Difficulties Encountered of Selected Public Elementary Schools and
Teachers in Utilizing a Modular Distance Learning in South B District
MARIFE F. ANGELES
Administration and Supervision
CHAPTER 1
The Problems and Its Background
Introduction
In fact, the literature demonstrates that the 20th century gave root to most
important educational opportunities especially the emerging of open and distance
learning institutions which are by nature open to learners of all ages and backgrounds
and addresses issues of lifelong learning beyond the usual educational span. Open
and distance as learning mode is becoming well known worldwide as it particularly gives
chances to candidates to catch up the learning occasions lost in the past and acquire
new competences and qualifications for the future. It is based on the real benefits and
effectiveness to address community educational challenges that Modular Distance
Learning have been created throughout the world.
The United States Department of Education (2020) quickly clarified that during a
pandemic, schools should try to continue some form of distance learning operation, and
while they should try to meet the needs of all students, barriers to meeting those needs
should not prevent schools from attempting anything at all.
Distant learning modalities can be used to improve access to education, and
enhance learning, as well as to provide educational continuity in response to pandemics
such as COVID-19, disease outbreaks like Ebola, political or social unrest, and natural
disasters. The first part of this document looks at how distance learning has been rolled
out under the current crises of COVID-19, followed by a description of four distance
learning modalities and the accompanying technologies. For each of the four modalities,
a detailed exploration of important considerations is presented for the teams planning,
creating, and implementing distance learning programming, and for educators and
learners using the various modalities. These considerations are analyzed across the
education system, learning environment, and home and community environment in
order to provide nuanced information for implementers.
In the Philippines, due to the 4, 195 confirmed cases as of April 10, 2020 based
on the Department of Health (DOH, 2020) online tracker report, the COVID-19
pandemic really causes a massive impact in higher educational institutions. The country
immediately opted for online learning. Some teachers recorded and uploaded their
lessons online for the students to access and some were even more innovative (Fox,
2007) and used Google Classrooms, Web Quest, and other online sites, but a greater
majority of teachers are not prepared to deal with online education.
Now, students can also learn via the Internet and if they are living in a fur-flung
areas or remote areas, printed modules are also available with the use of hi-tech
equipment like printers and Riso copier machines. Distance learning is now what the
Department is eyeing to use in the opening of classes. While some who are capable,
opted to use the online distance learning, Malipot (2021) reported that most students
prefer to use the “modular” distance learning option among all the alternative learning
modalities offered by the Department this upcoming school year.
In his article entitled “DepEd Learning Delivery Modalities for School Year 20202021”, Llego (2020) presented that there are four learning delivery modalities that the
Department has been considered. These include the traditional Face to face, distance
learning, online learning and the home schooling.
In the Philippines, there are 10,794 cases as of May 11, 2020 and is still
increasing (DOH, 2020) with more than four million cases worldwide (World meter,
2020). In response to these situations, educational leaders decided to adopt the new
normal in education. At the basic education, the Department of Education (DepEd) will
be implementing the Learning Continuity Plan (LCP), which will be in effect School Year
2020-2021 and classes will open on August 24, 2020 instead of June 2020 (DepEd,
2020).
Background of the Study
During crises and conflicts, closures of learning institutions and non-formal
programs can exacerbate the vulnerability of learners and their families and have a
detrimental impact on learners’ wellbeing. These gaps in learning contribute to
educational inequities, delay learners’ progress in school, and can pose threats to
safety. Children and youth not engaged in formal or non-formal learning are often more
vulnerable to violence and exploitation through unsafe work, early marriages, begging
for food, and other activities (Ghaffar-Kucher 2018). Moreover, teacher training
institutions have closed, leaving preservice teachers in limbo and delaying the entry of
new educators into the teaching workforce.
Conversely, distance learning provides educators4 and learners with a sense of
normalcy, routine, contact with peers and educators, and psychosocial support, all of
which are critical to the wellbeing of children, youth, and educators. According to a 2015
Global Education Cluster, UNICEF, and Save the Children brief on the Ebola response,
“school provides a sense of stability, hope, and helps to mitigate the psychosocial
impact of a crisis.” In the case of COVID-19, formal and non-formal institutions are
being challenged to modify not only learning calendars, curricula, and lesson plans, but
also the modalities through which teaching and learning take place. Learning that until
very recently occurred in person now must take place through distance learning.
As the circumstance of the spread and effects of the control measures and
limitations develop, there is an absence of satisfactory exploration so as to decide the
genuine effect of terminations on training. This study is an endeavor to research the
effects of formal terminations of schools and colleges on training. In view of the
examination of optional sources/information and distributed news analyses, the article
audits the worldwide circumstance and ponders the idea of impact of the COVID-19 on
the Filipinos school training. It features a portion of the difficulties for Philippines and
offers a few systems to battle the effects of the pandemic.
However, there are many challenges to equal get right of entry to on line distance
learning, digital, and e-learning. In matters of education, the Philippines government has
developed a three-pronged strategy to aid the continuation of mastering remotely,
adhering to the international and country wide education for social distancing,
quarantine and self-isolation. The Department of Education has developed on-line
content fabric that some faculty going childhood are getting get entry to with the aid of a
variety of channels to make certain uninterrupted learning for freshmen whilst they are
at home. However, this is riddled with a lot of challenges (DepEd, 2020). This
theoretical paper review consequently endeavors to supply interventions to mitigate
terrible results of the COVID-19 pandemic on shipping of quality basic schooling in
Filipinos. The focus of these proposed intervention measures is the marginalized and
terrible newcomers in the Filipinos college system. In addition, there is a lack of ample
research to make sure the continuity of schooling and assess the actual have an effect
on of training closure, as the effects of the manage measures and restrictions evolve.
This study is an attempt to study the problems and challenges in the education sector
due to the formal closure of schools and to present proposed intervention program for
solutions to those problems and challenges. This study is based on an analysis of
secondary sources/data collected from various mediums and published news
commentaries. This article highlights some of the problems facing by the education
sector in the Philippines and offers some strategies to move education forward while
fighting against the pandemic of Covid-19.