DLP-SCL: No Homework, More Seatwork
Whether by aural, physical, social, logical, solitary, verbal or visual approach, students must have their own way of effectiveness when it comes to learning. Over the years, the Philippines has produced high-scoring students and aims to create a newbound quality education developed by the government. These results, which reflects the educational system of our country is quite gratifying.
Welcomes a new teaching method, the Dynamic Learning Program which implements the Student Centered Learning technique. This way of teaching was first developed and proposed by Christopher Bernido and Ma. Victoria Bernido, the physicist couple who won the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2010, originally, for the purpose of helping students in Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental Typhoon Sendong victims get back on track after being traumatized.
During the initial runs since it was tested, the program improved the the students’ performance mainly by giving them more time for self-learning and drastically changing the role of teachers. It was initially implemented due to lack of funds, lack of supplies, lab equipments and textbooks, yet it was a low budget but effective approach as well.
The Phinma-University of Pangasinan, with over 200 other schools in the Philippines, implements the DLP-SCL method for Senior High School students. Though, the program was said to be beneficial than unfavorable, it is still undeniable that issues between the students starts to emerge regarding the DLP-SCL. However, no matter what the facilitators nor the students would say, the DLP-SCL empirically aims for the best future that it can offer for 21st century learners, of course, by improving our quality education through systems based scientific approach.
“No homework, more seatwork,” that would probably be the best thing about the Student Centered Learning for students who always scratches their heads whenever the teacher asks for their homeworks. To this era, we won’t be needing a lot of equipments anymore, just a bunch of pen and papers for doing the endless activities, since the concept of the DLP circles about having at least two facilitators for giving instructions and a lead facilitator who will teach the lesson.
Moreover, during class hours, students learn on their own 80 percent of the time while the teacher needs to be in class 20 percent of the time. Under DLP, students get to spend their time answering questions on worksheets based on the lesson that was discussed for only 15 to 20 minutes. This system developed by the Bernidos is basically called the parallel learning, which is highly suitable for socio-economic conditions like our country and is applicable to any class size. The pace of learning is also created for slow to fast learners.
“These self-driven students are the kind of students we need for the 21st century, students who can acquire new skills on their own, a method that can work even without textbooks,” said Mon Isberto, a Smart public affairs chief, who partnerd with the Bernidos for the DLP project.
As a student who spends a half-life in school, it is proven that DLP-SCL develops critical thinking, makes students more creative on their own and enhances comprehension and writing skills. And because of so much work already done in class, it’s no need to do assignments at home. The program allows students a “strategic break” from academics. More seatworks at school, less paperworks at home.
This also benefits the teachers for the only things they have to do is check the activities of their students and evaluate their improvement for self-learning. Since the lesson modules are completely laid out before the school year starts, it would be easier to teach and facilitate students. Each one on both sides would have time for their families and themselves.
On the other hand, a few acceptable issues were questioned by Senior High Students whether it was really “learning on their own” or “learning without a teacher”. Since the DLP-SCL doesn’t apply to all kinds of students, there are few instances wherein students themselves starts to question their own education.
It is factual that it takes time to adapt to this program since it’s still a new practiced learning method. Be that as it may, students often complain for the 15 to 20 minutes discussion for it seems like the new learning is limited and less substantial. The speaking and viewing skills and exposure of students are also lessen and this skills call for behavioral manifestations.
In addition, the communicative competence of students diminishes. The DLP-SCL shows less focus to students’ development in communication, adding to that, teachers holding four to five class sections per meetings requires a lot of their time organizing the students’ performances. It sure must have been well-studied to understand that not all students learn the same way DLP implies.
The best way to fathom this common problem is probably by taking our time to adapt to this newly introduced development. The school should help, not only the students, but the teachers and facilitators as well for we are all a part of this evolving change in education.
Be it because of lack of funds or lack of facilities, but those won’t be a hindrance in learning to its extent and let’s just turn these disadvantages into the best form it can be. It won’t be like what education used to be in grade school and junior high schools. This time around, we have to help our educators lessen their work and at the same time, helping ourselves to improve by self-learning. After all, it was accurate that we are refining our own abilities that will lead to a brighter future ahead of us.
Nonetheless, it’s not the papers and pens and activities that matters the most in DLP-SCL. It was the hardwork that every student would put in in order to learn, because that is our purpose of coming to school everyday, isn’t it? Let’s bid half-goodbye to discussions and nerve-wrecking lectures, we had enough of them a ton of times on the past years.
DLP-SCL aims more on improving skills and capabilities than just knowledge, which for the best reason of, applies to 21st century students and produces high-engaging performance that will flourish the prosperity of good quality education in our country.
