CaReS Holds In-Service Training for Religious and Lay Formators

By: Bro. Jesse Meer E. Alipes

BAGUIO CITY­–Learning will still go on despite the odds.

This was the message of the Rector of Casiciaco Recoletos Seminary during his opening remarks for the 2020 In-Service Training (INSET) for religious and lay formators with the theme “Enhancing the Pedagogical Competencies of CaReS Formators in the Context of Flexible Learning,” last July 18, 2020.

“Why have we stayed away from each other? It is because of fear. Now, the question should be why should we gather and be united? It is because we want to be brave, face it, and find solution to this problem,” said Rev. Fr. Bernard C. Amparado, OAR.

The Rector ended his remarks with the words “We come here disposed to listen. We come here disposed to participate. And together we may find solution … learning will still go on despite the odds.”

The three speakers for this year’s INSET are Marilyn Balmeo, PhD, for the Distance Learning Education; Stephenie O. Busbus, Phd, for the Online Distance Learning; and Joselito C. Gutierrez, PhD, for the Learning Packet for Online Classes.

The program was attended by 20 lay formators and 4 religious formators.

Flexible Learning

Due to the pandemic, face-to-face classes are prohibited by the government thus “flexible learning or blended learning approach” is adapted by the seminary said Rev. Fr. Anthony P. Irineo, OAR, College Dean of Studies and Senior High School Principal.

“The shift is on the approach of the teaching-learning process or the pedagogy, but the clarity of the content, the outcome, the impact to the learner, should not be compromised,” he said.

The blended learning approach is a type of flexible learning which makes use of modules given in form of learning packets made and given to the formands. Utilizing video conference applications, synchronous or asynchronous communication may be done every now and then for clarifications regarding the lessons.