Surmounting Digital Divide In The Time Of Pandemic By Teacher Education Science Major Students

Abstract

COVID-19 has pressed the wounds of the world where it hurts, specifically the third world countries so hard, making digital divide more felt than ever. Yet, despite the challenges set by the global health crisis, it is evident that schools in all levels have devised mechanisms in order to push through the delivery of instruction and other academic activities with a new normal way of making things work. This study describes the adaptive capacity of the teacher education major in Science students of Davao del Norte State College. Utilizing descriptive statistics, the results presented the learning barriers emerging such as inaccessibility of Internet connection and unavailability of devices necessary to use in the prescribed learning platforms. These students remained resilient by continuously participating in online class activities and complying with their course requirements. Though there were those who answered that they do not have Internet connection at home, the 68 sampled students did not answer no connection available at all, which means that they did find ways to connect to the web, in every possible way. With the unrelenting wills of these learners to continue their studies, it is therefore suggested that there should be constant monitoring of their participation in blended classes and find other alternatives of delivering instruction with low to no Internet connection. Since, the respondents are teacher education major in Science students, further researches are suggested to be conducted focusing on how teachers and students handle classes with required laboratory exercises.

Investigating The Academic Experience of Science Education Students with Virtual Laboratory Classes: A Convergent Parallel Approach

“…As a result of the pandemic, virtual laboratories have been used for educational purposes in biology, chemistry, and other natural sciences since the announcement of the shift in the mode of instruction in the Philippines (Cereno & Borlio, 2021). Students will be able to do studies at home and in the laboratory, despite the COVID-19 pandemic's unexpected circumstances.…”