LEARNING DISTANCE MODALITY AMIDST COVID-19: ITS INFLUENCE

TO PROGRAMMING SKILLS OF SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL COMPUTER

PROGRAMMING STUDENTS

CHAPTER 2

METHOD

This chapter presents different methods of the study which includes the

research design, research respondents, research instruments, data gathering

procedures, statistical treatment of data, and ethical consideration.

Research Design

The researchers have decided to make use of a quantitative research

design implementing a descriptive and correlational research approaches in

this study. Quantitative research is a type of research utilizing statistical and

numerical data and bounds with range of methods related with systematic

observation of a social phenomenon. It involves measurements and analyzes

data for relationships by verifying the measurements made (Watson, 2015).

Secondarily, descriptive research approach mainly focuses on accurate

and systematic description of population or phenomenon. Specifically,

descriptive research aims to identify characteristics, frequencies, trends, and

categories of variables in the study (McCombes, 2020). However, descriptive

research does not focus on forming different hypotheses or developing the

theory. It is objective, neutral, and is all about describing how the reality is

(Lans & Van der Voort, 2002).

In addition to the previous approach, correlational research clearly

explores the relationship of variables in research even without the control of

the author. This determines the strength of the relationship between two or

more variables, positive or negative (Bhandari, 2021). Furthermore, Seeram

(2019) have also stated that correlational research is non-experimental

research facilitating only prediction and explanation of the relationship among

the variables.

Lastly, the researchers will utilize these research approaches in the

study. This quantitative design will be fit for making use of the numerical

values that will be gathered during the conduct of the study. The objective and

neutrality of the descriptive approach will ascertain the influence of learning

distance modality and the computer programming skills of students while

correlational approach will be responsible in modifying the relationship

between these variables. Employing these research designs and approaches

will help in examining on how learning distance modality affects the computer

programming skills of the students. More importantly, this study’s highlight is

to determine the relationship of learning distance modality to the computer

programming skills acquired by the senior high school students of Tagum

National Trade School.

Research Respondents

The respondents of this study will include senior high school, grades 11

and 12 computer programming students in one of the schools in the division

of Tagum City, province of Davao del Norte enrolled for the school year 2021-

2022. In this study, a sample size will be determined from the total

respondents of the study. Using the Raosoft sample size calculator at 0.05

margin of error and 95% confidence level, the researchers came along with a
sample size of 120 from 173 total respondents. These 120 respondents will

be randomly selected using the stratified random sampling technique. Out of

173 computer programming students, 38 of them are enrolled in online

modality while the other 135 students are enrolled under modular/printed

modality which is also shown in table 1.

Modality Population Sample Size Percentage

Online 38 26 22%

Modular 135 94 78%

Total 173 120 100%

Table 1. Distribution of respondents

Moreover, shown below is the location of Tagum National Trade

School enclosed with a red border line.

Source: Google Maps (2022)

Figure 2. Local Map of Tagum City focusing Tagum National Trade School

Research Instrument
 This study will employ an adapted research instrument and a project-

based research instrument. These instruments will be considered and

analyzed in accordance with the study's objectives.

These two research instruments will be submitted for validation. The

first research instrument has two indicators and is prepared for students’

satisfaction towards learning distance modality. On the contrary, the second

research instrument is a teacher-made project-based performance in order to

assess the computer programming skills of students. These instruments will

be pilot-tested to 30 computer programming students who will not be included

in the study. Afterwards, the five research instruments will then be submitted

and assessed by the panel.

Students’ Satisfaction Towards Learning Distance Modality

Instrument (SSTLDMI). The instrument for students’ satisfaction towards

learning distance modality is adapted from Digital Literacy: A Prerequisite for

Effective Learning in a Blended Learning Environment of Tang and Chaw

(2016). This was tested reliable and has a Cronbach alpha value of .935. On

the other hand, Online Learning in the Face of COVID-19 Pandemic:

Assessment of Students’ Satisfaction at Chitwan Medical College of Nepal of

Sharma et al. (2020) has a Cronbach value of 0.89. This is a 13-item

questionnaire with the following dimensions: learning capabilities (10 items)

which means satisfaction of the students in learning computer programming

despite their modalities. In addition, content satisfaction (3 items) depicts on

what level does students understand on the topics covered. The respondents

will be asked to rate each item on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 for

“strongly disagree” to 5 for “strongly agree”.

 For interpretation, rating scale, descriptive equivalent, and

interpretation will be used as seen below.

Rating Scale Descriptive Equivalent Interpretation

This means that the item
4.20 – 5.00 Very High embodied is very much
observed.
This means that the item
3.40 – 4.19 High embodied is much
observed.
This means that the item
2.60 – 3.39 Neutral embodied is fairly
observed.
This means that the item
1.80 – 2.59 Low embodied is less
observed.
This means that the item
1.00 – 1.79 Very Low embodied is least observed.

Teacher Made - Project Based Performance (TM-PBP). This project

based performance will determine on how well does a student perform in

computer programming. These projects are teacher made on each grade

level. Their acquired skills will depend on how they perform in each dimension

including coding skills, problem-solving skills, and algorithmic and creative

thinking skills. Specifically, students’ acquisition of computer programming

skills will be rated by their teachers.

For interpretation, rating scale, descriptive equivalent, and

interpretation will be used as seen below.

 Rating Scale Descriptive Equivalent Interpretation
This means that computer
81.00 – 100.00 Very High programming skills very
well acquired.
This means that computer
61.00 – 80.00 High programming skills is well
acquired.
This means that computer
41.00 – 60.00 Neutral programming skills is
acquired.
This means that computer
21.00 – 40.00 Low programming skills is
acquired partially.
This means that computer
0.00 – 20.00 Very Low programming skills is
acquired poorly.

Data Gathering Procedure

The requisite data will be gathered in a well-ordered methodology,

which includes the following.

Asking for permission to conduct the study. In order for the study to

be conducted, researchers must first ask for permission to the principal and

the teachers. The researchers will write a letter of approval which will be

checked by the adviser and the subject teacher and will then be submitted to

the principal. After the approval, the researchers can begin to conduct the

study.

Asking for consent from the respondents. Before anything else, the

researchers must identify first their respondents who were the Grades 11 and

12 computer programming students of Tagum National Trade School. Due to

the pandemic, face to face classes was suspended and conducting surveys

inside the school were not allowed. Thinking of a solution, the researchers

have decided to utilize different media platforms that can enable respondents

to participate in the survey. The survey will be conducted in an online and

digital platform. Application of the ethical considerations will be observed as

the survey processes. Respondents’ privacy will be assured once they agree

to the permissions presented. Submission of their answered questionnaires

along with their signatures will be evident enough that the researchers have

not forced them to participate and that they have participated in the data

gathering process of the study voluntarily.

The process of gathering the data will be done online using forms in

document and pdf formats that will be sent to the respondents. Before the

distribution of the survey questionnaires, researchers will organize a virtual

orientation to all the respondents and orient them about the study’s main

objectives and how can their participation benefit them. Ethical

considerations, especially in obtaining the respondents’ data will also be

considered during the orientation. For those who cannot attend the online

orientation, researchers have thought of another way by contacting them

through their phone numbers and social media accounts.

After the orientation, digital consent and assent forms will be handed

out to the respondents and their parents. These forms will also include

signature of the respondent as well as the parent. When the respondents

have filled out the forms, it will be sent back to researchers. The signed and

filled out forms will serve as a confirmation to the researchers that the

respondent have agreed to the conditions and will participate in the study

voluntarily.

To ensure the respondent’s privacy of information, respondents will

submit their answers in a Google Drive in which only the respondent and the
researchers can access the folder. Through this process, personal information

of the respondents will be kept private. Identities of the respondents will be

hidden and will not be presented in any part of the study. As what the

respondents and the researchers agreed, their identities and information will

be locked in a folder so that only the researchers can access the files.

Finally, to prevent unauthorized access, use or disclosure to the public,

data gathered from the respondents including their identities will be instantly

destroyed three years after the completion of the study.

Retrieval and processing of data. The process of gathering the data

will start as soon as the validation will be done. Survey questionnaires will be

distributed to the respondents through online platforms. Then, all survey

questionnaires will be returned along with their responses. Specified amount

of time will be given to the respondents to answer the questionnaire. After the

allotted time, the researchers will then retrieve the questionnaire from the

respondents.

To end the data gathering process, the researchers will evaluate the

responses of all the respondents through excel forms. After assessing and

processing the data, the researchers can start preparations for the

interpretation and discussion of the results.

Statistical Treatment of Data

The results that will be gathered will be evaluated by the use of the

following statistical tools presented in this section.

Mean. It is referred to as the arithmetic average, and is just one of the

various measures of central tendency to be found. This statistical tool will be

used to measure the level of student’s satisfaction on learning distance

modality, the level of students’ computer programming skills, asses if there

will be a significant difference in the students’ computer programming skills

when analyzed according to learning modalities, and to determine if there is a

significant relationship between learning distance modality and computer

programming skills of students. Specifically, this will be used to answer

research questions 1, 2, 3, and 4.

Standard Deviation. It is calculated as the square root of the variance

and is a statistic that evaluates the dispersion of a dataset in relation to its

mean. Using this statistical method, we will be able to determine how far the

scores were spread out or how close they were to the mean. Using this tool

will answer questions 1, 2, 3, and 4.

Pearson R. Locally called as Pearson correlation coefficient, Pearson's

correlation coefficient, or Pearson's r, the Pearson correlation coefficient or

Pearson's r is defined in statistics as a measure of the strength of the

relationship between two variables and their affiliation with one another. This

statistical tool will be utilized to determine if there is a significant difference on

the students’ computer programming skills when analyzed according to

learning modalities, and if there is a significant relationship between learning

distance modality and computer programming skills of students. This will be

used to answer research questions 3 and 4.

T-test. A t-test is a statistical test that is used to compare the means of

two groups. It is often used in hypothesis testing to determine whether a

process or treatment actually has an effect on the population of interest, or

whether two groups are different from one another. The study will make use of

this tool to determine if there is a significant difference on the students’

computer programming skills when analyzed according to learning modalities:

modular/printed modality and online modality. This study will also use this tool

to answer research questions 3.1 and 3.2.

Regression Analysis. Regression analysis is a powerful statistical

method that allows you to examine the relationship between two or more

variables of interest. This statistical tool will be of use in determining the

relationships between independent variables and the dependent variable. This

tool will be applied to answer research question 4.

Ethical Consideration

The main priority of the study’s investigation will be centered to the

Grade 11 and Grade 12 computer programming students who are in charge in

the code of ethics. They are students in a public secondary senior high school

under the Technical Vocational Livelihood (TVL) strand. To carry out adhering

to moral norms while performing this investigation, researchers of this study

will ensure their well-being and provide them with complete security.

Moreover, Bhandari (2021) specified these principles which are voluntary

participation, informed consent, and confidentiality.

Voluntary Participation means that all research respondents are free

to choose whether or not to engage in the study without being pressured or

coerced. All respondents will be given an option whether to withdraw or leave

the research at any time and are not under any obligation to continue

participating. In addition, Holloway et al. (1995) stated that participation of the

respondents must be made without coercion or enticement and must be

based on information that any reasonable person would desire to know before

agreeing to participate.

To cling on to the principle of voluntary participation, the researchers

will assure that the respondents' participation will be voluntary and that they

will not be coerced to participate in the data gathering of the study. Consent

and assent forms will be sent out in order for them to fill it out. All forms will be

filled in and signed digitally. As indications of their voluntary participation, the

respondents will submit their signed consent and assent forms back to the

researchers. Upon receiving the forms, researchers now have the approval to

include the respondents in the conduct of the study.

During the conduct of the study, respondents will not be held neither be

forced by the researchers if ever they do not want continue in taking part of

the study. It is up for the respondents to decide whether to continue in

participating or not. Whatever the respondent will decide, it will be made sure

that their decision will not be mishandled and will be held privately.

Informed Consent is an unavoidable necessity prior to any research

that involves the use of human people as research respondents (Nijhawan et

al., 2013). All potential respondents receive and comprehend all of the

information they require in order to make a decision on whether or not to take

part in this research. This includes information about the study's advantages

and disadvantages, as well as information about research grants and

educational approval (Bhandari, 2021).

 As an application, consent and assent forms will be distributed to the

selected respondents. Inside the forms, respondents will be informed

following the conditions that will be implemented during the study. The forms

will also state that the researchers will not force the respondents to engage

during the study and that the respondents will be responsible for their

decisions. There will also be a space provided at the bottom of these forms.

These spaces are provided for the signature of the parent and the

respondent.

The form will only ask about the information needed by the researchers

and will not ask for more. If ever a respondent has queries about the consent

and assent forms, the respondent can message or send an email directly to

the researchers. When the informed consent has finished in filling out the

forms, it will be submitted to the researchers. These forms will serve as a

proof of their voluntary participation in the study.

Confidentiality refers to personal information shared that generally

cannot be divulged to third parties without the express consent of the person.

In most cases, confidentiality means that only the researcher knows who

participated in the research. In addition, Mayer (2002) proposed that the term

"confidentiality" refers to limitations on how information can be conveyed and

used.

In this study, the researchers will absolutely guarantee that any data or

information that respondents submitted will be kept with perfect anonymity

and confidentiality. Personal details will not be used in any of the research

study's reports, presentations, or publications. In order to prevent these

circumstances, filled up survey questionnaires will be submitted to the

researchers exclusively. Their responses will not be distributed to the public. It

will be secured in a cloud drive in which only the researchers can access the

files contained in it. Name and other personal details will not be revealed nor

be used in any of the research study's reports, presentations, or publication.

The respondent's confidentiality will absolutely be essential and is

considered as the researchers’ main priority. All the questions and

clarifications of the respondents will be catered only by the researchers.

Conversations such as messages and emails will be kept private and

responses will be sent directly to the respondent. It will be made sure, that all

information of all the respondents will be safeguarded.

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