Department of Education

Region IV-A CALABARZON

CITY SCHOOLS DIVISION OF ANTIPOLO
SAN JOSE NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Science, Technology, and Engineering (STE) Program
Sen. L. Sumulong Mem. Circle, Pulong Banal, Brgy. San Jose Antipolo City

Descriptive Analysis on Predictors of Synchronous Class Absenteeism

Heather Desiree R. Balboa, Dexter Akizzha Rhyz P. Paz, Trisha Nicole V. Valeriano
The COVID-19 pandemic is now more than a crisis as it has become a global
wake-up call to shift paradigms and people's perspectives on the world. The pandemic's
effects have wreaked havoc on all sectors of society, including education. As the post-
COVID-19 age approaches, there is a pressing need to reconsider education in light of
new opportunities as well as problems. Every country is currently putting in place plans
and processes to contain the virus, but the number of cases only continues to rise
(Cahapay, 2020). In the educational setting, the new normal should be considered in
the implementation of the "new normal educational policy" in order to maintain and offer
quality education despite lockdowns and community quarantines. The abrupt impact of
the health crisis forced institutions to provide students with online teaching and learning
environments that were both immediately applicable and supportive of quality learning
(Fabriz, Mendzheritskaya, & Stehle, 2021). This resulted in a wide range of online
teaching and learning contexts, both synchronous and asynchronous. While some
courses offered an integration of the two, majority focused on either synchronous or
asynchronous instruction. The digital readiness of teachers and students all over the
world have been tested by the sudden need to adjust to online teaching and learning.
Online learning materials have recently been an issue in higher education as institutions
begin to consider online education as a viable teaching option. Online resources are
currently being regarded as a technique of increasing learners' access to instruction,
and lowering instructional expenses (Gautam, 2020).
Distance learning, a non-traditional form of education, is growing in popularity as
a result of the country's recent downturn. Virtual communities have evolved as
technology becomes more widely available in many parts of the world, necessitating the
need for additional online learning alternatives for students (Li & Lalani, 2020). The
state of emergency has given place to the post-pandemic era, during which higher
education institutions can incorporate remote teaching into learning arrangements
(Curtin, 2021). Structured and time-bound activities that may be accessed through web
conferencing and other online platforms constitute synchronous learning (Malik, Fatima,
Hussain, & Sarwar, 2017). Distance learning has always been a popular and practical
option for many students and institutions, but its popularity has grown in recent years as
the Internet and the World Wide Web have been more widely used (Paul, 2019). This is
crucial to examine because distant learning is becoming a more feasible alternative for
providing advanced educational opportunities to students of different learning styles and
backgrounds (Mahlangu, 2018). Synchronous online learning is currently gaining more
interest than asynchronous online learning, due to the fact that synchronous online
learning, when combined with technology advancements, increases students'
connection to instructors and other students (Watts, 2016). Synchronous online learning
benefits from the use of real-time interpersonal communication, and immediate
feedback. These features can help to bridge the gap between online and face-to-face
learning (van der Keylen et al., 2020). However, as the media richness and media
naturalness approaches suggest, synchronous learning has its own set of difficulties.
Media richness approaches determine a medium's ability to deliver instant feedback,
convey verbal and nonverbal communication cues, provide individuality, and replicate
natural language (Blau et al., 2017). Face-to-face communication is the most natural
form of communication for the degree of medium naturalness. As a result, synchronous
learning settings are less natural and "rich" than face-to-face. While synchronous
teaching allows students to work at their own pace regardless of time or location, not all
students are equipped with the necessary resources to benefit from this setting.
Learning at home necessitates sufficient motivation to achieve the learning objectives,
and digital skills in order to accomplish academic work or learning activities (Hartnett,
2015).
An outbreak of a novel coronavirus known as COVID-19 began in China in
December 2019 and quickly spread around the globe in a matter of months (World
Health Organization, 2020). The pandemic has disrupted educational systems
worldwide, affecting nearly 1.5 billion students due to the forced closure of schools and
ceased face-to-face instruction. These events launched higher education's digital
transition and tested the ability to adapt quickly and effectively (John Hopkins
University, 2021). Schools incorporated applicable technologies, developed learner and
staff resources, established systems and infrastructure, implemented new teaching
protocols, and revised curricula (Barrot, 2021). The popularity of online learning has
been steadily growing in recent years, and this trend is expected to continue. Online
learning is a type of learning environment that makes use of the internet and other
devices and applications to provide and manage synchronous and asynchronous
instructional content and academic programs (Usher & Barak, 2020). Synchronous
online learning entails real-time interactions between the teacher and students that are
timed or adhere to a fixed schedule (Singh & Turman, 2019). Live classroom sessions
and on-the-job coaching are two of the most prevalent synchronous formats (Kokoulina,
2020). Students benefit from online learning because of the flexibility in terms of
participation, convenience, and adaptability to the demands of learners (Richardson et
al., 2017). Students can ask questions and receive answers in real-time in a live
learning environment. The ability for each student to contribute a question or thought to
the session broadens the breadth of learning by exposing learners to the perspectives
of others (Weitzel, 2020). There have recently been research released on the new
normal in education. While some focused on national regulations, professional
development, and curriculum, others focused on students' individual learning
experiences and the problems faced in synchronous learning. The impact of the new
normal education on academic achievement has been highlighted as students
expressed worries about learning and evaluation techniques, overwhelming task load,
technical challenges, and confinement in a study (Fawaz et al., 2020). In a related
study, how the lockdown affected the learning and performance of students revealed
that the lockdown caused significant disruptions in learning. Anxiety, poor internet
service, and an uncomfortable home learning environment were among the issues
students reported during online sessions, which were exacerbated when students came
from marginalized and remote areas (Kapasia et al., 2020). In one study, the
confinement during the pandemic had significant benefits on student performance,
contrary to the preceding findings (Gonzales et al., 2020). The students' continued use
of learning methodologies which improved learning efficiency is credited with these
findings. Finally, there were studies that concentrated on the online learning experience
of students during the COVID-19 pandemic. A quantitative descriptive technique was
used to investigate students' experiences during the outbreak. Students valued the
usage of online learning during the pandemic, according to the data. Half of the
population, on the other hand, agreed that traditional classroom instruction was more
effective than using an online learning platform. In terms of methodology, the
researchers conceded that the study's quantitative structure restricts a more in-depth
analysis or interpretation of the data (Singh et al., 2020).
Given the current situation, gaining awareness on the issues confronting the new
normal schooling is critical. As the world continues to prevent the spread of the virus,
schools and other learning places were compelled to transition to online learning. The
convenience of online learning in terms of time and location is attracting a growing
number of students (Butnaru, 2021). During the onset of the virus, online learning has
taken on the role of temporary remote instruction in response to the crisis. Some
schools found the transition to be easy, while others found it difficult, especially those
from developing countries with limited infrastructure (Pham & Nguyen, 2020), as well as
several major concerns about policy, pedagogy, logistics, socioeconomic factors,
technology, and psychosocial factors (Donitsa-Schmidt & Ramot, 2020). There are still
students who do not maximize or are unable to participate in online programs under
remote learning despite the fact that it is the most viable modality of education today
due to a variety of reasons (Joaquin, 2020). For many, remote teaching and learning
are the new realities. However, they also bring a new set of challenges especially for
students. The transition has been challenging for many families. Accessibility problems
have disproportionately impacted low-income families, as they may lack the necessary
tools for online learning, such as devices, internet access, and a conducive learning
environment (Rotas, 2020). The physical environment can have a big impact on
cognition, emotions, and behavior, according to research. This can have an impact on
how you make decisions and interact with other people (Tyng, 2017). Learning in a
stressful environment can have negative consequences such as increased stress and
decreased concentration. Remote learning has resulted in a rise in absenteeism for
many schools. People who were overwhelmed by the number of things happening on
around them were more likely to procrastinate, not participate, and not attend class,
according to one study (University of Navarra, 2021). Chronic absenteeism was a
problem in the country's education system before the pandemic, but now that majority of
the country's school buildings have been closed and lessons are being delivered
remotely, more students than ever are missing class — not logging on, not checking in,
nor completing assignments (Ferlazzo, 2020). Absence rates are particularly high at
schools with a large number of children coming from low-income families who do not
have access to computers at home or to the internet (UNICEF, 2020). Despite the
difficulties posed by the outbreak, many teachers throughout the world continue to
reach out to students and encourage them to attend class. However, some teachers
claim that fewer than half of their students participate on a regular basis, causing
significant concern among educators, with some suggesting that remedial classes or
having some pupils repeat a grade may be necessary once Filipino students are able to
return to school (Goldstein, Popescu & Jones, 2020). Children's learning behaviors and
are influenced in many ways by their families, as they are the primary and most
significant contexts in which they are exposed to. Parents who are involved and present
in their child's life are more likely to communicate with teachers, and monitor their
children's attendance in school which influences performance and achievement
(Bartolome, 2017). Parental involvement in education, such as discussing school
problems with children and monitoring participation in school activities, have been
shown to increase academic performance in empirical studies (Li, 2018).
Students must be present and engaged in order to learn, therefore it is a basic
assumption that learners attend school on a regular basis. This premise, however, has
been brought into question by recent research (Chang, Bauer, & Byrnes, 2018). While
certain types of absences or truancy have long been studied, chronic absenteeism in
schools has not been regularly quantified until recently. Chronic absenteeism is
currently defined by several states and reporting organizations as missing 10% or more
school days for any cause (Patnode, 2018). Missed instructional days, whether excused
or unexcused, or as a result of disciplinary expulsion from school, are referred to as
absenteeism (Jordan & Miller, 2017). These excused absences are a key distinction
between chronic absenteeism and truancy, as truancy figures do not reflect time lost
due to lawful absences. For the purposes of calculating chronic absenteeism, however,
excused absences are counted. The impact of missing school on students' academic
and social development is the focus of chronic absenteeism, whereas truancy is
concerned with legal compliance (Chang et al., 2018). The shift from truancy to chronic
absenteeism is critical because high absenteeism rates are linked to poor academic
performance (Cortiella & Boundy, 2018). Chronic absenteeism has a variety of causes,
each of which is unique to each student, and knowing these factors is necessary in
order to better understand and resolve this issue. Based on the degree to which they
affect a student's attendance, root causes of absenteeism can be classified as
obstacles, aversion, or disengagement causes (Chang et al., 2018). Absences can
occur for a variety of reasons, both inside and outside of school. Absences are often
voluntary and informed decisions, however, poor relationships with other students,
academic failure, boredom at school, peer pressure, and lack of educational
expectations can all contribute to this (Birioukov, 2016). Absences, on the other hand,
can also be structural as some learners miss school due to unforeseen circumstances
which are beyond control, and are thus involuntary decisions. Working during school
hours, a poor home environment, lack of technology access, and an unstable internet
connection could all be contributing factors (Brant, 2017). Absenteeism had been a
major problem even before the outbreak of the virus. As a result of numerous schools
closing their face-to-face classroom setups and shifting to distance learning, millions of
families and students were suddenly exposed to the stressors brought on by the
pandemic, which disproportionately affected low-income students and other vulnerable
students, resulting in a significant drop in school attendance (Garbe, 2020)
School attendance issues, such as absenteeism, are frequent among many
learners around the world and have been connected to poor academic performance,
mental and social issues, as well as subsequent school dropout. Frequent absences
result to missing opportunities to learn, thus, causing students to lag behind in class
(Balkis, 2016). Missing lectures means missing out on important information and the
opportunity to clarify concepts, resulting in poor learning and academic performance.
Various studies on the relationship between class attendance and academic
achievement suggest that students with high attendance are able to attain higher
academic success than students with low attendance (Khan, 2019). Class attendance
has a significant impact on students' academic performance and achievements, hence,
it is critical for students to attend class in order to attain academic success since low
attendance percentage raises the risk of future education (Kassarnig, 2017). Students
who have a negative self-perception, a negative attitude toward their teachers and
school, and a low degree of motivation tend to have a higher absenteeism rate.
However, family considerations are also linked to absenteeism (Demir, 2016). There is
a link between student absenteeism, academic achievement, parental education level,
and family socioeconomic situation. Students with low socioeconomic status and family
education have a higher percentage of school absenteeism and a lower level of
academic success. Family, peers, and community all increase the risk of school
attendance issues. These risk factors frequently interact, especially in the case of
persistent and severe school attendance issues and school dropouts (Fornander, 2019).
Since there are multiple family variables linked to anxiety-based school refusal, family
environment is one such risk factor that has a direct impact on school attendance and
academic achievement. Lack of role agreement among family members, communication
difficulties, and disengagement are among these influences (Gubbels, 2019). The
human capital theory states that education is a critical human capital investment, with
the "cost-benefit" framework serving as the key guiding concept for families making
educational investment decisions. Parents of poor families are sometimes unable to
spend enough for education due to a lack of resources, which has a negative impact on
a student's academic progress (Holden, 2016). Since students' cognitive skills are
positively related to their parents' socioeconomic level, the cultural capital theory
emphasizes that family cultural resources and environment impact children's
educational ambitions and performance. Parents with high cultural capital are more
aware of school rules, invest more cultural resources, pay more attention to cultivating
educational aspirations and interests, assist children with school curriculum, which
enables students to perform well in academics when compared to families with low
cultural capital (Chen, 2018). Furthermore, empirical research has shown that parental
educational participation, such as discussing school matters with children, checking
homework, and participating in school events, has an impact on academic performance
and attendance (Lara, 2019).
Examining the influence families have on a student’s learning and attendance
behavior is important as there are a number of family related factors that contribute to
this issue (Gobena, 2018). Parents who work closely with their children and are actively
involved in their education encourage their children to attend classes and perform well
in school (Nisbet, 2021). Absenteeism can occur when parents do not involve
themselves in children's education. The prevalence of violence, and abuse in a
household can also contribute to school nonattendance (Lloyd, 2018). Attendance is
difficult for children who have been abused or who have experienced problems in their
families. Barriers and pressures that influence families, have a significant impact on
school nonattendance. Some interventions are designed to address a specific cause of
absence, while others aim to address absenteeism as a whole. While each intervention
option has its own set of advantages, the most successful approach to school
nonattendance is a comprehensive approach (Jacob & Lovett, 2017). Struggling
students are given interventions to help to accelerate the rate of learning which are
divided into three tiers in response to intervention frameworks (Morin, n.d.). The bulk of
students are reached through Tier One. Tier one intervention techniques address issues
that affect the entire community or school. A tier one model for attendance would be an
assembly for all students at the start of the year to emphasize the significance of
attending class. Tier two pupils follow tier one. Students in this tier either require more
knowledge to understand a course or are exhibiting possible behavioral issues
(Tremblay, Lalancette, & Roseveare, n.d.). Students at this level who are having trouble
with attendance may meet with a teacher, administrator, or counselor one-on-one to
develop a behavior plan. Families of tier two students will receive additional specialized
attention or information in addition to the information provided to all families at the tier
one level (Malley, n.d.). Students under tier three receive a high amount of intervention
to help them succeed academically and in attendance. Alternative educational
environments or other severe alternatives could be used as part of these approaches.
At one, several, or all of the intervention layers, different interventions can be applied.
Even if the interventions do not fit into a single tier, the Response to Intervention (RTI),
a multi-tiered approach to identifying and supporting pupils with learning and behavioral
difficulties early on can be used to understand the severity of a student's attendance
issues and the nature of the interventions (Shanker, 2015). Family-based interventions,
which fall under tiers two and three of the RTI model, aim to address attendance issues
at the family level. Students who have trouble with attendance frequently come from
households who are struggling in one or more ways (Comly, 2020). There are various
family-based intervention techniques to address these family-based attendance
difficulties. Parenting skills groups, family therapy, and community referrals are all
examples of family-based interventions (Cambridge University Press, 2021). Parents of
bullied or highly anxious students may benefit from parental training. Furthermore,
parent training can be beneficial in teaching disciplinary procedures for students who
are purposefully absent from school. Most experts believe that family counseling is an
effective way to reduce school absenteeism (Hardy, 2018) .