REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Modular Distance Learning

Education in the face of new normal is a difficult task in the

Philippines in an attempt to push through education amidst the

deadly pandemic caused by covid-19. Despite many oppositions

because of the risk to open classes because of the virus, the

Department of Education (DepEd) and Commission on Higher

Education (CHED) adopted and implemented the flexible model of

blended learning. The identified learning modalities are the

following: Modular Printed), Modular (Digitized), Online,

Educational TV, Radio-Based Instruction, Home Schooling and

Blended Learning. For the cities capable of modern living where

students and learners have the privilege of having internet

connection at home, online learning is implemented especially for

the high schools and colleges but for those lives in rural areas

or provinces where internet connection is only available for only

few, Modular Distance Learning is implemented. Teachers use

Modules to conduct Modular Distance Learning which is made by

different tasks and learning activities based from the essential

learning competencies Anzaldo (2021).

The excessive number of activities in each module is one of the

main problems that emerged in the implementation of Modular

this problem, reduce activities, and take out the unnecessary

topics so that mastery will be accomplished as much as possible.

According to some parents, the lesser the better. With only a

week, students cannot finish all the module because of the time

is not enough (Dangle & Sumaoang, 2020).

According to the study conducted by Dangle & Sumaoang (2020)

teachers should re-evaluate the modules, and they must make sure

that all the lessons or activities are appropriate to the needs

of the learners. The parents, as well as the students, are right;

the instructions in every exercise must be easy and clear enough

for the learners to understand. All the printed pictures in the

modules should be clear and topics must be simplified, and

teachers must give more examples.

In addition Hernandez (2021) revealed that teachers and learners

have a variety of strengths in distance learning modalities. In

addition, teachers and learners also worried the different

challenges they encountered for distance learning modalities.

Teachers and learners on distance learning modalities provides

them flexible time, access to all, helps to have constant

open announcement amongst them, emphasis on the importance

of normal education, saves time to travel going to school,

gives a sense of security from accidents, gain strong parents'

expense, provides different teaching options and platforms,

promotes multi-tasking, helps to participate and access in

international and local trainings/seminars, promotes

collaboration of materials amongst teachers and givers more

chances to contextualized materials while learners

encountered that distance learning modalities saves their time

to travel to school, offers flexible time, encourages supports

from parents, saves money for daily allowance, gives a sense of

security when at home, provides different learning platforms,

emphasizes the importance of education, accessible,

promotes multitasking, develops independence, and in times of

illness, no need to go school to learn. Meanwhile, teachers

stressed the challenges brought about by distance learning

modalities under new normal education. These were lack of focus

due to work-related and home-related activities at home,

additional expense for internet load, worries during distribution

and retrieval of modules, an additional purchase of gadgets or

technological equipment for new normal, pushes them to become

digital natives, unrealistic answers of modules for academic

records, delimit the scope of authority in the class and social

development and interaction, loosens disciplines of learners, and

no available space for privacy. Among those challenges, learners

also listed the following: additional expense to the family

opportunities, does not promote social development,

unavailability during online classes, technology may be

misused, dishonesty due to answer key page in the modules,

hassle to parents during weekly retrieval and returning of

modules, no existing space for privacy, and insufficient

guidance and assistance of parent in subject competence

required (Hernandez, 2021).

Students Perception toward Modular Learning

According to the study conducted by Bacomo et. Al (2002), the

learner’s attitude strongly agrees that using SLMs has a good

influence. For ideal learning, these positive attitudes must be

improved. The study shows that there is no significant

relationship between learner’s profile and attitude concerning

SLMs. This implies that, regardless of student’s profile, they

must adapt modular learning to achieve knowledge. Therefore,

learners must cultivate the mindset of completing all the

teacher’s assignments. Learners can develop a daily schedule that

includes the tasks they must complete each day. Further, it also

revealed that learners manifested a satisfactory performance on

SLMs. This implies that the learner’s performance deserves

special attention and should not be overlooked. This matter

creative in their efforts to help learners grow and achieve more.

Lastly, a high level of correlation was evident between attitude

and performance over SLMs. A learner who is passionate in

answering modules has a good chance of improving his or her

performance. Therefore, the learner must acknowledge the benefits

of SLMs as a supplement to traditional literacy instruction.

The academic performance of learners after the implementation of

Modular Distance Learning (MDL) decreased. The study of Dargo &

Dimas,(2021) revealed that the 2.25% decrease in the GWA of

learners after the implementation of MDL denotes a significant

difference in their academic performance.

It only means that face-to-face which is the most important side

of physical learning was more favorable and more effective in

terms of children’s learning. It was determined that there were

more negative effects of MDL than positive ones. According to the

respondents, limited interaction between the teacher and the

learners was the main problem that emerged in the implementation

of Modular Distance Learning. Another problem is that there are

too many tasks/ activities incorporated in the modules.

To bridge the gaps, simplifying modules accompanied by video

lessons and audio recordings, conduct of online mediations,

neighborhood instruction, and home visitations are recommended.

of learners to be able to give feedback mechanisms and guide

those learners who need special attention is a must. The

administration should concentrate on improving and simplifying

worksheets or workbooks to be distributed to learners accompanied

with video lessons that are aligned with the Most Essential

Learning Competencies (MELC). They should conduct training,

seminars, or workshops for teachers to be acquainted and so that

their skills in the use of Modular Distance Learning (MDL) will

be enhanced. Lastly, before the opening of each school year, a

meeting or open forum among teachers, parents, and other

stakeholders should be conducted to further explain or discuss

the reality of the new normal education.

Many students who learn and think differently struggle with

changes in routine and loss of structure Agarin (2021). Based on

the gathered data, the significant relationship of challenges and

status of modular learning as to learners‟ academic behavior and

performance rejected the null hypothesis “The challenges and

status of modular learning have no significant effect on

learners‟ academic behavior and performance. These implies that

there is a significant effect between the Challenges and Status

of Modular Learning as to learner’s academic behavior and

performance.
Teachers may help them use this time as an opportunity to develop

new strategies to help with focus and learning. This in return

can avoid future challenges or problems to the teachers (Agarin,

2021).

With health risks that the pandemic is imposing to teachers, the

department of education provided guidelines and policies

regarding various modalities and approaches in teaching to

provide quality education to learners amidst pandemic. The

teaching and learning process is undertaken remotely and on

digital platforms, and the students are asked to accomplish and

submit school activities online at own pace, place, and time

(Agarin, 2021).

Based on the gathered data, the significant relationship of

challenges and status of modular learning as to learners‟

academic behavior and performance rejected the null hypothesis

“The challenges and status of modular learning have no

significant effect on learners‟ academic behavior and

performance”. These implies that there is a significant effect

between the Challenges and Status of Modular Learning as to

learners‟ academic behavior and performance”.