Introduction

COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy represents a major barrier to achieving herd immunity; despite the current pandemic, the population’s intention to get vaccinated against COVID-19 is still not clear (Riccio, et al.,2021) A term called “vaccine hesitancy’’, a major impediment towards the COVID-19 vaccination, is regarded as one of the top issues in public health. Vaccine hesitancy refers to a tendency of being skeptical or distrustful about the advantages of vaccines and questioning their importance (WHO, 2014 as cited in Arefin, et al.,2021) In the Philippines, a significant decrease of public trust in vaccines and in the immunization program in general was reported by the Department of Health and believed that this was brought about by the Dengvaxia controversy (Robledo, et al.,2021. The factors that may be perceived affecting the decisions of these individuals including teachers and other members of the community to get vaccinated which are considered as variables of this current study include their exposure on social media networks as sources for information, direction, and advice on vaccinations (Javanainen, 2020), religious affiliations (Pelcic, et al.,n.d.), number of people living in the house, and presence of chronic illness (Cerda et al.,2021.  As of April 2022, approximately 5. 19B (66.7%) of the world’s population are vaccinated. Of the 112 M Filipinos (Worldometer, 2019), only 61.2% are fully vaccinated as of April 21, 2022 (Our World in Data, 2022). That percentage translates to approximately 68.53M citizens. In Negros Occidental where the province of Murcia belongs,62.47% are vaccinated as of May 2022 which is the lowest in Western Visayas (Gomez, 2022).

         As the country acquires and distributes doses of COVID-19 vaccines to schools’ stakeholders, it is hoped that schools will gradually open and in-person classes will also resume. Despite this, some educational frontliners are hesitant to get vaccinated and thus this study therefore seeks to determine the perspective, reasons and challenging experiences that affect the decision of these people in the public school with regards to the vaccination program of the government.

Objectives of the Study

         This research paper sought to explore the perspective, the reasons and the challenging experiences of the educational frontliners who are hesitant to take the Covid – 19 vaccine.

         Specifically, the following core questions were answered:

1.  What is your perspective about Covid-19 vaccination?

2.  Why are you hesitant to take the vaccine?

3.  What are the challenging experiences you encountered as an unvaccinated person?

Research Design

         This study utilized Qualitative Approach, which collects and analyzes non-numerical data (Bhandari, 2020) and answers the question why of a phenomenon (Busetto, Wick, & Gumbinger, 2020). The data were evaluated inductively, from specifics to themes (Creswell and Plano Clark, 2011, as cited in in.sagepub, n.d.). To present this research, descriptive phenomenology was employed. This form of phenomenology is used to describe phenomena rather than interpret them (Christensen, Welch & Barr, 2017). It is the study of one's own life experiences (Neubauer, Witkop, & Varpio, 2019). It is used to clarify unclear components of experiences (Matua, Van Der Wal, 2015). In this scenario, the reasons for vaccine hesitancy of these educational frontliners was the primary source of information.

Data Analysis 

         In this phenomenological research, emphasis was given to the different factors and experiences affecting the vaccine refusal of the select participants. Therefore, openness on the part of the researcher was important. Therefore, the data had undergone phenomenological analysis, following the six steps in data analysis and interpretation by John W. Creswell (2014).

1. Organize and transcribe. In this step, the researcher repeatedly listened to the audio recording of each interview to become familiar with the words of the participants. The researcher then entered the world of the participants and absorbed the uniqueness of their experiences.

2. Read or look at all the data. This step provided a general sense of the information and an opportunity to reflect on its overall meaning. The researcher took down notes in margins of transcripts and start recording general thoughts about the data.

3. Start coding all of the data. Coding is the process of organizing the data by bracketing chunks and writing a word representing a category in the margins (Rossman & Rallis, 2012 cite in Creswell, 2014). It involves taking text data gathered during data collection, segmenting sentences (or paragraphs) into categories, and labeling those categories with a term, often a term based in the actual language of the participant (called an in vivo terms). In this study, the researcher re-read the data to see if there were themes that needed to be merged to form a singular unifying theme. The researcher will combine similar cluster of themes that formed a major idea, and labeled it word or phrase to represent the combined ideas to form a second order theme.

4. Use the coding process to generate a description of the setting or people as well as categories or themes for analysis. Description involves a detailed rendering of information about people, places, or events in a setting. Researcher can generate codes for this description. Use the coding as well as for generating a small number of themes or categories – perhaps five to seven themes for a research study (Creswell, 2014). This second part of the coding is a process of segmenting and labeling text to form descriptions and broad themes in the data.

5. Advance how the description and themes was represented in the qualitative narrative. The researcher used a narrative passage to convey the findings of the analysis. This included the discussion that mentions a chronology of events, the detailed discussion of several themes or a discussion with interconnecting themes (Creswell, 2014).

6. A final step in data analysis involves making an interpretation in qualitative research of the findings or results. Asking, “What were the lessons learned?” captures the essence of this idea (Lincoln & Guba, 1985 cited in Creswell, 2014). These lessons could be the researcher’s personal interpretation, couched in the understanding that the inquirer brings to the study from a personal culture, history, and experiences.

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

Summary of the Findings

The results of this qualitative investigation disclosed the underlying factors that caused participants to get hesitant from COVID-19 vaccination. From the findings, meaningful units were clustered into three themes. These include (1) Two sides of vaccines; (2) Fear and Anxiety; and (3) A Limited Life. Sub-themes for Two sides of vaccines are the positive and the negative sides.   For Fear and Anxiety, three sub-themes are identified: Pregnancy-related anxiety, health-related anxiety, and information-related anxiety. Meanwhile, Limited travel, limited transaction and limited interaction form the three subthemes under A Limited Life.  

Although the participants perceived the positive effects of the vaccination, they also believe that it has negative effects especially to their health. These negative perspectives of people about COVID-19 vaccination are associated on the influence of social media where misinformation of events or fake news is given to the public. This therefore implies that the government should take further actions on disseminating the need to get vaccinated against corona virus that would help the society become safe to live in. The use of social media should become a platform to providing correct and appropriate information of any arising phenomenon so the people would be able to receive complete ideas and awareness.

Since most vaccines are developed over ages, it is understandable that many people would question about how the COVID-19 vaccines were approved so easily and quickly. Hence, the result revealed that fear and anxiety on the possible long-term effects of COVID-19 vaccine are perceived or felt by the participants is also a factor of vaccine hesitancy. This perception of the few would therefore represent the perception of the many that is a major reason why others opt not to go for vaccination. It implies that the government including the medical and educational institutions have not effectively implemented proper education about vaccination to the public, and therefore the communication campaign to reach out people with negative attitudes towards vaccination must be strengthened.

Another finding in this study as part of the investigation also showed that a limited life with limited interaction, limited travel, and limited transaction is also a challenge experienced by unvaccinated Filipinos. These results would clearly pose a negative implication to the academe. Since the unvaccinated teachers and personnel in school are not allowed to handle physical class where there is a possible interaction between the learners and teachers, the school’s performance would get compromised for a shortage of vaccinated teaching faculty to handle in-person classes may take place. These vaccinated teachers may get overwhelmed with work considering that they are only qualified to conduct face-to-face classes yet they receive the same salaries and other benefits from the unvaccinated ones. 

Conclusions

         Vaccine hesitancy is the reluctance of people to accept a vaccine that has been proven safe and effective and made available to them for protection against COVID-19. This investigation explores the perception, attitudes, understanding, and other determinants that significantly contribute to the various factors on vaccine denial or hesitancy. This qualitative study therefore presents the notable reasons and explanations of selected individuals in the education agency of the factors affecting their decision to get vaccinated, and likewise the challenges encountered by some unvaccinated people. Through the data obtained in the study, this concludes that vaccine hesitancy is driven by several factors that influence the decision of the individuals to accept the vaccination. One of these is the social media that impacts the overall perspectives of the people towards COVID-19 vaccination. It can be concluded that trust issues are perceived by the participants particularly on the adverse effects of the vaccine in the future, and thus it is inevitable that their fear or anxiety will not be set aside. Another conclusive statement after the thorough analysis of the study is that education campaign on vaccination provided by the government agencies therefore calls for reformulation of their campaign strategies to encourage the unwilling Filipinos to get vaccinated.

Recommendations

         In the light of the findings and conclusions reflected in this study, the following recommendations are thereby given:

1.       The government may take the lead to counter the COVID-19 vaccine misinformation particularly found on social media. It may provide further seminars or symposia to the public regarding vaccination especially to rural or marginalized areas. Furthermore, the government may also reformulate their campaign strategies in disseminating information so to help other Filipinos who have low confidence in getting a complete vaccination. 

2.       The government together with healthcare agencies and other public and private institutions need to be aware of these causative factors of vaccine hesitancy when formulating policies related to COVID-19 vaccination and public health messages. When formulating certain policies, the government has to ensure that utmost respect to both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals shall be observed or implemented. The policies should focus on the strict observance of safety health protocols that the public has to observe to ensure the protection of the people.

3. The Department of Education along with other government           institutions may work closely together in providing proper education on vaccination. Community education campaigns may be conducted to reach out for people who have little knowledge about vaccination.

4. The school may conduct an information-sharing campaign among their internal and stakeholders about COVID-19 vaccination to increase confidence in and uptake of the available vaccines given by the government.

5. Results of this paper maybe shared to the districts and to the schools as to encourage understanding and respect to those who are unvaccinated. 

6.  Future research may be conducted by other researchers to determine other factors that may be associated to vaccine hesitancy. Likewise, a similar study may be conducted to support or negate the findings of the present investigation.

INTRODUCTION

The educational sector has changed drastically with implications brought about by the pandemic as it led to the cease in face-to-face operations and activities in various educational institutions in more than 190 countries with the aim to mitigate the impact of the Coronavirus. However, the pandemic not just brought challenges, but rather, it also offered opportunities to utilize and innovate strategies, resources, and techniques.

According to the World Bank Statistics as cited by Saavedra (2020) that as of March 28, 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has pushed out more than 1.6 billion learners from schools in 161 countries – a statistical data close to 80% of the world’s enrolled learners. This incident has amplified further the dilemma on the rights of the learners to education as it impeded opportunities due to lack of resources to name a few. Furthermore, according to UNESCO, the COVID-19 pandemic forced schools and universities to close their doors, impacting an unprecedented number of learners worldwide due to various lockdown measures implemented across borders.

With these disturbing situations, administrators, educators, and stakeholders have come up with creative ways to continue quality education amidst the pandemic. As such, teachers and learners had to learn instantly how to adapt to remote teaching. This is also true for teacher education. The need to rapidly adapt to new contexts of teaching and learning online has revealed how teacher education institutions and teacher educators encountered and experienced the challenges and opportunities to carry on their job in such unexpected circumstances (Assunção et al, 2020). Hence, the pandemic did not only give struggles in the educational sectors but also opened different opportunities, strategies, resources, and techniques beyond normal just to share excellent education with learners even in this trying time. One of the best opportunities in education at the time of the pandemic is the rise of e-learning, where teaching is undertaken remotely and on digital platforms.

As a Mathematics teacher, the researcher was sparked by the ways how Mathematics teachers identify and cope with the challenges brought by the pandemic to teaching Mathematics. The concept of this study was inspired by the innovation of Mathematics teachers in the Philippines amidst the pandemic and the lack of resources testing different applications in distance education. The goal of this study was to recognize the Mathematics Educators' challenges in implementing mathematics in the new normal. Also, this study highlighted the strategies used by Mathematics teachers during distance learning and how these strategies can help bridge the gap from the pandemic to the post-pandemic period and serve as the basis for remediation for low-performing learners. Finally, this study would also suggest an implementation guide to address the struggles of Mathematics teachers in the new normal setup.

Statement of the Problem

The study aimed to determine the strategies and struggles in teaching Mathematics to junior and senior high schools in blended modular and face-to-face learning modalities in the District of Concepcion, Schools Division of Tarlac Province.

Specifically, the study sought to answer to the following questions:

1.     How may the strategies used by teachers in teaching Mathematics in Blended Modular and Face-to-Face Learning Modalities be described in terms of:

1.1.   Instructional Planning;

1.2.   Instructional Strategies; and

1.3.   Instructional Management?

2.     How may the struggles encountered by teachers in teaching Mathematics in Blended Modular and Face-to-Face Learning Modalities be described in terms of:

2.1   Instructional Planning;

2.2   Instructional Strategies; and

2.3   Instructional Management?

3.     What implementation guide can be proposed to address the struggles encountered by the teachers in implementing Mathematics in the new normal?

4.     What is the implication of the study in teaching Mathematics?

METHODOLOGY

This study is descriptive quantitative with qualitative analysis. According to Bryman (2012), quantitative research is a research method that focuses on quantifying data gathering and analysis. It is founded on a deductive methodology with a focus on hypothesis testing. This study described the teaching strategies and struggles in teaching mathematics of junior and senior high school Mathematics teachers in Blended Modular and Face-to-Face Learning Modalities in the District of Concepcion, Schools Division of Tarlac Province using a survey questionnaire. Moreover, the researcher also conducted a casual interview to get supporting information from the participants. Qualitative analysis therefore was also utilized in this study to provide a detailed understanding of the phenomenon or population under investigation. The qualitative component of this study was used to explore the attitudes, perceptions, or experiences of the participants, to provide context to the quantitative data. The characteristics of the population or phenomenon under study are identified via descriptive research. It makes no mention of when, how, or why the traits evolved. Instead, it focuses on the traits of the population or situation that is being studied. Usually, descriptive categories, a sort of categorical scheme, are employed as the characteristics to classify the situation or population (Shields, 2013).

This study was conducted in the District of Concepcion, Division of Tarlac Province. The District of Concepcion is composed of the following high schools namely, Anastacio G. Yumul High School, Benigno S. Aquino National High School, Caluluan High School, Estrella Aquino National High School, and Sta. Rosa National High School.

The researcher used a complete enumeration sampling technique to select the study's participants. Complete enumeration sampling is a type of purposive sampling technique where the researcher chooses to examine the entire population that have a particular set of characteristics. The researcher employed this as the sampling method because the entire population is small and well-defined which is the total of 60 high school Mathematics Teachers of the District of Concepcion, Schools Division of Tarlac Province. Complete enumeration and sample surveys are conducted to estimate unknown population parameters. None of these procedures provide exact results. In sample surveys, we observe a part of the population and draw inferences on the basis of the observed data; hence an error is committed as the entire population is not observed. This type of error is known as the sampling error. Clearly, the sampling error is absent in a complete enumeration or census procedure (Arnab, 2017).

         For the respondents of the study, the researcher asked the help of sixty (60) Mathematics high school teachers of the District of Concepcion, Schools Division of Tarlac Province who are currently teaching in the school year 2022-2023 in the schools namely, Anastacio G. Yumul High School, Benigno S. Aquino National High School, Caluluan High School, Estrella Aquino National High School, and Sta. Rosa National High School. For the validators of the questionnaire, the researcher sought the professional expertise and help of 3 Mathematics Specialists and 3 Language Specialists in the Municipality of Concepcion, Division of Tarlac Province. The group of validators includes 2 Head Teachers and 4 Master Teachers.

To answer the study's specific problems, the researcher constructed a questionnaire. The tool was composed of two parts. The first part of the questionnaire identified the strategies of junior and senior high school Mathematics teachers in blended modular and face-to-face learning modalities in terms of instructional planning; instructional strategies; and instructional management. Whereas, the second part, the researcher identified the struggles of junior and senior high school Mathematics teachers in blended modular and face-to-face learning modalities in terms of instructional planning; instructional strategies; and instructional management. To strengthen the data claims, the researcher also administered a casual interview after administering the questionnaire using an interview guide. 

Three language specialists validated the mechanics of the questionnaire, and the content of the questionnaire was validated by three Mathematics specialists. Specialists must have at least 5 years of experience in the field of Mathematics. The researcher strictly followed the specialists’ guidelines for the high-quality instrument. The summary of the results of the specialists’ validation has an average of 4.85 which is described as highly valid. The same questionnaire also undertook a dry-run test process over 30 teachers with the same criteria as the study participants.

In the first phase, the researcher sought permission from the proper authorities of the Department of Education, Schools Division of Tarlac Province to conduct the study on the Mathematics high school teachers who are currently hired in the district of Concepcion. Letters of consent were given as an indication of requesting approval from the authorities and the Mathematics high school teachers. The researcher then formulated a consent letter and sent to the Mathematics high school teachers through email. The researcher also conducted a casual interview using the constructed interview guide with the participants to get supporting information and to provide context to the quantitative data.

After identifying sixty (60) Mathematics high school teachers, the researcher administered the questionnaire. The researcher analyzed and interpreted the data and identified the strategies and struggles of junior and senior high school Mathematics teachers in blended modular and face-to-face learning modalities in terms of instructional planning; instructional strategies; and instructional management using weighted averages and the 5-point evaluation scale. The findings of the study were the basis of an action plan to address their problems. Finally, the study's implications for Mathematics teaching were extracted from the results of the analysis of the gathered data.

To interpret the data obtained in identifying the strategies and struggles of junior and senior high school Mathematics teachers in blended modular and face-to-face learning modalities in terms of instructional planning; instructional strategies; and instructional management, the researcher employed weighted averages. The weighted average is a calculation that considers the varying degrees of importance of the numbers in a data set. In calculating a weighted average, each number in the data set is multiplied by a predetermined weight before the final calculation is made (Ganti, 2021). The computed weighted averages for the strategies and struggles of junior and senior high school Mathematics teachers in blended modular and face-to-face learning modalities were interpreted using the 5-point evaluation scale adapted from Pimentel, J. L. (2010). A note on the usage of Likert Scaling for research data analysis. USM R&D Journal, 18(2), 109-112.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Strategies Used by Teachers in Teaching Mathematics in Blended Modular and Face-To-Face Learning Modalities in Instructional Planning

The capacity of the mathematics teacher to see and predict the direction of the teaching-learning process is referred to as instructional planning.

Result shows the strategies used by teachers in teaching mathematics in blended modular and face-to-face learning modalities in instructional planning. In instructional planning in the blended modular distance learning, 78.33% of Mathematics teachers determine which Mathematics lessons or activities can be used as at-home work or for online use depending on learners’ access to technology whereas, 75% of the Mathematics teachers are mindful of the pressures and stresses associated with the unprecedented challenges to learners in teaching Mathematics, the two statements rank the highest. According to some Mathematics teachers, lesson planning to address both modular and online learning is difficult yet a must, “It is hard preparing for modular and online learning, it is like doing two different lessons in comparison to one teaching preparations.” Moreover, planning for modular distance learning can be very stressful, "I always have a hard time printing and preparing modules, which make me feel so stressed. Modules can be taxing. Another stress of modular distance learning is the distribution and retrieval of modules which could be risky for our health." 

The instructional planning in the face-to-face learning modality, Mathematics teachers always consider the Most Essential Learning Competencies (MELCs) in preparing their lessons in Mathematics; spend efforts to make sound decisions, particularly around the sourcing and use of credible sources in teaching Mathematics; join Learning Action Cell (LAC) meetings and webinars to broaden their knowledge in teaching Mathematics; made an inventory of the current curriculum in Mathematics; and think about their learners and their individual needs so that they can modify their activities in Mathematics all got 100%. According to some Mathematics teachers, instructional planning for face-to-face is more varied than in the blended because they can see their learners personally and could interact with them, “I always think of the needs of my learners, hence, I assess their needs based on their assessment in Mathematics. I always use MELC and attend LAC sessions to better my understanding of my learners and the strategies I need to employ to them.”

         In general, the blended learning modality has a general weighted average of 70.49% in comparison with the face-to-face learning modality which has a general weighted average of 96.50%. This implies that instructional planning strategies in the face-to-face learning modality are easier to conduct and more varied than in blended distance learning. The majority of Mathematics teachers are employing better instructional planning strategies in the face-to-face learning modality than in blended learning. Nevertheless, instructional planning strategies are essential to teaching and learning. According to Cahapay (2022), instructional planning should typically be chosen in terms of pedagogical and practical qualities regardless of whether the school will be implementing a modular education, television- or radio-based teaching, face-to-face teaching, or online instruction.

Strategies Used by Teachers in Teaching Mathematics in Blended Modular and Face-To-Face Learning Modalities in Instructional Strategies

Any learning method a teacher employs to aid learners in learning or improving their understanding of the lesson is referred to as an instructional strategy.

         Result shows the strategies used by teachers in teaching mathematics in blended modular and face-to-face learning modalities in instructional strategies. In instructional strategies in the blended modular distance learning, 88.33%, which ranks the highest, of Mathematics teachers provide content using a variety of methods in their Mathematics classes to ensure that all learners can access it; and create group chats for their Mathematics classes to easily reach out to learners. According to some Mathematics teachers, “For instructional strategies, it is mandatory to prepare modules, books, and other materials for learners for Mathematics so that they can have some works to do at home.” Moreover, in connection with strategies for blended distance learning, according to most of the Mathematics teachers, they just use online platforms in online Kumustahan and online classes “In blended distance learning, I use online platforms just to monitor their progress in answering their modules. I use these to answer their questions about the modules.”

         For the face-to-face learning modality, Mathematics teachers’ top teaching strategies which all receive 100% are the use of authentic assessment in teaching Mathematics; offering help or tutorial to their learners for their Mathematics classes, and conducting remedial classes for their Mathematics classes. According to the Mathematics teachers, assessing, tutoring, and remediation are easier to conduct in the face-to-face learning modality, “The good thing about teaching in the face-to-face learning is that I can easily assess my learners. Assessment scores provide whom will I be tutoring or remediating at the end of the day.” Moreover, they are sure that since the face-to-face modality is the old normal, it is easier for them to conduct teaching strategies.

         In general, the blended learning modality has a general weighted average of 69.99% in comparison with the face-to-face learning modality which has a general weighted average of 74.16% in terms of teaching strategies Mathematics teachers employ in class. This implies that instructional strategies in the face-to-face learning modality are easier to conduct and more varied than in blended distance learning. The majority of Mathematics teachers are employing better instructional strategies in the face-to-face learning modality than in blended learning. Yet, both blended and face-to-face learning modalities offer essential, different, and challenging learning experiences for learners. According to Borup et al, (2022) the fact that in-person and online learning are combined does not guarantee that the resulting blended learning will be excellent or even good. Teachers will probably discover that some lessons or perhaps entire teaching units do not function as well as intended once they start to integrate learners' learning. On the other hand, learners will also discover that some blended classes and modules work exceptionally effective. It is crucial to thoroughly assess what functions well and what needs to be enhanced or perhaps replaced.

Strategies Used by Teachers in Teaching Mathematics in Blended Modular and Face-To-Face Learning Modalities in Instructional Management

Instructional management refers to monitoring the progress of the learners and making decisions on the pace of instruction, the grouping of the learners, the sequence of the lesson, and the individualization of instruction.

         Result shows the strategies used by teachers in teaching mathematics in blended modular and face-to-face learning modalities in instructional management strategies. In instructional management strategies in the blended modular distance learning, Mathematics teachers frequently conduct online Kumustahan/ meetings to monitor learners’ work for their Mathematics classes got the highest percentage of 88.33. While Mathematics teachers make sure to schedule some time small groups of online meetings among learners in their Mathematics classes got the second highest percentage of 78.33. According to some Mathematics teachers, online platforms are very useful in the blended distance learning modality. “Since monitoring my learners in their learning is difficult specially in the height of the lockdown, online classrooms are very important to monitor their learning.” Different social media sites were also used during this time, “We have some group chats, and I did some Google meet for them.”

         For the face-to-face learning modality, Mathematics teachers’ top teaching strategies which receive 100% are they keep an inventory of their learners to know their skills and monitor learners’ development in their Mathematics classes. According to Mathematics teachers, quarterly, they are keeping learners’ inventory in Mathematics to monitor their progress, “We are required to use Mathematics inventory from grade 7 to grade 10, in this inventory the needed competencies are written and we need to assess these competencies to our leaners. With this inventory we can easily identify the learners who needs more attention in Mathematics.”

         In general, the blended learning modality has a general weighted average of 66.50% in comparison with the face-to-face learning modality which has a general weighted average of 78.50% in terms of instructional management strategies. This implies that instructional management in the face-to-face learning modality are more diverse and easier to carry out than in blended distance learning. Compared to blended learning, the majority of math teachers use superior instructional management in face-to-face learning. However, learners can benefit from important, unique, and difficult learning experiences offered by both blended and face-to-face learning modalities in terms of instructional management. Even if it is more difficult for teachers to manage classes in the blended learning, according to Rielly (2021) learners need to develop their ability to learn on their own. Both the material that learners are learning, and the delivery of that knowledge must be managed in the classroom. There is yet another perspective. Additionally, learners must be taught how to modify and interact with knowledge in novel ways.

Struggles Encountered by Teachers in Teaching Mathematics in Blended Modular and Face-To-Face Learning Modalities in Instructional Planning

Instructional planning is the ability of the Mathematics teachers to visualize the future of the teaching-learning process.

         Based on the analyzed results, the statements “I have a dilemma about whether or not my learners will be able to participate in my Mathematics classes.”, “I have a hard time making an inventory of the current curriculum in Mathematics.” and ‘I have a concern about planning my lessons in Mathematics with the help of my head and my colleague for evaluation.” got the highest means of 2.82, 2.68, and 2.68 respectively with the ranking of 1st, 2.5th, and 2.5th among all of the statements. According to one Mathematics teacher, “In both blended and face-to-face learning, getting their attention is a problem. Mathematics is technical and numbers can be overwhelming sometimes, making them not interested with the subject.” Hence, the abovementioned statements are the struggles, the Mathematics teachers encountered in teaching mathematics in blended modular and face-to-face learning modalities in instructional planning. According to Cao et al (2021), teachers think that learner self-discipline has a significant impact on how effective learning is. The results of the analysis pointed to the need to increase the use of technology in classroom instruction, alter how teachers engage with learners, and rearrange instructional strategies.

Whereas, the statements “I have a problem in preparing my lesson in Mathematics following the Most Essential Learning Competencies (MELCs)” and “I have a dilemma in communicating with my head and colleagues in the preparation and presentation of teaching Mathematics.” got the lowest means of 2.20 and 2.00 respectively, ranking 9th and 10th among all of the statements. According to one Mathematics teacher, “I understand fully the content of the MELC and I am very happy that my school heads are very approachable and helpful if I encounter problems in my classes.” Hence, the abovementioned statements are the least struggles, the Mathematics teachers encountered in teaching mathematics in blended modular and face-to-face learning modalities in instructional planning.

In conclusion, the instructional planning struggles of Mathematics teachers got a grand mean of 2.52. This means that the Mathematics teachers experienced some struggles in implementing Mathematics in different learning modalities. This implies that the Mathematics teachers are aware of the instructional planning struggles present in the different learning modalities because they experience these struggles. However, based on the findings, they are coping with the challenges well and use them to become better Mathematics teachers.

Struggles Encountered by Teachers in Teaching Mathematics in Blended Modular and Face-To-Face Learning Modalities in Instructional Strategies

Instructional strategies refer to any type of learning technique a teacher uses to help learners learn or better understand the lesson.

Based on the analyzed results, the statements “I have a concern about scheduling and conducting remedial lessons for my Mathematics classes.”, “I have trouble using self-made videos or pictures of myself in teaching Mathematics so learners can learn better.” and “I have a hard time using educational applications such as Kahoot!, SoloLearn, and Quizlet for my Mathematics classes.” got the highest means of 3.01, 2.85, and 2.79 respectively with the ranking of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd among all of the statements. According to one Mathematics teacher, “In both blended and face-to-face learning, getting remediation to the learners who are in need is difficult. Some parents do not want their learners have extra time for learning. The same is true for the learners who are always absent in class” Hence, the abovementioned statements are the struggles, the Mathematics teachers encountered in teaching mathematics in blended modular and face-to-face learning modalities in instructional strategies.

Whereas, the statements “I have a problem with using internet videos from social media platforms like Youtube, Tiktok, and Facebook to improve my Mathematics instruction.” and “I have trouble creating group chats for my Mathematics classes to easily reach out my students.” got the lowest means of 2.44 and 2.35 respectively, ranking 11th and 12th among all the statements. According to one Mathematics teacher, “Online platforms are beneficial in both face-to-face learning and blended learning. Through online we can easily post some announcements and we can contact parents when the learners have problems in school. In the blended learning these platforms were used to monitor the learning of learners.” Hence, the abovementioned statements are the least struggles, the Mathematics teachers encountered in teaching mathematics in blended modular and face-to-face learning modalities in instructional strategies. According to Odan (2022) many schools considered employing technology to solve their problems, including the internet, portable radios, radio broadcasts, films, restricted face-to-face interactions, and other methods. However, many of these resources were unfamiliar to both instructors and learners. Even though online webinars have overwhelmed instructors, most have not received any training before using mixed learning modalities.

In conclusion, the instructional strategies struggles of Mathematics teachers got a grand mean of 2.64. This means that the Mathematics teachers experienced struggles in teaching Mathematics in different learning modalities. This suggests that because they themselves encounter similar difficulties, mathematics teachers are aware of the instructional strategy challenges that exist in the various learning modes. The results show that they are handling the difficulties well and using them to improve as Mathematics teachers.

Struggles Encountered by Teachers in Teaching Mathematics in Blended Modular and Face-To-Face Learning Modalities in Instructional Management

Instructional management refers to monitoring the progress of the learners and making decisions on the pace of instruction, the grouping of the learners, the sequence of the lesson, and the individualization of instruction.

Based on the analyzed results, the statements “I have a hard time reaching out to those who are not actively engaging in my Mathematics classes to figure out their situation and to determine a solution together”, “I have trouble making sure of scheduling some time small groups of online meetings among learners in my Mathematics classes.” and “I have a dilemma in allowing learners to have a choice of lesson that will meet their level of skills in my Mathematics classes.” got the highest means of 2.77, 2.65, and 2.60 respectively with the ranking of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd among all of the statements. According to one Mathematics teacher, “In both blended and face-to-face learning, getting the attention of delinquent and in need learners is difficult. Many learners who are not actively participating in class and have low scores in assessments are usually absent.” Hence, the abovementioned statements are the struggles, the Mathematics teachers encountered in teaching mathematics in blended modular and face-to-face learning modalities in instructional strategies.

Whereas, the statements “I have a hard time checking the gadgets and materials I use beforehand before teaching my Mathematics classes.” and “I have a problem checking the connectivity I use beforehand before teaching my Mathematics classes.” got the lowest means of 2.44 and 2.39 respectively, ranking 9th and 10th among all of the statements. According to one Mathematics teacher, “Troubleshooting and manipulating gadgets and internet connectivity has become easier these days due to several reasons such as user-friendly interfaces, online resources, diagnostic tools, and wireless connectivity.” Hence, the abovementioned statements are the least struggles, the Mathematics teachers encountered in teaching mathematics in blended modular and face-to-face learning modalities in instructional management. According to Alawamleh's study from 2020, in the modern educational system, internet learning distractions are detrimental to both learners and teachers. A lack of understanding of the material, epidemic-induced isolation, and a breakdown in communication between instructors and pupils are some of the negative outcomes.

In conclusion, the instructional management struggles of Mathematics teachers got a grand mean of 2.54. This means that the Mathematics teachers experienced some struggles in teaching Mathematics in different learning modalities. This shows that mathematics teachers are aware of the problems in developing effective teaching strategies for the various learning modes because they experience comparable issues themselves. The findings indicate that they are handling the challenges well and using them to become better math educators. This suggests that since mathematics teachers themselves experience a variety of challenges, they are aware of the difficulties that different learning modes present to instructional management strategies. The outcomes demonstrate that they are effectively managing the challenges and utilizing them to grow as Mathematics teachers.

Proposed Implementation Guide to Address the Struggles Encountered by the Teachers in Implementing Mathematics in the New Normal

Problem 1

Problem to be Solved:

Participation of learners in Mathematics classes in both blended learning and face-to-face learning.

Objectives:

To achieve maximum participation of learners in Mathematics classes in both blended learning and face-to-face learning.

Strategies/ Activities:

To create a plan of intervention in acknowledging the needs of learners to participate in the blended learning and face-to-face learning modality Mathematics activities.

Persons Involved:

Administrators, School Heads, Teachers, and Other Stakeholders

Timeline:

First Quarter of the School Year 2022-2023

Sources Needed:

School Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses

Expected Outcomes:

Plan a meeting with the parents and other stakeholders to disseminate the 100% participation of learners in the modular distance and face-to-face learning modality Mathematics

Problem 2

Problem to be Solved:

Preparation of inventory of the current curriculum in Mathematics.

Objectives:

To create a mechanism for making an inventory of the current curriculum in Mathematics.

Strategies/ Activities:

To develop a webinar workshop in creating an inventory of the current curriculum in Mathematics.

Persons Involved:

Administrators, School Heads, Teachers, and other Stakeholders

Timeline:

Before the Start of the School Year 2022-2023

Sources Needed:

School Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses

Expected Outcomes:

Partner with the Local Government (LGU) and other Schools in benchmarking in creating an inventory of the current curriculum in Mathematics.

Problem 3

Problem to be Solved:

Scheduling and conducting remedial lessons for Mathematics classes.

Objectives:

To produce a mechanism for scheduling remedial lessons for Mathematics classes.

Strategies/ Activities:

To develop remediation schedules of lessons for learners who cannot cope with the lessons in Mathematics classes.

Persons Involved:

Administrators, School Heads, Teachers, and other Stakeholders

Timeline:

Before the Start of the School Year 2022-2023

Sources Needed:

School Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses

Expected Outcomes:

Cooperate with the Local Government (LGU), Parents, and other Stakeholders in creating safe remediation schedules of lessons for learners who cannot cope with the lessons in Mathematics classes.

Problem 4

Problem to be Solved:

Usage of self-made videos or pictures teaching Mathematics.

Objectives:

To give professional support to Mathematics teachers in using educational technology/ materials.

Strategies/ Activities:

To provide Mathematics teachers with educational technology/ materials support resources.

Persons Involved:

Administrators, School Heads, and Teachers

Timeline:

Before the Start of the School Year 2022-2023

Sources Needed:

School Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses

Expected Outcomes:

Create webinars using online educational applications and provide monthly internet charges for Mathematics teachers for online learning.

Problem 5

Problem to be Solved:

Reaching out to those who are not actively engaging in Mathematics classes to figure out their situation and to determine a solution.

Objectives:

To reach out to those who are not actively engaging in Mathematics classes and figure out their situation so a solution can be determined.

Strategies/ Activities:

To develop safety home visitation schedule for learners who cannot cope with the lessons in Mathematics classes.

Persons Involved:

Administrators, School Heads, and Teachers

Timeline:

After Every Quarter of the School Year 2022-2023

Sources Needed:

School Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses

Expected Outcomes:

Cooperate with the Local Government (LGU), Parents, and other Stakeholders in creating safe home visitation schedules for learners who cannot cope with the lessons in Mathematics classes.

Problem 6

Problem to be Solved:

Scheduling some time with small groups of online meetings among learners in Mathematics classes.

Objectives:

To give ease to Mathematics teachers in the scheduling of some time with small groups of online meetings among learners in Mathematics classes.

Strategies/ Activities:

To buy a product that would promote ease to Mathematics teachers in the printing of modules, so they can focus more on meeting the learners.

Persons Involved:

Administrators, School Heads, Teachers, and Stakeholders

Timeline:

Before the Start of the School Year 2022-2023

Sources Needed:

School Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses

Expected Outcomes:

Purchase of fast printing Piso Machine for each school to lessen the burden of Mathematics teachers in printing modules and hire additional human resource support so that they would be the ones to prepare and print modules.

Implication of the Study in Teaching Mathematics

The pandemic has impacted the education sector in a way that no one could imagine. However, in light of this situation, teachers are resilient to provide learning to the students using different modalities; they trained and equipped themselves with the new methods and strategies to offer authentic learning to the student in the new normal (Friolo & Mutya, 2022). This paper focused on the strategies and struggles of Mathematics high school teachers of the District of Concepcion, Division of Tarlac Province in instructional planning, instructional strategies, and instructional management in different learning delivery modalities.

The study identifies that teachers need support and collaboration in addressing the challenges encountered in teaching Mathematics in blended modular and face-to-face learning modalities. Schools and education agencies need to provide teachers with adequate support systems, including mentorship programs and collaboration opportunities, to help them succeed in this new mode of teaching. The school and DepEd must provide the teachers with support and adequate funding for the implementation of modular distance learning. Furthermore, attention should also be given to module reproduction, assessment  tools,  and capacity  building  in  measuring  the  students' performance in the context of the new normal (Gueta & Janer, 2021). 

The study shows that teachers encounter challenges in designing and implementing Mathematics lessons that are appropriate for blended modular and face-to-face learning modalities. This suggests a need to improve the curriculum and instructional design to cater to these new modes of learning. According to Ferri, Grifoni, and Guzzo (2020), educators need to acquire technological knowledge (TK) to plan the class and adapt to the new teaching style that each learner is required to have.

Moreover, the study reveals that teachers encounter technological issues that hinder the effective implementation of Mathematics teaching in blended modular and face-to-face learning modalities. This suggests a need to address these technology-related issues, such as internet connectivity, availability of devices, and access to online resources. As reported by Ni Fhloinn and Fitzmaurice (2021), the emergency remote teaching of Mathematics was hampered by four basic types of difficulties: technical, learner, teaching, and mathematical difficulties. Respondents cited flexibility as the key benefit of online instruction, with the absence of face-to-face interaction ranking strongly as a drawback. Thus investing in online education and computer learning applications should be considered one of the top priorities of schools nowadays (Ionescu et  al.,2020;  Palero  &  Mutya, 2022).

In conclusion, the study on Struggles of High School Mathematics Teachers in Blended Modular and Face-To-Face Learning Modalities highlights the strategies, challenges and difficulties encountered by Mathematics teachers in the new normal education. Addressing these implications can help improve Mathematics teaching and learning in any form of emergency remote teaching.

REFERENCES

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Arnab, R. (2017). Nonsampling Errors. Survey Sampling Theory and Applications. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-811848-1.00015-7

Assunção Flores, M., & Gago, M. (2020). Teacher education in times of COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal: national, institutional and pedagogical responses. Journal of Education for Teaching, 46(4), 507-516.

Borup, J., Graham, C., Short, C., & Kang Shin, J. (2022, January 11). Designing the New Normal: Enable, Engage, Elevate, and Extend Student Learning. https://er.educause.edu/.

Cahapay, M. B. (2021). How to Plan Lessons in the New Normal Education: A Reintroduction to Selected Instructional Design Processes. Aquademia, 5(1), ep21006. https://doi.org/10.21601/aquademia/10807

Cao, Y., Zhang, S., Chan, M. C. E., & Kang, Y. (2021). Post-pandemic reflections: lessons from Chinese Mathematics teachers about online Mathematics instruction. Asia Pacific Education Review, 22(2), 157-168.

DepEd Order (DO) No. 012, s. 2020, "Adoption of the Basic Education Learning Continuity Plan (BE-LCP) for School Year 2020-2021”

DepEd Regional Memorandum No. 683, s. 2021 “Preparations for the Implementation of the Mass Limited Face-to-Face Classes”

Division Oder 012 series 2020 on the Adoption of The Basic Education Learning Continuity Plan for School Year 2020-2021

Ferri F. Grifoni P. & Guzzo T. (2020). Online learning and emergency remote teaching: opportunities and challenges in emergencies. Societies. https://doi.org/10.3390/soc10040086

Friolo, R., & Mutya, R. (2022). Mathematics Teachers’ Perception on Modular Distance Learning: A Phenomenological Study. International Journal of Multidisciplinary, 3(9), 1607–1615. https://doi.org/10.11594/ijmaber.03.09.01

Odan, S. (2022, February 7). Surviving the challenges posed by new normal education. Retrieved February 26, 2023, from https://www.gurupress-cordillera.com/post/surviving-the-challenges-posed-by-new-normal

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Saavedra, J. (2020, May 11). COVID-19: More Than a Billion Students Aren’t in Class – How Do We Educate During a Pandemic? World Bank. Retrieved February 12, 2022, from https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/video/2020/05/11/how-to-educate-during-a-pandemic

Sullivan, P., Bobis, J., Downton, A., Feng, M., Hughes, S., Livy, S., ... & Russo, J. (2020). Threats and opportunities in remote learning of Mathematics: implication for the return to the classroom. Mathematics Education Research Journal, 32(3), 551-559.

UNESCO, 2020. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): Schools. (n.d.). Retrieved October 26, 2022, from https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/question-and-answers-hub/q-a-detail/coronavirus-disease-covid-19-schools

Math is a language; like any language, it can be learned. It's not about being a genius or having an exceptional talent, it's about understanding the concepts and applying them to solve problems. With practice and dedication, anyone can learn and become proficient in math. There are many activities that schools can conduct to help students become more confident in math. For example, they can have students work in groups to solve math problems or have them participate in math culminating activities. Schools can provide students with extra help and resources, such as tutorial videos and online math activities. Even though math can be intimidating, it doesn't have to be. Math can be an enjoyable and rewarding subject with the right attitude and approach. Start by breaking down the problem into smaller, more manageable pieces. Don't rush things, and don't be hesitant to ask questions.

Math can indeed be complex and challenging to understand, but it's important to remember that the answer is often more straightforward than it appears. Taking the time to break down the problem and look at it from different angles can help you find the solution more quickly. Practice and commitment are essential for success in math. It is important to understand the concepts and practice them regularly. It is also necessary to ask questions and seek help when needed. Anyone can learn math if they put in the effort and the right attitude.

Daniel Tammet's statement is absolutely true. Math is a universal language that belongs to everyone, regardless of culture or background. It is a language that can be used to communicate ideas, solve problems, and explore the world around us. It is a language that can be used to create art. Numbers are a powerful tool that can be used to solve problems, make decisions, and understand the world around us. They can be used to measure, compare, and analyze data. They can also be used to create models and simulations to help us better understand complex systems. It can be challenging to change your attitude towards a subject you don't like, but it is possible. Start by trying to find something positive about the subject. It may have a fascinating history or is related to something you do like. Lastly, be sure to keep your attention on the benefits of mathematics.

In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) has penetrated various facets of human life, including education. ChatGPT, a cutting-edge AI tool, has significantly altered how students and educators interact with information. Although ChatGPT has facilitated numerous educational benefits, examining its detrimental consequences within the context of higher education in the Philippines is crucial. This essay will analyze the ethical, academic, and social concerns arising from using ChatGPT in higher education institutions in the Philippines and propose potential solutions to mitigate these issues.

The integration of ChatGPT in higher education has inadvertently facilitated academic dishonesty by making it easy for students to generate coherent and well-structured content in mere seconds. As a result, students may quickly produce essays, research papers, and other assignments without thoroughly understanding the topic. This practice could lead to a surge in plagiarism, with students becoming increasingly dependent on AI-generated content rather than honing their critical thinking and writing skills. ChatGPT may still generate biased or misleading information despite being trained on vast amounts of data. This issue is particularly concerning in higher education, where students and educators rely on accurate and unbiased information for research and learning. In the Philippines, misinformation is especially detrimental, as it undermines the importance of cultural nuances and historical perspectives essential to understanding the nation's identity.

The use of ChatGPT in higher education might inadvertently devalue degrees from Philippine institutions. As students increasingly rely on AI-generated content, the quality of their learning experiences may decline, resulting in a workforce that needs to be more adequately prepared. Consequently, employers may question the credibility and competence of graduates, ultimately devaluing degrees earned in the country's higher education system. Higher education aims to foster creativity and critical thinking skills in students. However, increasing reliance on ChatGPT could impede the development of these vital skills. By using AI-generated content as a crutch, students may need help to develop the ability to analyze complex ideas, think independently, and generate original thoughts. This could contribute to declining innovation and intellectual growth within the Philippines.

The availability and adoption of ChatGPT in higher education could exacerbate the digital divide in the Philippines. Students from affluent backgrounds may have better access to advanced AI tools like ChatGPT, affording them an unfair advantage over less privileged peers. This disparity could worsen existing social inequalities and further marginalize students from low-income communities. Incorporating ChatGPT into the educational system may reduce the importance of teacher-student relationships. As students become more dependent on AI-generated content, they may be less likely to engage in meaningful discussions with their instructors or seek guidance. Consequently, this could weaken the bonds between students and educators, diminishing the overall quality of the educational experience.

While ChatGPT holds the potential to revolutionize the processing and sharing of information in higher education, it is essential to recognize and address the harmful disruptions it may cause within the Philippine context. By considering ethical, academic, and social concerns, stakeholders can ensure that the use of AI in higher education does not compromise the quality and integrity of the learning experience.

Educational institutions, educators, students, and policymakers must work collectively to establish guidelines, policies, and best practices to mitigate the negative impacts of ChatGPT on higher education in the Philippines. By fostering a responsible and thoughtful approach to AI integration, the potential harms can be minimized, allowing for the continued growth and development of the nation's higher education system. Ultimately, striking the right balance between leveraging AI's benefits and addressing its drawbacks is crucial to the future of higher education in the Philippines. By doing so, the country can continue to produce well-rounded, competent, and innovative graduates capable of contributing positively to society and the global community. To address these concerns, educational institutions must implement stringent plagiarism detection measures and educate students about the consequences of academic dishonesty. Furthermore, students and educators should be encouraged to cross-check and verify AI-generated content, ensuring that it is accurate and free from bias.

Educators should promote a balanced approach, incorporating AI-generated content as a supplementary tool rather than a primary source. By encouraging students to engage in critical analysis and creative problem-solving, institutions can help preserve the value of higher education and promote intellectual growth. To bridge the digital divide, educational institutions, and policymakers should collaborate to ensure equal access to AI tools and resources for all students, regardless of socioeconomic background. Providing training, infrastructure, and financial support to underprivileged communities can help level the playing field and promote social equity in higher education. Educators should actively engage with students to preserve teacher-student relationships, incorporating AI-generated content as a starting point for in-depth discussions, debates, and collaborative learning experiences. They can foster a more enriching educational environment by maintaining open lines of communication and emphasizing the importance of human connection.

In conclusion, the careful and responsible integration of ChatGPT and other AI tools into higher education in the Philippines is essential to prevent potential harmful disruptions. By addressing ethical, academic, and social concerns and fostering a collaborative approach among stakeholders, the country can continue to advance its higher education system while nurturing competent and innovative graduates who will contribute to a better future.

Disyembre 31, 2019 ito ang araw na napabalitang may “unknown” virus na kumakalat sa China. Marso taong 2020 naman nang nag-umpisa ang pandaigdigang pandemyang ating naranasan na kung saan nagkaroon ng Enhance Community Quarantine o lockdown at naghigpit ng restriksiyon ang ating pamahalaan sa ating lahat maiwasan lamang ang pagkalat ng sakit na Novel Coronavirus Disease. Maraming pagbabagong naganap sa pamumuhay ng mga tao. Maraming mga hindi inaasahang pangyayari ang naganap na lubos na nakaapekto sa ating buhay lalo na sa ating mental health at iba pang aspeto. Ang pagdating ng sakit na CoviD19 na nagmula sa bansang China ang siyang dahilan ng lahat ng pagkalat nito sa iba’t ibang panig ng mundo. Ang sakit na ito ang siyang kumitil sa maraming buhay sa mga hindi inaasahang pagkakataon. Sobra tayong nag-alala, natakot at nagkaroon ng trauma baka isa tayo sa mahawaan nito kaya ginagawa natin ang lahat ng paraan upang makaiwas tayo rito.  Ilan sa mga ito ay ang pananatili natin sa ating mga tahanan, pagsusuot ng facemask, at faceshield, pagsa-sanitize ng mga kamay gamit ang alcohol at sabon, pagsunod sa social distancing at marami pang iba. Isa sa mga naisip na solusyon ng ating pamahalaan ay gumawa ng pananaliksik at ang payo ng mga eksperto ay ang kailangang magkaroon ng bakuna laban sa nakakahawang virus na ito. Ito ang siyang nakitang lunas upang malabanan ang sakit na ito. Iba’t ibang bakuna ang nadiskubre ng ating mga mananaliksik na siyang nakatulong upang masugpo ang pagkalat ng sakit na CoviD19.

         Paano nga ba binago ng Covid-19 ang mundo? Malaki ang naging pagbabago nito sa matinding epektong idinulot nito sa mga tao. Nariyan na una ang nakansela ang mga biyahe-mapahimpapawid o mapadagat man. Hindi na natuloy ang mga pangarap nating lugar na mapuntahan kasama sana ang ating pamilya dahil sa mga restriksiyon na ipinatupad ng ating pamahalaan. Naging istrikto rin sa mga biyahe at nagkaroon ng mga checkpoint at kailangan ng travel pass bago ka payagang makabiyahe sa lugar na iyong pupuntahan. Pangalawa ay ang epekto nito sa pamumuhay. Milyun-milyong mga tao ang nawalan ng trabaho at nabawasan ang kita dahil sa pandemya. Maraming mga nagsarang mga negosyo, mga establisyimento at iba pang mga kabuhayan. Resulta ito ng rising unemployment, working time reductions, temporary layoffs at job-search discouragement. Maraming mga OFW ang napilitang pinauwi dahil naapektuhan din ang pinagtatrabahuan nilang mga kompanya roon. Marami rin sa kanila ang pinili na lamang manatili doon sa ibang bansa dahil sa mga bagong patakarang pinatupad ng kanilang mga employer. Nauso rin ang “work from home” at umarangka ang pag-oonline selling gamit ang social media platforms.  Bumagsak ang ekonomiya ng maraming bansa dulot ng malawakang pandemya. Ikatlo ay ang epekto nito sa edukasyon. Batay sa datos ng UN, siyam sa bawat sampung kabataan ang naapektuhan ng pagsara ng mga paaralan. Mas malaki ang naging epekto nito sa Human Development Index ng mga bansang walang maayos na internet access. Dito sa Pilipinas ay maraming mga magulang ang nanawagan ng “academic freeze” dahil sa kakulangan ng bansa sa distance learning. Isa sa mga pangunahing problema ng bansa ay ang internet. Ayon sa ating dating kalihim ng Kagawaran ng Edukasyon na si Secretary Leonor Magtolis-Briones ay dapat pa ring ituloy ang edukasyon ng mga bata sa kabila ng umiiral na pandemya. Nagkaroon nga ng distance learning sa pamamagitan ng modular at online class nang dalawang taon at naging mahirap ito lalo na sa mga guro ang ganitong sitwasyon ngunit ginawa naman ng DepEd lahat ng paraan para mabigyan pa rin ng kalidad na edukasyon ang mga bata.   Ikaapat ay ang Violence Against Women. Dahil sa lockdown ay maraming mga kababaihan ang napilitang mamalagi sa kanilang mga tahanan kasama ang kanilang mapang-abusong partner o miyembro ng kanilang pamilya. Bago pa ang pandemya ay nakararanas na ng physical o sexual violence ang marami sa mga kababaihan at noong panahon ng lockdown ay lumalala pa ang kaso nito.

         Mahigit dalawang taon noong naranasan natin ang epekto nitong pandemya na hanggang sa kasalukuyan ay mayroon pa rin. Taong 2022 ay unti-unti nang bumabangon ang ekonomiya ng ating bansa at nakakabalik na sa trabaho  ang maraming mga Pilipino at nagsimula na muling magbukas ang mga nagsaradong mga  negosyo. Dahil sa pandemya, malaki talaga ang pinagbago ng buong mundo. May mga naging masamang epekto man ito sa atin ngunit mayroon din naman itong mga magagandang naidulot sa ating  buhay. Tulad na lamang ng pagkaroon ng quality time ng bawat pamilya. Mas naipakita ang pagmamahalan at pagkakaisa ng bawat miyembro ng pamilya dahil mas nabibigyan ng sapat na atensyon at oras ang mga anak. Mas natutukan sila sa kanilang pag-aaral kahit na malaking pagsubok para sa mga magulang ang sila mismo ang magturo sa kanila. Dito ay nasubukan ang kanilang pasensya at pang-unawa sa kanilang mga anak. Isa rin sa mga magandang nagawa nito ay ang lubos na pagpapahalaga natin sa ating kalikasan tulad na lamang ng paghahalaman. Para tayo ay may mapagkukunan ng pagkain at makatipid na sa mga gastusin ay nagtanim tayo sa ating bakuran ng iba’t ibang klase ng gulay at iba pang mga pananim. Ang ating kalikasan ay biyaya ng Diyos sa atin kaya’t panatilihin natin ang pangangalaga rito upang tayo ay maligtas sa darating na mga sakuna. Nagkaroon din tayo ng pagkakataong mas alagaan at mahalin ang ating sarili. Dahil sa pandemya ay natutuhan nating mas pahalagahan ang ating mga sarili sa pamamagitan ng tamang pagkain at tamang pag-eehersisyo. Dahil din sa pandemya ay nasukat ang katatagan nating mga tao kung paano tayo gumawa ng sariling diskarte upang maka-survive sa araw-araw  at lumalim din ang ating pananalig sa Diyos na kahit na ganito ang ating mga naranasan at pinagdaanan ay pinili pa rin nating magpatuloy sa buhay at hindi na lang basta sumuko sa mga hamon. Yakapin natin ang mga pagbabago sa ating buhay at patuloy lang sa paggawa ng mabuti sa ating kapwa. Lagi nating tatandaan na anumang pagsubok ang dumating sa ating buhay ay kayanin nating bumangon kapag tayo ay nadadapa dahil nais ng Diyos na makita Niya tayong lumalaban sa bawat hamon. Anumang mapagdaananang pagsubok ay sama-sama tayong umahon at bumangon sa hamon ng kasalukuyang panahon. Ang pagdating ng sakit na CoviD19 ang isa sa pinakamatinding pagsubok na pinagdaanan ng mga tao sa buong mundo. Wala itong pinipiling dapuan, mapa-mayaman man o mapa-mahirap ay maaaring dapuan nito. Dito natin mapapatunayan na pantay-pantay tayo sa paningin ng Diyos kaya wala dapat naglalamangan, nagkokompetensiyahan at nag-aaway upang mapanatili ang magandang ugnayan ng bawat isa.

Nawa’y ang mensaheng hatid ng pandemyang ito sa atin ay magpatuloy kahit na mawala na ito. Tumatak nawa sa puso’t isip ng mga tao ang mga aral na hatid nito sa buhay. Lahat ng pagbabagong naganap sa mundo ay lalo pa sanang umigting at hindi agad makalimutan ng mga tao. Ang nabuong pagkakaisa at pagmamalasakit sa kapwa  sa panahon  ng pandemya ang mangibabaw palagi sa ating mga puso. Hindi sana tayo magsawa sa paggawa ng mabuti, tumulong sa ating kapwa sa abot ng ating makakaya at umiwas na sa paggawa ng masama upang tayo ay mas bibiyayaan at pagpapalain pa ng Poog Maykapal. Patuloy tayong sumunod sa mga utos Niya para makaiwas tayo sa paggawa ng mga maling gawain, maling desisyon at makaiwas tayo sa mga tukso. Ituloy lang nating abutin ang ating mga pinapangarap sa buhay dahil kapag ito’y ating pinagsisikapang gawin, tiyak na makakamit natin ito basta’t sabayan natin palagi ng sipag at tiyaga dahil lahat ng sakripisyong ginagawa natin ay para sa pagkakaroon ng magandang kinabukasan ng ating pamilya. Patuloy ang ating pagbangon at pag-ahon sa hamon ng kasalukuyang panahon. Manatili tayong matatag at gumawa ng mga hakbang para magtagumpay sa buhay. Magbasa at mag-aral. Makinig sa mga magagandang aral na mula sa mga taong may malaking impluwensya sa pagbabago at pag-unlad. Dalhin at isabuhay natin lahat ng ating mga natutuhan sa pandemyang ito. Lumuwag man ang mga restriksiyon ngayon hindi tulad ng dati ay panatilihin pa rin natin ang pangangalaga sa ating sarili at sa ating kalikasan dahil ang mga ito ang siyang puhunan natin sa pagtupad ng ating mga mithiin at higit sa lahat ay gumawa tayo ng mga bagay na makatutulong sa atin upang tayo ay lumago bilang isang indibidwal na makapag-aambag sa pag-unlad ng ating bansa. Tayo’y lumaban at patuloy na gawin ang tamang proseso upang makamit lahat ng ating mga pinapangarap. Kaya tayo’y bumangon at patuloy na magsikap tungo sa pagtupad ng ating mga pangarap!

Introduction

Human language is constantly changing, which implies that the tone, mood, and generic needs of the speaker can be incorporated into a dialect. This can be seen as an inconsistency in the advancement of communication, as dialects differ and change over hundreds of years. This enables individuals to communicate more openly and specifically with one another, which is beneficial in today's society where we are separated by COVID - a pandemic and subsequent lockdowns.

The use of internet slang by teenagers and students has had a significant impact on global communication. This slang is often used in social media posts and other online communications and has changed the way people communicate.

As per the experience of the researcher, now that education is in a virtual setting, almost all students spend much of their time on their social media and share posts using a lot of English internet slang. Teachers are bothered by the excessive use of English internet slang by the students which they think is the reason for having errors in spelling, punctuation marks, and shortened words that leads to poor performance in terms of students’ academic writing.

Given the growing number of students who use social networking as a means of communication and sharing information, as well as their usage of internet slang in their cyber language, it's interesting to investigate this practice and its consequences. Thus, the research investigated the effects of English internet slang on English language learning and is the basis for designing the educational video on English internet slang management.

Statement of the Problem

This research study was conducted to determine the effects of English internet slang on the English language learning of senior high school students of Laoag City after which an educational video on English internet slang was developed.      Specifically, it sought answers to the following questions: What are the social networking sites used by the respondents?

1.     What are the types of internet slang used by the respondents on social networking sites?

2.     What is the regularity of the use of English internet slang among the respondents?

3.     What are the reasons why respondents use English internet slang as part of their language?

4.     What are the effects of English internet slang on English language learning as perceived by the respondents in terms of:

a.    vocabulary development;

b.    word formation; and

c.     word/phrase/ or sentence meaning?

5. What educational video can be proposed to educate students on how to manage the use of English internet slang?

Methodology

         This part articulates the rudiments needed in answering the specific research problems such as the design, population and sampling, research instruments as well as data analysis.

Research Design

The descriptive research design was used in this study wherein, it presents the description of a present phenomenon or currently existing situations and experiences which are taking place. In as much as an educational video for English internet slang management of English Internet slang was developed as an output, this study also utilized the Research and Development design. According to Sugiyono (2014), research and development design is used to produce a certain product or output.

Population and Sampling

The respondents of this study were the Senior High School students of Laoag City. Out of the 3,406 total population of senior high school students in Laoag City, 346 were the computed total number of respondents. This sample size was obtained using the Raosoft calculator. After knowing the total number of respondents, proportionate sampling was employed in identifying the number of respondents in each target school to ensure an equal representation of the variables for the study. Further, convenience sampling was employed wherein the sample was taken from a group of students who are easy to contact or reach.

Data Analysis

After the finalization of the thesis proposal, the researcher had a preliminary visit to the Department of Education, Laoag City Division, and asked permission the conduct of the study in the different public secondary schools in Laoag City.

The researcher also asked for the approval of the school principals of each targeted school and requested a copy of the total number of senior high school students in their respective schools. Upon approval, the researcher conducted a pilot testing of the questionnaire wherein 15 respondents, who were non-participants, were asked to answer. This was done through the help of the English teachers in the targeted schools who distributed the link of the Google form to the senior high school students.

         Data gathered were tabulated, interpreted, and analyzed using appropriate statistical tools.

Results and Discussion

         This part presents a discussion of the obtained information through the use of appropriate statistical tools to generate numerical indices as bases for answering the different problems presented in this paper.

Types of English Internet Slang Used by the Respondents

         Table 1 discloses the results on the different types of English internet slang used by the respondents being ranked based on frequency and percentage.

Table 1

Types of English Internet Slang

f

(%)

Rank

Letter Homophones (e.g. C U, Y, U)

107

30.92

10

Heterography (e.g. 2day, 2moro)

60

17.34

12

Onomatopoeia (e.g.hahaha, woof woof, woohoooo)

216

62.43

5

Punctuation, capitalizations, and other symbols (e.g. ????, !!!!!, WHAT???)

254

73.41

2

Keyboard-generated icons and smileys (e.g. ^_^ ,<3)

117

33.82

9

Emojis (e.g.😃, 🧘🏻‍♂️, 🌍, 🍞, 🚗, 📞,♥️, 🍆)

300

86.71

1

Interjection (e.g. yah, mhm, ya)

171

49.42

6

Leet/ leetspeak (e.g.w1k1p3d14, l33t)

25

7.23

13

Shortening (e.g. msg, rly, srly)

162

46.82

7

Acronyms (e.g. LOL, OMG, BRB)

220

63.58

4

Code switching (e.g. Where na you?, Let’s eat mamaya.)

160

46.24

8

Eccentric spelling (e.g. Reayllyyyyyyy?, Okayyyyyyyy)

244

70.52

3

Flaming (e.g. You are a jerk!)

65

18.79

11

It is evident that most of the respondents, 300 (86.71%), use Emojis in their social networking sites. This is followed by punctuation, capitalizations, and other symbols having 254 (73.41%) users; eccentric spelling having 244 (70.52%) users; acronyms having 220 (63.58%); onomatopoeia with 216 (62.43%) users; interjection with 171 (49.42%) users; shortening having 162 (46.82%) users; code switching with 160 (46.24%) users; keyboard-generated icons and smileys having 117 (33.82%)  users; letter homophones with 107 (30.92%) users; flaming with 65 (18.79%) users; heterography with 60 (17.34%) users; and leet/leetspeak having 25 (7.23%).

Regularity of Use of English Internet Slang

         Table 2 displays the results of the regularity of use of English internet slang with its computed mean and interpretation.

Table 2

Types of English Internet Slang

Weighted Mean

Descriptive Interpretation

Letter Homophones (e.g. C U, Y, U)

2.11

Rarely

Heterography (e.g. 2day, 2moro)

1.89

Rarely

Onomatopoeia (e.g.hahaha, woof woof, woohoooo)

3.23

Sometimes

Punctuation, capitalizations, and other symbols (e.g. ????, !!!!!, WHAT???)

3.04

Sometimes

Keyboard-generated icons and smileys (e.g. ^_^, <3 , :3)

2.28

Rarely

Emojis (e.g.😃, 🧘🏻‍♂️, 🌍, 🚗, 📞, ♥️, 🍆)

3.24

Sometimes

Interjection (e.g. yah, mhm, ya)

2.93

Sometimes

Leet/ leetspeak (e.g.w1k1p3d14, l33t)

1.59

Rarely

Shortening (e.g. msg, rly, srly)

2.61

Sometimes

Acronyms (e.g. LOL, OMG, BRB)

2.94

Sometimes

Code switching (e.g. Where na you?, Let’s eat mamaya.)

2.53

Sometimes

Eccentric spelling (e.g. Reayllyyyyyyy?, Okayyyyyyyy)

3.12

Sometimes

Flaming (e.g. You are a jerk!)

                               Composite Mean

1.84

   2.57  

Rarely

Sometimes

It is reflected from the table that out of the thirteen (13) types of English internet slang, eight (8) were rated as Sometimes and five (5) were rated as Rarely. The emojis has the highest numerical value of 3.24 or Sometimes, followed by Onomatopoeia 3.23, and Eccentric spelling 3.12.  While the three types of English Internet Slang which received the lowest numerical value were heterography (1.89), flaming with a mean of 1.84, leet/leetspeak 1.59 or Rarely. The computed composite mean on the use of English internet slang was 2.57 or Sometimes, which conveys that these types of English internet slang are indeed used by students.  

In the paper of Hwang (2013), she stated that since internet chatting has become popular among users, people have begun to create internet languages for their convenience. They wanted to condense the large lines they planned to say into short sentences and write something humorous to say. They began to employ slang, emoticons, and other forms of communication. As a result of this advancement, an internet slang dictionary was created, demonstrating that language is malleable. There are a variety of new languages that have emerged as a result of online slang.

Reasons on Using English Internet Slang

         Table 3 details the results on the reasons for using English internet slang with their computed mean and interpretation.

Table 3

Reasons

Weighted Mean

Descriptive Interpretation

I use internet slang to:

1. make my message shorter which leads to faster and easier communication.

3.09

Moderately Agree

2. get more connected to different groups of internet users.

3.08

Moderately Agree

3. go with the flow of the new trend.

2.98

Moderately Agree

4. be different and novel.

2.69

Moderately Agree

5. sound humorous and fun which makes communication more interesting.

3.16

Moderately Agree

6. be anonymous. (e.g. using emojis, leet, or heterography in my profile name)

2.75

Moderately Agree

7. express intense emotions and feelings in chats, messages, or posts.

3.19

Moderately Agree

8. be like my social media friends and followers who are also into it.

2.73

Moderately Agree

9. maintain conversational privacy.

3.08

Moderately Agree

10. impress my social media friends and followers.

                                   Composite Mean:

2.43

2.92

Moderately Agree

Moderately Agree

It can be seen in the table that the computed composite mean was 2.92 a Moderately Agree reason that filled the highest mean of 3.19 or Moderately Agree express intense emotions and feelings in chats, messages, or posts. Meanwhile, the indicator, ‘to impress my social media friends and followers’, has the lowest numerical value of 2.43 or Moderately Agree.

Effects of English Internet Slang on English Language Learning along Vocabulary Development, Word Formation, Word Phrase and Sentence Meaning

         Table 4 shows the effects of English internet slang on English language learning particularly on the three important areas of English – vocabulary development, word formation, word/ phrase/ sentence meaning.

Table 4

Indicators

Weighted Mean

Descriptive Interpretation

Vocabulary Development

1. Internet slang increases my knowledge in English vocabulary.

2.83

Moderately Agree

2. I gained new words from the internet slang used in social media which I apply in conversing with my friends.

3.30

Moderately Agree

3. I easily understand the messages of my friends in social media.

3.17

Moderately Agree

4. Even if I am exposed to internet slang, I do not forget proper English words to be used in my academic writings or spoken outputs.

3.21

Moderately Agree

5. I am more confident in using standard English words than internet slang

3.09

Moderately Agree

                                                                                     Composite Mean

3.12

Moderately Agree

Word Formation

1.     Correct arrangement of words in forming sentences is not affected even if I’m used with internet slang.

2.91

Moderately Agree

2.     There is an understanding between me and the elders even when I use English internet slang.

2.55

Moderately Agree

3.     I always use correct spelling of a certain English word.

3.23

Moderately Agree

4.     With my frequent use of internet slang, I have not encountered any trouble on the use of correct words in constructing phrases and sentences in my academic writings and spoken outputs.

2.96

Moderately Agree

5.     I do not get confused with the words and structure of phrases and sentences caused by the differences between internet slang and standard English.

3.00

Moderately Agree

                                                                                     Composite Mean

2.93

Moderately Agree

Words/ Phrases/ Sentence Meaning

1.     It is easier to understand the meaning of phrases and sentences with internet slang words.

2.67

Moderately Agree

2.     It helps me understand messages better.

2.85

Moderately Agree

3.     Communicating in English with internet slang is more convenient.

2.71

Moderately Agree

4.     There are no misunderstandings with the use of internet slang and the way it is interpreted.

2.62

Moderately Agree

5.     I do not get confused with the meaning of some English words, phrases, and sentences because of the way it is used in internet slang.

2.80

Moderately Agree

                                                                                     Composite Mean:

2.73

Moderately Agree

                                                                                         Over-all Mean

2.93

Moderately Agree

It can be gleaned from the table that the weighted means of the indicators ranged from 2.83 to 3.30 with a computed composite mean of 3.12 or Moderately Agree that English internet slang has an effect on vocabulary.

Based on the table, the effect with the highest weighted mean was, ‘I gained new words from the internet slang used in social media which I apply in conversing with my friends’, followed by ‘Even if I am exposed to internet slang, I do not forget proper English words to be used in my academic writings or spoken outputs’ with a mean of 3.21 or Moderately Agree, while the effect with the lowest weighted mean of 2.83 or Moderately Agree was, ‘Internet slang increases my knowledge in English vocabulary’.

Effects of English Internet Slang on Word Formation

         Table 4 also displays the effects of English internet slang on word formation yielding a composite mean of 2.53 or Moderately Agree along the five items. This conveys that English internet slang has an effect on word formation.

Effects of English Internet Slang on Word/Phrase/Sentence Meaning

         It is also reflected in Table 4 that students again Moderately Agree that English internet slang has an effect on word/phrase/sentence meaning having the computed composite mean of 2.73. All the indicators were also rated by the students as Moderately Agree.

Conclusion

         Based on the findings of the study, the following conclusions were drawn:

Senior high school students are social media users and the most used social networking sites are Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. The respondents use the different types of English internet slang sometimes and the most used are emoji; punctuation, capitalizations, and other symbols; eccentric spelling; acronyms; and onomatopoeia. They moderately agree that the use of English internet slang affects vocabulary, word formation, and words/phrases/sentence meaning. The same is true with the stated reasons for using English internet slang. The respondents moderately agree that they use internet slang to express intense emotions and feelings in charts, messages, or posts, and to sound humorous and fun which makes communication more interesting. While the least reason for using English internet, slang is to impress social media friends and followers.

Learning to read is crucial to a child's academic and later life success. The degree to which a child advances in these foundational and predictive skills is one of the best predictors of whether or not he/she can function competently in school and go on to participate successfully in a knowledge-based society.

Reading is a skill that may be used throughout a person's life and should be fostered in every young learner. It is the cornerstone upon which a person's achievement is built. If children are unable to read effectively, they will be deprived of the opportunity for self-fulfillment and a more promising future.

A person's potential to participate in today's modern society will unquestionably be hindered if they do not have adequate reading abilities. According to Snow, Burns, and Griffin (1998), the ever-increasing demand for high literacy levels in our technological culture makes this problem even more critical.

Literacy's significance cannot be overstated. If students do not learn to read, it will be difficult for them to study other learning areas. Literacy is truly the cornerstone of academic achievement. It is the fundamental skill that unlocks learning and gives people the means to independently pursue knowledge and enjoyment. Thus, literacy skills must develop and mature throughout a person's life, providing each person with the reading, writing, and critical thinking skills necessary for success in academic, occupational, and personal settings.

Ultimately, the capacity of a person to engage in all those activities in which literacy is required for the effective function of his or her group and community and also for enabling him or her to continue to use reading and writing for his or her own and the community's development (UNESCO, 2022). It is the most essential and ensuing goal to develop the reading ability of the learners.

The capacity for learners to read a newspaper, mobile phone at least, and other authentic and befitting skills to reading materials is an essential and indispensable precondition of the functioning of 21st-century society. Thus, the reading program introduced and implemented by schools must ensure its terminal point of usability, which is the functional literacy. Seemingly, with the vast reading strategies available in many resources, teachers are given the liberty to design, readopt, and outweigh the most beneficial and practical among them all, considering that each differs in the gravity of implementation.

In the same vein, the consequence of learning loss is plainly seen in the learners' reading performance, notably in spoken word identification and reading comprehension during the eruption of CoViD-19.  According to the 2013 Functional Literacy, Education, and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS), only six out of ten Filipino children are able to continue their education at the secondary or high school level. The survey also revealed that approximately 4 million Filipino children aged 6 to 43 were out of school, or one in ten. The numbers may speak for themselves, but the underlying causes are more alarming.

Likewise, the Department of Education (2020) reiterates the usage of the most essential skills, which highlights the practical application in the real-life scenario. Rooted on this, the reading intervention and design must be aligned with the functional literacy. As the CoViD-19 pandemic is showing signs of slowing down, this has allowed schools in the Philippines to begin reopening their doors to learners. This marks a normalization of sorts for many people. This includes the implementation of the functional literacy reading program to achieve a practical application of the learners in reading.

It is impossible to place enough emphasis on the significance of vaccinations for pupils during a pandemic, such as the current issue involving COVID-19. Vaccines are one of the most effective instruments that we have at our disposal to battle the spread of infectious diseases, and they play an essential part in ensuring the health and safety of both people and the community as a whole.

A vaccine is a substance that is administered into the body in order to stimulate the immune system into producing immunity against a certain disease. This is done in order to protect the body from contracting the disease. In order for the COVID-19 vaccinations to be effective, a little amount of the virus, specifically the spike protein, must be delivered to the body. This enables the immune system to detect and remember the virus, which ensures that if the person gets infected with the virus again in the future, their immune system will be able to fight it off in a speedy and efficient manner.

Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, and Sinovac are just some of the companies whose COVID-19 vaccines have recently been given the green light for use in emergency situations around the world. These vaccinations have been put through extensive testing, and the results have demonstrated that they are quite successful at reducing serious illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths brought on by COVID-19.

It is essential to keep in mind that COVID-19 vaccines do not have a success rate of one hundred percent and cannot ensure that you will not contract the disease. Getting vaccinated, on the other hand, significantly lowers one's chances of contracting a life-threatening illness, as well as of requiring hospitalization or passing away. Getting vaccinated is not only beneficial for one's own health, but it also helps safeguard individuals who are more susceptible to serious sickness.

For students, getting vaccinated is especially important because they are at a higher risk of contracting and spreading the virus. Schools and universities are often a breeding ground for the spread of infectious diseases, as students come into close contact with one another on a daily basis. By getting vaccinated, students can help to protect not only themselves but also their classmates, teachers, and families.

Additionally, vaccines can help to keep schools and universities open. Without vaccines, schools and universities may have to close their doors to in-person learning, which would have a detrimental effect on the education and social development of students. With vaccines, however, schools and universities can remain open and continue to provide students with the education and resources they need to succeed.

Furthermore, getting vaccinated can also help to protect students' mental and emotional well-being. The pandemic has taken a toll on everyone, and students have been particularly affected. With the isolation, uncertainty, and stress caused by the pandemic, students have been struggling with their mental health. By getting vaccinated, students can take an active step towards protecting their health and well-being, and they can also help to reduce the stress and uncertainty caused by the pandemic.

In conclusion, the significance of providing students with access to vaccinations during a pandemic cannot be emphasized. Vaccines are an essential component of the arsenal used to combat infectious illnesses, and they play an essential part in the process of safeguarding both people and the community as a whole. Students can help protect themselves, their families, and their classmates by becoming immunized, which also contributes to the preservation of educational institutions like schools and universities. Additionally, receiving vaccinations can assist in protecting the pupils' mental and emotional well-being, which is another benefit of doing so.

This study determined and analyzed the “Analysis of the Technical Assistance Practices of Supervisors: Basis for School-Based Management Technical Assistance Tool” in the Division of Angeles City, Pampanga, Mabalacat, and the City of San Fernando.

The results of the current study point to a more significant impact on the PPSS indicators' low-result areas. As a result, the report recommends that programs and practices be changed. Programs will therefore raise the level of the management system and establish an easy validation process if they are in line with the school's demands for improvements and enhancements, as well as the technical assistance provided by the supervisors suitable for the needs of the school.

As revealed in the study Supporting Curriculum Management and Implementation showed “poor” results specifically in curriculum implementation, curriculum innovation, curriculum contextualization, and learning outcomes assessment. Moreover, all shared responses in the Strengthening Shared Accountability included the operationalization of the Educational Development Plan, the provision of technical assistance, and the review and recommendation of policies that revealed “poor” results. Additionally, "poor" outcomes under the category of continuous improvement were found, particularly in the areas of support for instructional leadership, ICT-based innovations, research culture, communities, and communication platforms. Meanwhile, efforts to develop oneself and others, such as those that support mechanisms for rewards and recognition, learning and development, professional networks, professional development, and professional reflection to improve practice, also provide "poor" results.

Furthermore, challenges and issues in the provision of technical assistance in school-based management practices were also revealed, particularly in resolving school issues and concerns, the adaptation of a "designed system," miscommunication, emphatic management style, and a mindset on the overcrowding of ideas to MOVs. There were identified needs for the supervisor to be focused on: Crafting of research and innovations, Specialized training in crafting policies, Design a system focusing on the root cause, not just the outcomes to easily identify the relevant connection between Actions and Results, Style and the know-how strategies to people who are difficult to manage when it comes to how they absorb instructions, Well versed in communicating with school heads during the provision of technical assistance provided to SH, Improvement on ICT aspect, Crafting of monitoring tools for Assessment of needs of schools and provision and tracking or monitoring of SMEA.

Finally, several ideas for a long-term development strategy that will satisfy the organization's needs while also enabling quick expansion. The adaptation of the suggested Technical Assistance Tool may serve as a framework for creating a program to train and provide enhancements and development to the various problems faced by public school district supervisors and align with the requirements of school-based management, as it was previously stated that supervisors, policymakers, and development planners might benefit from these recommendations. Based on the findings, a school-based management assistance tool consisting of guidelines that could address the problems in conducting school-based management validation and verification was proposed. Based on the data, results, and conclusions, recommendations were made to support supervisors in providing technical assistance to schools about SBM.

Key Words: School-Based Management, Technical Assistance, Supporting Curriculum Management and Implementation, Strengthening Shared Accountability, Continuous Improvement, Developing Self and Others

This research examined Kindergarten Public School Teachers' Use of Game-Based Learning Platforms: A Case Analysis in Angeles City in 2021–2022. Kindergarten public school teachers employed game-based learning tools. First Frame Input: Learning Theories and Strategies in Early Childhood Education, Kindergarten Curriculum, List of Educational Games, Interview Guide, Related Literature, and Studies. Second Frame Process: Kindergarten Public School Teacher Profiles, Qualitative Description of Kindergarten Teachers' Games: Delivery Instruction, Duration and Frequency, Access to Resources, and Challenges in Using Game-Based Learning Platform in the New Normal Classroom. Thus, game-based learning platforms improved learning. Third Frame Output: Interview Response Thematic Analysis Interpretation. Improve the Game-Based Learning Platform in the New Normal Kindergarten Classroom.

Based on a game-based learning platform study of 15 kindergarten teachers, they were all awarded, with accomplishments, and most excellent kindergarten teachers of division, regional, and national, and they spoke at division and regional IC seminars and trainings. Nine of 15 kindergarten instructors were able to recognize "Drills and Motivation" and corporate game during incentive, revealing that students require motivation to remain focused during the course. According to data research, the more engaging the game, the longer the learners were interested in the lesson and the faster they learned and understood it. However, the less engaging the game, the shorter the learners' attention and the slower their grasp of the lesson.

The responder identified areas with weak evidential support. Tables provide results and instructive game development recommendations. The chapter requests methods and technology that combine gaming incentive with effective education. Game-based learning is typically employed in which section of the session. Some showed that game-based learning was most successful in kindergarten and led to higher academic performance. And furthermore, most of the materials being offered by the instructors with an integration of game-based to most of the activities are accessible.

Based on the findings, a game-based learning platform plan of action was provided on the difficulties and disadvantages found and the portions of the interview with the most experienced problem and outcomes as well as the highest recommended problem based on the instructors' comments. This interview will boost game-based learning in educational programs and initiatives.

Key Words:  Early Childhood Education, Game-based

Introduction

         Speaking is used to communicate effectively and express ideas or opinions verbally to other people (Bashir, et al., 2011). It is one of the useful skills that many people use to process information and share it with others. Speaking differs from other skills in the English language because it is one of the talents required to carry on a conversation. Also, speaking is one of the English talents used to engage, communicate, and convey information. Thus, having speaking skills is important in interacting with other people. Therefore, students must encourage to use the English language  to express their ideas or opinions verbally and to communicate  different individuals around the world (Bashir, et. al, 2011)

However, in a study published by Fitria (2013) entitled “An Analysis of Students Speaking problems at English Education Department” in State Institute of Islamic Studies Sunan Ampel, Surabaya, they discovered that the speaking problems of students are inhibition, which consists of students feeling shy of being noticed when speaking English, worried about making mistakes and afraid of being criticized if they speak English incorrectly. This is due to their poor grammar comprehension and vocabulary. Some issues reveal that students are afraid of being judged, that they do not know how to speak English, and that they are too lazy to speak English. This is because the topics are uninteresting and the materials or topics are difficult. Students rarely speak English in class, and they are unsure of how to speak English, which become problematic.

In the Philippines, a study conducted by Arcala (2021) entitled “Factors Affecting the Speaking Skills of Second English Language Learners”, the curriculum provides adequate opportunities in order for the students to have an effective and efficient communication but despite all these, the students have to improve their skills wherein it was stated that there are factors that affect and hinder them to learn the second language effectively.

In the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, particularly in the Municipality of Parang, Province of Maguindanao del Norte, based on the observation of the researchers, there are several students who are truly struggled in learning speaking English language. Thus, the goal of the researchers is to identify factors behind these speaking difficulties in English language to the selected second year college students of Illana Bay Integrated Computer College, Incorporated (IBICCI). This study also aimed to determine the coping strategies to address these existing factors behind their learning in speaking English language.

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In recent years, social media platforms have become integral to our lives. We use them to connect with friends and family, stay informed about the latest news and events, and consume content relevant to our interests. However, as the amount of data generated on social media platforms has increased, it has become increasingly challenging to manage and analyze. This is where predictive analytics comes in – a technology social media platforms use to analyze data and gain insights into user behavior.

Predictive analytics is a data analysis technique that uses algorithms to identify patterns in data. It can analyze a wide range of data, including user behavior, demographics, interests, and social interactions. Social media platforms use predictive analytics to analyze user data and predict what users will do next. This information can improve the user experience, enhance social media marketing strategies, and predict trends.

One of the primary benefits of predictive analytics in social media platforms is its ability to improve the user experience. Social media platforms use predictive analytics to recommend content to users based on their interests, behavior, and social interactions. This helps users discover new content relevant to their interests, keeping them engaged on the platform. For example, Facebook's News Feed algorithm uses predictive analytics to show users content they will likely find interesting based on their past behavior.

Another example of how predictive analytics is being used to improve the user experience is in the field of e-commerce. Social media platforms use predictive analytics to analyze user behavior and predict what products and services users are likely interested in. This information is then used to create targeted marketing campaigns tailored to users' interests and preferences. For example, if users frequently search for fitness-related content, social media platforms may show them ads for fitness equipment or workout classes.

Predictive analytics can also be used to enhance social media marketing strategies. By analyzing user behavior, social media platforms can identify trends and patterns in user behavior that can be used to create targeted marketing campaigns. Predictive analytics can also be used to identify influencers on social media platforms which can be used to promote products and services to a specific audience.

In addition, predictive analytics can be used to predict trends in user behavior. By analyzing user data over time, social media platforms can identify trends in user behavior, which can help them anticipate changes in user behavior. This information can be used to develop new features and services tailored to user needs and preferences. However, there are concerns about using predictive analytics in social media platforms. One of the primary concerns is related to privacy. Predictive analytics relies on user data, which raises concerns about data privacy and security. Social media platforms must ensure that they are transparent about how they collect and use user data and protect it from unauthorized access.

Another concern related to using predictive analytics in social media platforms is the potential for bias. Predictive analytics relies on algorithms to identify patterns in data, which can sometimes result in biased or discriminatory outcomes. For example, suppose a social media platform's algorithm identifies a specific demographic as more likely to engage with certain types of content. In that case, this can result in that demographic being disproportionately targeted with ads or content, which can be discriminatory.

To address these concerns, social media platforms must take steps to ensure that their use of predictive analytics is transparent, fair, and unbiased. This includes being transparent about how user data is collected and used and implementing measures to protect user data from unauthorized access. Social media platforms must also ensure that their algorithms are free from bias and discrimination and are continuously monitored and tested to ensure that they produce accurate and fair results.

Another challenge that social media platforms face when using predictive analytics is the need for ongoing data analysis and optimization. Predictive analytics algorithms require a large amount of data to produce accurate results. This data must be continuously analyzed and optimized to ensure that the algorithms produce accurate results. Social media platforms must invest the necessary resources to analyze and optimize their predictive analytics algorithms to ensure that they produce accurate and valuable insights.

Nevertheless, predictive analytics is a powerful tool used by social media platforms to analyze user behavior, enhance the user experience, and improve marketing strategies. However, using predictive analytics also raises concerns about privacy, bias, and ongoing data analysis and optimization. Social media platforms must ensure that their use of predictive analytics is transparent, fair, and unbiased and that they invest the necessary resources to continuously analyze and optimize their algorithms. With these precautions in place, predictive analytics can revolutionize the user experience on social media platforms and help social media platforms stay relevant and competitive in a rapidly changing digital landscape.

Measuring the performance of faculty members in higher education institutions has been a challenging and temperamental task for school administrators for many years. Traditional evaluation methods involve using guides, rubrics, and surveys that are often influenced by subjective factors, such as students' lack of experience and reliability or the influence of the course and teacher on the evaluation process. These methods may not be effective in predicting high-quality teaching and may not accurately reflect a teacher's strengths and weaknesses. Thus, there is a need for new methods of evaluating the teaching performance of faculty members.

In recent years, data mining and machine learning algorithms have gained attention as potential solutions for evaluating the performance of faculty members. Data mining is the process of extracting knowledge from large amounts of data. Machine learning algorithms are used to build models that can identify patterns and relationships in the data. These approaches aim to circumvent the teacher evaluation process's potential biases and volatile human behaviors.

The main objective of this study is to develop a model that can evaluate teachers' performance based on their specialization and proficiency, time in service, and other relevant factors. The proposed model will provide teachers with feedback to guide their professional development and suggest avenues for improving their performance. The study will use various machine learning algorithms, such as Classification, Clustering, Regression, Artificial Intelligence, Neural Networks, and Decision Trees, to develop the model and analyze the data.

Salem et al. (2020) reported that data mining techniques and machine learning algorithms had been applied in many application domains, including education. These techniques in education are known as Educational Data Mining and have been used to improve student performance, curriculum, and the educational process. However, few studies have been proposed for evaluating teacher performance using these techniques.

The proposed model will be based on a regression function that estimates teachers' performance across semesters. The model will use classification algorithms to analyze the relationship between teaching parameters and attributes and identify the best-fit value to predict output from provided input. The dataset used for training will include information about teacher demographics, educational attainment, teaching workload, designation, and subject teaching preparation.

Machine learning algorithms can evaluate teachers' performance by analyzing large datasets and identifying patterns and relationships that are not apparent through traditional evaluation methods. In this way, machine learning algorithms can provide a more objective and accurate assessment of teacher performance, guiding their professional development and improving education quality.

The proposed model for evaluating teacher performance using machine learning algorithms would involve collecting and analyzing large amounts of data on teachers' characteristics, educational attainment, teaching workload, designation, and several subject teaching preparations. This data would be used to create a regression function that would estimate teachers' performance in upcoming semesters, allowing school administrators to predict which teachers will likely be effective in the future and provide targeted training and support to those needing it.

To create this model, data classification algorithms would analyze the relationship between teaching parameters and their attributes and identify the best-fit value to predict output from provided input. The accuracy of prediction would be used as a measure to identify the efficiency of the algorithm. The algorithm would classify student feedback datasets to generate high-accuracy instances together with correct attribute space, which would help improve the predictions' accuracy.

Educational data mining is a relatively new area of research. However, it has already shown great potential for improving the quality of education and enhancing the performance of both students and teachers. Machine learning algorithms have been successfully applied in many domains, including banking, fraud detection, marketing, medicine, real estate, customer relationship management, engineering, web mining, and education.

Nevertheless, the traditional methods used for evaluating teachers' performance in higher education institutions have limitations that can impact their effectiveness. Machine learning algorithms provide a promising alternative for evaluating teacher performance by analyzing large datasets and identifying patterns and relationships that are not apparent through traditional evaluation methods. This approach can provide a more objective and accurate assessment of teacher performance, which can guide their professional development and improve the quality of education. However, further research is needed to refine and validate the proposed model before it can be widely adopted in higher education institutions.

Introduction:

For a number of years already, there has been an unending clamor for women’s equality to men. Women continue to claim for every social freedom, advantage, and opportunity enjoyed by men. Although numerous women around the world have achieved such desire they crave, it is still a fact that there are a number of women who are trapped in the dark dungeon of oppressive patriarchal society. Women marginalization remains a poignant issue in some societies until now. Such oppression is reflected even in many literary materials such as Castañeda’s Among the Volcanoes. This is where feminist literary critics came into existence.

Feminist critics largely agree on three-fold purpose: to expose patriarchal premises and resulting prejudices, to promote discovery and reevaluation of literature by women, and to examine social, cultural, and psychosexual contexts of literature and criticism. Feminist literary critics try to explain how what they term engendered power imbalances in a given culture are reflected, supported, or challenged by literary critics. Feminist critics focus on the absence of women from discourse as well as meaningful spaces opened by women’s discourse (Guerin, 1992).

Many critics have come into scene working in a greater variety of areas. Elaine Showalter’s divisions of types of feminist criticism have been influential. She identifies four models of differences used in theories of women’s writing: the biological, linguistic, psychoanalytic, and cultural. The last one is considered by many feminist theorists as a model that offers a more complete way of talking about the difference of women’s writing because it plays feminist concerns in social contexts. The female psyche as a construction of cultural forces acknowledges class, racial, national, historical differences, and determinants among women but offers a collective experience that unites women over time and spaces – “a binding force”(Guerin, 1992).

This analysis attempts to employ Showalter’s cultural model of difference. Specifically, it uses two types of contemporary feminism which Ruthven has identified within Showalter’s cultural context: (a) sociofeminism, which studies the role of women in literature and (b) Marxist Feminism which views women as members of the oppressed working class.

Analysis

Paula Gunn Allen, a feminist critic who approaches feminist theory from the unique perspective of Native American culture, enunciated in one of her essays that in the study and teaching of American Indian life and thought, a feminist approach is essential because the area has been dominated by paternalistic, male dominant modes o consciousness since the first writings about American Indian in the fifteenth century.

Vis-à-vis with Allen’s view, it could be deduced that Castañeda’s Among the Volcanoes as a representative literature that features a holistic portrayal of Mayan culture in Guatemala, reveals patriarchy and a male dominance which undermines women belonging to such type of society.

“A girl was more burden than asset until she becomes a woman … (p. 64).” This statement gives us a synthesis of the poignant issue of marginalization and discrimination of women in the culture – bound society of the Mayans in Guatemala as delineated in Castañeda’s Among the Volcanoes. A girl perceived to be an asset when she turns into a woman does not even make a slight sense in the elevation of a woman’s profile taking into consideration the Mayan’s concept of womanhood. Mayans believed that a girl would only become a full-fledged woman when she settles herself into marriage and eventually becomes a mother. She is only adjudged to be society’s asset when she succumbs to immense sacrifices and obligations entailed by motherhood – saving her husband and taking care of her children. Only then that she becomes a woman; only then that her importance as a woman becomes visible to the society. She’s no longer a burden but the burdens are all hers.

Among the Volcanoes recounts us a story of a young adolescent Isabel Pacay who longs to go to school and dreams to become a teacher. However, in the society where she belongs, these dreams seem not to be possible for her age of fourteen, their tradition expects her to marry her boyfriend Lucas Choy. Further, she is also expected to take care of her ill mother. Things get even more complicated when her boyfriend becomes cold to her after Isabel’s acquaintance to Allan Walters, an American medical student, who intends to help Isabel’s mother. She then discovers that her boyfriend’s coldness is due to her best friend Teresa (who secretly loves her boyfriend) who has been telling Lucas lies that Isabel does not want to marry him and exploiting his insecurities and jealousies about the American student. Isabel resolves the conflict by deciding to marry her boyfriend but asks him to promise that they will try to find a way for her to be both wife and teacher. He cannot see a way but he agrees that they will try. She is thrilled.

The novel primarily depicts the culture of the Mayans in a small Guatemalan village and largely revolves around the role and identity of women in the poor village of Chuui Chupalo. Such society considers female as the weaker sex while males are superior. Basically, it is a patriarchal society.

At the onset of the author’s narration, he establishes the setting of the story.

“She went gingerly down the dirt avenue from her family’s hut and towards the lake’s age … with the slowness of the dawn, the small homes of few hundred families were completely revealed … (p. 1-2)”

Through these lines, the author provides poverty as the story’s backdrop. This latency of the village and its dragging economic condition could be attributed to the people’s traditional mindedness resulting to “the cultural isolation of the Indians which accordingly brought about their underpresentation in the national life (Britanica Encyclopedia).” Subsequently, such economic condition extremely affects, most especially, the existence of women in Chuui Chopalo especially considering the division of classes in such society – the Indians which pertain to the Native Guatemala and are the ones who are suffering from extreme privation and the Ladinoswhich refer to the wealthy families of the village who are mixed Mayans and Hispanic.

In the light of this class division among the villagers of this Mayan community, Marxist Feminist argues that women belonging to the proletariat are the ones who are profoundly oppressed. “Woman is being rooted in nature; she is enslaved to the species than is the male (Beauvoir, 1986).”

Isabel suffers much as she is one of those unfortunate Indians. She longs to go to school and become a teacher yet “in families like Isabel’s, the idea was ridiculous. These families needed the children for hard work in the coffee and corn fields. Usually, it was the wealthiest families or the Ladino families – mixed Mayan and Hispanic – that allowed their children to continue and become teachers (p. 14).” Moreover, as the eldest daughter, her burdens pile up even more.

In the commencement of the novel, Isabel spies her father. She finds her father dong some ritual and sacrifices to the gods. What frightens Isabel is that her father’s prayer is meant for her:

Lord God, Heart of Sky, Heart of Earth

Give my daughter strength, give her courage

To not err, to not make a false step… (p. 8 & 9)

Her father’s idea that Isabel would commit mistake emanated from Isabel’s great desire to study and become a teacher which is a deviation from their culture since, in their society, a girl of Isabel’s age who belongs to the low class family is expected to find a partner and settle into marriage or if not, she’ll remain a burden of the family and will be forever trapped serving her family.

Taking the feminist view in action, this is an apparent marginalization of women. Isabel’s brother (Jose) who does not like to study and opt to do farming is encouraged by his parents to take proper education, while Isabel, who prefers to study rather than being enslaved in the house, as a woman, she is compelled to do the house chores and remain stagnated.

In existentialist terms, according to Beauvoir, patriarchy constructs woman as immanence (as stagnation and immersion in nature) and man as transcending (as continually striving for freedom and authenticity) thereby impending woman’s struggle to achieve existential freedom and autonomous subjectivity.

Let us further our understanding with Beauvoir’s point on woman’s immanence in a patriarchal society by taking these lines where Isabel has had a conversation with two married women of her age, teasing and taunting Isabel with questions as to why she was waiting so long to marry (p 65 – 56).

“Become a woman,” they urged.

“Perhaps she doesn’t know what fun it is to be married.”

“Tell her Rosario.”

“Where should I begin?”

“There’s endless pleasure.”

“Well, she knows about washing clothes.”

“And she knows about cooking.”

“Surely she knows about working from dusk till dawn while men are asleep.”

“And she knows about taking care of children.”

These lines illuminate to us the laborious tasks and roles portrayed by women in this male dominated society. Beauvoir, one of the leading feminist theorists, believes that what women do - childbearing, motherhood, housework, as immanent. Such tasks forfeit women to acquire ultimate independence and spread their wings into higher horizon. Beauvoir’s contention does not necessarily imply that women should do away from marriage and motherhood, but, that the holistic development of a woman does not solely rely on these aspects. These of course, are contributing factors of a woman’s growth and development. But marginalizing her role into such tasks only is a different story.

Womanhood is not only about becoming a wife and a mother. There are even more things outside the four corners of the house which woman should venture so as to attain growth of her entire aspects.

The lines of the two married women in their conversation with Isabel also lead us to interpret that they are seemingly enjoying what they’re doing – their immanent roles – unable to detect that they’re trapped on a concrete fence created by the patriarchal society. They seem to believe that this is really where they’re destined to. Such behaviors of women who are blinded with this kind of notion are explained by Beauvoir. She concludes that such situation as the Mayan women makes a woman liable to her subjugation. She is not entirely innocent of her oppression. Her physiological nature or societal function is very complex that she herself submits to it as to some rigmarole from outside. More so, her body does not seem to her to be a clear expression; within it, she is a total stranger to herself.

Amidst this women’s situation in such society, men on the other hand seem to have shut their minds completely that they pay no heed to this women’s predicament. For instance, men are asleep while their wives were working like slaves (p. 66). They don’t even bother to extend a hand. Men’s numbness is also conspicuous in their eating culture. This is shown during which Isabel and her little sister Marcelina were ought to attend to some obligations while the three men in the family were busy smacking the foods which they have prepared for them, having no slight inclination to invite the girls to eat with them (p. 40). Moreover, Eziquel, the town’s healer seems to be insensitive of Isabel’s feelings and circumstances when he uttered, “Fortunately, you have such a strong daughter to help you when you’re ill (p. 38).” This could hardly be taken as a compliment but a manifestation how Eziquel is inconsiderate to Isabel’s feelings – her sufferings – considering only the advantages the family gets from Isabel oblivious of Isabel’s miseries as she sheepishly chokes herself with such obligations.

The feministic approach sheds us light as regards these attitudes of men in response to women’s role in the society. “Men need not bother themselves with alleviating the pains and burdens that physiologically women’s lot since they are intended by nature; men use them as a pretext for instance … by making her work like beast of burden (Beauvoir). More so, this has been what the feminist argued to be women’s reduction into objects for men. Because men imagined women as the ‘Other’ – who would do everything in their behalf, thereafter, women have been denied subjectivity and that men are unable to penetrate her special experience through any working sympathy.

As the story progresses, Mayan prejudices to women adjudging her as more sinful than men is also palpable in the novel.

“It was customary for men to wait outside until the women filled the front rows. Later, when word came that father Ordoña had really arrived, they would sit the furthest rows, even if there were empty pews between women and men. Father Ordoña would enter the small room to the side of the church and hold guide confessions before mass. Except for those with altar boys, these confessions were all with women (p. 97).”

That Mayan men gives way to women in taking the first rows is arguably out of thoughtfulness. Simple logic would tell us that women should take the first rows because they are the ones who needed the priest’s sermons the most. They are in fact deemed to have committed more sins than men and are more susceptible to committing sin. This idea is supported with having the confessions with the priest made exclusive for women which could be interpreted that men are more immaculate than women.

Zooming into the history of the Mayans, the self sacrifice of a young man to absolve the sins of his people (just as how Jesus Christ suffered in the cross in order to exonerate our sins), appeared in the earliest tradition of the Quetzalcoatl on the erstwhile Mayans (Brown, Angels and Demons).

Feminists debate that in a patriarchal culture like that of the Mayans, man is the norm and woman is the deviation. Man is the accepted standard – man is the authoritative model while women are departure of the accepted behavior. This contention is salient in the above religious tradition of the Mayans.

Feminists further contend that since man occupies a privileged situation in this world, he is in a position to show his love and all his other emotions actively and explicitly. Take this conversation for example:

“I don’t know why he (Lucas) should be angry,” said Isabel.

“HE’S A MAN THAT’S WHY (P. 56),” Teresa replied.

This goes to show that since they’re men, whether or not their anger is reasonable, they can freely express it. If women would do such, she is a deviant.

During the time also that Isabel kissed Lucas in public, she was condemned by the villagers. Juxtaposed, somehow, even until now, here in the Philippines, when a couple commits a misdemeanor or immoralities, it is the woman who suffers much. She becomes the scapegoat of the mistake they two have collaboratively committed.

The novel reached its climax when Isabel’s mother becomes severe but resisted medical treatment. Her boyfriend is also getting cold towards her. These perplexities led to Isabel’s realization that her dreams are hills like white elephants. The author resolves the story with Isabel blaming herself for all these shortcomings she and the people around her are suffering.

“Isabel felt the worst symptom of this ending lay in the deterioration of her relationship with Lucas. So much was in ruin, so much in private desperation that Isabel becomes convinced that everything – her mother’s illness … Lucas’ final word to her – all of it was entirely her fault. She had caused it all by thinking selfishly, by turning away from what was expected of her, by being convinced that she should be an exception to the volcanic forces that smelted people into acceptable molds (p. 158).

To this account, the male author tries to conclude that women, that Isabel, could never escape from their culture and social realities. Just like most women in their society, she’ll be forever trapped as a woman who will yield to her culture - to marry and become a mother confined in the house. As what the novel’s title suggests, she (Isabel) would be among those women ensnared within their traditional society (which literally is surrounded by numerous volcanoes). She could never go against their patriarchal society.

The story ended with Isabel deciding to marry her boyfriend. To a modern feminist, marriage is an institution developed to establish and maintain male supremacy.

Conclusion

In this novel, Castañeda offers a portrayal of male and female roles in a Mayan society where he once belongs scrutinizing their various positions while harshly indicating their boundaries especially women. With the male author’s treatment of his woman characters in this literary context – urging the readers to believe that women are too weak to go against male superiority – this novel could be regarded as one of those literary material considered by feminists to be a result of a male – biased research in a patriarchal context.

Even in contemporary societies, women oppression and marginalization have remained a poignant issue which fomented groups of women (some men) into an unending clamor for gender equality that is, giving women every social freedom, rights, and opportunities enjoyed by men.

In support to this movement, as it is undeniable that this unjust treatment to women in many cultures are reflected in various literary materials, women writers expose this glaring reality of which some are concealed and some are explicitly expressed in a number of literary arts. Some women are also clever in using their pens to unveil how women feel about being trapped in such a male-biased society and attempt to rectify such sexist discrimination and inequalities by vocally expressing their cry for social elevation and freedom from this looming bondage.

This, indeed, is true to one of the prolific Filipina writers, Elynia Ruth S. Mabanglo as she revealed the prevailing issue of women subjugation in the Philippines in her poetical piece Liham ni Pinay Mula Brunei .

An Overseas Filipino Worker in Brunei gives us a flashback through her letter, her tiring role as a wife and as a mother in the Philippines . She discloses how she has to suffer earning a living to rear her family and at the same time tending the house while her good-for-nothing husband remains numb of her misery, demanding for all his comforts. In the end, all these stimulated her to sail and work abroad.

As the poem commences, Mabanglo establishes the basic role of a Filipina woman in the Philippine context:

Ako’y guro, asawa, at ina.

In the Philippines , women are left with only two choices, that is, to remain single, or to embrace marriage – become a wife and a mother. The latter has always been associated to servitude – serving her husband and taking care of her children.

In a feministic approach, Beauvoir considered these roles to be immanent which puts women in stagnation walking to and fro in the same repetitive and uncreative usual routine. Women get no option but carry out such duties that her society expects her to portray because if not, she is considered a deviant.

The second line, “Isang babae – pupol ng pabango, pulbos at seda,” also conveys another societal expectation where women have to look pleasing and presentable – wearing make up, artificial scents, and all others applied in the holy name of aesthetics – which prime purpose is for the patriarchal society to say nothing about her. Though she distasted it, she can do nothing about it. She has to conform to the patriarchal norms.

This has been the feminist contention that in patriarchal cultures, man is the norm and woman is the deviation. The fundamental assumptions dominate social, political,and cultural life and how women have internalized this ideology so that they live in a constant state of inauthenticity (Beauvoir).

All these boring and choking roles, according to the speaker of the poem, drove her to strive for freedom by going abroad.

The second stanza of the poem delineates all her sufferings entailed by her functions as a wife and as a mother. It is vividly expressed how she is torn between her obligations to her children, to her husband, and to her job outside. And while attending to all these, her husband takes no share of these burdens and continue to demand for his kingly comfort.

Feminists view that men believe that these lots (burdens) are intended by nature for women thus, men need not bother themselves with alleviating these pains and burdens which they believe are physiologically for women.

In the third and fourth stanzas, the speaker vocally expresses her weariness – attending to her tiresome role as a woman – and from this emanated her longing for freedom – to emancipate herself not from her obligations but from the society of patriarchy and male dominance.

It was hard for her at first yet she’s satisfied to escape from immanence in the Philippines . Finally, she has absolutely attained what the feminist coined as transcendence.

In the end, she concludes:

Ito lamang ang sagot,

Bayaang lalaki ang maglaba ng kumot.

For it is only this way for men to realize how they have long treated women. Let men experience women’s immanent role as beasts of burden.

In today's digital age, businesses constantly look for ways to improve customer service while cutting costs. One solution that has gained popularity in recent years is using chatbots. Chatbots are computer programs designed to simulate human conversation using artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing (NLP) technology. They can be used in various applications, from customer service and sales to marketing and education. In this essay, we will explore the rise of chatbots and their impact on customer service and beyond.

The rise of chatbots is attributed to the need for better customer service. With the rise of the internet and social media, customers have become more vocal about their experiences with businesses. They expect fast and efficient service and are not afraid to share their opinions online. In fact, according to a study by Sprout Social, 90% of consumers say they have used social media to communicate with a brand.

This shift in customer expectations has pressured businesses to provide better customer service. However, traditional customer service channels like phone and email can take time and effort. This is where chatbots come in. Chatbots can provide 24/7 customer service without the need for human intervention, which can save time and money while improving customer satisfaction.

One of the main advantages of chatbots is their ability to improve customer service. Using AI and NLP technology, chatbots can interact with customers in real time, answering questions, resolving issues, and providing support. This allows businesses to provide a seamless and personalized customer experience. Chatbots can be integrated into messaging apps or websites, allowing customers to communicate with businesses through their preferred channels. This can help businesses reach customers needing more time or inclination to call or email. Chatbots can also handle multiple customer interactions simultaneously, improving response times and reducing wait times.

Another advantage of chatbots is their ability to provide consistent and accurate responses. Chatbots do not get tired or make mistakes compared to human customer service agents. They can access a company's database of information and provide accurate answers to common customer questions. This can reduce the workload for human customer service agents, allowing them to focus on more complex or sensitive issues. Chatbots can also learn from customer interactions and improve their responses over time. This is known as machine learning. By analyzing customer data, chatbots can identify trends and patterns in customer behavior, allowing businesses to tailor their customer service and marketing efforts to better meet customer needs.

While chatbots are most commonly used for customer service, they can also be used in various other applications. For example, chatbots can be used in sales and marketing to provide product recommendations, offer promotions, and guide customers through sales. This can be especially useful for businesses that operate online, as chatbots can help automate the sales process and provide a more personalized experience for users. Chatbots can also be used in education to provide students with personalized learning experiences. For example, a language learning app may use a chatbot to provide conversational practice with native speakers. Using AI and NLP technology, the chatbot can analyze students' language skills and tailor the conversation to their level and interests.

Chatbots can also be used in healthcare to provide patients with medical advice and support. For example, a chatbot may help patients monitor their symptoms or manage their medication. This can reduce the workload for healthcare professionals and improve patients. While chatbots offer many benefits, they also have some limitations. One of the main limitations is their inability to understand complex human emotions or language nuances. This can lead to misunderstandings and frustration for customers seeking a more personalized or empathetic response. Sometimes, customers prefer to speak with a human customer service agent who can respond more nuancedly. Another limitation of chatbots is their inability to handle complex or sensitive issues. While chatbots can provide essential support for common customer issues, they may struggle with more complex issues that require human intervention. In these cases, businesses must have a system for transferring customers to human customer service agents when necessary.

The upsurge of chatbots represents a significant shift in how businesses interact with customers. Chatbots can use AI and NLP technology to provide 24/7 customer service, improve response times, and provide a personalized customer experience. They can also be used in various other applications, from sales and marketing to education and healthcare. While chatbots have some limitations, their benefits make them an attractive option for businesses looking to improve customer service and automate routine tasks. As technology continues to evolve, we will likely see even more innovative applications of chatbots in the years to come.

The COVID-19 pandemic has a big impact of change to the hospitality and tourism industry all over the world.  While the industry is slowly recovering, there is a need to transform hospitality and tourism education to address the sustainability challenges that the industry faces. By emphasizing sustainability in the curriculum, incorporating practical experiences and partnering with industry leaders, hospitality and tourism education can play a significant role in ensuring that the industry recovers sustainably and responsibly.

Sustainability in the hospitality and tourism industry is about looking an equal approach between economic, social, and environmental factors to ensure long-term viability. As the industry recovers from the pandemic, there is a renewed focus on sustainability, and hospitality and tourism educators play a critical role in educating students about sustainable tourism practices. By doing so, future hospitality and tourism professionals can help ensure that the industry resolves in a sustainable and responsible manner.

To highlight sustainability in hospitality and tourism education, the curriculum needs to include sustainable tourism practices. This includes teaching students about responsible tourism, conservation, and eco-tourism. For instance, students should learn about the importance of preserving the environment, respecting local communities and cultures, and promoting sustainable tourism practices. By doing so, students can learn how to minimize negative impacts on the environment and local communities.

In teaching sustainable tourism practices, hospitality and tourism educators can also teach students about the environmental impact of tourism and how to reduce it. For example, students can learn about energy-efficient practices such as using renewable energy sources, reducing water consumption, and minimizing waste. Sustainable food practices can also be taught, such as reducing food waste, sourcing local and seasonal products, and promoting plant-based diets. These practices not only reduce the environmental impact of tourism but also promote social responsibility.

Moreover, the integration of practical experience through internships, experiential learning opportunities, and research collaborations with organizations that promote sustainable tourism practices can play a significant role in promoting sustainability in hospitality and tourism education. By partnering with industry leaders and organizations, students can gain practical experience and apply sustainability principles to real-world situations. This practical experience also allows students to learn more about sustainability in the industry and build relationships with industry leaders.

To further promote sustainability in hospitality and tourism education, sustainability can be incorporated into the evaluation and assessment of students. Assessments can include projects that require students to develop sustainable tourism strategies or analyze the impact of tourism on the environment and local communities. By incorporating sustainability into the assessment process, students can develop a deeper understanding of sustainable tourism practices and the importance of responsible tourism.

Finally, transforming hospitality and tourism education in the post-pandemic era requires a renewed focus on sustainability. Hospitality and tourism education can be transformed by emphasizing sustainable tourism practices in the curriculum, incorporating practical experiences and partnering with industry leaders, and incorporating sustainability into the assessment process. By doing so, future hospitality and tourism professionals can help ensure that the industry recovers in a sustainable and responsible manner. Ultimately, by promoting sustainability in the hospitality and tourism industry, the industry can contribute to a more sustainable future for all.

Working in an educational institution for more than a decade opened my eyes to some unusual and not those good scenarios and situations, some are drastic and nonsense actions that worsen the education sector. These things need to undergo change.

As an elementary teacher, I always believe that to strengthen the country’s education system we must start with the foundation- which the elementary level. This belief of mine is in support to the idea that the curriculum is spiral progression, skills being taught are from simple to complex- how one learner master a complex skill if he or she hasn’t mastered the basic. Hence, quality must begin and flourish in those years. To achieve quality, here are some reforms that must be considered:

1)     Limit the subjects in Key Stage 1 to the most important- Kinder to Grade Three learners must strengthen literacy and numeracy skills. I believe for our learners to be abreast in learning more complex skills, they must master their reading and number skills.

2)     The number of learners per class must be lessen- In the implementation of the distance learning the average number of learners in a class is 40. However, it is not the ideal number of learners in a class. This means, the department must allot provision for hiring more teachers.

3)     Intensify the ICT utilization- DepEd is doing a good job, inculcating ICT in education. However, it must be extensive that it has to reach every single teacher.

4)     Provide a sufficient ICT Utilization allowance for teachers- Teachers are very flexible. Like bamboos, they dance with the wind. But the problem is, how can teachers be updated with ICT if the have no means to do so. The DepEd Sim is a not enough, teachers need to be provided with the right resources so that they will be uplifted and motivated to improve their skills in ICT.

5)     More teachers to teach and more non-teaching to do clerical works- Teachers of today most common complaint is the huge file of clerical works which accordingly is not part of their job specification. Subsequently, this calls for less clerical works for teachers. Some of the reports that teachers must accomplish and submit is either the same or redundant in nature. I think that it is about time for teachers to be free from clerical works and focus to what they are mandated to, so which is teaching. To achieve quality education, teachers must focus on teaching alone.

6)     Good quality learning resources- The present learning resources of DepEd are good however there are some seemed to be with flaws. Learning resources must be free from error- this is what the department must look very deeper.

Above are only some of the academic improvements that I wish to be realized as a teacher who has been a spectator of the country’s educational system for quiet a time.

Having such reforms perhaps strengthen the kind of scholastic system that we have so that we can achieve the best quality of education that every Filipino deserves.

In recent years, the hospitality and tourism industry has been undergoing a rapid transformation due to technological advancements. The digital age has revolutionized the way businesses in this industry operate, interact with customers, and manage their operations. Embracing technology has become more than just a trend or a buzzword – it is now essential for businesses that want to stay competitive and relevant in today's world.

One of the most important reasons why technology is crucial in the hospitality and tourism industry is the changing expectations of guests. Today's guests are more tech-savvy than ever before, and they expect to be able to use technology to make their travel experience more convenient and enjoyable. They want to be able to book their trips online, check in to their hotels using their smartphones, and access information about their destination using mobile apps.

By embracing technology, businesses in the hospitality and tourism industry can meet these expectations and provide guests with a better overall experience. For example, many hotels now offer online booking systems that allow guests to make reservations easily and conveniently from their smartphones or computers. This not only makes the booking process more convenient for guests but also frees up staff members to focus on other important tasks, such as providing personalized service to guests.

Similarly, mobile apps are becoming increasingly popular in the hospitality and tourism industry. These apps can provide guests with real-time updates and information about their destination, as well as personalized recommendations for restaurants, attractions, and other points of interest. By using these apps, guests can plan their itineraries more easily and make the most of their time in a new destination.

In addition to meeting the changing expectations of guests, technology can also help businesses in the hospitality and tourism industry to be more efficient and effective. Online booking systems, for example, can automate many of the administrative tasks that were once done manually, freeing up staff members to focus on more important tasks like providing personalized service to guests. Similarly, mobile apps can help businesses to communicate more effectively with their guests, providing real-time updates and information that can help to enhance the guest experience.

Another way that technology can improve efficiency is through the use of data analytics. By collecting and analyzing data about guests, businesses in the hospitality and tourism industry can gain insights into guest preferences and behavior. This information can be used to improve the guest experience by tailoring services and amenities to better meet the needs of guests.

Finally, technology can help businesses in the hospitality and tourism industry to differentiate themselves from their competitors. By using technology in creative ways, businesses can provide guests with unique and memorable experiences that they won't find anywhere else. For example, virtual and augmented reality can be used to provide guests with immersive experiences that allow them to explore a property or destination in a way that they never could before.

There are, of course, challenges associated with embracing technology in the hospitality and tourism industry. One of the biggest challenges is ensuring that staff members are properly trained to use the technology and that it is integrated seamlessly into the guest experience. It is important for businesses to invest in training programs and to work closely with technology providers to ensure that their staff members are comfortable using the technology and that it is integrated smoothly into the guest experience.

Another concern is data security and privacy. Businesses must ensure that they are taking appropriate measures to protect guest information, such as implementing strong cybersecurity measures and complying with data protection regulations. Failure to protect guest information can lead to significant reputational and financial damage.

Despite these challenges, the benefits of embracing technology in the hospitality and tourism industry far outweigh the challenges. By using technology to meet the changing expectations of guests, improve efficiency and effectiveness, and differentiate themselves from their competitors, businesses can provide guests with a better overall experience and ensure their own success in the long run.

Another way that technology can benefit the hospitality and tourism industry is by making it more sustainable. Sustainability has become a key concern for many guests, and businesses that take steps to reduce their environmental footprint are likely to be viewed more favorably. Technology can help businesses to become more sustainable by reducing energy and water consumption, improving waste management, and promoting sustainable transportation options.

For example, many hotels are now using smart technology to optimize energy use and reduce waste. This can include things like smart thermostats that adjust temperature settings automatically based on occupancy, or sensors that detect when guests have left the room and automatically turn off lights and other electronics. Similarly, some hotels are using smart water management systems that can detect leaks and optimize water use to reduce waste.

Technology can also promote sustainable transportation options by providing guests with information about public transportation, bike rentals, and other alternatives to driving. By encouraging guests to use sustainable transportation options, hotels and other businesses can reduce traffic congestion and air pollution in their local communities.

In conclusion, embracing technology is essential for businesses in the hospitality and tourism industry that want to stay competitive and relevant in today's world. By using technology to meet the changing expectations of guests, improve efficiency and effectiveness, differentiate themselves from their competitors, and become more sustainable, businesses can provide guests with a better overall experience and ensure their own success in the long run. While there are challenges associated with embracing technology, the benefits far outweigh the costs, and businesses that are willing to invest in technology are likely to reap significant rewards in terms of guest satisfaction, operational efficiency, and financial performance.

Abstract

This study determined the resiliency of senior teachers in the implementation of blended learning modality. The participants of this study were ten (10) senior teachers, aged 51 to 61 years old, teaching in selected public secondary schools in Angeles City, Philippines. The research design was qualitative, utilizing the case study method. In-depth interviews were conducted to understand the experience of the participants better. The researcher analyzed the individual cases of the participants and presented their responses in the following order: (1) the participant’s personal and professional attributes; (2) challenges encountered by the participants in the implementation of blended learning; and (3) coping strategies that the participants used as they deal with the difficulties of blended learning. Findings revealed that despite the struggles and difficulties, the senior teachers were able to bounce back and overcome the challenges encountered. The coping strategies they implemented were as follows: upskilling and reskilling; flexibility; promoting reward and recognition; using powerful teaching strategies; motivating the unmotivated; double checking the students’ comprehension; partnering with the parents; optimizing the group chats; giving due consideration; keeping the Bayanihan spirit; inculcating honesty; being strategic; and maximizing interventions. The senior teachers succeeded amidst adversity with their fervent passion, dedication, commitment, and resiliency.

The result of the study was used as a basis for crafting a resiliency plan for senior teachers. It is recommended to give a platform to resilient senior teachers to share their expertise, experiences, and coping mechanisms with their fellow senior colleagues for inspiration and emulation.

Keywords: Resiliency, Senior Teachers, Coping Strategies, Blended Learning

Introduction

Individuals face unfavorable events in various forms. Some are resilient to adversities in which they can maintain positive functioning, while others experience substantial disturbance (Shepherd, Saade, & Wincent, 2020). Resilience pertains to the ability of an individual to adapt positively to stressful situations. Resiliency enables an individual to overcome difficulties and thrive despite obstacles (Lau et al., 2018).

The pandemic brought sudden changes in people's lives and ways of living. The vast and complicated challenge to the education system caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is the level of preparedness of academic institutions to handle such a crisis (Bhagat & Kim, 2020). Government and educational institutions transit abruptly from face-to-face to remote learning to revamp education due to prolonged lockdown. The need to continue learning despite the pandemic has presented the pursuit of an alternative delivery mode of education. Certain adjustments were implemented to address the changing and challenging needs in the new standard setting in education.

In the Philippines, the Department of Education offered different learning delivery modalities such as Blended Learning, Modular Distance Learning, Online Distance Learning, Home Schooling, and Alternative Delivery Modes (ADM) to ensure continuity of learning. In 2020-2021, most public secondary schools in Angeles City adopted Modular Distance Learning. The following year, most schools shifted to Blended Learning Modality. As per DepEd Order No. 34, s. 2022, “blended learning” or “hybrid learning” combines in-person with any mix of online distance learning, modular distance learning, and TV/Radio-based instructions.

The expectation of providing students with 21st-century skills, including ICT integration, paves the way for improving the educational system. According to research, teachers' lack of confidence, particularly those of older ones, is among the most significant barriers to using technology. Senior teachers need mentoring regarding new policies and reforms, partnerships, and the latest technology in the teaching and learning process (Mohan, 2016).

The researcher believed that senior teachers are flexible and able to adapt to the changing paradigm. No amount of pressure could hinder them from fulfilling their calling and profession. For this reason, the researcher was motivated to study the resiliency of the senior teachers in implementing the blended learning modality. The result of the study served as a basis for creating a resiliency plan for senior teachers. Furthermore, the study explored and proved the importance of senior teachers in education so that they can be considered old but gold.

Method

The qualitative research design was used in this study wherein the case study was utilized to determine the resiliency of senior teachers in blended learning. The literature has various definitions of the case study. One of the simple constructs is that a case study is an intensive and systematic study of a single individual, group, community, or some other unit aimed at generalizing it (Heale & Twycross, 2018). An interview technique was conducted to understand the experience of the participants better. This technique helps the researcher to describe, record, analyze, and interpret the personal and professional attributes of the participants, the challenges encountered, and the coping strategies they used as they dealt with the difficulties of blended learning.

Purposive sampling was used in this study. Ten (10) senior secondary school teachers aged 51 to 61 years old, teaching in a blended learning modality with an Outstanding rating in their IPCRF for the school year 2021-2022 were identified as participants. Due to the restrictions in mobility because of the pandemic, this study was conducted in the selected public secondary schools in the Division of Angeles City.

Personal and Professional Attributes of the Senior Teachers

Four or 40% of the senior teachers are 51, 1 or 10% are 52, 3 or 30% are 53, 1 or 10% are 58, and another 1 or 10% are 61 years old. Despite their age, all the participants are still physically and mentally healthy. It is surprising to note that one of the senior teachers is 61 years old. This teacher already processed his retirement and just waiting for its effectivity date.

This study has five (5) female and five (5) male participants. Nayak and Panda (2013) revealed that gender variation is not a decisive factor in the view of practice teachers toward using blended learning strategies at the secondary level. Further, Saboowala and Manghirmalani (2021) supported this finding, which reflected that gender does not affect teachers' readiness toward blended learning.

Of the ten senior teachers, 7 or 70% are married, and 3 or 30% are single. Most commonly, single teachers are perceived to have fewer responsibilities than married teachers and therefore expected to have more time for school duties and additional assignments.

For their highest educational attainment, 1 or 10% of the participants finished a bachelor's degree, 5 or 50% have units in MA, 2 or 20% obtained a master's degree, 1 or 10% completed the academic requirements in doctorate, and 1 or 10% have a doctoral degree in Education. Of the 10 senior teachers, only one did not pursue further study. According to her, she is already contented with being Teacher II and is only waiting for her retirement a few years from now.

In terms of length of service, 3 or 30% of the senior teachers are teaching in public school for 6 to 10 years already, 3 or 30% have 11-15 teaching experience in public school, 1 or 10% have 21-25 teaching experience in public school, and another 3 or 30% have 26-30 years teaching experience in public school. Most of the senior teachers have teaching experience before they enter public school. According to the senior teachers, they enjoyed their stay in the private school because of the learning environment and minimal teaching loads. However, the retirement benefits offered by the Department of Education persuaded them to transfer.

As regards their designation, 5 or 50% of the participants are designated as Master Teacher I, 2 or 20% are Teacher III, 1 or 10% are Teacher II, and 2 or 20% are Teacher I.  Based on the data, most senior teachers are Master Teacher I. It was expected of the senior teachers to be promoted to higher positions considering their length of service.

About the subject they handled, 3 or 30% of the participants taught Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE), 2 or 20% handled Filipino, 1 or 10% handled Araling Panlipunan, 1 or 10% handled Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao, 1 or 10% handled Mathematics, 1 or 10% handled Music, Arts, Physical Education, and Health (MAPEH), and 1 or 10% taught English subject. Based on the data, TLE is the subject most handled by senior teachers.

The senior teachers were given additional assignments in their respective schools, such as Class Advisers, Committee in School Planning, Research Committee, Brigada Eskwela Coordinator, Adopt-a-School Coordinator, Bids and Awards Committee Chairman, Project Member, SDRRMC Coordinator, Boy Scout Coordinator, Reading Coordinator, and Social Media Page Administrator.

Of the senior teachers participating in the study, all or 100% were given school-based and division seminars and training related to the blended learning modality, 1 or 10% attended regional training, 2 or 20% attended a national seminar, and 2 or 20% attended an international seminar. Accordingly, the senior teachers were provided with relevant seminars and training to equip and capacitate them with the knowledge and skills necessary for the implementation of blended learning.

Challenges Encountered by the Senior Teachers in the Implementation of Blended Learning

The challenges encountered by the participants in the online and offline settings of blended learning are categorized under the Use of Technology, Facilitation of the Lesson, Assessment and Evaluation, and Monitoring and Reporting. The senior teachers encountered challenges in the online setting of blended learning. These are struggling with the use of technology, unmotivated students, lack of devices, poor internet connectivity, difficulty in imposing and monitoring discipline, lack of readiness, non-conducive learning environment, poor attendance, difficulty in monitoring the integrity of the evaluation, inflexible schedule of retrieval and distribution of modules, and lack of parental support and involvement. In the offline setting, the challenges are non-compliance and non-submission of modules, incomplete or unanswered modules, late submission of modules, parents answering the modules, lack of internet access, and a decrease in attendance and involvement of parents.

Coping Strategies Used by the Senior Teachers to Deal with the Difficulties of Blended Learning

The coping strategies implemented by the senior teachers in the online setting are upskilling and reskilling, promoting reward and recognition, flexibility, using powerful teaching strategies, motivating the unmotivated, double-checking the comprehension, partnering with the parents, and optimizing the group chats. In the offline setting, these are promoting reward and recognition, giving due consideration, keeping the Bayanihan spirit, inculcating honesty, being strategic, and maximizing interventions.

Conclusion

The senior teachers demonstrated resiliency in the face of COVID-19 and showed immense positivity and flexibility as they deal with the challenges in the unprecedented paradigm shift. In this regard, the researcher designed a Resiliency Plan for Senior Teachers that may guide and assist them in enhancing or sustaining their competency and resiliency in post-normal education.

Most senior teachers are MA unit takers. They are pursuing graduate studies to be updated with the latest pedagogical teaching trends and to enhance their competitive advantage. It was also noted that most senior teachers have teaching experience before entering public school. Interestingly, most of the senior teachers are Master Teacher I, and all senior teachers received appropriate training on implementing blended learning and were capacitated with the proper knowledge and skills. The senior teachers encountered challenges in the online and offline setting of blended learning which were categorized under the use of technology, facilitation of the lesson, assessment, and evaluation, and monitoring and reporting. Despite the challenges, the senior teachers continued to deliver quality education to the students. The struggles and difficulties did not hinder them in assisting the students. Their determination and commitment enabled them to rise above the challenges. Their outstanding performance reflected their strength in character and positive attitude, which impacted the learners and parents. Their resiliency was evident from the various coping strategies they employed to ensure effective learning.

Recommendation

Based on the findings and conclusions, the following recommendations were given: Senior teachers should be given a platform to share their remarkable contributions and best practices during the implementation of blended learning to serve as a model and inspiration to their fellow senior teachers. School heads should provide training in upskilling and reskilling senior teachers in the technical aspect of computers as well as different platforms in online learning, more specifically on the gamification of the lessons. Educational leaders may also examine the different factors on the motivational levels and problems of the students and address them through a seminar on handling passive learners. Educational leaders and planners must ensure that upskilling and reskilling programs are based on the needs of the senior teachers to ensure that relevant and valuable topics will be given and delivered. A needs assessment analysis may be considered before planning topics in the seminars, training, LAC, and other conferences to align the gaps and training of teachers.

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There are two primary approaches applied when it comes to learning: personalized and group learning. Personalized learning focuses on individual student needs, while group learning involves collaboration among students. Both methods have advantages and disadvantages and choosing the right one can be tricky. Personalized learning is an approach that adapts education to the unique needs of each student. It allows learners to work at their own pace and access materials that suit their interests, abilities and preferred learning styles. The goal is to create a more customized and engaging educational experience for each individual. Group learning, on the other hand, involves collaboration among learners who come together to achieve a common goal. This approach emphasizes social interaction, communication skills development & teamwork.

A study by EdTech Magazine found that personalized instruction improves student outcomes compared to traditional classroom teaching methods. It was discovered that students who received the personalization study method scored higher on assessments than those who did not receive personalization at all. Additionally, studies show that cooperative or group-based approaches helped improve test scores across subjects, which significantly makes group participation an essential element of academic success amongst pupils or students at all levels. Therefore, choosing either method based on individual student strengths could potentially enhance and promote academic success amongst peers or learners alike.

Aside from students, tutors also play a vital role in encouraging different types of educational methods within classrooms, training sessions, and webinars, which involves both team-oriented exercises and self-paced modules focusing solely on individual requirements, goals, or objectives. They should always try various approaches depending what's appropriate and viable regarding specific circumstances surrounding particular lessons and activities being undertaken. Educators also need to recognize when individuals or groups require additional attention outside regular coursework - this could involve offering supplementary resources or materials like books, articles, or even counseling services where applicable. Ultimately, it is up to educators themselves whether or not they implement these techniques within classrooms and training workshops to students' preferences, aptitudes, tendencies, etc.

Nevertheless, the most effective way to educate is by combining elements deriving from both styles mentioned above into one cohesive educational environment where learners receive maximum benefit without any drawbacks, difficulties, or problems. For example, while delivering course content online via e-learning platforms, educators could still schedule regular classes involving project-based assignments, quizzes, or tests whereby students collaborate using various tools and utilities available within the medium itself, thus, keeping up levels of motivation and teamwork necessary towards improving academic performance amongst the participants concerned.

We hope reading through this article has aided you to understand key differences between two popular learning styles i.e., "personalized" versus "group" methods! If you're wondering which route suits your needs best, remember to assess your strengths, preferences, goals, and objectives along with teacher or facilitator feedback that certainly goes a long way in helping you make informed decisions regarding the path forward tailored education, which exclusively revolves around your respective requirements! Whatever style works best, make sure you stay motivated, focused, and resilient throughout your journey forward!

Education is not only about imparting information or knowledge but also about shaping values, character, and ethical behavior. It is the role of a teacher to act as a mediator between students and the curriculum, guiding them toward effective learning while maintaining ethical standards. Teachers play a crucial role as negotiators and moral guides in the educational process, influencing the student's behavior for life. The primary position of a teacher is to facilitate learning by acting as an intermediary between students and the curriculum. Along with imparting knowledge, a teacher acts as a mediator who helps students understand their needs, goals, and aspirations. Teachers help to negotiate between these diverse student needs by creating an inclusive learning environment that fosters critical thinking skills.

Furthermore, teachers act as moral guides who instill ethical values such as honesty, integrity, empathy, respect, responsibility, and fairness in their students' lives. Teachers should encourage learners to develop self-awareness and self-reflection abilities so that they can identify what is right or wrong for themselves. A good teacher should be able to identify each student's unique strengths and limitations while fostering a positive attitude toward learning in all learners.

Ethical education aims at developing individuals who possess high levels of integrity while recognizing the importance of personal responsibility for one’s actions. Through moral education, teachers instill desirable traits like honesty, accountability, tolerance for diversity, and respect toward others regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, or socio-economic status. Teachers guide how best we can live our lives based on these desirable traits by demonstrating them daily through their interactions with learners both inside and outside the classroom.

While academic development is essential in shaping their futures, personal growth cannot be ignored either. The integration of both aspects helps create well-rounded individuals who have developed critical thinking skills along with soft skills like communication, teamwork, emotions, and intelligence. Teachers must find ways to balance academic development while encouraging personal growth amongst learners through extra-curricular activities, which promote socialization and interpersonal skills necessary for success outside the classroom setting.

Teachers have a significant influence over children during their formative years since they spend more time around them than any other adult apart from parents. Inclusive teaching practices involve recognizing diversity among learners by embracing cultural differences rather than shunning them based on stereotypes and assumptions. Teachers also need to strike a balance between using authority when it is needed without being too authoritative, especially when dealing with young kids from disadvantaged backgrounds whose experiences may differ from those within middle-class communities.

As society becomes more complex, so do its demands upon education system educators also, making teaching an even more challenging career choice today. Teaching remains one of the community’s most vital professions because it shapes future generations’ minds. It encourages lifelong learning among all ages, promoting global citizenship principles essential in building peaceful communities characterized by equity, justice, and overall well-being. As mediators between curriculum and learners, alongside upholding moral standards within classroom settings, teachers present opportunities to shape future leaders capable of tackling challenges with values like empathy, compassion, and resourcefulness regardless of socio-economic background.

In today's technology-driven world, computer literacy has become an essential skill for students. With technology becoming a part of every aspect of our lives, students must be equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to use computers and other technological devices effectively. However, incorporating technology into education has its challenges. Computer literacy is the skill of effectively using computers and other technology devices. It involves knowing how computers work and understanding basic software applications such as word processing software, spreadsheets, presentation software, and more advanced programs like coding languages. Computer literacy is an essential aptitude for students as it enables them to learn better and communicate more efficiently with peers and educators while preparing them for future employment.

There are numerous benefits associated with incorporating technology into learning environments. One significant advantage is that it provides a more engaging way for students to learn through interactive multimedia experiences like videos or games. Additionally, incorporating technology allows educators to differentiate instruction by catering to individual student needs through personalized learning plans. Moreover, it prepares students for the workforce by providing them with skills necessary in today's job market. However, despite the benefits of incorporating technology into education, there are several challenges that educators face when trying to integrate technology into classrooms. Some of these include a lack of funding for necessary infrastructure such as updated computers or high-speed internet access. Moreover, some educators lack training or knowledge on how to use certain technologies, which can make it difficult for them to teach their students effectively.

Therefore, both teachers and students play a critical role in enhancing computer literacy skills. Teachers need to be knowledgeable about current technologies available, so they can instruct their students on how best to use them appropriately. In contrast, learners must take initiative by staying up-to-date with new technology trends through self-learning outside traditional classroom settings. Several strategies can be implemented to overcome barriers preventing effective integration of technology into classrooms, such as providing professional development workshops or ongoing support from experts within the field who guide teachers on how best practices should be adopted using various digital tools available at their disposal.

The future presents several opportunities where computer literacy can revolutionize classrooms by making learning more accessible globally while ensuring that curriculums align with up-to-date job requirements such as coding or data analysis skills necessary within various industries where automation is becoming increasingly prevalent, like healthcare management systems or financial services sectors. Several strategies can be implemented by schools looking forward to improving computer literacy among their students, like implementing comprehensive digital citizenship policies which guide learners on safe online behavior while using different technological devices available within school premises.

In conclusion, the importance of computer literacy cannot be overstated provided its potential impact on both personal development and career growth opportunities available within various industries worldwide. While there are numerous obstacles standing between achieving full integration between education systems across different countries around the globe - including inadequate funding availability or lack thereof - implementing comprehensive strategies aimed at overcoming these obstacles will ensure that quality education remains accessible globally regardless of socioeconomic status. Meanwhile, it is also necessary to support refined skill sets during these rapidly changing times where innovation reigns supreme over many traditional fields, but also soft skills such as quick problem-solving abilities coupled together with excellent communication aptitude levels that enable individuals to succeed throughout life journeys beyond formal schooling years ahead too!

Barriers to learning are fast dissolving as we gradually return to our regular lives. Traditional learning has higher benefits than online learning. As we already know, traditional learning focuses on content and providing knowledge in real-time, as it encourages a closer relationship between students with their teachers. The problem with online learning is that teachers find it difficult to engage students. Since traditional education improves student connection and creates an environment where students may learn from one another, it promotes a higher degree of competition among students.  One major benefit of traditional learning that students like is they learn better in an environment where they can socialize and learn from fellow students.

Traditional learning provide an active learning mode to the student. Under the supervision of the teachers, students are encouraged to solve academic problems, they might face difficulties in solving, but this process helps in enhancing problem-solving abilities. Unlike online learning students can search through internet that ends to not learning any new skills they are supposed to. They are misusing the advantages of online learning which is hampering in developing their skills. With the traditional learning, they are well-supervised and disciplined because it offers support system.  It teaches the student how to carry out their homework as per the schedule. Learning discipline is the key to success in academic and professional careers. Attending traditional learning, your knowledge and overall growth are measured and assessed. A support system helps the student move further in achieving their career goals. Most online platforms do not offer support to the student. Even though online learning offers many benefits, the traditional learning is still here to provide the right direction to the students so they can find their success on their own ways.

Traditional learning, multiple times better than any other learning format. Yes, Online is less expensive when it come to fees such as school and commuting. It is convenient and flexible; with the help of computer and internet they can attend the class anywhere and anytime. But, still traditional is superb. Learning in real life with teachers right there is much better. Traditional classrooms are better because they teach social skills, they make it easier to interact with teachers, and they give students a better work incentive. Traditional classrooms with other students helps develop social skills since the beginning of their school career. If kids are around other kids when they are growing up, they are much more likely to be social and easy to get along with. Usually, kids who do online schooling happen to be more socially awkward than kids who go to a regular school.  Learning in classes with other students gives opportunities to build friendships and meet new people. Education is a significant pillar of life because it allows people to explore and learn different things. Yet better than that, it also teaches people to be more open minded and prepares them to be independent for the future.

Digitalization, the process of adopting digital technologies and integrating them into various aspects of society, has had a significant impact on indigenous cultures around the world. Indigenous communities, often characterized by their unique cultural identities and traditional practices, are facing both opportunities and challenges as they navigate the transition from traditional ways of life to the digital era. This article explores the impact of digitalization on indigenous cultures, examining how it has reshaped their social, cultural, economic, and environmental dynamics.

One of the key ways in which digitalization has impacted indigenous cultures is through changes in social dynamics. Digital technologies have facilitated communication and connectivity, allowing indigenous communities to connect with each other and with the broader world. Social media, for example, has provided a platform for indigenous people to share their stories, raise awareness about their rights and issues, and mobilize for social and political causes. Digital platforms have also enabled indigenous people to connect with their diaspora, facilitating transnational cultural exchange and solidarity.

Cultural preservation and promotion are other significant aspects of the impact of digitalization on indigenous communities. Digital technologies can provide tools for documenting and preserving indigenous languages, traditional knowledge, and cultural heritage. Indigenous communities can use digital platforms like websites, apps, and multimedia to share their cultural practices, stories, and artwork with a global audience. This can help raise awareness and appreciation for indigenous cultures and promote cultural revitalization efforts.

Economically, digitalization has opened up opportunities for indigenous communities. E-commerce, online marketplaces, and digital marketing have provided avenues for indigenous artisans, entrepreneurs, and craftspeople to sell their products and services to a wider audience, bypassing traditional barriers such as geographical remoteness.

However, the impact of digitalization on indigenous cultures is not without challenges. One significant concern is the potential for cultural erosion and loss of traditional knowledge. Digital technologies may inadvertently promote dominant cultures and languages, eroding indigenous languages and cultural practices. There is a risk of misrepresentation or misappropriation of indigenous cultures in the digital space, as well as issues related to intellectual property rights and traditional knowledge protection.

Another challenge is the issue of access and inclusion. Indigenous communities often face barriers to accessing digital technologies due to factors such as remoteness, lack of infrastructure, low literacy rates, and socioeconomic disparities. This can exacerbate existing inequalities and exclude indigenous people from the benefits of digitalization, leading to a digital divide.

In conclusion, the impact of digitalization on indigenous cultures is complex and multifaceted, with both opportunities and challenges. While digitalization has the potential to bring social connectivity, cultural preservation, and economic opportunities to indigenous communities, it also presents risks of cultural erosion, exclusion, and negative environmental impacts. It is crucial to approach digitalization in indigenous communities with a culturally sensitive, inclusive, and sustainable perspective, ensuring that the rights, needs, and aspirations of indigenous people are respected and upheld in the digital era.

The digital revolution has transformed every aspect of our lives, including the way governments operate and deliver services. With the increasing adoption of digital technologies in the public sector, government employees are experiencing a significant shift from traditional paper-based processes to digital workflows. This essay will explore the journey of government employees in the digital era, discussing the challenges, opportunities, and impacts of this transformation.

One of the primary challenges faced by government employees in the transition from paper to pixels is the need to adapt to new technologies and digital tools. Many government employees may be accustomed to traditional, paper-based processes that have been in place for years, and the shift to digital workflows may require them to learn new skills, such as operating digital document management systems, using online collaboration tools, and navigating electronic databases. Training and upskilling programs may be needed to ensure government employees are equipped with the necessary digital literacy skills to operate effectively in the digital environment.

Another challenge is the cultural shift required to embrace digitalization. Government organizations are often characterized by complex bureaucracies, hierarchical structures, and risk-averse cultures that may resist change. The transition to digital workflows may require government employees to adopt new mindsets, embrace innovation, and be open to new ways of working. This may involve overcoming resistance to change, fostering a culture of continuous learning, and encouraging collaboration and experimentation among government employees.

Despite the challenges, the digitalization journey also presents significant opportunities for government employees. Digital technologies can streamline administrative processes, improve efficiency, and enhance the delivery of public services. For example, digitizing paper-based forms and documents can reduce administrative overhead, automate repetitive tasks, and enable faster processing times. Online portals and self-service options can empower citizens to access government services conveniently, reducing the need for in-person visits and enabling government employees to focus on more complex and strategic tasks.

The impact of digitalization on government employees extends beyond operational efficiencies. Digital technologies can also enable data-driven decision-making, enhance transparency and accountability, and facilitate citizen engagement. For example, digital platforms can collect, analyze, and visualize data to inform policy-making, monitor performance, and measure outcomes. Additionally, there may be concerns related to the digital divide, where certain populations may have limited access to digital technologies or face barriers to using them. Government employees must prioritize data security and privacy, ensure equitable access to digital services, and address any potential biases or disparities that may arise in the digital era.

In conclusion, the journey of government employees in the digital era is marked by both challenges and opportunities. Adapting to new technologies, embracing a culture of innovation, and developing digital literacy skills are crucial for government employees to effectively operate in the digital environment. The impacts of digitalization on government employees go beyond operational efficiencies, extending to data-driven decision-making, transparency, and citizen engagement. However, addressing concerns related to data security, privacy, equity, and cultural change is essential to ensure a successful and inclusive transition from paper to pixels in government operations.

Online gaming has become a popular form of entertainment, and computer science students are often avid players. However, the effects of online gaming on computer science students can be both positive and negative, and it is essential to understand how it impacts their academic performance, mental health, and social interactions.

One of the positive effects of online gaming on computer science students is the development of technical skills. Many online games require players to have a good understanding of computers, programming, and networks. Computer science students who engage in online gaming can gain practical experience in troubleshooting technical issues, configuring hardware and software, and understanding network protocols. These skills can be valuable in their academic pursuits and future careers in the technology industry.

Moreover, online gaming can foster problem-solving skills among computer science students. Many games require players to think critically and strategically to overcome challenges and achieve goals. Computer science students who engage in online gaming can develop their ability to analyze complex situations, devise effective strategies, and make quick decisions, which are essential skills in the field of computer science. In addition, online gaming can provide an opportunity for computer science students to collaborate and communicate with others. Many online games involve multiplayer modes where players need to work together in teams to achieve objectives. This can enhance computer science students' teamwork and communication skills, as they learn to coordinate with fellow players, share information, and solve problems collectively. Such skills are transferable to their academic and professional settings, where teamwork and communication are crucial for success.

On the other hand, online gaming can also have negative effects on computer science students. One of the most significant concerns is the potential impact on academic performance. Excessive gaming can lead to poor time management and neglect of academic responsibilities, resulting in lower grades and decreased performance in computer science courses. It can also lead to a lack of focus and concentration, which can hinder students' ability to learn and retain information. Furthermore, online gaming addiction can be a real concern for computer science students. Like any other form of addiction, excessive gaming can result in physical, emotional, and mental health issues.

Therefore, online gaming can have both positive and negative effects on computer science students. On the positive side, it can enhance technical skills, foster problem-solving abilities, and promote teamwork and communication skills. However, on the negative side, it can impact academic performance, lead to addiction, and have detrimental effects on mental health. It is also essential for parents, educators, and policymakers to be aware of the potential effects of online gaming on computer science students and provide appropriate support and guidance to help them make responsible choices in their gaming habits.

In the digital age, online marketing has become a critical component of business strategies for organizations of all sizes. With the rise of technology, one of the significant developments in online marketing is the use of multimedia, which includes visual elements such as images, videos, infographics, animations, and interactive content. This essay explores the impact of multimedia on online marketing and how businesses can leverage its visual advantage to create effective marketing campaigns.

Visual content has a compelling impact on human perception and cognition. Research indicates that the human brain processes visual information much faster and retains it longer compared to text alone. Visual elements can grab attention, evoke emotions, and convey messages more effectively than plain text, making them a powerful tool in online marketing. Multimedia can engage users and create memorable experiences, leading to increased brand awareness, better engagement, and higher conversion rates.

The use of images and videos in online marketing has gained tremendous popularity in recent years. High-quality images and videos can help businesses tell a story, showcase products or services, and create emotional connections with the audience. Videos, in particular, have become a dominant form of multimedia content, with platforms such as YouTube and social media sites prioritizing video content in their algorithms. Infographics are another form of multimedia that has gained popularity in online marketing. Infographics combine visual elements with concise text to present complex information in a visually appealing and easy-to-understand format. They can be used to convey data, statistics, or key messages in a visually compelling way, making them highly shareable and engaging for online audiences.

However, incorporating multimedia into online marketing campaigns also comes with some challenges. One of the challenges is the need for high-quality and relevant multimedia content. Businesses need to ensure that the images, videos, infographics, and interactive content used in their marketing campaigns are visually appealing, relevant to their target audience, and aligned with their brand identity. Another challenge is the need for optimization and accessibility. Multimedia content can affect website loading times, which can impact user experience and search engine rankings. Hence, businesses need to optimize multimedia content to ensure fast loading times and a smooth user experience.

Therefore, multimedia content has a significant impact on online marketing, providing businesses with a visual advantage to create engaging and effective marketing campaigns. Visual elements such as images, videos, infographics, and interactive content can grab attention, convey messages, and create memorable experiences for online audiences. However, businesses need to ensure the quality and relevance of multimedia content and optimize it for loading times and accessibility. By leveraging the power of multimedia, businesses can enhance their online marketing efforts and create compelling experiences for their target audience.

I. PROJECT CONTACTS

Roles in the Project

Name of the Contact Person

Persons Contact/Email

Project Chair/Program Plan Chair

Daniel Josua D. Francia

danieljosua.francia@deped.gov.ph

Project Vice Chair/Program Documentation Chair

Rose Ann R. Algonahota

roseann.algonahota@deped.gov.ph

II. PROJECT SUMMARY

Pandemic has brought many changes most especially in the education sector. From a two-year online set-up of delivering basic education to students and now gradually transition to a face-to-face set up, learning gaps among students due to pandemic disruptions is one of the major problems arise our sector is trying to solve. With these, the proponents have creatively come up to propose the Project TURO. Project TURO is an initiative aims to lessen the number of learners who are receiving failed grades every quarter due to deficiency in the submission of requirements both in Written Works and Performance Tasks and showing delinquencies in academic performance in Science 8.

This program supports the Project PASSED-ALL (Program for Analysis of Students Status in Education Development-Assisting Learners Learning) of the Tondo High School Science Department and is in lined with the principles of the Department of Education on Learning Continuity Recovery Plan, DepEd Order 8 series 2015, Education for All and No Child will be left behind policy.

This program is on-going and is being implemented for the School Year 2022 to 2023. This is being held one week after every academic quarter in which schedule is followed through the DepEd School Calendar for School Year 2022-2023 (as stipulated in DepEd Order 034 series 2022). Proponents formulate learning materials including activity sheets in lined with the least mastered skills. Least mastered skills are those competencies which were not achieved based on the RAES (Results of Assessment and Evaluation Summary) done. Students must grasp the least mastered skills (from the Most Essential Learning Competencies - Definitive Budget of Work or MELCs - DBOW for Science 8) for them to pass the quarter.

Moreover, this program can serve as an example to address student’s learning difficulties and promote academic successes towards struggling students amid learning gaps brought by pandemic.

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The COVID-19 pandemic brought about a long period of unprecedented lockdowns, isolation, and confusion across the world. In response, many educational institutions shifted to remote learning, forcing students to adapt to a new way of learning. The pandemic has largely changed the way we live, work, and learn. As the world gradually returns to a new normal, students face a new challenge in adjusting to face-to-face learning.

This adjustment can be particularly challenging for students who faced mental health issues during the pandemic, causing severe paranoia and anxiety. It introduces additional stress factors, such as adapting to new routines, returning to face-to-face learning, and socializing with peers, which can adversely affect students' psychological well-being and academic performance. Remote learning posed significant challenges to many students, necessitating self-discipline, encouragement, and reconciliation.

Although countries worldwide are resuming onsite classes, the impact of the various modes of class participation may be irreversible. Furthermore, not all students experienced the pandemic's effects in the same way, leading to potential developmental and achievement gaps.

While the transition brings hope for a return to normalcy, it also comes with its own set of fears and uncertainties that have disrupted the lives of students in countless ways. According to a study published in January 2023, average fall 2021 math test scores in grades 3-8 were 0.20-0.27 standard deviations (SDs) lower than those of same-grade peers in fall 2019, while reading test scores were 0.09-0.18 SDs lower. These findings indicate a significant drop in students' performances. The math drops are significantly larger than the estimated impacts of other large-scale school disruptions.

Worryingly, test-score disparities between students in low- and high-poverty elementary schools increased by approximately 20% in math and 15% in reading (0.13 SDs), primarily during the 2020-21 school year. This highlights the urgent need to address the academic and mental health challenges that students face as they transition back to in-person learning.

However, looking at the drop in test scores does not imply that students should be considered a "lost generation" or that we should lose hope. The pandemic was an unprecedented event, and there is more we do not know about students' resiliency. Students have faced many challenges, for instance, due to the pressure to catching up on missed coursework, maintaining good grades, and socializing with peers.

Thus, these adjustment to post-pandemic life may present new challenges, particularly in terms of mental health and academic performance. To help students adjust to post-pandemic life, here are ten tips for teachers:

1.      To ensure the well-being of students, it is important for teachers to prioritize their mental, physical, and emotional health. This includes being aware that students may be experiencing a variety of difficulties, such as anxiety, stress, social isolation, grief, or trauma, and being flexible and compassionate in responding to their needs. Research has shown that when teachers prioritize student well-being, it creates a positive classroom environment that fosters academic success. For instance, Fazel et al. (2014) found that school-based mental health interventions that prioritize students' well-being are effective in improving academic outcomes, reducing absenteeism, and improving student behavior. Teachers can prioritize student well-being in various ways, such as checking in with students on a regular basis, providing opportunities for them to talk about their feelings, offering access to mental health resources, and showing understanding towards those who are struggling.

2.      To promote positive mental health outcomes and academic success, it's crucial to provide a safe and supportive learning environment for students. A safe and supportive learning environment can be achieved by cultivating a classroom culture that promotes mutual respect, positive relationships, and a sense of belonging for all students. Teachers can establish this kind of environment by setting clear expectations for behavior and academic performance, encouraging positive communication and problem-solving skills, and facilitating opportunities for students to collaborate and support each other. Research has demonstrated that a positive classroom environment increases student engagement and academic achievement. For instance, Rimm-Kaufman and Sawyer-Beaulieu (2005) found that classrooms that prioritized supportive relationships between teachers and students were more likely to enhance positive academic outcomes and emotional well-being. Additionally, creating a safe and supportive environment could involve implementing clear health and safety protocols, addressing incidents of bullying or harassment, and facilitating opportunities for students to build positive relationships with their peers.

3.      To promote student autonomy, it is a crucial to foster motivation, engagement, and academic success, especially in the aftermath of COVID-19. Student autonomy refers to the level of control and independence students have over their learning. When students have a sense of autonomy, they are more driven to learn and more likely to take accountability for their academic progress. To encourage student autonomy, teachers can offer opportunities for students to make choices regarding their learning, such as picking their own assignments or research topics. Numerous studies have found that encouraging student autonomy leads to improved academic outcomes. For instance, in a meta-analysis conducted by Ryan and Deci (2020), autonomy-supportive teaching practices were linked to higher levels of student engagement, motivation, and achievement. This could involve incorporating strategies like project-based learning or choice-based assignments, empowering students to take charge of their learning. Teachers can also inspire self-reflection and the growth mindset development in students, helping them cultivate a sense of control and agency over their learning.

4.      To enhance student engagement, critical thinking, and academic success, student-centered approaches, such as project-based learning and inquiry-based learning have been found to be effective strategies. These approaches prioritize the learner, rather than the teacher or the curriculum, and allow students to take more control over their learning. This can include exploring topics of interest to them, collaborating and communicating with peers, and engaging in self-directed learning. This approach is particularly important during the pandemic, as students in remote or hybrid learning environments may feel disconnected or disengaged from their learning. Research has shown that student-centered teaching methods promote critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and student motivation. For instance, a study conducted by Liu et al. (2017) found that inquiry-based learning was linked with higher levels of student engagement and critical thinking skills. Similarly, a student-centered approach can foster a positive learning environment where students feel empowered to take ownership of their learning. Incorporating project-based or inquiry-based learning activities into lesson plans and encouraging student collaboration and communication are practical ways for teachers to implement student-centered approaches in the classroom. By doing so, teachers can help students develop the skills and attitudes necessary for success in a rapidly changing world."

5.  To build social connection, teachers should provide opportunities for social interaction in the classroom. Social connection is crucial for both mental health and academic success. The COVID-19 pandemic caused many students to experience social isolation and disrupted social connections, which can have a negative impact on their mental health and academic performance. Therefore, it is vital for teachers to provide opportunities for social interaction in the classroom. Collaborative learning activities and group work are effective ways to promote social connection, allowing students to interact with one another in groups, share ideas, and learn from their peers. Additionally, teachers can encourage students to chat during transitions or breaks to encourage peer interaction outside of structured activities. Creating a positive classroom community is also an essential strategy for promoting social connection. This can be achieved by fostering positive interactions between students and between students and teachers. Teachers can model respectful and supportive behavior, recognize and celebrate student accomplishments, and resolve conflicts constructively to promote positive relationships. Research has shown that social connection is linked to positive mental health outcomes such as reduced stress and improved emotional well-being (Lerner et al., 2017). Furthermore, social connection has been linked to better academic outcomes, such as higher levels of academic achievement and engagement (Eccles & Roeser, 2011)."

6.      To address learning loss, teachers can use differentiated instruction, which involves tailoring instruction to each student's unique needs. Many students have experienced significant learning loss as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, as disruptions to in-person learning have made it difficult for students to stay on track with their academic progress. Differentiated instruction can include a variety of strategies, such as using different instructional methods, providing extra support or challenge for students as needed, and providing students with options in assignments and activities. Teachers, for example, may use small group instruction to provide targeted support to students who are struggling with a specific concept, or they may provide extension activities to students who have already mastered the material. Differentiated instruction has been shown in studies to improve students' academic outcomes. A meta-analysis of 39 studies, for example, discovered that differentiated instruction was associated with significant gains in student achievement (Tomlinson et al., 2017). Teachers can help ensure that students receive the support they need to succeed academically by using differentiated instruction, despite the challenges posed by the pandemic. This approach has the potential to address the learning loss that many students have experienced while also promoting more equitable outcomes for all students.

7.      To provide additional academic and emotional support, teachers should give individualized feedback, hold office hours, and connect students with mental health resources. Many students may require additional academic and emotional support as they return to in-person learning after experiencing disruptions in their education due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Academic support can include providing students with feedback on their work, providing additional opportunities for practice or re-teaching concepts, and providing access to resources such as online tutorials or study guides. Teachers can also provide students with more focused support and help them stay on track with their learning by holding office hours or providing individualized support sessions. Because students may be experiencing anxiety, stress, or other emotional challenges as a result of the pandemic, emotional support can be just as important as academic support. Teachers can provide emotional support to students by checking in on a regular basis, creating a safe and supportive learning environment, and connecting students with mental health resources as needed. According to research, providing academic and emotional support can help improve student outcomes. A study of a program that provided individualized academic and emotional support to low-income middle school students, for example, discovered that the program was linked to significant improvements in academic achievement (Kahn et al., 2020).

8.      To develop resilience and coping with stress, positive self-talk is an important strategy for assisting students. Positive self-talk refers to the messages we give ourselves about our abilities, worth, and potential, and it can have a significant impact on how we perceive ourselves and our surroundings. Teachers can encourage positive self-talk by modeling it, providing affirmations, and instructing students on how to reframe negative thoughts. A teacher, for example, could model positive self-talk by saying to students during class, "You're doing great!" or "I'm proud of your hard work." Teachers can also offer affirmations, such as encouraging students to write down positive messages about themselves and repeat them to themselves throughout the day. Another effective strategy for encouraging positive self-talk is to reframe negative thoughts. Teachers can teach students how to recognize negative thoughts and respond with more positive, constructive messages. For example, if a student is feeling overwhelmed and thinking, "I'll never be able to do this," a teacher may help them reframe the thought by saying, "This is difficult, but I can break it down into smaller steps and work on it bit by bit." A study of a program that taught students to use positive self-talk discovered that it was associated with improved academic achievement and emotional well-being (Reivich & Shatte, 2003).

9.      To improve growth mindset, intelligence and abilities must be developed through hard work, dedication, and learning from mistakes. A fixed mindset holds that intelligence and abilities are innate and cannot be changed. Teachers can help students develop a growth mindset by promoting the idea that intelligence can be developed, teaching students about neuroplasticity, and encouraging students to focus on effort rather than natural ability. A teacher, for example, might speak to their students about the brain's ability to grow and change in response to new challenges and experiences, emphasizing the importance of perseverance and hard work in achieving success. Another way to encourage a growth mindset in students is to encourage them to see setbacks and mistakes as opportunities for learning and growth. Teachers can help students reframe their thinking by emphasizing that making mistakes is a natural part of the learning process and that students can improve their skills and abilities by learning from their mistakes. According to research, promoting a growth mindset can have a positive impact on student outcomes. One study discovered that students who were taught a growth mindset had higher academic achievement and greater motivation than those who were not taught a growth mindset (Dweck, 2006).

10.    To ensure that students get the help they need to succeed academically and maintain good mental health, collaboration with families and mental health professionals must be regarded. Regular communication between teachers and families, referrals to mental health professionals, and coordinated efforts to address specific challenges or issues are all examples of collaboration. A teacher, for example, may communicate with a student's family on a regular basis to keep them updated on their child's progress and any challenges they are facing. If the student is experiencing mental health issues, the teacher may collaborate with the family to devise strategies for providing additional support or gaining access to mental health services. Teachers may also collaborate with mental health professionals, such as school counselors or outside therapists, to ensure that the student receives the most appropriate and effective care possible. Collaboration between teachers, families, and mental health professionals has been shown in research to improve student outcomes. A meta-analysis of 23 studies found that family-school partnerships were associated with improved academic outcomes, reduced behavior problems, and increased family involvement in their children's education (Henderson & Mapp, 2002).

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, our lives, work, and learning have undergone significant changes. To assist students in adapting to post-pandemic life, teachers must prioritize their mental, physical, and emotional well-being, provide a safe and supportive learning environment, foster motivation and engagement, and adopt student-centered approaches.

As we transition into a post-pandemic world, it is critical to recognize the possibility of unexpected challenges or changes. To deal with these circumstances, it's critical to remain adaptable and flexible while keeping stress levels under control. Accepting new experiences with an open mind can also promote personal growth and broaden one's perspective on life. Remember that it is up to us to make the most of these changes and emerge stronger as a result of them.

References:

Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. Random House.

Fazel, M., Hoare, P., & Moran, P. (2014). Achieving universal health coverage for mental disorders. BMJ, 348, g4446. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.g4446

Henderson, A. T., & Mapp, K. L. (2002). A new wave of evidence: The impact of school, family, and community connections on student achievement. National Center for Family & Community Connections with Schools.

Kahn, J. H., Huang, L., Tuman, M., & Young, J. S. (2020). School mental health providers' perceptions of the COVID-19 impact on students' mental health. School Mental Health, 12(4), 605-617. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-020-09419-9

Lerner, R. M., Lerner, J. V., Almerigi, J. B., Theokas, C., Phelps, E., Gestsdottir, S., Naudeau, S., Jelicic, H., & Alberts, A. (2017). Positive youth development, participation in community youth development programs, and community contributions of fifth-grade adolescents: Findings from the first wave of the 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development. Journal of Early Adolescence, 27(1), 1-22. https://doi.org/10.1177/0272431606296562

Liu, Q., Peng, W., Zhang, F., Hu, R., Li, Y., & Yan, W. (2017). The effectiveness of blended learning in health professions: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 19(4), e154. https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.6265

Reivich, K. J., & Shatte, A. J. (2003). The resilience factor: 7 essential skills for overcoming life's inevitable obstacles. Broadway Books.

Rimm-Kaufman, S. E., & Sawyer-Beaulieu, S. (2005). Building academic success on social and emotional learning: What does the research say? In J. E. Zins, R. P. Weissberg, M. C. Wang, & H. J. Walberg (Eds.), Building academic success on social and emotional learning: What does the research say? (pp. 135-157). Teachers College Press.

Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2020). Self-determination theory: Basic psychological needs in motivation, development, and wellness. Guilford Press.

Tomlinson, C. A., Brighton, C., Hertberg, H., Callahan, C. M., Moon, T. R., Brimijoin, K., Conover, L. A., & Reynolds, T. (2017). Differentiating instruction in response to student readiness, interest, and learning profile in academically diverse classrooms: A review of literature. Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 40(2), 101-136. https://doi.org/10.1177/0162353217704410

ABSTRACT

This study described the provided evaluation and analyzed the strategic processes — planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation — of Don Bosco's North Province school projects using the PERMA Model’s core elements – positive emotion, engagement, meaning, and accomplishment. Specifically, addressed the following objectives: to describe the evaluated school projects of Don Bosco Schools in the North Province, Philippines in terms of strategic processes; to determine the evidence on how the research participants make sense of the conduct of the strategic processes on school projects resulting to the use of Positive Education; to identify whether PERMA Profile of the respondents as individuals relate with their Working PERMA Profiles; to identify whether the Workplace PERMA Profile of the respondents who obtained higher PERMA Profile differ with lower PERMA Profile; to analyze and identify emerging themes of the strategic processes on school projects using the five-core elements of PERMA Model - positive emotion, engagement, relationship, meaning, and accomplishment; and to propose a strategic process framework on school project with the use of PERMA Model. Student-leaders, Salesian Educators, project implementers/coordinators, and Salesians participated in the study. Mixed method was used to analyze the data through explanatory sequential research design. The study revealed that Don Bosco schools are doing well in providing quality education through various school projects. To determine relevance and relationships, participants' PERMA and Workplace Profilers were analyzed, correlated, and compared. The study found out that well-being affects workplace performance. Thus, organizational performance increases with wellbeing. Similarly, the researcher was able to develop core standards through thematic analysis that adhere to the principles of Positive Education and can be utilized in the implementation of school projects and programs: Pursuit of Happiness, Pastoral Encounter, Primacy of Educational Relationship, Purposeful Action, and Positive Affirmation. The researcher recommended that schools should integrate the proposed structured framework, Transcending Positive Education through Schools Projects to make huge contribution in attaining quality education.

Keywords: Positive Education, PERMA Model, Well-being, Strategic Processes, School Projects

INTRODUCTION

There has been a call for educational reformation around the world, especially those countries deprived of so much about education. This is to see and experience huge progress in the educational systems countries are funding and implementing as well. And one of the actions the leaders are achieving is inclusive and quality education for all reaffirms the belief that education is one of the most powerful and proven vehicles for sustainable development. By 2030, this objective will have ensured that all girls and boys receive free, comprehensive primary and secondary education.

Relatively, to promote "One DepEd," all offices and schools shall adopt only the official DepEd Vision, Mission, and Core Values (VMV). The Department of Education (2013) stated in its vision that:

“We dream of Filipinos who passionately love their country and whose values and competencies enable them to realize their full potential and contribute meaningfully to building the nation.

As a learner-centered public institution, the Department of Education continuously improves itself to better serve its stakeholders. (DO 36, s. 2013)”

Consequently, the study of the researcher focused initially on the analysis of these programs and projects to ensure that their actions are aligned with what the Department of Education desired to transpire in each public institution to realize the potentials of every member of the academic institution and contribute to the improvement of the nation through the provision of quality education. Given the academic experiences of the researcher, the study solely analyzed the strategic processes in conducting projects and programs of Don Bosco Schools in the North Province, Philippines. The study deemed to understand the nature of Salesian Formation in relation to the Positive Education for Don Bosco Schools adheres to the idea of holistic formation. His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI wrote a letter to Fr. Pascual Chávez Villanueva, Rector Major SDB last 2008 where he stated that the Salesianity places their community in the verge of popularity in terms of providing educative evangelization to the young people. He believes that without proper education with a soul, there is no profound, sensible and persistent evangelization that fosters the true definition of education; there is no holistic formation amongst the young people that shows maturity; and there would be discernment about possible mental or cultural transformation.

Having said these things, the core of Salesian education is to prepare young people for a future filled with compassion and love for others. It is truly crucial to demonstrate to young people what is Positive Education and how does it affect their well-being.  Positive Education calls for flourishing what the students have and so focusing on their character strengths, such as optimism and values-based actions; to give them opportunities to serve others in ways consistent with the teachings of the gospel, and to inspire them to become contributing members of society through their labor, engagement, and dedication to the common good.

Additionally, the study sought to ascertain the teachers' state of well-being, which inevitably affects their ability to devote resources to these projects. These perceptions will be more positive in nature, emphasizing positive emotions, engagement, relationship building, meaning, and accomplishment. Seligman (2015) made mentioned that Positive Psychology, in addition, suggests optimism is a natural byproduct of increasing our sense of well-being and life satisfaction that could be of great help in making ourselves productive to our work-related fields. Seligman spent decades developing a happiness theory for he was interested in determining the components of happiness. Thus, he created the PERMA model, a five-dimensional model of happiness (Waters, 2017). This PERMA Model was used by the researcher to balance the feasibility and technical aspects of proposing a school project while also emphasizing the well-being of the school's stakeholders. The model compromises five core elements which are positive emotions, engagement, relationship, meaning, and accomplishment.

Through school projects, the goal of the researcher was to make things plausible, consistent, and imply success in the school community. Similarly, the research was for each program that a school runs to ensure that everyone succeeds. As a result, this viewpoint aided the researcher in contemplating an important concept that needed to be implemented in the school system – how to significantly propose a school project which can cater not only school-related issues but social issues as well. Similarly, this study was a support to the call of the Sustainable Development Goals, Quality Education. The researcher believed that through successful school projects and programs, ensuring high-quality education will be evident. The researcher shared the belief that providing access to education throughout one's life can aid in the individual's overall development, as well as foster a more peaceful and tolerant society. Education should foster more than just reading, writing, and arithmetic proficiency; it should also foster curiosity, courage, and resilience in its students.

Ultimately, the central idea of the study was to integrate the technicalities of school program implementation while emphasizing everyone's well-being. Hence, this is the essence of advocating Positive Education. The researcher’s product was a structured framework that can significantly address the concern of how to propose, plan, and evaluate a program that will surely succeed and be used in long-term.  And so, the study was titled– Evaluation and Analysis of Strategic Processes on School Projects using the PERMA Model.

METHODS

The researcher employed a mixed methodology, which means that both qualitative and quantitative methods were used to address all the objectives stated in the study. In general, the researcher utilized the explanatory sequential mixed method design to analyze and present the results and discussion of the gathered data. Also, descriptive research design was utilized to provide meaningful descriptions about the school projects evaluated by Don Bosco schools and the gathered from the adopted questionnaires by the researcher. The researcher employed correlational study to determine the relationship between the presence of the PERMA Model's core elements – positive emotions, engagement, relationship, meaning, and accomplishment in every research participant as individuals and how these were demonstrated in their workplace – using the Workplace PERMA Profiler. For verification purposes, the researcher included the test for difference to identify whether the Workplace PERMA Profile of the respondents who obtained higher PERMA Profile differ with lower PERMA Profile. These are adopted questionnaires, the PERMA Profiler (as individual) and The Workplace PERMA Profiler (member of a working environment) by Butler, J., & Kern, M. L. (2016). Besides, the qualitative component of the study was to conduct a thematic analysis of school projects through the strategic processes by the Don Bosco Schools in the North Province, Philippines.

RESULTS

It reveals that Core Values received the highest value for schools that wished to adhere to their guiding principle, which is to live according to the values taught by St. John Bosco. However, the selected schools received lower mean scores on Educational Evangelization and Sustainability. These are two crucial standards that need to be prioritized (3.78 and 3.64, respectively).  Don Bosco Schools will adhere to the fact that monitoring is an essential part of carrying out projects and programs because they require constant observation to determine which parts are declining or which parts are becoming unaligned with how they began. No single school exceeded the overall mean of higher than 4.00 in the evaluation process, necessitating reflective action such as debating whether evaluation is carried out after every program.

The research participants have assessed themselves in accordance with the five core elements of PERMA Model namely positive emotions, engagement, relationship, meaning, and accomplishment. For Positive Emotion, the participants should be given opportunities to express their needs in order to fulfill their aspirations and attain happiness. For the second core element, as individuals, the participants had positive experiences with this type of engagement because they believe they are more likely to experience well-being. On the other hand, building positive relationships with others is essential for spreading love and joy. Likewise, having strong relationships offers support during difficult times. Generally, the participants provided a very acceptable interpretation for having a strong and harmonious relationship on this PERMA Profiler.

Furthermore, meaning is derived from serving a cause greater than oneself, but acknowledging your meaning and purpose will ultimately provide you with the sense of direction necessary to achieve all of your goals and attain all of your successes. Henceforth, the respondents should continue doing what they are doing to be acknowledged for their value and actions. Equally, achievement is another important factor that contributes to our ability to flourish, which is why Martin Seligman developed the PERMA Model. Flourishing is the result of all of our accomplishments that we desired to achieve. 

Relatively, the research participants have shown how much of the PERMA Model’s core elements are observed in their day-to-day activities in the workplace. Given their very acceptable positive emotion in the Workplace PERMA Profiler, the participants are indeed enjoying serving their school community. It was revealed that the participants accentuated that positive emotions enhance work performance, improve physical health, strengthen relationships, and generate optimism and hope for the future. On the other hand, for the second core element, the participants are engaged in their work. Similarly, Don Bosco Schools are generally quite impressive in what they truly build within their working environment. Being a part of their schools will undoubtedly ensure you great and healthy relationships, but with some caveats. Positive workplace relationships allow employees to build healthy support systems that will be useful during times of stress and difficulty.

Moreover, student-leaders, school project implementers, Salesian Educators, and Salesians, it is abundantly clear that participants' value cannot be questioned in light of their meaningful life experiences as members of the Salesian community. Indeed, Don Bosco schools demonstrated a very acceptable recognition of putting meaningful actions and deeds apparently in the conduct of school initiatives/activities. Lastly, for the fifth core-element of PERMA Model, it is abundantly clear to student-leaders, school project implementers, Salesian Educators, and Salesians that goal setting is an important part of productivity and happiness.

The study revealed the calculated correlation coefficient, 0.9997, indicates a strong positive correlation between the participants’ PERMA Profiles as individuals and in the workplace thus the  shall be accepted.  This the researcher has used the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test to determine the significant difference between the respondents’ PERMA and Workplace Profiles. It is therefore decided by the researcher that the null hypothesis  shall be accepted because the negative sum is far higher than the critical value that is . Therefore, we do not have statistically significant evidence at α , to show that the median difference in the PERMA Profiles of the participants whether pertaining to as an individual and member of a working group is not zero.

Using guided questions during the face-to-face interview, the researcher was able to identify the necessary themes for structuring the framework. Using the PERMA Model's five core elements – positive emotions, engagement, relationship, meaning, and accomplishment – this framework is required to guide the conduct of school projects and programs by the entire school community. The following are the major themes: Pursuit of Happiness; Pastoral Encounter; Primacy of Educational Relationship; Purposeful Actions; and Positive Affirmation.

CONCLUSION

         It goes without saying that school initiatives and programs are crucial to achieving academic success. It is obvious how much they have contributed to the overall development of not only the students but also the teachers and school administrators. They have made it possible to reach the unreachable. However, because of various reasons, schools, particularly those who oversee facilitating these, are unable to do so. Due to a lack of time and resources, a change in the administration, a fear of some members of the organization changing, a lack of professional expertise, and other factors, school project implementers are unable to carry out these activities. But the study also demonstrates that these schools can pursue the implementation of these projects and programs by going back to the reasons behind why they do what they do, maintaining a higher and positive well-being, and seeing the future advantages. Thus, with the aid of the PERMA Model's core components—positive emotions, engagement, relationship, meaning, and accomplishment—the people in charge of school projects and programs will be given the values and abilities they need to execute the strategic processes effectively. The PERMA Model's core components are excellent ways to improve an individual's wellbeing, which also radiates at work.

Accordingly, utilizing the Transcending Positive Education through School Projects and Programs: A framework that emphasizes the core elements, Pursuit of Happiness; Pastoral Encounter; Primacy of Educational Relationship; Purposeful Actions; and Positive Affirmation - will undoubtedly assist schools in reflecting and analyzing whether Positive Education is truly observed during the conduct of activities.  Remember that the sole purpose of education is to ensure that everyone develops a strong character, and this study may be one of the numerous ways to live and make this happen.

RECOMMENDATION

         Based on all the findings, the researcher has revealed significant contribution to the use of the PERMA Model in ensuring successful and meaningful school projects and programs. Hereafter, the project implementers of various schools who will read the study may want to consider using the structured Transcending Positive Education through School Projects and Programs: A Framework to the strategic processes in the conduct of activities as part of their documentation and discussion. The school project implementers together with the school heads may want to consider the researcher’s suggestion regarding the incorporation of the structured core standards and their definitions into the evaluation tool for each school project and program. A comprehensive training about Positive Education shall be provided first. It is to embrace the principles underlying the notion of Positive Education, in particular the PERMA Model. Lastly, for the future researchers are advised to use the PERMA Model to identify key concepts in classroom instruction. Thus, Positive Education will be gradually integrated into the educational system.

REFERENCES:

Butler, J., & Kern, M. L. (2016). The PERMA-Profiler: A brief multidimensional measure of flourishing. International Journal of Wellbeing, 6(3), 1-48. doi:10.5502/ijw.v6i3.526

Kern M. L., Waters L. E., Adler A., White M. A. (2015). A multidimensional approach to measuring well-being in students: Application of the PERMA framework. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 10(3), 262–271. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2014.936962

Salesian Youth Ministry Department, (2014). Salesian Youth Ministry: Frame of Reference. Direzione Generale Opere Don Bosco

Seligman, M. (2015). Chris Peterson’s unfinished masterwork: Real mental illnesses. Journal of Positive Psychology: Special issue in memory of Chris Peterson, 10(1), 3-6. doi:10.1080/17439760.2014.888582

Waters, L. (2017). https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/educational-and developmental_psychologist/article/review-of_schoolbased-positive-psychology_interventions/ A Review of School Based Positive Psychology Interventions

Muzon Elementary School as an educational institution is blessed to have internal and external stakeholders who unselfishly share their resources for the improvement of the school’s facilities and academic performance.   

In 2017, MES had a total of P133, 781.00-this amount rose tremendously by 272.64% or P364, 739.00 in 2018. However, the amount was diminished by 13.49% or P67, 328.37.00 in 2019. This gave an impact to the school’s adopt-a-school projects’ implementation.

         With the uncertainties brought by the pandemic, internal and external stakeholders’ participation to the school’s aspirations shrink. 

         To address this, MES spearheaded by the principal, Dr. Emelita DJ. Saulo, together with the adopt a school and Brigada Eskwela coordinators and the teachers club officers organized a fund-raising project SHARE (Stakeholders’ Help and Response in Reaching Excellence)

Project SHARE aims to embolden more engagement from the internal and external stakeholders as they endowed in greater heights in school endeavors.

.       As Project SHARE sails to the untamed sea of uncertainties, Muzon Elementary School incites its partners to lend succor in any semblance of their amplitude because help comes in various forms.

Despite the strict quarantine protocols, partners and stakeholders participation to the school’s undertakings was overflowing. Project SHARE was able to generate P736,084.00 total amount of donations both in kind and in cash for the year 2020 (alone).

The overwhelming success of Project SHARE equates the strong linkage between the school and its stakeholders.

KAPIT para sa Edukasyon

         With its strong aspiration to generate more participation from the community amidst the pandemic, Muzon Elementary School spearheaded by Dr. Emelita DJ Saulo crafted a handbook that describes the journey of how a stakeholder can partake to the school’s quest for excellence.

         KAPIT para sa Edukasyon (Komunidad At Paaralan Iisa at Tulong-tulong para sa Edukasyo) is a 30 pages handbook that summarizes the school game plan to attract possible donors.  The handbook is a chronicle of who can help, what help can be lent, and how to help.

A friend in need’s, a friend in need

         Aside from the fear of being infected by the unseen villain, the fear of hunger also arose from the last year’s lockdown. The strict protocols and hampered delivery of non-essential services resulted to the increase in unemployment among minimum wage earners. This specific reason made staying at home for them deliberately impractical.

         Bringing the monicker “Guro na may Puso” into life, some Muzon Elementary School teachers initiated a campaign called Teachers’ Lending a Helping Hand- Tara Tulong Tayo!. This campaign was able to generate thousands of responses from teachers and generous partners. This is what the ‘Bayanihan sa Ekswelahan” calls for.

         With some 30 faculty members who shared a portion of what they have, Evangeline Buenaobra together with Dinnalyn Cawicaan and Angelina Verdillo was able to conferred a hundred of packed relief goods to residents of Muzon. The help was composed of 2 kilos of rice and canned goods, to aid them during that trying times and make both ends meet. 

         Help did not end there. With the generosity of some colleagues, the campaign was heightened as they were able to lend help to the most vulnerable member of the society, the senior citizens.

         The biggest wave of the campaign came in the mid of July when a total of 800 Muzon ES learners received health and food provisions. A total of PhP 70, 000 pesos was generated to suffice the expenses in the conduct of this huge undertaking. Donations came from the Teachers’ Club funds, teachers’ contribution and the generosity of the stakeholders including the alumni, LGU officials and retired teachers.

         Aside from the community folks, Muzon Elementary School through Project SHARE expanded its help to those who are widely affected by the destructive typhoons that hit the Philippines in the latter part of 2020. With the help of the Supreme Pupils Government and the Teachers Club, Project SHARE was able to extend a total of Php 20, 000.00 donations in cash and kind.

Education continues amid the pandemic

         Muzon Elementary School just like any educational institution opens door of opportunities to learners as soon as they make their first step in the school’s premises. Every school serves as every dreamer’s training ground. This where every learner discovers his/her potential and starts to dream big.

         The school’s closure due to Covid 19 brought fear among learners. The fear of a shattered dream and the loss of opportunity to grow and make it big reigns in the heart of most students. We do not want such things.

         To make the delivery of education unhampered, Muzon ES crafted a School Learning Continuity Plan that caters the diversified learners and making those differences as one to make a big step in the realization of every Muzones dream.

         The SLCP encourages stakeholder’s participation to transport education to every learner’s doorstep. Muzon Reckless Riders through the Honorable Ron Encisa serves as the official Self-Learning Kits’ courier of MES. Some owners of sari-sari store also agree to make their big box a Learning Resource Kiosk for learners who reside in far flung areas.

         More than the participation in the learning delivery mode, the stakeholders also made an involvement in securing safety in the school’s premises through their bestowed personal protective equipment.

         The Local Government Unit (LGU) handed school supplies to be utilized in the preparation of learning resources. 

Kapit-bahay ko, Guro ko

         Geared with the aspiration of providing quality education to every Muzones amid the pandemic, MES instigated Kapit-bahay ko, Guro ko.

         Umbrella to project SHARE, Kapit-bahay ko, Guro ko aims to help learners who are having difficult times in their distance learning through the aid of community tutor.

         Tutors who are participating in the activity come from the learners’ neighborhood. These volunteer tutors have to be the learners’ relative, a person living next door or a church mate. The utmost priority in the conduct of this program is the safety of the volunteer and of course the learners and their family.

         The school’s role is to provide the learning resources and technical assistance to the volunteers. Also, every learner’s advisers are tasked to monitoring and evaluating the learner’s progress at the end of each month.

         Through Project Kapit-bahay ko, Guro ko, the decrease in the number of students at risk of dropping out will be evident. Moreover, the project will ease the dilemma of those parents who are incapable of facilitating distance learning.

         Concisely, with Project SHARE, Muzon Elementary School was able to strengthen the link between the community and the school which is the real essence of Bayanihan. Indeed, through Project SHARE, we can say: “May Pag-asa sa Gitna ng Pandemya”!

The COVID 19 pandemic that we experienced and still experiencing is the greatest challenge that the modern world and humanity have encountered to date.

This challenge has brought significant changes to everyone’s life and prostrated economies of several countries and ushered the closure of schools worldwide.

Never in our wildest imagination  that schools will be closed for a long time, for few months or more… , the busy and noisy surroundings of energetic learners took their longest day off…

However, the schools closure paved way to some innovations that we never thought that we are capable of. The situation gave birth to what we call now, distance or remote learning. The pandemic actually taught us to be more creative and resourceful, Moreso it taught it that to make life move forward we can make use of the meager and scarce resources which are available. This tested the efficiency and made the internet the most crucial part of everyone’s life.

In our country, the Philippines for example: we introduced the blended distance learning, wherein we gave options to our learners on which modality suits them best… we offered online and modular modalities and even a combination of both.

Kudos to everyone for a job well done in the past years.

It is liberating to say that we actually did it!

We made the impossible, possible amidst the threat of the pandemic.

Unfortunately, the saddest reality disclosed that not every learner was able to cope with distance learning. Some made the situation meaningful, but some were not able to get by with the situation due to some unavoidable circumstances and reasons we are not in control.

Now as we face the world after the height of covid 19, the thing we called NEW NORMAL… we are about to face another great challenge… as the schools reopen… the challenge is  what we are going to do with the aftermath of the pandemic specifically in the education sector.

The world needs to recover from the pandemic. Recovering includes rebuilding our education system as we face the post pandemic world.

Where do we start making a reboundin?

Getting back from academic loss begins with capital T-e-s-t.- There’s a need for testing and evaluation.

Why testing?.. testing is our means to make a reflection, or an assessment of how much learning our children acquired in the past years especially during the conduct of the distance learning.

Hence administration of test must be done periodically… the test that we I am referring to is the diagnostic test. Diagnostic test will serve as an opening point on how teachers will start with teaching the grade level competencies per quarter. The results of the diagnostic will serve as basis on which teaching strategies is suitable for the learner and which competency needs an extended time.

How do we recover from learning loss?

The Asian Development Bank on their ADB Briefs no. 217 issued on July 2022, has enumerated steps on recovering learning loss through the article “ How to Recover Learning Losses from COVID-19 School Closures in Asia and the Pacific” written by Rhea Molato-Gayares etal,

1. Consolidate curriculum to focus on essential skills

2. Match teaching to the learner’s level

3. Extend instruction time

4. Encourage re-enrollment

A.    Consolidate curriculum to focus on essential skills-

Gone are the days of congested and jampacked curriculum, as we recover from the pandemic and reopens our school, it is imperative to decongest the curriculum and give emphasis on what truly matters, the skills which are essential to land a job and prepare every learner to real-life challenges. In the Philippines, in the onset of the distance learning, the competencies were reduced and diminished into what we called most essential learning competencies or MELC. It is evident that the number of competencies decreased in every quarter.

As classroom teachers, though we are not in the authority in terms of the curriculum development. After the administration of the periodic diagnostic test, we can make a plan of action on which competencies are we going to put more weight and which strategies will make learning more effective to our learners. This is perhaps one of our special powers to recover from learning loss.

Also, I am encouraging ever teacher to make reading and numeracy the core of your instruction. As these skills are imperative for every learner to acquire as they progress to the next level.

B.     Match teaching to the learners’ Level

Always bear in mind that the learners that we have as we reopened for physical learning had their learning absence for 2 long years. Having said that, expectations should of be part of the game. We must anticipate that the learners are still coping up with the new situation and so are we. Thus, it is imperative for every teacher to upgrade or downgrade the teaching styles to match the to the learning level of every student.

This can be done through the following:

a.    Individual tutoring or mentoring- which is somehow time consuming on our part due to the scarcity of time and resources. After the diagnostics and periodic assessments we can now identify which learner needs individual tutorial- what we called remediation.

b.    Installing teaching assistants or perhaps learning leaders for smaller groups- also, we can make use of our active learners to lead the learning process in a smaller group

c.     Regrouping students based on their learning levels- on this process, on our context as classroom teacher- though discriminating as it may sound- regrouping our learners based on their level will make the instruction much easier to our end and suitability of instructions is attainable. This means that if we are practicing heterogenous classes, we are going to transform it to homogenous.

d.    Technology-assisted learning (or what we called ICT integration)- to make learning more relevant to the learners, never forget to make use of technology on which they are allowed and encourage to utilize and be part of. We may also make use of videos and the likes or to level up the experience we can make it more manipulative to them.

The first two ways to recover from learning loss, decongesting the curriculum and matching the teaching styles to the learners’ level required continuous training to both teachers and learners.

C.    The third perhaps can be considered as one of the uncontrollable variable of learning management, which is time… To recover learning loss, it is imperative to extend instruction time.. I believe that teachers have this kind of super power, in the exigency of public service and with the burning passion of improving the lives of every learner, one a time, most of us here are extending not only their time but too much effort for instruction. Some of us are allotting a portion of our time to do home visitation and home instruction, maybe some of us are doing one on one tutorial and conferences. Aside from using our selfless super power, we can make also use our stakeholders, especially the parents. We must strengthen their capacity to make follow up instruction their children at home.

D.    Lastly, to recover from learning loss, we must encourage re-enrollment. We cannot deny that there was an increase in terms of learners who STOPPED going to school during the implementation of distance learning. Now, as we go back to the physical classroom, there is a need to encourage these learners who missed the previous school years to go back to school and pursue their study. These can be done through constant communication with parents or guardians through phone calls, messenger and text messages and even conducting home visitation once in a while especially when need arises. Reward system can also be an effective way to encourage learners to go present during classes. Such examples are giving perfect attendance recognition, rewarding them with chocolates and gifts. In our school, we have a partnership program with the local government wherein we give incentives in cash and in kind to the learners who will make an astonishing attendance record per quarter.

Recovering from learning loss, cannot be done overnight, it takes a long process plus perseverance and hardwork. But I believe, as teachers, we are transformers, we can make the impossible, possible one step at a time.

Abstract

This dissertation aimed to explore the performance of School-Based Management (SBM) Level 3 principals through a case study approach. The study focused on the age, gender, educational qualification, training attended, total length of service in the Department of Education (DepEd), and years as principal of SBM Level 3 principals. The study also examined the attainment of SBM Level 3 using the principles of leadership and governance, curriculum and instruction, accountability and continuous improvements, and management of resources. Furthermore, the study explored the challenges encountered by the principals in achieving SBM Level 3, their responses to these challenges, and their successes and legacies throughout their careers.

The findings revealed that the majority of SBM Level 3 principals were female, with a master’s degree in education and an average age of 47 years old. The study also found that effective leadership and governance, curriculum and instruction, accountability and continuous improvements, and management of resources were essential in achieving SBM Level 3. Challenges encountered by principals included limited resources, lack of support from stakeholders, and insufficient time for SBM-related activities. The study suggests that schools encourage shared ownership, accountability, and responsibility for education among stakeholders, promote effective communication between principals and teachers, and develop a monitoring system to ensure compliance with the required documents and standards.

The findings of this study can serve as a basis for improving the performance of SBM Level 3 principals in the Philippines and contribute to the development of educational management policies and practices.

Keywords: School Based-Management (SBM), SBM Level 3

Introduction

School-based management (SBM) has become a popular strategy in education systems globally to improve education quality by decentralizing decision-making power from central authorities to schools. SBM enables school leaders to manage their schools effectively and efficiently, resulting in better outcomes for students. It enhances school accountability by involving all stakeholders in the decision-making process, leading to more efficient resource utilization. The Department of Education (DepEd) in the Philippines launched the SBM Level 3 Program in 2012, aimed at empowering school heads to become effective leaders of their respective schools.

The SBM Level 3 Program in the Philippines is part of a broader SBM framework that is implemented at different levels. The different levels of SBM involve different degrees of decentralization of decision-making power from central authorities to schools. The levels of SBM can be summarized as follows:

SBM Level 3: At this level, schools are given the highest degree of autonomy to manage their resources, budget, and curriculum. School leaders are empowered to make decisions and take actions that are aligned with the school's vision and goals. The central authorities provide minimal support and guidance to schools and mostly monitor the progress of schools.

The SBM Level 3 Program in the Philippines aims to empower school leaders to become effective leaders of their respective schools by providing them with the necessary skills and knowledge to manage their schools effectively and efficiently. The program includes capacity-building activities such as leadership training, mentoring, coaching, and networking to enhance the school leaders' capacity to lead and manage their schools. The program also provides financial support to schools to implement their school improvement plans.

Cabaero et al. (2014) found that SBM Level 3 principals in the Philippines face several challenges, including limited resources, lack of support from the central office, and difficulty in balancing administrative tasks and academic responsibilities. The study also identified the need for training and professional development programs for SBM Level 3 principals to enhance their leadership and

The study's findings will contribute to the literature on SBM in the Philippines by providing insights into the performance of SBM Level 3 principals and the factors that affect their performance. The study's findings will be useful for policymakers, school leaders, and other stakeholders in enhancing the effectiveness of SBM Level 3 program and improving the quality of education in the Philippines.

Method

The choice of a qualitative design and methodology in this study aimed to provide a holistic and nuanced understanding of the experiences of school-based management level 3 principals. This approach aligns with the latest definition of qualitative research as described by Creswell and Poth in their book, "Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design," which emphasizes exploring the complexity and richness of human experiences and understanding the meaning individuals ascribe to those experiences.

Findings

1.     Participants’ Profile

The study provides valuable insights into the profile of SBM level 3 principals. Notably, most of the principals fall within the age range of 41 to 50 years old, with an average age of 47 years old. The findings also indicate that all participants were male and had a master's degree in education, highlighting the gender and educational qualifications of these principals. Furthermore, the principals had attended an average of 13 seminars and workshops related to education, demonstrating their commitment to ongoing professional development. The study also reveals that the principals had an average of 24 years of service in DepEd, emphasizing their extensive experience in the field. Finally, the findings indicate that the principals had an average of 6 years as principal in their school, showcasing their leadership capabilities. These findings provide valuable information for policymakers, educators, and researchers to improve the training and development of SBM level 3 principals and enhance their effectiveness in school leadership.

2.     Attainment of SBM Level 3

All of the SBM level 3 principals in Cases 1 to 10 received a final rating of "Outstanding" in their most recent OPCR evaluation. The principals demonstrated excellence in their roles and responsibilities as school leaders and were able to implement best practices in their respective schools. The OPCR rating reflects the high level of performance and efficiency exhibited by the principals in achieving their school's goals and objectives. Overall, the study revealed that the SBM level 3 principals in the sample were highly competent and effective in their roles, as evidenced by their outstanding OPCR ratings.

3.     Challenges Encountered by Principal in Attaining SBM Level 3

The study identified several challenges encountered by the SBM Level 3 principals in attaining their goals. These challenges include inadequate budget and resources, lack of support from the local government unit, limited manpower, and lack of participation and cooperation from some stakeholders. Other challenges include the difficulty of implementing new policies and programs, managing conflicts among faculty and staff, and addressing the needs of students with special needs. The principals also faced challenges related to the lack of training and professional development opportunities, which hindered their ability to improve their leadership and management skills. Despite these challenges, the principals demonstrated resilience and resourcefulness in addressing these issues and finding solutions to achieve their goals.

4.     Coping Strategies Used by Principals Through the Challenges Encountered

The principals responded to the challenges encountered in attaining SBM Level 3 through various approaches. One of the most common strategies was to seek assistance from other individuals or groups, such as the school's SBM team, the local government unit, and even non-governmental organizations. Another approach was to initiate innovative programs and activities that would address the challenges faced by the school.

5.     Principals’ Successes and Legacies

Regarding student achievement, the principals consistently achieved high levels of academic performance among their students. They emphasized the importance of quality instruction and provided support for their teachers to improve their teaching strategies. They also focused on providing opportunities for student growth through various co-curricular and extra-curricular activities.

6.     Implications to Educational Management

First, the study reveals that the SBM level 3 principals demonstrated strong leadership and governance skills, which can serve as a model for other educational institutions. Thus, educational managers should prioritize the development of leadership skills among school administrators, including providing opportunities for training and mentorship.

Conclusions

1. The SBM level 3 principals in Region III can be described as experienced educators with an average age of around 50 years old, predominantly female, with a bachelor's degree as their highest educational attainment. They have attended various trainings and have been in DepEd for an average of 20 years, with around 5 years of experience as a principal in their current school.

2. Based on the findings, the SBM level 3 was attained by the principals through effective implementation of the four principles: leadership and governance, curriculum and instructions, accountability and continuous improvements, and management of resources. Effective communication, collaboration, monitoring, and utilization of resources were among the strategies employed by the principals to attain SBM level 3.

3. The findings revealed that even with the attainment of SBM level 3, the principals encountered various challenges such as communication, monitoring, document/paperwork related, maintaining past leadership, time management, and governance. These challenges were addressed through proper communication, regular monitoring, self and peer development, and utilizing time properly.

4. The principals' responses to the challenges encountered were effective and proactive. Proper communication, regular monitoring, self and peer development, and utilizing time properly were among the strategies employed to address the challenges encountered in the attainment of SBM level 3.

5. The principals have exhibited remarkable successes and legacies throughout their careers such as improved academic performance, strengthened school-community relationships, and innovative programs that benefited the students and the community. These successes and legacies serve as a motivation for other educators to emulate and learn from.

6. The implications of the study to Educational Management (EDMA) include the need for continuous capacity building and professional development for the educators, strengthening of communication and collaboration among stakeholders, and effective utilization of resources to improve the quality of education. The study provides insights into effective practices and strategies employed by the principals in attaining SBM level 3, which can serve as a guide for other educators and schools in their pursuit of quality education.

Recommendations

1. Schools are encouraged to develop strategies to ensure the readiness of teachers and staff in preparing necessary documents for SBM Level 3 validation. Future studies can explore effective methods for promoting teachers' engagement and commitment in the process.

2. Schools are encouraged to establish a culture of shared ownership, accountability, and responsibility among stakeholders to promote collaboration and cooperation in achieving educational goals. Future research can examine the impact of this culture on student outcomes and school effectiveness.

3. Schools are encouraged to prioritize the development of plans and programs that promote shared leadership and governance among stakeholders. Future studies can explore the effectiveness of different leadership models in enhancing the quality of education and improving student performance.

4. Future studies can investigate the most effective communication channels for facilitating communication between the principal and teachers. Schools are encouraged to establish effective communication protocols that allow for timely and efficient sharing of information.

5. Schools are encouraged to establish a monitoring system that ensures compliance with required documents and standards to maintain SBM Level 3. Future studies can explore the most effective monitoring strategies and the impact of monitoring on school performance and student outcomes.

6. DepEd is encouraged to promote the use of electronic SBM systems to minimize paperwork and facilitate efficient management of school records. Future studies can examine the impact of e-SBM on school management and performance.

7. Future researchers are encouraged to investigate the factors that affect the implementation and maintenance of SBM Level 3, including organizational, cultural, and contextual factors. This can help inform the development of effective strategies for promoting SBM implementation and sustainability.

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More than 180 indigenous languages are spoken in the Philippines, a nation made up of more than 7,000 islands, with Mindanao being the island with the most cultural diversity. It is imperative that indigenous languages in the Philippines are preserved, especially in Mindanao where the island's numerous ethnic groups have a substantial impact on its rich cultural history. The significance of protecting indigenous languages in Mindanao, the difficulties encountered, and the ongoing preservation efforts are all covered in this article.

Mindanao is the Philippines' second-largest island, with a population of about 26 million people. It is home to a variety of ethnic groups, each with its own language, culture, and traditions. These languages are used for communication within the community and reflect the people's history, values, and customs. Losing these languages means losing a substantial portion of Mindanao's and its people's cultural history. Indigenous languages are extremely important in encouraging diversity and inclusivity. They give ethnic minorities a forum to express themselves and be heard, ensuring that their voices are not lost in wider society. Furthermore, conserving these languages can foster greater understanding and respect among individuals of diverse ethnic backgrounds, hence reducing prejudice and discrimination. The Philippine Island of Mindanao is home to numerous ethnic groups, each with its own distinct language, culture, and traditions. However, there are considerable obstacles to the survival of indigenous languages in Mindanao. Truly, there are humongous difficulties facing the maintenance of indigenous languages in Mindanao.

The lack of government backing is one of the main obstacles to the survival of indigenous languages in Mindanao. English and Filipino are the primary languages used in government, the media, and education. The usage of indigenous languages is not institutionally supported, which lowers their position and worth in society. The poor funding of language preservation projects also reflects the absence of government support for the preservation of indigenous languages. Although some government organizations have formed language preservation initiatives, the success of these programs in protecting indigenous languages is frequently hampered by a lack of funding and staff.

Consequently, the language loss and shift present another difficulty for the preservation of indigenous languages in Mindanao. Language shift happens when a community switches from speaking its native tongue to a dominant language, like English or Filipino. When a language is no longer used by any living members of a community, language loss has occurred. Due to the influence of dominant languages and the dearth of institutional support for indigenous languages, both language shift and loss are common in Mindanao.

In the same vein, Mindanao is a conflict-prone territory, which might have an impact on the preservation of indigenous languages. Armed conflicts can cause individuals to be displaced from their communities, resulting in the loss of language and cultural customs. Language shift can also occur as a result of displacement, as people are forced to integrate into new communities that may not speak their home language. Over 100 indigenous languages are spoken on Mindanao, each with its own syntax, vocabulary, and sound system. Because of this linguistic diversity, it may be difficult to conserve all of the languages in the region. Some languages are threatened with extinction, but others have a larger number of speakers and are more likely to survive.

Indigenous language preservation in Mindanao faces tremendous hurdles. Lack of government support, language shift and loss, violence and displacement, and linguistic variety are among the problems. To address these issues, the government, non-governmental groups, and ethnic communities themselves must work together. Mindanao's linguistic diversity and cultural history can be preserved through recognizing the importance of conserving indigenous languages and supporting language preservation efforts.

Nowadays, the government and non-governmental organizations in Mindanao have made the preservation of indigenous languages a top priority. Mother-tongue-based multilingual education (MTB-MLE), which attempts to teach children in their mother tongue and progressively introduce them to other languages, has been incorporated by the Department of Education into its curriculum. This strategy is essential for protecting native languages and supporting children's cognitive and linguistic growth.

Another endeavor is the formation of language preservation programs by the government and non-governmental organizations. These organizations aim to document and revitalize endangered languages by creating language learning materials and training language instructors. Indigenous language preservation is also being pursued by ethnic communities through the development of language preservation groups and the promotion of language and culture on social media platforms. Indigenous language preservation activities in Mindanao are crucial to preserving the region's linguistic diversity. Various government and non-governmental organizations have launched language preservation projects to protect the survival of these languages. As a linguist, I also advocated this field and explored the reasons why do languages die, tried to have an engaging documentation of these endangered languages and explored its implications to development in Caraga Region.

The Department of Education's (DepEd) Mother-Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) program is one such example. This initiative emphasizes the value of mother language education and supports it as a powerful tool for boosting learning results. Children are educated in their mother tongue and eventually introduced to other languages through this approach. Children can learn their native language while also studying Filipino and English by introducing indigenous languages into the education system.

The development of language preservation centers is another endeavor to preserve indigenous languages. These centers are dedicated to documenting and revitalizing endangered languages through the development of language learning materials, the training of language instructors, and the promotion of language and culture through various media channels. The Language Preservation and Development Center in Davao City, for example, was founded to help the preservation and development of the region's diverse indigenous languages. In addition to these measures, ethnic communities are taking steps to preserve their languages. Many people have founded language preservation organizations in order to document and revitalize their endangered languages. To promote the use and appreciation of their languages, these organizations hold language classes, cultural events, and language documentation initiatives. They also make use of social media channels to reach a wider audience and share their language and culture.

Hence, indigenous language preservation efforts in Mindanao include a collaborative effort between the government, non-governmental groups, and ethnic communities themselves. These activities will assure the continued usage and appreciation of indigenous languages, as well as their relevance in Mindanao's cultural legacy. In a nutshell, indigenous language preservation in Mindanao is critical for maintaining cultural history, promoting diversity and inclusivity, and building understanding and respect among people of diverse ethnic backgrounds. While conserving these languages is difficult, numerous attempts are being made to document and revitalize them. The government, non-governmental organizations, and ethnic communities must continue to prioritize the preservation of these languages to ensure that they are passed on to future generations.

ABSTRACT

The premise of this research centered on the Secondary School Heads III and IV leadership authenticity, techniques, and personal values bases for the authentic leadership framework. The criterion-referenced purposive sampling design was used to identify the participants.   There were 11secondary schools divisions from Region III- Central Luzon qualified the study — ten PSDS, 33 school heads and 100 teachers. The quantitative descriptive design was employed to describe the three main variables.  The Pearson’s R correlation was employed to show the significant relationship of leadership authenticity and techniques, leadership authenticity and personal values, and the leadership techniques and personal values.  It utilized a triangulation assessment in extent of school heads, PSDS, and teacher’s views and perceptions across wide-ranging educational perceptions of their values in action, and the actual practices.

Schwartz Theory of Values and Gardner and Avolio’s Leadership were adopted and condense these various real concepts of authenticity.  Findings showed that were no statistically significant relationship between the two variables implies that the school heads' leadership authenticity does not influence personal values. There is a weak negative correlation and not statistically significant relationship between leadership authenticity and personal values of the school heads. The null hypothesis is accepted. It denotes the non-existence of a significant relationship between the school heads leadership authenticity,techniques, and personal values. In summary, school heads seem to have varied levels of practices and values concerning these diverse techniques in shaping authenticity. Therefore, the results of the study developed an authentic leadership framework which provides the educational implications on current and upcoming work in this field of leadership. The recommendations of the study are the following: school heads must combine their leadership authenticity with self- developments and relational transparency to enhance their leadership skills, to practice their unique planning from the broad to the specific; placing a strong emphasis on the training of personal development; on leadership techniques, rules should be précised and consistent to simplify and standardized organizational expectations through creating policies; contribute to the interpretation of the school head's orientation and practice of personal values  to facilitate team  building through reflection and comparison of the findings;   leadership authenticity, techniques, and personal values should be all in balance to consciously try to improve performance standards on a certain amount of curriculum content convergence and desire to succeed in their leadership practice given that school heads are supporting values-in-action in strengthening relationships among stakeholders which shows in end result of the developed leadership framework.

Keywords: school heads, authenticity, techniques, personal values, leadership framework

Introduction

Leadership authenticity has the basic sense of responsibility and accountability with oneself and others. The leadership techniques are veritable, mindful, and simple wherein authentic leaders can give job forming, work with change, and advancement of teachers' and students’ perseverance, dedication, social qualities, and get objectives (Zhang, 2017). They are advertisers of progress and challengers of the standard by empowering imagination, creativity, exposure, and risk-taking.   The school head's individual values are connected to principles and integrity; they guide their judgment and set us up to pick activities as indicated by their outcomes.

 The current study was able to stride in exploring the leadership authenticity, techniques, and personal values of school heads. It identified the espoused values, practices, and values in actions, the leadership techniques on how they oversee, exercise, and work with their group in the coming present-day world achieved by modernization and various changes in millennial schooling. Furthermore, their emotions, behavior, and actions fuel their personal values. Essentially, it digs further into leadership authenticity. This shows and takes the practices in action of the school heads that drawn from triangulating of self-assessment of the school heads, Public Schools District Supervisors (PSDS), and teachers.

Methodology

The descriptive-correlational study employed the Pearson r correlation analysis in determining the relationship of leadership authenticity, techniques, and personal values of the school heads. The criterion-referenced purposive sampling design was used to identify the participants. The research was conducted in Region III- Central Luzon, Philippines with 11 schools divisions- 33 school heads, 10 Public Schools Division Supervisors, and 100 teachers. The researcher adopted the Schwartz Theory of Values and Gardner and Avolio’s Leadership survey –questionnaires sent online through Google forms. Using the online platform, the researcher was able to gather the needed data and subjected for a statistical treatment with comprehensive analysis.

Findings

1. Leadership Authenticity of School Heads

1.1. The school heads leadership authenticity in terms of self-awareness from triangulating assessment of school heads, PSDS, and teachers had weighted mean of 4.23,4.25, and 3.93 respectively with a composite mean of 4.14. On the other hand, the lowest composite means is 3.99 wherein they cannot identify their greatest weaknesses as school leaders.

1.2. The internalized moral perspective of the school heads weighted a grand mean of 4.24, 4.20, and 3.97. It has composite mean of 4.13. It shows that a school heads exhibits a highest composite mean on reflecting the importance of core values. In contrast, the lowest composite means is 4.0 which refers to the ability to maintain consistency between declared basic ideas and judgments.

1.3. The school heads leadership authenticity in terms of balancing processing weighted the  following mean of 4.19, 4.20, and 3.86. It has a composite mean of 4.08. Findings indicate that school heads are facing new challenges in education that increases pressures to them before making any decisions. This has the highest composite mean of 4.16. On the other hand, the lowest composite mean is 3.94. This summarizes the ideas that school heads do not insist their point of view for the welfare of others and slew of other issues that may combine and complicate matters.

1.4. The relational transparency of the school heads’ leadership authenticity in workplace has a weighted mean of 4.08, 4.0, and 3.77 respectively. The composite mean is 3.95. It is indicated that the highest composite mean is 4.09 wherein school heads seek feedbacks to fully understand themselves better. In contrast, the lowest composite mean is 3.47 which rarely present wrong doings in front of others.

2. School Heads Leadership Techniques

2.1. The school heads leadership techniques is (25.88%), PSDS (24.55%), teachers (57.88%), and people who can explain the fundamentals of leadership (48.48%) have knowledge of these concepts than teachers and people who can define the fundamentals of leadership (57.88%). Yet, compared to PSDS and teachers, school administrators are more likely to be able to recognize various leadership situations and types of leaders (57.58% vs. 52.58%, respectively).

2.2. The percentage of teachers, school heads, and PSDS who chose "yes" or "no" for each of the nine personal techniques listed in the poll offers insights into the level of personal abilities and characteristics that each group possesses in terms of realizing their own motivation to lead, setting up clear personal goals, scheduling and keeping track of time, determining priorities, planning for themselves and their projects, realizing how leaders' emotions can affect group dynamics, acting quickly in emergency situations, controlling their emotions and stress, and delegating tasks.

2.3. The school heads communication techniques that were given to teachers, PSDS, and school heads to determine their communication techniques through poll. The number of respondents and the proportion that indicated yes or no for each communication approach are shown.  Generally, the school heads could , "read between the lines ", "active listening skills," and "ability to interpret what people truly mean" are the top three communication approaches that all three groups agreed with the most frequently.

2.4. The school heads group techniques were asked to rate their level of skill or knowledge for each of the 17 group techniques that were the subject of the study. The frequency and proportion of respondents who chose "yes" or "no" for each strategy are shown which indicates that there are variances in the responses of school heads,  PSDS, and teachers about their knowledge of group dynamics. For instance, more school heads (57.58%) than PSDS (42.42%) responded "yes" to technique 1 (Ability to overcome preconceptions and prejudices). Similar to technique 1, more teachers (73%) indicated "yes" in response to technique 2 (Understanding of how to respect individual and cultural diversity).

3. School Heads Personal Values

3.1. The school heads openness to change has the degree of self-direction and stimulation across in terms of their openness to change.  With a weighted mean of 2.07, the results demonstrate that school heads typically exhibit a modest level of self-direction, suggesting that they are "little like" someone who values doing things their own way and making their own judgments. The weighted mean for stimulation is marginally higher at 2.19, indicating that they "are not like" someone who enjoys surprises, is constantly seeking out new experiences, and wants to have fun.

3.2. The findings on the school heads’ self-efficacy indicate that although school heads do have a desire for power and pleasure, they place a higher priority on the success of their school and learners.  

3.3. For the school heads conservation-related personal values concentrating and focusing on the dimensions of safety, conformity, and tradition place a reasonable amount of significance on maintaining a secure environment and avoiding anything that could risk their safety. The priority that school heads place on people always doing as they are told and abiding by the rules, even when no one is looking, is relatively low in terms of conformity.

3.4. The school heads self-transcendence reflected as low self-transcendence values. The weighted mean scores for benevolence and universalism specifically varied from 1.50 to 1.87, which is rated as "not like me" or "not like him/her" in terms of descriptive evaluation. This implies that school heads may not put as much emphasis on the interests and welfare of others as they do on their own.

4. The relationship of leadership techniques, leadership authenticity, and personal values

The summary of the findings on of the correlation analyses, leadership techniques are adversely connected with both leadership authenticity and personal values (r=-0.245 and r=-0.126, respectively). Both personal values (r=-0.391 and r=-0.382, respectively) and leadership authenticity (r=-0.021 and r=-0.192, respectively) are adversely connected with communication and group abilities. Personal values or leadership authenticity do not significantly correlate with personal skills.

5. A leadership framework based on the findings of the study.

The leadership framework emphasizes the importance of authentic leadership, which comes from accepting one's weaknesses and seeking feedback. It also highlights the significance of knowing one's limitations as a leader, basic leadership principles, real-world ethics, and values. The framework shows that school leadership is a reflective and cooperative process that considers opportunities and difficulties within a community, encourages innovation in teaching, and fosters research productivity through effective research leadership, work habits, and institutional characteristics.

6. The implication of the findings of the study to educational management.

The study's implications for educational management are significant. School principals must uphold their authenticity while exercising leadership actions to gain enormous benefits for everyone with whom they come into contact. Encouraging authentic leadership techniques among teachers can help create a supportive environment, and networking between the school and other external factors is crucial.

Conclusions

School heads play a crucial role.  The key findings of the study led to the following conclusions:

1.      The school head’s leadership authenticity reflected that the internalized perspective was found to be their greatest strength, then self-awareness and balanced processing. Their weakest area, however, was relational transparency. In conclusion, leaders should be aware not only their strengths but also their weaknesses with a certain course of actions with the best intensions and view it as a chance to improve for the better especially in relational transparency.

2.      The school heads leadership techniques must focus on communication. Good communication skills are essential in the educational field, and school administrators and instructors should always work to improve their communication abilities in order to enhance student results and build productive connections.

3.      The school heads leadership of personal values points the need for promoting values-based leadership in schools, particularly in terms of the values of self-transcendence.

4.      The correlation analysis between leadership authenticity and leadership techniques leadership are adversely and unfavorably connected with leadership authenticity (r=-0.245). Also, the relationship between the school heads personal values and their leadership authenticity lack a statistically significant correlation between the two variables suggests that the leadership authenticity of school heads has no bearing on their personal values. The statistics show that there is a weak negative association and no statistically significant relationship between the school heads' personal values and their leadership authenticity. Thus, the null hypothesis is hereby accepted. It is undesirably connected with personal values (r=-0.126).

5.      The leadership framework is developed to address the salient and noticeable practices and characteristics of the school heads.

6.      School heads play a crucial role in this context in guaranteeing development and goal attainment to success. Therefore, they are expected to carry out difficult responsibilities and function as both managers and leaders.

Recommendations

The following are recommended which may serve as guidelines to improve the school heads’ leadership:

1. School heads may combine their leadership authenticity with self- developments and relational transparency to enhance their leadership skills, to practice their unique planning from the broad to the specific; placing a strong emphasis on the training school heads’s personal development in addition to educational leadership; and needing for a better balance between understanding what the system expects of individuals and that learning.

2. The school heads may consider implementing precise and consistent rules to simplify and standardize organizational expectations. By doing so, school heads can provide a clear framework for teachers to follow, leading to improved performance and better collaboration among team members.

3. The school head's personal values may be used to facilitate team building through reflection and comparison of the findings. It goes hand in hand with their drive, aptitude, and desire to succeed in their leadership practice.

4. The school heads may strive to balance their leadership authenticity, techniques, and personal values to improve performance standards in teaching and learning.

5. In order to have a more transparent outcome and objective outcomes, future researchers may connect the significant result of this study to another intriguing study that would determine whether school heads' values in practice are more or less likely to be influenced by closed rural society in comparison to urban school areas, or if their leadership techniques are connected to their professed value system.

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In light of recent events in the pandemic, it is becoming difficult to ignore the dilemma of poor reading skills among children in the Philippines. This leads to significant interruptions in providing quality education globally. The impact of the lockdown is truly undeniable. The adverse effects of this have also been felt by children, who have not been spared from the challenges brought about by the lockdown. The closure of schools and new adjustments with learning experiences occurred. With the shift towards remote learning, traditional methods of teaching have been disrupted, leading to a host of concerns especially in reading comprehension. There are several scenarios that possible occured in sudden transition. For instance, children who started to learn reading before the lockdown may have difficulties to have access towards online resources. This leads to avoidance and neglect to practice their reading skills. They can also have experienced stress and anxiety due to CoVid-19 and struggled to focus on reading tasks, leading to poor comprehension skills. Furthermore, since there is a restriction to social interaction and hindrance to attending school, it may have caused to bring them a lack of motivation. Note that, the importance of reading comprehension skills in children's academic achievement cannot be overlooked. This type of skills is important to understand and interpret written texts and able to perform better in different subjects. Therefore, it is crucial to investigate the impact of the pandemic to reading comprehension status of children on K-3 and find ways how to elevate the comprehension status among our children.

A recent study conducted by United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) revealed that students are struggling with poor reading skills in the Philippimes. According to the latest statistics provided by UNICEF, the  school-going children in the Philippines which is less than 15% have the capability to read simple texts. (UniCef., 2022) This translates to approximately three out of every 20 children possessing basic reading skills. The primary reason behind this concerning trend is attributed to the unprecedented and prolonged school closures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. As of mid-February, the Philippines has witnessed a record-breaking duration of school closures, extending beyond 70 weeks. Such prolonged closures have inevitably led to an adverse impact on the academic progress of young learners, particularly their reading proficiency. The current situation calls for an immediate attention and action from authorities that have the power to make sure that our children's right for quality education is provided, and effective measures are creating to bring in the gaps brought by pandemic disruptions that affect the children’s learning experience. There is no doubt that the gravity of the situation calls for immediate action to address these issues and ensure that our young learners are equipped with the necessary tools to thrive in this new educational landscape.

Taken together, this paper aims to explore various reading strategies for kindergarten to grade  3 learners. In addition, it focuses on finding different strategies that are useful to mitigate these challenges. This includes a summary and synthesis of different articles to present one data sources that can help struggling early readers. The following are 8 tips about various reading strategies for teachers and parents to help students on improving their reading comprehension:

1.     Use of audio-recording method can be use as a reading strategy. In this strategy, the reader listens to recording of reading and able to hear again what words pronounced wrong, words repeatedly read and skips. Additionally, learners can use their recordings to monitor their progress over time and set goals for improvement. Audio-recording is particularly effective for learners who struggle with traditional print-based reading. Overall, audio-recording can be a powerful tool for improving reading skills and building confidence in learners of all ages. According to Cuneyt 2018, researcher concluded that the use of audio-recording method is an effective way to eliminate reading difficulties where it also create a positive attitude towards on reading.

2.     Use of visualization for setting, characters and actions about what the readers’ will read. This create a good foundation and attachment towards reading. This method is supported by Hulya (2013).  In addition, this can also a bridge of making connections on reading process and able to connect pictures to text they are going to read. This can help them to comprehend different ideas better in text. powerful reading strategy that involves creating mental images of what is being read. This technique helps readers to better understand and retain information by engaging their imagination and making the text more memorable. Visualization can be particularly effective when used to develop a deeper understanding of setting, characters, and actions. For instance, when readers visualize setting they can able to  imagine the different physical environment where the story takes place. They can also visualize other elements and details such as time, landscape, achitecture and weather. By means of creating a vivid mental images, they can have a better understanding and establish a good foundation in the story where they can feel mood, tone of the story and the characters’ motivation and actions.

3.     Summarizing the text as strategy to improve comprehesion skills is effevtive. Duke and Pearson (2002) posited that the provision in the art of summarizing is not only beneficial to ability of students to succinctly condense text, but also to their general understanding in the content of text. Therefore, instruction in summarization may be regarded as serving two purposes: first is to enhance the capacity of students in summarizing the text and second is to improve their ability in comprehension and recalling textual material. This approach is challenging because of it has a strong scientific foundation as an effective literacy strategy. It is important to highlighted that not all students may not have received enough training in the effective execution of summarization techniques for optimal comprehension. With this, it falls upon to educators to take proactive measures and how to help students to make sure that students are well-equipped in summarizing the texts in which they are involved. Summarization can prove exceedingly efficacious in helping many students identify key ideas, conclude, eliminate redundancies, integrating ideas, and boosting memory retention of read material. It it noteworthy when used in conjunction together with other pedagogical techniques, such as generating and answering questions.

4.     Interffering can be use as reading strategy too. nterfering as a reading strategy involves actively engaging with the text by questioning and challenging the ideas presented. This type approach can help readers develop their critical thinking skills and gain a deeper understanding towards to text.  It is noteworthy for students to utilize their own capability and knowledge with the information they gather from the text to create different generalization from their own (Serafini, 2004). By questioning the author's assumptions, biases, and arguments, readers can identify weaknesses and inconsistencies in the text, and develop their own perspectives and arguments. However, it is important to approach interfering with an open and curious mindset, rather than a confrontational or dismissive one. By respectfully engaging with the text, readers can enrich their reading experience and develop their analytical abilities.

5.     According to Rraku (2013), skimming and scanning as one of its reading strategies leads to great progression of readers on improving the reading comprehension, reading process and learning. These two strategies are useful for various purposes. Skimming can be use when readers need to get the central idea about the text or looking for the text if it is relevant on what is needed. On the other hand, scanning  is useful when reader is finding specific information faster such as when they are looking for facts, people or figure. It is important for readers to be familiar and informed with the text they are about to read in order to utilize these type of strategies effectively. For instance, they can look for headings or subheadings to have an idea of the different main topics covered in the text. They can  also use visual cues, such as bold or italicized words in identifying  key information.

6.     Habitual reading is a type of reading strategy that includes regularly reading which makes the reading as part of one's daily routine. This strategy is effective because it helps readers in creating  reading habit and contributed to them in reading more effectively and efficiently. Habitual reading is particularly useful for those who are struggling with reading or have a limited alloted time towards reading. (Ahmad., 2020) By practicing and devoted reading into one's daily routine, readers can enhance their reading skills and deepen their understanding of text. Furthermore, habitual reading can help readers build more their critical thinking abilities and develope their overall academic performance. In general, habitual reading is an effective reading strategy that can contribute for readers improve their reading skills and develop a nurturing love for reading. It can also provide a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment as readers set goals and work towards completing books. While technology has made it easier than ever to access information and entertainment, it's important not to overlook the value of habitual reading. By setting aside time each day to read, individuals can reap the many benefits that come with this timeless practice.

7.     Active reading involves actively engaging with the text by means of taking notes  important information and asking questions. This type of  strategy can help readers stay focused, retain, recall information  and attentive more effectively while reading.One of the benefits of active reading is improved cognitive function. When we actively engage with a text, we exercise our brains and improve our ability to think critically and creatively. This can lead to better problem-solving skills and increased mental flexibility.  Active reading also encourages readers to think critically and reflect on the material being read. By means of engaging with the text in a proactive manner, readers can enhance their deeper understanding and improve their reading comprehension skills. (Prensky, 2001)

8.     Establishing connections is a reading strategy that involves connecting the text towards personal experiences, comparing to other texts, or  to current situation. This strategy can help readers to create a connection that leads to deeper understanding in the text and to develop a more meaningful and memorable reading experience. By means making connections, readers can develop how to utilize their critical thinking skills and armed with a broader perspective  towards different scenarios. Additionally, establishing a connections to texts can help readers to identify the relevance and important of the text in their own lives which leads ito more engaging and enjoyable reading moments. (Vacca & Vacca, 2014)

9.     Chunking is a reading strategy that includes breaking down large sum of text into smaller, more manageable and easy to understant sections. This strategy can help readers to avoid feeling bombarded and overwhelmed by large amounts of information which make them more focus on one section at a time. Chunking can also help readers for better understanding of texts by identifying central ideas and tone within each section. By breaking down the text into smaller portions, readers can also improve their overall reading speed and efficiency in different texts. (Chen & Liao, 2013)

10.   Collaborative reading is a strategy that involves working together with other readers for improvement of reading comprehension. This strategy can help readers in engaging them in the text in a more interactive and dynamic way. This can also  benefit from the perspectives and insights of other readers to bring in and learn from each other. Collaborative reading can also help readers in developing their critical thinking,  building social connections and relationships with other readers as well as enhancing their problem-solving skills. (Kamil et al., 2008)

In conclusion, there are several reading strategies that can be employed to help improve comprehension and retention of information. Each strategy may be more effective for different types of reading material, so it is important to experiment and find what works best for students. By implementing these strategies, readers can enhance their reading experience and gain a deeper understanding of the content they are consuming.

REFERENCES:

UniCef. (2022). UNICEF takes notice of poor reading skills among students in the Philippines. Retrieved from https://www.unicef.org/philippines/press-releases/unicef-takes-notice-poor-reading-skills-among-students-philippines

Ahmad, A. (2020). Reading Habits: A Key to Developing Reading Skills. Journal of Research in Social Sciences and Humanities, 10(1), 140-147.

Cuneyt, B. (2018). Effect of the audio-recording method on eliminating reading difficulties and the attitude towards reading. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 6(12A), 118-124.

Duke, N. K., & Pearson, P. D. (2002). Effective practices for developing reading comprehension. In A. E. Farstrup & S. J. Samuels (Eds.), What research has to say about reading instruction (3rd ed., pp. 205-242). International Reading Association.

Hulya, Y. (2013). The effect of visualization strategies on reading comprehension: A meta-analysis. Journal of Research in Reading, 36(2), 103-127.

Rraku, S. (2013). The importance of skimming and scanning as reading strategies in EFL context. International Journal of Language and Linguistics, 1(1), 1-9.

Serafini, F. (2004). Interfering with interference within comprehension. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 47(1), 70-75.

Prensky, M. (2001). Active reading. In S. Davis & C. Thiele (Eds.), Writing in the academic disciplines (pp. 215-216). University of Adelaide Press.

Vacca, R. T., & Vacca, J. L. (2014). Making connections: A reading strategy for enhancing understanding. In R. T. Vacca, J. L. Vacca, & M. K. Gove (Eds.), Reading and learning to read (pp. 231-238). Pearson.

Chen, Y. C., & Liao, C. C. (2013). Chunking: A reading strategy to enhance comprehension. In C. A. MacArthur, S. Graham, & J. Fitzgerald (Eds.), Handbook of writing research (2nd ed., pp. 547-562). Guilford Press.

Kamil, M. L., Borman, G. D., Dole, J., Kral, C. C., Salinger, T., & Torgesen, J. (2008). Collaborative reading: An instructional strategy for the classroom. Reading Teacher, 61(4), 344-347. https://doi.org/10.1598/RT.61.4.6

I.               Introduction

Leaders can make or break an organization. But what style should a leader adopt to maximize the cooperation of his/her subordinates toward achieving a shared goal? Time and again, research shows that there is no single leadership style that can be prescribed as culture and context grossly affect how a leader must act and deal with his/her followers.

To be an effective leader – an administrator or a teacher, one must at least be knowledgeable of the various styles there are in managing people – teachers and students alike – in these contemporary times. This paper will do just that as this will address the following questions based on the work of Menon, n.d., in the context of educational outcomes:

1.     What is distributed leadership?  Transformational leadership?

2.     What are their limitations and weaknesses?

II. Main Discussion

What is distributed leadership?

Distributed leadership, according to Gibb (1954), is a shared function among individuals, not a monopoly of one. Two popular interpretations of this leadership model are that of Peter Gronn and James Spillane.

According to Spillane, distributed leadership is a distributed practice and involves two aspects: the leader-plus aspect (who) and the practice aspect (how). In this view, leadership practice is the outcome of the interaction of school leaders, followers, and their situations (Spillane, Hunt, & Healy, 2008); hence, the focus is on the web of stakeholders and their situations (Spillane & Diamond, 2007).

On the other hand, Gronn (2000) believes that distributed leadership is a new form of the division of labor in organizations, in which “the authorship and the scope of the activities to be performed have to be redefined to encompass pluralities of agents whose actions dovetail or mesh to express new patterns of interdependent relations.” He posits two forms of distributed leadership: the additive which refers to an uncoordinated leadership pattern, one which many different people may engage in leadership practices without considering the leadership activities of others in the organization, and the holistic which refers to a consciously existing and managed collaborative patterns involving some or all leadership sources in the organization.

Albeit both Spillane and Gronn attempted to define what distributed leadership is, their unit of analysis is dissimilar. While Spillane et al. (2004) refer to “actors in situations working with artefacts”, Gronn (2003) considers his unit of analysis to refer to “the idea of a bounded set of elements comprising the elements which is the focus of research.”

To this date, no exact definition of distributed leadership has been made. According to Mayrowetz (2008), the term itself signifies four separate tendencies: the theoretical distribution of authority among leaders, the democratization of schools, organizational efficiency and effectiveness, and advancing human capacity. To further confound this issue of terms, Timperley (2005) claimed, “One point on which different authors appear to agree is that distributed leadership is not the same as dividing task responsibilities among individuals who perform defined and separate organizational roles”.

What is clear, however, from the descriptions about distributed leadership is that everyone, regardless of gender, shares, and distributes power; leadership is altogether allocated among the followers.

What is transformational leadership? 

Transformational leadership is a system of supervision that was first introduced by James MacGregor Burns. Transformational leadership takes place when leaders interact with followers in ways that enhance their creativity and motivation in the organization (Burns, 1978). It is a type of leadership where leaders and followers work with one another to achieve higher levels of motivation and team morale.

Instead of seeking to maintain the status quo, transformational leadership provides a stimulus for change and innovation (Bass & Avolio, 1994).  Instead of dictating changes to their team, transformational leaders inspire people to change their perceptions, expectations, or motivations to work toward a common mission or goal. This process, according to Bernard Bass, who expanded upon Burn’s theory, garners higher levels of respect, trust, and admiration.

Bass and his colleagues put forward five factors which constitute the main components of transformational leadership behavior:

1. Attributed idealized influence refers to the degree to which followers consider leaders to be trustworthy and charismatic, with a clear and attainable mission and a vision.

2. Idealized influence as behavior refers to the actual leader behavior characterized by values and a sense of purpose. Through idealized influence, followers identify with leaders and try to follow their example.

3. Inspirational motivation is linked to the behavior of the leader which inspires followers by providing them with meaning and challenge. To enhance the motivation of followers, leaders project hope and optimism for the future, thus enhancing commitment to a shared vision.

4. Intellectual stimulation takes place when leaders encourage followers to be creative and innovative in the organization.

5. Individualized consideration refers to a situation where leaders focus on individual needs and relate to followers on a one-to-one basis.

The conceptualization of Burns and Bass on transformational leadership was further enhanced as research in educational settings were conducted. Leithwood and his colleagues’ study resulted to putting forward a model of transformational leadership encompassing three main categories of leadership practices: setting directions, developing people and redesigning the organization (Leithwood & Jantzi, 2006). These include nine dimensions of practice, which can be further subdivided into more specific practices linked to the context of the leader’s work (Leithwood, Jantzi, & Steinbach, 1999).

Limitations and Weaknesses

Distributed Leadership

It has been established that there is still no consensus as to the definite description of what distributed leadership is. The differences in the definition of the term can be linked in its operationalization and measurement as used in different studies.

As is true with other leadership styles, the quality with which distributed leadership is practiced would mean either success or failure for the team or school. The first concern is accountability. If leadership is distributed to many individuals, who will be held responsible if the goal is not achieved? There must be clear definitions of which roles are responsible for specific duties or outcomes to ensure accountability is retained. The second concern is expectation of importance. Leaders under distributed style feel like their voices should matter in making decisions. If many voices contribute ideas, there will always be people who feel like they are left out. If this occurs frequently, then some leaders will feel excluded. The next concern related to the second one is the speed of decision-making. When only one leader decides, decision-making is arrived earlier than when many voices would want their opinions to be heard and considered especially in the face of a crisis. Leaders are rendered powerless when decisions must be made quickly. The last concern is establishing a common ground. The goal of a distributed leadership is to find common ground through shared experiences toward a common vision. If that common vision is not shared, or if the steps to reach it are not agreed upon, the decision-making process can become fraught with arguments. It creates disharmony because battle lines are drawn.

The distributed leadership style implies that when more people are involved in leadership, there is greater creativity, diversity, and empowerment. However, these advantages come at the cost of accountability, speed, and confidence. These and other limitations like conceptual and definitional issues, research and measurement issues, and the validity of underlying assumptions continue to challenge the practice of distributed leadership.

Transformational Leadership

The definition and description of transformational leadership is not as vague as that of the distributed leadership. But this does not mean transformational leadership has no share of its own shortcomings.

According to critics, the model places too much emphasis on the transformational qualities of the leader, thereby reinforcing the notion that the principal is the sole source of leadership at the school (Evers & Lakomski, 1996; Stewart, 2006). Yukl (1999) has drawn attention to several conceptual weaknesses in transformational leadership theories which include ambiguity in the underlying influence processes for transformational and transactional leadership, ambiguity in transformational leadership behaviors stemming from partially overlapping content and high-intercorrelation, omission from the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) of important behaviors derived from theories and research on effective leadership, and the insufficient attention paid to the role of situational variables.

Likewise, in the study of Barnett et al. (2001), they identified no conceptual differences between transformational leadership behaviors; teachers did not draw a distinction between the transformational leadership behavior of charisma, intellectual stimulation and inspirational motivation. The most important finding was that the transformational leadership behavior of vision/inspiration was negatively associated with student learning culture since visionary/inspirational principals may direct teachers’ efforts to wider school initiatives, thereby distracting them from their teaching and learning goals. If correct, this interpretation has negative implications for the transformational leadership model in relation to its presumed effects on student outcomes.

Although transformational leadership style has been lauded because it does motivate and inspire followers to do better, more studies must be conducted to confirm if it is effective in the school context. But to do this, methodological problems must be addressed first.

II.              Conclusion

In this fast paced and ever-changing world, successful leadership is not imposed but rather based on influence.  Transformational leadership coupled with distributed leadership has become the trend of most organizations in successfully achieving their goals. But it is of utmost importance that one is not hindered by misconceptions of what these leadership styles truly are, especially when these styles are applied in the context of school governance. More research then is needed to address conceptual issues, after fixing methodological problems, if researchers want to measure its effects in educational outcomes.

III.             References

Barnett, K., McCormick, J., & Conners, R. (2001). Transformational leadership: Panacea, placebo, or problem? Journal of Educational Administration, 39, 24-46.

Mayrowetz, D. (2008). Making sense of distributed leadership: Exploring the multiple usages of the concept in the field. Educational Administration Quarterly, 4, 424-435.

Menon, M. E. (n.d.). Leadership theory and educational outcomes: The case of distributed and transformational leadership. 1–15.

Yukl, G. (1999). An evaluation of conceptual weaknesses in transformational and charismatic leadership theories. Leadership Quarterly, 10, 285-305.

When I was growing up as a child, I witnessed how my parents regarded each other with love and respect. I never had a memory of them quarrelling in front of us children. They call each other with the endearments ‘my for mommy and ‘dy for daddy. However, when we are with neighbors, my parents refer to each other by their nicknames. I have observed then, even at my young age, that my parents are always polite no matter where and who they are with.

Communication in conversation between the speaker and the listener could run well if someone considers other’s attitude when they are doing or saying something. It can avoid them to misunderstand each other. However, learners occasionally do not have the capability of understanding what is polite and what is not. It leads them to many misinterpretations and humiliation towards others. It is obvious for speakers to adjust their languages to fit the situations (Ulfa, 2019). Septiyani (2016) stated that inappropriate language choices may cause problems since the hearers are being insulted by the speakers. In this case, according to Sadiyah (2015) people who use appropriate words are considered polite and well-mannered people, so the politeness strategies are needed. Politeness is one of the constraints on human interaction, whose purpose is to consider others’ feelings, to establish levels of mutual comfort, and to promote rapport (Hill, Ide, Ikuta, Kawasaki, & Ogino, 1986). It means to pay attention to people’s feelings. Fraser (1990) and Watts et al. (1992) in Brown (2015) stated that politeness is taken to be the expected background to interaction; it is normally not communicated but consists in following expectations as to appropriate behavior. Saying “thank you” or “excuse me” is not yet included as politeness. Thus, to be considered polite, one should choose appropriate language in speaking.

In order the conversation to become successful, the listener and the speaker should also consider cooperating with each other. For instance, to accept a speaker's presuppositions, the listeners need to assume that a speaker who says, "my wife" is really married. Thus, people having a conversation are generally assumed to be being honest and conveying relevant information. Cooperative principle suggested by Grice (1975) could be the aid to be effective in conversation. Grice (1975) as cited in Yule (1996) stated that the cooperative principle makes your conversational contribution such as is required. In other words, people should give enough information as required, not more or less than it is needed.

According to Brown and Levinson (1987), politeness strategies are developed to save the hearers' "face." Face refers to the respect that an individual has for him or herself and maintaining that "self-esteem" in public or in private situations. They state there are four types of politeness strategies, positive politeness, negative politeness, bald on record and off record.

Negative politeness is derived from negative face. Negative politeness strategy (formal politeness/respect politeness) is the attempt of the speaker to minimize the imposition on H or acknowledge H’s negative face. Positive politeness, on the other hand, is intended to avoid giving offense by highlighting friendliness. These strategies include juxtaposing criticism with compliments, establishing common ground, and using jokes, nicknames, honorifics, tag questions, special discourse markers (please), and in- group jargon and slang. In bald on record, the speaker does nothing to reduce the threat to the hearer's face and is therefore used in close relationships or when information needs to be shared quickly. While off record is used to completely remove the speaker from any potential to impose on the hearer and only alludes to the speaker's idea or specific request. If a person goes off record, there is more than one possible intention attributable to the speaker, i.e., he/she cannot be ‘blamed’ to have committed to a certain intention. For example, “I’m so tired. A cup of coffee would help” (Ulfa, 2019).

Looking back to my childhood and thinking about the now, I realize how fortunate I am to have parents who do not shy away from showing their love in the presence of their children. Without knowing it, they employed the bald on record strategy of politeness within our family and modeled both positive and negative face strategies when with other people. The respect then that I learned for myself, for my parents and for different people of various stations and walks of life is largely influenced by my parents.

References Cited:

Brown, Penelope. 2015. Politeness and Language. Netherlands: Elsevier.

Brown, Penelope and Stephen C. Levinson. 1987. Politeness Some universals in language usage. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Hill, B., Ide, S., Ikuta, S., Kawasaki, A., & Ogino, T. (1986). Universals of linguistic politeness. Quantitative evidence from Japanese and American english. Journal of Pragmatics, 10(3), 347–371. https://doi.org/10.1016/0378-2166(86)90006-8

Sadiyah, Kholifah. 2015. Positive Politeness Strategies Used by the Main Character in the Theory of Everything Movie. Surabaya: State Islamic University of Sunan Ampel Surabaya.

Septiyani, Widanti. 2016. The Use of Brown and Levinson’s Politeness Strategies by the Main Characters of Bride Wars Movie.Yogyakarta: Sanata Dharma University.

Ulfa, N. (2019). Politeness Strategies and Cooperation Principle in “Wonder” Movie. International Journal for Innovation Education and Research, 7(7), 563–573. https://doi.org/10.31686/ijier.vol7.iss7.1596

Yule, George. 1996. Pragmatics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

More than a decade has passed since Juan Miguel Luz wrote how it was very difficult for him to render speeches in the many high school and college commencement exercises he was invited to speak. He was apprehensive what to talk about in front of expectant parents and excited graduates. Thus, he most likely would end up asking the ones who invited him what message should he impart to his audience. And the answers were always similar: Speak to them of values.

The situation then of the Arroyo administration was one of contradiction. Luz was in a state of limbo: How to teach values in an otherwise corrupt national environment? He discussed the pattern by which national leaders convey their messages through their actions and statements. First, it is alright to steal provided you don’t get caught. Second, if you get caught, just say, I am sorry. Third, if you get found out before the anomalous deal is transacted, cancel it. No harm, no foul (just like basketball). Fourth, if there is a critic, discredit him or her. Fifth, if the critic is persistent, go ahead and do him or her in.  Sixth, if you get found out doing them in, deny. After all, you are innocent until proven guilty. Seventh, if having been found out and you have to go to court, that’s okay since court cases take a long time to resolve. Then everything becomes sub judice. Eighth, if the court rules against you, unless it is with finality, spin it in your favor. Lastly, if the criticism continues, then it must be political.

A lot has changed since 2008. The administration is different, the curriculum is new, the salary of teachers has increased, and the world has become more digital. But did the environment change for the better? Perhaps we will understand better a dysfunctional environment if we will also look at what a functional environment might look like.

A functional environment would be an area that is conducive to an individual’s growth; somewhere that not only supports and encourages an individual to be himself or herself, but also allows him or her to. Here, one can express who he or she is and feel safe doing so. Positive feelings and thoughts are also more likely to occur in this environment.

The dysfunctional environment on the other hand would be somewhere that doesn’t allow for the above to happen; where the individual doesn’t feel supported or acknowledged in anyway, let alone in a way that honors who he or she is. This might be an environment that forces one to constantly compromise his or her values and himself or herself. Thus, feeling and thinking negatively is also something that might seem to just happen, as with feeling of hopelessness and desperation.

When one is within a dysfunctional environment, the behavior and the effects of that behavior go unnoticed. The people in the environment have little to no awareness of their actions or to the damage, which is being carried out physically, emotionally or mentally. To understand better how this happens, there is a story that is helpful in explaining the insidious nature of the dysfunctional environment.

It is about a frog that is put in a pan and is cooked so gradually that it doesn’t know or notice the difference in temperature. And after this slow rise, the frog dies. It was oblivious to what was happening and its imminent death. It became comfortable and numb to what it was experiencing.

This story shows how it is easy for someone to succumb to what is the rampant behavior in the society. If bad becomes the fad, and your resistance to it goes unnoticed, the tendency is you will likely be eaten by the system. The rotten and the corrupt would seem normal. This is where the challenge of teaching values to our students come in.

What then should schools teach children as values to uphold and live by? How should teachers steer the students in the right direction in this challenged times?

Luz offered five solid family values which are learned at home from our parents as a good place to start. These include honesty and integrity, responsibility, courage, respect for others, and love of country. But this list is lacking one good aspect: accountability. Teachers must reiterate that as much as children have rights to protect them, they are accountable of their actions that may undermine other people’s rights.

Teachers on their part must also be steadfast if they are to guide their students toward strengthening the values they learned. Teachers may do these suggestions.

First, teachers have to set the tone that they want from the beginning and on how they treat the students: friendly yet professional. Second, establish norms. Group norms, the acceptable and unacceptable behavior for the class, can be established in a list. If teachers find text-messaging unacceptable during group work, state so in the list. Have students add their own norms for the class or for their groups. Third, keep your cool with students, and don’t lose your temper even with the most exasperating student.  This relates to establishing the norms—if it is an expectation that students always treat each other with kindness and respect, the teacher is responsible for modeling this value. Fourth, sometimes the teachers “losing it” is an effective technique.  The trick is that this is really a strategy, and the teachers who appear to have lost their tempers are still in control of the situation. The point of “blowing your cool” with students is to reaffirm “this is not how we act” in an extreme violation of the group norms. Lastly, regroup, reaffirm the norm. After your brief tirade, or mild scolding, or earnest discussion, however you choose to handle the departure from the norm, be sure to reaffirm the norms. The point of such a tirade is ultimately not to intimidate the students but rather to draw a stark line between what is acceptable and unacceptable behavior and is effective only when the teacher is by contrast usually calm.

The focus of Luz's essay was what values schools should teach to students without much mention on how teachers should do it if it is not just the environment that has become dysfunctional but the classroom itself. If we must stress values formation to our students, let us also take into consideration our teachers. Have they not become dysfunctional themselves owing to a confusing system of bureaucracy? We hope not.

Global citizenship education (GCE) is a vital element of modern education, particularly in the Philippines where the country is increasingly becoming more connected with the rest of the world. Filipino language teachers have a unique opportunity to integrate GCE into their English language teaching (ELT) practices, as they play a critical role in shaping their students’ language proficiency and inculcating values that promote social responsibility.

One way for Filipino language teachers to integrate GCE into ELT is to incorporate authentic materials from around the world. This can include news articles, podcasts, videos, and literature from different countries, particularly those that are related to global issues such as poverty, climate change, and human rights. By exposing students to a diverse range of perspectives, teachers can help develop empathy and understanding among students, which are essential values for responsible global citizens.

Another way for Filipino language teachers to promote GCE is to use critical pedagogy approaches. This involves encouraging students to question and analyze global issues, such as those related to social justice and environmental sustainability. Teachers can facilitate this by using activities and discussions that help students critically evaluate the sources of information they encounter, and by encouraging them to take action on issues that matter to them.

Filipino language teachers can also integrate GCE into their ELT practices by providing opportunities for experiential and service learning. This can involve activities such as community service, outreach programs, and volunteer work that engage students in real-life situations related to global issues. This allows students to develop practical skills and values that are essential to becoming responsible global citizens.

Also, it is important for Filipino language teachers to model the values and behaviors associated with global citizenship. This includes promoting respect for cultural diversity, emphasizing the importance of taking action on global issues, and fostering a sense of community and responsibility. Teachers can also incorporate the Filipino culture and traditions into the curriculum as a way to promote appreciation of one's own culture and promote respect and empathy for other cultures.

To sum it up, Filipino language teachers can best integrate GCE into their ELT practices by incorporating authentic materials from different countries, using critical pedagogy approaches, providing opportunities for experiential and service learning, and modeling the values and behaviors associated with global citizenship. By doing so, they can promote the development of English language proficiency while also fostering a sense of global awareness and responsibility among their students. This will not only benefit the individual students but also contribute to the overall growth and development of the Philippines as a responsible member of the global community.

I.                CONTEXT AND RATIONALE

In the fast-paced world we live in today, innovations and inventions play a very significant role in keeping up with the hustle. Research and Development is critical in this process. It is essentially an investment in technology and future capabilities, transforming into new products, processes, and services.

According to Republic Act No. 2067, also known as the "Science Act of 1958," it is the state's policy to promote scientific and technological research and development, encourage invention, and utilize scientific knowledge as an effective tool for promoting national progress. In accordance with the provisions of section four of Article XIV of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, the State shall encourage non-formal, informal, and indigenous learning systems, as well as self-learning, independent, and out-of-school study programs, especially those that respond to community needs. This merely demonstrates that the government recognizes the significance of empowering the knowledge of every Filipino through scientific and technological research that yields innovation and invention for a progressive society.

Tondo High School has made waves in the global arena since 2010 due to its award-winning inventions in different international invention competitions. However, the diversity of the inventions from which to choose to compete internationally is very constricted. The main reason is that research advisers (which is a regular teacher with 6 loads) have difficulty to take time in discussing with depth how to make a research paper and to guide the students in working their research. Due to this, the full potential of the learners in developing research and creating innovations and inventions are not fully honed and developed. This becomes quite alarming to an extent because in the long run, the present scientific revolution that is brewing and growing in the heart of Tondo might run into halt if these challenges will not be addressed immediately.

II.                PROPOSED INNOVATION, INTERVENTION AND STRATEGY

The Science and Technology Department's Research Class is a research enrichment program offered to Tondo High School students in Sections 1 of Grades 7 to 10. The objective of the Research course is to instill in every student the research-based approach to problem-solving that is currently prevalent in the global education system. They are expected to become innovators, inventors, and entrepreneurs who contribute to the expansion of our economy and the improvement of our society.

   It is the school battle cry to make Tondo the heart of innovation and invention in the country. This is the reason Tondo High School has continuously and consistently won in different invention competitions because the school is dedicated in creating products that can make an impact in the world. So to keep our winning streak, we need to discover and train more talents and potentials in our school through the Research class.

   To accomplish this, Tondo High School employs essential learning competencies designed to equip students with essential scientific attitudes and science process skills to prepare them for conducting science investigations. The topics are designed to equip students with the skills necessary for conducting experimental research. To acquire competence in conducting sound research, students must establish strong connections, collaborate, and maximize the available resources of research institutions and the community. Constant coaching, mentoring, and consultation with experts will result in the execution of a research project that is robust and well-guided. By exposing students to the rigors of writing research reports, they should be able to acquire mastery and competence in scientific paper writing.

This proposal may aid in elucidating certain individuals while simultaneously benefiting them. These individuals are as follows:

a.     FOR THE STUDENTS

This Research enrichment program is designed to reignite the learners' interest and enthusiasm for science through the creation of scientific research despite the pandemic. This will prepare high school seniors for advanced research by teaching them the fundamentals of basic research. This will also allow them to compete in local and international research competitions, bringing pride and honor to the school. By developing their scientific knowledge and skills, this will ultimately prepare them to become the innovators and inventors of the future.

b.     FOR THE RESEARCH ADVISERS

This Research enrichment program may provide research advisers with the opportunity to fully share their knowledge with students and mentor them so that they can reach their full potential without sacrificing their regular science classes. This will also provide them with a variety of inventions from which to choose in order to compete in various contests.

c.     FOR THE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS

This Research enrichment program may assist school administrators in recognizing the significance of this project in preparing students who will ultimately bring honor to the school by providing financial support for this type of endeavor.

III.             PROGRAM/PROJECT OBJECTIVES

At the end of the program, the learners should be able to:

a. generate  researchable problems, formulate hypotheses, select, synthesize, and cite relevant literature following ethical standards,

b. determine the basic statistical tools, and enhance scientific writing skills in preparing a research proposal.

c. demonstrate a much higher level of competence, mastery, and proficiency in research through continuous development of the scientific research project.

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Undoubtedly, student engagement is an important factor needed for the attainment of the specified learning competencies that leads to the realization of educational success in general as consistently confirmed by multiple research findings. Because of this, every teacher always wanted to see every student in the class exhibiting high level of enthusiasm and the teacher’s effort is directed towards looking at and trying out different ways on how to increase the level of students’ attention and passion to learn. Every engagement activity is carefully thought off to spark students’ interest which eventually results in an effective and efficient teaching and learning process.

There are many forms of students’ engagement and one of the most common is the so-called intellectual engagement. To establish this, the teacher considers strategies and activities that stimulate the curiosity and the thinking of the students such as the use of inquiry-based approaches. Another basic type of student engagement is behavioral engagement which is related to the teacher’s ability to manage students’ behavior in class by applying consistent classroom rules and routines. The third type is known as physical engagement where the teacher makes use of physical activities such as the use of brain break activities. Another type is social engagement in which social interaction with emphasis on collaboration is highlighted. The last type is the emotional engagement where the teacher promotes positive emotions among learners.

Technology for the modern-day teacher can never be denied as a source of student engagement. Technological tools which can be in the form of any software or application that can support teaching and learning play significant roles in establishing student engagement. Almost every student has their gadgets and almost all of them are attached to such devices and learning can be facilitated as students make use of them in the classroom. Technology can offer the learners a wide array of experiences when carefully selected and applied by the teacher.

Looking at all these types and sources of student engagement, it can be said that there are many ways on how students can be motivated to learn. But most of the time, as teachers plan their lessons, they try to consider and focus more on the most effective teaching strategy accompanied by the most effective technological tools. Certainly, as time progresses, a great deal of technological tools will be developed, and many effective teaching strategies and approaches will surely emerge. And if teachers wanted to be kept abreast of all these changes, they needed to be flexible enough to accept retooling and being upgraded. The process may be easy or may be complicated but one thing for sure, it will take time for them to master all of it.

Lessons, strategies, technologies, school rules, and infrastructures may change but the teacher will always be needed. If there is one element in the teaching learning process that is constant and cannot be replaced, it is the teacher. Because of this, the teacher’s presence should be the ultimate source of motivation and student engagement in class, and this should be given the most important priority above anything else. What is the use of applying the most effective teaching approach if the mere presence of the teacher inside the classroom is not motivating to the students?

Promoting positive emotions which radiate from the desirable personality of the teacher is fundamental not only during the transition from online learning to face to face but at all tempos. And every teacher must start establishing this to make students feel comfortable. The teacher must be sensed as a friend and not a threat, a person who can help them achieve and not to fail. The teacher must find a way to know each student for them to feel important. The teacher must listen, understand, and consider students’ emotions. Students need a person who can laugh and cry with them.  Teaching is not always about the content of what a student should learn as specified in the curriculum. The teacher may talk about something silly, learners wanted laughter inside the classroom. Effective teaching requires theatrical skills, and the source of entertainment should not be coming from anything else but the teacher.

Every student has a personal circumstance, but the teacher has the power to create a new dimension, a stress-free environment that every time the learners are in, they tend to forget all their worries and problems. The teacher must be the role model and a source of positivity and inspiration to the students. Since it is expected that the goal of education is to prepare the learners for life in the future, the teacher may share his personal experiences not pretending to be a perfect individual by showing his flaws. The teacher may share personal victories, frustrations and struggles but above all, the teacher must emphasize the importance of sacrifice and hope. This is important because learners need to feel that they are like their teacher and their teacher is one of them. The teacher’s imperfection is an effective way for the students to accept their inadequacies and limitations leading to becoming self-actualized individuals.

The first step to establishing and developing an engaged learner is to form a connection with the learners and once the teacher gets a good anchorage, everything follows. Before the teacher can introduce anything, the teacher must earn every learner’s trust. The teacher may use technology or a specific strategy, but all these have limitations. Even technology may fail sometimes, and other teaching resources may not always be available.  A combination of the different sources of student engagement might be necessary with due consideration of every circumstance. The teachers positive and good personality, however, establishes or lays the foundation for student engagement. Other sources of student engagement may not be suitable considering the diversity of learners, but beyond question, a caring and loving teacher will always be appropriate.

Once upon a time, there were two college students named Jack and Jill. They met in their first year at the University and quickly became friends. They would spend hours talking and laughing together, and before long, they realized that they had feelings and were madly in love with each other.

After graduation, Jack and Jill decided to get married. They were young, in love, and eager to start their lives together. They moved into a small apartment and began building their careers. They were happy and in love, and everything seemed perfect.

However, their love started to fade over time as they grew apart and developed different interests. They started having arguments and disagreements regularly, which ultimately led to a breakdown of their relationship.

Jill discovered Jack had been cheating on her. She was devastated and heartbroken, as she had always imagined spending the rest of her life with Jack. She felt like her world had come crashing down, and she didn't know how to move forward. 

Jill was at a low point in her life when she met John, a brokenhearted too. John was kind, caring, and understanding. He made her laugh, and she found herself falling for him. He was everything that Jack was not, and she knew that she had found someone special.

Despite the hurt and pain that she had experienced in her past, Jill took a chance to fall in love again. They started dating, and Jill was amazed at how much John loved and cared for her. He was patient and understanding, making her feel like she was the most important person in the world.

John was the best thing that had ever happened to Jill; she knew she was the luckiest woman to have found him. He made her forget about the hurt and pain of her past, and he filled her life with love and happiness. They were grateful for the pain and heartbreak that taught them the value of true love, and they cherished each other even more because of it.

Jill and John's love story was a testament to the power of love and the ability of the human heart to find happiness, even after experiencing heartbreak. Their story was a beautiful reminder that love can heal even the deepest wounds and that sometimes when one door closes, another one opens. They proved that love is not always easy, but it is always worth fighting for…. “True love is worth fighting for!”

Sarah had always loved the idea of working in the hospitality industry. She enjoyed meeting new people, making them feel welcome, and ensuring their stay was comfortable and enjoyable. So, she was over the moon and landed a job as a front office attendant at a luxury hotel.

Her first day on the job was a flurry of activity. The lobby was bustling with guests checking in and out of the hotel, and she did her best to keep pace. As she interacted with guests, she quickly realized that the key to hospitality was empathy. Sarah tried to put herself in their shoes and anticipate their needs before they asked.

For example, when a couple with two small children approached the front desk looking exhausted after a long flight, Sarah immediately offered them a cold glass of water and some snacks for the kids. She also asked if they needed help with their luggage or if there was anything else's she could do to make their stay more comfortable.

Throughout the day, Sarah dealt with all sorts of requests from guests. Some were easy to fulfill, like providing extra pillows or towels, while others were more challenging, like finding a last-minute restaurant reservation on a busy Saturday night. Nevertheless, no matter the request, Sarah always tried to approach it with a smile and a can-do attitude.

As the days passed, Sarah became more confident as a front office attendant. She learned the importance of being organized, keeping track of reservations and requests, and maintaining a professional demeanor even in stressful situations.

One day, a guest approached Sarah with tears in her eyes. She was stranded and lost her wallet without any money or identification. Sarah immediately sprang into action, offering to contact the guest's bank and arranging a taxi to take her to the embassy to get a new passport. She also made sure the guest had a comfortable room to stay in while she sorted everything out.

After the guest had left, Sarah felt a sense of pride in her work. She realized that being a front office attendant was about checking people in and out and going above and beyond to ensure every guest felt valued with care.

Walking through the lobby, she noticed several guests smiling and thinking at her for her help. Sarah felt a warm glow in her chest, knowing she had found her calling in the world of hospitality.

ABSTRACT

         Public elementary school heads in the Division of Tarlac Province were investigated to ascertain the connection between their personal life and leadership skills. A total of 166 school heads served as respondents.  The following objectives were investigated by this research: 1. How would you describe the personal lives of school heads as: 1.1 Intrapersonal 1.2 Interpersonal? 2. What are the school heads’ performances based on their OPCRF?3. Is there a significant relationship between the two variables? 4. What enhancement program can be proposed to enhance leadership performance? 5. What implications to educational management could be derived from the study?  The quantitative design of the study was descriptive-correlational. In the process of data collection survey questionnaire-checklist was used.  It was augmented by causal interviews and documentary analysis. Intrapersonal and interpersonal are the two subcategories of personal life. Therefore, the three categories of intrapersonal life are: health and wellness, entertainment, and spirituality. Whereas interpersonal life was divided into family, peer, and social media life. The relationship between the two variables was also examined using Pearson's r. According to their OPCRF rating, most school heads received outstanding ratings for their leadership performance, while only a small number received very satisfactory ratings. Health and wellness, spirituality, family relationships, and peer interactions were found to have a substantial impact on school leaders' ability to lead, however entertainment and social media use were found to be unrelated. A leadership development program was suggested by the researcher based on the study's findings. To ensure the physical and mental wellbeing of school administrators, DepEd's wellness efforts must continue. Government must implement measures to raise the standards of school administrators who seek to advance as high DepEd officials. To be better equipped to lead in the field of education, exceptional and excellent school leaders must maintain and even enhance their performance.

Keywords: (School Heads, Personal Life, Intrapersonal, Interpersonal, Leadership Performance)

Introduction

As stipulated in RA 9155, recognized as the Governance of the Basic Education Act of 2001, the major key player in the school is the school heads. Leadership performance impacts programs and projects both present and future needed to be applied to attain excellence in education.  To figure a name meant for an organization, flexible growth and progress, its cohorts and the part of a leader is indispensable; thus, leadership in wide-ranging and at school level, is measured as one of the imperative areas of research. Management next to the school level is essential towards carrying out multifaceted roles and a leader necessitates to be set with such capabilities and skills to attain the usual targets (Lopez & Ensari, 2014). 

         Personal Life is an individual’s experience’s components that are liberally selected by a human being. (Spacey 2021).   It is the possibility of an individual's existence, particularly when perceived as the review of personal preferences delivering to one's personal character. The modern notion of personal life is an outgrowth of current Western culture. A modern individual tends to differentiate one's work as well as one's personal life. It is an individual’s choices and inclinations beyond work that characterize personal life, involving one's interpersonal and intrapersonal aspects of life. Intrapersonal Life includes factors like health and wellness, entertainment, spirituality etc. While on the other hand, interpersonal life includes considerations like family and peer relationships, and even social media life, these are the considerations that school heads get influenced by. 

         School heads’ management is influenced by many of factors like family inheritance and changing aspects, life practices, education, and work competence, merely they also incorporate so-called biological philosophies, where leaders display exact bio- neurological characters which impact leaders (Lee, Senior and Butler, 2014). When considering the influence of family shifting characteristics, the author’s primarily aim on parents’ mindset in an initial childhood, or the effect of the main family, basically ignoring the impact of the leader’s marital standing on his/her task and performance as a leader.

The school heads’ qualifications and competencies such as educational achievement, years of experience, and training attended as School head as well as position are considerations that may possibly influence their performance being a school manager. Therefore, these qualities are constantly given attention specifically in School heads ranking. However, there is a study that insists on school heads’ personal attitude that makes them effective being a school manager. 

Additionally, few findings have been made on proving a relationship among school heads personal life and their leadership performance.  Consequently, no clear findings proving the school head’s personal life are correlated to their performance.  Besides, the findings of the present study can somewhat be able to bridge the gap that has been discovered.

Aside from these findings, the researcher wants to find out and assess the several factors regarding school heads’ personal life together with the use of Office Performance Commitment and Review Form (OPCRF) that may impact their leadership performance.  To determine the correlation of school heads’ personal life and their leadership performance, motivated the researcher to conduct the study.

Method

Quantitative Research Design is a method of inquiry evaluating and aiming to see the relationship between School Heads’ Personal Life and their Leadership Performance.  Descriptive correlational is used to describe the variables and the relationships that occur naturally between and among them. Since the present study attempts to investigate if there is a significant relationship between school heads’ personal life and their leadership performance, descriptive correlation was used. The variables were analyzed without manipulation.  The correlational design revealed which variables are connected.  This design is appropriate for the study since it is a statistical method that demonstrates the link between variables.  The participants of the study were the 166 school heads from the Division of Tarlac Province. There were two-hundred eighty-nine (289) elementary school heads in the entire Schools Division of Tarlac Province who were more than five (5) years in above in service and qualified as the respondents of this research as of February 2022.  Using Cochran’s sampling, from the total number two-hundred eighty-nine (289) qualified respondents, one-hundred sixty-six (166) is the computed sample size with 95% confidence level and 5% margin of error. To determine the significant relationship between the school heads’ personal life

and their leadership performance, the researcher will secure the school heads’ OPCRF and the assessment methods that will bring out the best results. The researcher used weighted mean, frequency counts, and Pearson product moment correlation coefficient.

Findings

1.     School Heads’ Personal Life Intrapersonal Life

1.1.1        Health and Wellness

           The over-all weighted mean of 3.57 shows that respondents assessed that school heads in the Division of Tarlac Province ALWAYS indulged themselves on Health and Wellness   activities. Regarding the obtained rating in this activity, respondents reached the average aimed at excellent pertaining on their comfort as human being. Therefore, school heads always have time for their Health and Wellness pursuits.

1.1.2 Entertainment

         Since the over-all weighted mean is 3.37, it only signifies those respondents only indulged themselves to SOMETIMES on the different activities pertains to their entertainment life.

1.1.3 Spirituality 

         As a result, the over-all weighted mean computed 3.58, it basically indicates that School Heads indulged themselves majority to ALWAYS on the different activities on

spirituality.

1.2 Intrapersonal Life

         1.2.1 Family Relationships

         The over-all weighted mean computed is, 3.58, it basically indicates that School Heads indulged themselves majority to ALWAYS on the different activities for family relationship.  This only implies that despite lots of reports, school heads can still manage to have quality time for their family.

         1.2.2 Peer Relationships

         Most of the school heads in this sub variable, evidently indicated that there is only one statement on which SOMETIMES (3.17). It is further indicated even respondents had the majority responses to ALWAYS, still, they got the verbal interpretation turned into SOMETIMES (3.49) as the overall result based on their assessment in this part of their personal life. 

1.2.3        Social Media life

         The over-all weighted mean computed is, 3.28, it simply reveals that School Heads indulged themselves majority to SOMETIMES on the different activities stated above.  This only means that School Heads aren’t that very active when it comes to their social media life. 

2. The Leading Performance of the Respondents as Described by their Office Performance Commitment and Review Form (OPCRF).

2.1            Leading Strategically

Leading Strategically comprises 20 % of the total rating of Key Result Area.  It underlines the responsibility of school heads participating in establishing the school’s objectives, goals, and direction, as well as ensuring that these are embraced and understood by all shareholders. This Domain comprises the school heads’ dedication to a strategic way of action coherent through institutional goals regarding increasing organizational performance.

2.2   Managing School Operations and Resources

         Managing School Operations and Resources focuses on the character of school heads in handling school’s process and systems.  Commitment to demonstrating fairness, efficiency, and effectiveness in settling functions concerning expanding organizational wellbeing. It has 20% from the total percentage of KRA’s.  School heads in this domain understand as well as implement guidelines, laws, issuances, and policies that relate towards material, human, and financial resources. 

2.3 Focusing on Teaching and Learning

         Focusing on Teaching and Learning encompasses the largest proportion in addition to the 5 key result areas with 30%.  In this domain, it focuses on the duty of school heads in advocating excellence when it deals with the teaching and learning process.  It also highlights the school heads’ dedication in delivering instructional leadership for the advancing competence between teachers and developing outcomes among learners.

2.4   Developing Self and Others

       Developing Self and Others identifies the school heads’ responsibility in developing themselves and others.  It centers on school heads’ devotion in ensuring effectiveness among people within.  Specifically, the fourth (4th) Key Result Area consists of 20% from the total. 

2.5   Building Connections

         Among the five (5) key result areas, building connections has the least portion of percentage.  It only comprises 10 % since it is the last key result area to be found in the Office Performance Commitment and Review Form (OPCRF).

2.6   Over – all Rating

       The majority among the one hundred sixty-six (166) school heads in the public elementary schools in the Division of Tarlac Province, were rated as outstanding school heads and only few discovered to be very satisfactory.

       3. Relationship between the Identified sub-variables in Personal life and School Heads’ Leadership Performance specified in the OPCRF.

         Among the six the mentioned sub variables in the personal life of the school heads from this study, there were four (4) noted that there is a significant relationship in their leadership performance including health and wellness, spirituality, family, and peer relationships.  Furthermore, only two (2) sub variables were discovered not to be related to the school heads’ leadership performance of the public elementary schools in the Division of Tarlac Province were entertainment and social media life.

Conclusion

         Based on the results and findings, the following conclusions were drawn. School heads are very active in terms of their health and wellness activity. Therefore, school heads always have time for their Health and Wellness pursuits despite their roles and responsibilities lying on their shoulders.  In line with their entertainment activities, school heads don’t always have time to contemplate themselves pausing and relaxing after work period. On the other hand, the school heads’ spirituality activity majority responded to always which indicated that school heads in the public elementary schools in the Division of Tarlac Province, having positive outlook on life.  In terms of their family relationships, members of their family are not to be taken for granted, because they can still manage spending time with their family.  Among the four (4) statements in their peer relationships, there is only one (1) statement responded to sometimes.  It only presumes that relationships with their peers aren’t that active.   In school heads’ social media life, the majority responded to sometimes, in other words they are not very active in their social media activities. Since not all school heads were rated as 4.55 -5.00, set average for outstanding, even though they belong to five (5) years above in service.  It seems to indicate that other school heads lose their interest in upgrading their career.  This provides an assumption that due to their age (i.e 55-60) presence of their willingness to progress is somewhat becoming stagnant resulting in declining their ratings on the OPCRF.  Health and Wellness of the school heads had a relationship to their leadership performance.  The entertainment life of the school heads had no relationship and had nothing to do with the leadership performance of the school heads. There was a significant relationship between the leadership performance and spirituality of the school heads.  The family relationships of the school heads were found to be correlated, therefore there is a significant relationship between the two variables.

Given that there are 4 significant sub variables found to be related their leadership performance, it only suggests rejecting the null hypothesis (H0), and alternately it accepts the Ha, since the computed value among the four sub-variables with their leadership performance is less than the p-value of 0.05.  On the other hand, the remaining sub variables were found to be not significant since the computed p-value is greater than, thus, accept the Ho. 

RECCOMMENDATION

         DepEd’s programs and projects for health and wellness must continue to be implemented, enabling school heads to achieve a healthy body and mind. The government must implement programs and ideals enriching the quality of school heads aspiring to become one of the higher officials in DepEd. Outstanding, and excellent school heads must continue and yet enhance further their performance for improvement purposes, enabling them to become great leaders in the field of education. School heads have got to enhance their personal life when it comes to the spirituality aspect.  Keeping themselves with the positive meaning in life to avoid negativity in life and may also influence teachers and other school personnel.  Eventually, this will establish positive effects in the workplace.

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ABSTRACT

This study assesses the challenges of school heads and teachers in sustaining school-community partnership amidst the distance learning. This article also discusses the importance of school-community collaboration in addressing the need of learners amidst distance learning.  Review of journal articles, Department of Education (DepEd) policies and mandates for distance learning, and literatures regarding school-community partnership and leadership styles were done by the researcher in this study. The data gathering procedure included analyzing and synthesizing information about school-community partnership and leadership styles of school heads, implementation of DepEd’s Basic Education Learning Continuity Plan, and teachers’ perception during the distance learning system.

Based on the findings of the study, distance learning system in education brought challenges to school heads and teachers in sustaining school-community partnership. The following are the foremost problems encountered by school heads and teachers amidst distance learning, compliments and commendation given to the stakeholders, involvement in various activities, positive attitudes towards each other, and school leader’s management skills. The challenges can also be rationalized by the fact that, in the midst of a pandemic, school administrators and stakeholders find it impossible to engage in physical collaboration during actual duties.

Through the government's initiative and efforts in establishing DepEd Orders that serve the needs of all stakeholders in schools, these challenges were carefully handled and managed. Thus, maintaining constant communication and implementation of Deped Orders are essential to sustain school-community partnership.

Keywords: School-community partnership, distance learning, DepEd, COVID-19 pandemic

INTRODUCTION

      As the COVID-19 pandemic spread throughout the world, many schools struggled to respond quickly and effectively. The pandemic has posed tremendous challenges to leaders all around the world. School administrators and teachers are dealing with one of the most challenging and difficult moments in the history of the profession. Schools, which are one of the most significant institutions in society, were severely impacted by the pandemic. Due to the pandemic's ever-changing conditions, teachers and schools are constantly forced to adjust in order to safely educate children.

         Based on the studies and interviews with various school leaders, majority of them have received little or no crisis leadership training, and many have never faced a crisis of this extent and scope. (McLeod & Dulsky, 2021). While some schools have reopened, others have shuttered or relocated virtually all of their pupils to remote teaching (McLeod & Dulsky, 2021).

According to UNESCO, there are around 28 million Filipino students across all academic levels in the Philippines who are compelled to remain at home and follow the Philippine government's quarantine measures as cited in Joaquin, Biana, & Dacela, (2020). The shift from face-to-face classes to distance learning has challenged the strategic skills of school leaders. Around three million students in the Philippines had either dropped out of elementary school or did not return in the school year 2020-2021 as reported by Uaminal (2020). This number is approximately equal to the whole population of Quezon City (2.94 million), Metro Manila's most densely populated city. This happened, despite substantial enrollment and registration pushes by schools and a four-month delay in the start date. These students were compelled to take a "gap year" because of the pandemic. Indeed, these challenges have tested the leadership strategies of the school heads.

Capulso (2020) stated how it is also clear that opportunities to sustain school-community partnerships are being hampered and disrupted. This is because of the stringent rules and policies in place, particularly in terms of social distancing and prohibitions on face-to-face connection. It is unquestionably difficult to build and foster long-term school-community partnerships when individuals are experiencing social fear and dangers as a result of the epidemic and health crises.

The challenge of fostering sustainability of instruction for the learners is way too complex and rigorous for schools and learning communities (Gascon, 2020). The rise in the distance learning system calls for higher demand of comprehensive support services not only from the school leaders and faculty but also from the parents and community partners. Schools urgently require the engagement and support of parents, community leaders, and stakeholders to sustain opportunities, modalities, materials, and resources aimed at providing learners with accessible education in this new normal. In fact, Luiz (2020) stated that, it is apparent that in this crucial stage of new normal education, it is not only the instruction that needs to be sustained and also pursued the noble school-community relations and partnership. Because of the nature of remote learning, more comprehensive support services from community leaders and partners are necessary. It is also because parents are seen as vital and essential components of the sectors comprised of school-community partners and stakeholders who sustainably help schools in achieving new normal advocacies.

Collaborative interventions and support services provided by school leaders and faculty, overcoming barriers to sustainable school-community cooperation is still possible through alternate techniques and practices according to Tumapon (2020). These solutions include the use of constant virtual communication and engagement among school administrators, teachers, parents, and other stakeholders to debate and address new normal issues, concerns, and challenges. Furthermore, school leaders and faculty continue to explore coordination and collaboration with the Barangay Council and parents, particularly in terms of distribution and supply of additional learning resources to learners' families. Briones, DepEd Order (2020) presented the Basic Education - Learning Continuity Plan (BE-LCP) as a framework for the Department of Education to follow in providing education during the COVID-19 pandemic as part of the Philippines' short- and long-term solutions.  In the midst of a pandemic, the BE-LCP aims to preserve the health, safety, and well-being of all students, instructors, and DepEd personnel while also educating them.  BE-LCP is based on a variety of learning delivery methods, including blended and remote learning.

Thus, with these collaborative efforts, initiatives, and services, it is really important to sustain the of school-community partnership amid distance learning caused by the pandemic. Programs encouraging and sustaining strong school-community connections could not be compromised. This is especially true when teachers and school administrators maintain their passion, dedication, and effort to sustain and promote school-community partnerships in a new normal setting.

Objective:

    This study assesses the collaborative instructional, social and technological interventions extended by the faculty and school leaders to cope with the challenges of school-community partnership amidst distance learning.

Specifically, it answered the following questions:

1. What are the challenges encountered by the schools in sustaining school-community partnership amidst distance learning?

2. How did the school heads and teachers cope up with the challenges encountered in sustaining school-community partnership amidst distance learning?

METHODS

Research Design

         Various journal articles about school-community partnership, DepEd reports, and related studies on distance learning were reviewed and analyzed in this study. The data gathered were analyzed and synthesized regarding the challenges of school administration and faculty in sustaining school-community partnership amidst distance learning system. Thus, content analysis was used as a method in this study.

Instrumentation

      The researcher served as the main instrument of the study being in-charge of the over-all analysis process.

Ethical Consideration

     The researcher complied with the necessary ethical considerations in the study. This study is conducted with honesty and the results as stated are accurate and based on reported facts. Authors from the research papers, journal articles and government reports were properly and respectfully cited. Hence, content analysis’s ethical consideration in the data collected was attained accordingly.

Data Collection and Analysis

     The data are collected through analyzing and synthesizing information from journal articles, DepEd reports, and research regarding the challenges of school administration and teachers in sustaining school-community partnership amidst distance learning.

RESULTS and DISCUSSION

Due to these dreadful outcomes, the Department of Education (DepEd) is spearheading a national campaign to improve basic education quality through Sulong EduKalidad, which includes rigorous reforms to increase instruction quality and encourage positive attitudes toward Mathematics, Science, and Reading (DepEd, 2019). Most countries around the world have temporarily closed educational institutions to limit the spread of the virus and reduce infections (Tria, 2020). With this sudden shift away from the classroom in many parts of the globe, emergency remote teaching (Bozkurt and Sharma, 2020) has been adopted as a temporary solution to mitigate the effects of the pandemic on education.

         With that being said, school-community partnership should be strengthened to support the learning of students in distance learning system. Raising and educating children, establishing collaboration between teachers and parents, and enhancing attitudes toward educational institutions are the objectives of Irtiqa initiative, one of the national development programs in Saudi Vision 2030, to improve the educational process in this Kingdom (Ministry of Education, 2018). This is related to the country’s goals of Ambisyon Natin 2040 which fosters high-trust society wherein Filipino’s spend time to serve the community, help others who are in need, and contribute to various causes.

         The findings of the study based on the analysis of reviewed articles, and research papers, there are four foremost challenges encountered in sustaining school-community partnership which are compliments and commendation given to the stakeholders, non-sustained involvement of stakeholders to various activities, positive attitudes towards each other, and school leaders’ management skills.

Compliments and commendation given to the stakeholders

         One of the faced challenges in sustaining school-community partnership according to Gipit, Benavides, and Labo (2020) in distance learning is the commendation and compliments given to the stakeholders. Due to restrictions and closure of schools, the initiative, and efforts of stakeholders in the community were less recognized and complimented. To address this concern, many division offices released a memorandum in line with the DepEd Order 78, s. 2007 entitled, Strengthening the Program on Awards and Incentives for Service Excellence of the Department of Education. With this effort, stakeholders were given incentives in exchange for their exemplary service in supporting the schools' initiatives amidst distance learning. The involvement of the community in supporting the schools’ program could possibly increase the level of performance of schools and promote sustainable school-community partnership.

Involvement in various activities

         Parents, family members, and members of the community can all assume specific duties when they get involved in their children's schooling, for instance, as classroom volunteers (Epstein, 1995). The research shows three overarching responsibilities for parents: parents as primary resource, parents and the community are valuable resources in their children's education, stakeholders as supporters and advocates for their children's education as well as parents and community individuals that are involved in the education of all children. Non-sustain involvement of the stakeholders in the school activities challenged the school heads and teachers in distance learning (Gipit, Benavides, and Labo, 2020). According to research, parental involvement is critical component to a students' success and a school's success. Based on the study of Ngobeni (2022), the following are problems encountered related to the involvement of school’s stakeholders in various activities, time constraints, interference in day-to-day school activities, heavy workloads, and limited resources. Consistent participation in the community leads to increased student retention, greater grades, and participation in high-level programs. This supports the findings of the study of Pesigan (2021) that there was a significant correlation between parent and the teacher’s perception. Thus, the parent-teacher partnership was correlated to the organizational success.

Positive attitudes towards each other

         According to Sustaining Reading First (2009), parent and community involvement in schools need not be adversarial. It demands training for all participants, including school personnel, on how to collaborate, listen carefully, communicate honestly, and act on values and goals. The problems encountered in distance learning are really challenging, it allows school administrators and teachers show their positive attitudes to sustain school-community partnership. School leaders should act with dignity and reputation for them to be respected by the stakeholders of the community and to promote harmonious relationship with each other. This supports the statement of Saputra (2021), making the school one of the educational institutions involves good administration of the entire academic community as well as community and government support.

School leaders’ management skills

         The various problems and difficulties faced by the respondents in supporting school-community relations during distance learning were also identified and analyzed by the researcher. Another challenge of school heads and teachers in sustaining school-community partnership is leaders’ management skills. According to Marsen (2020), crisis communication must address with in regard to both crisis management and reputation. Effective communication fosters trust and contributes to the formation of shared goals, understandings, and commitments across stakeholders. During moments of stress, in times of crisis, good leaders participate in holding, which implies they are containing and analyzing what is going on during a crisis uncertainty. The findings of this study are reinforced by Schroeder's (2016) research, which argues that servant leadership is still one of the most effective forms of leadership today. School administrators who embody this leadership paradigm assist and equip teachers while also exhibiting a commitment to fostering school community. Finally, some scholars have emphasized the importance of leaders' attention to social and emotional concerns during a crisis.

CONCLUSION

         By reviewing and analyzing journal articles, and research papers about sustaining school-community partnership, three challenges were encountered by school heads and teachers in distance learning. One problem encountered was the compliments and commendation given to the stakeholders. Collaboration with community partners is critical in distant learning; therefore, in order for them to be active and motivated participants in school programs, their work and efforts should be recognized and rewarded. Secondly, non-sustained involvement of stakeholders in various school activities. School leaders took hard time in maintaining constant communication with the stakeholders due to restrictions caused by the pandemic. Moreover, it is vital to develop positive attitudes toward each other in order to establish a harmonious relationship between the school and the community. Finally, the school leaders management skills should prioritize by increasing the number of opportunities for teacher development, and the school head’s ability to respond wisely to the numerous and demanding challenges they encounter.  

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Bryan Schroeder (2016) The Effectiveness of Servant Leadership in Schools From a Christian Perspective. BU Journal of Graduate Studies in Education, Volume 8, Issue 2, 2016 https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1230516.pdf

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ABSTRACT

REYES, FERLYN F., Institute of Graduate Studies, Central Luzon State University, Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija, Philippines, October, 2007, ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AND SCHOOL BEHAVIOR OF STUDENTS WITH EMPLOYED AND UNEMPLOYED MOTHERS FROM SCHOOL OF THE SACRED HEART OF SAN JOSE CITY AND CLSU LABORATORY, PINILI, SAN JOSE CITY SY 2007-2008

         The study was conducted to identify the academic performance and school behavior of students with employed and unemployed mother at the School of the Sacred Heart of San Jose City and CLSU Laboratory High School in Pinili, San Jose City. There were 97 pupils of the School of the Sacred Heart and 197 students of CLSU Laboratory High School who were the main respondents of this study. From the over-all population of the said schools; students whose mothers are employed or unemployed were identified thru the guidance forms. These randomly selected the students’ with unemployed mother based on the total number of identified students with employed mother. In elementary level, 62.86 percent are male and 37.14 are female students while in secondary level 35.29 percent are male and 64.71 percent are female students. Most of the respondents with working mother in elementary level are eldest with 45. 71 percent while in secondary level, most of them are eldest with 38.24 percent of the total respondents. On the other side, most of the students with unemployed mother are middle child with 48.57 percent while in secondary level, most of them are also middle child with 44.12 percent 37.14 percent of elementary pupils with employed mother were belong to the age bracket of 8-9. Majority of pupils with unemployed mother belong to the age bracket of 8-9 with 37.14, In secondary level, most of the respondents with employed mother belong to age bracket of 13-14 On the other hand half of students with unemployed mother belong to the age bracket of 13-14 with 50 percent of the total respondents Most of the respondents with working mother in elementary level are eldest with 45. 71 percent. Majority of respondents with employed mother in elementary level are grade 1 and 6 with both 20 percent while in secondary level, most of the respondents are first year, second year and third year with both 26.47 percent. Most of the respondents with working mother in elementary level are eldest with 45. 71 percent; while in secondary level, most of them are eldest with 38.24 percent of the total respondents. Most of the students with unemployed mother are middle child with 48.57 percent while in secondary level, most of them are also middle child with 44.12. Mother’s occupation of elementary students which majority of employed mother of male respondents are OFW with 45.45 percent mother’s occupation of secondary male students which majority of employed mother is teachers with 41.67 percent Most of elementary respondents with employed and unemployed mother performed both satisfactory; in secondary level, most of the respondents with employed and unemployed performed very satisfactory which means that there is no difference and it does not affect their academic performance. The school behavior of the elementary students with employed and unemployed mother has no difference because they both performed satisfactory. While secondary students with employed and unemployed mother performed very satisfactory. The academic performance of elementary respondents with employed and mother as of previous general average is moderately satisfactory while unemployed is satisfactory. On the other hand, as of first quarter’s final grade, students with employed mother performed moderately satisfactory while unemployed are satisfactory. The academic performance of secondary respondents with employed mother as of previous general average performed satisfactory while unemployed performed very satisfactory. As of first quarter final grades, students with employed mother performed satisfactory while unemployed performed very satisfactory. This means that in both elementary and secondary students, the respondents with unemployed mother performed much better than the students with employed mother. This means that in both elementary and secondary students, the respondents with employed mother performed much better than the students with employed mother in terms of academic, employed mother should established open communication they will know the action they have to make to help their children even though they were busy because of their work. If possible, they can attend the Parents-Teachers Association (PTA) meeting of their children to know the needs of their children not only in academics but also conferences to make some evaluation about their children’s behavior in school. Cooperation and participation of mother by means of attending such meetings for the follow up purpose adds self-esteem on the part of their kids especially if their children knows about this. Mothers who have children who are still in elementary level need more attention, follow up and guidance because they need those more often to direct them both in academic and behavior. Teachers on the other hand should be responsible enough to handle children. They must be aware regarding their students in terms of academic performance as well as their behavior. They must be sensitive in every action of one’s child and must be patient to observe about the academic performance and school behavior so that every child can be guided accordingly. The teachers are responsible in molding his/her pupils but this cannot be done alone. Follow up at home with the parents or guardians are important factor. Teachers and parents must help one another and be partners in following up the child both in school and at home. They must cooperate with each other and must have regular consultations to monitor ones child’s academic performance and behavior

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze, through descriptive method of research, the management competencies of the public elementary school heads in Region III, along the domains of the Philippine Professional Standard for School Heads (PPSSH) namely: a) Leading Strategically, b) Managing School Operations and Resources, c) Focusing on Teaching and Learning, d) Developing Self and others, e) Building Connections.

         This study employed data triangulation of three hundred fourteen (314) public elementary school heads, twenty-two (22) district supervisors, and three hundred seventy-five (375) elementary school teachers from the seven (7) provinces in Region III. The questionnaires were adopted from the DepEd Order 24, series of 2020, and five statements that make up each strand were shuffled to minimize prejudice. In analyzing the results in a meaningful way, mean scores were used as statistical techniques.

         The management competencies of school heads in terms of the domains: leading strategically, managing school operation and resources, focusing on teaching and learning, developing self and others, and building connection, strands were all in the very satisfactory description however, the school heads need still need enhancement to achieve “outstanding,” the highest level of practice. The leaders of the schools can continue to capitalize on their highest-rated strands while also focusing on their lowest-rated strands.

         Consequently, the researcher proposed a management development plan to assist the public elementary school heads in Region III. Some recommendations are the implementation of mentoring procedures to monitor the school heads’ development, offering training programs, organizing monthly DLAC sessions, conferences, and collegial discussions, and attending workshops on writing action research.

Keywords: Management Competencies, Philippine Professional Standards for School Heads (PPSSH), Public Elementary School Heads, Development Plan

Introduction

The role of school heads is vital to the success of any educational institution. They are responsible for overseeing the daily operations, setting the tone for the school culture, and ensuring that students receive the best education possible. In order to achieve school goals, school heads must possess a range of competencies, including effective leadership, decision-making, and problem-solving skills.

The current academic climate in the region indicates that a new set of skills are needed in order to meet the demands of the profession. It is essential that school leaders are equipped with the skills and abilities to manage the ever-evolving educational landscape. A comprehensive assessment of school heads’ competencies is critical to ensure that students are provided with the best possible learning environment. Without a comprehensive understanding of these challenges and an ability to respond effectively, it is likely that nation will continue to suffer from inadequate educational resources.

DepEd Order No. 24, s. 2020, the National Adoption and Implementation of the Philippine Professional Standards for School Heads, recognizes the importance of professional standards in school heads’ development. This aligns the developmental stages and needs of the school heads with the K–12 Basic Education Program and the Philippine Professional Standard for Teachers. Using the Philippines Professional Standard for School Heads as a reference, it is required to examine the skill of public elementary school leaders in Region III to identify their least performed competencies. Standard setting addresses essential societal goals and informs politicians, schools, and instructors about a school system's strengths and deficiencies (Blomeke and Gustafsson 2017).

As such, this dissertation attempted to study the school heads’ management competencies in Region III and determine which competencies they possess that have enabled them to successfully lead their respective schools. It is anticipated that this study will yield beneficial results that can be used to provide guidance to current and aspiring school heads as well as give an insight into the most important managerial skills for successful school leadership.  School heads face unique challenges that require a skill set specific to the needs of the region. To ensure that these leaders are equipped with all the necessary tools, a comprehensive review of managerial competencies is necessary. Such an analysis can identify the highest and lowest-rated strands of these professionals while also providing useful insights that can be used to develop targeted training and support initiatives.

Method

         The descriptive survey research design was used to investigate the management competencies of public elementary school heads through the domains of the Philippine Professional Standard for School Heads (PPSSH). The research was conducted in the seven provinces of Region III Central Luzon, composed of twenty school division offices.

This study employed data triangulation from school heads, district supervisors, and teachers working in SBM Level III public elementary schools in Region III. Using a Raosoft Application Calculator, the exact number of participants was identified. The participants were the three hundred fourteen (314) school heads, twenty-two (22) district supervisors, and three hundred seventy-five (375) teachers from the SBM Level III public elementary schools in Region III. The researcher used three sets of google forms survey questionnaires validated by education experts.   The survey questionnaires were adopted from the DO. 24 s. of 2020. Each domain of the PPSSH contains strands that were scored using a five-point Likert scale. The five statements that make up each strand were shuffled and organized in a random order to minimize the possibility of prejudice. To determine the problems encountered by the school heads the researcher adapted the instrument from the study of Babac (2021) and Ubaldo (2013). The study used mean, weighted mean and grand mean to measure and analyzed the data gathered.

The researcher informed the Regional Director, Superintendent, and Public School District Supervisor of the intention of conducting a study, and informed participants that they can withdraw anytime if they feel uncomfortable.

Management Competencies of Public Elementary School Heads

          Leading strategically as a management competency of public elementary school heads was very satisfactory (VS). The grand means of supervisors, school heads, and teachers for this domain were 3.59, 4.22, 4.00, respectively, and an overall grand mean of 3.94. The school heads were very satisfactory, which clearly shows that they exhibit advanced skills in performing their function in leading strategically. The strands vision, mission and core values, and program design and implementation are two of the ten (10) highest-rated strands. However, there is room for improvement in policy implementation and review, research and innovation and learner voice being included in the ten (10) lowest-rated strands. Therefore, it is recommended that school heads focus on improving their competencies in these strands to ensure that their schools operate well.

        Management is the planning of material and human assets at hand to attain intended goals and objectives (Nwun et al. 2016). In terms of managing school operations and resources the public elementary school heads was very satisfactory (VS) with strong mean scores across all strands. The grand means of supervisors, school heads, and teachers for this domain were 3.89, 4.33, 3.96, respectively, and an overall grand mean of 4.06, the highest among the five (5) domains. The school heads were very satisfactory, which clearly stated that they exhibit very satisfactory skills in performing their function in terms records management, financial management, school facilities and equipment, management of staff, school safety for disaster preparedness, mitigation and resiliency, and emerging opportunities and challenges. Similarly, Alvarez and Delavin (2022) discovered in their study that the highest career stage of school heads is on this domain. This is due to their capability, training, actual experiences in their job, cooperation, optimistic attitude, school transparency and leading democratically. However, the school heads in this domain should maintain their management skills. Effective management of school resources is crucial for ensuring that the school operates efficiently and effectively, and school heads should continue to focus on improving their competency with transparency and accountability.

         The grand mean means of supervisors, school heads, and teachers for the domain focusing on teaching and learning was very satisfactory (VS) as reflected in their grand means of 3.69, 4.21, 3.89, respectively, and an over-all grand mean of 3.93. The school heads exhibit advanced skills in performing their function in terms teacher performance feedback, learning environment and  school-based review, contextualization and implementation of learning standards. On the other hand, included in the ten (10) lowest-rated strands of the school heads are learning assessment, learner achievement and other performance indicators, career awareness and opportunities, and teaching standards and pedagogies.

           Developing self and others as a management competency of public elementary school heads had a very satisfactory (VS) verbal description. The grand means of supervisors, school heads, and teachers for this domain were 3.79, 4.28, 4.00, respectively, and an overall grand mean of 4.02. This can be concluded that the school heads exhibit advanced skills in performing their functions especially in terms personal and professional development, professional reflection and learning, performance management, and rewards and recognition mechanism. School heads are effective in developing their own skills and knowledge, as well as those of their colleagues. They are reflective practitioners who engage in ongoing learning to improve their leadership practice and prioritize the development of their staff.  However, the strand professional networks, was included in the ten (10) lowest-rated strands, among all the stands in this domain, school heads should focus on enhancing this management competency.

           Building connections as a management competency of public elementary school heads was very satisfactory (VS). The over-all grand mean of 3.83 was the combined grand means of supervisors (3.66), school heads (4.05), and teachers (3.79). The school heads were very satisfactory, however, this domain gained the lowest grand mean among the five(5) domains of PPSSH. Four (4) of the five(5) strands were included in the ten (10) lowest-rated strands  which are: management of school organizations, management of diverse relationships, communication, and community engagement. The school heads need to provide appropriate support and encourage school organizations to engage in programs and activities in the schools in order to effectively connect with stakeholders and create relationships in order to achieve progress in these domain.

None of the strands’ weighted mean were interpreted to be in the outstanding, satisfactory, unsatisfactory and poor in verbal description in all domains.

Highest and Lowest Rated Strands of the School Heads

The researcher ranked the weighted mean scores of the strands and presented ten (10) highest and lowest among the thirty-four (34) strands of the five (5) domains of the PPSSH. All the strands in each domain were all very satisfactory. The following are the ten (10) strands that obtained highest weighted mean scores: vision, mission, and core values, management of staff, program, design and implementation, personal and professional development, emerging opportunities and challenges, teacher performance feedback, inclusive practice, learning environment, professional reflection and learning, performance management, record management, school safety for disaster preparedness, mitigation and resiliency, school-based review, contextualization and implementation of learning standards, and rewards and recognition mechanism.

         In the contrary, although all strands in each domain were all very satisfactory these strands are considered school heads the lowest strands since they have obtained the lowest weighted mean scores: management of school organizations, policy implementation and review, learning assessment, management of diverse relationships, learner achievement and other performance indicators, research and innovation, career awareness and opportunities, communication, community engagement, teaching standards and pedagogies, learner voice and professional networks.

Problems Encountered by the School Heads

The public elementary school heads faced some problems and here are the top five (5) problems encountered by the school heads. The first 1st problem encountered by the school heads in managing the school, limited funds and resources to support the implementation of plans, programs, and activities. The parents’ unavailability to attend meetings was the 2nd problem encountered by the school heads. The 3rd problem is the schedule of monitoring and supervision is not followed due to many extracurricular activities. The 4th problem encountered by the school heads was limited knowledge of teachers and school heads in conducting action research for instructional/school improvement while the 5th problem encountered by the school heads was difficulty in assessing school issues and problems to pursue research and innovation. 

Proposed Management Development Plan

School leaders are the ones who can make a difference in the lives of teachers and students. They generally also make progress toward their own personal and professional goals, which makes sense given the reality that leadership comes with a significant amount of responsibility.

The researcher proposed a management development plan for the public elementary school heads in Region III as an output of the study and help the school heads in sustaining their highest management competencies and improve in the lowest-rated strands. The Part II of the output is the proposed plan of action to address the problems encountered by the school heads in managing the school.

The management development plan’s key features are the domain, lowest strands, it objectives, the program title, the development program activities, resources needed and the expected outcome while the action plan included the project, its objectives, the suggested strategies the persons involved, the time frame and its expected outcome. Both of the output suggest  activities for a specific strands or problems.

Implication to Educational Management

School heads' performance has an impact on the success of their schools, as it reveals how effectively they lead teachers and the entire school. This serves as a tool for carrying out their obligations and responsibilities, such as leading strategically, managing school operations and resources, focusing on teaching and learning, developing self and others, and building connections.

The study presented the management competencies of the public elementary school heads in Region III. It was revealed that the school heads performed their task "very satisfactory" but still need improvement to be outstanding in terms of their management skills. It is critical to strengthening the educational sector's management practices, ensuring sustainable academic excellence, and improving overall outcomes of students, educators, and the community.

School heads are responsible for establishing educational goals, managing resources, observing and evaluating teachers, suggesting changes to develop teaching practices, resolving issues in the classroom or between teachers, shaping the teachers' professional development, and acting as a liaison with the community. They should enhance their competence until they reach the outstanding level of practice. They should prepare well and make use of the problems that arose as feedback to attain a better outcome in the future. Everyone should be informed of the management competencies of public elementary school heads.

Conclusions

The management competencies of school heads in terms the domains: leading strategically, managing school operation and resources, focusing on teaching and learning, developing self and others and building connections, the strands were all in very satisfactory description however the school heads still need enhancement to achieve “outstanding,” the highest level of practice. There were ten (10) highest and ten (10) lowest strands presented in the study.  The leaders of the schools can continue to capitalize on their highest strands while also improving their lowest-rated strands. After the assessment, the researcher then designed a management development plan to assist the public elementary School Heads in Region III. This will help the school heads improve their management competencies.

Recommendations

         On the bases of the findings and conclusions of the study, the following are recommended: After identifying the weaknesses of school heads, the School Governance and Operations Division (SGOD) through the Public School District Supervisor (PSDS) may implement a regular monthly mentoring procedure to monitor the school heads. The office of the Human Resource Department of the Division Offices may offer training programs to reinforce and enhance the highest strands or strengths of school heads. School heads may continue to improve in all domains since they were rated very satisfactory. They may aspire to achieve the highest level of competence, especially in building connections. They may increase school and community collaborations through joint activities and projects. As form of support, supervisors may organize a monthly DLAC sessions, conferences and collegial discussions. School heads may also attend training and workshops on writing action research. The proposed Management Development Plan of this study might be implemented by the schools division to improve the performance and management competencies of public elementary school heads. Further research that will look into more variables and factors that evaluate and improve the management competency of public elementary school heads may be conducted.

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