IMPROVING MODULAR CLASS THROUGH LIVE

EXPERIENCES OF THE DMDPNHS STUDENTS

DURING THE NEW NORMAL

PSYCHOLOGY AND EDUCATION: A MULTIDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL

2023
Volume: 9
Issue: 7
Pages: 899-905
Document ID: 2023PEMJ793
DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.8040724
Manuscript Accepted: 2023-06-15 01:16:23
Psych Educ, 2023, 9(7): 899-905, Document ID: 2023PEMJ793, doi:10.5281/zenodo.8040724, ISSN 2822-4353
Research Article

Improving Modular Class Through Live Experiences of the DMDPNHS Students

During the New Normal
Ronniedel Bamba*, Leif Erickson Derecho
For affiliations and correspondence, see the last page.

Abstract

Purpose. This study aimed to identify the lived experience of the students in the use of modular distance learning modality
amidst pandemic and how students cope with these challenges. Design. This study is qualitative research that employed the
phenomenological research design to determine the lived experiences encountered by the students in the use of modular
distance learning modality. Creswell (2013) method was used in the interpretation of data to describe the meaning of what was
experienced and how it was experienced. The lived experiences and coping mechanism of the students were gathered through
an interview among students of DMDPNHS in different grade levels within the Municipality of Mauban, Quezon. Seventy-two
(72) low performing students were approached to request their voluntary involvement as key participants through criteria
sampling. Findings. The Lived experiences of the students were identified based on their experience in modular distance
learning modality. Students’ academic performances are being affected for it is hard to understand the lesson if there are no
proper and reliable references for study. Teachers have a hard time in giving information that is easy to learn but also reliable
to the students. Furthermore, students used various ways to cope with the challenges encountered in modular distance learning
modality such as searching from the internet for possible explanations, asking assistance from parents, member of the family,
collaboration with friends, time management, and patience. Originality/Value. The output developed in the study is an
improvement plan for modular learning modality to aid the Dr. Maria D. Pastrana National High school students to enhance
their learning experiences. Thus, various stakeholders need to work and plan for alternatives on different issues that may arise
as they are involved in teaching-learning process considering all the limitations in these trying times brought by the pandemic

Keywords: Coping Mechanism, New Normal, Live Experiences, Modular Class, Improvement Plan

Introduction which reveal that 90 percent of the parents and

Education systems were failing during the pandemic.
COVID-19 has made worse this learning crisis and
students in almost every country have fallen behind in
their learning. One needs a global effort to tackle the
learning crisis head-on. One can help every student
hone their skills and unlock their potential. This
situation is having consequences and effects on people
(Giuntella et al,. 2021) especially the need to reshape
personal and professional settings (Storm and Gumbel,
2021). Despite calls to postpone classes until 2021, the
Department of Education (DepEd) maintains that the
education of millions of Filipino students should not
wait. Continuing learners’ development is one of the
tools for achieving excellence in education. The
Department of Education implemented a distance
learning approach to make sure that learning cannot be
unhampered. Former education undersecretary
Diosdado San Antonio said that almost 13 million
public-school students or 59% of roughly 22 million
enrollees this year will be using printed modules
(Magsambol,2020).
In line with this, Dr. Maria D. Pastrana National High
School adapted the modular learning modality which
is based on the survey of the Learning continuity plan,
students agreed that modular classes are the most
efficient mode of learning. Using this approach, the
teachers could continue the process of learning amidst
the covid-19 pandemic. From that learning approach,
the students can gain more knowledge and experiences
that create and contribute a lot to their progress. Since
this mode of learning is new to them, it is good to
know how they adapt this kind of learning and what
would be the problem they might encounter. It is not
easy to live a life that is unusual to everyone.
Thus, in the New Normal, learning on the part of the
students is a drastic change be it, online classes, using
a platform, or offline classes through independent
learning. Since students are used to face-to-face
interaction with the teacher, it will be quite difficult for
them to suddenly adjust to the new system. It requires
proper orientation and familiarization with the new
normal. The learners need to be encouraged to adapt to
the new learning modality and understand the lessons
at their own pace with the assistance of their parents
and or guardian.
Lastly, the output of the study would be the
improvement plan for the modular classes of Dr. Maria
D. Pastrana National High School. This improvement
plan is an attempt to modify and improve the modular

Ronniedel Bamba
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Research Article
classes of Dr. Maria D. Pastrana National High School
in adapting modular classes. This will introduce and
adapt the necessary way that would aid the learning
experiences of the students as they continue their
learning amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.
This improvement plan is designed as a resource to
enable Dr. Maria D. Pastrana National High School
students to aid their learning difficulty as they pursue
their education. The findings of the study were utilized
in designing the output were the live experiences of
the students during the new normal. The improvement
plan contains formulation and modification of the
modular process to aid the learning difficulty of the
students.
Research Questions
The aim of this research is to find out the live
experiences of the students during the New Normal
and to decide what modification could be formulated
to address the problem in students’ learning. This
study sougth to determine the live experiences of the
students during the new normal. It specifically seeks to
answer the following questions:
1. What are the Live Experiences of the students
during the New Normal?
2. What coping mechanism students adapt during the
New Normal?
3. Based on the students’ responses, what modification
process can be formulated to improve modular
classes?
Literature Review
This section presents a review of related literature and
studies. It summarizes the literature and studies that
were previously undertaken and the opinions of
several experts, which were analytically reviewed to
provide more information and insights. In the pursuit
of this study, such related literature and studies
reviewed herein were obtained from different sources,
from foreign and local materials and the internet. The
readings that have a bearing on the study, provided the
researcher insights to enrich the investigation and
understanding of the study’s problem.
A modular system of higher education curriculum,
according to Ali, Ghazi, Khan, Hussain, and Faitma
(2010), is largely a response to the very growing
sectors of business, industry, and consumers’ choice in
general. It emphasizes more explicate outcomes in
relation to each small part of the degree, rather than
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the more broadly defined “course” in general.
However, Kandarp Sejpal (2013) considered the
individual differences among the learners which
necessitate the planning for adoption of the most
appropriate teaching techniques in order to help the
individual grow and develop at her/his own pace.
As opposed to most traditional curriculum designs, Ali
et al., (2010) added modular design gives greater
student autonomy in constructing the programs and a
greater range of entry gates and exit points.
Furthermore, Bashmakova (2014) explained that the
advantage of the modular teaching approach is that
learners can independently study the proposed
program, including goals, objectives, theoretical
information, practical exercises, and final tests. Also,
Llego, MA.(n.d.) asserts that the teacher takes the
responsibility of monitoring the progress of the
learners. The learners may ask for assistance from the
teacher via email, telephone, or text message/instant
messaging among others. Where possible, the teacher
shall do home visits to learners needing remediation or
assistance.
In addition, FlipScience. (2020) stated that the parents
play a vital role as home facilitators. Their primary
role in modular learning is to establish a connection
and guide the child.
Therefore, students’ live experiences in modular class
during the New Normal can give information about
students’ difficulties during acquisition and the way
one develops and learn in the New Normal. The
researchers will expect that the results of this analysis
can help students to adapt themselves to the Modular
approach of learning.
With this, the researchers utilized descriptive analysis
in making valid inferences from the student’s’ live
experiences. It helps and guides the researchers to
have a systematic analysis of the student’s live
experiences during the New Normal.
Methodology
To formally administer the study, the researchers
sought the approval of the Principal of the Dr. Maria
D. Pastrana National High School. After the approval
of the letter, the researchers asked the permission of
the adviser to allow them to select one of the students
from their class as the respondent of the study.
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Research Article
The researchers personally visited the students to ask
about their live experiences with the New Normal.
Then, the researchers orally explained that the
students’ experiences were used in the study of Live
Experiences of the Students during the New Normal.
Right after that, the researchers proceed on analyzing
the experiences of the students during the New
Normal.
The experiences of the students recorded and analyzed
to formulate modifications for implementing modular
classes. This action research sought the expertise of
the inter-rater to ratify the result of the study. Their
task was to double-check the modification obtained.
They also reviewed the experiences of the students to
satisfy the analysis. The inter-rater was considered
expert in the field. In addition, the researchers
systematically recorded the experiences of the students
to identify the difficulties their encountered during the
New Normal. This method helped the researchers to
analyzed and formulated modifications for modular
class. Eventually, after obtaining the live experiences
of the students, the researchers drawn conclusions
based on the findings. An output, which is the
proposed improvement plan to modify modular class
may improve the student’s learning. For ethical
standards and consideration, the researchers, however,
used of the generic name of the students for its identity
security.
The study utilized the phenomenological method since
it is an approach to qualitative research that explicates
the meaning, structure, and essence of a person's lived
experiences or a group of people around a specific
phenomenon (Christensen et al., 2010). The goal of
phenomenology is to describe the meaning of what
was experienced and how it was experienced
(Creswell, 2013). A common feature of a qualitative
research aimed to create understanding from the data
analysis as the analysis proceeds.
The phenomenological method is appropriate for this
study because it enables the researcher to understand
the meaning that participants attribute to their
thoughts, feelings, and values as they experience the
phenomenon. Students’ live experiences utilized to
formulate improvement plan for modular class.
Result
This section consists of the presentation, analysis, and
interpretation of the data gathered through the
interview guide to answer the questions stipulated in
the statements of the problem. Relevant data were
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presented in tabular and textual forms, which were
supported with different information taken from the
related works of literature and studies to give the
readers a clear perspective on the findings of the study.
The presentation of data in tabular form was adopted
in the research study of Moje (2019).
Lived experiences of students during the modular
class
Table 1. Lived experiences of students during the
modular class
Figure 1. .
Table 1 reveals the findings on the lived experiences
of students during the modular class. Based on the
interview, twenty -three (23) out of seventy-two (72)
respondents shared one of the lived experiences of
students during the modular class. One of these was
studying alone without the assistance of their parents
and teachers, The following are some of the responses
and as they stated:
“We experience a lot of problem and difficulties in
understanding especially to the lesson, dahil po lahat
ng studyante ay may kakayahang matuto ng mag isa.”
“As a student, I am used to learn with face-to-face
classes so that most difficult I have experience is to
adjust myself and to learn every single lesson from the
new learning modality, modular class.”
It indicates that they are having a hard time studying in
modular classes, which resulted in a limitation of their
learning. Students typically learn in face-to-face
classes, this was supported by Ambayon (2020),
modular instruction is more operative in the teaching-
learning method as equated to usual teaching
approaches because in this modular approach the
students learn in their own stride. It is unrestricted
self-learning panache in which instantaneous
reinforcement, a comment is provided to practice
exercise, which stimulates the students and builds
curiosity in them. Hence, this kind of learning
modality increases the student-centered approach in
learning. However, the implementation of modular
instruction fostered various challenges to teachers,
students, and parents. This study showed that the main
challenges that emerged were lack of school funding in
the production and delivery of modules, students’
struggle with self-studying, and parents’ lack of
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Research Article
knowledge to academically guide their child/children.
Hence, it is evident that there are struggles associated
with the use of modular distance learning.
Along with this, nineteen (19) of 72 students shared
their experiences that they are having a hard time
understanding the lesson because it was new to them,
some of the students stated that,
“Nakakalito pa kasi halos panibagong lesson to kaysa
sa mga nakaraan na natutunan ko”
Moreover, findings also revealed that students were
also experienced lack of gadgets and poor internet
connection. As stated by Milagros Borabo (nd) the
students should be given a tool to make the learning
alive and interesting. Sixteen (16) out of 72 students
shared their experiences on this matter. The following
are the response of the students.
“As a student, I will study hard and sometimes I try to
ask my teacher using internet too explain the lessons
that I don’t understand.””
“Kakulangan ng kaalaman, kahinaan ng wifi at
minsan katamadan narin dahil sa hirap ng buhay
dahil sa pandemic kaya yung iba napipilitan
mgtrabaho.”
However, there are students experiencing too much
task to do, they stated that they are answering too
many module or answer sheets. Eight (8) out of
seventy-two (72) students shared their live experiences
that regards to too much task to do. The following are
the response of the students.
“Mahirap, sobrang daming ko pong sinasagutan like
hindi napo ako natutulog para lang makapag
module.”
In contrast, four (4) out of 72 students found that
modular class were good for their study because they
have their own pace of time and can study on their
home. The students stated that,
“I have their own time to answer the module”
“Mange my time for good”
“These claims sound optimistic despite the current
situation of our educational system, the education
could not hampered nor stagnant.”
Affirmed in the articles of National University (2021)
stated that ineffective Time Management Research has
proven that successful “time management is associated
with greater academic performance and lower level
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anxiety in students.” Unfortunately, the same research
also uncovered that “many students find it hard to find
a balance between their studies and their day-to-day
lives”- and worse, that ineffective time management
was associated with outcomes like “poor sleep
patterns” increased levels of stress.”
With these it shows that effective time management
can be especially difficult in a distance learning
environment, where students are challenged to pace
themselves- without the support from friends and peers
that would help them stay focused in class. Lack of
instant Communication in an in-person setting,
communication happens instantaneously, making it
easy for students to get answers and clarify points of
confusion. In an e-learning setting, communication is
often asynchronous, which means there’s a gap
between teacher and student. It’s easy for
misunderstandings to develop in these gaps-
sometimes, allowing a problem to snowball before it
can be corrected.
Lastly, two (2) out of 72 students found that modular
class were lack of books/ module and references for
their supplemental needs in studying. The students
stated that,
“Nahihirapan lang po kapag kulang sa libro o iba
pang mga ka grupo”
Students’ academic performances are being affected
for it is hard to understand the lesson if there are no
proper and reliable references for study. Teachers have
a hard time in giving information that is easy to learn
but also reliable to the students.
Coping mechanism to address the problem.
According to the coping theory of Lazarus and
Folkman (1984), coping is constantly changing efforts,
both cognitive and behavioral, of a person to manage
external and internal demands that are considered as
taxing or exceeding the resources of a person. It is
conscious and unconscious efforts that a person puts
into a situation to solve problems and reduce stress.
Table 2. Coping mechanism to address the problem
Figure 2. .
Table 2 reveals the findings on the students’ lived
experiences on the implementation of modular class.
Based on the interview, twenty-nine(29) out pf 72
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students shared their coping mechanism to adapt to the
current educational system of Dr. Maria D. Pastrana
NHS. Some of the responses are as follows.
“ Gumagamit ako ng cellphone, google, laptop”.
“Focus and understand the topic in the modules and
do a lot of research on the internet”
“Searching in social media.”.
“As a student, I will study hard and sometimes I try to
ask my teacher using internet too explain the lessons
that I don’t understand.”
It was asserted by some students that they can solve
some problems if they have an internet connection at
home. As affirmed by Helplineph journal (2021), these
Students are now techie enough and they used it to
their advantage. They make group chats on their own
pass the answers from one to another and copy it. This
sounds obvious because even during face-to-face
classes, students do it all the time.
Along with this, students used to answer modules by
asking for help from their parents or elders that may
give assistance to them. good assistance may help ease
the burden of the students in answering some of the
modules twenty-nine(29) out of 72 students shared
their experiences of asking for help from their parents,
elders, and teachers. The following are the students’
responses.
“Well first is I make sure that he/she answer it by
him/her self. Second is helping him/her when asking
some question.”
However, Itorralba (2021) asserts that Parents should
refrain from answering the modules to promote
honesty for learning to be effective, they can guide and
assist only. Ideally and supposed to be, the students
will be the ones who should independently answer the
modules. The school ought to emphasize this rule on
parents upon enrollment and payment of tuition and
examination fees. The teachers should also figure out
what strategies to employ to prevent this from
happening.
Nevertheless, findings revealed that there were also
students who experienced asking for help from their
friends, they tend to collaborate with their friends for
better results and understanding of the lesson. Ten (10)
out of seventy-two students shared their experiences in
collaboration with their friends.
“Social connections from my friends, I believe online
studying to be much more useful for me as a student
without the pressure of classroom. I can study at my
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own pace, whether that be quicker or slower than the
original classroom , and if clarifications is required , I
can simply rewind the lecture videos my professors are
putting out.”.
The statements made by the students who participated
in the study make their learning in modular class
exciting. They may share their knowledge with one
another.
Affirmed by Ritchie (n.d.) in her study on the language
and literacy abilities of kids with Down Syndrome
found that they tend to perform better when the
environment is positive, and this is true in school and
at home. Constant communication between the teacher
and the parents should be established to provide the
kids with this kind of environment. She attested that
collaboration and communication between teachers
and parents is an important aspect of student learning.
Another favorable response from students who makes
an adjustment to cope with the modular class of
DMDPNHS is that they used to have time
management to prioritize what is the most important
things to do. Seven (7) out of seventy-two students
shared their experience on having time management to
dwell much more on modular class. From giving much
time to a difficult subject to an easy one. The
following are some live experiences of the students.
“To address the problem, the first thing to do is to list
the things that we need to answer. Then answer these
subjects early to properly manage time.”
“Mange my time for good”
“Student’s challenges with modular learning are
distractors that are a reality of online learning.
Developing a time management strategy may be the
most difficult obstacle for students to conquer because
it is totally dependent on self-motivation. Some
students were left behind.”
This was supported by the study of Barcenas et al,
(2021) found that many of the students revealed that
they were busy doing non-academic activities which,
in turn, forsaken the time for studying such as
household responsibilities and personal attitude toward
learning were the problems drawn in time management
for modular learning. This situation can lead to less
quality work outputs which receive poor remarks from
teachers.
In fact, the literature showed that insufficient time for
study is one of the problems encountered by students
in distance learning. This showed that as the students
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manage their time well it can give them a better way of
studying and answering the given task.
Discussion
Based on the findings of this study, the following
conclusions were drawn:
1. In terms live experiences, the students have
benefited from the modular class, they can have their
own pace of time and can find jobs while studying,
and drawbacks for those who suffered difficulty in
learning wherein they must do the task alone and
understand it by themselves.
2. Students adapted and adjusted their learning styles
to cope with the modular learning modality of school.
The coping mechanism of the students was the
following: asking assistance from parents/peers,
practicing time management to prioritize what are
important things to do, working on the earlier
schedule, and looking for possible sources of
information to answer the module.
3. The output developed in the study which is an
improvement plan to aid DMDPNHS students in
modular distance learning. Likewise, this improvement
plan might help introduce the different ways to cope
up with the students’ live experiences.
References
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Bashmakova, I. S. (2014). Modul'noe obuchenie v tehnicheskih
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FlipScience. (2020) “Tagapagdaloy”: How Filipino parents can help
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ensure successful modular distance learning.
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Kakurina, O. A. (2012). O modul'noj tehnologii obuchenija
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Strom, S., and Gumbel, P. (eds). (2021). The Future of Work After
COVID-19. McKinsey Global Institute. Available online at:
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Affiliations and Corresponding Informations
Corresponding: Ronniedel Bamba
Email: bamba.ronniedel001@deped.gov.ph
Phone:
Ronniedel Bamba:
Dr. Maria D. Pastrana National High School, Department of
Education - Philippines
Leif Erickson Derecho:
Dr. Maria D. Pastrana National High School, Department of
Education - Philippines
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