CHAPTER 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE

Rationale

Education in the 21st century has changed dramatically and will continue

to change to meet society's growing needs and expectations. Learners are

expected to develop a wide range of qualities and skills to succeed in today's

world. A gateway to teaching is encouraging pupils to identify real-world

problems and preparing them to be lifelong learners.

Spoon-feeding learning is like teacher-centered education that based on

the instructor delivering a direct instruction, which causes the class to become

monotonous and learners to become passive. Learners come to expect their

teachers to constantly feed them. Pupils see it as a necessary part of the

teacher's job. Learners and teachers consider spoon-feeding to be the repetition

of the content without understanding properly. This results in educational

stagnation because no development occurs as the pupil's brain processes the

data.

When the classroom is spoon-feed, it becomes orderly, and the teacher

can easily control the flow of the class. Since the teacher directs the classroom

activities, the teacher does not have to be concerned about pupils missing topics.

Recitation is the only way for the pupils to actively participate. Aside from that,

pupils master the lessons and complete written assignments at home. The

examination may consist of oral recitations, quizzes, and a major written exam.

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The pupils develop only basic knowledge in this setting, which involves

memorizing, identifying, reciting, describing, and categorizing the knowledge

inputted by the teachers. Some subjects that benefits from memorization. The

absorbed knowledge of the learner is based primarily on the instructor's teaching

preparation and style in this approach. Pupils who are poor at remembering and

mastering are more likely to fail the subject, leaving them feeling intellectually

weak and unable to progress to the next level.

In the Philippines, research on learner autonomy has received little

attention (Rañosa-Madrunio, Tarrayo, Tupas, and Valdez, 2016). Consequently,

there is reason to believe that current changes in the Philippine education system

will have an impact on how the concept of autonomy is implemented in the

coming years. Teachers play an important role in autonomous learning. The

learner makes decisions and managing own learning. Learners have the

opportunity and resources to build their knowledge through the process of

autonomous learning, which helps them to get a thorough grasp and, ultimately,

improve learner’s quality. Susanti (2017) stated that the pupils are no longer

passive in the classroom when the approach of autonomous learning is used.

The researchers in Bohol, particularly the students of Bohol Island State

University Candijay Campus, observed that spoon-feeding practices of teachers

in school may affect the learning autonomy of every pupil. Spoon-feeding is a

concern of teachers in transforming pupils to become lifelong learners. Through

this study, the researchers want to reveal the relationship between spoon-feeding

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practices of teachers and learner autonomy of Zone 1 schools of Candijay

District School year 2022-2023.

Literature Background

The educational program in the country has transitioned to a K–12

curriculum that stresses learner-centeredness in curriculum design,

implementation, and assessment. Recent developments in the Philippine

educational environment may impact how the notion of autonomy is created in

the next years. According to Rañosa-Madrunio et al. (2016) that the learner-

driven curriculum explores parts of the curriculum that may allow more efficient

learning through new lenses of knowledge. Despite the curriculum's emphasis on

learner-centeredness, there is still some spoon-feeding practices.

Spoon-feeding appears to be the best way to ensure that all of the class

information is received by the pupils. Pupils who have been conditioned to learn

in this manner expect to be taught information in a direct manner. Boyer, 1987

(as stated by Blane, 2015), the traditional method of teaching in the classroom

has been spoon-feeding through very detailed lectures for many years. Teachers

assume a dominant role in spoon-feeding, while pupils play a passive role. In this

way, the pupils are less likely to develop the required abilities to become

independent learners.

Bok, 2006 (as cited by Dehler and Welsh, 2014), that pupils in a

dependency culture do not become learners; instead, pupils become passive

receptors. It encourages learners to become passive recipients of knowledge.

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Pupils who are used to being spoon-fed are also less responsible for their

learning process. The pupils will not develop if they are constantly told what they

should know. This can lead to them reaching a point in their education where

they have no way of progressing because their development remains stagnant

with what they are given. As a result, they would not develop skills that would

allow them to interpret their knowledge in useful ways.

In the research of Khan (2018), pupils are reliant on the learning process.

According to the findings of the study, learners prefer spoon-feeding because it

provides easy access to the lesson. However, such methods give learners the

incorrect impression that such knowledge is only available to or known by their

teachers. He further noted that this results in pupils either trying to apply rote

learning during exams or cannot answer test questions at all. Pupils will not

develop critical thinking skills if they simply digest information without

understanding it. Teachers frequently remark that their pupils expect to be

spoon-fed and can repeat without analyzing the material that has been taught.

The metaphor of spoon-feeding does not fit their view of what a teacher should

do or how children should learn. Teachers claim that instead of thinking things

out for themselves, pupils expect to be told exactly what to do, the facts, and the

correct responses.

When people say that learning is a lifelong process, they truly mean it. By

spoon-feeding pupils, they are taught that whatever is given to them is the total

reality, despite the fact that there will always be advancement and development

in what was thought to be true years ago that is no longer true now. Pupils will

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not be motivated to seek out other ways to broaden their knowledge if they are

simply given everything they know. For instance, a teacher may instruct pupils to

read a book because it contains all of the answers to the exam, requiring the

pupils to memorize the book word for word without actually understanding what it

says. If the pupils does not understand the meaning of the book, they will be

unable to answer situational questions based on it. Furthermore, they would not

need to look for additional guides because the book is said to be sufficient. Pupils

who are spoon-fed wait for knowledge to occur.

Pascual (2022) surveyed about the spoon-feeding approach in teaching,

when the teacher used the spoon-feeding approach, the result was significantly

lower. This implies that the spoon-feeding method instills a teaching process that

the pupils only vaguely understand. Furthermore, the study concluded that the

spoon-feeding approach results in poor learning performance. Also associated

with spoon-feeding is the belief that learners are incapable of doing something

that renders inability to perform a task of which learners are capable. For

instance, when pupils recognize the steps of a classroom activity, they will follow

when their teacher does it, but when it comes to performing on their own or

applying the procedure they learned, they will fail. This indicates that they are

trying to absorb rather than knowing how to do what they are told. The teacher’s

job is to transform learners with low self-direction who rely on others into learners

with high self-direction who set goals, take responsibility for their learning, and

assess their productivity.

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 When a learner starts to learn new concepts, he or she needs help from

teachers in the form of active support. A theory that supports this study is

“Jerome Bruner's Scaffolding Theory (1976)”. Bruner asserts that pupils need

support and active help from their teachers as learners going to learn. The theory

explains that children are somewhat dependent on those who have more

knowledge or competency in certain areas. Initially, the learners rely on the

support of the teachers to improve their knowledge and acquire new skills.

A teacher is competent in what pupils want in the classroom. Then,

learners perceived that all need to do is take lots of notes, memorize the

information, and hope to pass tests with a passing grade (Dehler and Welsh,

2014). As a result, pupils stop taking responsibility for the gained learning and

become passive learners. Learners struggle to comprehend the subject, and

once the subject is complete, learners will quickly forget most of what has been

learning. Many teachers appear to believe that spoon-feeding pupils is the only

way to ensure that pupils learn everything that is necessary for the class.

According to Morris (2016) that learners who are pushed for time neglect

classroom preparation in the belief that sitting through the class lecture would

provide them with the information require to succeed, resulting in a spoon-fed

society. Learning would be useless for a teacher to spoon-feed the learners, and

skills will not develop. The teacher can make learners learn by guiding them, not

by holding their hands. Ramsden, 1992 (as cited by Dehler and Welsh, 2014)

Learning is not the same as remembering, and remembering is not the same as

understanding and making sense. True learning, then, entails both meaning-

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making and comprehension. Deep learners engage in learning materials with the

goal of understanding. Independent learning can develop their confidence and

ability to develop their skills. Those learners who relied on spoon-feeding

throughout their education process are less in becoming lifelong learners since

learners never learned to walk along their path as independent one. Pupils

should be taught without the teacher constantly holding their hands. They will

have more confidence in their learning and will be able to enjoy the process if

they begin to learn for themselves instead of because they are told to. The pupils

can become self-sufficient lifelong learners who enjoy learning.

Freeman (2016) emphasized that teachers may influence how

autonomously and how well a learner works by setting the environment and

interacting with the learner in ways that promote autonomy. Reeve, 2006 (as

cited by Freeman, 2016) that supporting independent work begins with

developing the child's drive and interest, communicating in an informative and

cooperative manner, and appreciating the richness and limitations of pupils'

interests. Evidence shows that the most effective way for the guide to promote

these conditions is to be attentive and listen to the pupil, communicate the

importance of the lessons, set clear expectations, encourage persistence, and

praise improvement.

An article by Bajram (2015) defined learner autonomy as one of the

fundamental components that determine the roles of a teacher and a learner in

learning. Oxford University Press (2013) sees learner autonomy takes place

when learners take control and responsibility for the learning, both in terms of

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what pupils learn and how pupils learn it. A teacher's role is vital in assisting

pupils in developing autonomy in learning, besides other critical responsibilities

such as administration and education. Bajram (2015) stated that a diversity of

learning styles and strategies helps pupils become more creative, self-directed,

and effective learners. Becoming an autonomous learner is ongoing and involves

using several strategies and approaches. Jacobs and Farrell, 2001 (as cited by

Bajram, 2015) stated that learner autonomy emphasizes the learner's role rather

than the teacher's role. It emphasizes the process rather than the product and

encourages learners to develop their own learning goals and to view learning as

a lifelong process. The primary goal of methods and teaching is to increase

pupils' awareness and insight into the efficacy of their learning and to enable

them to control properly how learners study to become efficient, motivated, and

independent learners.

According to Agustiani (2019), the teacher's role is not only to teach in the

classroom but also to be a facilitator capable of facilitating the students' needs

during the learning process. It can be interpreted that learners who are able to

motivate themselves will lead themselves to be long-life learners, which are very

important in facing the global era, get some information whenever and wherever

they want as long as they are willing to read or access the information from some

sources, such as the internet, or using facilities provided by their institution, such

as the library.

The work of Plata (2013) expands the path to comprehending and

unraveling the nature of teacher autonomy in the Philippines. Plata traces

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different levels of participation in developing outcomes and activities for aligning

curricula to school goals, demonstrating that even when decision-making

operates at an institutional level, nuances in the interpretation and practice of

different stakeholders reveal layers of involvement that may either promote or

limit teachers' autonomy. Plata contends that, to achieve successful alignment of

educational outcomes with institutional goals, comprehensive and collaborative

system-wide efforts should be adopted to ensure maximum engagement among

diverse elements of the school community.

Furthermore, according to David Ausubel (1961), “Meaningful Learning

Theory” posits that learners gain knowledge by connecting new events to

previously known concepts. As a result, meaning is an expressed and distinct

conscious experience that occurs when meaningful signs, symbols, concepts, or

propositions are related to a given individual's cognitive structure. Meaningful

teaching is an essential type of learning in the classroom. So, meaningful

learning entails learning new information that is related to what the learner

already knows and is easily retained and applied. In order to have good

meaningful learning, Ausubel's theory emphasizes the importance of pupils' prior

knowledge. Teachers should also be aware of the pupils' prior knowledge so that

teachers can best apply it in the teaching practices.

Sam, Ros, Keo, and Sophal (2012) conducted a survey which run on

cluster random sampling method with 360 total population. The findings revealed

that the learners' perceptions of how to manage the learning revealed that

approximately 70% of the learners believed it was important for independent

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learners to make self-assessed decisions on what to do with the gained

learnings, such as setting goals and attempting to achieve those goals. Learners

had to work hard to complete most what learners had planned to accomplish.

Learners also believed that, despite autonomy, pupils needed guidance from

lecturers so that pupils could use such help to maximize learners' level of

independence and learning outcomes. To become independent learners, one

must regularly assess one's learning progress. Learners will promote learning

success through regular self-assessment. To study, independent learners must

manage effectively. By doing so, such learners can prepare for self-study and

become self-sufficient.

Another study by Yan (2012), concluded that making the learner a master

of autonomous learning is not an easy process. Teachers must shift from

dominator to director and allow learners to develop positively. The teacher must

believe in the pupils, respect them, and provide education, making the class one

of equal and cooperative discussions. Under the guidance of autonomous

learning theory, learners should assume the role of the center. Learners actively

learn and study under the direction of the teacher. Learners can only achieve

high efficiency of autonomous learning if pupils enhance, encourage, realize, and

adapt step by step during the teaching evaluation. The relationship between

teachers and learners is equal during the autonomous learning process.

Furthermore, the study of Iñigo (2018) concluded that learner autonomy

may therefore be defined as the pupils' actions upon recognizing that have

learned adequate abilities overtime to do the tasks assigned to them by their

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teachers. This understanding will allow the pupils to experiment with and explore

many parts of the learning process. Teachers may support pupils' already

existent learner autonomy by providing chances for them to reflect on and apply

their new skills, which will help make learning more successful.

Lionarakis, 2006 (as cited by Fotiadou, Angelaki, Mavroidis, 2017) that

autonomous pupils are eager to participate actively in the learning process,

gradually acquiring knowledge. They set goals, deal with difficulties, and

gradually acquire knowledge because they are motivated by their own autonomy

and rely on their academic skills. Fotiadou et.al (2017) asserts that pupils who

have a high level of autonomy take charge of their own learning and when the

level of learner autonomy is low, learners make far fewer implementation-related

decisions.

The theory of “Lev Vygotsky’s Zone Proximal Development Theory

(1978)” asserted that an individual's immediate potential for development is

limited to what learners can achieve independently and what learners can

achieve with the guidance of a more knowledgeable other, such as a peer, tutor,

or teacher. The zone of proximal development is the area between the upper and

lower limits of cognitive development. This theory shows the difference between

what a learner can do without the help of the teacher and what the learner can

achieve with guidance from the teacher.

Learning becomes effective when the pupils have control over their

knowledge and are aware of the learning process. Independent learning is the

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cornerstone of every education and is to be applied by educators to pursue a

purposeful education. Teachers adhere to using such approaches to build

independent learners rather than spoon-feeding learners. Independent learning is

misconceiving in teaching. The goal of independent learning is to increase the

learners’ capacity to learn, not to increase the dependence on learning. In the

21st century, learners are competent to be independent learners; that can cope

with what is in the new curriculum.

As stated in Section 2 of the Republic Act No. 10533, otherwise known as

the “Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013”, that The State shall establish,

maintain and support a complete, adequate, and integrated system of education

relevant to the needs of the people, the country and society-at-large. Likewise, it

is hereby declared the policy of the State that every graduate of basic education

shall be an empowered individual who has learned, through a program that is

rooted on sound educational principles and geared towards excellence, the

foundations for learning throughout life, the competence to engage in work and

be productive, the ability to coexist in fruitful harmony with local and global

communities, the capability to engage in autonomous, creative, and critical

thinking, and the capacity and willingness to transform others and one’s self. For

this purpose, the State shall create a functional basic education system that will

develop productive and responsible citizens equipped with the essential

competencies, skills and values for both life-long learning and employment.

Further, Section 5 of the same provision, Enhanced Basic Education Act

of 2013, states that the DepED shall adhere to the following standards and

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principles in developing the enhanced basic education curriculum: (a) The

curriculum shall be learner-centered, inclusive and developmentally appropriate;

(b) The curriculum shall be relevant, responsive and research-based; (c) The

curriculum shall be culture-sensitive; (d) The curriculum shall be contextualized

and global; and (e) The curriculum shall use pedagogical approaches that are

constructivist, inquiry-based, reflective, collaborative and integrative.

According to Article 2 Section 9 (1, 8) of the Batas Pambansa Blg. 232

also known as the “Education Act of 1982”, the rights of the students in school is

the right to receive, primarily through competent instruction, relevant quality

education in line with national goals and conducive to their full development as

person with human dignity, and the right to form, establish, join and participate in

organizations and societies recognized by the school to foster their intellectual,

cultural, spiritual and physical growth and development, or to form, establish, join

and maintain organizations and societies for purposes not contrary to law. In this

provision, personal engagement in decision-making leads to more effective

learning when pupils take an active, independent approach to learning and

complete a learning activity independently. When learners are instructed and

given the freedom to create their own learning agenda, learning becomes more

focused and purposeful, and thus more effective both immediately and over time.

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 Scaffolding Theory
“Learner needs to be given
help and guidance as they
progress through their
learning.” (Bruner, 1976).
 Meaningful Learning Theory
 Section 5 of the Republic Act
“Meaningful learning is a
crucial type of learning for
classroom instruction.”
(Ausubel, 1961).
 Zone Proximal Development
Theory
 Article 2 Section 9 (1, 8) Batas
“The zone of proximal
development defines those
functions that have not yet
matured…” (Vygotsky,
1978).
 Section 2 of the Republic Act
No. 10533, or Enhanced Basic
Education Act of 2013
“The State shall establish,
maintain and support a complete,
adequate…”
No. 10533, or Enhanced Basic
Education Act of 2013
“The DepED shall adhere to the
following standards and
principles in developing…”
Pambansa Blg. 232 Education
Act of 1982
“The right to receive, primarily
through competent instruction…”’

Grade 6 Pupils of Zone 1 Schools of Candijay District

Level of Spoon-feeding Level of Learner Autonomy

Practices

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 Figure 1. Theoretical and Conceptual Framework

THE PROBLEM

Statement of the Problem

The primary aim of this study was to determine relationship between

spoon-feeding learning practices and learner autonomy of pupils in Zone 1

schools of Candijay District School year 2022-2023.

Specifically, it sought to answer the following questions;

1. What is the level spoon-feeding practices as perceived by the

respondents?

2. What is the level of learner autonomy as perceived by the

respondents?

3. Is there a significant relationship between level of spoon-feeding

and the level of learner autonomy of the respondents?

Statement of the Null Hypothesis

There is no significant relationship between level of spoon-feeding and the

level of learner autonomy of the respondents.

Significance of the Study

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 The researchers believe this study is beneficial to the components of the

educational system-elementary teachers, pupils, and future researchers. The

study might serve as the baseline information for improving every individual

involved in education.

Teachers. This study provides teachers to develop creative approaches

and strategies for delivering instructions to pupils for better learning. It will inspire

the teacher to conduct a self-evaluation of whether their teaching practices

identify as spoon-feeding.

Pupils. Through the results, pupils will help themselves practice becoming

autonomous learners with the help of diverse learning materials. The pupils will

gain an understanding of their learning autonomy.

Parents. This study will serve as a guide in their children's education. It

helps parents to understand the concept behind spoon-feeding practices and the

impact on pupils’ learner autonomy.

Future researchers. This study would provide source information for

further studies relevant to spoon-feeding.

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 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Design

This is a quantitative research design that interprets research findings

using a deductive process that encapsulates numerical data to find the answer to

the research question. The questionnaire was used as a data collection tool. The

design employed is a descriptive research method used to describe the current

situation, what the respondents currently believe, and what the respondents

currently doing. Using the descriptive method, the normative survey will collect

factual information relevant to this study.

Environment and Participants

The researchers conducted the study in Zone 1 elementary schools in

Candijay, Bohol. The Zone 1 elementary schools are composed of San Isidro

Elementary School, Boyoan Elementary School, Candijay Central Elementary

School, Tugas Elementary School, and Mahangin Elementary School. The

respondents were all grade 6 pupils. The researchers used stratified random

sampling, which divided the whole population into sub-groups to represent the

entire population. The researchers obtain a total of sixty-three (63) respondents.

Table A. Distribution of Respondents

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 No Zone 1 Elementary Schools Grade 6 Pupils Total
. M F
1 San Isidro Elementary School 3 5 8
2 Boyoan Elementary School 3 6 9
3 Candijay Central Elementary School
Section 1 4 6 10
Section 2 5 6 11
Section 3 6 5 11
4 Tugas Elementary School 5 5 10
5 Mahangin Elementary School 2 5 7
TOTAL 28 38 66

Instrument

This study used a modified-standardized questionnaire to gather all the

necessary data. The set of questions in the questionnaire was adapted from the

study of Pascual (2022) for spoon-feeding practices of teachers and Gholami

(2016) for pupil learner autonomy.

Spoon-feeding Practices. The questionnaire contains items about

spoon-feeding practices perform by the teachers. This study used 5-points Likert

Scale for the first set to measure the frequency of spoon-feeding practices as

perceived by the respondents. The degree of interpreted ratings is classified into

five (5) as to 5 – Always, 4 – Frequently, 3 – Sometimes, 2 – Rarely, and 1 – Never.

Composing of ten (10) items, the questionnaire was subjected to item analysis.

Learner Autonomy. The questionnaire contains items about pupil’s

activities that may generate learning autonomy. This study is a 4-point Likert

Scale to measure the learner autonomy. The degree of interpreted ratings is

classified into four (4) as to 4 – Always True, 3 –Mostly True, 2 – Rarely True, and 1 –

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Never True. Composing of ten (10) items, the questionnaire was subjected to item

analysis.

Procedure

Before conducting the survey, the researcher formally asked approval from

the College of Research Committee to conduct this study. The researcher goes

through the procedures of securing approval from the district supervisor, cluster

heads, principals, and teachers to conduct the study. The respondents were

assured that the responses will be kept confidential. The questionnaire is

distributed to the target respondents and collected strictly by observing the health

protocols. To present the results, the researchers used tables. The analysis and

interpretation of these data followed.

Statistical Treatments

DEFINITION OF TERMS

The following terms listed below are being used in the study:

Learner Autonomy. This refers to the pupils that take control and are

responsible for their learning, both in terms of what pupils learn and how pupils

learn it to become lifelong learners.

Practices. This is a way of teaching pupils in the classroom that involves

giving directions, content memorization, providing a detailed explanation, and

presenting material about the subject matter as it is presented in the textbook.

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 Spoon-feeding. This refers to the teacher's learning practice that directly

tells pupils everything need to know about a specific task in attaining the criteria.

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