ABSTRACT
The study looked into the Modular Distance Learning in the new normal through the lens of Alternative Learning System (ALS). learners. It involved ten (10) ALS learners purposefully sampled from the population of 93 learners among ALS centers in Clusters 4A and 4B in the Schools Division of Calamba City. Methods of inquiry included phenomenological reflection on the data elicited through interpretative phenomenological analysis of the ALS learners’ experiences.
The themes that emerged from the responses of ALS learners were, Securing the Future, Total Adjustment, Strategies to Finish Answering Modules, Difficult To Manage, Prioritizing the Important, Lack Of Motivation, Learning Strand 3: Mathematics, Using Strategies; Asking for Assistance; and, Self-Motivation. The themes that emerged were used to create a post-pandemic ALS plan of action that would fill the gaps in alternative education delivery in the new normal.
Through the lens of the ALS learners, the essence of lived experiences in Modular Distance Learning in the new normal was the hope that the Alternative Learning System (ALS) program provided for them. In spite of the threat of the COVD-19 pandemic, the learners could still hope to pursue education and have a decent job.
The learners themselves have confirmed the significant contribution of the Alternative Learning System (ALS) to the pursuit of their dreams, to grab the chance that they once missed to achieve, to be educated, and be equipped with ample knowledge and skills for them to finish college education or to obtain a decent job.
Keywords: ALS learner, Modular Distance Learning (MDL), New Normal
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