The FLIES program is one of the important measures that Saint Paul School of Professional Studies (SPSPS) has implemented to embrace the new normal where students can continue learning at their homes safe from COVID-19.
Under this distance learning program, students choose between two learning modes, namely e-Learning (EL) and Home-Based Learning (HBL).
e-Learning Mode
With the EL mode, the school uses the licensed Canvas Learning Management System (Canvas LMS), a globally-recognized LMS designed to give teachers and students the opportunity to engage in interactive learning even without having face-to-face interaction.
Synchronous and asynchronous learning are available in this LMS.
In synchronous learning, the students engage with their teachers at the same time. The teachers set a date when their class will meet via video conference to discuss on a topic. This allows everyone to participate in the discussion in real-time.
On the other hand, in asynchronous learning, the teachers provide contents like reading materials and video lectures that students can access anytime.
With this, students can study based on their availability, giving them more chance to work on their tasks based on their own schedule.
Some benefits of Canvas LMS for students include:
- They have control over their learning pace and they can plan their learning activities ahead of time.
- They can learn anytime and anywhere.
- They can collaborate and connect with classmates and teachers.
- They can track their course progress and requirements and monitor their course performance.
- They can integrate support applications.
- They can access course materials instantly.
- They can access learning commons resources.
Furthermore, parents can monitor the class activities and participation of their child. They can examine submitted outputs or assignment, take responsibility for their child’s learning, partner with teachers in order to address student needs, and communicate openly with teachers and fellow parents.
Home-Based Learning Mode
The FLIES Program also allows those students from remote areas of the region to pursue learning through the Home-Based Learning Mode.
Under this modality, students are provided with printed copies of learning modules crafted by the SPSPS faculty members for distance learning purposes.
These modules follow a standard format prescribed by the institution that promotes easy learning for students.
The printed modules are delivered to the students’ hometowns by the SPSPS Go Learning Team through the respective town coordinators.
The same team retrieves the course requirements at the end of the block schedule.
FLIES Program Implementation
To implement the FLIES Program, SPSPS adopts the Block System where the semester is divided into three blocks.
For each block, the students are assigned a maximum of three subjects, each of which is assigned to a specific time slot during the day.
Upon enrollment, students are automatically enrolled into the Canvas LMS. However, they can only access those subjects assigned to them for a particular block.
The course syllabus containing the course description, course learning outcomes, outline of topics, assessment criteria and rubrics, and course policies and instructions are uploaded in Canvas LMS to guide students on how to engage with the subject learning requirements with the intervention of the teacher.
Students are regularly monitored by their teachers to check their progress.
For both modes, the students may consult with their teacher from Monday to Friday within the time slot assigned to their subject.
FLIES Program Benefits
The SPSPS FLIES program presents the following benefits for students:
- They can pursue learning at the comfort of their homes at their own pace.
- They can save cost on transportation, dormitory, food, clothes, and other costs in going to school.
- They can be relieved from the burden of travelling and living away from family.