Chapter 3

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

This chapter presents the result of the study. It further provides discussion on
the different research questions presented on the lived experiences of the teachers in
the implementation of the self-learning modules among the elementary school in
Buldon West District, the lessons they acquired in the process, and their coping
mechanisms.

1. Lived Experiences of Teachers in the Implementation of the Self-Learning

Modules
The experiences of the participants in the implementation of the self-learning
modules are divided into three themes: material resources, printing of the modules
and, the distribution and retrieval of the modules.

1.1 Material Resources

Most of the participants found it hard to implement the self-learning modules

in the first months of the school year 2020-2021 due to lack of material resources
needed for the implementation. Generally, the common devices and tools to be used
in the implementation are laptop, computer, printer and photocopier. When the
participants were asked if their school has enough budget for the preparation of the
implementation of the self-learning modules, they had similar responses.

“Yes. May budget ang school. Pero hindi sapat.” (Yes, the school has a
budget but not enough.)

“The school has the budget but not enough to finance all the needed tools for
the implementation of the self-learning modules. Nakabili naman kami agad
dalawang printers pero hindi ‘yon sapat para sa lahat ng teachers ng school.”
(We bought two printers immediately but it was not enough for all of the
teachers in our school.)
 Effectivity of the implementation of the self-learning modules requires a large
range of equipment including laptop, computer and internet modems. However, not
all schools in Buldon West District have complete devices. This situation made it hard
for some of the participants to make and their modules.

“Ay hindi talaga enough, not enough. Ang school nag-iisa lang ang laptop.
Haha tapos ilan kami. 15 kami lahat dito, isa lang ang laptop.” (No, it’s not
enough. The school has only one laptop with fifteen teachers. We only have
one laptop.)

“Hindi proportionate haha. Isang laptop tapos 15 kami. 1 is to 15.” (Not

proportionate. One laptop and we are fifteen. One is to fifteen.)

“Hirap akong gumawa at print ng modules ko, wala kang mahiraman ng

laptop. Kapag wala kang laptop o laptop na available, hindi ka talaga
makakagawa.” (It was hard for me to make and print my modules, no one to
borrow a laptop to. If you don’t have a laptop or no available laptop, you can’t
really make a module”

1.2 Printing of the Self-Learning Modules

The success of the implementation and reproduction of the self-learning

modules lies to the availability of printing devices such as printers and photocopier
machines. However, the participants reiterate that the supplies for inks and bond
papers were sufficient, however the availability of printers were not enough for the
numbers of the teachers.

“Yang mga ink at bond paper marami niyan. Nagbibigay ang MBHTE basta
marami niyan. Pero yung printer dalawa lang. May photocopier nabili ang
school pero minsan nasisira. Hindi enough ang printer sa school. Kapag di ka
nauna mag print o mag xerox, over time ka sa school Saturday at Sunday”
(We have a lot of ink and bond paper. The MBHTE gave us. But the printer,
we only have two. Our school bought a photocopier but sometimes it was
 damaged. The printers in our school is not enough. If you are not the first one
to use the printer, you have to over time in school every Saturday o Sunday.)

“May printers naman kami pero ‘di sapat. Ang dami ng pupils ng ibang guro
tapos ilang pages ang piniprint bawat subjects. Hindi kasya ang isang
araw para tapusin lahat. Kaya ‘yung hindi nakakasingit sa printer, napag
iiwanan. Nakakahanap ng paraan manghiram sa ibang kakilala.” (We
have printers but not enough. Some teachers have a lot of pupils and they
print several pages for every subjects. One day was not enough to
finish all the printing. If you can’t use the printer, you will be left behind.
You have to find ways to print your module like borrowing from friends
outside the school).

As experienced by the older participants with long years of service, they

found it hard to use printers at first but learned as the time passed by.

“Kapag gumagamit ako ng printer parati nalang paper jam. Minsan tawagin
ko pa ibang teachers pra tumulong.” (If I use the printer, it always get paper
jammed. Sometimes I need to call other teachers for help)

“Bumili ang school ng xerox machine kyocera yata iyon, hindi talaga ako
marunong. Tinitingnan ko palang nahihirapan na ako.” (The school bought a
xerox machine, kyocera. I really don’t know how to use it. By just looking at
it, it’s already hard for me.)

Hung and Hsu (2007) contended that old-aged and senior teachers with
substantial teaching experience generally exhibited a less positive attitude toward
computers, especially when compared with the findings of Comber, Colley,
Hargreaves, and Dorn (1997), indicating that young-aged or novice teachers exhibited
a more positive attitude toward technology; their frequency in using computers were
also higher than that of senior teachers.
Some of the participants bought their own printers and laptop using their own
money to be able to produce the self-learning modules weekly or on time.
 “Bumili ako ng laptop after one month nung nagsimula ang pag distribute ng
modules kasi nahihirapan din akong sumingit. Nung nagkabonus na yata or
anong allowance ba yun, bumili na rin ako ng printer. Gumasto na ako kaysa
hindi ako makapagbigay ng modules on time. (I bought my own laptop after
one month of the implementation of the self-learning module because I found
it hard to use the printers in school. When we had our bonus or allowance, I
bought my own printer too. I spent money so I can produce the modules on
time.)

Likewise, Tagupa (2018) mentioned that teachers are frequently forced to

spend their own wages on necessities that they should not be shouldering.

1.3 Distribution and Retrieval of the Self-Learning Modules

The following narratives of the teachers showed their experiences in the

distribution and retrieval of the self-learning modules. The participants distributed the
modules weekly aside from the instances occurs such as power interruptions. When
asked if they distribute the modules every week as required by the MBHTE-
BARMM, the participants had common response,

“Yes. Nag-didistribute ako weekly. Every Monday talaga” (Yes. I distribute

weekly. Every Monday.)

“Yes, weekly talaga yan. Pero kapag brownout ilang araw, hindi ako
nakakapag distribute ng Monday. Ang ginagawa ko nalang, kapag bumalik
ang kuryente Monday, magprint ako ng modules that day tapos iinform ko ang
mga parents na pwede sila kumuha sa Wednesday.” (Yes, weekly. But if there
is power interruption, I cannot distribute on Monday. What I do is that if the
power is restored on Monday, I’ll inform the parents that they can get the
modules on Wednesday.)

During the pandemic and the implementation of the self-learning modules, the
direct engagement is between the teachers and parents. At first, teacher participants
agreed that things were going smoothly. The day of module distribution is also the
time that teachers will retrieve the modules from the parents/guardians. Also, the
teacher participants take this opportunity to ask the parents/guardians how they are
doing, as well as the learners. However, as the school year progresses, more and more
parents/guardians failed to come to school as scheduled, to return and get a new set of
modules.

“Noong una active pa yang mga parents, weekly bumabalik. Pero habang
tumatagal wala na. Di mo na sila makita.” (At first, the parents were active.
They return weekly but over time you can’t see them anymore)

“Sa retrieval, may mga parents na di na nagsasauli ng module pero

kumukuha lang ng bago. Hindi pa raw tapos ‘yong last week or nawala na.”
(In retrieval, there were parents that won’t return the module but will get a
new one. Not yet done answering the previous or lost)

2. Lessons Acquired by the Teachers in the Implementaion of the Self-learning

Modules

During the implementation of the self-learning modules, participants acquired

new lessons and strategies that would help grow them as teacher. These lessons are
divided into two themes: flexibility and technological knowledge.

2.1 Flexibility

Most of the participants learned how to be flexible due to the sudden transition
of the education system from the traditional face-to-face classes to modular delivery.
Participants believed that flexibility is one of the abilities that a teacher must acquire
or possess especially in this modern time that changes are inevitable.

“Dapat talaga flexible ka. Open ka sa changes. Kung hindi ka flexible, wala.
Wala ka rin naman magagawa. Haha” (You really have to be flexible. Open
on changes. If you are not flexible, there’s nothing you can do.)
 “Natutunan ko talaga noong pandemic na importante maging flexible ka, as a
teacher. Matanda na rin ako. Tapos biglang nagkaroon ng pandemic, biglang
modular. Iba talaga sa pakiramdam. Nanibago ako kasi puro laptop na ang sa
harap ko, araw araw nalang mag-print. Dapat talaga open ka sa changes at
flexible ka” (I learned from the pandemic the importance of being flexible, as
a teacher. I am old. Then the pandemic happened, modular happened. The
feeling was unusual because all I had in front of me was laptop, everyday I
print. It is important that you are open to changes and you are flexible.)

2.2 Technological Knowledge

The implementation of the self-learning module undeniably opened the

introduction of the technology to the teachers, especially to the teachers who are 40
years and above. According to the older participants, they had to learn how to use the
laptop and computer in order for them to reproduce self-learning modules on time.
Some of them don’t know how to use the microsoft word and cannot make their own
modules. They had to ask for help from other teachers.

“Wala talaga akong alam diyan sa computer. Kahit typewriter nga dati
mahirapan ako. Kung wala ang anak ko sa bahay maggawa para sa akin,
humihingi ako ng tulong kay Ma’am *****. Kung hindi rin siya busy” (I
really don’t have knowledge about the computer. Even with the typewriter
before. If my son is not around in our house to make the modules for me, I’ll
ask for help from Ma’am *****)

“Dahil dito sa module natuto akong gumamit ng laptop. Hindi man masyado
magaling pero napilitan ako matuto. Haha. Okay na ‘yun. Konteng type type
tapos mag print.” (Because of the modules I learned to use laptop. I’m not that
good but I was forced to learn. Hah. It’s okay.)

“Isa talaga sa natutunan ko sa implementation ng self-learning module ay

iyong maggamit ng computer. (One thing I learned in the implementation of
the self-learning module is using computer)
3. Coping Mechanisms of Teachers to Address the Challenges Experienced in the
Implementation of the Self-Learning Modules

3.1 Positive Well-Being

The participants’ positive well-being contributes to addressing the challenges

of the new normal education. Encouraging outlook, self-confidence gained from
encouragement and motivation, healthy lifestyle, and stress reduction allows them to
continue performing their duties and responsibilities despite the challenges of these
trying times. When teachers create a positive environment and well-being among
themselves, it could foster improved academic performance and promote social and
emotional progress among students even outside the classroom (Loveless, 2020).

“Kahit minsan naiinis ka na kasi hindi matapos tapos mag-print, stay positive
lang. Hindi ko alam paanong positive pero minsan tawanan nalang sa office.
Wala na rin magagawa haha” (Sometimes you’ll get mad because the
printing has never ending, but you have to stay positive. I don’t know how
positive it was but sometimes we just laugh at the office because we don’t
have the choice.)

“Positive lang dapat all the time. Ineenjoy ko nalang kasi mas maganda nga
walang mga bata. Hawak ko pa ang time ko. Nakakapagpahinga ako kung
kailan ko gusto. Kaya I take it in a positive way.” (You should be positive all
the time. I enjoy it since there were no pupils. I can handle my time. I can rest
whenever I want to. That’s why I take it in a positive way)

3.2 Time Management

Another problem-focused coping strategy used by the teachers is time

management. Time management is the process of efficiently controlling time such
that the appropriate amount of time is allocated to the appropriate task. With the
heavy workload that teachers experience, time management has been their key to
coping with the different duties. Some participants shared:
 “Isa sa naging strategy ko ay time management. Dapat naka schedule na ang
time ng paggawa mo ng modules, pag-print at stapler. Para hindi ka mastress
na konteng oras nalang pala natitira sayo, Monday na agad. Nakaschedule
dapat lahat para di ka mahirapan” (One of my strategy is time management.
You have to schedule your time on making the modules and printing. So you
don’t have to be stressed that you have short time left and then it’s already
Monday. You have to schedule so it won’t be hard for you.)

“Time management lang talaga yan. Pinaplano ko mga ginagawa namin at

inaalam anong dapat unahin tapusin. Yan ginagawa ko para makapag cope
up sa busy na schedule.” (It is just a matter of time management. I plan the
things that we do and identify those things that need to be finished first. That
is how I do it to cope with the busy schedule.)

3.3 Social Support

Another coping mechanism that helped the teachers during the implementation
of the self-learning modules is the social support. Social support entails getting
friends and other individuals, including relatives, to lean on during times of need or
crisis to maintain a broader perspective and a healthy self- image. As teachers face
challenges, they intend to seek help from their colleagues or other people. Some
teachers said when asked if they received social support from friends and relatives:

“Yes. Support like minsan tatanungin ka kung okay ka pa ba kasi nakikita nila
sa bahay na ako nagpiprint ng modules at tinutulugan ako ni mama mag
stapler.” (Yes. Support like they would ask if I am okay because they could
see that I print the modules in our house and my mother would help me in
stapling the modules.)

“Support from friends or relatives, siguro iyong minsan nandiyan lang sila
para sayo if may kailangan ka sa kanila tinutulungan ka. Kakausapin ka,
makikipgkwentuhan sayo. Kasi tingin ko kapag stress ang isang tao, malaking
tulong ‘yong nakakausap mo ang mga taong malalapit sayo. Masaya ka na.
Nababawasan ang stress mo” (Support from friends or relatives, maybe the
 times that they were there for you if you need their help, they would help.
They would talk to you, have conversations. For me, if a person is stressed,
it’s already a big help that you could talk to people close to you. You’ll be
happy. It would lessen your stress.)

Participants also shared that they received social support fro their co-teachers
and school head.

“Dito sa school we support each other. Malalapitan mo kahit sino. Usap-usap

sa office, magtawanan sa office. Pare parehas lang naman kami pagod, kaya
kami kami lang din mag cocomfort sa bawat isa. Minsan gagala kami.
Unwind kumbaga kapag may mahabang break.” (In our school, we support
each other. You can lean on to whoever. We have conversations here in our
office, we laugh. We are all tires, so we are the ones to comfort each other.
Sometimes we go out of town, unwind if there is a long break)

“Yes, may social support kami dito sa school. Kaming mga teacher kapag
nag-uusap kami tungkol sa mga experience namin sa isang araw masaya na
kami niyan.” (Yes, we have social support here in school. Us teacher if we
have conversations in our office, we talk about our experiences for the day, we
are happy already.)

“Para sa akin, yang social support hindi naman inooffer na oh ito social
support ko. Nararamdaman mo nalang na ay yes may support silang
binibigay, nafefeel mong may support. Sa mga co-teachers ko simpleng tulong,
simpleng tanong kung “okay pa?” “kaya mo yan?” nakakawala kaunti ng
stress. Masasabi ko talagang dahil din sa mga co-teachers ko, nababawasan
ng stress na nararamdaman ko” (For me, social support is something to
be offered like “oh this is my support”. You can just feel it that yes they give me
support, I can feel their support. To my co-teachers, the simple help, the
simple question of “are you okay?” “you can do it”, it lessen the stress the I
feel. I can really say that because of my co-teachers, it lessen the stress that I
feel.)