Parents invited to digital literacy orientation in Ozamiz City schools

The Department of Education's Division of Ozamiz City is rolling out a fresh round of orientations aimed at helping parents understand how their children are being introduced to digital tools inside public school classrooms. With learners spending more time on tablets, learning management systems, and online research platforms, the division wants families to be active participants rather than bystanders in this transition. Sessions are scheduled across several schools in the coming weeks, giving parents multiple opportunities to attend closer to home. Whether families are based in the city proper or in surrounding barangays, the orientation aims to set a shared standard between teachers and guardians.

The program reflects a broader push within Philippine basic education to align classroom practice with the realities of a connected world. Parents who attend will gain a clearer picture of what their children encounter online each day and how the curriculum handles everything from basic typing skills to responsible social media use. For Filipino-Australian families who maintain close ties with relatives in Misamis Occidental, these orientations also offer a window into how digital learning is being shaped back home, especially for those considering returning or supporting children enrolled through family networks.

Why digital literacy matters for young learners

Digital literacy in the basic education context goes well beyond knowing how to switch on a tablet or scroll through a video. It covers the ability to evaluate what appears on a screen, communicate respectfully through digital channels, and protect personal information from the moment a learner first logs in. The orientation makes this distinction clear, particularly for parents who grew up with far less screen time in their own schooling and may underestimate how early children now form digital habits.

Educators across the division point to research suggesting that children who develop guided digital skills early tend to navigate both academic and social online spaces with greater confidence later on. The sessions explain how lessons are sequenced from foundational keyboard familiarity in the early grades up through research and presentation skills in higher year levels. Parents are encouraged to view the curriculum as a long-term investment rather than a passing trend, much the same way Australian families have watched the inclusion of digital technologies evolve within the Australian Curriculum over the past decade.

What parents will learn at the orientation

Each session runs through a structured agenda designed to keep things practical and approachable. A typical orientation opens with an overview of the division's digital literacy framework, followed by demonstrations of the platforms learners actually use during class. Parents will see walk-throughs of the learning management system, sample student dashboards, and examples of digital assessments that replace traditional pen-and-paper tests in some subject strands. The aim is to demystify the technology so guardians feel equipped to ask informed questions at home.

There is also a dedicated segment covering parental controls, screen-time guidelines, and how the school handles concerns about inappropriate content. This portion often draws the largest crowd, since many parents worry about exposure to harmful material online. Facilitators compare local practices with international standards, sometimes referencing the work of bodies such as Australia's eSafety Commissioner, which many attendees recognise from news coverage about online safety. The takeaway is that protecting young learners is a global conversation, and Ozamiz City schools are anchoring their approach in established best practice.

Schedule and venue details across schools

Orientation sessions are staggered across participating schools to accommodate varying shift patterns and class timetables. Most primary school orientations are held in the morning, often between eight and ten, while sessions for high school parents typically run in the afternoon or early evening. Venues alternate between school multi-purpose halls, covered courts, and, where space is tight, the nearest division training room. A complete schedule is published through official division memoranda and updated as confirmations roll back from participating schools, so parents are urged to check the latest circular before heading out.

The division has also arranged a small number of catch-up sessions for parents who cannot attend their child's designated slot. These are particularly useful for shift workers, market vendors, and overseas workers who keep Australian hours from family homes around Ozamiz. For families with relatives abroad, including those spread across Sydney's western suburbs or Melbourne's growing Filipino communities, the division encourages virtual participation through designated video links, ensuring no household misses out on the briefing.

How to prepare before attending

A little preparation can turn a brief orientation into a much more useful experience. Parents are encouraged to bring a notebook or device to record key points, along with any specific concerns they wish to raise. Writing down questions beforehand helps when sessions move quickly through demonstrations. It is also worth reviewing the division's existing digital literacy primer, which is often circulated a few days before the orientation through official channels and parent-teacher association group chats.

On the day, arriving fifteen minutes early allows time to settle in and review the printed agenda. Parents who prefer not to take handwritten notes can photograph slides where permitted, though some materials may be withheld for safeguarding reasons. Comfortable clothing suits the warm Ozamiz climate, and bringing a water bottle is sensible given the typical two-hour running time. For those travelling from further afield, including family members visiting from across the Tasman or from mainland Australia, planning the route in advance avoids the stress of finding unfamiliar venues after a long journey.

Supporting children with screen time at home

The orientation also dedicates time to home routines, since digital learning does not stop at the school gate. Facilitators discuss recommended daily screen-time limits by age group, balanced against the need for homework and recreational use. Practical tips include creating tech-free meal times, keeping devices out of bedrooms overnight, and using parental control features built into home Wi-Fi routers. Many of these suggestions echo advice found in mainstream Australian parenting resources, which the division references to show parents they are following widely accepted guidance.

Parents are also guided through conversations to have with their children about online behaviour, including how to treat classmates respectfully in group chats and class forums. The division discourages the purchase of high-end devices for very young learners, recommending entry-level tablets that meet classroom requirements without inviting distraction. Where families already invest in premium hardware, the orientation suggests protective cases and insurance, drawing comparisons with how Australian families often insure laptops supplied through school BYOD programs in states such as Queensland and New South Wales.

Communication between school staff and parents

Clear communication channels sit at the heart of any successful digital rollout, and the orientation explains how parents can stay in touch with teachers once the program is underway. Class advisers typically share official messaging groups, email addresses, and scheduled consultation windows. Parents are reminded to use these channels for academic concerns while reserving urgent matters for direct phone calls or visits to the school office. Miscommunication, the facilitators note, is one of the fastest ways for digital programs to lose parental trust.

Where serious issues arise, including concerns about online safety or unusual behaviour on school devices, the division has formal pathways parents can follow. Reporting structures are outlined during the orientation, including access to the appropriate incident reporting form for documenting threats or suspicious activity observed on campus. Parents are encouraged to keep copies of any communication and to follow up if a response is not received within a reasonable timeframe.

The orientation ultimately frames digital literacy as a partnership between the school, the child, and the home. When all three move in the same direction, learners benefit from consistency, whether they are completing research in class, gaming with friends after school, or exploring creative platforms on a quiet Sunday arvo. The DepEd Digital Literacy Program for Learners seeks to make that partnership possible through structured guidance, open communication, and shared expectations across the division. Parents interested in attending are encouraged to confirm their slot through their child's class adviser or the school principal's office, while families who wish to support the program beyond attendance, including those based overseas with relatives enrolled in Ozamiz schools, may reach out through the division's stakeholder coordination office to explore volunteer and mentorship opportunities.