14 Challenges of Modular Learning: Is It Too Bad?

This article describes the challenges of modular learning to both students and teachers based on a quick interview. See what the author discovered. – Ed.

Introduction

The world is constantly evolving, and so is learning to cater to the needs of students. Learning implies an enhanced matter of considerations to come, knowledge and skills gained through instruction and study in line of descent from ancestors to the next lineage.

Learning relies on honing and sharpening the dexterity and coordination, specifically in the execution of learned physical and intellectual tasks, skills and capabilities…as well as the mindset of the coming future leaders of this world. And then tuning it with the sequence of recurring phenomenal events.

The cycle of life expectancy before has always been 80’s++ to 100’s++. Then, it’s the turn of the next generation to live and remain in this world and have their own first-hand experiences.

As older generations of teachers and parents, our primary functions, tasks, and moral obligations are to carry out the following topmost three (3) things for them:

Perform things to always glorify the LORD and evermore serve Him alone, giving glory and praise, exalt and giving thanks. For both educators and parents—teach the spiritual values to kids so they’ll grow up with a certain focus to be happy, be a contributor in the society in their own ways and succeed in life.
Having the authority by the virtue of age and experience as parents, the moral and legal accountabilities lie on two (2) things—bringing kids closer to God and giving them good education. Execute this in an appropriate manner. It is essential that parents balance their kids’ wisdom on education and their corresponding spiritual needs to succeed.
To remain in a balanced state, send kids to a favorable education for their wellbeing and emerge as self-sustaining independent individuals, have means of obtaining the healthy necessities of life, and learn to stand on their own. Then, eventually develop to maturity. It does not imply a private or a public institution, rather what matters is the quality of the medium of instruction and concern for the welfare of the learners.

The developmental stage and the values formation in your kids considerably originate foremost crucially at the evermore congenial environment—your home. Kids grow up with the family towards at full stature of physical and mental maturity, eventually.

Thereupon, whatever information fed into their data processing system or brain, and whatever you teach them with the intent of a sizable constructive output, these things play an important role in your child’s development, along with the peers of their age and the outside environment.

I’ve written my article on the “14 Effects of Modular Learning to Students” last December 7, 2021. I am happy it has helped that an overwhelming number of readers.

After a few months, I’ve carefully done a quick follow-up survey on students and teachers alike in order to collect more issues of concern on the effects of modular learning to students. Half of these came from the dedicated educators (7) and the other half from the learners themselves (7).

7 Challenges of Modular Learning to Students and Proposed Solutions

Here are the top seven (7) inciting challenges encountered by the students.

1. Inability to submit on time

The students could not submit specific designs on school projects, and their answered activities on modules on the time frame or specified period given for submission. This was primarily because of the monetary blended uncertainties. Because of the onset of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the family was notably affected.

Students do not possess a sufficient amount of budget for school projects, etc. anymore as they used to be prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some heavily rely on the quarterly government assistance (for peace school allowance).

Proposed Solution

Teachers must allocate an ample extension, particularly these pandemic times, for those students who certainly cannot immediately comply on the specified time. School administrators may come up with other alternatives on this as well, knowing this hinders a timely grading system on behalf of the teachers and students alike.

2. Difficulty in reading and comprehension

Some of the grade 5- 6 pupils and the high school students have a puzzling, strenuous difficulty in their reading and comprehension skills. Hence, it yields to another challenge to not fully intellectually grasp the lessons and modules adequately.

As a result, some students no longer have an in-depth interest anymore to muster the needed endurance. Worse, some drop out and give up their chance to study at higher levels—senior high or college. Some cease to continue with their studies in high school and get united in matrimony as early as 14, with teens of their age.

Proposed Solution

First, educators should provide enjoyable, inspiring, or simplified learning tools and materials to foster the interest of each student in elementary to high school levels. Second, educators need to focus more on their interventions with the slow learners or even with those who have difficulty in reading and comprehension skills. Third, enforce remedial classes for the students who lack the capacity to comprehend general learnings. Fourth, the parents can likewise hire a home tutor for their child. That is, if they can afford it and if safety allows.

3. Personal Teenage Problems

Some students could not submit modules on time because of personal teenage problems, peer pressure and personal things like love life, which are a part of growing up stage of the teens.

Proposed Solution

The guidance counselors’ interventions at the school is quite necessary here for the wellbeing of the learners. The teachers can inculcate or integrate values and training into the young generations via movie lessons on teenage and puberty life, teenage pregnancy along with its pros and cons and the responsibilities that these entail and a lot more.

Teachers tolerance is also essential. Be more extra understanding, patient and compassionate with some teens, manifesting forbearance under provocation and strain.

Parents can have some fun outdoor activities with their children together as a family.

4. Poor Wi-Fi Connections

The road to a never-ending Poor Wi-Fi connection is a path that students have to contend with, especially in the rural areas.

Proposed Solution

This calls for government intervention. Given the need to modernize and keep up with the global outburst of information on all disciplines and fronts, there is no other choice for the government to keep up with the challenges of development but to facilitate the provision of critical internet infrastructures. Oblige the Wi-Fi companies to upgrade their tower signals, otherwise penalize those who won’t comply at all.

5. Inability of parents to assist in the modules

Some students had difficulty understanding the modules specifically with parents who barely had an education themselves and can’t guide their children optimally.

Proposed Solution

Educators—have simplified modules and nothing more beyond the comprehension of the learners and the parents.

Studies show that internet users, on the average, have reading capacities at 8th grade level. That’s in the US. How much more for non-native speakers of English?

6. Inability to Comprehend the Lessons

The students, having insufficient resources, could not submit a few or many of their modules in some of their subjects for they did not thoroughly grasp the content or discussions of topics. Thus, they usually earn either an incomplete or a low grade.

Proposed Solution

Educators ought to show clearly the deeper gist, meaning and information they convey in the modules. Expand more on your discussions and simplify your process of explaining. Show the logical contents and make a plain or understandable theme and subject. Remove the complexities in your topics and give more detailed examples so that all the students can understand the lessons in an easy, quick manner.

No student should be left behind because they are not digitally equipped or technology averse. More so if they are slow learners. There are other creative ways to poorly performing students.

7. Game addiction among students

Student addiction to computers, playing a multitude of online games and spending a lot of time chatting on social media sites or uploading short videos cause delayed submission of modules. Social media sites like TikTok, Messenger and Facebook attract their attention more than their lessons.

Proposed Solution

This is quite a toilsome universal challenge of the learners, parents, and educators for some time now. And therefore needing an immediate effective solution and interventions.

I am convinced that the following seven (7) solutions to this problem would work for parents whose children got addicted to games and other entertaining online activities. You need to follow not just a few but all of them:

Bring your child to a clinical psychologist and have sessions for 3 months.
If Step 1 does not work, stop. It’s important to let your Christian pastor pray for your child now. There may be an immediate desired end goal on this, but sometimes this may approximately go for a month. Patience is a virtue.
It’s equally significant that you attend a regular Sunday service together as a family with a Christian pastor. Have your child join the Christian church youth or church choir where he/she could constantly interact at the church with Christian kids of his or her own age.
Pray together as a family every day. And say grace at every meal as a family.
Have enjoyable outdoor activities as a family, gardening and planting, picnic at the nearby parks, travel together, and even a regular visiting the grandparents plays a significant role. Engage in any common sports like biking or basketball, swimming or playing tennis as a family.
Have common pets at home or even one for the entire family.
Eat more healthy fresh veggies and fruits every day. The healthy nutrients work well not solely for physique but also for the wellbeing of your children. Studies have shown that fresh foods rich in Vitamin C and fiber works well for the brains of your children.

7 Challenges of Modular Learning to Teachers and Proposed Solutions

14 Challenges of Modular Learning to Students and Teachers 1 — Poor internet connectivity is one of the challenges of modular learning that students face.

Accordingly, the following are the top seven (7) challenges of modular learning to teachers:

1. Teachers’ difficulty in preparing the required instructional modules

Some teachers have difficulty in catching up with the multiple subjects on top with the newest medium and rising trends that are mounting up along with the hot air balloons of learning modalities. The preparation of well-designed modules takes considerable time.

Proposed Solution

The Department of Education needs to constantly hone the teachers’ skills and knowledge on module writing with a constant regular educational series of training to be on par with the evolving world of education. School administrators ought to allocate a commendable budget for the educators’ need to keep abreast and stay well informed via educational seminars from time to time. The school should financially provide for these, not the teachers themselves.

More Tips: Five Contemporary Teaching Strategies in the New Normal (with sample instructional module).

2. Public school teachers provide financial support to students

Some public-school teachers have been providing some school supplies for their students independently out of their own cash on hand as the COVID-19 pandemic financially affected many students. Currently, out of the burdened hearts and aching pockets, the teachers provide some students with school supplies like ballpens, papers and even funds for some projects, and so forth.

Read tips on how improve your finances: Mastering Your Money: 8 Amazing Personal Finance Tips to Build Wealth

Proposed Solution

The school administrators can make a proportionate division of a modest budget for planning and coordinating resources and expenditures, custom-made and tailored to the teachers who can’t pay for their students’ supplies as they have families themselves.

3. The towering poor Wi-Fi connections

Teachers have problems with their Wi-Fi connections just like their students, too. It would be more challenging for them as they need more time to prepare their instructional materials online.

Most teachers are the ones who purchase their own home Wi-Fi connections, along with its monthly load for modular and online learning to take place. Thus, their monthly budgeting at home is being disrupted and disarrayed.

Proposed Solution

Government leaders ought to oblige Wi-Fi providers to upgrade their Wi-Fi towers for better connections as the millions and millions of consumers are paying a high amount for these net connections.

4. Time management concerns

Teachers said some busy working parents have problems on assisting their kids with modules. They have difficulty juggling their time with work, home and module-related activities.

Proposed Solution

For teachers: Simplify your modules so as students themselves can work at home at their own pace and capability without the need for their busy parents to intervene.

5. Difficulty in securing students modules

Submission of weekly modules are done at school premises, yet there are some deviating from the norm. Exceptional cases for the ones with remote residences who can’t submit modules regularly.

In rare cases, it’s the teachers themselves who must travel to far-away lands, travel to the high mountains and cross rivers just to secure the modules. Unfortunately, it’s also the teachers themselves who assume the burden and responsibility of retrieving the modules.

Proposed Solution

School administrators and the Department of Education ought to intertwine the budget for contingencies on their annual allocation and proportionately distribute the expenditures to meet financial goals.

I salute to a tête-à-tête and applaud with expressions of kind wishes, respect and goodwill these educators who are entirely having a forbearing nature, helpful nature, sympathetic, resilient and for their extraordinary prowess or bravery, for adhering to their pledge to do their duties well.

The Almighty God sees your best efforts and will reward you for your valor, strength of mind and spirit that enables you to encounter a danger with personal bravery.

6. Extra tasks to accomplish

Teachers are laden with extra tasks to accomplish by their supervisors. These tasks in include things like working on their periodic reports, counseling and monitoring of students, special assignments such as learning area coordinator, paper adviser, among others.

Module preparation itself takes considerable time. Doing additional tasks outside of teaching requires a lot of energy and effort on top of household chores.

Proposed Solution

While there is a limit to a teacher’s energy and focused work online that cause eye fatigue, good time management would be desirable. Prioritization and delegation still work. If somebody in the house can do some of the routine tasks that teachers do if no hired hand is available, then that should be explored by the teachers. Exercise conditions the body and increases energy as well as reduces stress.

7. Difficulty in checking the accomplished modules

Teachers had an arduous tough time checking the submitted modules of students due to not decipherable, impossible to read handwritings, and misspellings of high school students.

Proposed Solution

Integrate a systematic planning and effort to form a coherent unity with the spelling, reading and comprehension skills of the learners. Elementary teachers ought to teach students early on to be able for students to effectively write legibly, read and comprehend the lessons on modules and online modular learning—a point of concentration on organizing a special tutorial services who will focus on these students.

Implement the phonics program, which is very systematic and has been proven as an effective medium.

Recommended Strategies for Parents

Hence, what strategic interventions can you do as parents to your kids for moral and legal accountability for them to succeed in life?

Designate a share of a small responsibility for your kids in your home, like helping you, in particular, with simple household chores. You may introduce simple activity like training your 5-year-old child to willingly fix his bed promptly after rising in the morning, or your 8-year-old child to help you and sweep the floor. Or your 12-year-old to the dishes right after dinner. Giving these simple tasks to your children develops their sense of responsibility, independence and makes them realize their accountability as part of your family unit. Letting your kids complete these simple tasks at your specified time improves their overall time management skills and learn to set priorities much better to succeed in life. It builds their good habits early on.
Pray as a family together. Institute the value of prayers at home. Say grace at mealtimes. Be a commendable role model to your kids by praying regularly, attend regular Sunday services as a family together with a Christian pastor and spend quality time with the family on weekends.
You may opt to send your kids to a Christian school with a Christian pastor and be able to have the enhance privilege of having good values, prudence and wisdom they’ll be needing to successfully combat any challenge. And be able to put forth a great determined effort for a set goal or an aim in life.

Kindly refer to my other related articles that can aid you in the challenges mentioned. You may find the following articles useful:

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with My loving eye on you.
Psalm 32:8

Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
1Thessalonians 5:11

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 1:7. For students, study harder and prove yourself.
2 Timothy 2

Train up a child on the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22:6

As any educator and parent alike know, both teaching and parenting is a challenging but rewarding profession. It takes dedication, a lot of patience and creativity to engage the children in learnings. Loving mommies and dedicated educators—Just as Jesus loves the children, the Almighty God also loved you for all your efforts to facilitate learning.

References

Haykin, S., & Bhattacharya, T. K. (1997). Modular learning strategy for signal detection in a nonstationary environment. IEEE transactions on signal processing, 45(6), 1619-1637.

Khorshidi, A., & Peterson, A. A. (2016). Amp: A modular approach to machine learning in atomistic simulations. Computer Physics Communications, 207, 310-324.

Simply, K. (2013). Modular method of teaching. International Journal for Research in Education, 2(2).

14 Challenges of Modular Learning to Students and Teachers

Table of Contents

Introduction