MODULAR DISTANCE LEARNING: ITS INFLUENCE ON THE

MATHEMATICAL WORDPROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS OF

GRADE 6 PUPILS

SHERYL M. CANSECO

Thesis Manuscript Submitted to the Department of Elementary Education,

College of Education, University of Southern Mindanao,
Libungan, Cotabato in Partial Fulfilment of the
Requirements for the Degree of

BACHELOR OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION

MONTH

JANUARY 2023
 UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MINDANAO
Alamada, Cotabato
Philippines

APPROVAL OF THESIS MANUSCRIPT

Name SHERYL M. CANSECO
Major
Degree Sought BACHELOR OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION
Specialization
Thesis Title MODULAR DISTANCE LEARNING: ITS INFLUENCE ON THE
MATHEMATICAL WORDPROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS OF
GRADE 6 PUPILS

APPROVED BY THE GUIDANCE COMMITTEE

GIDEON S. SUMAYO, MALT ______________________________

Adviser Co-Adviser
(Optional)
______________ _____________
Date Date
EZIEL MAE E. URSABIA, LPT GIDEON S. SUMAYO, MALT
Statistician Department Research Coordinator
(Optional)
______________ _____________
Date Date
GIDEON S. SUMAYO, MALT
Department Chairperson
______________
Date

KARIZZA JANE B. PEJANER, MST JACINTA T. PUEYO, PhD

College Research Coordinator Dean
______________________ ______________________
Date Date
Study No: Dept(DMM-2022-001)
Index No: ________________
Recorded by: _____________
RECORDED:
_________________________________
Director for Research and Development Office
_________________
Date
Recorded by: __________

USM-EDR-F10-Rev.3.2020.02.24 ii
 UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MINDANAO
Alamada, Cotabato
Philippines
ACCEPTANCE OF THESIS

The thesis attached hereto, entitled “MODULAR DISTANCE LEARNING: ITS INFLUENCE

ON THE MATHEMATICAL WORD PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS OF GRADE 6 PUPILS”

prepared and submitted by SHERYL M. CANSECO partial fulfilment of the requirements for

the degree of BACHELOR OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION is hereby accepted.

GIDEON S. SUMAYO PHD

Adviser

________________________
Date

Accepted as partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree

BACHELOR OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION.

KARIZZA JANE B. PEJANER, MST

College Research Coordinator

_________________________
Date

USM-EDR-F10-Rev.3.2020.02.24

iii
 BIOGRAPHICAL DATA

The researcher was born on 30th day of June 1988 at

Barongis,Libungan, Cotabato. She was the 4th daughter among nine children

of Mr. Pedro P. Matos and Mrs. Marilyn A. Matos. She has elder brothers

namely Julius Caezar and Jefferson. She has three sisters namely Junalyn

Lou, Mariafe and Marjorie.

She finished her elementary education at Barongis Elementary School

and finished her secondary education at Alamada National High School.

The researcher pursued her tertiary education at the University of

Southern Mindanao,and took up Bachelor of Elementary Education.

Despite of the challenges and trials she encountered in her life, she

remained strong and confident to achieve all of her dreams in life through the

unending support of her family,friends and love ones and especially through

the provision of Almighty God.

SHERYL M. CANSECO
Researcher

iv
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The researcher would like to extend her heartfelt thanks and heartfelt

appreciation who showed and contributed for the success of this study.

Specifically, to Almighty God for the Spiritual food and guidance.

To Gideon S. Sumayo, MALT, her thesis adviser, for his advice, time,

understanding, valuable suggestions and for patience to made this study

possible and successful.

To Ms. Karizza Jane B. Pejaner, MST, for the professional advice and

motivation.

To Ms. Eziel Mae E. Ursabia, LPT, her statiscian, for the analysis and

interpretation of the data;

To Mrs. Jacinta T. Pueyo, PhD, the dean of the college of Education,

for allowing and supporting her to conduct her study.

To her parents. Mr. Pedro P. Matos and Mrs. Marilyn A. Matos for the

motivation, moral and financial support.

To her Family for the moral support, providing all the needs and

financial assistance for almost 4 consecutive years.

To her beloved children namely Kelvin Clein, Shea Elyza Miranelle

and Keshylle Grace for the continuous love, understanding and patience.

To her bestfriends Frederick N. Cagud and April Leighzydel

Madalag, thank you for the moral support, encouragement.

v
 To her Respondents for the patience and time answering the survey

questionnaires necessary for the conduct of the study.

And for all those who in one way or another had extended their

supports and efforts but have forgotten to be mentioned, thank you so much!

God bless us all.

Finally, her deepest thanks and praises to the almighty God for giving

her wisdom, strength and for showering fruitful blessing to make the study

succesfull; and for having made everything possible for her to go forward

despite of the hardships and trials that came along her way.

SHERYL CANSECO

vi
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page
PRELIMINARIES
Title Page ..................................................................................................... i

APPROVAL OF THESIS MANUSCRIPT ............................................................. ii

ACCEPTANCE OF THESIS .............................................................................. iii

BIOGRAPHICAL DATA ............................................................................... iv

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ............................................................................... v

TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................... vi

LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................ viii

LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................................... ix

LIST OF APPENDICES ................................................................................. x

ABSTRACT .................................................................................................. xi

INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................. 1

Operational Definition of Terms................................................................... 4

Hypothesis of the Study .............................................................................. 5

Theoretical Framework ............................................................................... 6

Conceptual Framework ............................................................................... 8

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ............................................................ 9

Modular Distance Learning ......................................................................... 9

How Students Learn Math ......................................................................... 21

The Module and Its Content ...................................................................... 22

METHODOLOGY ........................................................................................... 26

Research Design....................................................................................... 26

Respondents of the Study ......................................................................... 26

vi
 Sampling Procedure .................................................................................. 27

Research Instrument ................................................................................. 27

Data Gathering Procedure ........................................................................ 27

Statistical Analysis .................................................................................... 28

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ....................................................................... 29

SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS ......................... 35

LITERATURE CITED ..................................................................................... 37

APPENDICES ................................................................................................ 40

CURRICULUM VITAE ................................................................................... 43

vii
 LIST OF TABLES

Table Title Page

1 Socio demographic characteristics of the respondent 30

2 Level of mathematical problem solving skills of the 31

respondent

3 Relationship between socio demographic characteristics 32

and mathematical problem solving skills of the respondent

4 Score of the respondent in 5 different areas of 33

mathematics

viii
 LIST OF FIGURES

Figure Title Page

1 Scatter Plot showing the scores of the Respondents 33

in 5 Different Areas of Mathematics

ix
 LIST OF APPENDICES

Appendix Title Page

A Application for Change of Research Title 41

B Actual Budget of the research 42

C Application for Thesis Manuscript Defense 43

x
 ABSTRACT

SHERYL M. CANSECO. 2022.Modular Distance Learning; Its influence on the

Mathematical Word Problem-Solving Skills at USM Palma Cluster

Campuses. UndergraduateThesis. Bachelor of Elementary Education.

University of Southern Mindanao, Alamada, Cotabato.

Adviser: Gideon S. Sumayo, PHD

This study was conducted at Barangiran Elementary School in the

Municipality of Alamada, Cotabato. The objectives of this study were

to:determine the socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents in

terms of age,sex and parents educational attainment; determine the level of

mathematical word problem-solving skills of the respondents, and to determine

if there is a significant relationship between socio-demographic characteristics

and the mathematical word problem-solving skills of the respondents.

The respondents were the Grade 6 pupils of Barangiran Elementary

School for the S.Y. 2021-2022.

The study intended to determine the influence of modular distance

learning in the mathematical word problem-solving skills of Grade 6 pupils.

xi
 The instrument used was a seff-made test questionnaire composed of 5

items solving test questions and the answers were rated with the use of

rubrics.

Based on the findings of the study, the researcher had drawn the

following conclusions, the level of problem-solving skills of the respondents

during the modular distance learning is quite alarming since respondents are

expected to have the competencies of Grade 6 pupils ready to acquire more

advanced competencies when they reach higher grades of schooling.

Keywords: Distance learning, Influence, Mathematical Problem, Modular,

Problem-solving,

xii
 INTRODUCTION

Numerous children struggle with mathematics and do not receive the

support they require to raise their grades. In many classrooms, reading

interventions are prevalent, but remedial math skills development is frequently

disregarded. Students must memorize numerical knowledge before applying

them to complex issues (Tomasetto, 2021). Math phobia might usually prevent

pupils from completing their assignments.

The Department of Education developed Modular Distance Learning to

maintain the education of millions of Filipino learners and ensure that every

school continues to achieve its objective and vision of providing quality

education to every Filipino student (Dangle &Sumaoang, 2020). However, the

sudden transition left many learners grappling with the changes it brought,

specifically in solving difficult mathematical word problems.

Knowing that the instruction from the traditional classroom is turned into

and limited to printed papers, the teacher's assistance is not primarily limited

and is sometimes not offered. In the Philippine context, Modular Distance

Learning (MDL) is utilized to ensure that education still continues even during

the pandemic. This type of delivery modality entails tailored instruction that

allows students to use self-learning modules (SLMs) student learning modules

that are centered on the Department of Education's Most Essential Learning

Competencies (MELC) (Martinez, 2020). Teachers hand out SLMs to

students, which comprise distribution and retrieval as well as assessment tools

to check for knowledge and provide timely and relevant feedback.

The research will endeavor to provide an opportunity to know the

influence of Modular Distance Learning on the mathematical problem-solving

skills of the students. The research may also contribute to the number of

research conducted locally and internationally. Moreover, the findings of the

study will be shared with the teachers, parents, students, and the whole

community at large so they can get input for the improvement of their

preparations and acquire possible insights as to how to deal with the

opportunities.

Generally, this study aims to determine the influence of modular distance

learning on the mathematical word problem-solving skilss of grade 6 pupils.

Determine the socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents in terms

of age, sex, parents educational background. Determine the level of

mathematical word problem-skils of the respondents. Determine if there is a

significant relationship between socio-demographic characteristics and the

mathematical word problem-solving skills of the respondents.

The following are the expected outputs of the study are list of socio-

demographic characteristics, level of mathematical problem-solving skills of

the respondents and the relationship between socio-demographic

characteristics to the mathematical word problem-solving skills of the

respondents.
Objectives of the Study

The study has the following objectives:

1. determine the socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents

2. determine the level of mathematical word problem solving skills of the

respondents; and

3. determine if there is significant relationship between socio-

demographic characteristics and the mathematical word solving skills of

the respondents.

Place and Time of the Study

The study was conducted at Barangiran Elementary School,

Barangiran, Alamada, Cotabato, in August 2022.

Operational Definition of Terms

For a clearer understanding of the study, the following terminologies are

operationally defined.

Mathematical Word Problem - refers to the problem to be solved by the pupil

respondents.

Modular Distance Learning – refers to the learning delivery modality that the

Department of Education cascaded in Barangiran Elementary School

through the Division office.

New Normal- refers to the phenomenon that is being experienced by the

respondents, which warrants modular distance learning.

Problem Solving - refers to the ability of the respondents to solve

mathematical word problems referring to the output submitted through

the distributed modules.

Hypothesis of the Study

H01: There is no significant relationship between socio-demographic

characteristics to the mathematical word problem-solving skills of the

respondents.
Theoretical Framework

This study is anchored on Otto Peter’s (1971) theory of industrialization,

which attempts to view the field of distance education as an industrialized form

of teaching and learning. He characterized distance teaching as a

standardized mass system of education in contrast to face-to-face education

that is craft-oriented, as each instructional session is produced by one person

at a time of its presentation. This theory is grounded in the study of Kemp and

Smelie (1989), as cited by Lim (2016), which indicates individualizing

instruction through modules.

Learners can learn individually and avoid being dependent on others in

engaging in social distance learning. Its main attributes include the individual

assuming responsibility for their own learning; the students can do their school

works at their own pace and at their own level of readiness (Kemp and Smelie,

1989).

Much research has exhibited a positive impact of industrialization

theory on the performance of learners during distance learning, especially a

positive influence on mathematical word problem-solving skills. Wedeyemer

(1981) argued that essential elements of independent learning have greater

student responsibility, widely available instruction, an effective mix of media

and methods, adaptation to individual differences, and a wide variety of start,

stop, and lean times. Holmberg (1989) supports this idea that individualization
of teaching and learning, encouragement of critical thinking, and far-reaching

student autonomy are integrated with his view of learning and teaching. The

statements above conclude that modular distance learning can influence the

problem-solving skills of the pupils because learning alone, especially in

solving, requires a lot of focus and attention without any further distractions.
Conceptual Framework

Mathematical Word
Socio-demographic
Problem-Solving
characteristics
Skills

Figure 1. Conceptual framework showing the relationship among the variables.

The pupils’ socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents and

modular distance learning will serve as predictors of the dependent variables,

which is the mathematical word problem-solving skills. The pupils’ socio-

demographic characteristics will determine if these are the cause of the

problem-solving ability of the students. The mathematical problem-solving

skills of the respondents will be measured through word problem-solving.

 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter includes a review of related literature and studies which

are relevant to this study's undertaking.

Modular Distance Learning

Modular Distance Learning is a solution to the "No Child Left Behind

Act," which mandates that all children obtain the best education available (No

Child Left Behind Act, 2002).

Student Learning Modules (SLMS) make learning more accessible to a

wider range of students. Modular Distance Learning (MDL) is viewed as the

most liked by families because it is cost-effective, or families would be able to

save a lot of money. While the parents can save a lot of money, the

government will spend a million money to print a million pages of modules to

be given to each student in public schools at elementary and secondary levels.

However, these modules are having problems in terms of printing because it

was printed in a short time.When printing modules, it needs ample time to

finish, so the final product is good, according to the Department of Education

(Gonzalez, 2015).

Modular distance learning is challenging, especially in teaching

mathematics. This kind of teaching and learning process aims to address the
 10

problem of the learners' needs in education because of the pandemic. This

study aims to determine whether the students performed poorly in a high level

of thinking skills, and the results revealed that the mathematics teacher did not

attain these. The good performance of the learners that was reflected in their

average scores is not considered that they learned a lot in mathematics

(Kaino,2012). The study of Serra et al. (2021) concluded that the students

have difficulty answering printed modules because it can lead to low self-

esteem. Lastly, the students cannot clearly understand how to use

mathematical operations. Dampog (2021) concluded that the learners could

learn through modules just like how they learn in school with the presence of

their teacher. In answering modules, the learners can do the task

independently without the teacher's presence. According to Cañales (2021),

modular distance learning is effective in teaching mathematics. Still, there is a

lack of related studies about modular distance learning about the difficulties

encountered by answering mathematical word problems

Mathematics and the Problem-Solving Skills

The development of high-level thinking skills such as reflective thinking

and mathematical problem-solving has received little attention in mathematics

education. In truth, these two qualities are critical since, in everyday life,

everyone is confronted with a variety of difficulties that must be solved,

necessitating reflective thinking to find solutions. Problem-solving ability is an

 11

important aspect of the mathematics curriculum because it allows students to

gain experience using knowledge and abilities that they have already applied

in problem-solving during the learning and completion process (Ramdani et

al., 2019).

Students can answer more complex problems using reflective thinking

since their thoughts will be guided, and the solutions to problems solved by

reflective thinkers are more likely to be correct and correct. This is in line with

the findings of King and Kitchener (Koszalka, 2001). They found that reflective

thinking aids in the solving of difficult problems by assisting in the identification

of concepts, facts, formulas, and theories that are pertinent to the problem at

hand. Furthermore, reflective thinking entails examining, comparing,

synthesizing, clarifying, and selecting what someone is doing that

demonstrates reflection activities (Henderson, 2004; Kocoglu, 2008).

If you do not have the right learning gadget, you will not be able to learn

effectively. The intended results will not be obtained if learning does not go

well. As a result, an appropriate learning tool is required to promote students'

reflective thinking in mathematics learning. For example, on the topic of

circumference and width of rectangles and squares, students can exercise

reflective thinking with problem-solving techniques. On the other hand, there is

still a scarcity of high-quality textbooks. Textbook authors do not give much

thought to how the book will be comprehended by students. In the

development of textbooks, learning psychology guidelines and textbook

 12

design theories are not used at all. As a result, pupils have difficulty

understanding the books they read and are frequently boring (Koszalka,

2001).

Student's worksheets are less able to meet the needs of students in

achieving optimal mathematics learning goals when used as a companion in

learning mathematics. For example, it does not provide instances or problems

from everyday life when students need an introduction to grasping content that

involves reasoning. Students need material exposure that allows them to fulfill

learning goals, and the presentation of information is merely a summary of the

material, which is obviously insufficient as a reference for studying

mathematics. As a result, it is necessary to properly address the problem of

mathematics learning by developing learning tools that can fit all students'

interests and demands.

Learning tools should be able to change to each student's speed of

comprehension and fit the student's learning demands. At the very least, the

learning resource incorporates mathematical information, learning exercises,

student workbooks, and teacher instructions on how to use these learning

resources in the classroom. Modules are a type of educational program that is

organized in a certain way for learning (Branca, 1980).

Mathematical questions are helpful to every student not only in terms of

critical thinking skills but also can be used in everyday situations in their life.

The goal of learning mathematics is to help the learners to solve problems.

 13

However, learning mathematics, especially problem solving, is very crucial

because it is hard to learn, but this can help in developing their critical thinking

skills and help them in gaining new skills that can be used in everyday life

(Chapman, 1997).

Problem-solving is important in our life. It is not only used in school but

also in our life. Learning problem-solving skills help enhance critical thinking

skills and also what the students learn from the school or from the topic they

can use this or apply in all types of solving (Shommer-Aikins et al., 2005).

According to a study conducted by educators and psychologists,

whether students have effective problem-solving skills or not is determined by

Bloom's learning theory, which revealed these factors are first cognitive

domain which talks about the knowledge and skills of the pupils towards the

subject, second is affective domains was all about the attitude or behavior of

learners towards the subject, the school and also their interest, motivation and

also the behavior of the teachers affect their learning(Bloom &Engelhart,

2010). According to the previous study, it discovered that it is important to

know the factors that are influencing the problem-solving skills of the learners

so that the teachers can give a solution to those factors and apply some

strategies so that the students can learn mathematics.

As a result, the study focuses on the effective domain aspects

impacting sixth-grade students' mathematic problem-solving. The purpose of

this study is to investigate factors that influence sixth-grade students'

 14

mathematic problem-solving abilities, as well as to construct and test the

accuracy of factor models that influence sixth-grade students' mathematic

problem-solving abilities (Pimta et al., 2009).

Factors Affecting Mathematical Word Problem-Solving Skills

By passing through accomplishment motivation and attitude toward the

subject, self-esteem had both a direct and indirect effect on mathematic

problem-solving. The students' ability to solve mathematic problems was

positively influenced by their self-esteem. Purkey (2000), as cited by Boneen

et al. (2016), believed that self-esteem is a fundamental motive that influences

each student's potential to accomplish various levels of learning than his

peers. Any student with high self-esteem did not appear to be serious about

learning mathematics and did not appear to be eager when confronted with

difficult mathematic problems or when ready to take the test. That student

would also focus on mathematic learning, has a positive attitude about the

topic, and has a solid capacity to solve mathematic issues.

Michai (2005) investigated the relationship between several successful

domains: mathematics learning and teaching behaviors and student problem-

solving. The study's findings revealed that students' self-efficacy was highly

related to their problem-solving abilities.

 15

Teachers' actions had both direct and indirect effects on students'

problem-solving abilities, with the latter being mediated by achievement

motivation and attitude toward the subject. When the teachers manage the

class effectively, they can give different activities, and the strategies and tools

are appropriate to the needs of the learners. These students' needs are met

by the teachers. Moreover, the teacher’s evaluations should match the

objectives, and how teachers treat their learners can impact their learning.

Because teaching is such a complex endeavor, it is impossible to say

that one method is preferable to another for all purposes, with all students, at

all times, and in all conditions. Certain processes, instructional styles, and

techniques that are widely frowned upon appear to work well for a particular

teacher. There is no hard and fast rule for selecting the ideal teaching

technique. Different teaching tactics should be therefore adopted by the

teacher to meet the demands of the pupils (Abad, 2006)

On the other hand, Lim (2016) concluded that the modular mode of

learning in teaching mathematics, specifically word problem solving, is an

excellent teaching strategy. Though the traditional and modular approach can

give knowledge and the learners can learn, the modular approach is better

than the traditional approach to learning.

According to a study conducted by Columbano (2019), self-instructional

materials serve four goals. These should be (1) simple, interesting, and very

familiar terms of readiness, connection, and trustability, such as those using a

 16

simple language or words so that the learners can understand easily (2) giving

time to students to study on their own style and giving enough time, they can

study anywhere at their home or in the library without the guidance of the

teacher (3) allow students to be responsible for their own learning, and (4)

provide the teacher with an efficient way of assessing the students The

modular education was created with the purpose of reducing frustration and

eliminating punishment and fear. The proctor or tutor is always ready to

explain why a student fails a readiness test.

The modules were successful in improving the understanding of the

concepts and skills discussed. The modules' desired outcomes were

achieved. As a result, the utilization of modules can considerably improve

mathematics learning. This pattern can be explained by the fact that students

can revisit a module multiple times if they need to review subjects that they

have not fully grasped. The results matched those of Reyes's (1994) study. As

a result, Reyes proposed that children must be exposed to modular instruction

in teaching-learning, in which the student is allowed to progress through the

work as quickly as his or her abilities and level of motivation allow, thus

creating self-confidence and independence in them. Modules may be of

tremendous use to both students and teachers in carrying out the teaching-

learning process, as evidenced by research and related literature. This is only

one of the numerous ways that learning is beneficial to clients and allows

pupils to retain information effortlessly.

 17

Modular Distance Learning (MDL) is discovered to assist parents in

having a higher parental involvement with their child/children. Tutoring may

have helped parents' bond with their child or children. When learners and their

parent(s) learn together as a type of bonding time, strong family relationships

are formed.

Independent learning is a style of learning in which children learn at

their own speed. Its concept is that people learn at different times and in

different places (Finol, 2020). Learners will complete their modules on their

own and find ways to comprehend their lessons, which will help them build

healthy study habits and a sense of responsibility for completing the tasks set

forth in the modules. Modules, workbooks, or textbooks are offered to learners

to aid in their autonomous learning process. Learners actively develop their

knowledge through their own experiences in this modality, which is based on

constructivism philosophy (Elliott et al., 2020). Also, Modular Distance

Learning's cost-effectiveness is a clear consideration. It is to save time and

money, particularly in terms of transportation allowance. Most parents reported

saving money as a result of their children not having to commute to school.

Equations should be aligned with the text margin on the left.

It was discovered that if there is no interaction relationship between the

teacher and the students, the students will lose interest in learning and also do

not want to explore their own potential. In learning through modules, the

learners cannot ask questions to their teachers, or they need help. Some of
 18

the students get their answers from the module. Even if some are wrong, they

still copy them. The teachers did not know if the answers of their students

were from their knowledge or from the answers in the modules. Parents who

work from home or in their workplace do not have enough time to help or

teach their children how to answer their modules by,and the parents cannot

check what the works of their children are. Because the parents havea hard

time earning money to sustain the everyday need of the family, not all parents

can provide for the needs of the children, and not all can help or guide their

children in answering modules. Some of the problems are also the parents

cannot understand or find it hard to explain what is on the modules.

Children are easily distracted at home, according to parents and

teachers, especially when electronics are available. The students spend more

time watching television or playing games rather than answering their

modules. Some learners think of this as a vacation or break from learning in

school. By this, they always want to sleep, they wake up late, and after that,

they will watch television and play games.

The teaching and learning process includes both curricular and co-

curricular activities. Extracurricular activities provide students with the self-

assurance they need to develop into well-rounded persons (Naik, 2018). It was

clear that extracurricular and other school activities are short in the new

normal education. The learners do not experience different activities such as

 19

role-playing, family day and foundation day, and other activities that are

usually celebrated in school.

Student learning modules (SLMs) were discovered to be activity-

centered, with a focus on paper and pencil activities. Learners complained that

the modules contained far too many tasks and activities. Because SLMs focus

more on the traditional question-and-answer format and are limited to reading

and writing, parents have seen that students get lazy when it comes to

studying.

During this pandemic, modules play a critical role in a large number of

public schools. The teaching and learning process is postponed two times so

that the teachers, parents, as well as pupils, can adjust to the new way of

learning, and also it needs time.However, it appeared that the postponements

were insufficient to ensure that the education department's learning materials

were error-free. "Not all modules developed this year underwent quality

assurance,"Education Undersecretary Diosdado San Antonio said in an

interview (Magsambol, 2020).

In the study by Pimta,Tayruakham, and Prasart (2009), they found that

teachers’ behavior took both coordinated and circuitous impacts on the

students’ mathematic issue tackling. The instructors are supposed to think

about the strategies to create this capacity profoundly and after that, bring

them to oversee the activities in the course that encourage students to be

 20

eager to memorize and have a great state of mind toward mathematic learning

or to urge students’ concentration.

Mathematical exercises that convey pertinent information on a subject

as text rather than in the form of mathematical notation are referred to as

mathematical word problems (Rasmussen & King, 2000; Timmermans et al.,

2007, as cited by Boneen et al., 2016). Therefore, it is believed that students’

proficiency in performing the necessary mathematical operations as well as

their ability to precisely interpret the word problem’s content are both

necessary for efficiently answering a mathematical word problem (Lewis and

Mayer, 1987; Hegarty et al., 1995 as cited by Boneen et al., 2016). Both of

these viewpoints are related,so creating a more profound understanding of the

content of the word issue is a vital step. Sometime recently, the right scientific

computations can be performed. Thus, a key challenge for word issue solvers

is to induce a satisfactory understanding of the issue statement (Lee et al.,

2009; Thevenot, 2010; as cited by Boonen et al., 2013).

Additionally, perusing comprehension aptitudes show up to be more

critical in overcoming such literary complexities than being able to utilize one’s

mental representation abilities. This might explain why the use of a problem-

model strategy is not sufficient in all circumstances. That is, the word problem

uses a word that cannot be understood easily by the learners, and this needs

both critical thinking skills and reading comprehension. For lower semantics,

mental representation is acceptable.

 21

How Students Learn Math

When students learn mathematics, they must keep numerical realities

in mind and apply numerical truths to unravel more complex issues

(Tomasetto, 2021). Emanet and Kezer (2021) said that the learner should

proceed after enlightenment from his educator, who could be so direct, with

his dynamic support, not without making sense of the information or

memorizing it, but by building up unused information by utilizing earlier

information. (p. 241) it is advantageous to create beyond any doubt the

educator educates the understudies that math information and aptitudes are

required to be effective with everyday math. Mathematics uneasiness is an

expanding issue for understudies based on their capacity to total math

assignments. Mathematics uneasiness was thought to be an influence center

and tall school-aged understudies, but it is being found that more youthful

understudies have uneasiness almost math (Maloney &Beilock, 2012).

Parents’ uneasiness around math at times causes math uneasiness in

students (Szczygiel, 2020). Szczygiel (2020) found that there was more of a

relationship between students’ father’s uneasiness influencing understudies'

claim of uneasiness in mathematics than mother’s uneasiness in mathematics

affecting learners. Mathematics intercessions can offer assistance to diminish

a few of the math uneasiness understudies are encountering, in all, making

them more comfortable with the math materials being instructed. A few
 22

students may have uneasiness around testing, which is able to cause them to

attain a lower test score.

The Module and Its Content

Agreeing to Mulyasa (2006), a module could be a self-contained

learning bundle comprising an arrangement of learning encounters planned

and built deliberately to help understudies accomplish their learning targets.

Modules are learning methods for a particular unit of theme that is organized

in a precise, operational, and directed way for understudies to utilize.

Concurring to Prastowo (2012), the module could be a book created with the

goal of permitting students to memorize without or without the supervision of

an educator. In another elucidation, the module may be a collection of

instructive assets that are displayed in an orderly way so that clients can learn

with or without the help of a facilitator or educator. As a result, a module must

be utilized as an instructing device input on the educator’s part. If the educator

has the ability to explain something, the module must be able to do so in a

manner that students can understand based on their level of expertise and

age.

As per the Ministry of Education's Directorate General of PMPTK

(2008), a module is considered great on the off chance it meets five criteria.

The primary could be a self-teaching method. It implies that understudies can

learn autonomously utilizing modules instead of depending on the educator or

 23

other third parties. To be classified as self-instructional, a module must meet

the taking criteria: (1) clearly expressed goals, (2) learning substance

packaged into little units to bolster comprehensive learning, (3) illustrations

and segment that back clarity within the introduction of the learning strategy,

(4) incorporates hone tests and homework that empower understudies to reply

and measure their competency, (5) incorporates commonsense issues, (6)

employment basic and participatory lexicon, (7) contains diagrams of

education materials, (8) contains an assessment device that empowers for

self-evaluation, (9) contains reactions on the assessment so that the client can

decide their level of authority of fabric, (10) gives data approximately

references or reference.

The second feature is that it is self-contained. It signifies that a module

contains all of the learning resources for a single competency unit or sub-

competency. The goal of this concept is to give students the opportunity to

learn extensively, and the module can include a sequence of well-thought-out

and methodical learning activities. Stand-alone is the third characteristic. The

term "stand alone" refers to modules that are not dependent on or required to

be used in conjunction with other learning media. If the module is still

connected or requires external media, it cannot be considered self-contained.

The fourth feature is adaptability. Adaptive describes modules that may

organize the growth of science and technology and are adaptable to use; this

is an adaptive module. Furthermore, an adaptable module is one in which the

 24

content of learning material can be employed for a set amount of time. The

final option is the most user-friendly. It implies that modules must be

considerate of their users. In other words, the module must be simple to

comprehend so that students can understand the contents of the modules that

have been provided and so that it serves not just as a manual but also as a

guide and a textbook to be taught.

Modules, as one sort of instructive fabric, have taken after parts,

concurring with Prastowo (2012). The primary is self-contained instructive

materials. The use of modules within the learning process prepares or permits

learners to memorize on study without having to rely on the nearness of a

teacher. The moment work is to require over teacher duties. Modules are

educating materials that must be able to clearly and effectively clarify learning

fabric to understudies based on their level of information and age. As a result,

utilize of modules can serve as a stand-in for instructive capacities.

The module as an apparatus for assessment is the final one. Learners

must be able to assess and evaluate their claim level of authority of the

amount they have learned when utilizing modules. As a source ofdata,

modules contain an assortment of things that learners must consider.

Learning new subject matter, concurring with Mbulu and Suhartono

(2004), is the substance of learning contained in books distributed by teachers

or journalists for the reason of learning. Besides, it is expressed that education

materials that are planned and created utilizing great learning standards will
 25

be able to help learners within the learning process, help instructors in

decreasing fabric introduction time and expanding instructor direction time,

and help schools in completing educational programs and accomplishing

learning objectives within the time.

 26

METHODOLOGY

Research Design

The study used a descriptive-correlation research design. The

descriptive research design used to determine the socio-demographic

characteristics and level of mathematical word problem-solving skills of the

respondents. On the other hand, also utilize the correlation research design in

significant relationship between the socio-demographic characteristics and

modular distance learning to the mathematical problem-solving skills of the

respondents.

Respondents of the Study

The respondents of the study were Grade 6 pupils of Barangiran

Elementary School in the Municipality of Alamada, Cotabato. The respondents

were abona fide pupils of the school and were vaccinated. However, the pupils

who participates the the same research and show covid-19 symptoms are

excluded.
 27

Sampling Procedure

This study used stratified random sampling with proportional allocation.

Respondents were chosen proportionally per section. The total number of

respondents was utilized using Slovin’s Formula with a 5% margin of error.

Research Instrument

The researcher used a self-made survey questionnaire for the socio-

demographic characteristics of the pupils and adopted test questionnaire for

the first quarter periodical exam of the grade 6 teachers at Barangiran

Elementary School. The first part of the survey questionnaire deals with the

pupil’s socio-demographic characteristics in terms of age, sex, and parents'

educational background. The second part deals with the mathematical word

problem-solving skills of the pupils.

Data Gathering Procedure

The researcher seek permission from the adviser and the campus

director in conducting the study outside the school. Upon approval, the

researcher sent a letter of permission to the Barangiran Elementary School

principal asked permission to administer the questionnaire. The copies of the

survey questionnaire were collected, tabulated, interpreted, and analyzed by

the researcher.
 28

Statistical Analysis

Data analysis and interpretation was made using descriptive statistics

such as frequency counts, mean, and percentages. Pearson r correlation was

used to describe the significant relationship between the socio-demographic

characteristics of the respondents and the level of mathematical word

problem-solving skills of the respondents.

 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

This chapter presents the data gathered placed in appropriate tables

with corresponding analysis and interpretation..

Table 1 shows the socio-demographic characteristics of the

respondents. Based on the result, the majority of the respondents are

comprised of 22 (51.2%) females while 21 or 48.8% are males. In terms of

their age, 42 (97.7%) of the respondents are 11-12 years old while only 1

(2.3%) respondent has age 13-14 years old. With regards to their parent’s

highest educational attainment, 6 (14.0%) respondents have parents who

were elementary graduates, 20 (46.5%) of them have parents who were high

school graduates, 15 (34.9%) of them have parents who were college

graduates, and only 2 (4.7%) respondents have parents who pursued

doctorate studies. Therefore, most of the respondents’ parents only finished

secondary level of education.

 30

Table 1. Socio-Demographic Characteristics of the Respondents.

Socio-Demographic Profile Frequency Percentage
(n=43)

Sex
Male 21 48.8
Female 22 51.2

Age
11-12 years old 42 97.7
13-14 years old 1 2.3

Parent’s Educational
Attainment
Elementary 6 14.0
High School 20 46.5
College 15 34.9
PhD 2 4.7

Table 2 shows the level of mathematical problem-solving skills of the

respondents. The result reveals that 13 or 30% of the respondents lack an

understanding of mathematical problem-solving, while the majority of them

which is composed of 30 or 70% of the respondents are just beginning

learners when it comes to solving mathematical problems. No one from the

respondents is at the level of developing, proficient, and excelling in terms of

their rfjathematical problem-solving skills. According to the study of Ca ete

(2002), teacher factors that include the teachers’ educational qualification and

possession of master’s units/degree, specialized training, performance rating,

and strategies in teaching math affect pupils’ problem-solving skills in

Mathematics.Silva et al. (2006) also investigated the factors associated with

non-performing Filipino students in mathematics in selected accredited private

 31

and public schools in the Philippines and the result showed that though

students have the average mental ability, they encounter difficulties attributed

to reading deficiencies and learning styles. These factors perhaps contributed

to the performance of the pupils in the problem-solving test.

These students probably had difficulty solving mathematics problems

due to some factors just like the shift from face–to–face classes into modular

distance learning wherein some of them did an independent study. On the

contrary of the study of Lim (2016) concluded that the modular mode of

learning in teaching mathematics, specifically word problem solving, is an

excellent teaching strategy. Though the traditional and modular approach can

give knowledge and the learners can learn, the modular approach is better

than the traditional approach to learning.

Table 2. Level of Mathematical Problem-Solving Skills of the

Respondents.
Score Frequency Percentage
0–3 13 30.0
4–7 30 70.0
8 – 11 0 0
12 – 15 0 0
16 – 20 0 0
Total 43 100.0

Mean Score:
5.30
Legend for interpretation:
0 – 3 Lacks understanding
4 – 7 Beginning
8 – 11 Developing
12 – 15 Proficient
16 – 20 Excels
 Sex. Based on the result shown in Table 3, there is a moderate linear

relationship between respondents’ sex and mathematical problem-solving

skills (r=-.463, p-value=.002). That is, it implies that sex somehow affects the

mathematical problem-solving skills of the respondents. As the result, males

performed better than females. According to Alcantara and Abanador (2018),

Male students tend to have greater extent of mastery of the learning

competencies in Math logic than female students. It can be attributed to the

tendency of male students to use more novel problem-solving strategies,

whereas female students are more likely to follow school-taught procedures.

AGE. The results revealed that the repondents age does not have

significant relationship with their mathematical problem-solving skills.

Moreover, results indicates that the younger the respondents, the lower the

respondents’ level of mathematical problem-solving skills (r = .054). There is

insufficient evidence to reject the null hypothesis because p-value (.732) for

age is greater than .05 level of significance.

Parent’s highest educational attainment. The result also revealed

that the respondents’ parent’s highest educational attainment has a significant

relationship with their mathematical problem-solving skills. Further, results

indicate that the higher the educational attainment of the parents of the

respondents, the higher the respondents’ level of mathematical problem-

solving skills (r = .381). There is sufficient evidence to reject the null

hypothesis because p-values (.002 and .012) for both sex and parents’ highest

educational attainment are lesser than .05 level of significance.

Kodippili (2011) indicates in his study that students’ parents’ education

level is a significant predictor of student math achievement. That is, a student

whose parents have higher educational attainment scored better compared to

students with parents whose educational attainment is lower. However, this

relationship significantly varied across the population of schools because there

were still factors aside from the educational attainment of parents affecting

their performance that need to be considered (Education Matters, 2004).

Students who scored better on the problem-solving test were most likely

guided by their parents in understanding their lessons during the modular

distance learning.

Table 3. Relationship Between Socio-Demographic Characteristics

and Mathematical Problem-Solving Skills of the Respondents.
Paired Variables Correlation p-value
Coefficient
Sex and
Mathematical problem- -.463* .002
solving skills

Age and
Mathematical problem- -.054ns .732
solving skills

Parent’s
Educational attainment
.381* .012
and Mathematical
problem-solving skills
*. Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level
ns
. Correlation is not significant at the 0.05 level
 Table 4 shows the scores of the respondents in five different areas of

mathematics. The result reveals that most of the respondents are good in number and

number sense where 28 of them gets 4 points in this area. Whereas, in the Statistics

and Probability, where all of them gets 0 point.

Table 4: Score of the Respondents in 5 Different Areas of Mathematics

Area of Mathematics 0 1 2 3 4
Number and Number Sense 2 13 0 0 28

Geometry 7 36 0 0 0

Patterns and Algebra 11 32 0 0 0

Measurement 6 37 0 0 0

Statistics and Probability 43 0 0 0 0

50
Number and Number
40 Sense
Geometry
30

Patterns and Algebra

20

Measurement
10

0 Statistics and
0 1 2 3 4 5 Probability

-10 Linear (Number and

Number Sense)
-20

Figure 2: Scatter Plot showing the scores of the Respondents in 5 Different Areas of
Mathematics
 SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

This chapter presents the summary, conclusions, and

recommendations derived from the results of this study.

The results revealed that the majority of the respondents who

participated in the study were female. Most of them are 11-12 years of age.

Moreover, most of the respondents’ parents only completed their education at

the secondary level. In terms of the students’ problem-solving skills, they were

not yet able to master the necessary concepts on how to solve math problems.

Most of the respondents were just beginning to learn concepts, especially on

how to carry out problems in math. In the addition, respondents’ sex and their

parents’ educational attainment have a significant relationship with their

mathematical problem-solving skills. This implies that respondents’ sex and

their parents’ educational attainment affect their performance in solving

mathematics problems. On the other hand, the age of the respondents does

not correlate with their problem-solving performance.

Based on the findings of the study, the researcher had drawn the

following conclusions, the level of problem-solving skills of the respondents

during the modular distance learning is quite alarming since respondents are

expected to have the competencies of Grade 6 pupils ready to acquire more

advanced competencies when they reach higher grades of schooling. Parents

can make a great contribution to the performances of the students especially

in solving math problems since parents’ educational attainment was found to

be a predictor of the students’ problem-solving performance. Sex was found to

be correlated with the student’s level of problem-solving skills therefore there’s

a difference between the male and female’s levels of mathematical ability.

Based on the results of the research, the following are recommended,

the constant conduct of assessment on the teaching and learning process

must be given importance to know if the students really acquire the required

competencies in a grade level. The result of the assessment will serve as a

basis for improvement of the instructional process inside the classroom and

will eventually help students monitor the progress of their own learning.

Parents are encouraged to monitor their children’s performances in school.

They are also encouraged to provide their children with appropriate assistance

(scaffolding) when doing schoolworks. Researchers are encouraged to

conduct further studies about other factors that affect students’ problem-

solving skills in Mathematics.

 LITERATURE CITED

. Alcantara, E., & Abanador, R. R. (2018). Gender Differences In Mathematics

Proficiency And Mastery Of The Learning Competencies In General
Mathematics Of Senior High School Students.
https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.21626.34246

Boneen, A. J. H., Koning, B. D., Jolles, J., &Schoot, M. V. D. (2016). Word

problem solving in contemporary math education: A plea for reading
comprehension skills training. Frontiers in Psychology, 7:191,
https://doi.org/10.3389%2Ffpsyg.2016.00191

Cañales, A. (2021). Effectiveness of modular distance learning in

Mathematics in the new normal: A literature review. Global Scientific
Journal, 9(11), 899-902.

Columbano, M. (2019). Development and validation of modules in basic

mathematics to enhance students' mathematics
performance.International Journal of Innovative Technology and
Exploring Engineering, 8(12).

Dampog, M. P. (2021). Impact of teaching mathematics using distance

learning delivery modalities to the performance of grade 5
pupils.BarasPinugay Elementary School.

Dangle, Y., &Sumaoang, J. (2020). The implementation of modular distance

learning in the Philippines secondary public schools. 3rd International
Conference on Advanced Research in Teaching and Education, 100-
108. https://www.doi.org/10.33422/3rd.icate.2020.11.132.

Emanet, A.,&Kezer, F. (2021). The effects of student-centered teaching

methods in Mathematics course on Mathematics achievement, attitude,
and anxiety: a meta-analysis study. Participatory Educational Research,
8(2), 240-259.

Finol, M. (2020). Asynchronous vs synchronous learning: A quick overview.

http://www.brynmawr.edu/blendedlearning/asynchronousvs-
synchronous-learning-quick-overview

Gonzalez, E. (2015). A modular approach utilizing decision tree in teaching

integration techniques in calculus".Asia Pacific Journal of
Multidisciplinary Research, 3(3)52-58.
 38

Henderson, K. (2004). Encouraging reflective learning: An online challenge.

Kaino, L. M. (2012). Teaching Mathematics in open distance learning

learning: Does it make a difference with teaching the traditional
approach?

Lim, E. J. A. (2016). Effectiveness of modular Instruction in word problem

solving of 3-beed students. Journal of Mathematics, 12(5), 59-65.
https://doi.org/10.9790/5728-1205075965.

Maloney, E. A., &Beilock, S. L. (2012). Math anxiety:Who has it, why it

develops, and how to guard against it. Trends in Cognitive Sciences,
16, 404-406.https://doi.10.16/j.tics.2012.06.008

Martinez, M. (2020). Modular distance learning: How well does it bridge

the gap? Instabrighte-Gazette, 2(2), 1-4.
"http://www.ijpdll.com/article/the-covid-19-pandemic-through-the-lens-
of-education-in-the-philippines-the-new-normal-8311

Naik, N. (2018). Importance of extracurricular activities in school life.

http://www.ijpdll.com/article/the-covid-19-pandemic-through-the-lens-of-
education-in-the-philippines-the-new-normal-8311

No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), 20 USC 70 § 6301 et seq. (2002).

http://www.ijpdll.com/article/the-covid-19-pandemic-through-the-lens-of-
education-in-the-philippines-the-new-normal-8311

Prastowo, A. (2012). Panduankreatifmembuatbahan ajar inovatif.

https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1244078.

Ramdani, R., Syamsuddin, A.,& Sirajuddin, S. (2019). Development of

mathematical module-problem factors influencing mathematic problem-
solving ability of sixth grade students solving approach to trainstudent's
self-reflective thinking.

Serra, J. R. E., Senope, N. J. R., &Lariosa, C.M. (2021). Potholes in the

implementation of printed module in Mathematics and feedbacks of
learners in Lambayong national high school during covid-19 pandemic.
Journal of Science and Engineering Education,1(3).

Sczczygiel, M. (2020). Gender, general anxiety, math anxiety and math

achievement in early school age children. Issues in Educational
Research, 30(3).
 39

Tomasetto, C., Kinga, M., Guardabassi, V., &O’connor, P. A. (2021). Math

anxiety interferes with learning novel mathematics contents in early
elementary school. Journal of Educational Psychology, 113(2), 315-
329. https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000602
APPENDICES
 41

Appendix A. Actual Budget of the Research

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MINDANAO

Alamada, Cotabato
Philippines

ACTUAL BUDGET OF THE RESEARCH

Title of Study MODULAR DISTANCE LEARNING: ITS INFLUENCE ON THE
MATHEMATICAL WORDPROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS OF
GRADE 6 PUPILS.

ITEMS/DESCRIPTION ACTUAL COST

Grand Total

Prepared and submitted by:

SHERYL M CANSECO
Printed Name and Signature of the Student

NOTED

GIDEON S. SUMAYO MALT ___________________________

Adviser Date

GIDEON S. SUMAYO, MALT ___________________________

Department Research Coordinator Date

GIDEON S. SUMAYO, MALT ___________________________

Department Chairperson Date
 42
Appendix B. Application for Manuscript Defense

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MINDANAO

Alamada, Cotabato
Philippines

APPLICATION FOR MANUSCRIPT DEFENSE

Name SHERYL M. CANSECO
Degree/Major
Thesis Title MODULAR DISTANCE LEARNING: ITS INFLUENCE ON THE
MATHEMATICAL WORDPROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS OF
GRADE 6 PUPILS.
Date of Examination
Time 9:00
Place Alamada Campus

MEMBERS OF THE EXAMINING COMMITTEE

Name Signature Date

Jacinta T. Pueyo, PhD __________________ __________________

Sambay Mla, MAEng __________________ __________________
Eziel Mae E. Ursabia, LPT __________________ __________________
RECOMMENDING APPROVAL:
GIDEON S. SUMAYO, MALT _______________________________
Adviser Co-Adviser (Optional)
APPROVED:

EZIEL MAE E. URSABIA, LPT GIDEON S. SUMAYO, MALT

College Statistician Department Research Coordinator
(Optional)

GIDEON S. SUMAYO, MALT

Department Chairperson

REPORT ON THE RESULT OF EXAMINATION

Name Signature
Jacinta T. Pueyo, PhD __________________
Sambay Mla, MAEng __________________
Eziel Mae E. Ursabia, LPT __________________
APPROVED:
Remarks
__________________
__________________
__________________

GIDEON S. SUMAYO, MALT

Department Research Coordinator

_____________________
Date

USM-EDR-F08-Rev.3.2020.02.24
 43

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MINDANAO

Alamada, Cotabato
Philippines

CURRICULUM VITAE
SHERYL M. CANSECO
Address: Barangiran Alamada Cotabato
Contact #:09702521854
Email: sherylcanseco@gmail.com

PERSONAL INFORMATION
Last Name Canseco

First Name Sheryl

Middle Name Matos

Nickname She

Age 34

Nationality Pilipino

Religion Southern Baptist

Civil Status MARRIED

Father’s Name Pedro P. Matos

Mother’s Name Marilyn A. Matos

Educational Background

Elementary Barongis Elementary School

Junior High School Alamada High School

Senior High School Alamada High School

Tertiary University of Southern Mindanao

44