Research Title: The Implications of Modular Learning in Students’ Quality of Education

Chapter II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter presents literatures and studies that are reviewed to further the development of the

research. The information gathered that will tackle different concepts, ideas, and understanding regarding the

topic that will serve as guide for the researchers to fully grasp the topic by exploring the facts and data from

the past texts. In addition, this chapter also includes the comparison of this study to the said literature that are

relevant to each other.

Conceptual Literature

Learning has always been hard work. Students constantly use what they already know to interpret and

make sense out of new information. It also means that they tend to develop misconceptions as a natural

consequence of trying to grasp the unfamiliar. Discussions in class prevent these misconceptions that will lead

to developing meaning and understanding fun and efficiency (Cerbin, n.d.).

Due to the coronavirus, school districts and campuses opted for online-based learning opportunities to

continue disseminate education. However, distance learning is not for everyone. There are several differences

between traditional and distance learning that affects students' learning process, making it harder for them

(Simon, 2021).

Online education has attracted students with its schedule-friendly format options, synchronous and

asynchronous learning. Synchronous learning happens in real-time, where educators and learners interact

virtually with a set time. Asynchronous learning does not require real-time interaction and happens on

students' schedules with provided materials and assigned tasks to complete within the expected deadlines. In

choosing an online education format, students need to evaluate their capabilities as a learner. Whether they

can learn on their own or not, and if keeping themselves motivated with professorial oversight will be a

problem or not (“Learning in Online Education”, 2021).

The Department of Education (2020) integrated Self-Learning Modules (SLM) with the alternative

learning modalities such as modular, television-based, radio-based instructions, blended, and online to ensure
that learners have access to quality education despite the prohibition of traditional classes. SLMs are

distributed printed and can also be accessed online or offline on gadgets or other devices. The Learner

Enrollment and Survey Form (LESF) were distributed, with grounded data of availability of gadgets and

devices, access to the internet, preferred modality, challenges that may affect learning in distance mode, and

other data. Then, every region, school division, and school gathered that information and used it in designing

their respective Learning Continuity Plan, particularly in making decisions on what learning modalities to

implement. LESFs results then showed that 8.8 million parents preferred the modular learning modality for

their children over other options. With that being the fact, most schools implemented the said modality for

learners, especially those who don't have access to a stable internet connection.

Thousands of academic books had to be compressed and printed into hand-outs for students to study

on their own and then submit to teachers for grading. But, despite mountains of printed materials, educators

are still expected to be available for consultations, and learners are encouraged to do so, which requires devices

and an internet connection that is out of reach for many public-school teachers and students. In addition,

students still have a lot of further research to do on more complex assignments. It posed a problem, especially

given the DepEd survey that shows 20% of the 6.5 million students who have access to the internet use

computer shops or other public places, and the 2.8 million students with no way of going online (Santos,

2020).

Furthermore, according to the educators in Pangasinan, the distributed educational modules have two

serious problems. The first problem is that some of the modules are said to have numerous errors that are

much more serious than mere typographical or editing errors that made the materials appeared to be unusable

even after spending a large amount of money on printing. Second, educators had to reproduce the printed

modules using the funds available to schools and teachers due to the faulty modules. As a result, the teachers

had to compensate to provide the materials for their students (The Manila Times, 2020).

Students, parents, and teachers had faced the harsh reality of going through this school year with an

unfamiliar learning modality. Most parents are trying their best to find the energy to be teachers to their

children even after being tired from a day's work of making a living. They constantly find themselves staying

up late into the evenings with their children to finish the lessons. Some parents who are also a teacher still
supervise their children after a long day of teaching and guiding other learners. Students struggling with their

modules with its errors and incomplete information makes researching that requires a stable internet

connection the only way to comprehend anything, which is quite difficult for those families with no extra

money for a pre-paid load. Given all the shortcomings, it is concerning how the future leaders of our nation

are learning from all of this, especially the ones whose only modality is modular (Pabalate, 2020).

Related Studies

The advantages and disadvantages of distance learning are topics that need further research due to the

implications it will provide to students’ quality of education. To determine what makes it acceptable and

address what needs to be improved to provide the best for students.

In the study of Korolkov, Germanov, Langueva, Shevyakova, and Poskrebysheva (2020), they tried to

formalize various aspects of distance education with speculative validity indicators based on calculating the

relative frequency of students' and teachers' opinions. To determine the advantages and disadvantages of the

system, the researchers used methods of survey, questioning, and systematization of information from open

sources in electronic catalogs and online publications. The study disclosed that distance learning has many

advantages and disadvantages that relate to each other in approximately equal proportions, which means it

cannot be the only and final form of learning as it negatively affects the development of practical skills in

practice-oriented academic disciplines. That makes it only suitable as an additional tool in teaching and can

be recommended for use when conducting theoretical classes who have already mastered practical skills in

physical education and for students with limited mobility in space.

As we experience a global pandemic, distance learning is the only hope for students to safely continue

their education. The modular learning modality, as a part of distance education and the major modality

preferred in the Philippines, needs thorough evaluation to ensure its effectiveness in giving the best learning

process. The studies of Malik (2012), Lim (2016), and Ambayon (2020) provided a comparison between the

results of modular and traditional approaches in assessing the effectiveness of modular learning to students’

learning.
 In the study of Malik (2012) on secondary level students, the assessment of gender differences plays a

role in textual achievement. The study addresses the differential effect on students’ general comprehension

taught through modular and traditional teaching approaches. The sample for experimenting was selected

randomly from a population of grade 9 students, and data were obtained through the administration of the

general comprehension-based teacher-made test. Then the data were analyzed by applying a statistical package

for social science through an independent sample t-test. Findings show significant gender differences in the

general comprehension of male and female students, where male students performed significantly better than

female students on the general comprehension-based test.

The study of Lim (2016) used a Quasi-experimental design to determine the effects of modular

instructions on third-year Bachelor of Education students of Eastern Samar State University (ESSU) exposed

to lecture method and modular instruction in teaching word problem-solving. This design involved an

experimental and control group, where the groups were taught using the instructional modules and the

traditional method, respectively. The researchers utilized modules and teacher-made tests, pre-test and post-

test, as their instruments to conduct their experiment. The gathered data then were treated statistically,

analyzed, and interpreted.

The study of Ambayon (2020) on third-year Bachelor of Secondary Education major in English

students used a comparative-experimental research design that aimed to validate a mythology and folklore

module and evaluate its effectiveness as a response to inadequate learning resources in teaching literature. The

students were divided into experimental and control groups. Where the students in the experimental group

utilize the developed module, and the control group did not. The researcher formulated a survey questionnaire

that deals with the profile of the respondents, the content, relevance, and mechanics of the module. They were

gathered, and the results were tallied and tabulated.

The three studies show a significant difference between the mean scores of the two groups. The

findings revealed that the students taught through the modular approach performed better than those taught

through the traditional approach, especially with the well-explained ideas, concepts, and points presented in

the module. These results depicted that the use of modules in teaching is an effective approach, and has a

better impact on students.

 In contrary, the study conducted by Dangle and Sumaoang (2020) shows occurring challenges that can

affect students’ learning process.

According to the study conducted by Dangle and Sumaoang (2020) on students, parents, and teachers

of Balbalayang National High School (BNHS) and Baguio City National High School (BCNHS) during the

School Year 2020-2021, various challenges emerged with the implementation of the modular learning

modality. The study used a mixed quantitative and qualitative approach to find the participants' encountered

difficulties, opinions, and recommendations. The study determined the prevailing challenges in resources,

preparedness, and communication with the survey design and deductive thematic analysis to interpret and

code the data gathered. Their findings revealed students' struggle with self-studying, parents' lack of

knowledge to guide their children academically, and lack of school funding in the production and delivery of

modules.

Synthesis

The study of Korolkov et al. (2020) wants to know the advantages and disadvantages of distance

learning based on students' and teachers' opinions. This is the same with the current undertaking as it aims to

explore the pros and cons of distance learning, specifically the modular learning modality. However, the

current research study also wants to explore how does modular learning affects students' learning process and

the quality of their education. Furthermore, the current study also wants to suggest ways to improve the said

modality for students.

The study of Malik (2012), Lim (2016), and Ambayon (2020) focused on the effectiveness of the

modular approach by comparing it to the traditional approach to assess its efficiency on students' learning.

The subjects in the studies vary from secondary level to tertiary level students and used modules validated by

teachers in terms of content and accuracy. This is partially the same with the current study as it aims to explore

the effectiveness of the modular approach; in contrast, the present study also wants to examine the

effectiveness of the modular approach, but now, including the primary level students. In addition, the study

also wants to assess the effectiveness of the said approach not by comparing, but by interpreting the

respondents' evaluation of the modules they received during the school year 2020-2021.
 The study of Dangle and Sumaoang (2020) addressed the challenges that emerged with the

implementation of the modular learning modality. The respondents in the study were students, parents, and

teachers. This is partially similar to the present undertaking which also aims to explore the modular modality

and the difficulties experienced by the respondents. However, the current study focused on only students.

Moreover, the study wants to understand why these challenges emerged and the possible ways to re-evaluate

the modules with the hope of subduing the challenges that will substantially benefit the future leaders of the

nation's quality of education.

According to the evidences stated, the current study is in no way, shape, or form, a complete replication

of the reviewed related literature.