MANILA— As she was browsing videos on Facebook before the start of the school year in 2020, the first amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Chelo Tangan happened to hear the word "podcast."

Tangan is the assistant schools division superintendent (ASDS) of the Department of Education (DepEd)-Schools Division Office of Cagayan (SDO-Cagayan).

She thought that podcasts are nothing new as she had experienced listening to an inspirational talk on the platform.

This was when she thought of an idea.

"Sabi ko, bakit hindi pwedeng gamitin ito sa pag-aaral, sa modalities? (I said: why not use this for studies, in modalities?) So I went immediately to our schools division superintendent and I proposed [this] to him," Tangan shared in an interview with ABS-CBN News.

"The moment nang narinig niya iyon, wala siyang patumpik-tumpik, hindi siya nagduda. 'Sige go for it,' sabi niya."

(The moment he heard about it, he had no reservations and he didn't doubt it: "Okay go for it.")

To turn the plan into reality, Tangan tapped a team of educators to create a sample podcast designed to be polished as time goes on. This would later be dubbed as Project Podcast Alternative Learning Modality or Project PALM, a name also symbolic to mean "learning is in the palms of the learners' hands."

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Teacher and Project PALM core team member Franklin Castillejo said teachers go through three steps in creating podcasts: pre-production, production, and post-production, with pre-production being the most tedious and crucial task because it includes scriptwriting.

"Kumbaga, ito na po iyong ire-record mismo ni teacher. Ito na po iyong mismong lesson plan ni teacher... Iyong activity nandoon, iyong discussion. May parts din po iyong script natin, parang lesson plan lamang po. May introduction, mayroong discussion, mayroong skills enhancement, and then may short quiz, at saka may wrap up," Castillejo explained.

(This is what the teacher is going to record, this is also the lesson plan. The activities are there, there are also parts to the script, like a lesson plan. There is an introduction, discussion, skills enhancement and short quiz, and wrap up.)

"Pwede po siyang module-based or learning activity sheet-based. Or kung wala naman po doon, pwede po kaming kumuha from textbooks available and from internet. So we have varied resources, malaya po kaming kumuha ng iba't ibang learning resources."

(It can be module-based or learning activity sheet-based. in case of neither choices, we can source from textbooks or through the Internet. We have varied resources. We are free to get from different resources.)

For production, teachers use an application called Anchor, downloadable on Google Play and App store, with all of its features free for use.

This is where they record, edit, add sound effects, and save their podcasts, and then share to audio streaming service Spotify or via Bluetooth to students who do not have internet access.

Tangan explained podcasts are mainly used for asynchronous learning or when there are no online classes for the day, and modules are used. Contents of the modules are also explained through podcasts for better understanding of the students.

During synchronous or online classes, the teacher may also discuss parts of the podcast or modules that students did not understand.

For Castillejo, podcasts complement other distance learning modes, like modules and online classes.

"Mahirap pong matuto ang bata on his or her own, na wala pong teacher nagtuturo, nagdi-discuss, na wala pong boses ni teacher. But with podcast, mas naiintindihan po nila iyong lesson nila kasi po nandoon si teacher, gumagabay, nage-explain kung paano iyong mga gagawing activities, lalo iyong mga complicated po ba na mga topics at subjects na kailangang kailangan talaga ng assistance po ni teacher," he said.

(It's hard for kids to learn on their own, without a teacher supervising, discussing. But with the podcasts, they are able to understand the lesson more because the teacher is there to explain and guide on the activities, especially the complicated ones that need the teacher's assistance.)

Tangan said, podcasts are not an alternative to an actual conversation between the teacher and the learner.

But with constant use of the platform, she believes it is a big help to students.

"Pwede rin naman po gamitin si podcast ulit ulit para i-communicate or i-translate ni learner iyong kanyang learning. Like for example, one of the evaluation niya is, 'Ano iyong natutunan mo?' Pwede niya pong i-record iyong boses niya (learner) and then would pass also to the teacher para mapakinggan ni teacher," she explained.

"Makikita din po sa output niya sa module kasi may mga exercises. Kung nasagot niya nang maayos iyong mga exercises sa module, then ibig sabihin nakatulong po si podcast."

(It can be used by the learner to communicate or translate his learning. Like for example, one evaluation is "what did you learn?" You can record the learner's voice then pass also to the teacher to lilsten You will see their output in modely exercises. If they are able to answer exercises properly, it means the podcast helped.

Tangan added students may also message their teacher if they have questions.

To date, 98 percent of Cagayan public schools - or 797 out of 806 schools - use podcasts for distance learning.

Tangan hopes schools in other regions would also consider using the platform.

"The most powerful voice sa isang learner is still the voice of the teacher. Wala pong pwedeng mag-substitute po sa boses at saka authority ni teacher," she said.

"Huwag pong matakot po ang mga teachers na gamitin ito kasi, after all, wala pong bayad. And any time, they can prepare their own. They can prepare their own in such a way na kung ano iyong subject na tinuturo nila, by simply having that podcast, makakapagbigay na po sila ng kanilang sarili pong explanation sa kanilang mga lessons."

(Teachers shouldn't be scared to use this because, after all, there is no payment. And anytime, they can prepare their own. By simply having the podcast, they can give their own explanation of their lessons.)

Elisher Raña, also a teacher and Project PALM core team member, has only one motivation in innovating for students: his love for the teaching vocation.

"Kapag mahal mo kasi ang trabaho mo, automatic na makapag-isip ka ng innovative ways to deliver the instructions to our learners. Napag-isipan ang Project PALM na ito dahil sa pagmamahal, lalong-lalo na sa mga last-mile learners (students in far-flung areas)," he said.

(If you love your job, it's automatic that you'd find innovative ways to deliver instructions to our learners. We thought of Project PALM because of love, especially for last-mile learners.)

Anytime, anywhere

Grade 12 student Angeline Geron is busy at home because of her studies and errands that her parents ask her to do.

Juggling these two tasks used to be a problem, but not anymore since she starting using Project PALM.

"Sa bahay, mas madami po iyong chances na madaming inuutos ang mga magulang ko sa akin. Sa mga gawain, tumutulong sa bukid, nagbabantay ng tindahan. Nahirapan po ako noon na maghanap ng oras para mailaan sa module," Geron said.

(Before my parents would give me so many tasks, helping out in the field, watching the store. I found it hard to find time for modules.)

"Pero dahil po sa podcast, kahit nasaan ako, kahit anong ginagawa ko, nakikinig pa rin ako at nakaka-cope up pa din sa mga lessons."

(But because of the podcast, wherever I may be, whatever I was doing, I can listen and cope with the lessons.)

Geron said learning through podcasts is still a far cry from the full learning experience through face-to-face classes, but this would suffice for now, as innovations like these translate to their teachers' efforts in reaching out to them amid the pandemic.

Her teacher Mark Anthony Artis couldn't agree more.

Artis is on his fifth year as a public school teacher and has pursued the vocation with two goals in mind: to make students feel that their teachers are always with them and to never tire of teaching amid challenges.

"Napaka-fulfilling po iyong experience sa part namin, bilang mga guro, na may mga pamamaraan pa para mailapit natin ang edukasyon sa mga mag-aaral. Kahit na wala tayong physical interaction, physical touch, pero nandoon po iyong guro sa kanilang mga tahanan, iyong guro sa kanilang mga cellphone," Artis said.

(It's fulfilling of us to teachers to find ways to bring education close to our students. Even without physical interaction, physical touch, the teachers are there in their homes through their cellphones.)

He also shared how podcasts have unleashed the creative side of teachers, including how to animate their voices.

"Iyong nakasanayan na very plain lang kami, ngayon iba. Dadagdagan mo ng energy... So kumbaga po dahil doon sa klase ng boses na nilalabas po namin, parang kami nandoon lang sa tabi nila, parang kausap lang po namin sila."

(We're used to the very plain speaking voice, but now it's different. We have to add more energy. We are able to show that in class, it's just like we're talking to them.)

Meanwhile, working mom Heidy Sanchez also expressed satisfaction with Project PALM, as it allowed her son, a Grade 6 student, to become more independent in his studies.

"Sa podcast po, nakita ko na lahat pala ng mga activities sa modules ay ine-explain ng guro doon. Nagbibigay siya ng mga halimbawa so hindi na nahihirapan ang aking anak," she said.

(In the podcast the teacher explains activities in the modules. They give examples so the kids don't have a hard time.)

"Ang ginagawa ko na lang po, sinusubaybayan ko siya, tinatanong ko siya. Pagdating ko sa office, tinatanong ko siya kung okay iyong module niya, iyong pagsagot niya. Tinitingnan ko bago ipapasa ang mga modules. Nakita po na maganda ang resulta ng podcast, marami pong tulong."

(What I do is I monitor. When I get to the office I ask if my child is doing OK with the modules. I check before we pass the modules and I see that the podcast has helped a lot.)

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