Lockdown: The Face of Communication in the Modal Shift of Instruction

A Term Paper in the Topic of “Barriers to Communication”

in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements in Purposive Communication for Lawyers

Atty. Susan A. Munzing

Professor
St. Louis College
College of Criminal Justice and Legal Education

ATOS, Maria Corazon S.

CABATU, Mc Van Louie D.
FLORA, Kriznee G.
JAVIER, Cyrille A.
VIERNES, John Rey S.
Presenters, JD-IA
 I. Introduction

A. Brief history about the COVID 19 Pandemic

COVID-19, first called as 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), is an identified

betacoronavirus that shares 79.5% genomic sequence same as of the SARS-CoV which
caused the 2020-2022 pandemic. Patients infected with the virus experience various degrees
of respiratory distress. It had animal origins generally from mammals, specifically bats, and
other rodents. COVID-19 is believed to have spread due to the bat-consumption of the
Chinese people from Wuhan, China.

Based on current epidemiologic information, it suggests that human-to-human

transmission of COVID-19 can occur when an individual is in close contact with a
symptomatic case. The virus can spread from an infected person through respiratory droplets;
close, prolonged personal contact; and touching an infected area, then touching mouth, nose,
or eyes before washing hands.

On 30 January 2020, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO)

declared the outbreak of COVID-19 to be a Public Health Emergency of International
Concern and issued a set of Temporary Recommendations. There is a new public health crisis
threatening the world with the emergence and spread of the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-
nCoV) or the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

After the emergence and rapid spread of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, the Philippine
government decided to ban all flights in and out of the country. It had implemented an
Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) in the whole island of Luzon due to the rapid
increase of infected citizens in the country. On January 30, 2020, the first positive case of
COVID-19 was confirmed –involving a 38-year-old Chinese woman. From that day
onwards, more and more people got infected.

B. Drawbacks caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic in the educational sector.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented challenges economically,

socially, and politically across the globe. More than just a health crisis, it has resulted in an
educational crisis. During lockdowns and quarantines, 87% of the world’s student population
was affected and 1.52 billion learners were out of school and related educational institutions
(UNESCO Learning Portal, 2020). The suddenness, uncertainty, and volatility of COVID-19
left the education system in a rush to address the changing learning landscape.

The fight against the threats of the COVID-19 pandemic caused profound effects and
impacts on almost all sectors of the human race. One of the most affected is the educational
sector. The COVID-19 virus is still in existence even to this day, and there are no specific
vaccines or medicines to eradicate this disease. We need to live with the disease as viruses
are constantly evolving (Denworth, 2020).
 For the first pandemic months, most countries around the world have temporarily
closed educational institutions to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and reduce
infections (UNESCO, 2020). This closure has affected more than 1.2 billion learners
worldwide with more than 28 million learners in the Philippines (UNESCO, 2020).
Responses like community lockdowns and community quarantines in several countries have
led students and teachers to study and work from home which led to the delivery of online
learning platforms (Crawford et al., 2020). However, the implementation of online learning
poses different risks, problems, and challenges to both teachers and students, especially in
higher education institutions (HEIs) (Bao, 2020).

In the Philippines, there were 10,794 cases in the month of May 2020 which
eventually increased (DOH, 2020) with more than four million cases worldwide
(Worldometer, 2020). In response to these situations, educational leaders decided to adopt the
new normal in education. For basic education, the Department of Education (DepEd) has
implemented a Learning Continuity Plan (LCP), which has taken effect in the School Year
2020-2021, and classes opened on August 24, 2020, instead of June 2020 (DepEd, 2020). In
the higher education sector, according to the Commission on Higher Education, HEIs were
given academic freedom and should implement available distance learning, e-learning, and
other alternative modes of delivery to students (CHED, 2020). Several universities have
opted to implement their own policies regarding their medium and mode of instructions. It
will be the new normal in education and strengthening educational planning and health is a
concern to provide quality, inclusive, and accessible education for every student.

C. Initiatives of academes to cope with the challenges posed by the Pandemic

The disruption of COVID-19 in the educational system is of great magnitude that

universities have to cope with at the soonest possible time. The call is for higher education
institutions to develop a resilient learning system using evidence-based and needs-based
information so that responsive and proactive measures can be instituted. Coping with the
effects of COVID-19 in higher education institutions demands a variety of perspectives
among stakeholders. Consultation needs to include the administration supports the teaching-
learning processes, the students who are the core of the system, the faculty members or
teachers who perform various academic roles, parents, and guardians who share the
responsibility of learning continuity, the community, and the external partners who contribute
to the completion of the educational requirements of the students.

The closure of educational institutions brought dramatic changes in the education

sector. The educational institutions worked ceaselessly to ensure the continuity of the
teaching–learning process despite the deadlock. Although various studies portrayed the
availability of contingent plans for distant virtual education most of these plans were viable at
a small scale and could not cope with a pandemic as huge as COVID-19 (Basilaia and
Kvavadze, 2020). It was realized that the learning management systems (LMS) that were
already in use in most higher education institutions (HEIs) facilitated attendance, student
registration, and content distribution, but were not suitable for full-fledged virtual classes
(Khan, 2020). Thus, as an immediate response to the COVID-19 pandemic, various
educational institutions across the globe introduced significant changes in their education
system as per their resources and capabilities.

As an immediate response to the COVID-19 pandemic, various educational

institutions across the globe introduced significant changes in their education system as per
their resources and capabilities. It was witnessed that technologically advanced nations such
as France, Australia, the USA, and the United Kingdom readily adopted distance learning as
a course of action by strengthening their existing e-learning platforms, whereas contrarily,
nations such as Chile, Argentina, and Brazil lacked sufficient infrastructure and thus
employed traditional methods such as radio and television to ensure undisrupted learning
(Dawadi et al., 2020). Furthermore, populous countries such as India and the PRC shared
access to their national repositories of learning resources with various stakeholders by
establishing e-learning portals (Dawadi et al., 2020) to cope with the turbulent times.

From the confines of their homes, teachers and administrators in the Philippines were
put to the task of revising and adapting course syllabus and requirements as they shifted to
alternative or remote teaching modalities, both synchronous and asynchronous. Where
students and teachers had access to electronic devices and reliable internet connections,
learning management systems such as Canvas, Moodle, and Blackboard, and applications like
Google Hangouts, Zoom, and Skype, were used. But where students had limited access to
computers or unreliable access to the internet, teachers and students used smartphones to
exchange messages, notes, and materials, through text messaging, e-mail, Facebook
Messenger, and Twitter.

In some instances, these arrangements became unsustainable and some universities

had to suspend remote or online classes because the uneven socioeconomic status of students
affected their access to these modalities of learning. Also, concerns regarding the mental
health of students and teachers affected by the uncertainty became another reason to suspend
online classes.

II. Statement of the problem

How did the COVID-19 pandemic shape the communication in the delivery of
instruction on the educational setting?

III. Conceptual Framework

A conceptual framework for this paper entitled, “Lockdown: The Face of

Communication in the Modal Shift of Instruction” is presented which seeks to provide an in-
depth and structured understanding of how the interactions of the stipulated variables shaped
the inter- and post COVID-19 pandemic learning modality. It, thus, provides a guide for
students, teachers, members of the academe, and stakeholders in navigating future barriers
that might be posed against the Philippine educational system.
 A. Modal Shift of Instruction

The teaching and learning process assumes a different shape in times of crisis. When
disasters and crises (man-made and natural) occur, schools and colleges need to be resilient
and find new ways to continue the teaching–learning activities (Chang-Richards et al., 2013).

1. Different Forms of Learning Modality

During the COVID-19 pandemic, educational institutions worldwide had to adapt to

the challenges posed by the virus, leading to the emergence and widespread use of various
learning modalities. These modalities aimed to provide continuity in education while
prioritizing the safety and well-being of students and educators.

1.1. Face-to-face instruction. A traditional method of teaching where the instructor

and students are physically present in the same location, typically in a classroom or other
educational setting. This form of instruction involves direct, in-person interaction between
the teacher and the learners. It allows for real-time communication, immediate feedback, and
personal connection between educators and students. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has
significantly impacted education globally, leading to widespread disruptions in traditional
face-to-face learning. In many regions in the Philippines, governments and educational
institutions implemented measures to slow the spread of the virus, including lockdowns,
social distancing guidelines, and the closure of schools and universities. As a result, face-to-
face learning faced challenges during the pandemic, and educators had to adapt and shift to
alternative modes of instruction.

1.2. Remote learning. Also known as online learning or distance education, is an

instructional approach where students and instructors are geographically separated, and
education is facilitated through digital technologies. This form of learning allows individuals
to access educational content and participate in courses from anywhere with an internet
connection. Remote learning can take various forms, including fully online courses, virtual
classrooms, video conferencing, and other technology-mediated instructional methods.

1.3. Blended learning. Also known as hybrid learning, is an educational approach

that combines traditional face-to-face instruction with online learning experiences. This
model seeks to integrate the strengths of both in-person and digital learning to create a more
flexible and effective educational environment. Blended learning can take various forms, and
the balance between online and face-to-face components can vary depending on the specific
program or course.

2. Advantages of New Learning Modalities

The new learning modalities that emerged, particularly in response to the challenges
posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, come with various advantages. These approaches
leverage technology and innovative pedagogical strategies to enhance the educational
experience. Here are some advantages of the new learning modalities:

2.1. Flexibility. Asynchronous learning allows students to access course materials and
complete assignments at their own pace, accommodating different schedules and time zones.
Online and remote learning enables students to participate from anywhere with an internet
connection, reducing geographical barriers.

2.2. Access to a Variety of Resources. Learning modalities often include a mix of

multimedia resources, such as video lectures, interactive simulations, digital textbooks, and
educational games, catering to diverse learning styles. Virtual classrooms and online
platforms provide access to a wide range of educational resources and expertise from around
the world.

2.3. Personalization. Some platforms use adaptive technologies to tailor educational

content to individual student needs, allowing for a personalized learning experience. New
modalities often emphasize student participation, collaboration, and engagement, fostering a
more student-centered approach to education.

2.4. Increased Engagement. Modalities like gamification, simulations, and virtual

classrooms enhance engagement by providing interactive and immersive learning
experiences. Online collaboration tools facilitate communication and group work, promoting
active participation among students.

2.5. Cost Savings. Remote and online learning can reduce costs associated with
commuting or relocating for education, making education more accessible and cost-effective.
Electronic textbooks, online assessments, and virtual materials can reduce the need for
physical resources, cutting down on printing and distribution costs.

2.6. Adaptability to Different Learning Styles. The availability of various learning

modalities allows educators to cater to different learning styles and preferences,
accommodating a broader range of students.

2.7. Technological Literacy. New learning modalities promote the development of

digital literacy and technological skills, preparing students for the demands of the modern
workforce. Students engage with technologies like virtual reality, augmented reality, and
online collaboration tools, gaining practical experience with tools used in various professions.

2.8. Continuous Learning Opportunities. Asynchronous learning allows students to

review materials and revisit concepts at their own pace, supporting continuous learning and
skill development. In short, focused learning modules enable quick and targeted acquisition
of knowledge and skills.
 2. 9. Monitoring and Analytics. Learning management systems and other online
platforms often provide data and analytics that can be used to monitor student progress,
identify areas of improvement, and tailor instruction accordingly.

2.10. Inclusivity. Online learning platforms can incorporate accessibility features,

making education more inclusive for students with diverse needs and abilities.

B. First-hand Experiences of Students

The abrupt and profound changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic have
profoundly transformed people, families, institutions, and societies’ ways of life worldwide.
In this situation, higher education students attending face-to-face institutions had to
unexpectedly adapt to new learning environments in which knowledge, affects, contact,
bodies, and complexities were placed in an unknown dimension (Farnell et al., 2021; Pokhrel
and Chhetri, 2021). Below are the collated experiences of students in adapting to the
implementation of new learning modalities.

Psychological Experience

Situations provoked by the pandemic are having considerable consequences and

effects on people’s mental health (Giuntella et al., 2021), especially in the emotional and
affective dimensions due to the imposed “social distance” (Sikali, 2020) and the need to
reshape personal and professional settings (Strom and Gumbel, 2021). Student respondents
have said that the terror and horrors brought about by the pandemic have caused them
psychological distress and to some extent depression which disrupted their reception of the
information being delivered to them by their teachers and instructors. Their psychological
experience disturbed their learning processes dramatically which heavily took a toll on the
kind of students that they are today.

Physical Experience

The physical distancing required during the lockdown rendered the delivery of
instruction more challenging than it normally should be since the distance between teachers
and students made it harder to grasp what the teacher or student was talking about. This has
been made more challenging by the noises outside their classrooms such as the honking
horns, mechanical sounds, and the sounds of animals from their surroundings.

Technological Experience

During the period of lockdown, internet connection had not yet reached the
mountainous municipality of Suyo, Ilocos Sur thus, students were confronted by greater
challenges of connectivity. Most respondents confessed that they attended their online classes
beside the road using their weak data connections. Such experiences sometimes made them
almost hit by trucks and the external noise disturbed their reception of information. Some
learners may find themselves in survival mode as they encounter poor internet connectivity.
It’s always a hard time for them to focus and learn from the struggles encountered. They feel
pressured as they experience trouble in answering and performing the tasks due to poor
internet connection. In line with this, Dangle and Sumaoang (2020) reported that children
living in remote areas do not have reliable and strong internet connections which makes it
hard for them to look for useful information online. Apart from the lack of accessible
internet, some parents and children do not have enough gadgets like cell phones to be used
for research.

Cultural Experience

Learners are struggling to adapt to the New Norma education, particularly because a
municipality like Suyo, Ilocos Sur is strongly cultured and remotely connected to
modernization therefore, advancements and shifts in learning modality become a terrible
shock for students. As in the implementation process, they long for the presence of a teacher
and staying inside the school as the usual mode they have. But now, they continue to feel
comfortable and at ease with the new mode of learning delivery. Likewise, Pabalate (2020)
reported that other families lack gadgets such as cellphones to be used in modular learning
and do not have accessible and reliable internet signals. They also shared that they need more
money to buy an extra load for them to research online. Hence, they just rely on the modules
and they also admitted that some activities are difficult to understand and answer.

C. First-hand Experiences of Teachers.

From the data-gathering process, the following are the collated first-hand experiences
of teachers in the delivery of instruction during the period of lockdown:

Engaging in Activities Preparatory for Various Teaching Modalities

The teachers were encouraged to engage in different online trainings as to how to

deliver and address the learning with different approaches suited for students. Along with the
complexity that teachers encounter in the New Normal education, they continue to further
develop new skills to adjust the setup to its full implementation.

Receiving Support from Others

During the implementation of the new mode of learning, participants keep striving
somehow with constant support from others in realizing the New Normal approaches. In the
New Normal education, learning delivery modalities among learners are most challenging on
the part of the teachers, parents, and as well as to students. In every given task throughout the
delivery, participants receive support from others to be able to fully implement the learning
delivery despite the crisis. Throughout the process of learning, participants revealed that they
keep on finding ways to respond to the struggle to work into any of the challenges.
 Keeping Constant Communication Among Parents

Common responses were shared by the teachers’ participants in terms of their

strategies to address crises in the New Normal as encountered. They were not yet ready with
how the new approaches were offered, but little by little they adjusted a lot. Keeping constant
communication among parents helped a lot to further implement the process. Indeed, one
participant revealed that he is not ready and has difficulty in understanding the lesson.

Managing Time Efficiently

Various tasks are utmost to consider in this mode of learning. In order to successfully
accomplish certain tasks, participants revealed that throughout the difficult times, they
learned to manage time efficiently. The participant showed how she had completely
considered the importance of the success not only of themselves but also of all teachers to
address issues and concerns during this pandemic.

IV. Conclusion

From a loose phenomenological perspective, this paper carefully explores the

conscious collective experiences of the general populace, more specifically the people from
Suyo, Ilocos Sur, in an attempt to distil and extract the essence of their experiences during the
surge of the COVID 19 pandemic. This is to thoroughly subject the simplicities and
intricacies of their experiences in perusal as a guide in navigating on how the COVID-19
pandemic catalysed drastic change that shaped the inter- and post COVID-19 pandemic
delivery of instruction in the field of education.

The COVID-19, first called as 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), is an identified

betacoronavirus that shares 79.5% genomic sequence same as of the SARS-CoV which
caused the 2002-2003 pandemic.

On 30 January 2020, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO)

declared the outbreak of COVID-19 to be a Public Health Emergency of International
Concern and issued a set of Temporary Recommendations.

After the emergence and rapid spread of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, the Philippine
government decided to ban all flights in and out of the country. It had implemented an
Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) in the whole island of Luzon due to the rapid
increase of infected citizens in the country

The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented challenges economically,

socially, and politically across the globe. More than just a health crisis, it has resulted in an
educational crisis. During lockdowns and quarantines, 87% of the world’s student population
was affected and 1.52 billion learners were out of school and related educational institutions
(UNESCO Learning Portal, 2020). The suddenness, uncertainty, and volatility of COVID-19
left the education system in a rush to address the changing learning landscape.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, educational institutions worldwide had to adapt to

the challenges posed by the virus, leading to the emergence and widespread use of various
learning modalities. These modalities aimed to provide continuity in education while
prioritizing the safety and well-being of students and educators.

The modal shift of instruction, which is primarily a transition from traditional in-
person classes to remote or online learning, posed a profound impact on communication and
delivery of instruction in the Philippine educational sector. A remote municipality such as
Suyo, Ilocos sur, from the synthesis of their psychological, technological and cultural
experience, it can be deduced that they were confronted with challenges such as the digital
divide and changes in communication dynamics, which in turn also spurred adaptation,
innovation, and a re-evaluation of traditional educational practices.

Digital Divide. The shift to online instruction has highlighted existing disparities in
access to technology and the internet. Students and educators in the center of Suyo, Ilocos
Sur and those with better economic means may have adapted more easily to online learning,
while those in the outskirts or near mountainous areas may have faced challenges in
accessing digital resources.

Communication Challenges. The move away from face-to-face interaction has

affected the dynamics of communication between teachers and students. Non-verbal cues and
the immediacy of in-person communication have been replaced by digital communication
tools, potentially leading to misunderstandings and a loss of personal connection.

Technological Literacy. The sudden transition to online instruction has underscored

the importance of technological literacy among both educators and students. Those who were
already familiar with digital tools may have had a smoother transition, while others may have
faced a steep learning curve.

Adaptation and Innovation. The modal shift has forced educational institutions in the
said locale to adapt quickly and innovate in terms of instructional delivery.

Emphasis on Self-directed Learning. With the shift to remote learning, there has
been an increased emphasis on self-directed learning. Students have had to take more
responsibility for their education, managing their time and resources effectively.

Economic Implications. The economic impact of the pandemic may have affected the
ability of students to afford necessary technology for online learning. Additionally, educators
may have faced challenges in accessing professional development opportunities to enhance
their online teaching skills.
 The COVID-19 pandemic has painfully stirred massive and drastic changes in
humanity. It may have posed threats and horrors in the educational sector however, it also
unlocked endless opportunities and possibilities as the delivery of instruction shifted to online
or virtual learning. To this date, there are still Universities and Colleges that use online
learning despite the normalcy of life that people went back to. This means progress and as
long as people are equipped with necessary skills to ride to the waves of time, they will live,
laugh and survive through the long-term effects that the COVID-19 pandemic has imprinted
in all facets of life.
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