St.

Paul University Philippines

Tuguegarao City, Cagayan 3500

EDU 201 -Educational Administration Theory and Practice

Discussion/Research Paper of Kristalyn Mary D. Diwayan and Russel Udani V.
Catabay

Modular Learning Modality in the New Normal: Experiences of

Parents

Introduction:

The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted education not just in the
Secondary level but also in the higher education. It affected teachers and students in
various ways. As a result, worldwide school closures is one of the impacts of the
pandemic since school risk high rates of disease transmission hence closures are
seen as the necessary measures to protect public especially the students as well as
teachers. Education is a particularly challenging issue in the context of the
pandemic. Lost schooling affects education as to benefits such as to learning, health
and protection like it exposes children to abuse and trauma if their homes are unsafe
so mental health at risk and many parents and children will miss out the information
drive about Health that are usually conducted in schools and other programs like
feeding wherein a lot of children will no longer have access to a nutritious regular
meal. Face to face learning engagement of students and teachers within the school
has been suspended and this situation has paved the way to the implementation of
Modular Distance Learning in response to the continuity of education. However,
distance learning is not a new fact phenomenon, its popularity has increased in
addressing the continuity of new normal education brought by pandemic. At present,
our country is now adapting the new normal form of education.

The key purpose of this research is to find out the challenges encountered by
parents in this new normal education system. It give information or answers on what
are the most popular mode of distance learning; what are the role of parents in the
implementation of Modular Learning Modality and what are the obstacles faced by
parents in this mode of distance learning.

Body:

Distance Learning refers to a learning delivery modality where learning takes

place between the teacher and the learners who are geographically remote from
each other during instruction. This modality has three types: Modular Distance
Learning (MDL), Online Distance Learning (ODL), and TV/Radio-Based Instruction.
(Quinones, 2020). The Department of Education (DepEd) developed TV/radio-based
instruction methods to utilize existing technologies that reach rural areas, however,
the most popular mode of distance learning under consideration is modular learning.
In the Philippines, this learning modality is currently used by public schools because
according to a survey conducted by the Department of Education (DepEd), learning
through printed and digital modules emerged as the most preferred distance
learning method of parents with children who are enrolled this academic year
(Bernardo, J).

Modular learning is a form of distance learning that uses Self-Learning

Modules (SLM) based on the most essential learning competencies (MELCS) provided
by DepEd. The modules include sections on motivation and assessment that serve as
a complete guide of both teachers’ and students’ desired competencies. Teachers
will monitor the learners’ progress through home visits observing and following
social distancing protocols and feedback mechanisms, and guide those who need
special attention. Based on data gathered via DepEd’s National Learner Enrolment
and Survey Forms (LESFs), 8.8 million out of the 22.2 million enrollees (39.6% of
total respondents) preferred modular distance learning for the upcoming school
year. Meanwhile, 3.9 million enrollees (17.6%) were partial to blended learning
(which uses a combination of different modalities), 3.8 million (17.1%) preferred
online learning, and 1.4 million and 900,000 enrollees preferred TV-based and radio-
based learning, respectively.

In a public school in Kalinga, offline modular learning is the most preferred

distance learning among TV-based, radio-based and online as a result of a survey.
They considered home visitation one of their best practices in this school in the
pandemic times especially to those learners needing remediation or assistance.

3% 2%
9%

Modular Learning
Learners' Preferred Online Learning
Distance Learning Radio-based
Modality in a TV-based
school in Kalinga

87%
Figure 1. Preferred distance learning modality in a public secondary high school in Pinukpuk, Kalinga
based on their survey results. Majority of students (86%) prefer modular learning, reflecting nationwide
surveys. 

According to their local LESFs (Learner Enrolment and Survey Forms), parents
and learners cited the lack of available gadgets and internet connection as the main
reasons why they preferred modular learning over online learning.

The use of modules encourages independent study. One of the benefits of

using modules for instruction is the acquisition of better self-study or learning skills
among students. A parent has told a teacher in an interview during home visit in a
public school in Pinukpuk, Kalinga, a 34 years old mother namely Karen D. Viernes
with a Grade 7 daughter, “I have found that self-study develop a sense of
responsibility in accomplishing her activities provided in the module with little
assistance”, based from her statements, students engage themselves in learning the
concepts presented in the module. Most of the students who has a higher ability
level in understanding especially those honor students progress on their own at their
own pace but majority of the results of the home interview noted that their children
became idle, they just copy answers given in the answer key. Another advantages of
modular instruction include more flexibility for teachers and staff and increased
adaptability of instructional materials. Some of the disadvantages are lack of time in
the preparation and a greater resources needed to track students and operate
multiple modules.

As a consequences of this Modular Distance Learning, changes on who is

invloved in the learning process of learners has emerged with parents as the
facilitator taking on bigger role. Hence learning at home situates students to learn at
their comfort. They are the persons who could be tapped in helping and assisting
their children as someone who has more and better knowledge and understanding
or higher ability level. In this connection, what are the roles of parents in the
Modular learning modality of learners? Parents are the “home facilitators” as
parnerts of teachers in education, they don’t replace teachers and will not teach
subject matters. The primary role of parents to deliver Offline Modular learning
effectively are the following according to DepEd:

 Modue-ator – The ones to get and submit the printed Self-learning Modules
(SLMs) from and to schools or barangay halls at the beginning and end of the
week, depending on the agreement between the parents and the school. This
is to ensure that safety and social distancing protocols are to be followed;
 Bundy-Clock – They amust check their child;s schedule or work week plan,
because of the number of subjects or activities to be done, parents/guardians
must see that it is being followed accordingly to avoid cramming or delay in
submission, which may affect the child’s performance; and
 Home innovator – Due to the “study at home” scenario, parents must also
provide their child a productive learning environment helping them focus
more on learning. It must be a well-lighted and well-ventillated space in the
house, with little or no distraction.
 Parent or guardians should be responsible in preparing a conducive learning
study space for the learner, they should regularly check the child’s schedule;
responsible for interacting with teachers and other representatives in acquiring the
modules and other resources needed by the learner especially in the elementary and
Junior high students and it is their role to motivate their children to inspire them
more to learn.

With all the responsibilities or roles of parents, there are potential obstacles or
challenges face by in the fulfillment of their role like the parents’ educational
attainment and the diffrent skills they have. In a public school in Pinukpuk,
Kalinga, most of the parents or guardians are highschool graduate based from
the survey conducted as shown in the chart below.

10%

30%
College graduate

Parents'Educational Highschool graduate

Attainment elementary graduate

60%

Figure 4. Most parents (60%) in a public secondary school in Pinukpuk, Kalinga are high
school graduates. 30% are college graduate and 10 % are elementary graduate.

Another challenge is the children’s ability to learn by imitation. In Albert

Bandura’s Social Learning Theory, says that learners learn by imitation, observation,
and modeling. Parents’ attitudes, beliefs, thoughts, and feelings may affect the
learner’s learning process as the model and facilitator that may be shown or taught
intentionally or unintentionally. It depends on their understanding of a particular
lesson or subject matter. An example is a belief of a parent wherein all things in this
world are created by God without considering the scientific evolution.

The final challenge of learning is when children choose who will assist them with
their lessons and assignments. Some children like to be taught by their mother or
father, or sometimes by their older siblings and some will only rely on the answer
keys. In this case, parents must see to it that children would still read and
understand the content of the module. Parents must provide a conducive space and
must give a warm atmosphere for the learner to love learning even at home.
Learners learn better when there is a suitable and safe space for learning.

All these are the challenges experienced by the parents on the Modular mode of
learning as to differences in terms of educational attainment, skills and emotional
connection to the learner.

Conclusion and Recommendations

The crisis has brought change to education system around the world. The
current systems like in the Philippines adapted and focused on delivering a lot of
content to cater the educational needs of learners. With all the obstacles
encountered by parents in this new learning system, basic literacy must receive
more attention as an essential competency because many of our children cannot
read well even if they are in the Grade 7 already hence considered as the biggest
stumbling block thus it must be addressed.

On the part of roles and responsibilities of parents and guardians as the

facilitator of learning, there should be an orientation on to effective guidance to clear
misconceptions and address certain cases such as parents’ unavailability due to work
and to educate them on the dos and don’ts, as well as the whole process flow of
delivering the module, from acquisition to submission. They should not focus on the
content but guide students who need clarification on a particular module material
especially their weak points like math so help them to find ways for them to
collaborate with other people who are good at that subject to explain their
clarifications. They should teach students on things like time management, study
skills so these facilitators don’t have to be very educated but it can still be helpful.
Instead of scaring students at the sight of something unfamiliar with the module,
children should be guided in understanding what the learning module is all about.
And aside from the learning content, we should strive to cultivate independent
student learning.
References:

Dangle, Ysthr Rave P., The Implementation of Modular Distance

Learning in the Philipine Scondary Public Schools. Accessed November
02, 2021

Manlangit, Pierce, Paglumotan, Alyssa Melody., Nanay, handa na ba

kayong maging tagapagdaloy? Accessed November 02, 2021

Pachero, Jose A., The “new normal” in education. Accessed November

4, 2021

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Krutikova S, Phimister A and
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DOI: 10.1080/02619768.2020.1821184