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Alipio, Mark

Research Report
Education during COVID-19 era: Are learners in a
less-economically developed country ready for e-
learning?

Suggested Citation: Alipio, Mark (2020) : Education during COVID-19 era: Are learners in a
less-economically developed country ready for e-learning?, ZBW – Leibniz Information Centre
for Economics, Kiel, Hamburg

This Version is available at:

http://hdl.handle.net/10419/216098

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Education during COVID-19 era: Are learners in
a less-economically developed country ready
for e-learning?
Paper: Impact of COVID-19 on Education

Mark M. Alipio
Davao Doctors College
General Malvar St., Davao City 8000
Davao del Sur, Philippines

Abstract
Drawn on the existing pandemic and potential shift to full e-learning, this study has focused on
the descriptive evaluation of readiness for e-learning of higher education students in a less-
economically developed country. This is a descriptive online survey employing questionnaires to
elicit data on the readiness of students for e-learning. A total of 880 Filipino students responded
and provided consent to participate. Ratings were descriptively analyzed using mean, frequency,
and percentages. Univariate logistic regression was used to determine the association between
each demographic profile and readiness for e-learning. A p-value below 0.05 was considered
significant. Of the 880 sample, majority were in the lower middle class and private higher
education institution. Most of the respondents answered ‘No’ in all e-learning readiness items.
The odds of scoring low in the readiness scale was higher among younger and female
respondents. With reference to high income class, the odds of scoring low in the readiness scale
was approximately 16.23, 12.02, 5.21, and 1.87 times more likely when students belong to low,
lower middle, middle, and upper middle class, respectively. The type of school is not associated
with low readiness probability. School officials may first address the lack of digital skills among
students and formulate programs that would capacitate them. The possible shift for e-learning
should be considered if financial, operational, and Internet connectivity issues of learners in the
low-income sector and rural areas are addressed. More strategic planning and quality
management mechanisms should be directed towards an equitable and inclusive education
without undermining quality learning.

Keywords

Coronavirus, COVID-19, Education, E-learning, Less-economically developed country,

Philippines, Online education

Address for correspondence:

markalipiorrt@gmail.com

Publication Date:

April 25, 2020

 Education during COVID-19 era: Are learners in a less-
economically developed country ready for e-learning?
Mark M. Alipio
25 April 2020

Abstract

Background: Drawn on the existing pandemic and potential shift to full e-learning, this study has
focused on the descriptive evaluation of readiness for e-learning of higher education students in a
less-economically developed country.

Methodology: This is a descriptive online survey employing questionnaires to elicit data on the
readiness of students for e-learning. A total of 880 Filipino students responded and provided
consent to participate. Ratings were descriptively analyzed using mean, frequency, and
percentages. Univariate logistic regression was used to determine the association between each
demographic profile and readiness for e-learning. A p-value below 0.05 was considered
significant.

Results: Of the 880 sample, majority were in the lower middle class and private higher education
institution. Most of the respondents answered ‘No’ in all e-learning readiness items. The odds of
scoring low in the readiness scale was higher among younger and female respondents. With
reference to high income class, the odds of scoring low in the readiness scale was approximately
16.23, 12.02, 5.21, and 1.87 times more likely when students belong to low, lower middle, middle,
and upper middle class, respectively. The type of school is not associated with low readiness
probability.

Implications: School officials may first address the lack of digital skills among students and
formulate programs that would capacitate them. The possible shift for e-learning should be
considered if financial, operational, and Internet connectivity issues of learners in the low-income
sector and rural areas are addressed. More strategic planning and quality management mechanisms
should be directed towards an equitable and inclusive education without undermining quality
learning.

Keywords: Coronavirus, COVID-19, Education, E-learning, Less-economically developed

country, Philippines, Online education

JEL Classification: I10, I18, I23, I28, I30

Competing Interest: The author declares no conflict of interest.

Funding: This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public,
commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
Introduction

The Coronavirus-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic remains a compelling issue destabilizing

not just the economy, but also the education in most parts of the world, especially the less-

economically developed countries.1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 As of April 25, 2020, 2,833,961 confirmed

cases with 197,368 deaths were reported affecting 210 countries and territories around the

world and 2 international conveyances.9

Geographical variation of case severity was observed with less-economically developed

countries anecdotally being reported to suffer the most due to poverty and low testing

capacity. The Philippines, one of the less-economically developed countries, is a hotspot

of COVID-19 case in Southeast Asia with an accumulated total case of 7,192 and deaths

of 477.9 Existing evidence shows that areas in the country with low accumulated annual

income had high COVID-19 cases and high case fatality rates.8 With the current state of

Philippine government coupled with the crippling pandemic, notable impact on economy

and education has been observed.10 The recent adoption of K-12 program, the transition of

first K-12 completers to college, and provision of free and inclusive education have

challenged the education governing bodies in the country even more.

In response to the rise in confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Philippines, President

Rodrigo Duterte suspended classes at all levels in Metro Manila initially on March 9, 2020

and provided indefinite date of resumption. Concordant with the public health emergency
measures, the Department of Education issued guidelines prohibiting public schools in

areas with suspended classes from administering the final examinations for students and

instead compute the final grades of students for the academic year based on their current

academic standing. The department also advised schools in areas without suspension to

immediately administer final examinations within that week on a "staggered basis" and for

teachers and students to observe social distancing measures.

Parallel to the Department of Education, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED)

advised other institutions of higher education in the Philippines in the Philippines to

implement distance education methods of learning for its classes, such as the use of

educational technology, to maximize the academic term despite the suspensions. The

commission has also advised other institutions of higher education in the Philippines to

implement distance education methods of learning for its classes, such as the use of

educational technology, to maximize the academic term despite the suspensions. Several

other public and private tertiary institutions implemented such arrangements for its classes;

however, several student groups appealed to CHED to suspend mandatory online classes

in consideration of the logistical limitations and well-being of a majority of students.

With the ongoing surge of cases in the country, a possible alternative to continue education

while preventing potential infection spread, is electronic learning (e-learning). E-learning

has been a common delivery media for education in developed countries. Several

developing countries like the Philippines have attempted to embrace the new learning
space; however, financial and acceptance factors remain to be a problem that would limit

its potential use. While both the supply and demand for e-learning opportunities have risen

in recent years, many professionals are beginning to question whether students are prepared

to be successful in an online learning environment. After all, the demonstrated success of

students in a conventional education and training classroom may not be an adequate

predictor of success in an e-learning classroom. Drawn on the existing pandemic and

potential shift to full e-learning, this study has focused on the descriptive evaluation of

readiness of higher education Filipino students for e-learning.

Methodology

This is a descriptive study employing questionnaire to elicit data on the readiness of

students for e-learning. Data were collected through an online survey carried out over a

period of one month from March 25, 2020. A 27-item questionnaire, in addition to

demographic variables (age, sex, family income, living area, type of school), was used to

gather responses from the sample population. E-learning readiness was assessed in a

modified dichotomous scale (yes/no). The original version of the instrument was developed

by Watkins et al.11 High reliability and validity scores were reported for the instrument.1

Higher scores indicate that students are ready for e-learning. Overall scores were classified

based on the following: (1) high – individual score above 13 and (2) low – individual score

of 13 and below. A sample of 2000 students were e-mailed for invitation to participate in

the study. Sampling frame was based on a simple snowball sampling in several social-
networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. A total of 880 students responded and

provided consent to participate, forming a 44% response rate. 58.1% of the respondents are

females and the rest are males. They range in age from 19-20 (8.6%), 21-22 (37.5%), 23-

24 (38.7%) and over 24 (16.1%). Ratings were descriptively analyzed using mean,

frequency, and percentages. Mann-Whitney U and Chi-square tests were used to ascertain

differences in the readiness scores of the students. Separate univariate logistic regression

was used to determine the association between each demographic profile and readiness of

students. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered significant.

Results

Of the 880 sample, majority were in the lower middle class and private higher education

institution (Figure 1). There is an equal proportion of respondents living in urban and rural

areas. Variation of e-learning readiness was observed based on item ratings. Most of the

respondents answered ‘No’ in all of the e-learning readiness items, which suggest that

majority were not yet prepared for e-learning (Table 1, Figure 2). When analyzed by

demographic profile, respondents who have age of more than 22 years and were classified

as high-income class, had high readiness scores compared to other groups (Figure 3). On

the contrary, low readiness scores were observed among low-income, female and younger

respondents (22 years and below), who are living in the rural areas. Univariate analysis was

employed to associate demographic characteristics with low readiness probability (Table

2). The odds of scoring low in the readiness scale was higher among younger and female
respondents. With reference to high income class, the odds of scoring low in the readiness

scale was approximately 16.23, 12.02, 5.21, and 1.87 times more likely when students

belong to low, lower middle, middle, and upper middle class, respectively. The type of

school is not associated with low readiness probability (p<0.05).

Figure 1. Joint chart for demographic characteristics of the respondents

Table 1. Readiness for e-learning
Yes No

1 Access to a computer with an Internet connection 400 45.5% 480 54.5%

Access to a computer with adequate software (e.g., Microsoft Word,
2 Adobe Acrobat). 400 45.5% 480 54.5%
3 Basic skills to operate a computer (e.g., saving files, creating folders) 399 45.3% 481 54.7%
Basic skills for finding my way around the Internet (e.g., using search
4 engines, entering passwords) 398 45.2% 482 54.8%
5 Send an email with a file attached 397 45.1% 483 54.9%
Comfortable using a computer several times a week to participate in a
6 course 396 45.0% 484 55.0%
Communicate effectively with others using online technologies (e.g.,
7 email, chat) 396 45.0% 484 55.0%
Express myself clearly through my writing (e.g., mood, emotions, and
8 humor) 396 45.0% 484 55.0%
Use online tools (e.g., email, chat) to work on assignments with students
9 who are in different time zones 396 45.0% 484 55.0%
Schedule time to provide timely responses to other students and/or the
10 instructor 395 44.9% 485 55.1%
11 Ask questions and make comments in clear writing 395 44.9% 485 55.1%
12 Remain motivated even though the instructor is not online at all times 394 44.8% 486 55.2%
Complete my work even when there are online distractions (e.g., friends
13 sending emails or Websites to surf) 393 44.7% 487 55.3%
Complete my work even when there are distractions in my home (e.g.,
14 television, children, and such) 392 44.5% 488 55.5%
Relate the content of short video clips (1-3 minutes typically) to the
15 information I have read online or in books 391 44.4% 489 55.6%
16 Take notes while watching a video on the computer 391 44.4% 489 55.6%
Understand course related information when item’s presented in video
17 formats 391 44.4% 489 55.6%
Carry on a conversation with others using the Internet (e.g., Internet chat,
18 instant messenger) 391 44.4% 489 55.6%
Comfortable having several discussions taking place in the same online
19 chat even though I may not be participating in all of them 391 44.4% 489 55.6%
Follow along with an online conversation (e.g., Internet chat, instant
20 messenger) while typing 391 44.4% 489 55.6%
21 Prefer to have more time to prepare responses to a question 391 44.4% 489 55.6%
Regular contact with the instructor is important to my success in online
22 coursework 390 44.3% 490 55.7%
Quick technical and administrative support is important to my success in
23 online coursework 390 44.3% 490 55.7%
Frequent participation throughout the learning process is important to my
24 success in online coursework 390 44.3% 490 55.7%
Prior experiences with online technologies (e.g., email, Internet chat,
25 online readings) are important to my success with online course 389 44.2% 491 55.8%
The ability to immediately apply course materials is important to my
26 success with online courses. 388 44.1% 492 55.9%
27 Access to a fairly new computer (e.g., enough RAM, speakers, CD-ROM) 387 44.0% 493 56.0%
Figure 2. Item response analysis

Figure 3. High and low readiness variation among different demographic strata
450 450
400 400
350 350
300 300
250 250
200 200
150 150
100 100
50 50
0 0
> 22 ≤ 22 Male Female Low Lower Middle Upper High Urban Rural Public Private
middle middle

High Low
Table 2. Univariate analysis associating demographic characteristics and low readiness
probability
Univariate analysis*
Variables p-value
OR 95% CI
Age, years
> 22 -
≤ 22 2.24 2.16 – 2.32 <0.001
Sex
Male -
Female 2.01 1.93 – 2.09 <0.001
Family income
Low 16.23 16.10 – 16.30 <0.001
Lower middle 12.02 11.90 – 12.10 <0.001
Middle 5.21 5.13 – 5.29 <0.001
Upper middle 1.87 1.79 – 1.95 <0.001
High -
Living area
Urban -
Rural 19.23 18.20 – 20.26 <0.001
Type of school
Public -
Private 1.01 1.00 – 1.02 0.43
Note: *low readiness, OR=Odds Ratio

Discussion

This study provides a strong evidence on the readiness level of Filipino learners for e-

learning during COVID-19 era. Interestingly, while most of the respondents are in the

lower middle-income class, a higher proportion are currently enrolled in private

institutions. Lower middle-income class is a classification referring to a family with

combined monthly income of PhP 15,780 to PhP 31,560. In the Philippines, this cluster

falls between two and four times the poverty line. Based on a previous report,12 individuals

in the lower-middle class tend to hold low status professional or white-collar jobs, such as
school teacher, nurse, or paralegal. These types of occupations usually require some

education but generally do not require a graduate degree. In 2018, no less than PhP 10,481,

on average, was needed to meet both basic food and non-food needs of a family of five in

a month. Taking into consideration food and other essential expenses, it could be observed

that majority of the respondents have placed so much importance on education despite

income constraints. Other factors such as school scholarship and government subsidies

could be another reason that could explain the distribution. These factors may allow

realignment of family budget for education expense to other basic necessities.

E-learning is learning utilizing electronic technologies to access educational curriculum

outside of a traditional classroom. In most cases, it refers to a course, program or degree

delivered completely online. Most of the respondents answered ‘No’ in all items of e-

learning readiness scale. While there is only a small variation in the dichotomous response

counts, the results are suggestive that respondents were not yet ready for e-learning.

Zooming in the items, majority of the respondents had no access to a computer with an

Internet connection and adequate software (e.g., Microsoft Word, Adobe Acrobat).

Generally, they believe they do not possess basic skills to operate a computer (e.g., saving

files, creating folders) and for finding ways around the Internet (e.g., using search engines,

entering passwords). Although computers are anecdotally acceptable among millennials

which comprised all of the respondents, previous studies showed that digital skills of

millennials are seemingly low. 13 ,4 Although no direct comparison was made among

different age groups, studies reported that nearly 60% of the evaluated millennials have
low technology skills.3,14 As observed in practice, most the students are fond of playing

online games. With these results, strategies may be developed to utilize the online game

skills to a more useful digital competency, before shifting to full e-learning program.

Low readiness scores were observed among learners in low-income class and rural areas.

In this result, it could be inferred that these groups of learners are not yet ready for e-

learning. Financial factors could be one factor that could explain this distribution; however,

lack of equipment (e.g., computer, speakers) and Internet connection problems in several

rural areas might also play a role in their readiness scores. It is quite surprising that younger

respondents (22 years and below) had low readiness scores compared to older respondents.

These learners comprised the majority of first K to 12 completers who recently experienced

drastic transition in their academic career. Since they were the first one to experience an

additional two-year secondary education, they may be reluctant to embrace another

transition of education scheme.

In this study, several factors might affect the readiness scores of the respondents. Since the

online survey was administered during the peak of epidemic in the country where

psychological distress is heightened, the respondents could be resistant to potential changes

in the education arrangement. It is in this time also that learners and faculty members have

been echoing calls for the end of the semester and the mass promotion of students. Mass

promotion entails a universal pass that will allow students to proceed to the next academic

year regardless of their academic status throughout the second semester. Otherwise known
as social or administrative promotion, it is fast replacing class repetition as the alternative

response to poor educational achievement. It is an arrangement which allows failed

students to proceed to the next higher class despite the fact of failing the previous class.

With this urgent call, the respondents were most likely disinclined with probable e-learning

shift of classes in higher education institutions.

This study should note several limitations. This is a cross-sectional study and the

interpretation of the results could only be applied at one point of time. Longitudinal studies

may be conducted in the future to capture the responses of the learners through time and to

determine any differences of readiness scores. More meaningful factors that could unravel

the learners’ readiness may be explored through a qualitative inquiry. Finally, potential

bias of responses had an impact on the overall results of the study. The respondents were

in the midst of public health emergency during the time of survey and emotional and

psychological factors affect their perception of readiness for e-learning.

Despite these limitations, this is the first empirical study to analyze and determine

variations in the readiness of Filipino learners for e-learning. School officials may first

address the lack of digital skills among students and formulate programs that would

capacitate them. The possible shift for e-learning should be considered if financial,

operational, and Internet connectivity issues of learners in the low-income sector and rural

areas are addressed. More strategic planning and quality management mechanisms should
be directed towards an equitable and inclusive education without undermining quality

learning.

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