Bridging Educational Gaps Among University Students During the New Normal through the Kumustahan Project: A Focus Group Discussion Initiative for Higher Education

Abstract

I. Introduction A year after World Health Organization declared Covid-19 as a global pandemic, most universities across the world are still struggling to face the new normal. Online learning has become the means universities have in continuing education. While most progressive universities are digitally prepared, there is another gap that these universities have to deal with – the continuing divide between those who are able to study digitally, and those that are left behind due to economic factors. In a recent study by Grishchenco (2020), most of the students living in rural areas have been greatly affected by the sudden shift to full digital learning due to the limitations of technology. Beaunoyer, Dupéré, and Guitton (2020) pointed out that the digital divide has already been existing even in the pre-pandemic days. It, however, exacerbated when students were left with no other means but through online learning. The series of lockdowns caused a lot of limitations to the students. From technological limitations to financial and even social challenges (Lassoued, Alhendawi, & Bashitialshaaer, 2020; Peters, et al., 2020), students are also challenged when it comes to their mental health and psychological wellness (Cao, et al., 2020), causing greater issues on inclusion – both academically and socially. In the Philippines, the readiness of students in a fully-digital learning space remains low on students’ demographics who belong to lower income and rural areas (Alipio, 2020). Approximately 2,400 Higher Education Institution in the Philippines are challenged to bridge the gap between the economically-able students and those who are being left behind. Prior to the 2020 Pandemic, Oztok et al. (2013) surveyed different means of conducting digital learning to alleviate such gap, through synchronous and asynchronous learning. Years later, the acceptance of synchronous and asynchronous mode of online learning has become a staple in the New Normal set-up of education.