Challenges of Teachers in Teaching Modular Distance Modality in Public

Elementary School amidst COVID 19 Pandemic

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to identify the challenges of teachers in the use of

modular distance learning modality amidst COVID 19 Pandemic and how

teachers cope with these challenges. This study is a research study design

to determine the challenges encountered by teacher in the Elementary

School in the use of modular distance learning modality. The study was

conducted among 10 teachers in Public. Elementary School in the District

of Janiuay I, were approached by request their voluntary involvement in

key participants for sampling. The personal experiences and coping

mechanisms of the teachers were gathered through a survey particularly

by using questionnaires with open ended questions. Collaizzi’s method was

used in the interpretation of data. The challenges of teachers were

identified based on how they plan prepare and distribute modules, monitor

learners learning, check, evaluate outputs, and provide feedbacks on pupils

performance. Furthermore, teachers used various ways to cope with such

as time management, innovating teacher strategies, adapting to the

changes brought by the new normal trend in education, being flexible,

providing alternative plans, being optimistic, patient and equipping oneself

with the necessary skills for the new normal scheme of education. Various

stakeholders need to work and plan for alternative on different issues that

may arise as they are involved in the teaching learning process considering

all limitations on these trying times brought by pandemic.

 Challenges of Teachers in Teaching Modular Distance Modality in Public

Elementary School amidst COVID 19 Pandemic

I INTRODUCTION

Education plays a vital role in molding the lives of learners. Along the way, teachers are

one of the primordial instrument in delivering quality learning. Due to the emergence

of COVID 19 Pandemic in the Philippines a lot of challenges happened in the

educational system. Among these, is the mode of learning instruction implemented by

the department of education. The danger of COVID 19 crisis has obliged the Philippine

Educational System to adopt alternatives to face to face teaching and learning. Various

learning modalities were introduced to continue teaching and learning process amidst

COVID 19 Pandemic and among these, the shift of the Teaching Learning Delivery in

Schools to modular. Distance Learning made more challenging, on the part of the

school personnel, especially the teachers, in the delivery basic quality education. That is

why DEPED leaders are always finding avenues and capacitating its teachers and school

heads to become more effective in the field of modular distance learning.(Bagood 2020)

(Bagood 2020) also added that identifies teaching together with the education program

supervisor prepared modules starting in May 2020 in all subjects for all grade/year level

across four quarters in accordance to the “Most Essential Learning Competencies”

These self-learning modules are already learning packages containing pre-tests,

discussion and a series of assessment. They are distributed to all learners with the

modular learning class by public school teachers all over the Philippines. Teachers play

a vital role in the continuous delivery of quality education amid COVID 19 pandemic.

Despite the threats of COVID 9 pandemic, teachers continue to serve by formulating

modules as the learning guide of the learning. Thus, the teachers become a facilitator in

the development of the learners, their community and society as well. (Martineau et al.
 Challenges of Teachers in Teaching Modular Distance Modality in Public

Elementary School amidst COVID 19 Pandemic

2020) However, malipot (2020) stressed that teachers also air their problems on

modular distance learning. Bagood 2020, highlighted that as frontliners in the that

education system, they have undergone various trainings and seminars to be more

equipped in delivering better education amidst COVID 19 pandemic. As it is a thrust of

the department to train teachers not just for professional growth but to become ready

for unexpected circumstances like the emergence of COVID 19 pandemic in the

Philippines. Hence it is evident that there are struggles associated with the use of

modular distance learning.

1.1 OBJECTIVES OF THE STORY

This study seeks to identify the challenges of teachers in the use of modular distance

learning modality amid COVID 9 pandemic the following will be the focus of the study:

 Teachers’ challenges in teaching using modular distance learning modality; and

consortia Academia Publishing (A partner of Network of Professional Researches

and Educators)

 How teachers cope with the challenges they encounter on modular distance

learning modality
 Challenges of Teachers in Teaching Modular Distance Modality in Public

Elementary School amidst COVID 19 Pandemic

1.2 Framework of the study

Modular Distance Learning

Modality

Challenges of teachers in Janiuay

Pilot Elementary School

1. Preparation of modules
2. Distribution of modules to learners
3. Monitoring learner’s learning
4. Retrieval of modules
5. Checking
6. Giving feedbacks to learners

Coping Mechanism
of
Teachers

The framework above shows the variables of modular research on the challenges

of teachers in the use of modular distance learning modality (MDLM). The

challenges of teachers will be identifies through six (6) stages on how teachers

distribution of modules, monitoring learner’s learning, retrieving checking the

modules: and giving feedbacks to learners output/performances. The coping

mechanism of teachers will also be identifies in the study.

 Challenges of Teachers in Teaching Modular Distance Modality in Public

Elementary School amidst COVID 19 Pandemic

2. METHODOLOGY

This study is a qualitative research which employed phenomeno logical research design

to determine the challenges encountered by teachers in the use of modular distance

learning modality. Study was conducted among 10 teachers Janiuay Pilot Elementary

School from different grade levels, were approached to request their voluntary

involvement as key participants through convenience sampling. Emails, google forms

and other social media platforms were used for communication purposes and in the

distribution of questionnaires and retrieval of data. The researcher wrote a letter to the

respondents asking for their approval to participate in the study. A consent form was

voluntary signed by the respondents while confidentiality of their profile was

considered. The personal experiences and coping mechanism of teachers were

gathered through a survey particularly by using a semi-structured questainnaire with

open-ended questions. Collaizzi’s method was used in the interpretation of data.

3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

As COVID 19 threatens the lives of people across the globe, it also affects the different

sectors of the society. Education is one of these which strive to cope with the

challenges of times. In the Philippine education system public elementary schools led by

the Dept. of Education implements modular distance learning modality. Lectures crafted

modules that were used by the learners in learning. This shift of mode of learning

instruction does not only pose struggles to the learners but also the selected teachers in

the Janiuay Pilot Elementary Schools encountered various challenges in teaching using

the modular distance learning modality mid the COVID 19 pandemic. This includes the

process on how they prepare, distribute and collect modules monitor learners, learning,
 Challenges of Teachers in Teaching Modular Distance Modality in Public

Elementary School amidst COVID 19 Pandemic

check and evaluate their outputs as well as provide feedbacks on learners on learners

performance output.

Preparation of modules. The table below shows the challenges faced by teacher during

the preparation of modules.

Table 1: Challenges of teachers in the preparation of modules.

Challenges of teachers Teachers experience

Time consuming It takes so much time to prepare and print
the modules…
Lack of printing materials/insufficient It is difficult to reproduce the modules due
supplies to lack of printing materials and
insufficient bond paper and inks…
Insufficient time and assistance in printing It is hard to print all the modules for the
the modules whole quarter…

Based on the table above, it can be seen that teachers challenges is preparing the

modules are related to the time, materials and supplies needed to prepare and print the

modules. The lack of enough time in preparing and printing the module of learners

causes the late production of modules. Thus, the lack of printing materials and

insufficient supplies affect the productivity of teacher in the production of modules.

Distribution of modules. After preparing the modules, the teachers are tasked to

distribute them to the learners. To avoid the risk of COVID 19 pandemic the school

schedules the parents for distribution and retrieval of modules. The table below shows

the challenges encountered by teachers in the distribution of modules.

 Challenges of Teachers in Teaching Modular Distance Modality in Public

Elementary School amidst COVID 19 Pandemic

Table 2: Challenges of teachers in the distribution of modules

Challenges of teachers Teacher’s experience

Late learners who claim their modules
Inactive contact numbers (Access to
learners)
Difficulty in contacting learner’s parents
There are learners who get their modules
late than the given schedule…
The contact number given by the learner’s
parents is inactive causing difficulty in
communicating with them to get the
module…
It is difficult to contact the parents for
communication about the modules and
learners…

Based on the table above, it can be seen that teacher’s challenges in the distribution of

modules are connected with the late claiming of modules and difficulty in contacting

both learners and parents. There are also parents who are not responsive to the

queries of the teachers and there are also inactive contact numbers given by the

parents that compromise the scheduled time of the distribution and retrieval of

modules.

Monitoring of learner’s learning. The table below shows that challenges faced by

teachers in monitoring the learner’s learning.

 Challenges of Teachers in Teaching Modular Distance Modality in Public

Elementary School amidst COVID 19 Pandemic

Table 3: Challenges of teacher in monitoring learner’s learning

Challenges of teacher Teacher’s experience

Unable to contact learner’s parents
Learners parents with no contact number
and internet connection
Difficulty in validating learners
performance
Personal monitoring may cause health risk
Hand to monitoring due to limited face to
face transactions.
It is hard to contact the parents of the
learners for monitoring their progress and
queries…
It is difficult to contact parents learners
with no contact numbers and lack of
gadgets…
Some learners have their tutors to answer
their modules…
Going to the house of learners for personal
monitoring may cause health-risk…
Monitoring learner’s learning is difficult
due to limited face to face interaction with
learners…

The result of the study shows that the common problem of teachers in monitoring

learner’s performance is the lack of effective communication. This is due to lack of

parent’s and learners gadgets and internet connection. Some parents have inactive

numbers and cannot be reached when called. However, validation of learners

performance is different because some learners performance is difficult because some

learners have their parents and tutors to answer their modules. Not the learners

themselves.

Retrieval of modules. The retrieval of learners modules is being schedules by school.

Below are the challenges that teachers encountered in the process of collecting

modules.

Table 4: Challenges of teachers in retrieving modules

Challenges of teachers Teacher’s experience

Learner’s parents failure to follow the There are learners parents who can’t
schedule for the submission of modules submit the modules on time…
 Challenges of Teachers in Teaching Modular Distance Modality in Public

Elementary School amidst COVID 19 Pandemic

Submission of incomplete/no answer in a Learners submit their modules with

particular module lacking or incomplete answers…
Unidentified answer sheets of learners Some learners submit with no names…
Not all learners submit the answered Poor attendance of learners in the
modules submission of modules…

Based on the table above, it can be seen that teachers challenges in collection the

modules are associated with learner’s responsibility in complying all the requirements

specified in their activities. The failure of learners to follow the schedule for checking

the modules and it consumes time in checking all the outputs of the learners. Hence,

some learners submit the modules without answer or some have lacking answers.

Sometimes, some modules have no names which add on the struggles and difficulty of

teachers. Likewise teachers have to find ways to coordinated with the parents of

learners by all means following health protocol measures of COVID 19 pandemic.

Table 5: Challenges of teachers in checking and evaluating learner’s answer

in the modules.

Challenges of teachers Teacher’s experience

Modules with no answer/incomplete
answer
Answer sheets with no answer or no
names
Limited time in checking due to other tasks
Low scored of learners despite of answer
key given
The hand writing is not for learners
There are learners who submit their
modules with no answer or incomplete
answer in activity
There are learners who forget to write
their names in the modules
Due to other paper works, the time for
checking in school is limited
Some learners got low scores below the
passing rate
Parents handwriting is legible not of the
learners.
 Challenges of Teachers in Teaching Modular Distance Modality in Public

Elementary School amidst COVID 19 Pandemic

The table above some of the challenges that teachers encounter as they engage in the

process of checking and evaluating learners answers in the modules. The teachers find

it difficult to check outputs with no answers as it indicated that they have nothing to

record with regards to learners performance. Some parents answer the modules

themselves. The teachers cannot validate the performance of the learners.

Giving the feedback to learners

As the teacher evaluates the performance of learners, giving feedback to

learners is also necessary to let the learners know the status of their learning

through the given modules. Thus, communication plays a big role in teachers
way of providing feedback to the learners.