360

International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research

Vol. 20, No. 6, pp. 360-385, June 2021
https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.20.6.19

School Support Received and the Challenges

Encountered in Distance Learning Education by
Filipino Teachers during the Covid-19 Pandemic

Angelito Palma Bautista Jr.

Quezon City University, Quezon City, Philippines
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6591-7280

Doris Gelvoligaya Bleza and Cielito Bernardino Buhain

Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Manila, Philippines
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4314-1060
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0633-5210

Dianne Morta Balibrea

Blue Chips Research and Consultancy, Navotas City, Philippines
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8600-8246

Abstract. Distance learning has become the sole modality of the teaching
and learning process in the Philippines due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Since face-to-face classes are still prohibited with no end in sight, it is
important to assess the experience of teachers handling distance learning
education in terms of the support they have received, and the challenges
encountered. This study examines the support provided by the schools, the
challenges encountered by the teachers, and the support they need to thrive
in distance learning education. By applying a quantitative approach
through an online survey, 151 teachers - including 108 women, 41 men, and
2 respondents who did not mention their gender - served as the
respondents of this study. The study derived promising results in that the
majority of the respondents received adequate support from their
respective schools in terms of capacity building, technical and data privacy
matters, systems of information dissemination, and online learning
management. Financial and emotional support mechanisms are two areas
for improvement. The common problems encountered include motivating
the students, using ICT, managing the time allotted for online sessions, and
evaluating the learners’ knowledge. The teachers were also looking for
more free resources and tools, webinars to share ideas and challenges, and
professional development. Overall, the respondents were confident
handling remote classes during the pandemic. The Department of
Education (DepEd) and the schools may devise targeted programs,
training, and support mechanisms to ensure that no one in the education
sector is left behind.

Keywords: Covid-19 pandemic; distance learning education; support

mechanisms; challenges; capacity building

©Authors
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0
International License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0).
 361

1. Introduction
The global impact of Covid-19 is evident in various sectors of society including
health, the economy, and education. More than a year after the first Covid-19
case was detected in Wuhan, China, more than 140 million positive Covid-19
cases and at least 3.0 million global deaths have been recorded. In the
Philippines, more than 900,000 cases and 15,000 deaths have been confirmed
(John Hopkins University & Medicine, 2021).

With government agencies, private organizations, and academic institutions

working hard to develop new antiviral and therapeutic solutions, minimum
health standard measures have been implemented in various places to slow the
spread of the virus. However, due to the quick rise in infections, many countries
enforced strict quarantine and lockdown measures. In the Philippines, the
government decided to impose an Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) in
March 2020 in many regions of the country to slow down the spread of Covid-19
and to prevent the overburdening of the health system (Panelo, 2020). This
quarantine mechanism restricted most non-essential activities and movements
outside the home. To date, the National Capital Region (NCR) is still under
modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ).

The education sector has been severely hit by the ongoing pandemic. When the
ECQ was declared in March 2020, all schools in the Philippines were ordered to
close (Medialdea, 2020). The World Health Organization (WHO) has also
advised educations and students to adopt alternative learning in order to
mitigate the cancellation of face-to-face classes. Since March 2020, schools in
many parts of the world have been using a mixture of distance learning
strategies such as online classes, printed modules, and TV/radio lessons to
ensure that a learning environment is maintained where the students are
located. (Asian Development Bank, 2021).

The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the education landscape. Shutting down
schools globally has resulted in over 1.2 billion children being out of the
classroom (Li & Lalani, 2020). In March 2021, schools for more than 168 million
children have been completely closed for almost an entire year due to the
lockdowns (United Nations Children’s Fund, 2021). Globally, around 214 million
children have missed more than three-quarters of their face-to-face learning. As
a result, e-learning rose distinctively with teaching undertaken remotely and on
digital platforms.

Distance education has been promoted to address the issues related to

geographical distance and the many reasons that prevent in-person learning and
face-to-face classes, such as the pandemic (Kim, 2020; Singh & Thurman 2019;
Yilmaz, 2019). It is sometimes referred to as e-learning or online learning. It is an
institution-based formal type of education where learners, resources, and
instructors use interactive telecommunications systems to connect (Kim, 2020).
Distance education can be either asynchronous, where the learning happens
where the students can choose when to participate in learning using various
tools, or synchronous. This is where learning occurs using a live video feed (such

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as Zoom, Google Meet or Discord) with immediate feedback from the students
and teachers (Kim, 2020).

Schools in the Philippines have remained completely closed for more than a year
since the pandemic has forced the government to suspend face-to-face classes.
Educational institutions have been forced to transition to digital or online
classrooms for the remaining months of the school year (SY) 2019 - 2020 which
has continued into SY 2020 - 2021, resulting in the implementation of remote
learning or distance learning where the teacher and students are essential
(Almario & Austria, 2020). Moreover, the president of the Philippines has also
rejected the resumption of face-to-face classes even though Covid-19 vaccines
have arrived (Galvez & Orejas, 2021).

Different educational platforms have been used by teachers to facilitate the

distance learning setup. For example, the Philippine Department of Education
(DepED) developed DepED Commons, an online educational platform that
supports alternative learning modalities during the extended quarantine period
(Asian Development Bank, 2020). It is being used by both public and private
schools to help drive the continuous delivery of basic education in the country.
A Learning Continuity Plan (LCP) was also adopted by the DepED (Department
of Education, 2020). Meanwhile, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED)
gave higher education institutions (HEIs) the freedom to implement available
distance learning, e-learning, and other alternative modes of education delivery
(De Vera III, 2020). Various online platforms are being used to deliver education
in new ways in the Philippines, a country that has an internet penetration rate of
67.0% and more than 73.91 million internet users (Hootsuite & We Are Social,
2021). Zoom, Google Meet, Discord, and Microsoft Teams have become the new
classrooms, while teachers take advantage of different social media sites such as
Facebook and YouTube where recordings of the class lectures are uploaded.

Considering that SY 2020 - 2021 was the first year when distance learning
education was implemented instead of in-school learning, it is important to
understand the experience of Filipino teachers when handling distance learning
in order to facilitate a better teaching experience in the coming months.
Philippine educational institutions have to adapt to this changing landscape
since it is inevitable that in the future, schools have to move towards a new kind
of educational model that utilizes advanced technologies.

Globally, many studies have focused on the experience of students when dealing
with distance learning during the Covid-19 crisis such as in Indonesia (Sutiah et
al., 2020), Tanzania (Mahundu, 2020), and the Ukraine (Nenko et al., 2020). Many
students have inadequate access to digital learning resources, have a limited
reliable and stable internet connection (Nenko et al., 2020), and might not have
sufficient resiliency and skills to learn on their own and face the challenges such
as being distracted by their surroundings because of the limited hands-on
activities (Sutiah et al., 2020). Moreover, while research suggests that online
learning helps to increase the retention of information and takes less time (Li &
Lalani, 2020). Limited internet access was found to be one of the main reasons

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why the online teaching-learning process might make it difficult to obtain a

quality education (Nenko et al., 2020).

Several other studies have also revealed the problems experienced by teachers
when handling distance learning classes during the pandemic. For example, in
Portugal, teachers have to suddenly adapt to new pedagogies and modes of
teaching with only a limited amount of time to be trained in remote instruction
(Flores & Gago, 2020). Meanwhile, a report by the Organisation for Economic
Co-operation and Development (OECD) on the impact of Covid-19 on education
in member countries revealed that both teachers and students have had to rely
on their available personal resources to continue learning remotely during the
pandemic (Schleicher, 2020). Considering these challenges, Hodges et al. (2020)
stated that several elements must be assessed in order to guarantee the
effectiveness of remote learning, including the faculty’s professional
development for online teaching pedagogies and the tools, policy, and
governance issues connected to distance program development and quality
assurance. The Covid-19 pandemic has challenged the academic idea of when,
where, and how to deliver education, the importance of lifelong learning, and
the need for learning agility and resilience in times of a crisis.

In the Philippines, a study by Arinto (2016) among the faculty and

administrators at the University of the Philippines – Open University revealed
that despite the interest and willingness to explore new practices and new
directions in Open and Distance e-Learning (ODeL), nurturing innovative
teaching and learning practices across the institution is still regarded as a
challenge. Meanwhile, selected teachers from the Department of Education were
found to have a positive attitude to ODeL, with the majority ready for online
learning (Ventayen, 2018).

Since Covid-19 is a recent phenomenon and its impact on the education sector is
relatively new, only a few studies have studied the implementation of distance
education and e-learning. Reyes-Chua et al. (2020) found that students in
selected HEIs in the Calabarzon region have faced problems such as a lack of
resources, difficulty accessing a Wi-Fi connection, and a lack of valuable training
among both the students and faculty members. Joaquin et al. (2020) revealed that
there are still gaps and challenges in terms of teacher capacity, the situation, the
context of the learner, and the efficiency of the learning environment, even
though innovations have been made by HEIs in the Philippines in terms of
alternative learning modes and technologies for delivering education. Lapada et
al. (2020) studied Covid-19 awareness, distance learning education experiences,
and the perceptions of institutional readiness and the challenges found among
Filipino teachers. They found that the teaching experience duration (X2(4) =
19.093; p = .001) and geographic location (X2(4) = 10.973; p = .004) were very
strongly correlated to the readiness to engage in distance learning education.

This study aims to describe the support provided by the schools to Filipino
teachers during the Covid-19 pandemic and the implementation of distance
learning. This is in addition to the challenges that the teachers have encountered

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in the past year when handling distance education classes, and the support that
they need to ensure the continuous delivery of quality distance learning
education. It is essential to know how the teachers have adjusted to the
transition and how their schools supported them while they were adapting. The
results from this study will help policymakers to formulate more relevant and
adequate policies and instructions to assist the teachers in becoming better
distance learning educators.

2. Methodology
2.1 Research Design and Respondents
In this descriptive research study, which aims to analyze the teachers’ views
about their distance learning experiences, the challenges they faced, and the
support they received from their school during the Covid-19 pandemic, an
online survey was adopted. This was deemed to be the most appropriate data
gathering method considering the restrictions imposed during the general
community quarantine, as well as the uncertainties brought about by the
increasing number of positive cases around the country.

Based on the total population of teachers in the Philippines as of 2020, some

1,243,445 according to various sources including public schools, private schools,
state universities, and colleges, and private higher education institutions
(Commission on Higher Education, 2020a, 2020b; Llego, 2020), the sample size
was calculated using a margin of error of 8% and a confidence level of 95%. The
sample size was 151 respondents which included 108 women, 41 men and 2
respondents who did not mention their gender. Nearly two-thirds of the
respondents (110) were regular, permanent or full-time instructors, 27 were
teaching part-time, 12 were casual/contractual but full-time teachers and only 2
did not mention their type of employment. The researcher utilized a purposive
sampling method in which elements were chosen from the population based on
the study’s objective. The inclusion criteria established by the researcher were
aged 18 and above, currently teaching SY 2020 - 2021 during the Covid-19
pandemic, and able to complete the online survey.

2.2 Survey Instrument

Due to the ongoing quarantine measures in the country, the schools were still
closed at all levels at the time that the survey was conducted. Since the
researchers and respondents couldn’t meet with the researcher face to face for
the survey, an online survey was utilized using Google Forms. The data
collection was conducted from 26th January to 25th February (30 days) until the
desired number of responses was reached. A call for survey participation was
posted on social media, primarily Facebook.

The researchers formulated the survey questionnaire on “Distance Learning

Education Experience of Teachers during Covid-19” (Appendix 1). The
questions were derived from various items of literature and previous studies
and surveys such as from the “Questionnaires on Teachers Awareness,
Readiness and Online Learning Experience During Covid-19 ECQ” by Lapada et
al. (2020), the European Survey on Online and Distance Learning by the School

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Education Gateway (2020), and the Survey on Faculty Attitudes towards Online
Education by Lee et al. (2015).

The questionnaire consisted of four parts: 1) the respondents’ demographic

profile (age bracket, sex, employment status, and educational attainment), 2)
their attitude towards the school’s performance regarding distance learning
education, composed of 10 items; 3) the problems encountered in distance
learning during the Covid-19 pandemic composed of 22 items and 4) the support
needed in terms of distance learning consisting of 9 items. The instrument was
validated by two academic experts with experience in distance learning
education. The questionnaire was piloted to ensure the clarity of the questions.
Cronbach’s alpha was used to confirm the internal consistency of the questions
on attitude (a = .945), the problems encountered (a = .989), and support needed
(a = .902), which showed that the scales used in this study are reliable.

The survey questionnaire also contained an informed consent form which stated
that the respondents could refuse to answer any question, withdraw from the
survey at any time without any harm and that all data would remain
confidential and strictly adhere to the provisions of the Philippine Data Privacy
Act.

2.3 Data Analysis

The data obtained from the respondents was exported from Google Forms into
Microsoft Excel. IBM SPSS v20 was used to analyze the data. The frequencies
and percentages were calculated to describe the respondents’ demographic
profile, attitudinal responses, distance learning experiences, problems
encountered, and support needed. The Kruskal-Wallis H test was utilized to
determine the differences between the groups for the selected demographic
variables (age bracket, gender, educational attainment, employment status, and
monthly income) and for the respondents’ answers to the different scales. The
Kruskal-Wallis H test is a rank-based nonparametric test that can be used to see
whether two or more groups of an independent variable on a continuous scale
or an ordinal dependent variable involve statistically significant differences. The
statistical significance level was set at p < 0.05.

3. Results
3.1 Teachers’ Demographic Characteristics
Of the 151 respondents, 75% were women and 27% were men. In terms of
educational attainment, 46% were college graduates, while 29% held post-
graduate degrees. Almost two-thirds (73%) of the respondents were
regular/permanent/full-time teachers, while 18% worked part-time. Part-time
faculty or part-time teachers refers to a member of the faculty who does not meet
the requirements for being a full-time faculty member such as doing less than 8
hours of work a day and having no other remunerative occupation elsewhere
requiring regular hours of work (DOLE-DEPED-TESDA-CHED Joint Guidelines,
2014). Half of the respondents earned Php 20,001 – Php 25,000, which is slightly
higher than the Php 19,566 average monthly salary of public school teachers and
the Php11,416 average monthly salary of private school teachers. Both of the

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averages were recorded in 2016 according to the Labor Force Survey

(Department of Education, 2019).

Table 1: Demographic Characteristics of the Respondents

f %
Age Bracket 21 - 25 12 8
26 - 30 15 10
31 - 35 18 12
36 - 40 22 15
41 - 45 20 13
46 - 50 21 14
51 - 55 18 12
56 and above 17 11
No answer/Prefer not to say 8 5
Gender Female 108 72
Male 41 27
Prefer not to say 2 1
Educational Attainment College Level 3 2
College Graduate 70 46
Post-Graduate Level 33 22
Post-Graduate 45 29
Employment Status Regular/Permanent/Full Time 110 73
Casual/Contractual but Full Time 12 8
Part-time 27 18
No answer/Prefer not to say 2 1
Monthly Income Php 10,000 below 12 8
Php 10,001 – Php 15,000 12 8
Php 15,001 – Php 20,000 10 7
Php 20,001- Php 25,000 51 34
Php 25,001 – Php 30,000 26 17
Php 30,001 – Php 35,000 5 3
Php 35,001 above 21 14
Prefer not to say 14 9
TOTAL 151

In terms of teaching experience, 25% had been teaching for more than 21 years,
20% had been working for 6 - 10 years, and another 20% had been working for
11 - 15 years. When it comes to online teaching, a majority (61%) said that this
was their first experience of online teaching while 20% had some experience.

The majority of the respondents were teaching at the college (37%) and
elementary (35%) levels, followed by senior high school (21%) and junior high
school (17%). More than half of them were teaching in public schools (58%),
while 27% are from state universities and colleges. Only 15% were from private
education institutions (sectarian and non-sectarian). When asked how confident
they were teaching remotely during the pandemic, 33% had a neutral feeling,
32% said they were somehow confident, 17% were somehow not confident,
while 15% were very confident. Only 2% of the respondents said that they were
not at all confident. In general, the respondents of this study are confident when
it comes to handling remote classes.

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Table 2: Teaching experience of the respondents

f %
Length of experience as 2 years and below 14 9
a teacher 3 - 5 years 28 19
6 - 10 years 30 20
11 - 15 years 30 20
16 - 20 years 11 7
21 years and above 37 25
Prefer not to say 1 1
Experience of Online I have extensive experience with online
19 13
Teaching teaching
I have some experience with online teaching 30 20
This is my first experience with online teaching 92 61
My school has not switched to online/distance
10 7
learning
Very confident 23 15
Somehow confident 48 32
Confidence when
Neutral 49 33
teaching remotely
Somehow not confident 25 17
during the pandemic
Not at all confident 3 2
No answer 3 2
Level of Education Elementary 53 35
Teaching* Junior High School 26 17
Senior High School 32 21
College 56 37
Graduate Program 10 7
Others 4 3
No answer 1 1
Type of School Public School 87 58
Teaching* Private Sectarian 9 6
Private Non-sectarian 14 9
State Universities and Colleges 41 27
Local Colleges and Universities 5 3
N=151. *Multiple response questions. Note: Due to rounding off, the sum of the percentage may
not total to 100 or may exceed 100

3.2 Distance Learning Support Provided by the Schools

The respondents were asked to rate the support provided by their schools in
terms of distance learning during the Covid-19 pandemic. The majority (53%) of
the respondents strongly believe that their schools have regulations and policies
on the use of distance learning to protect the student’s identity and data privacy
(M = 3.45, SD = 0.587). Likewise, 44% strongly agree that the school has
provided a technical support system to the teachers (M = 3.32, SD = 0.698), 40%
strongly agree that a system of information dissemination to communicate with
both parents and learners has been provided (M = 3.32, SD = 0.617), and 40%
strongly agreed when asked that the school has procured an online learning
management system (M = 3.26, SD = 0.725). A total of 27% of the respondents
disagreed when they were asked if their school had a financial support system
(M = 2.92, SD = 0.772), and 20% said that their schools did not provide an
emotional support system mechanism for the teachers (M = 3.05, SD = 0.769).

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There were also a notable number of respondents who said that their schools did
not provide supplementary materials for distance learning (M = 3.10, SD =
0.758), as well as a designated workforce for Covid-19 (M = 3.25, SD = .685). The
calculated standard deviations show that the results for each statement are
relatively near to the data set’s mean.

Table 3: Distance learning support provided by the schools

Agree (%)

Agree (%)
Disagree

Disagree
Strongly

Strongly
Weighted

(%)

(%)
Statements N SD
Mean

The school has provided

capacity building on
distance learning 39 54 6 1 151 3.31 0.624
education management
for the teachers
The school has a
designated workforce 38 49 12 1 151 3.25 0.685
for Covid-19
The school has provided
regulations and policies
on the use of distance
53 42 5 - 151 3.48 0.587
learning to protect the
student’s identity and
data privacy
The school has provided
supplementary materials
for distance learning 31 52 14 3 150 3.10 0.758
such as subscriptions to
online libraries
The school has procured
an online learning 40 49 9 3 151 3.26 0.725
management system
The school has a system
for information
dissemination to
communicate with the 40 54 6 1 151 3.32 0.617
parents and the learners
during the Covid-19
outbreak.
The school provides a
technical support system 44 45 9 1 150 3.32 0.698
for the teachers
The school has a
financial support system 22 50 24 3 147 2.92 0.772
for the teachers
The school has an
emotional support
system mechanism for 29 51 17 3 151 3.05 0.769
the teachers (e.g. for
managing stress)

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The school has provided

a positive environment
34 54 11 2 149 3.19 0.701
for teachings during the
crisis
Note: Due to rounding off, the sum of the percentages may not total to 100 or may exceed 100

3.3 Problems Encountered when Distance Learning during the Pandemic

Based on their responses, the most frequent problem (every time) they
encountered was motivating the students (35%), using information and
communication technologies (32%), managing the time allotted for the online
sessions or teaching hours (32%), and evaluating the learner’s knowledge (30%).
All of the given problems were usually encountered (about 90% of the time) by
more than 35% of the respondents, most notably interacting/communicating
with the students (47%), meeting the learning outcomes determined for the
students (47%), and converting activities and content into those suitable for
online/distance learning (46%). It is important to note that all of the given
problems were experienced by the majority of the respondents for at least 50% of
the time, at least a few months before the end of the school year.

Table 4: Problems encountered in distance learning education

Frequently, Sometimes, Occasionall Rarely, in Never
Usually, in
in about in about y, in about less than (%)
about 90%
Every 70% of the 50% of the 30% of the 10% of the
of the
Statements time chances chances chances chances
chances, I
(%) when I when I when I when I
could have
could have could have could have could have
(%)
(%) (%) (%) (%)
Access to a stable
19 44 23 8 3 3 1
internet connection
Teachers' access to
26 41 19 7 3 3 1
technology
Adapting to the
distance learning
29 40 19 5 4 2 -
teaching/learning
practices
Using information and
communication 32 40 17 5 2 3 -
technologies
Using the school's
learning management 27 36 22 8 3 3 1
system (LMS)
Interacting/communic
ating with the 25 47 15 7 5 2 -
students
Involving students
from socially 20 42 21 11 4 1 1
disadvantaged homes
Evaluating the
learners’ knowledge 30 36 20 10 2 2 -
and skills
Providing skills
21 44 21 7 5 3 -
teaching (such as

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listening or speaking
in language classes,
drawing in visual arts
lessons etc.)
Meeting the learning
outcomes determined 21 47 20 6 5 1 -
for the students
Giving feedback to the
28 43 19 5 4 1 -
students
Teaching according to
the individual
23 43 19 7 7 - 1
interests and abilities
of the students
Motivating the
35 41 14 4 3 2 -
students
Managing the time
allotted for the online
32 39 19 3 5 1 1
sessions (teaching
hours)
Too many online
11 43 25 9 7 3 3
sessions
Having a suitable
environment at home 21 44 19 9 3 1 3
for online teaching
Communicating with
22 43 12 11 7 4 1
parents/guardians

Students' access to
19 39 23 9 9 1 1
technology
Little direction or
support given by the 17 40 17 12 4 6 3
school
Converting activities
and content into those
suitable for 23 46 17 7 3 3 2
online/distance
learning
Preparing content for
online / distance 26 44 16 7 3 3 1
learning
Supporting the
students with special 20 41 18 9 5 5 2
needs or disabilities
Note: Due to rounding off, the sum of the percentages may not total to 100 or may exceed 100

3.4 Support Needed by the Teachers

In terms of the support needed, 6 out of the 10 respondents (61%) strongly agree
that they need more free resources and tools from education technology
companies or organizations, followed by webinars for the teachers to share ideas

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and challenges (58%), professional development such as quick courses on online

teaching (56%), easy contact with experts in online learning (55%), and lesson
plans for good practice (55%). Out of the 9 statements, the statement that
received the highest “disagree” rating was “clear guidance from the Department
of Education.”

Table 5: Support needed in distance learning education

Strongly Strongly
Agree Disagree Weighted
Statements Agree Disagree N SD
(%) (%) Mean
(%) (%)
Professional development:
quick courses on online 56 43 1 - 148 3.55 0.526
teaching
Easy contact with experts
(e.g. experienced online-
55 42 3 1 149 3.51 0.588
learning teachers and ICT
experts)
Clear guidance from the
53 38 9 - 149 3.44 0.661
Department of Education
Websites with lists of useful
53 44 3 - 149 3.50 0.565
resources
Video clips of good practices 54 44 3 - 149 3.51 0.553
Lesson plans on good
55 45 1 - 148 3.54 0.513
practices
More educational TV
programs made by national 52 44 4 - 148 3.48 0.577
media organizations
More free resources and tools
from education technology 61 37 2 - 149 3.59 0.533
companies or organizations
Webinars for the teachers to
58 41 1 - 149 3.58 0.509
share ideas and challenges
Note: Due to rounding off, the sum of the percentages may not total to 100 or may exceed 100

3.5 Significant Differences between the Demographic Characteristics of the

Respondents and the Distance Learning Support provided by the Schools, the
Problems Encountered by the Teachers, and the Support Needed by the
Teachers in Distance Learning Education
The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to examine the differences in the distance
learning support provided by the schools, the problems encountered by the
teachers, and the support needed according to the respondents’ age bracket,
gender, educational attainment, employment status, and monthly income (Table
6). The test showed that there was no statistically significant difference found in
the distance learning support provided by the schools as rated by the
respondents and their demographic characteristics. There were also no
statistically significant differences found in the problems experienced by the
teachers and their demographic characteristics.

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Meanwhile, there was a statistically significant difference found in the support

needed by the teachers and their age bracket, H(3) = 21.471, p = .006. Those who
were older were more likely to give seek support than those who were younger,
as shown in the mean ranks in Table 7.

Table 6: Results of the Kruskal-Wallis test

Age Educational Employment Monthly
Gender
Bracket Attainment Status Income
Support χ2(2) 12.751 0.060 1.829 7.649 13.231
provided by the df 8 1 2 3 7
schools p-value .121 .806 .401 .054 .067
Problems χ2(2) 3.981 2.068 0.595 6.160 5.986
encountered by df 8 1 2 2 7
the teachers p-value .859 .150 .743 .104 .541
χ2(2) 21.471 0.020 5.368 1.511 13.447
Support needed
df 8 1 2 3 7
by the teachers
p-value .006 .888 .068 .680 .062

Table 7: Mean ranks per age bracket according to the support needed by the teachers
Age Bracket f Mean Rank
21 - 25 12 43.67
26 - 30 14 78.57
31 - 35 18 51.50
36 - 40 22 77.86
41 - 45 20 78.75
46 - 50 21 75.43
51 - 55 18 84.94
56 and above 16 82.03
No answer/Prefer not to say 8 113.81

3.6 Significant Differences between the Teaching Experience of the

Respondents and the Distance Learning Support provided by the Schools, the
Problems Encountered by the Teachers, and the Support Needed by the
Teachers in Distance Learning Education
The Kruskal-Wallis test also found that there was no statistically significant
difference between the distance learning support provided by the schools, the
problems encountered by the teachers, the support needed by the teachers in
distance learning education, and the respondents’ length of experience as a
teacher, in addition to their length of experience doing online teaching.

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Table 8: Results of the Kruskal-Wallis test

Length of Experience
Length of Experience
when Online
as a Teacher
Teaching
χ2(2) 9.891 7.204
Support provided
Df 6 3
by the schools
p-value .129 .066
Problems χ2(2) 3.340 3.579
encountered by Df 6 3
the teachers p-value .765 .311
χ2(2) 5.892 2.950
Support needed
Df 6 3
by the teachers
p-value .435 .399

4. Discussion
This study is an attempt to shed light on the experiences of Filipino teachers
when handling distance learning classes during the Covid-19 pandemic,
specifically the support provided by the schools, the problems that they
encountered when handling distance learning education classes, and the support
they need to continue providing quality distance learning education to their
students. It has been more than a year since the schools in the country were
closed, and the teachers and students were forced to adopt distance learning to
cope with the changes brought about by the pandemic. Because of this, it is
pertinent that the teachers are heard, and their experience is known in order to
meet the growing demands and challenges of distance learning.

Six out of 10 respondent teachers said that it was their first experience with
online teaching during the Covid-19 pandemic. Only 33% of the respondents
had some previous experience with online teaching. A closer look at the data
reveals that the “first-timers” were comprised of both experienced (more than 10
years teaching experience) and less experienced teachers (between 1 - 5 years of
experience). Regardless of their teaching experience, many of the respondents
did not have enough experience handling distance learning education. This
result is similar to the study conducted by the School Education Gateway (2020)
in Europe at the beginning of the pandemic which showed that 66.9% of teachers
confirmed that they were using or had used online platforms for teaching for the
first time.

The majority of the respondents strongly agreed that they receive varied support
from their schools, specifically in terms of the policies to protect data privacy,
systems of information dissemination for communicating with both parents and
learners, and the technical support systems provided to the teachers. The switch
to distance learning, specifically online education, brings with it security and
privacy challenges which may cause substantial big data threats that may affect
the lives of both the teachers and students (Çubukçu & Aktürk, 2020). In
September 2020, the Data Privacy Council Education Sector of the Philippines
released Advisory No. 2020-1. This contains the guidelines to help teachers,
parents, students, and school administrators safely navigate digital spaces. It

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also provides clear guidance on how to protect data in the conducting of online
learning. Notably, the teachers have been receiving policy support in terms of
this valuable matter.

Furthermore, it should be noted that almost half of the respondents were

confident when teaching remotely (32% somehow confident and 15% very
confident). The previous studies found there to be a positive correlation between
the teachers’ levels of self-efficacy and the student’s achievements and
motivation, as well as the teachers’ wellbeing (Zee & Koomen, 2016). The
teachers who have more confidence in their capacity to effectively teach
remotely are more likely to create a more productive and high-quality learning
environment. This research has highlighted the importance of school support in
increasing the level of confidence of the teachers, and ensuring their wellbeing
(Müller & Goldenberg, 2020).

Another key finding is the higher number of teachers, albeit not the majority,
who said that they were not provided with financial and emotional support
mechanisms. Filipino teachers do not have high salaries, which can be as low as
Php 8,000 in some private schools, while public school teachers face demands
that are far from reasonable in contrast to their monthly wage (Tagupa, 2018).
Even with distance learning, the teachers will need to spend money to buy the
needed technology and pay for the internet services to continue working in a
distance learning setting. Monetary assistance provided by the schools may help
the teachers to buy equipment and materials for the technology to support
distance learning. Meanwhile, emotional support is also needed as the teachers
are overworked and face more stress dealing with new technologies and
handling online classes that are not within their expertise. In the US, a 2020
distance learning survey conducted by Panorama revealed that more than 20%
of around 13,000 educators in the country were concerned about their mental
wellbeing (Paykamian, 2021). Filipino teachers will need more emotional
support during the crisis, especially as many of them are facing a very unique
and new dilemma when handling distance learning classes.

One problem encountered in distance learning is motivating the students. This

has also been found in the previous studies such as those conducted in Turkey
and the Philippines (Korkmaz & Toraman, 2020; Lapada et al., 2020). For this
reason, Filipino teachers have to devise ways to ensure that the students
engaged in distance education are motivated, especially that there is still
uncertainty when in-school learning will return due to the pandemic. Limited
internet access plays a major part in why the online teaching-learning process
might hinder the acquisition of quality education (Nenko et al., 2020). The
results of this survey prove that motivating the students and access to
technology among the teachers can make the process more difficult. The other
problems identified were also found in the previous studies, specifically the
problems regarding facilities, equipment, and capacity building (Joshi et al.,
2020; Lapada et al., 2020).

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The support provided by the schools and the problems encountered by the
teachers were not found to be associated with the demographic characteristics of
the respondents, specifically their age bracket, gender, educational attainment,
employment status, and monthly income. However, the study found out that
there is a statistically significant difference between the support needed by
teachers and their age bracket. Older teachers need more assistance or support
navigating distance learning education. Although the number of years of
teaching experience was not found to be associated with any of the variables in
the study, unlike the previous studies such as the one conducted by Lapada et
al. (2020), the association between age and the support needed may still support
the notion that the older respondents with a longer teaching experience are
relatively less tech-savvy.

Unsurprisingly, the teachers need the most support in terms of resources and
tools, webinars to share ideas and challenges, professional development
programs, and easy contact with experts in online learning. The results are
supported by the earlier study by the School Education Gateway (2020) in
Europe where free resources from education technology companies, professional
development such as quick courses on online teaching, and webinars for
teachers to share ideas, and easy contact with experts were also mentioned as a
necessary support to aid in the implementation of effective distance learning
education. These support mechanisms are needed to address the problems
encountered by the respondents. As Hodges et al. (2020) noted, online learning
and teaching will only be effective if the teachers can acquire the appropriate
competencies and possess the right attitude towards their professional
development.

5. Limitations
The study has several limitations that future researchers must consider. First,
selecting the respondents was done using purposive sampling through the
network of the researchers on Facebook. This resulted in a low number of
respondents. There may be the presence of bias against other members of the
teaching population in terms of geography and the type of school. Future
researchers may also consider studying the attitude of the teachers towards
distance learning education, as well as differentiating between the attitude and
problems experienced by teachers in terms of the type of remote learning.

6. Conclusion
This research aims to shed light on the Filipino teachers’ experiences with
distance learning classes during the Covid-19 pandemic, specifically the support
provided by their schools, the challenges that they faced when handling distance
learning classes, and the support that they require to continue providing quality
distance learning education to their students. In total, 151 teachers participated
in this study which employed a quantitative approach through an online survey.

The changes faced by the teachers in terms of their teaching practices during the
pandemic are abrupt. The Filipino teachers who were part of this study revealed
that they received adequate support from their respective schools, although

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problems remained in terms of infrastructure, the teachers’ competency

especially in ICT, professional development, handling the students in an online
environment, and meeting the goals laid out in the lesson plans and curriculum
of the respective subjects that they are teaching. However, despite these
problems, it is encouraging to note that the respondents were confident when
handling remote classes during the pandemic. Since the return to in-school
learning is still in limbo due to the continuous threat of Covid-19, the Filipino
teachers were able to adapt to the new ways of working in a distance learning
environment.

7. Recommendations
Since there are differences between the support needed by the teachers
according to their age bracket, the Department of Education (DepEd) and the
need for the schools to devise targeted programs, training, and support
mechanisms to ensure that no one in the education sector is left behind.
Designated IT experts must be assigned to assist the teachers such as when
handling online classes or preparing video presentations for asynchronous
learning. Likewise, since the teachers are having difficulty meeting the goals of
the lessons and managing the time allocated for their classes, the DepEd may
consider restructuring the course syllabus to meet their specific needs. It will
also be helpful for the existing policies concerning data privacy and protecting
the students’ identity in an online environment to be localized, cascaded at the
school levels. The schools may consider appointing data privacy point persons
that will help the teachers understand and successfully implement data privacy
policies and regulations.

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Appendix 1. Survey Instrument

SCHOOL SUPPORT RECEIVED AND CHALLENGES ENCOUNTERED IN

DISTANCE LEARNING EDUCATION BY FILIPINO TEACHERS DURING THE
COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Beloved Teachers,

Good day!

The current situation is unprecedented. The novel coronavirus has affected millions of
people around the world. In the Philippines, community quarantines were imposed
since March last year to control the spread of the virus. The pandemic affected the entire
education system, forcing schools to transition from in-person to online and remote
classes.

Against this background, Blue Chips Research and Consultancy Co. is surveying
teachers regarding their distance learning education experiences during this pandemic.
In line with this, we would like to invite you to participate in this online survey.
Answering this survey is voluntary. Even if you do not participate, there will be no
disadvantages for you.

Before answering the survey questionnaire, please read the following information.
Thank you very much in advance for your support in this endeavor!

I. Demographic Profile
Are you currently employed as a teacher/instructor (full-time or part-time) in any
educational institution in the Philippines?
(This survey is for Filipino teachers/instructors teaching in any educational institution in the
Philippines and are handling classes this Academic Year 2020-2021.)

____ Yes
____ No (End of Survey)

Instruction: Put a mark on the space corresponding to your answer.

1. Gender
____ Male
____ Female
____ Transgender
____ Prefer not to say

2. Age Bracket
____ 18 – 20 ____ 46 – 50
____ 21 – 25 ____ 51 – 55
____ 26 – 30 ____ 56 – 60
____ 31 – 35 ____ 61 – 65
____ 36 – 40 ____ 66 above
____ 41 – 45 ____ Prefer not to say

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3. Educational Attainment
____ Elementary Level
____ Elementary Graduate
____ High School Level
____ High School Graduate
____ College Level
____ College Graduate
____ Post-Graduate Level
____ Post-Graduate
____ Vocational
____ Did not attend school
____ Prefer not to say

4. Religion
____ Roman Catholic ____ Evangelical
____ Protestant ____ Sevent-day Adventist
____ Methodist ____ Hindi ko nais sabihin
____ Muslim ____ None
____ Iglesia ni Cristo ____ Others, please specify:
____ Jehova’s Witnesses _________________________

5. Please indicate the province where you are currently residing.

____________________________________

6. Please indicate the province where you are currently teaching.

____________________________________

7. Please indicate the school where you are currently teaching.

____________________________________

8. What is your employment status as a teacher?

____ Regular/Permanent/Full-Time
____ Casual/Contractual but Full-Time
____ Part-time
____ Special Lecturer
____ Prefer not to say

9. Monthly income
____ Php5,000 below ____ Php20,001 - Php25,000
____ Php5,001 - Php10,000 ____ Php25,001 - Php30,000
____ Php10,001 - Php15,000 ____ Php30,000 - Php35,000
____ Php15,001 - Php20,000 ____ Php35,001 above
____ Prefer not to say

10. Level of Education you are currently teaching?

____ Elementary
____ Junior High School
____ Senior High School
____ College
____ Graduate Program
____ Vocational
____ Others, please specify: ______________________

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11. Type of School where you are currently working?

____ Public School
____ Private Sectarian
____ Private Non-sectarian
____ State Universities and Colleges
____ Local Colleges and Universities
____ Others, please specify: ______________________

12. How long have you been working as a teacher?

____ This is my first year
____ 1-2 years
____ 3-5 years
____ 6-10 years
____ 11-15 years
____ 16-20 years
____ 21 years and above
____ Prefer not to say

II. Distance Learning

13. Which of the following statements best describe your experience with online
teaching?
____ I have extensive experience with online teaching
____ I have some experience with online teaching
____ This is my first experience with online teaching
____ My school has not switched to online/distance learning

III. Opinion on Distance Learning Education during COVID-19 crisis

14. How confident are you to teach remotely during this pandemic?
____ 5 Very Confident
____ 4 Confident
____ 3 Neutral
____ 2 Not Confident
____ 1 Not Very Confident

15. How would you rate your school’s performance to distance learning
education in terms of the following? Kindly rate whether you strongly agree
(4), agree (3), disagree (2), or strongly disagree (1) with the following
statements.

Strongly Strongly
Statements Agree Disagree
Agree Disagree
The school has provided capacity building
on distance learning education management
for teachers
The school has a designated workforce for
the COVID-19
The school has provided the regulations and
policies on the use of distance learning to
protect student’s identity and data privacy

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The school has provided supplementary

materials for distance learning, such as
subscriptions to online libraries
The school has procured an online learning
management system

The school has a system of information

dissemination to communicate with the
parents and the learners during the CoVid-
19 outbreak.
The school provides a technical support
system to teachers
The school has a financial support system
for teachers
The school has an emotional support system
mechanism for teachers (ex. for managing
stress)
The school has provided a positive
environment for teachings during this crisis

IV. Problems encountered in Distance Learning Education

16. Considering your experience in distance learning in the past weeks, which
of the following challenges in switching to online/distance learning have
you experienced?
Frequently, Sometimes Occasionall Rarely, in Never
Usually, in
in about , in about y, in about less than
about 90%
Every 70% of the 50% of the 30% of the 10% of the
Statements of the
time chances chances chances chances
chances, I
when I when I when I when I
could have
could have could have could have could have
Access to stable internet
connection
Teachers’ access to
technology
Adapting to distance
learning
teaching/learning
practices
Using information and
communication
technologies
Using the school’s
learning management
systems (LMS)
Interacting/Communicati
ng with students
Involving students from
socially disadvantaged
homes
Evaluating the learners’
knowledge and skills

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Providing skills teaching

(such as listening or
speaking in language
classes, drawing in visual
arts lessons, etc.)
Meeting the learning
outcomes determined for
students
Giving feedback to
students
Teaching according to the
individual interests and
abilities of the students

Motivating the students

Managing time allotted

for the online sessions
(teaching hours)

Too many online sessions

Having a suitable
environment at home for
online teaching
Communicating with
parents/guardians
Students’ access to
technology
The school gives little
direction or support
Converting activities and
content into
online/distance learning
Preparing content for
online and distance
learning
Supporting students with
special needs or
disabilities

V. Distance Learning Education Support Needed

17. What would most help you to support online learning during the school
closure? Kindly rate whether you strongly agree (4), agree (3), disagree (2),
or strongly disagree (1) with the following statements.

Strongly Strongly
Statements Agree Disagree
Agree Disagree
Professional development: quick
courses on online teaching
Easy contact with experts (e.g.,
experienced online-learning teacher,
ICT expert

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Clear guidance from the Department

of Education
Websites with lists of valuable
resources

Video clips of good practices

Lesson plans of good practices

More educational TV programs by
national media organizations
More free resources and tools from
education technology companies or
organizations
Webinars for teachers to share ideas
and challenges

Thank you for participating in this survey. Rest assured that we will adhere to the
strictest confidentiality requirements and no personal information will be released
nor used outside this study.

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