The participants of the study illuminated us with their answers to the questions we had prepared.

According to their responses, the themes that emerged from their challenges and difficulties were
Perks and Advantages of Modular Education; Weaknesses and Downsides: Dilemmas in Modular
Education; Searching Apps Integration: The Tools for Learners; Locating Quality in the Face of
Shifting Norms; and Modules and Modular Assessment: Content Over Quality.

Perks and Advantages of Modular Education. One of the benefits of using modules for instruction

is the acquisition of better self-study or learning skills among students. Students engage themselves

in learning the concepts presented in the module. They develop a sense of responsibility in

accomplishing the tasks provided in the module. With little or no assistance from others, the learners

progress on their own. They are learning how to learn; they are empowered (Nardo, 2017). Based

from the responses of the participants, they claimed that modular education provides advantages to

their life as a student in this time of pandemic, since it ensured their safety, cater their educational

needs, gave less expenses, and allow them to manage their time. The table below shows the core

ideas extracted from the responses of the participants.

Core Ideas Participant

code

1. BSED General Science Students claimed that IDI 001; IDI

modular education lighten-up their burdens, address 004;
doubts and questions in any subjects, gave leisure,
IDI 006; FGD
avoid wastage of time waiting for face-to-face classes
003
to return, and provide opportunity to everyone upon
handling and overcoming learning challenges on their
own.

2. Modular education ensured the safety of the IDI 001; IDI

students since classes were being done at home, less 002
expenses for food and travel, and enable them to work
IDI 005
while studying to support their educational needs.

3. BSED General Science Students claimed that IDI 001; IDI

modular education offers longer time in answering the 002; IDI 003;
questions, modules can be answered anytime of the IDI 007; FGD
day even at night, more time for their family and doing 005
the things they like, and they can relax more since
there’s no one dictating them on when to answer.

Table 1 .Core Ideas on “Perks and Advantages of Modular Education”

The idea shown in the table is established by the responses of the following participants stated below.

- IDI 001
Modular education serves my educational needs in a way that it can address my questions or doubts

in any subject, especially that we encounter pandemic which we are not allowed to have face-to-face

classes. All the needs to pass the subjects are being catered by modular learning.

- IDI 001

The advantage of modular education is first, health safety of education students since classes is
being done at home. Also, we can manage our time, since we can choose when to answer, and if
ever we need to go somewhere we can bring

-IDI 002

The advantage of modular education includes less in expenses since we don’t pay for fair every day.
Also, we don’t have to pay for foods since we can eat and have snacks at home.

-IDI 002
“And modular education nakatabang jud sya wherein kanang mas mutaas pa akoang time kay dili
man siya necessary nga muanswer jud ko ana nga time, or naa man siyay limit, kuan lang
kungbaga pwede ra nako siya answeran og tungang gabie, mga ingun ana gud, tapos kanang
taas pajud pud kog time para makakuha og kanang source nako para maanswer nako sa
module.”

Modular education really helped me since we are given longer time and it is not necessary to answer
in a certain hour or have a limit. You can answer even at the middle of the night and have a lot of time
finding sources as reference for answers.

IDI 003

First advantage is that now I can relax more because there is no one forcing or dictating me what
time I will answer my modules…

-IDI 004

It helped, since we can continue our education and did not waste our year waiting for the face-
to-face classes to return.

-IDI 005

The advantage of modular education, it allows me to study while working to support my educational
expenses.

-IDI 006

“So the modular education program help me in my educational needs, kay sauna face-to-face classes
matambakan ta sa trabaho naay pay dungag sa quizzes, assignments. Kung modular education ma
lighthen ang burden sa students pareha sa akoa kay kami na ang mogunit sa amoang oras. Unlike
dati nga mag kara kara me. Karun taas nami ug time.”
 So, the modular education program helped me in my educational needs. Because, before, when it
was still face-to-face classes, the work keeps on piling, including the quizzes and assignments. But
during modular education, it lightens up the burden for students like me, since we are in-charge of our
time. Unlike before, we get so rattled, but now, we have plenty of time.

-IDI 007

The advantage of modular education includes: more opportunities of doing the things that you
like to do; since, you can answer anytime that you are comfortable. Another thing, it gives us leisure.

- FGD 003

Yes, but not the same in face to face. Modular education gives opportunity to everyone on how to
handle and overcome learning challenges with their own.

-FGD 005

The advantages of modular learning, it enables me to give more time to my family, also I have
more time in answering my modules. It is very convenient for me.

IDI 001, IDI 004, IDI 006 and FGD 003 claimed that modular education help them continue
their study despite of the pandemic, and it catered their educational needs since they are able to
address their doubts and questions in any subject. IDI 001,002 and IDI 005 asserts that modular
education lower their expenses, assure their safety, and enable them to study while working. IDI 001,
and IDI 002, IDI 003. IDI 007 and FGD 5 claimed that modular education allow them to manage their
time and have longer time for the things that they love.

Weaknesses and Downsides: Dilemmas in Modular Education. The main challenges that the

students have encountered are self-studying, poor internet connection, lack of sleep and time to

answer all the modules due to the great number of activities, distractions, and lack of focus (Dangle

and Sumaoang, 2020). Based from the responses of BSED General Science Students, they claimed

that lack of teachers interaction, numerous activities, independent learning, unreliable knowledge, not

taken subjects, and absence of on-line classes for laboratory subjects. The table below shows the

core ideas extracted from the responses of the participants.

Core ideas Participant Code

1. Modular education offered independent learning and IDI 002; IDI 003;
general science students asserts that sometimes they
IDI 005; IDI 006;
were not aware on what to do since they cannot personally
ask their teachers for doubts and clarifications, they need
to chat them in which sometimes teachers are not on-line, IDI 007
or only replied them with thumbs-up emoji.

2.Lessons in modular class are not well-elaborated, IDI 007; IDI 001;
presence of unfamiliar words, some students have poor
IDI 003; IDI 004;
comprehension in English language, doubts are not
immediately clarified, some lessons are too hard to learn, IDI 006; FGD

too many questions and activities, and some questions 002

were hard to understand.

3.Modular education sometimes gave unreliable IDI 001; IDI 002;

knowledge or not valid comprehension due to lack of IDI 005;
proper discussion from teachers.
FGD 005

4.BSED General Science Students claimed that are IDI 006; IDI 003
sometimes took over by laziness that leads to cramming,
or they just wait for others to finish so they can ask them.

5.The problem of modular education is complying of needs IDI 001; IDI 003;
and lack of motivations where students only tend to strive
IDI 006
hard to hit the target and can submit on time and pass the
subjects.

6.BSED General Science claimed that they are not able to IDI 004; IDI 005;
apply the knowledge they supposed to learn in the
IDI 007
laboratories since they are not allowed to go to school, and
they pay for the subjects. There is no on-line class for
laboratories and sometimes they conduct experiment at
home with lack of materials.

Table 2. Core Ideas on “Weaknesses and Downsides: Dilemmas in Modular Education”

The idea shown in the table is established by the responses of the following participants stated
below.

-IDI 001

No, though modular education really helped us, yet there are a lot of disadvantages that I have
observed. So, it cannot guarantee a quality education because we cannot comprehend everything.
Specially we have laboratory subjects like Electricity and Magnetism, I really did not understand the
subject due to lack of discussions. Then there are a lot of problem solving, it’s hard for me to
understand, I can’t solve problems involving chemicals in Organic Chemistry because just mere
modules cannot cater my needs, even if I search it on Google or Youtube for further explanation.

-IDI 001
The disadvantage of modular education includes questions that student can hardly understand,
together with some unfamiliar words that make it more complex for them. Another thing, there are
modules that have a lot of questions, and since it is numerous students will not focus on their priority
which is to learn. Rather, they will strive to hit the target, which is to finish answering all the questions
and able to submit it on-time.

-IDI 003

For me as a graduating student, no because it lacks experiments that I need to know about science,
and it lacks the attention of teachers because when you need to ask something it is not answered
immediately.

-IDI 005

Based on my experience, it is okay for those slow learners, because the teachers helped a lot when it
comes to explaining with the. But during modular, the students are the ones who needs to work hard
to be able to understand. If the student understood in a wrong way, then he/she will learn something
that is incorrect. It gave me something, but it is not enough.

-IDI 007
Well, since modular program is being introduced by St. Mary, it is hard for me to find ways for this
program to support my learnings because, in modular program you cannot ask questions through
module since the modular is just a word or attachment that can be read by every student. So, in that
way, it does not help me gain knowledge or learning. Hence, the lesson cannot be well-elaborated. It
helped me a little bit, even though I don’t love reading the content of the modules.

IDI 005 and 007 claimed that modular education does not support concrete knowledge since
there is no proper interaction with the teachers. IDI 001 and IDI 003 asserts that during modular
class, they cannot fully understand subjects with laboratories since there is no proper discussion and
demonstration. IDI 001 asserts that due to numerous activities students will only strive just for the
sake of complying.

Searching Apps Integration: The Tools for Learners. Mobile devices such as smartphones are a
great help because of their multiple functions especially in learning nowadays (Asio, et. al, 2021).
BSED General Science Students claimed that searching applications such as Google helped them
answering their modules.

Core Ideas Participant Code

1. Searching on web such as google helped them find for answers or information IDI 001; IDI 003;
when they don’t know the answer or than reading the whole module. In fact, it IDI 004; IDI 005;
gave them new challenges in life since internet connection is hard to find in their IDI 006; IDI 007
area, and if there is no connection, they cannot answer well.

2. BSED General Science Students claimed that searching on Google helped IDI 007; IDI 003;
them retain short-term information, sometimes they don’t understand the results IDI 004
from the web, and sometimes they can’t find the answer on the searching app..

Table 3. Core ideas on ‘Searching Apps Integration: The Tools for Learners”

The idea shown in the table is established by the responses of the following participants stated
below.
-(IDI 006)

“The advantages in modular education the students can research or find any meanings of word nga
maka connect sa modular or sa ilahang modules. And these kanang mas makasabot ang mga
estudyante because daghan sila ug kanang makita sa ilang internet. And kung naa ta sa face-to-face
classes kay dili man sila maka open sa ilahang cellphone ug internet so modular mao nay kanang
mas effective.”

The advantage in modular education is that the students can research or find any meanings of word
that will connect to their modules. Because of this, the students will be able to learn more since there
are a lot of information on the internet. Because, if we were in face-to-face classes, we can’t open our
cellphones or use the internet, so, modular is more effective.

-(IDI 007)

“ ...Because, sometimes ang answer sa modules can easily be found in social media, internet or web.
Instead mahatag nimo unsa imong nakatunan, ang mga questions is isearch nalang nimo. It doesnt
exactly achieved the learnings, naa man tuod kung maretain. Muanswer lang ko nga walay gamit
internet connection if the questions is more about essay, kay dili mamiya masearch sa web”

…Because sometimes, the answer for the modules can be found easily in social media,
internet, or web. Instead of using what you learned, you can just search the answers to the questions.
I will only answer without the use of the internet if the question is more about essay, since it cannot
be found in the web.

IDI 006 claimed that modular education enable them to find numerous information in Google
rather than during traditional education. IDI 007 asserts that he will not use searching applications if
the question is more about essay.

Locating Quality in the Face of Shifting Norms. The issue is not technology itself, but how it is
used in the design and delivery of courses. Too often instructors do not design their lessons to take
advantage of the technology presented. This affects the quality of the instruction. The effectiveness of
distance learning is based on preparation, the instructor's understanding of the needs of the students,
and an understanding of the target population (Valintine, 2002). This is related with the claims of
BSED General science Students that modular learning does not/ does not totally provide modular
learning due to a lot of disadvantages, long content and absence of teachers.

Core Ideas Participant Code

1. Modular learning does not totally provide quality of education, they asserts that IDI 001; IDI 003;
is due to a lot of disadvantages, not monitored by the teacher, some links given in IDI 005; IDI 006;
the module cannot be opened, and it depends upon the students if they are IDI 007
working hard on their education.

2. BSED General Science Students claimed that modular learning does not IDI 002; IDI 004;
provide quality of education since the content is very long, there are students who IDI 005 IDI 007;
need further explanation and discussions and they need someone to correct and FGD 001
support them, and they can’t achieved anything through modular education only.

Table 4. Core ideas on “Locating Quality in the face of Shifting Norm”

 The idea shown in the table is established by the responses of the following participants stated
below.

-(IDI001)

Not completely, especially that I am a graduating student, and I can’t get all my needs because, for
example, links are given in the modules for the students to have additional information regarding with
the topic. Yet, some of these links are not available, so it cannot address my wants to learn in the
subject. Due to these reasons, I cannot 100% achieve the learning outcomes.

-(FGD 004)

No, because there are slow-learner students who need further explanation and discussion from the
teachers.