PAOAY NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT

CHAPTER I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Introduction

The outbreak of the new coronavirus infection known as COVID-19 has first

occurred at Huanan Seafood Market in Wuhan city of China in December 2019

(Wikipedia, 2020), and within a couple of months it has turned out to be a global

health emergency. It has rapidly affected thousands of people, who are sick or being

killed due to the spread of this disease. The COVID-19 pandemic also resulted in a

widespread disruption such as travel restrictions, closure of schools and global

economic recession.

Most countries around the world have temporarily closed educational

institutions to contain the spread of the virus and reduce infections (Tria, 2020). Face

to face engagement of students and 2 teachers within the school has also been

suspended. The Philippines is in the process of adapting to the new normal form of

education at present, and continuous innovations of educators and active involvement

of other stakeholders are the driving force for its success. For the continuity of

education and for every school to still attain its mission and vision which is to provide

quality education to every Filipino learner, the Department of Education implemented

the Modular Distance Learning.

Modular learning is the most popular type of Distance Learning. In the

Philippines, this learning modality is currently used by all public schools because

according to a survey conducted by the Department of Education (DepEd), learning

through printed and digital modules emerged as the most preferred distance learning

method of parents with children who are enrolled this academic year (Bernardo, J).
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SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT

This is also in consideration of the learners in rural areas where internet is not

accessible for online learning. The teacher takes the responsibility of monitoring the

progress of the learners. The learners may ask assistance from the teacher via e-mail,

telephone, text message/instant messaging among others. Where possible, the teacher

shall do home visits to learners needing remediation or assistance (Llego, n.d.).

Printed Modules will be delivered to students, parents or guardians by the teachers or

through the Local Government Officials. Since education is no longer held within the

school, parents serve as partners of teachers in education. Parents play a vital role as

home facilitators. Their primary role in modular learning is to establish a connection

and guide the child. (FlipScience, 2020).

The proposal is the topic nationwide in the Philippines. Many students are

opposing to Modular Distance Learning as they encounter different challenges. The

students are experiencing different struggles and they wanted the whole Philippines to

understand every words they speak.

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

The development of new technologies has promoted an astounding growth in

distance education, both in the number of students enrolling and in the number of

universities adding education at a distance to their curriculum (Garrison, 1990). While

the application of modem technology may glamorize distance education, literature in

the field reveals a conceptually fragmented framework lacking in both theoretical

foundation and programmatic research. Without a strong base in research and theory,

distance education has struggled for recognition by the traditional academic

community. Distance education has been described by some (Garrison, 1990; Hayes,

1990) as no more than a hodgepodge of ideas and practices taken from traditional
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SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT

classroom settings and imposed on learners who just happen to be separated

physically from an instructor. As distance education struggles to identify appropriate

theoretical frameworks, implementation issues also become important. These issues

involve the learner, the instructor, and the technology. Because of the very nature of

distance education as learner-centered instruction, distance educators must move

ahead to investigate how the learner, the instructor, and the technology collaborate to

generate knowledge.

Traditionally, both theoretical constructs and research studies in distance

education have been considered in the context of an educational enterprise that was

entirely separate from the standard, classroom-based, classical instructional model. In

part to justify, and in part to explain, the phenomenon, theoreticians like Holmberg,

Keegan, and Rumble explored the underlying assumptions of what it is that makes

distance education different from traditional education. With an early vision of what it

meant to be a nontraditional learner, these pioneers in distance education defined the

distance learner as one who is physically separated from the teacher (Rumble, 1986),

has a planned and guided learning experience (Holmberg, 1986), and participates in a

two-way structured form of distance education that is distinct from the traditional

form of classroom instruction (Keegan, 1988). In order to justify the importance of

this nontraditional kind of education, early theoretical approaches attempted to define

the important and unique attributes of distance education.

Keegan (1986) identifies three historical approaches to the development of a

theory of distance education. Theories of autonomy and independence from the 1960s

and 1970s, argued by Wedemeyer (1977) and Moore (1973), reflect the essential

component of the independence of the learner. Otto Peter's (1971) work on a theory of
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SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT

industrialization in the 1960s reflects the attempt to view the field of distance

education as an industrialized form of teaching and learning. The third approach

integrates theories of interaction and communication formulated by Badth (1982,

1987), and Daniel and Marquis (1979). Using the postindustrial model, Keegan

presents these three approaches to the study and development of the academic

discipline of distance education. It is this concept of industrialized, open,

nontraditional learning that, Keegan says, will change the practice of education.

Wedemeyer (1981) identifies essential elements of independent learning as

greater student responsibility, widely available instruction, effective mix of media and

methods, adaptation to individual differences, and a wide variety of start, stop, and

learn times. Holmberg (1989) calls for foundations of theory construction around the

concepts of independence, learning, and teaching:

Meaningful learning, which anchors new learning matter in the cognitive

structures, not rote learning, is the center of interest. Teaching is taken to mean

facilitation of learning. Individualization of teaching and learning, encouragement of

critical thinking, and far-reaching student autonomy are integrated with this view of

learning and teaching (Holmberg, 1989).

Holmberg summarizes his theoretical approach by stating that :

 Distance education is a concept that covers the learning-teaching activities in the

cognitive and/or psycho-motor and affective domains of an individual learner and

a supporting organization. It is characterized by non-contiguous communication

and can be carried out anywhere and at any time, which makes it attractive to

adults with professional and social commitments (Holmberg, 1989, p. 168).

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SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT

Garrison and Shale (1987) include in their essential criteria for formulation of

a distance education theory the elements of noncontiguous communication, two-way

interactive communication, and the use of technology to mediate the necessary two-

way communication.

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

This study will try to look into the different struggles of SHS (Senior High

School) students on modular distance learning and is conceptually related as

represented in the conceptual paradigm (Figure 1).

The researchers therefore, attempt to look mainly for the concerns and

struggles of the students which mainly serves as the dependent variable. Thus,

different factors that generate the manifestations of the students about modular

distance leaning. This includes the struggles they encountered on modular distance

learning, how did the students adjusted to the transition of new method of education,

what are the disadvantages of Modular Distance Learning to the students and how

helpful their school has been in offering them the resources to learn from home.

Likewise, as a form of output, the researchers after undergoing the conduct of

the study, they will come up with the total concerns and perceptions of the students.
 PAOAY NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT

Independent Variable Dependent Variable

1. How do you feel overall

about modular distance
education?
2. What are the struggles you
encountered on modular distance
learning?
3. How did the students adjusted Perceptions and concerns of
to the transition of new method of the SHS students on the
education? modular distance learning
4. What are the disadvantages of
Modular Distance Learning to the
students?
5. How helpful your school has
been in offering you the resources
to learn from home?

Figure 1. Research Paradigm

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This study aims to determine the struggles of Senior High School (SHS) on

Modular Distance Learning.

Specifically, it will answer the following specific questions:

1. How do the students feel overall about modular distance education?

2. What are the struggles you encountered on modular distance learning?

3. How helpful your school has been in offering you the resources to learn from

home?

4. How did the students adjusted to the transition of new method of education?

5. What are the disadvantages of Modular Distance Learning to the students?

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The generalization of this study would be a great contribution to the vast

knowledge of Senior High School Students on the new method of education, the
 PAOAY NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT

Modular Distance Learning. This study is important because of the following:

Students: Through this study, they can express their feelings or their struggles

on the new method or system of learning. In this study, the findings of this research

will help the students because people will be aware to their struggles.

Researches Themselves: They will find self-fulfillment in this study. This

will help and inspire more researchers to be more innovative.

Society: They will know more about the struggles of Senior High School

Students on the new system of learning.

Government: Through this study, they will be aware of every students

struggles and notions about the modular distance learning.

SCOPE AND DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY

This study is conducted at Paoay National High School, situated at Barangay

20 Paratong, Paoay, Ilocos Norte. This study is a qualitative in nature. It is focused on

the struggles of Senior High School Students of Paoay National High School on the

new method of learning. Survey questionnaire will be distributed to the students.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

For the purpose of clarification, the important terms in this study have been

defined for better understanding.

Modular Distance Learning:  a form of distance learning that uses Self-

Learning Modules (SLM) based on the most essential learning competencies

(MELCS) provided by DepEd. 

COVID-19: Disease caused by SARS-CoV-2

Pandemic: an outbreak of a disease that occurs over a wide geographic area

Adapt: Become adjusted to new condition.

 PAOAY NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT

CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

Related Literature

The present COVID-19 pandemic has brought extraordinary challenges and

has affected the educational sectors, and no one knows when it will end. Every

country is presently implementing plans and procedures on how to contain the virus,

and the infections are still continually rising. In the educational context, to sustain and

provide quality education despite lockdown and community quarantine, the new

normal should be taken into consideration in the planning and implementation of the

“new normal educational policy”.

Modular learning is a form of distance learning that uses Self-Learning

Modules (SLM) based on the most essential learning competencies (MELCS)

provided by DepEd. The modules include sections on motivation and assessment that

serve as a complete guide of both teachers’ and students’ desired competencies.

Teachers will monitor the learners’ progress through home visits (following social

distancing protocols) and feedback mechanisms, and guide those who need special

attention.

The modular approach situates Filipino students to learn in the comfort of their

homes. Limited contact with teachers will place parents or guardians as the learners’

model or the “More Knowledgeable Other” (MKO).

Psychologist Lev Vygotsky defines an MKO as “someone who has a better

understanding or higher ability level than the learner, concerning a particular task,
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SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT

process, or concept.” Vygotsky proposed that human learning is a social process. A

learner may or may not learn alone, but will learn better with an MKO. But what does

it take to be an MKO?

Shiela Calimlim, a 36-year-old housewife and mother of Kris, an incoming

Grade 12 student in a public school in Pangasinan, has her own understanding of her

role in modular learning. “I will do my best to help in her studies. I am willing to

learn her lessons, be strict when it comes to her assignments and schedules. I will try

my best, because I believe that parents are the child’s first teacher,” she says.

But contrary to this popular belief on modular learning, parents are not

replacements of teachers.

“Parents are partners of teachers in education. They are ‘home facilitators,’ the

‘tagapagdaloy‘ (channel), but they will not teach the subject matter. It is the teacher’s

duty to teach,” clarifies Dr. Lourdes Servito, Schools Division Superintendent of San

Carlos City, Pangasinan.

For Dr. Servito, the parents’ primary role in modular learning is to establish a

connection and guide the child. As MKOs, parents or guardians should:

(1) be responsible for interacting with teachers, barangay representatives, and other

stakeholders to acquire the various materials and resources needed by the learner (i.e.,

modules or textbooks);

(2) regularly check the child’s workweek plan and make sure that the learner sticks to

their schedule;
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SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT

(3) prepare a conducive learning study space for the learner; and

(4) give appropriate praises, encouragement, and rewards to heighten their child’s

motivation to learn.

Related Studies

Cost Effectiveness

The second issue is the true cost and the cost effectiveness of distance learning

programs. Are they actually cost efficient? A study by Phelps et al. (1991) found that

“ the potential cost-effectiveness of using online technologies in distance education is

still uncertain” (pg. 303). The study further showed that the concepts of costs and

effectiveness are not as simple as they first appear. Atkinson (1983, cited in Ng, 2000)

notes, “ it is possible for a program to be efficient but not cost effective if the outputs

which are actually produced do not contribute to the program objectives: that is it may

be efficient at doing the wrong things” (pg. 306). Ng also comments on the cost of

human capital. He states, “ Human capital and the costs of conversion are expenses

that can easily be underestimated” (pg. 306). Ng notes that the cost of online courses

is affected by how they are implemented: as an enhancement or as the primary

teaching medium. If it is implemented as a primary teaching medium, it is

considerably more expensive. The teaching purpose of the different approaches needs

to be taken into account. If this is not factored in by administration, there may be costs

that are not apparent at first glance. Caffarella et al. (1992) found in a study at the

University of Northern Colorado that when electronic distance delivery costs were

compared with those of instructor travel directly to the site, the least costly alternative
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SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT

was the live instruction with the instructor traveling to the remote site compressing

the class into fewer weeks. This alternative was one-third the cost of any other

alternative. Starting a compressed video distance-learning program is not cheap.

Southern Arkansas University-Magnolia decided to try compressed video as an

alternative to other methods. The startup equipment for the unit was approximately

$80,000. Establishment of a permanent T-1 telephone line was another $1,200 per

month (Weber, 1996). These costs are startup only and do not reflect any of the

human capital costs as discussed earlier. Carr (2001) discusses a report by the

California State University System that looked at cost savings in distance learning

programs. The report found that only in really large courses with many sections would

cost savings be possible. Courses in excess of 500 students would benefit from this

setup, while it was still more cost effective to teach smaller groups in a traditional

setting. The startup costs, maintenance costs, and personnel costs should also be

factored in to arrive at a true cost for a distance-learning program. The minimum

number of staff required for delivery of a compressed video class would be one

instructor and two technicians, one at each site. This means a minimum of three

people is needed to deliver the same class as one instructor does in a traditional

setting. The costs associated with training technicians and instructors should not be

overlooked. For effective distance education to take place, the staff delivering the

instruction should be well trained.

Misuse of Technology

Besides the cost of the technology, there is the possibility of not utilizing all

its potential. Some of these problems arise from a lack of training, some from the
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instructor's attitudes about using the technology, and still others by hardware

problems. It seems to be self evident that instructors need to be trained to use distance

learning technology, but too often they are not. Once again, it appears that

administration may feel that the technology itself will improve the course.

Advancement in technology does not lead to effective distance education. The best

distance education practices depend on creative, well-informed instructors

(Greenberg, 1998). Bates (1995) suggests that newer technologies are not inherently

better than old ones and many of the lessons learned from the application of older

technologies will still apply to any newer technology. Again, the instructor should be

trained to take advantage of both their experience and being able to adapt that

experience to the new environment of distance learning. The instructors must be

trained “ not only to use technology, but also to shift the way in which they organize

and deliver material” (Palloff & Pratt, 2000).

Problems with Equipment

Equipment and hardware malfunctions can be a great detriment to the

effectiveness of distance learning. When a problem occurs in a class everything

comes to a standstill and the learning environment is interrupted. If there are too many

instances, the entire course can be affected. For instance, if an overhead projector

goes out during an instructor's presentation, an alternate way of delivering that

information can easily be found. However, if a compressed video presentation has

problems, the entire class must be stopped until the problem is resolved. If the

instructor goes ahead with the lesson, one site will miss out on that information.

Carter (2001) did a study of students taking courses by compressed video in the
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Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College program. One of the questions he asked

pertained to the equipment and technology operating correctly. His results from three

groups spread over the different sites showed that only 42% agreed with the statement

that the equipment and technology operated correctly. A program studied by Teaster

and Bliesner (1999) found that unanticipated technical problems with the system

shortened the class time and discussion that negatively affected the overall quality of

the presentation. In one presentation the connection was lost twice prior to the

students arriving and ten times during the actual instructional session. During this

particular session there was never more than a four-minute period before the

connection to one of the sites was lost. This may be an extreme example, but

according to the instructor involved in the presentation, the course experience was “

better, but similar to past experiences” (pg. 743). At Southern Arkansas University-

Magnolia, they discovered that using compressed video as a single medium of

delivering distance education was not as effective as was first hoped. Because of this

they developed a different concept of an “electronic classroom” that did not rely on

just one mode of delivery (Weber, 1996). Their experience was that compressed video

had connection problems and did not work well broadcasting information delivered

by lecture. The failure of the hardware can be a very frustrating thing for all involved

in distance learning. For the instructor, it means they can be well prepared for the

class only to have a bad connection or camera failure cause the entire lesson to go

bad. For the technician, the frustration and inability to keep the class running

smoothly may affect the instructor's view of their competency, causing friction. For

the student, an inability to get a flow to the class and feel like progress is being made
 PAOAY NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
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can hinder the learning process. Those students used to the traditional face-to-face

instruction and who do not have a tolerance for ambiguity will have a difficult time.

Attitudes Towards Distance Learning

Despite problems with hardware that may or may not get worked out with new

advances in technology, we must come back to instructors and their attitudes towards

teaching in a distance-learning environment as a major potential roadblock to

effective distance education. As in any educational situation, the instructor can set the

tone for learning in the educational environment. That instructor must be properly

trained and motivated to be effective. An instructor must have technological skills and

confidence to use all of the various electronic devices in order to be truly effective in

the electronic classroom. Instructors must also change the manner in which

information is delivered. While lecture does not work well, multimedia presentations

are successful (Weber 1996). Of course this means more preparation time for the

instructor and the motivation must be there. (Walcott 1994, cited in Carter, 2000)

found in a study of adult distance learning that “ to effectively bridge the gaps

between classroom and distance teaching, faculty need to look at the distance teaching

from the students' point of view” (pg. 249). The faculty must also be aware of getting

instructional materials, handouts, tests, and other class items to both sites

simultaneously. It is important for the instructors to develop a sense of community

between the sites, achieve maximum participation, and get the participants to buy in

to the process. The idea of learning as a collaborative process is very important when

students are separated by distance. According to research by Palloff and Pratt (2000),

“collaborative learning processes assists students to achieve deeper levels of

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SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT

knowledge generation through the creation of shared goals, shared exploration, and a

shared process of meaning making” (pg. 6). It is up to the instructor to be aware of

this in the distance learning environment and to encourage collaborative learning and

a sense of community among the students.

Another important consideration for the instructor is their view regarding the goal of

distance education. There are two main thoughts on this. Schlosser and Anderson

(1994, cited in Imel, 1998) put this thought forward in a review of distance education

literature. They submit that the goal of distance education in the United States is “ to

offer the distance student an experience as much like that of traditional, face-to-face

instruction as possible” (pg. 3). This would mean that distance learning pedagogy

would not differ much from that used in an ordinary classroom. Bates (1995) has a

different idea. He suggests that instead of using technology to replicate traditional

methods, it should be used to improve instruction. Holmberg (1989) also discusses

these two schools of thought and concludes that distance education as a mode of

education in its own right has very different consequences (than viewing it as a

substitute for face-to-face instruction). The instructor must decide which attitude they

will adopt because it has a profound impact on their approach to instruction.

Instructors also have adaptations they need to make to the technology. An instructor

used to visual cues may find it difficult to adapt to a situation such as compressed

video. The students at the remote site are not always in clear view of the instructor.

West (1994) calls adapting to the lack of visual cues a major adaptation for the

instructor. Part of this can be alleviated by good communication with the technician,

but as we have seen earlier, that communication is not always present. McKnight
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(2000) contends that proximity and eye contact are important factors in education that

are limited in the distance learning environment. She says that we inherently

recognize the connection these provide, but in the distance learning environment they

are “ both severely and sometimes permanently compromised” (pg. 2). She asserts

that professors are unable to observe the emotions of the students and cannot detect “

moments of anxiety,” thereby limiting their ability to respond to student needs. This

puts a burden on the instructor and causes the students to respond differently than they

might in a traditional classroom setting. As we saw earlier, creating a community is an

important factor for the instructor to have an effective class. The instructor must do all

he can to overcome the limits of the technology and involve the students in an

environment of interaction, which can work to create the feeling of a true class (Hiltz

& Wellman, 1997).

Instructor Concerns

Instructors have other concerns about distance learning, primarily how it will

change their role in education. Clark (1993) found in a national survey of attitudes of

higher education faculty that there was a moderately positive attitude about distance

learning in general, but moderately negative attitudes about their own use of it.

Writing about geography educators, Gober (1998) worries that if they rely too much

on distance-learning techniques, the discipline would “risk losing our collective soul

in the rush to convenience, cost-effectiveness, and accountability” (pg. 130).

Instructors worry about putting their course materials online because once there, the

knowledge and course design skill in that material is out of their possession. This puts

the administration in a position to hire less skilled, and cheaper, workers to deliver the
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technologically prepackaged course (Noble, 1998 cited in Dibiase, 2000). Instructors

are not always convinced that administration is behind distance learning. The rewards

are not always there for the good distance-learning instructor. Tenure and promotion

usually does not recognize excellent off campus teaching which, in fact, takes

valuable time from research agendas” (Sherritt, 1996, pg. 4). This puts the instructors

behind when trying to publish to get their department recognized. The increased

amount of time necessary to adequately prepare for distance learning takes away from

the activities they will be evaluated on, such as grant writing and publishing. Many of

the instructors concerns are valid and should be addressed by administration as

distance learning becomes more common, as is predicted to happen.

Student Concerns

Finally, there are the students and their concerns with distance learning

classes. Not all students are suited to this type of learning and not all subjects are best

taught via this medium. More mature students are the most likely to find success with

distance learning. The successful student needs to have a number of characteristics

such as tolerance for ambiguity, a need for autonomy, and an ability to be flexible

(Threkeld & Brzoska, 1994). Hardy and Boaz (1997) found that “ compared to most

face-to-face learning environments, distance learning requires students to be more

focused, better time managers, and to be able to work independently and with group

members” (p.43). Many distance learners are different from traditional

undergraduates in that they are already in professions. They have well defined goals

and are more motivated (Dibiase, 2000). As we saw earlier, distance education
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students need to feel a part of a community. Greenburg (1998) describes this as a

virtual learning community.

Students in these communities often feel less pressure to perform individually,

and more pressure to collaborate and be part of the team (Kantor, 1998 cited in

Greenberg, 1998). Being involved in a collaborative learning process is an important

part of forming the foundation of a learning community. When this is not encouraged,

participation is generally low and dialog is absent (Palloff & Pratt, 2000). Students

also need the attention of the instructors. This may be truer in a distance situation than

in a traditional classroom. In a situation where eye contact and proximity are limited,

students cannot be disciplined nor affirmed by eye contact and body language

(McKnight, 2000). Students may also have a difficult time reading the reactions of the

remote location class members. This lack of interaction can cause problems when

there is a dissenting opinion that cannot be picked up on with non-verbal cues, and is

misperceived as a verbal attack. This type of miscommunication can cause the

community problems as the class progresses. It is fair to say that compressed video

can magnify the strengths and weaknesses of the instructor. Students are prone to pick

up on a lack of organization and direction and respond with apathy and absenteeism

(West, 1994).

Prioritize human connections and relationships.

During remote learning, daily check-ins from teachers via video, phone, or

even hand-delivered letters were a lifeboat for many students. We heard from several

teens that they were grateful for teachers who opened up Zoom rooms before or after
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class to hang out with students and ask about how they were handling life during the

pandemic. The students also loved getting to peek into the lives of their teachers and

coaches in their home environments with their own pets or children jumping into the

video screen.

For students who were not able to join remote classes due to a lack of internet

access or devices, or because they had to take on additional jobs and home

responsibilities during this time, teachers found other creative ways to connect. Many

reached out via text and arranged phone calls and even some home visits with proper

social distancing to chat one-on-one. Matt, a 10th grader from Texas, reflected, “Our

teachers did a great job of checking in with us to see how we were doing. I like how

they really cared about our well-being and our stress levels, but I don’t think a crisis

should be necessary to do this.”

Cultivating a climate of care that prioritizes strong relationships between

students and teachers as well as peer-to-peer connections is critical now and in the

future. Research shows that students who feel a sense of belonging and connection to

both adults and peers in the school community are more engaged with learning.

Students yearn to be seen, heard, and valued as whole people with lives beyond the

classroom. We know that when students believe they have at least one adult at the

school who cares about them and knows them well, they are more likely to thrive in

school and out.

Unfortunately, creating and sustaining strong student-teacher relationships can

be difficult. Even before remote learning began last spring, the large class sizes, hectic
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SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT

pace of the school day, and impossibly busy student and teacher schedules often

impeded the type of personal connections we know are critical to student success.

Schools should strive to make relationships a top priority and build in time and

resources to ensure that teachers and students can connect in meaningful ways on a

regular basis.

Redesign the school schedule to allow more hours for sleep, playtime, downtime,

and family time.

The scramble to create a remote learning schedule provided an unexpected

opportunity to rethink the structure of the school day. Many schools, out of necessity,

offered fewer synchronous class meetings and more time for independent,

asynchronous learning. Others that were able to offer more synchronous learning to

students, decided to shift from a traditional 7 or 8 period day to a modified block

schedule where students took half of their classes twice a week over four days leaving

one day for dedicated office hours with teachers or online tutoring time.

One of the biggest and most consistent silver linings we heard from students

was that the new schedules allowed teens to get more sleep. We know from the

Challenge Success survey of over 200,000 students that high school students average

about 6.5 hours of sleep per night – significantly less than the 8-10 hours they need to

thrive. As Nate, 11th grader from Massachusetts, shared, “Since getting more sleep, I

found I was much more efficient with my school work. I could do an English essay in

two hours that would have taken me six hours when I was tired.”
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SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT

Though many students missed their extracurricular activities in the spring,

some found that the reduction in structured activities, along with the shorter school

day, and lack of commute, resulted not just in more sleep, but in more playtime,

downtime, and family time (or PDF as we call it). Research shows that time spent on

PDF serves as a protective factor in keeping kids mentally and physically healthy.

Several teens told us that they finally had time to read for pleasure, play guitar,

exercise, paint, or simply “do nothing” while they were sheltering in place. Being able

to break up the day with exercise or other activities between classes helped to clear

their minds and prepare for more learning. And for some students, this shift of pace

was eye-opening. As Zack, an 11th grader from Massachusetts, reflected, “One of my

big takeaways from this time is that I need time to relax. Before this, I was always

going and going. I’m so used to being ‘on’ all the time, doing something. After this,

I’ve realized I need some time to relax. I picked up fishing and now I love going

fishing. I think that a lot of students will find that they actually need time to relax.”

When a typical student’s day pre-pandemic might have started before 7am and

ended after 11pm due to school, sports, other extracurriculars, paid work, commuting,

family obligations, and homework, many teens quite literally had no time for any of

these essential “PDF” activities. Schools and families ought to question if the old

“normal” is what we all want our students to return to this year. Though students and

their parents ultimately decide how they spend their time outside of school — and

many students do not have the option to scale back time spent doing paid work or

supporting family obligations — schools can play a critical role in creating a schedule

that honors the need for sleep and more free time for students. Later start times,
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SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT

longer passing periods and lunch breaks, more time for tutorial or advisory, and block

classes where teachers and students can engage in deeper learning, are all elements

that Challenge Success recommends that schools consider as they plan the schedule

for the new school year.

Consider that “less is really more” and focus on transferable skills.

As the minutes spent per week in each class were reduced for many schools

during remote learning, teachers were forced to strip their lesson plans down to the

essential elements students should learn. While reducing content can feel

uncomfortable to teachers and can cause worry about how to get through the required

material, it can also provide an unexpected opportunity to focus on the enduring

understandings we want students to master. Students are more likely to learn and

retain skills and concepts when they are not overwhelmed by the load and pace of

work being assigned.

Gabe, a 10th grader from Texas, reflected, “In chemistry, we didn’t cover as

many topics each week during remote learning as we did during the normal school

year, but I feel like I got a fuller understanding of the concepts that were being taught.

My teacher used a ‘flipped classroom’ approach where we independently watched 20-

minute videos he created on a specific topic and answered homework questions. We

then used class time to ask the teacher questions. The whole process felt much more

efficient.”

Shifting the focus from coverage to competency can provide both teachers and

students space in the day to engage more deeply in the learning process and build
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SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT

more meaningful connections between concepts. When teachers prioritize transferable

skills, students practice applying what they have learned to novel situations and

ultimately build mastery.

Educators have an exciting opportunity now to redesign lessons and pare

learning goals down to those that are essential in each subject area. Even when

students face comprehensive end-of-year exams, for example, in advanced placement

courses, a deeper focus on key concepts and critical thinking skills, such as use of

evidence to back a claim, logical reasoning, and clear communication, may prove

more beneficial to students than covering in a more cursory way all of the possible

content that might show up on the test.

Before COVID-19, we regularly surveyed students about what, if anything,

caused them the most stress. The number one answer was usually “workload.” Many

students also reported that they perceived much of their homework to be busywork

and that it did not help them to learn the material. When teachers focus on what

matters most, they can reduce unhealthy workloads and can help students see the

meaning behind what they are learning each day.

Student Persistence Models

In post-secondary education research, student persistence commonly refers to

students’ continuation in a post-secondary program to completion. Researchers in the

area often discuss the concept in the converse terms of student discontinuation or

withdrawal from studies. Generally, two types of attrition or withdrawal may occur.

Involuntary withdrawal occurs when students are compelled to discontinue studies as

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SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT

a result of failure to meet mandatory academic program requirements. In contrast,

voluntary withdrawal refers to students’ self-imposed withdrawal, which may occur

for a variety of reasons that may or may not be related to academic performance.

While post-secondary persistence research has been approached from a variety of

perspectives, the most prominent contributions are the person-fit theories which have

focused on students who drop out, in an effort to determine why they do so and how

incidences of student withdrawal might be prevented. Such theories of persistence

have examined individual student abilities, motivations, and preferences and the

congruence of these with the environmental or institutional context. Generally,

person-environment fit theories suggest that when the fit between the person and

environment is poor, performance will be impaired and withdrawal is more likely to

occur. Conversely, when the fit is good, performance will be enhanced and the

possibility of persistence increases (Strange & Banning, 2001). Spady’s (1970; 1971)

model of attrition suggested that those students who fail to fully integrate into the

culture of the educational institution are more likely to withdraw before completing

their studies.

One of the most prominent person-environment fit theories is Tinto’s (1992)

theory of student departure from higher education. In his seminal work, he proposed

that students progress through three stages when they enter post-secondary education:

separation, transition and incorporation. The separation stage occurs as students move

away from home and their established social networks for the purposes of study. This

generally involves separation from past associations and more limited interactions

with familiar social networks. The second stage, transition, is a “period of passage
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SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT

between the old and the new, between associations of the past and hoped for

associations with communities of the present” (Tinto, 1988, p. 444). Tinto suggested

that the degree of difficulty experienced by students in making the transition is

dependent on the degree of similarity between the old and the new. As a result of the

tension between the familiar and the unfamiliar, it is during this stage that the decision

to withdraw or persist is most often contemplated. The final stage, incorporation,

occurs when students have adapted to the norms and patterns of behaviour

characteristic to their new associations and achieve a sense of belonging as a member

of a new group.

Borrowing from occupational and organizational turnover theories, Bean

(1980; 1983) and Bean and Metzner’s (1985) approach to modeling student attrition

emphasized the role played by exogenous background factors such as such as finances

and the influence of friends. These models proposed a causal relationship in the

decision to withdraw or persist between organizational determinants, such as

institutional quality and faculty relations, and student satisfaction and institutional

commitment. They theorize that student persistence decisions are based on four

primarily sets of factors, including a) background variables, including high school

achievement, age, educational goals, and gender; b) academic factors, including study

habits, academic advising, absenteeism, and course availability; c) environmental

variables such as finances, employment, outside encouragement, and family

responsibilities; and d) students’ intent to leave, which is influenced by both academic

and psychological variables.

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SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT

Pascarella and Terenzini (2005) observed that there have been several

thousand studies in the area of student retention. Over the years, a number of notable

studies have sought to account for student persistence and withdrawal behaviour by

combining the earlier models put forward by Tinto and Bean (Cabrera, Casteñeda,

Nora, & Hengstler, 1992; Cabrera, Nora, & Castaneda, 1993). Swail’s (2004) more

recently proposed Geometric Model of Student Persistence, which places the primary

focus on the student, suggests that student persistence is most probable when social,

cognitive and institutional factors are in equilibrium. Regardless of the model,

persistence studies have consistently noted that a) the first year of post-secondary

studies is a potentially vulnerable time for students and b) academic background

characteristics are a key predictor of persistence.

Distance Education

As Shachar and Neumann (2003) observed, while the origins of distance

education can be traced back  to the nineteenth century “it has yet to be universally

accepted relative to current and well-practiced face-to-face (F2F) programs provided

by traditional brick and mortar institutions” (p. 2). One of the most recent incarnations

of distance education, on-line learning, makes use of internet-based information and

communication technology tools and, to a growing extent, the emerging array of next

generation on-line technologies commonly known as Web 2.0. In terms of student

achievement outcomes, research on the efficacy of distance education and e-learning

applications in distance education have concluded that both distance education and

distance e-learning can be an equivalent, or in some instances, a superior alternative

to traditional classroom-based educational delivery (Abrami et al., 2006; Bernard et

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SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT

al., 2004; Ryan, 1996; Seifert, Sheppard, & Vaughan, 2008; Shachar & Newman,

2003). However, an extensive meta-analysis conducted by Bernard et al. (2004) has

suggested that the positive impacts of distance e-learning on achievement are most

attributable to issues of pedagogical effectiveness and efficiency as opposed to the

delivery mode or technology used in delivery.

According to Boyd (2004), the characteristics of students who enroll and

successfully complete distance education courses may be categorized as

environmental, technical, and personal or learning oriented. Environmental factors

include timing and scheduling, as well as competing family or work responsibilities,

while technical characteristics include computer skill and internet savvy. Some of the

most common personal or psychological based characteristics associated with

distance education enrolment and successful completion are motivation, attribution,

self-regulation, internal locus of control, preference for autonomy and self-efficacy

(Wang, Peng, Huang, Hou, & Wang, 2008). Despite recent growth in technology-

based distance education research, most research in this area has focused on

establishing the viability of distance education and the parameters of the technology.

Much less attention has been directed toward studying the student experience and how

such experience is affected by variables such as the post-secondary transition process

(Bereiter, 2003; Bernard, Yiping, & Abrami, 2002; Garrison & Anderson, 2003). A

number of earlier studies have examined student persistence in e-learning courses in

the context of on-line courses amongst adult and/or university populations, and have

sometimes compared the persistence decisions of e-learners with those of students

taking courses in the traditional classroom setting (Diaz, 2002; Levy, 2007; Seifert,
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SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT

Sheppard, & Vaughan, 2008); however, unlike previous research, this research study

was designed to explore how distance e-learning experience at the secondary level

impacted student success at the post-secondary level. The authors were unable to

identify a single study that examined the impact of e-learning in secondary school on

achievement at the post-secondary level. If, as some have argued, distance education

is equivalent to traditional, face-to-face educational contexts, then one would expect

to find little difference between the post-secondary achievement and persistence of

students who have taken distance education courses and those who have not.

Conversely, differences between the achievement and persistence of these two groups

would suggest that the students have distinct experiences or characteristics that play

an influential role in their first year university outcomes.