CHALLENGES ENCOUNTERED BY LEARNERS AND THEIR LEARNING

FACILITATORS IN PRINTED MODULAR LEARNING: BASIS FOR

INTERVENTION SCHEME

EDMAR L. PENUELA

2021
I. Introduction of the Research
The COVID-19 pandemic had brought so much change to the world
especially in the system of education. Mass gatherings were prohibited
hence schools have shifted from the traditional face to face learning
delivery to distance learning. Distance learning can be in the form of
online, blended, television-based, radio-based, and the written modular
which is the most widely used. Modular learning modality is a form of
distance learning that uses Self-Learning Modules (SLM) based on the
Most Essential Learning Competencies (MELCS) provided by the
Department of Education.
Distance learning and its relationship to emerging changes in
Educational system have together offered many promises to the field of
education. In practice however, the combination often falls short of what it
attempts to accomplish. Some of the shortcomings are due to problems
with the implementation; others have more to do with administration,
instructional methods, or students. This paper will examine some of the
current research and thought on the promises, problems, and the future
possibilities in modern distance learning, particularly types that are
delivered via electronic means (Valentine, 2002).
In the current status of education, change brought upon the pandemic
left a great challenge in terms of educational delivery, processes and
assessment. It is during this time that the Department of Education
intensely planned to create a valid, efficient and effective modalities to be
utilized in bringing knowledge and learning that is needed by the learners
in relation to the ability and resources. On the other hand, despite the
intense planning, the educational process requires the complementary and
broader roles of learners, teachers and parents which is vital in the recent
educational system.
In this light, the researcher feels the need to embark on his chosen
study for the following reasons: to have an in-depth understanding on the
challenges encountered by both learners and their learning facilitators in
modular learning and to produce an intervention scheme to help learners
and their learning facilitators overcome the challenges in modular
learning.
II. Literature Review
The closures of schools and global educational system has affected the
largest population of learners in the history of education system due to
COVID-19 pandemic. This crisis has brought fears among the learners
considering that the students will be exposed with people if face- to- face
teaching-learning modality is applied in the opening of classes. This life-
threatening phenomena has reduced also the opportunities for many
vulnerable students, youth, and adults - who are in a disadvantaged situation
- to continue their learning. On the other hand, this worldwide crisis has
stimulated the education experts to come with innovations in order to address
this problem in the Philippines Education System.
The Department of Education has implemented the Distance learning
Modalities (DLDM) for this school year 2020-2021 as an innovative approach
to ensure the learning continuity while vaccine is not yet available (Labrado,
et.al., 2020).
Printed Modular Learning
According to one of the articles of Codamon (2020), Education Secretary
Leonor Briones expressed that the Department of Education is one with
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte in his non-negotiable commitment for the
health and safety of the learners, teachers and staff but learning opportunities
can still be provided without requiring students to go to school in this time of
a health crisis. Adopting to the challenges of the times in fulfilling its mandate,
DepEd imposes blended and distance learning programs during this period of
pandemic consistent with the preference of the President that children would
not be sent to school until it is safe to do so.
The Printed or Digital Modules (PDM) are delivered to the homes of
learners or picked up by their parents or guardians at designated places
within coordinated schedules. Printed module refers to learning packets (work
sheets, activity sheets, self-learning materials). Furthermore, the preparation
of the learning materials by the teachers are done every week. The study
guides and other resources for the modular distance learning and these
materials shall be accompanied by quality assured instructional packets
wherein the parent/guardians and receive instructions and the learning
materials to be accomplished by the learner for the week (Philippine
Information Agency, 2020).
 Parents use the learning guide and supervise the interaction of the
learners with the materials and communication with the teachers upon the
accomplishment of the module activities. Once the student completes the
individual learning pan, the parent connects with the teacher for feedback
through text, messenger or any form of communication.
Undoubtedly, the shift of the teaching-learning delivery in schools to
modular distance learning made more challenging, on the part of the school
personnel, the delivery of basic quality education. That is why DepEd leaders
are always finding avenues to solve the problems and capacitating its teachers
and school heads to become more effective in their field for the modular
distance learning. It is common knowledge that education is the key to become
productive citizens in our country so that most, if not all, of the parents are
working hard to earn money just to sustain the needs of their children. But
the present education system has encountered challenges in delivering basic
education caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, where holding of classes in
schools is compromised due to prohibitions following the implementation of
General Health and Safety Protocols such as convergence and face-to-face
contact.
Challenges to Students
In one of the articles of The Manila Times (2020), since the beginning
of the current academic year last October 5, 2020, after being delayed due to
the coronavirus pandemic, there have been a multitude of complaints about
errors in the learning module materials distributed to students by the
Department of Education. Most of these have seemed fairly minor, the result
of DepEd having to create a completely new program in a very short amount
of time.
To recall, the distance learning program, which the DepEd refers to as
“blended learning,” was made necessary by a directive from President Rodrigo
Duterte that physical classes in schools should not be held until a vaccine
against the coronavirus becomes available. Although the decision to forego
traditional classroom learning while the pandemic is still in progress has
presented enormous challenges, it seems to have been the right call. The
experience of other countries, such as the United States, where the pandemic
has not yet been brought under control, has shown that in-person classes
lead to the rapid spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19); in many
places, schools were opened only to close again within a matter of days due to
a spike in Covid-19 cases.
The program is a combination of online lessons and printed lesson
modules, which are delivered to the respective homes of the stud in order that
they can complete the lessons on their own. Although the DepEd has not
provided any figures, it would seem the majority of public school students rely
on the printed modules rather than video lessons, as many lack reliable
internet access.
Challenges to Teachers
According to one of the articles of Malipot (2020) released on Manila
Bulletin, the teachers’ federation called the attention of the Department of
Education (DepEd) on various issues raised by public school teachers in the
field regarding the preparation for modular learning last August 4, 2020.
Based on the reports it has received, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT)
Philippines said that teachers are raising a “myriad of issues” with the
modular learning preparations which is being aggravated by the present
health crisis.
Modular learning, based on the survey conducted by DepEd on school
opening, is the most preferred learning delivery of parents for their children
this SY. Under the modular learning, materials can be printed or in digitized
form. ACT Secretary General Raymond Basilio on his statements said that
teachers expressed disappointment that while they have been tasked to make
the activity sheets that will come with the modules the teachers have not seen
until the day of the release of the copies of the modules, forcing the teachers
to just base the activity sheets from the lesson last year. With modules from
the Central Office, Basilio said that teachers have no choice but to make do
with what they have or else students will have no materials to use when
classes formally start on August 24, 2020.
Basilio in his interview also pointed out that reproduction cost is also
a big problem as schools were forced to find ways to raise funds in so short a
time. With the schools’ Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE)
almost depleted, ACT alleged that schools resort to soliciting private donations
and maximizing teachers’ personal printers just to jumpstart the reproduction
of modules. Many reported that LGUs helped save them from the problems,
but LGU commitments in some areas were not yet delivered.
 ACT also alleged that some teachers are even being made to report to
school as late as 11:00 pm as their school or division implements a shifting
schedule for teachers in order to finish the printing on time. While others
reported a “one grade level per day” scheme in printing, collating, and
organizing of learning packets where all the teachers for a particular year level
will report on their assigned day of the week (The Manila Times, 2020).
Learning through printed and digital modules emerged as the most
preferred distance learning method of parents who enrolled their children in
the coming school year, based on a survey conducted by the Department of
Education (DepEd). During the 45-day enrollment period in public schools
that ended July 15, parents and guardians were made to answer the DepEd's
Learner Enrollment and Survey Form. It asked them about their preferred
alternative learning mode, and sought to profile the enrollee's readiness for
distance education. Survey results released Thursday by the DepEd showed
that 8.9 million parents preferred modular distance learning, where students
at home would study through self-learning modules.
Intervention Scheme
An intervention is a combination of program elements or strategies
designed to produce behavior changes or improve academic performance
among individuals or an entire population. Interventions may include
educational programs, new or stronger policies, improvements in the
environment, or a health promotion campaign. Interventions that include
multiple strategies are typically the most effective in producing desired and
lasting change.
According to Vaughn (2013), he emphasized that providing intensive
interventions through the organization of the school and to address the needy
students, is a cure to address and specify, articulate, and implement an
appropriate intervention to every learner. With this, the willingness to make
modifications, willingness to make adaptations, and willingness to reflect on
evidence-based decision making is one way of catering and embracing every
learner to have an access to quality education.
Intervention plan is important for schools to focus on intensive
interventions because it gives an opportunity for the schools to figure out ways
to serve the neediest students. In academic needs, it is important to have an
increasingly intensive response to the instructional or behavioral needs of the
students. Furthermore, it is an intensive intervention viewed as an aid that is
the most specific for the students most in need.
III. Research Questions
In order to carry out its objectives, this study asks the following
questions.
1. What are the challenges encountered by the learners in modular
learning?
2. What are the challenges encountered by the learning facilitator
in modular learning?
3. How can these challenges become a basis for an intervention
scheme?
IV. Scope and Limitation
The scope of the study is limited to determining the challenges
encountered by learners and their learning facilitators in modular learning.
It aims to understand the experiences of the learning facilitators in the
delivery of learning and the experiences of the learners in the absorption
of learning. These challenges as experienced by both learners and learning
facilitators will become the basis for an intervention scheme.
V. Research Methodology
a. Sampling

STRAND GRADE XI GRADE XII TOTAL

HUMSS A 48 36 84
HUMSS B 47 37 84
HOME ECONOMICS 30 45 75
EIM 17 32 49
EPAS 49 44 93
TOTAL 191 194 385
Figure 1. Distribution of the Participants
This study will utilize collaborative- descriptive method in order
to reveal the Challenges encountered by the learners and learning
facilitators in Printed Modular Learning as a basis for Intervention
Scheme. With this, in order to gather the needed data, the participants
will be the fourteen (14) Senior High School teachers and Three
hundred eighty five (385) Senior High School students and their
parents from Virginia F. Griño National High School.
The researcher decided to select all of the fourteen (14) Senior
High School teachers, and all of the Grade eleven (11) and Grade twelve
 (12) students from different tracks particularly eighty- four (84)
HUMSS, seventy five (75) Home Economics, forty nine (9) Electrical
Product Assembly Servicing, and ninety three (93) Electrical
Installation and Maintenance students.
b. Data Collection
Before the actual data, the researcher will write a letter of
permission duly signed by the Assistant Principal of Senior High School
and request for the approval of the principal of Virginia F. Griño
National High School in order to gather all of the information and the
data needed to support the study. Upon approval, the researcher will
make an arrangement with the participants as to when to conduct the
interview.
Prior to the scheduled date, the researcher will go to the
Assistant Principal of Senior High School to access the data mapping
of the students for the school year 2020- 2021. After the identification
of location, the researcher will personally conduct the interview to the
teachers and personally visit the students together with the
parents/guardian for a recorded interview. After which, the researcher
will retrieve the data for analysis.
c. Ethical Issues
Since this study will be conducted during the Covid-19
pandemic, it is very important to ensure and follow the proper health
protocols. The study will assure full ethical approval from Virginia F.
Griño National High School because all participants will be provided
with written and informed consent. The participants will be briefly
informed that they are free to withdraw at any time, or should they wish
to do so. Participants will also be given consent on the recording of
interviews, which will be subsequently subject for transcription.
Recorded interviews will be stored on a flash drive and google drive
account.
 d. Plan for Data Analysis

Context Process Content

 Appropriateness  Collaboration  Equity

of activities  Learning  Family Involvement
 Leadership  Module Delivery  Quality Teaching
 Resources  Module Design  Validity of activities based on
MELCs
Figure 2. Classification of Items Studied within Context, Process and
Content
This study will employ collaborative- descriptive method using
the Three- D (3D) model and framework proposed by Fairclough (1992).
The mean will provide the central tendency for each area to be studied,
while the standard deviations being offered will be available for
definition and explanation of potential variations for each distribution.
The data will be analyzed using ANOVA. This statistical method will
measure the influence of an independent variable, in this case will be
the context, process and content.
Statistically, significant relationships will be determined based
on an alpha level of .05 or less. ANOVA method requires that the
assumptions of independence, normal distribution, and homogeneity
of variance. The independence assumption will be based on the way
data will be collected. The normality assumption concerns the sampling
of distribution means and the equal variance assumption will address
variance in the population.
VI. Time Table / Gantt Chart

CHALLENGES ENCOUNTERED BY LEARNERS AND THEIR LEARNING FACILITATORS IN

PRINTED MODULAR LEARNING: BASIS FOR INTERVENTION SCHEME
Select a period to highlight at right. A legend describing the charting follows. Period Highlight: 1 Plan Duration: PeriodActual
of Accomplishment
%Start:
Complete
Starting
of the
Period
Project
of the
/ Activity
Actual
Project(beyond
/ Activity
plan) % Complete (beyond plan)

PLAN ACTUAL ACTUAL PERCENT

ACTIVITY PLAN START PERIODS: Duration of Project / Activity (days)
DURATION START DURATION COMPLETE
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36
TEACHERS

GRADE 11 04/05/2021 5 5 0%

GRADE 12 04/05/2021 5 5 0%

STUDENT/GUARDIAN

BARANGAY D'LEDESMA 04/12/2021 5 5 0%

BARANGAY GRIÑO 04/19/2021 5 5 0%

BARANGAY LAGAO 04/19/2021 5 5 0%

BARANGAY SAN ANTONIO 04/26/2021 5 5 0%

BARANGAY TINA 04/26/2021 5 5 0%

BARANGAY TOMIAO 05/03/2021 5 5 0%

PRESIDENT QUIRINO 05/03/2021 5 5 0%

TACURONG 05/03/2021 5 5 0%
VII. Cost Estimates
ITEMS COST PER UNIT QUANTITY TOTAL COST
Bond Paper Php250 per ream 3 reams Php750
Printer Ink Php180 per bottle 2 bottles 360
TOTAL Php1,110
VIII. Plan for Dissemination
TIME PERSONS
ACTIVITIES OBJECTIVES VENUE BUDGET MATERIALS EXPECTED OUTPUT
FRAME INVOLVE
Disseminatio To inform school 100% Approval from the
n of Research administrators about school head
Research
Findings the Challenges
Researcher Via Abstract,
Encountered by May 17,
and School Google Flyers,
Learners and their 2021
Head meet Multimedia
Learning Facilitators
Presentation
in Printed Modular
Learning
Conduct of To orient teachers on 90% of teachers will be
School the Challenges oriented with the
Learning Encountered by Challenges Encountered
Action Cell Learners and the by Learners and the
V.F. Griño
(Re: Learning Facilitators Handouts, Learning Facilitators in
National
Challenges in Printed Modular Multimedia Printed Modular
Researcher High
Encountered Learning May 24, Projector, Learning
and School Php500
by Learners 2021 Laptop,
Teachers SHS
and their Sound
Workshop
Learning System
Room
Facilitators in
Printed
Modular
Learning)
Create an Develop an  Approval of the school
intervention intervention plan planning team.
plan regarding the
regarding the Challenges V.F. Griño  90% of teachers will
Instructional
Challenges Encountered by National develop intervention
materials
Encountered Learners and the Researcher High plans.
May 31, (Bond
by Learners Learning Facilitators and School Php500
2021 papers,
and the in Printed Modular Teachers SHS  90% of learning
Ballpen, ink,
Learning Learning Workshop facilitators will be
and Printer
Facilitators in Room aided in the delivery
Printed of printed modules.
Modular
Learning
IX. References
Codamon, D. (2020). Understanding the Distance Learning Delivery
modalities. Philippine Information Agency. Retrieved on March 13,
2020. Retrieved from https://pia.gov.ph/features/articles/1049277
Dangle, Y. P., & Sumaoang, J. D. (2020, November 27-29). The
implementation of modular distance learning in the philippine
secondary public schools. 3rd international conference on advanced
research in teaching and education, 1-9. Retrieved March 13, 2021,
from https://www.dpublication.com/wp-
content/uploads/2020/11/27-427.pdf
Filipino students prefer modular learning. (n.d.). Retrieved March 13,
2021, from flipscience: https://www.flipscience.ph/news/features-
news/tagapagdaloy-modular-distance-learning/
Labrado, M., et.al. (2020). Initial Implementation of Printed Modular
Distance Learning in the City of Naga- Cebu during Covid 19
pandemic. International Journal of Current Research, 12, (10),
14397-14402
Philippine Information Agency (2020). Understanding the Distance
Learning Delivery modalities. Retrieved on March 14, 2020. Retrieved
from https://pia.gov.ph/features/articles/1049277
The Manila Times (2020). Problems with distance learning system must be
thoroughly investigated. Retrieved on March 13, 2020. Retrieved from
https://www.manilatimes.net/2020/10/21/opinion/editorial/prob
lems-with distance-learning-system-must-be-thoroughly-
investigated/783310/
Valentine, D. (2002). Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration,
Volume V. NumberIII, Fall 2002 State University of West Georgia,
Distance Education Center.