MODULAR DISTANT LEARNING CHALLENGES OF SAN JOSE PILI NATIONAL HIGH

SCHOOL STUDENTS

COVID-19 is a disease caused by a new strain of coronavirus. ‘CO’ stands for corona,
‘VI’ stands for virus, and ‘D’ for disease. According to the Wikipedia, 2020, the epidemic
of COVID-19 infection first arisen at Huanan Seafood Market in China’s Wuhan city in
the month of December 2019. It also became a global health emergency within a few
months. Thousands of people got ill or died as an outcome of the quick spread of new
virus. It also resulted in extensive disturbances like travel restrictions, school closures
and a global economic downturn.
According to the World Health Organization, “Philippines Coronavirus Disease
2019 Situation Report number 41”, there are more than 40,000 cases of COVID-19 as
of June 2020. This April 2021, the updated total number of COVID cases in the
Philippines is estimated of more than 828,000. Despite risking people’s safety under the
new normal, our industries were being allowed by the national government to continue
work to fight the economic devastation that developed during this outbreak.
According to Tria, 2020, most countries around the world have temporarily
closed educational institutions to hold the spread of the virus and reduce infections. The
suspension of face-to-face classes was also implemented to avoid physical contact. The
Philippines is in the process of adjusting to the new normal form of education at
present, and the constant innovation of teachers and the dynamic involvement of other
stakeholders is the key strong point for its accomplishment. The Department of
Education has implemented Modular Distance Learning, it is an alternative learning
delivery mode, in which a learning takes place between the teacher and learners that
are geographically distant from each other while teaching. It is one of the learning
delivery mode for the endurance of education in every school to still attain the mission,
vision and goal in providing quality education to every Filipino student.

According to Quinones, 2020, there are three types of learning modality and
these are: Modular Distance Learning (MDL), Online Distance Learning (ODL), and TV /
Radio-Based Instruction. The most common type of Distance Learning is Modular
Distance Learning. As the DepEd survey conducted by Bernardo, J, “Learning through
printed and digital modules has emerged as the most preferred method of distance
learning of parents with children enrolled this academic year of 2020-2021”, that is the
reason why the learning modality in the Philippines is presently used by all public
schools.
This is also in consideration of those studying in rural areas where the
internet is not accessible for online learning. It is the teacher's responsibility to monitor
the progress of the students. Students can seek help from the teacher through e-mail,
telephone, text message / instant messaging among others. If possible, the teacher
should make home visits to learners in need of remedy or assistance (Llego, n.d.).
According to FlipS Science, 2020, the primary role in modular learning is to
establish a connection and guide the child. The unconventional setting up of
instructional objects will be delivered by geographically separated teachers to students
or it can be delivered through the partnership of Local Government Officials. Since
education is no longer held within the school, parents serve as partners of teachers in
education.
According to the Department of Education (DepEd), parents and guardians
perform various roles in Modular Learning, and these are:(1) Module-ator, (2) Bundy-
clock, and as (3) Home Innovator. The role of a Module-ator can obtain and pass
printed Self-Learning Modules (SLM) to and from schools or barangay halls at the
beginning and end of the week, depending on the agreement between the parents and
of the school. The role of a Bundy-clock, they should check their child’s agenda or work
plan. Given the number of topics or activities to be done, they should see that it is
followed accordingly to avoid cramming or delay in submission, which can affect child’s
performance. Finally, the role of a Home Innovator, they should provide their child with
a productive learning environment to help them focus more on Learning. It should be a
light and well -ventilated space in the house, with little or no fuss.
The researcher may have known the challenges and factors affecting the
implementation of modular distant learning from students’ experience or through
number of specific studies.For this reasons, students may be affected their academic
performances.
Now, based on the researchers’ initial review of related literature, it was found
out that no study has been conducted on the topic. It is therefore, timely and relevant
to investigate challenges of modular distant learning by JHS students of San Jose Pili
National High School.

Title of theory: Independent Learning Theory

Author/Proponent: Wedemeyer, 1971,p.548

Theoritical Principle: “particular philosophy of teaching ad learning usually lies behind”, the concepts of
independent study and learning. It was clear that this was not merely change in terminology. The focus
on the pedagogical assumptions of independent study was a shift from the world of correspondence
study dominated by organizational and administrative concerns, to a focus on educationalissues
concerning learning at a distance

Relationship/relevance to present study

Title of theory: Environmental Factor

Author/Proponent:

Theorit

Theoretical Background of Modular Distance Learning

Keegan (cited in Simonson et. al., 1999) classified theories of distance education into three groups:
theories of independence and autonomy, theories of industrialization of teaching, and theories of
interaction and communication.

Theory of Independence and Autonomy

Wedemeyer, who proposes the theory of independence and autonomy, highlights that the core of
distance learning is learner independency and thus a (Simonson et al. 2009). Emphasizing the
characteristics of independent study systems such as separation and time, the earlier definitions of
distance learning can be said to be built on this theory. As Gunawardena and McIsaac(2003) states
Wedemeyer's vision of independent study was consistent with self-directed learning and self regulation.

Theory of Industrialization

Otto Peters' view of distance education was as an industrialised form of teaching and learning. He
compared distance education with the industrial production of goods. He also claims that before the
industrial age distance education couldn't have existed. From this aspect, Peters (1988) proposed a new
terminology, which heavily highlights the concepts from industrialisation for the analysis of distance
education: Rationalization, Division of Labor, Mechanization, Assembly Line, Mass Production,
Preparatory Work, Planning, Organization, Scientific control methods, Formalization, Standardization,
Change of Function, Objectification, Concentration and Centralization. As Simonson et al. (2006) states,
division of labor is the key element of distance education and with the help of ''mechanization'' and
''automation'', teaching process in Peters' theory has been updated.

Theory of Interaction and Communication

Borje Holmberg’s theory of distance education, what he calls “guided didactic conversation”, falls into
the general category of communication theory (Schlosser & Simonson 2009, p.43). As Simonson et al.
(2006) justifies, at first Holmberg proposed seven background assumptions and in 1995 these
assumptions were extended. Accordingly, the theory consists of eight parts:

1.Distance education serves individual learners who cannot or do not want to make use of face-to-face
teaching.

2.Distance education promotes students’ freedom of choice and independence.

3.Society benefits from distance education.

4.Distance education is an instrument for recurrent and lifelong learning and for free access to learning
opportunities and equity.

5.Distance education may inspire metacognitive approaches.

6.Distance education is based on deep learning as an individual activity

7.Distance education is open to behaviorist, cognitive, constructivist and other modes of learning.

8.Personal relations, study pleasure and empathy between students and those supporting them are
central to learning in distance education.

All in all, Holmberg (1986) highlights that the dialogue between the learner and the teacher as the basic
characteristic of distance education and states that guided conversation facilitates learning.

Modular degree helps students in terms of their capacity to offer flexibility, access, choice, and mobility,
and also potentially allow institution to better respond to the needs of employers, expand student job
markets, develop efficient uses of resources and increase chances for curricula extensiveness (Sarah,
2015).

Incognizant of this, the scattered courses were clustered into 14 competence-based core modules.
Besides, previously neglected students’ study time was given due emphasis to implement student-
centered mode of learning where the instructors’ main roles are designing activities, monitoring the
ongoing of the learning process and facilitating learning activities. Specifically, in language modular
curriculum, students are expected to work individually, collaboratively and make presentations, reports
and whole class discussions, and are assessed on the basis of continuous assessment and final
examination (ECERP, 2005).

Developing a curriculum is not an end by itself. This is to say that it has to be implemented so as to
achieve the objectives formulated in it. What does it mean by implementing curriculum? As Morrison
(2007) defines, curriculum implementation is a process of actualizing the developed curriculum into use.
It is the adopting of the planned, tried and revised curriculum in learning institutions that involve
interaction of students, teachers and school physical resources to produce the desired objectives. As
Ornstein & Hunkins (2004) define, curriculum implementation is a systematic process of ensuring that
the developed curriculum reaches its intended consumers, and requires teamwork that starts from
curriculum development down to teachers, learners, and the public at large. These definitions show that
implementation of curriculum is done systematically from the lowest to the highest level of learning in
each succeeding year.

Many goals of curriculum have failed to pass the planning stage due to faulty implementation. Well
conceived curriculum ideas have remained virtually inert and dysfunctional. The outcome of this is the
bred of graduates of higher institution who are found to be grossly deficient in practical and professional
competences (Izuagba & Atuobi, 2009). This results in the production of half baked, ill-trained and
sometimes confused graduates (Idaka & Joshua, 2005). This and other related problems should be a
cause for concern to all patriotic and serious-minded stakeholder of the educational sub-sector. Against
this background, this study was designed to investigate teachers’ perceived causes and problems of
curriculum implementation

From the above discussions, it is possible to notice that the implementation of the curriculum is believed
to play a crucial role in the production of competent professionals in a particular field of study. But it is
not an easy task to accomplish as it demands the determination and commitment of the stakeholders,
particularly the university leaders, instructors and students. It also requires adequate and quality
facilities and materials. The determination and commitment of university administrators are very crucial
in this regard. Instructors must assess their students continuously using different assessment methods
and render the necessary support to the students. The students are also expected to take the lion’s
share for their own learning. For example, they should study adequately and exploit all available
opportunities. It is, therefore, obvious that the implementation of the curriculum needs the willpower
and commitment of all concerned bodies

Lack of resources is one of the factors which affect curriculum implementation (Jansen, 1998). To ensure
that curriculum is effectively implemented, infrastructural facilities, equipment, tools and materials
must be provided in adequate quantities as inadequate resources and facilities (classrooms,
laboratories, libraries, etc) can affect its implementation (Ivowi, 2004).

Teachers play an integral part in the implementation of a curriculum as it is teachers who transform the
curriculum specified as policy and implement it practically in the classrooms. Teachers’ understanding,
their training background, and lack of guidance and large class size are factors which make it difficult for
teachers to implement curriculum (Fullan, 1991). It is obvious that teachers’ commitment is important in
influencing the implementation of curriculum (Jansen & Christie, 1999). Taole (2013) also states that it is
very important to provide support to teachers to achieve effective curriculum implementation.
Furthermore, the gap between policy and implementation will remain open unless adequate and
suitable attention is given to teachers (Dembele & Lefoka, 2007). These all show that the role of
teachers in the curriculum implementation should not be neglected.
Another factor in the implementation of curriculum is learners as any curriculum change or innovation is
planned and implemented for them. This is because their achievements are the indicators of the success
or failure of a curriculum. For example, when implementing curriculum change, significance is to be
given to the learners’ past language learning experiences, their motivation to learn the English language,
and their beliefs about the classroom norms and learning behaviors (Shamim, 1996). The success of
curriculum implementation also depends on the institution, which will use the curriculum. This is to say
that leadership of an institution plays a crucial role in this respect. Good management and support to
teachers are of utmost importance. The administrative support available within an institution and the
communicational understanding between the teachers and the administration can create an
atmosphere of motivation and productivity. On the other hand, inefficient leadership and management
is one of the biggest barriers to the success of curriculum implementation (UNESCO, 2000). In
conclusion, a number of specific studies show that factors affecting curriculum implementation. For
instance, Carless (1999) declares that lack of resources and insufficient curriculum time, expenses for
training and lack of appropriate materials as factors that make curriculum seldom implemented as
intended. In addition, contextual factors like large class sizes and resistance from administration,
teachers and students also inhibit curriculum implementation (Fullan, 2007). It is therefore, timely and
relevant to investigate challenges which hinder the effective implementation of the Nationally
Harmonized Modular Curriculum for Undergraduate English Language and Literature Program and their
potential sources.