CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

This chapter presents the background and rationale of the study, statement of the

problem, hypothesis of the study, theoretical and conceptual framework, scope and

limitations, significance of the study, and definition of terms.

Background and Rationale

Corona virus disease (commonly known as COVID-19 or formerly known as the

novel-corona virus [2019-nCOV]) was first reported in Wuhan, China in December 2019

(Azlan et al., 2020). Since then, it has spread to over 200 countries and was declared a

global controllable pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 12,

2020 (WHO, 2020). Some of the common signs of COVID-19 include fever, cough,

shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties (Abdi, 2020). As of June 9, 2020, more

than 10 million positive COVID-19 cases have been recorded, with at least 502,000

deaths (John Hopkins University, 2020).

In this regard, religious education carried out in distance learning limits the

complete implementation of its objectives, since an upbringing in faith calls for

community that necessitates direct contact between the pupil and the teacher. In this type

of education recognized and used multiple opportunities offered by information and

communication technologies, which can be seen in the respondents’ declarations

describing various forms of their didactic and educational on-line work. In religious

1
 2
education, the tasks set by the church are implemented, as well as the selected goals and

tasks of the school.

A teacher of religion is obliged to actively participate in the education of children

and young people in accordance with Christian values. Their tasks also include the

correlation of the content of religious education with the content of general education.

Religion lessons are subject to pedagogical supervision. In terms of methodology,

teachers of religion are assessed by the school management, and in terms of content by

diocesan inspectors. Importantly, they are obliged to choose from the goals and tasks of

the school those that carry basic ethical and moral values, and to engage in the process of

developing the students’ critical and creative abilities in order to take responsibility for

them and prepare them for active involvement in the life of a democratic society.

This study aimed to show various organizational and methodological aspects of

religious education in Poland during the COVID-19 pandemic, in connection with the

main assumptions of religious education. Taking into account the above-mentioned goal,

on the basis of the results of the empirical research conducted, the ways of implementing

religious education in an online format were shown, with particular emphasis on its

values and shortcomings and the role in the implementation of didactic and educational

tasks, and its correlation with parish pastoral care.

Statement of the Problem

The main purpose of this study is to determine the level of Engagement of

Religious Education students in new normal at Colegio dela Purisima Concepcion, Roxas
 3
City School Year 2020-2021. Specifically, the study sought to find answers to the

following questions:

1. What is the socio-demographic profile of the students?

2. What is the level of engagement of students in online learning?

3. What is the level of time management of students?

4. What is the level of participation of students in online classes?

5. Is there a significant difference in the level of engagement, time management

and participation of the students in online classes when classified in terms of

sex, age, year level, civil status, home location and estimated monthly family

income?

6. Is there a significant relationship in the level of engagement, time

management and participation of the students in online classes when classified

in terms of sex, age, year level, civil status, home location and estimated

monthly family income?

Hypotheses of the Study

1. There is no significant difference in the level of engagement, time management and

participation of the students in online classes when classified in terms of sex, age,

year level, civil status, home location and estimated monthly family income.

2. There is no significant relationship in the level of engagement, time management and

participation of the students in online classes when classified in terms of sex, age,

year level, civil status, home location and estimated monthly family income.
 4
Theoretical Framework

The study find support from the Community of Inquiry (CoI) model as the Dewey

(1959) educational philosophy and practice. Stated in Swan, Garrison, & Richardson

(2009), Dewey believed that an educational experience must fuse the interests of the

individual and society, that individual development was dependent upon community.

This relates to the study since classes and students experiences are no longer confined in

the four walls of the classroom but rather through online. The model describes how

learning occurs for a group of individual learners through the educational experience that

occurs at the intersection of social, cognitive and teaching presence. According to

Garrison et al. (1999), it is through the skillful marshal ling of these forms of presence

that online academic staff and students, in collaboration, develop a productive online

learning environment through which knowledge is constructed.

Likewise, it consists of three conditions or components. Social presence which

refers to ability of participants to identify with the community, communicate purposefully

in a trusting environment, and develop interpersonal relationships by way of protecting

their individual personalities (Garrison, Anderson & Archer, 1999). Second, cognitive

presence which pertains to the extent to which learners are able to construct and confirm

meaning through sustained reflection and discourse in a critical Community of Inquiry

(Garrison, Anderson & Archer 1999). The third is teaching presence designed for

facilitation and direction of cognitive and social processes for the purpose of realizing

personally meaningful and educationally worthwhile learning outcomes (Garrison,

Anderson & Archer, 1999). Each of these types of presence has categories and
 5
indicators (Garrison, 2007; see Table 1, Appendix A). Conforming to Lip man (1991),

the importance of a Community of Inquiry is that, while the objective of critical

reflection is intellectual autonomy, in reality, critical reflection is thoroughly social and

communal.

Community of Inquiry (CoI) had its genesis in the work of John Dewey and is

consistent with constructivist approaches to learning in higher education (Garrison,

2007). In online learning students are accountable for their learning and how they learn it.

Dewey believed that through collaboration that respected the individual, students would

assume responsibility to actively construct and confirm meaning (as cited in Swan,

Garrison & Richardson, 2009).

Conceptual Framework

Figure 1 presents the schematic diagram showing the relationship between the

profiles of the respondents.

Independent variable Dependent variable

Socio-demographic Profile Students’ Online Class

Sex
Age Engagement
Year level
Civil status Time Management
Home location monthly
Figure 1. The schematic diagram showing the relationship of the independent and
Participation
income
dependent variables.
=
Limitations of the Study

This study aimed to determine the compliance of college students on modular

learning outputs at Colegio de la Purisima Concepcion School Year 2020-2021.

 6
Specifically, it determined the socio-demographic profile of the respondents, level of

engagement of religious education students in online learning in the new normal in terms

of socio-demographic profile of the students, significant differences of engagement in

terms of time management and online participation, and significant relationship between

engagement in terms of time management and online participation.

The research design used was the descriptive method. The nature of the data

analysis was both qualitative and quantitative. The respondents of the study were the 30

students of Religious Education of CASE Department.

The research instrument used was researcher constructed survey instrument.

The questionnaire was validated by the panel of experts and distributed online

through Google Chrome. It consisted of three parts; the socio-demographic profile of the

respondents and the engagement of learners on online class by assessing general attitude

of the students towards online learning amidst Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, time

management an instrument to track the progress of your time management skills and

participation of learners during online class.

The analysis and interpretation, descriptive statistics such as frequency count,

standard deviation, percentage and mean. For inferential statistics, Pearson r was used to

determine the relationship of independent and dependent variables and set at 5% level of

significance.

Significance of the Study

Results of the study would be beneficial and highlight significant aspects in

students’ compliance on modular outputs which might be helpful to the following:

 7
Parents. Result will provide awareness on the status of compliance of their

children on required outputs in the different subjects. They will be guided on the

behaviour of their children in new normal education. In this way they can help on how to

solve this problem and they can take good care and guide their children.

Teachers. They will know the behaviour of the students regarding modular

learning. In this way they can help them by giving good advice and assistance to those

students who are involved in this study or they can even apply this to all students.

Students. They will be aware that not only one student is experiencing the same

way they are. They may use the data as reference on how to improve their performance

and outputs in the different subjects.

Administrators. They will know the behavior of the students studying in their

school with this new normal education. In that way, they can give more time to think on

how they will be capable of giving much assistance to students and setting priorities.

Future Researchers. The results of this study will serve as the baseline data for

future studies in order for them to compare the results using different parameters.

Definition of Terms

The following terms were conceptually and operationally defined for the benefits

of the researcher and readers in understanding the detail of the study.

Modular Learning. This refers to 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.

 8
In this study, “modular learning”, refers to emerging trend

educational thinking that shifts traditional method of instruction to an outcome-based

learning paradigm.

Engagement. It is used in reference to an occupation or anything in which an

individual habitually participates (West Encyclopedia of American Law, 2008). It is also

related to individual member’s level of commitment to their profession (Herbert et al.,

2007).

In this study, it referred to the learners on online class by assessing general

attitude of the students towards online learning amidst Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

Time Management. It refers to the way that you organize and plan how long you

spend on specific activities. Where is the process of organizing and planning how to

divide your time between specific activities. Good time management enables you to work

smarter not harder so that you get more done in less time, even when time is tight and

pressures are high. Failing to manage your time damages your effectiveness and causes

stress (the Mind Tools Club, 2018 ).

In this study, it referred to the highest achievers manage their time exceptionally

well. By using the time management techniques in this section, you can improve your

ability to function more effectively – even when time is tight and pressures are high.

Participation. It refers to the learners participate on online classes, and also

involve empowering community participants in certain event or program, from local to

 9
national, provide a more effective path for solving, participate sustainable resource

management issues (Social Capital Research, 2004)

In this study, it referred to the learners to participate during or after classes, in

order to solve the certain issues or matters of learners in online class since they cannot

easily to adapt the learning system by the sense virtual communication, unlike face to

face classes you can interact and participate anytime.