An Internal Assessment of My Resources for the Online Learning

Online learning has been the new mode of Education since March when the Covid-19 broke out into our country, the Philippines. This new model of education is another challenge for those students who do not have many resources.

Thus, this is an internal analysis of my Physical, Financial, and Human Resources, and if these are my strengths or weaknesses in the middle of Online Learning.

1. PHYSICAL RESOURCES

A. Presence of Gadgets

• I have 2 cellular phones and 1 laptop. As a student, these gadgets that I have are useful and beneficial for my studies. I get to do and finish my assignments and submit my requirements on time because of these. However, my phone and laptop are sometimes working slowly, as I’m already using both of them for a couple of years now.

• My phone and laptop are an extension of my personality. It is where I keep my captured memories over the years. I only have two gadgets, but I consider it as my Strength. My phone has been my companion that helps me with everything that I do. First, finishing my assignments, tasks, and requirements in school. Second, I use it as a way to communicate with other people even though they are far from me. I also get to update my social media accounts with my phone. I am able to do business transactions, and it is very useful when it comes to handling my finances. With my gadget, I have access to online resources and information that can help me to pursue my dreams and aspirations in life. Because of it, I can find motivation whenever I am feeling low about myself.

• However, this physical resource that I have can also become my Weakness especially when I have a lot of things to do. My phone becomes my source of procrastination. Instead of doing what must be done first, I try to find something that I should do. My gadget steals most of my time, because of scrolling down on my Facebook account or being updated with the things that are trending on Twitter.

• In order for me to make these physical resources contribute to the enhancement of my profile as a student and a future employee, I should utilize and maximize its benefits. Using these to gain additional knowledge and not to use it on unimportant things. I should use it to gather information about my dream job, and the things that will help me with the realizations of my goals in life.

B. Access to WiFi connection

• I used to have a WiFi internet connection. But now, I am no longer privileged enough to have access to a WiFi connection. I am only depending on mobile data internet. This is my Weakness because mobile data connection sometimes has a slower speed compared to a WiFi connection. But even with this limited resource that I have, this weakness does not stop me to get what I need. I know how to make this resource and use it to my advantage. Even though I am only using a mobile data connection to access the online world, it is still beneficial as I can still get updated news about what is happening around the globe.

2. FINANCIAL RESOURCES

A. budget for WiFi connection and gadget used for E-learning

• Being born in a poor family where money is our number one issue, it is a Weakness that I don’t have a budget for WiFi connection, and for updated gadgets to be used for E-learning. Having a financial problem is quite a burden that all the members of the family carry. Thus, the only help I can give to my parents is to maximize the resources that I have.

• It is not undeniable that we need money for education. Even if people always say that poverty is not a hindrance to achieving success, the lack of money still has an impact on achieving our goals in life. One of my goals is to finish my education for me to provide for the needs of my family. But to be able to do that, I must have a strong financial resource for me to cope with the unending expenses a student encounters.

• Applying to all the possible scholarships where I am eligible and qualified is my way of coping up with the financial burden a student carries. Being a Provincial scholar, it has helped me a lot with my finances. Being thrifty is also my way to lengthen the usage of the money I am receiving from it.

• As a way to maximize my financial resources, every time I have a budget to buy load for my mobile internet, I use it to further my knowledge about how to handle my finances well. One of my ways is joining groups where I can get financial advice, and widen my thinking about how money works.

• Having no budget for WiFi connection and gadgets to be used for E-learning is a challenge to poor students like me. But if we know how to make use of our resources to its maximum benefit, this challenge will and can help us grow and guide us to become better students and employees in the future.

3. HUMAN RESOURCES

A. ICT skills and ability to the online mode of learning

• We always need to keep up with the advancement of Technology, because if we don’t, we will be left behind. Technology has made things easier and faster and made everything for the convenience of humanity. With just one touch, we already have access to information about everything that is happening all over the world. With the advent of technology, we also have to level up our ICT skills.

• During my High School days, we had an ICT class where students are taught how to type sentences on Microsoft Word. We also had the chance to learn the basics of using a laptop and computer. Because of the reports we needed to do, we have taught ourselves how to make PowerPoint presentations using MS Powerpoint. Because of the Business plan we did during my Senior High School, I learned how to use MS Excel. These small learnings that I have acquired in High School are beneficial to me on my college days. The point is, we are required to learn new things in order to keep up with this fast-paced world. With these few ICT skills that I have, I consider this human resource as my Strength.

• This new education system, the online mode of learning, is another challenge to students like me who are lacking financial resources. Having online education means another expense for our parents’ and the students’ account. We might have all the skills that we need to make up with the online mode of learning, but it is still a struggle if this new system requires us to be online all the time.

• However, just like all the challenges that we face on our physical and financial resources, we have to maximize and utilize what we have for us to learn more from this new online mode of learning. We have to be resourceful, creative, and wise in how we use these resources.