It’s June, and school is still out. The opening of classes in the Philippines regularly commences on the first Monday of June. However, as the world continues to struggle against the novel coronavirus disease pandemic, authorities had to make unprecedented decisions to further delay classes. While students rejoice at the thought of an extended vacation, some find it unfortunate and a delay for education. Instead of aimlessly scrolling down through social media timelines all-day long, you might want to check out the following online learning platforms below and take advantage of the free learning materials they offer.   But before we jump into the list, here are five things to look into when walking into the self-learning journey: Choose your study area. Avoid choosing your bedroom, or at least make sure to draw a clear boundary between your study and resting area. This is to encourage the mood for learning and avoid the temptation of procrastination and sleeping.  

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  Create a schedule and a routine. This will help you monitor and track your progress, as well as identify the goals that you would like to achieve—just like in school, where you have to accomplish projects and pass exams by the end of each term. For example, if you’re learning to sew clothes, it would be fitting if you will also have a self-made shirt as an output by the end of the week or month of theoretical learning. Practical projects will help you learn beyond skin-deep. Keep a notebook, take down notes. Stay away from distractions. Place your phones on silent mode. Since no one is there to call you out for being distracted, encourage yourself to maintain focus instead. Look for reliable learning materials. While Google may seem to offer you all, here’s a lifehack that might come in handy. If, say, you’re going to study Psychology, you can actually look into a course syllabus. Usually, universities would include the list of subjects each term students will have to take, as well as learning material recommendations accessible via their website.

“Knowledge saves lives, and even more so during a pandemic.”

Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO COVID-19 Technical Lead

 

1 | WHO in-depth learning about COVID-19

For everyone The World Health Organization kickstarted free online learning to further educate people on the novel coronavirus. The organization offers dozens of online courses available on their open platform at www.openwho.org. OpenWHO provides learners a fast and freeway access to information to the latest scientific and operation know-how. Its dynamic interface allows its users to access the platform, either on a computer or mobile device. It also features an offline download, peer discussion boards, and live briefings from ongoing health emergencies.  

2 | Free online skills program with TESDA

For Filipinos interested in technical skill building Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Online Program or TOP is a free educational platform that offers Filipino citizens access to free online technical education. It provides an effective and efficient way to deliver technical education and skills development services to a broader audience at a lesser cost, especially in this time of pandemic where physical interaction is highly discouraged.  

Also Read: List of TESDA courses and how to enroll

  TOP can be accessed by visiting www.e-tesda.gov.ph or downloading the TESDA App available on Android and iOS.  

3 | Public education goes online – DepEd Commons

For Filipino ALS, Kindergarten, Grades 1-12 The Department of Education and Globe/Smart Telecommunications in the Philippines has launched DepEd Commons. It is an online platform that offers supplemental instructional materials within the DepEd Commons domain without incurring data charges. The initiative is also in cooperation with the Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) and the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC). However, users must take note that links on the DepEd Commons page that require you to access the internet outside the platform is beyond this coverage and may require standard data charges. Visit DepEd Commons at commons.deped.gov.ph. Not sure how to use it? Click here to learn more about how to access and use DepEd Commons.  

4 | Interactive learning for free with Khan Academy

For students, educators, and parents worldwide Khan Academy is a non-profit organization that offers free, world-class education and resources for teachers, students, and parents worldwide. It features student learning customization, where students can learn at their own pace; various experts as content creators, ensuring quality learning; and tools to empower educators. They cover subjects ranging from Math to Science & engineering to Arts & humanities to Economics & finance and more. Aside from visiting www.khanacademy.org, interested learners can download their mobile app—available on Android and iOS, or subscribe to their YouTube channel.  

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5 | EdX

For everyone, especially higher learning students EdX, founded by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard University, offers free high-quality online courses, in partnership with various universities including the University of California Berkeley, University of Texas Systems, Australian National University, and Boston University, to name a few. Click here to see a complete list of school partners. The platform offers 2,800+ courses such as humanities, computer science, language, data science, business management, with 25 million+ learners worldwide, and 87 million+ enrollments across edX courses. Visit Edx at www.edx.org. However, if learners wish to acquire a verified certificate, prices vary between USD49 to USD99 (approximately P2,400 to P4,900). You might also want to check out Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC), an extension of edX.org.   — The following are just supplements that will serve as a refresher or prepare students for the upcoming classes, which will physically open at least until a vaccine is made available. If you know other open platforms that we didn’t mention in the list, let us know in the comment section below so others will know.