published in Korea.net
The academic year of Korean local school and international schools based here in Korea is different. Students go on different winter and summer vacation schedules. So, when the corona outbreak posed a big threat after Daegu’s super spreader was discovered, students going to international schools were already settled back in their respective school routine while students going to local schools were still in the tail-end of their winter vacation. The heads of the international schools had to make immediate decision to do online classes.
Following the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education’s advice, Dwight School Seoul switched to online classes as soon as the need arose. Dwight is backed by an extensive network of Dwight schools and its online school, Dwight Global, had been in operation since 2014. Kevin Skeoch, Head of School of Dwight School Seoul said he had been working with Dwight Shanghai and since then had offered advice to the other schools under the Dwight Network. “We informed our staff first, prepared our students and then set out on a course of study online that saw changes to learning”, he added. Now that the COVID-19 had been declared as a pandemic, more schools in the West are adapting the online classes platform.
Nicole Wittman had been teaching for more than twenty-five years. The current circumstance had become a new learning curve for her. She reflects, “We have to consider all facets of a child’s learning and to me, considering their wellbeing has to be paramount. Just in my class, children are attending the online classes from home or grandma’s house or their parents’ workplace. It is a very unsettling time for them and for us teachers, but I have been so proud of the way the children have handled this. They are always prompt to the “google meets” and listen and interact as though it is the real classroom.” She finds it funny when her students would still ask her if they can go to the toilet even though they are at home.
Students had been trying their best to keep their schedule as if these are regular days. Brothers Lenaum and Namuel Palomo, who both go to Dwight School Seoul, wake up the same time as before, take their baths and have breakfast with family and log in to their online classroom at 8:20am. Their respective classes diligently keep to their schedule, bringing a sense of normalcy and routine to their “school life”.
Namuel would prefer to go to school but understands that this is not normal times. He acknowledges online learning is better than he expected.
Lenaum says it’s tiring to be sitting in front of the computer and feels awkward doing his Physical Education exercises simultaneously with classmates and teachers while they are all on different locations but appreciates the importance of continuity.
Sisters Lorien and Loretta Bukilic also attend Dwight School Seoul.
Lorien says the system allows her to finish all the assigned works in her 7th grade class.
photo credits: Erica Lan
Loretta’s mom says she sometimes forget her break time as they lose track of time chatting in their google classroom. It goes to show how much they miss each other.
photo credits: Erica Lan
For 3rd grade students and younger, their parents need to be hands-on in their learning as they need guidance. Mie Cornoedus feels like she suddenly has a full-time job going through with her daughter’s lessons who is in 2nd grade. “I am basically home schooling her with the help of the teachers”, she said. Her fourth-grade daughter, Elea, works independently although she terribly misses her friends.
This is the same experience with Khristine Lucero whose son, Maddox, goes to Seoul International School. She finds online learning effective and a great substitute at a time when the world is in crises. She commends the teachers although it is challenging for her because, “my son is still young, so I need to help him and explain to him, especially when it is a new lesson.” She admits it is time consuming but she’s glad her son is adapting to this method which she calls “the new normal”. The school had a smooth transition from the conventional classroom to the online method as they were briefed very well by the school.
Juancho Agravante, an eighth grader at Seoul Foreign School, found the idea of online learning cool at first. But now, he is starting to miss school. He didn’t like the news of the return to school moved to April 6 but he, too has adapted to the routine. He can manage his own time and his mom encourages him to continuously get in touch with his teachers, especially if he doesn’t understand a topic.
Bea Gatmaitan is on her last year in high school. This is a crucial time before she goes to university. For her, “Online learning as a senior is simple, but limiting. Since we are almost done with the syllabus for each subject, the teachers are still able to teach us the topics we need to know and are always open to any questions we have. The downside to this is being unable to communicate easily with others since I believe that efficient communication is set in a classroom.” This is an extraordinary time, indeed so together with the other seniors, she must cope with the new method just right before she graduates. The school going online allows her to finish her academic curriculum without missing the required number of days in an academic year.
Aside from the international schools here in Seoul, the global campus in Songdo for university students went ahead with their semester opening, albeit one week delayed.
Ingrid, mother of University of Utah student Lean Agravante, is relieved. The campus has a dormitory for university students and the management made sure returning students were quarantined before they were allowed to get into the campus.
This is echoed by Manolo Gatmaitan, who is also enrolled at the University of Utah, and stays inside the Songdo dormitory campus, “We go to our classrooms just as we normally do. However, since the University is concerned about the virus, they’re keeping the classroom capacity to a minimum. While professors teach their students in the classroom, they switch to an online conference for the other students living out of the campus who are not allowed inside while the threat of the pandemic is still lurking”.
It is amazing how the international schools here have seamlessly transitioned to online learning. In the case of Dwight, Kevin credits the high technological standard. This is, of course, highly enjoyed because Korea has a topnotch IT infrastructure. With the IT secured, the school can afford to now focus on online well-being and balance of the students. If this is the new normal, will the local schools follow suit?
its very good that they were able to prepare ano para wala ma miss ang mga bata. on our part buti na lang, exams time na, ayun na nga lang hindi na naka take ng exam ang kids samin.
mabuti konti lang na-miss ng students dyan sa Pinas dahil sa end of school year na eto nangyari.
Maganda ang system at paghandle ng Korea sa ganitong klaseng sitwasyon. Maigi na lang at hindi pa nag-aaral ang anak ko. Balak namin next year na. Dito sa Pinas hindi lahat may access sa internet so malaking part ang role na gagampanan ng parents para magabayan ang mga anak sa ag-aaral
true. parents play a big part.
Korea’s IT infrastructure is a big boost to the swift change to online classes of international schools. although, the Korean local schools are yet to open this April 6 (remains to be seen if there will be a change).
I like how they were able to adapt quickly and implemented the closure of schools agad. Imagine if hindi, ang daming maapektuhang bata 🙁 I wonder how they do their PE classes though! 😛
Available din itong online class sa KIIP class para sa mga may work, buntis or may kids na alaga sa bahay. Glad they made a way to do this during this time para hindi sila mahuli sa klase and great that Korea have the fastest internet.
the internet capability is a huge factor:-)
My son does their drills in our living room simultaneously with the teachers and his classmates in different locations, haha.
It would be great if this system will be implemented in our country too. The kids would surely love it if they will be able to have fun during the crisis.
I already read this blog.
Ang mga mag-aaral ay kailangang dumaan sa ganitong paghihirap para sa kanilang pag-aaral. at nakagawa sila ng solusyon habang hinaharap natin ang pandemya . At ang maganda pa ang mga mag aaral ay ginagawa nila lahat ng kanilang makakaya. Sana talaga matapos na ang pandemic na to para patuloy nilang magawa ang kanilang hamon ang mga mag aaral at ang guro.
I love how they handled the situation. My sister also does the same. She keeps on studying because the teachers keep them busy by sending lots of activities. On the other side, my mom (a teacher) keeps on bugging me to edit and upload her lectures online. HAHAHA!
Yung kapatid ko din may pahabol pa pinagawa yung mga teachers nila at sa online na lang pinapasa. Ang epekto nga naman ng COVID-19, sana magbalik na ulit sa normal ang lahat!
It feels very sad knowing that we all have to go through this situation. But this is temporarily, hopefully everythign will be fine after.
I’ve had experience with online learning and classes back when I was in college. It’s a lot to get used to, but I’m super amazed how schools are able to use technology to adapt during these trying time. Our kids still need education to build their future. I just hope that more school offered that option to their students.
Been in an online school before I fly to UK back then. It was 2011, technology is really fast-growing each year.
How I wish we have the same system on handling things like this here in the Philippines. It’s so nice to see these kids continuing on their studies amidst the outbreak.
Eventually, more distance learning will be available. It is like partly homeschooling which is good.
its nice to know that korea is prepared. But i agree that its still hard for children to learn and sitting in front of a computer. A parents guide is a must!
I agree it needs parents guidance rin. Mahirap rin mag home schooling. You have to check if the kids follows the online course.
Online learning is challenging to everyone- students, teachers, school admin and parents. Honestly, as a teacher, I am losing that fire to make my online classes interesting. Nevertheless, we need to push ourselves until this pandemic is over.
It’s so nice that they have transitioned smoothly after COVID. Unfortunately, not all schools are able to do this especially for those that have students who went home to their provinces. After the pandemic, I hope all schools will be able to make a contingency plan that will be able to benefit students greatly 🙂
That is awesome how they were able to take action right away and didn’t neglect the effect of the pandemic to the students. And at the same time, it is a good news that the students were trying their best to cope, too. 🙂
yes, the students of international schools here in Korea are in the best position among their peers.
[…] Online learning in time of COVID-19 – International School Students in Korea: Online Learning in the Time of Corona […]
This is one of the negative impact of this covid-19 pandemic. Students have to go through this kind hardship for their studies. But its good to know how they were able to come up with such solution while facing this pandemic. And it is also a good news to know that the students are doing their best to cope up. This is a great challenge for both students and teachers. I hope that this pandemic will come to an end.
happy to see innovations like this especially this time of pandemic, laking tulong na may mga online learnings po to help nanays and their kids in terms of education po ☺
Dito din sa pinas my online class , pero hndi nman lahat tlga my access sa internet . Kaya ang mga teacher ngbibigay ng module na sasagutan ng mga kids . Skin mahirap ung ako magtuturo sa anak ko habang my inaalagan na baby , pero no choice ako need din tlga ito lalo na ngayong pandemic . Hoping na sana matapos na itong crisis na ito ❤️🙏
This new normal transition with the educational system is quite challenging but I admire how they were able to adapt and cope well with the changes. I’m impressed with how discipline they are as well to stick with their usual routines.