AWARE of the difficulties faced by learners and their parents towards learning using self-learning modules (SLMs) Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones said in a recent press release that the Deparment of Education (DepEd) have to come up with creative ways in modernizing our education system and it will require the upgrade of learning delivery through the full and creative use of technology in the digital age. This ETULay initiative is one of the many steps being taken by DepEd to ensure that this transformation happens for the benefit of our learners.
The initiative is led by the department's Information and Communications Technology Service - Educational Technology Unit (ICTS-ETU), ETULay was derived from the wordplay of ETU, and itulay (Filipino for to bridge).
The said free online tutorial platform for learners and parents facilitated by expert educators aims to improve the quality of learning in the distance learning setup so DepEd launched ETULay.
According to ICTS-EdTech unit head Mark Anthony Sy at the start of 2021, the initiative's goals are: (1) to empower and give the parents full confidence in assisting their children, (2) help learners to fully understand the lesson, and (3) help teachers in explaining the lesson.
Sy added that the lessons are delivered in tutoring format while guiding how to answer exercises and explaining the details of the lesson. It is not strict in the structure of classroom format because it is really tutoring. This concept only makes tutoring online using StreamYard and broadcast it via Facebook and Youtube for the late viewers to review.
Moreover, ETULay was also designed based on the weekly Most Essential Learning Competencies (MELCs) to provide parents and learners an easier way to answer Self-Learning Modules, which were modeled from the PIVOT 4A QuBE program of Region 4-A (Calabarzon).
Aside from being an initiative that encourages learning of the topic and mastery, it also focused on having remediation programs on Reading and Mathematics. The DepEd program includes sessions on Storytelling, Wellness, Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE), English, Filipino, Mathematics, Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao (EsP), and Health for a comprehensive learning experience for all Filipinos.
ICTS-ETU encourages learners and parents all over the country to catch the live stream of the sessions on the official Facebook pages of DepEd Philippines, DepEd Tayo, and DepEd EdTech Unit.
They can also view the tutorials on DepEd Edtech Unit and DepEd TV’s Youtube channels.