Innovations in Education: The New Normal
By: Noel C. Lacambra
Teacher III
Recuerdo National High School
Recuerdo, Nampicuan, Nueva Ecija
COVID-19 pandemic has impacted practically every facet of life, including education.
This major public health emergency led to a dramatic change in the teaching-learning process.
The government limits face-to-face learning in all schools within the country due to global health
crisis. This has been a challenge for the Department of Education on how to redesign programs
and implement modifications to continue education despite of the pandemic.
In response to these situations, innovation in education required teachers to be creative in
lesson planning, teaching process, and assessment procedures. Teachers must be able to reflect
and be open to designing and adopting new and diversified teaching methods or activities,
understanding students' individual differences, and maintaining their motivation appropriate in
the current situation.
Educators are forced to modify teaching strategies and expected to use innovations during
this special period. The shifts in education toward the new normal require educators to be
innovative to cater students’ need. As we embrace the new normal, it appeared necessary to
innovate teaching strategies and introduce significant changes and new methods in the delivery
of instruction. Teachers must also be retooled and equipped with new teaching practices
responsive to the challenges brought by the pandemic.
In today’s time, teachers and students are now engaged in different online learning
platforms and transformed traditional classroom settings into e-learning environment. Teachers
utilized innovation in a form of digital instruction and modular learning. The quality of blended-
learning approach is that it gives a means to guarantee learners are upheld and guided as they
attempt individual learning tasks. Blended-learning commonly portrays learning that combines
conventional instruction and learning approaches with information and communication
technologies. It is critical to use digital technology to transform the classroom environment, but
it is also more interesting. It is expected that blended learning will improve the students’ learning
experiences (Lakshmi et.al, 2020).
Distance learning relies on the resources of the digital field, as well as the management of
ICT and the development of digital skills, amid these times of world tragedy caused by the
pandemic (Hussain et.al, 2010). Students simply cannot participate in distance education to
continue on their learning paths without proper information and communication technology
(ICT) devices, internet/mobile network connection, instructional resources, and teacher training.
Students from resource-poor locations, remote rural areas, and low-income households are
especially at danger of being left behind. Furthermore, learners with disabilities or those who
speak other language at home will require extra individualized support. According to Lin et.al
(2014), technological innovations will be embraced if they are appropriate for the current
scenario and have lower costs.
Teachers should also be adaptive and creative in the use of localization and
contextualization in teaching. Self-learning modules and other instructional materials must be
more meaningful and relevant in the context of the students' prior experiences and real-life
situations. The concept of localization and contextualization is based on the idea that learners
learn best when they are exposed to learning materials that are relevant to their lives.
Moreover, in this massive change in education, assessment and grading systems have also
a big shift. Changes in the assessment of learning were considered to support learning recovery.
The best way to push students to learn is to hold them accountable for their own learning (The
Manila Times, 2020). Teachers must consider whether continual feedback from students on their
learning might help students reflect on their strengths in the age of remote learning.
Innovations are essential and provide teachers a meaningful direction and favorable
outcome. Continuous instructional transformation and innovations are essential to address the
needs of learners especially in this time of Pandemic.
