Flexible learning continuity frameworks during crisis situations: Understanding affordances of digital technologies for learners

During the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, digital media has been seen to impact the shift in teaching and learning modalities due to the sudden closure of schools. Educational institutions have been seen to heavily rely on the use of these tools but, due to urgency, without much thorough examination of the living and learning conditions and needs of students. This situation posed greater challenges among the socio-economically vulnerable and marginalized students, causing greater numbers of dropouts and elevating the risk of poverty (UNICEF, 2021). 

While the COVID-19 pandemic is no longer a global threat, natural forces continue to pose significant risks to the quality of teaching and learning in the Philippines (e.g., Cadag et al. 2017 for the case of flooding; Ramos 2024 for a Thomson Reuters Report on heatwaves and other effects of climate change). The disruptions caused by typhoons, monsoons, and heatwaves have become increasingly common, jeopardizing school operations and student learning. The challenges faced during the pandemic, particularly the rapid shift to alternative learning modalities, offer valuable lessons for creating more resilient and adaptive learning recovery plans in the face of ongoing environmental threats (Harmey & Moss, 2023).

Seeing that digital platforms have almost always been equated as the ‘alternative learning modality’, this paper argues that simply assuming that all learners use digital platforms in similar ways can position some learners disproportionately in the (online) classroom (see also Guinto et al., 2021). Understanding exactly how learners harness the affordances of digital technologies for learning can better inform learning continuity plans of universities towards creating a more equitable learning environment for all. In the following sections, this paper will provide an overview of digital media use and its impact on learners. It will later enumerate highlights of findings out of the data from focus group discussion sessions with state university students. Lastly, it will outline recommendations for higher education institutions whose students are situated in varying topographical locations.