one’s learning.
Yes, we live in a developing country where internet connection is a big problem. Not only that it doesn’t have a strong signal, but also many students couldn’t afford to have an internet provider in their homes. Again, it boils down to the status of a learner much to the capability of the parents. Therefore, LMS should be accessible to anybody. LGUs should improve their barangay hubs so learners can freely access these LMSs.
And when everything comes back to normal, and school will start to implement face to face classes, LMS can still be used because it offers advantages more than disadvantages.
By: Jennie Blanca B. Miranda|Teacher I|Bataan National High School| Balanga, Bataan
