“My Quipper Journey Says” by Chiara Ruth Elgario
Quipper’s Southern Mindanao Team held an essay writing competition for teachers of our partner schools in the region. The contest aimed to answer the following questions:
How did Quipper help you as an educator?
How did Quipper contribute to the overall learning experience of your students?
How did Quipper respond to the needs of 21st Century learners and teachers?
Here is the winning entry for Basic Education Level:
By: Chiara Ruth Elgario, University of Mindanao - Tagum Basic Education
On the midnight of December 31st of 2019, family members gathered together, fireworks lit up the night sky, and everybody was rejoicing. This, perhaps, is the last happy evening there will ever be. A pandemic shook the world; it divided families, broken connections, challenged human ingenuity, and it seemed to widen the gap between people. The silence was all over the land. Staying at home and keeping physical distance must be followed: this is now the new normal.
Along with the new protocols, this current situation would undoubtedly prevent us from gathering and doing things together. We celebrated masses at home that we don’t usually do, we have missed pre-planned reunions, but does that mean we shall forsake learning? Months have passed, and June is almost here; six months--and we’re still locked up, still clueless on how to deal with the unseen foe. Schools have been looking for ways to continue their mission. Shall we retreat or surrender? Shall we abide by the cries of the ordinary minds: wait for things to normalize so we can do the things we do traditionally? Why in the world have we never thought that this thing could happen? We were caught unaware. But just like a mariner in troubled seas, looking for the morning star, schools, together with the teachers, held on to their mission and kept their vision clear: that is to become bearers of knowledge, and will not take no for an answer; we must sail on!
Then just like in the movies, when all hopes are gone, a hero will arrive on his impeccable timing, a hero caped in blue, bearing Quipper as its name. A new name for us in this new normal. It is a name depicting aid and hope, for they have faced the same challenges beforehand. Thus, their promise to become a beacon of light--to carry the solution we all have been waiting for. It is a solution that is suited to every school, educator, and learner’s needs, utilizing what this revolutionary world has already offered. To ponder, Quipper is like a time traveler who has succeeded in the treacherous journey of the future and returned to the present time to aid us in this challenging journey it has already overcome. It is our perfect companion indeed. For sure, each one has a unique experience to share, a fantastic story to tell, but this--this is my Quipper journey:
Just as a mother nurtures the child in the first years of his life, so does Quipper. It helped me become equipped to equip my students. The transition from the traditional into the modern teaching style has bought most teachers’ shock, even to me. Still, Quipper is always ready to offer help--we have undergone training after training on the navigation of the learning platform and the strategies teachers must possess in the 21st-century teaching and learning demands. Quipper never failed to give immediate aid through their technical assistants. Through them, it feels like Quipper is walking beside me and talking to me, personally--together with me in my journey. There has never been a time when I asked a question, and it was left unanswered. Like a candle in the night, so are these Support Officers: They shine brighter, and I applaud you, team!
Slowly, little by little, I am learning how to steer across and become an expert in using the platform. It was so easy that I could make a video tutorial for both teachers’ and students’ accounts, and in few days, it went viral! It went viral not just because I did well in explaining the essential functions of Quipper, but because they have also seen how convenient Quipper is, and it sparked interest in them that they need to share this good news to other students too. The more I see shares of my video tutorials, the more I am becoming interested to learn more so that I can share more. It feels so satisfying to see people receiving the help they are needing. Perhaps this is the actual feeling of the people behind Quipper. I can say that they have a heart of gold—such a noble deed which generations and generations will never forget to come.
As school days went by, I am also becoming more proficient in using Quipper. What I thought was complicated was, in fact, easy. As I navigated through the school’s courses, I was awed by the neat organization of the subjects with the subtopics. And as I went through each topic, I have seen the learning guides congruent with the learning outcomes designed by the Department of Education. These learning guides are better than the books issued before, both in their superficial quality and content. The learning materials are both in PDF and in PowerPoint formats which are downloadable for both students and teachers for ease of access. My jaw dropped, and I was awestruck! They can’t be serious! I can’t believe it! Imagine, through the gadgets we have been using for more than a decade. Can we build a school without walls? It sounds too good to be accurate, but this is true. This is excellence! This is quality education!
As I learn more about it, I get amazed by what better things I can do with it. Quipper has made the content preparation and distribution, assessment procedures, gathering results, and checking the students’ progress conveniently and efficiently. Although we are facing challenging times, Quipper has become the best tool we have been provided to overcome these hindrances. I thank God for this provision.
This journey is not just mine, but also my students’. Honestly, I have tried various learning platforms that I have incorporated with Quipper. But after I have received feedback from my students regarding the efficiency of Quipper compared to other learning portals, I have realized that Quipper is all I need, seriously. I am happy when they mention that internet connection has not hindered them from answering the assignments, quizzes, and exams because they can still access the application offline. Moreover, they can study at ease because the learning guides are downloadable.
The students who are using Quipper as their learning platform are truly blessed because they have not felt the stress in studying, considering that Quipper is very easy to use. Compared to the previous face-to-face learning mode, where students often forget their tasks and miss their quizzes, they perform better now. Quipper keeps them notified of their to-do’s and keeps their tasks organized. This organization itself is a factor of change, and this has a positive impact on the students. As they observe their tasks arranged logically, they will learn how to be organized. This is learning by observation. The teacher did not teach that, but the students learned. How amazing it is to ponder on.
To further on the students’ learning experiences, Quipper removes the feeling of failure in each student since in the assessments, they can retake the quizzes as many times as they want until they gain mastery. Having that feeling of accomplishment pushes the students to strive harder, to prove that they can do better in this is transformational learning. Transformational learning is when the students undergo a process of deep, constructive, and meaningful learning that goes beyond simple knowledge acquisition. Although they do not see this transformation, they are renewed day by day. What a wholesome change! It makes me teary-eyed knowing that we are not just preparing students for their future work but also positively transforming lives.
With all the good things everybody is experiencing right now in terms of delivering and gaining better learning experiences, I must say that God, in His sovereign plan, used this pandemic for us. This unforeseen event was an instrument for us to go outside of our comfort zones and see for ourselves that there are better things that we can do than just doing the things we are used to doing. Challenges are getting tougher, demands are getting higher, so our products need to become better – our students. They are the heirs of the responsibilities we will be leaving, and we cannot and should not settle for less. Through Quipper, we have equipped them with the knowledge they will need to succeed. We have slowly transformed them into becoming self-reliant individuals and prepared them for work, mostly technology. We are at ease, and we are confident that they can do it when passing the baton.
So that is the new journey that has finally begun. We, educators, have been commissioned to take the challenge, like soldiers on a mission. We are sojourners sailing untraveled seas, though uncertain of the destination, but are still keeping the faith and expecting to accomplish our purpose with victory. This is our high calling, and nothing can stop our determined spirits, not even the pandemic which keeps us apart. Quipper just saved the day! And it proves to us that once more, we can bridge gaps. Come hell or high water. We will march on. We will continue the journey and face the challenges. Why worry? Quipper has equipped us to equip educators and students alike.
Want to experience Chiara's Quipper journey, too? Partner with us now! Send us a message at [email protected] or message us on our official Facebook page, and we will have someone from our Sales Team contact you for a possible partnership.
