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"Perspectives on Limited Face-to-Face Pilot Classes of Selected Schools in the Philippines: A Phenomenological Study” Chapter 1IntroductionThis chapter presents the background of the study, research questions, theoretical lens, significance of the study, delimitation and limitation of the study, rev...

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"Perspectives on Limited Face-to-Face Pilot Classes of Selected Schools in the Philippines: A Phenomenological Study” Chapter 1 Introduction This chapter presents the background of the study, research questions, theoretical lens, significance of the study, delimitation and limitation of the study, review of related literature, and the definition of terms. Background of the Study Schooling is one of the most impacted aspects of human existence due to the coronavirus disease pandemic. Since the pandemic's emergence and danger, several governments worldwide have opted to temporarily suspend schools, affecting millions of students. Therefore, the epidemic has caused a learning problem among pupils, the majority of whom are youngsters (Sarmiento et al., 2021). To correspond to this research, we the researchers cited that every country has a plan to prepare for the limited face-to-face classes in the selected schools. In the global setting, Indonesia, which has the highest number of COVID cases in Southeast Asia, said in January that 14 of the country's 34 provinces were ready for school reopening in July, a month ahead of schedule. One of the most important requirements for reopening is the establishment of physical distance in the classroom (Limos, 2021). In the Philippines, according to the education secretary they will continue to provide limited face-to-face lessons, as previously agreed and

directed by the President and his staff. They will begin with 100 public schools, 20 private schools, and a few foreign institutions as a starting point. Because they are still undergoing examinations, some private schools will begin classes on November 22 after public schools have begun the trial program on November 22 (Fernandez, 2021). According to Llimet (2021), due to the continuing Covid-19 epidemic, the City Government of Davao has proposed that five schools in the city's "minimum risk" districts be included in the experimental run of the restricted face-to-face sessions being offered in the nation. The mayor also said that they have already talked with DepEd-Davao Region about the list of schools that will be included in the first deployment of the face-to-face learning based on the city's risk assessment and that they have already communicated with them. Research Questions In line with the intent of the study, the researcher takes into consideration the following questions pertaining to the perception of students to the limited Face-to-Face Classes in the Philippines in order to find the desired information essential in the study.

1) Do you agree with the limited Face-to-Face classes imposed by the DepEd? Why? 2) What are the advantages and disadvantages of limited Face-to-Face classes imposed, to your designated course?

3) What is your personal perception about the limited Face-to-Face classes in the Philippines? 4) Do you believe that a limited Face-to-Face class is helpful to you as a student? 5) If your school or university is not possible to have a Face-to-Face class, as a student what will be your coping strategies to still excel in your chosen course? Theoretical Lens This study uses sociocultural theory of learning by Vygotsky’s. In this theory it emphasizes that learning occurs as a result of social interactions between individuals. It is one of the most prevalent educational theories today. It believes that learning begins with social interaction and continues with individual internalization of social behaviors. In conformity with Vygotsky’s Sociocultural theory, students and teachers develop relationships in the classroom in order to aid students in their learning. Relationships contribute to the facilitation of social interaction and active participation in educational tasks. Students gain knowledge by observing, listening to, and discussing their tasks. According to Nagel (2012, p. 83), sociocultural theory "reflects the view that learning and development are not solely a function of increased mental sophistication but are also mediated by social and cultural interactions." Bates (2019, p. 19) argues that "knowledge and interactions are constructed through social interactions with family, friends, teachers, and peers" according to sociocultural theory.

According to Leonard (2002, p. 178), "sociocultural theory is concerned with the causal relationship between social interaction and individual cognitive development. According to sociocultural theory, learning occurs as a result of social interactions and takes place within a particular cultural environment (Bates, 2019; Leonard, 2002; Nagel, 2012). A further theory that support our study is Social constructivism, a theory of social learning developed by Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky, asserts that individuals are active participants in their own knowledge construction (Schreiber & Valle, 2013). Vygotsky believed that rather than occurring solely within the individual, learning occurs primarily in social and cultural contexts (Schreiber & Valle, 2013). According to social constructivism, effective teaching and learning are highly dependent on interpersonal interaction and discussion, with a primary emphasis on the students' comprehension of the discussion (Prawat, 1992). Students, for example, learn primarily through interactions with their peers, teachers, and parents, whereas teachers stimulate and facilitate conversation in the classroom by utilizing the natural flow of conversation (Powell & Kalina, 2009). One of Vygotsky's central concepts in his social constructivism theory is the zone of proximal development (ZPD), which emphasizes the instructor's role in an individual's learning. The ZPD defines the activities that a student can perform independently and those that the student cannot perform without the assistance of an instructor.

According to the ZPD, students can understand and master knowledge and skills that they would not be able to do on their own with the help of an instructor (Schreiber & Valle, 2013). Students are able to complete tasks independently once they have mastered a skill. Rather than serving as a passive figure, the instructor in this theory plays an active role in the students' learning (Chen, 2012; Schreiber & Valle, 2013). Another theory that give aid to our study is Albert Bandura's social learning theory emphasizes the importance of observing, modeling, and imitating others' behaviors, attitudes, and emotional reactions. Social learning theory is concerned with the interaction of environmental and cognitive factors that affect human learning and behavior. In Social learning theory, it was stated that it is frequently referred to as the 'bridge' between traditional theories of learning (i.e., behaviorism) and cognitive approaches. This is because it emphasizes the role of mental (cognitive) factors in learning. In contrast to Skinner, Bandura (1977) believes that humans are proactive information processors who consider the relationship between their actions and their consequences. Children observe how their peers behave in a variety of ways. This is demonstrated in the well-known Bobo doll experiment (Bandura, 1961). Children are surrounded by numerous influential models in society, including their parents, characters on children's television, peers, and teachers at school. These models illustrate and emulate specific types of behavior, such as masculine and feminine, pro- and anti-social, and so on.

Observational learning is impossible without the involvement of cognitive processes. These psychological variables mediate (i.e., intervene) in the learning process, determining whether or not a new response is acquired. As a result, individuals do not automatically imitate the behavior of a model. Prior to imitation, there is some consideration, which is referred to as mediational processes. This occurs during the period between observing the behavior (stimulus) and imitating or not imitating it (response). Significance of the Study Limited Face-to-Face classes is imposed by the DepEd because of the lockdown periods and surge cases due to the unintended crisis. The overall of this study is to know the perception of students towards the limited Face-toFace classes to know their preferred modality learning and to help them improve other phases of learning difficulties during the current pandemic era. This study would greatly benefit the followings: Teachers: They provide instruction and assessment through the use of technology resources and printed modules during the pandemic. This study would benefit the teachers through knowing the well-being of the students during the new normal education, to improve some teaching styles to help students who have difficulty in coping with the limited face to face classes, and know the student’s perception on the limited face to face classes in the Philippines. Parents: They are the foundation and experts on their children’s learning and safety especially during the COVID19 pandemic. This study can benefit the parents to know more about their children’s perception about the

limited Face-to-Face classes and preferred learning modality during the new normal education. Students: The Freshmen Students of University of Mindanao are the participants of this study. They are more likely to have a harder time to adjust their learning ways during the current school disruption and isolation. This study could be significant to the Freshmen students to address and improve the state of student’s well-being and know the other students’ perception on the limited face-to-face pilot classes on the selected schools in the Philippines Future Researchers: The results of this study will serve as a reference for future researchers who wants to conduct further research on the related field. Researchers: The researcher are likely to improve their skill, strategy and knowledge upon engaging in this study or research. Delimitation and Limitation of the study The study includes only the Freshmen students who are studying in University of Mindanao in Davao city, Davao Del Sur, Philippines. This study aims to know the perception of students to the limited Face-to-Face classes implemented. Consequently, it also includes the coping strategies how does students overcome the difficulties they experienced in regard to the limited Face-to-Face classes. The participants will limit the number of students to Ten (10). This is due to the time constraints and the type of research being conducted. Lastly, this study also limits itself in finding out the effects and perception of students’ in regards to limited Face-to-Face classes to imposed.

Review of Related Literature The articles and information stated below represent the data needed for this research study to support the results and conclusion of this study. The included literature includes a variety of studies and citations about students' perceptions of limited Face-to-Face classes. The articles also demonstrate the impact and benefits of Face-to-Face classes. As a result, the analyses and data acquired will be summarized to reveal the study's principal concern. In addition, the information in this area aids in the confirmation of further details of future outcomes and findings derived from the data. Finally, it provides a way to understand the purpose of the study vividly. Positive Effects of Face-to-Face classes Even if lessons are only partially online, students may believe that online conversation diminishes their sense of community with their classmates and tutor. Furthermore, on a practical level, students must exercise more selfmotivation to finish activities online than in class, where the lecturer serves as the motivator (Upton, 2006). As a result, rather than focusing on one or the other, it's essential to investigate students' perceptions of online and face-toface learning experiences. However, there are some reasons why students might prefer more traditional, in-class activities. Even though social connectivity can be found online (Grieve et al., 2013), most students believe face-to-face contact is necessary to form a feeling of community (Conole et al., 2013). The community aspect of face-to-face communication is related to the importance of direct group engagement (Chen, 1997). Chen discovered that discussion allows students to analyze their learning and establish a sense

of community with other students, which can help relieve the problem of isolation that many distant students experience.

He agrees, stating that

children require communication with their lecturers and other students to consolidate and check on their learning. Furthermore, they list one of the three most significant weaknesses of distance education as the inability to offer dialogue in the way that traditional face-to-face education does, along with the inflexibility of content and study method (Kirkup and Jones,1996). Research studies have indicated the importance of face-to-face interaction (Marold & Haga, 2003) and demonstrated that quality in education could be achieved by incorporating computer technology and face-to-face interaction (Kiser, 2002). Marold's study of performance and achievement between online and classroom students found that achievement tended to be Higher in the Web students. However, the version on projects and homework submissions was higher in classroom students; especially in programming classes, online students with an average ability level had more difficulty applying the theory of programming problems than Classroom students (Marold et al., 2000). Difficulties Experiences in New Normal Education Many of the same challenges that the COVID -19 pandemic has caused have been encountered by instructors and students worldwide. Many low-income students whose families live outside of large cities in Indonesia do not have access to the internet or have minimal means to study online, according to Azzahra (2020). This widens the gap between students even further than it was before the Pandemic. They say that having a consistent

internet connection has been a significant roadblock to converting to an Elearning environment. Nartiningrum and Nugroho (2020) describe how teachers who have dealt with children who are unable to connect have dealt with the issue. Teachers have innovated by learning new teaching tactics and creating practical online learning tools due to less motivation to learn. According to Adnan and Anwar (2020), students have stated that they feel they cannot interact as well with their classmates and teachers in an Elearning mode as they can in a face-to-face class. Students were also unprepared to deal with this abrupt transition to remote learning. According to 62% of COOs at responding institutions, students were underprepared for online education, with 51% of students having no prior experience with online courses (Garrett et al., 2020). Students said it was challenging for them to keep focused during the transition to online learning. Most students believed the online learning experience was not as engaging as in-person learning (Hansen et al., 2020). Students complained about various issues, including a lack of opportunities to collaborate with others (Means & Neisler, 2020), inability to pay attention, stay focused, and stay motivated, and not feeling included. In the Philippines, Toquero (2020) discusses how curriculum adaptations are required for higher education to boost student learning. The author demonstrates how universities and institutions were unprepared for the Pandemic and how education must change. Ecuador is no exception. Students struggle with internet connections, according to Asanov et al. (2021). Not everyone has access to the internet directly from their home, and not everyone has the tools necessary to take online classes. Lynch (2020) further

states that online lessons must be adapted to the new structure even with the proper technology and access to the internet. COVID-19, like so many other elements of daily life, has had a significant impact on students, instructors, and educational institutions all across the world (Mailizar et al., 2020). Schools, colleges, and universities worldwide were forced to close their doors as a result of the Pandemic so that students may observe social distancing procedures (Toquero, 2020). That said, transitioning successfully from a traditional educational environment to a distant and virtual learning environment is impossible. The quick transformation is tied to several hurdles and challenges (Crawford et al., 2020). However, because no one knows when the epidemic will be eradicated, educational institutions worldwide have opted to employ the existing technological resources to build online learning materials for students in all academic subjects (Kaur, 2020). Online learning can be effective (Basilaia & Kvavadze (2020), which is why it is ineffective in Pakistan. In Pakistan, however, a large portion of studying and teaching and administrative tasks at academic institutions are done by hand (Salam et al., 2017). Lack of access to fast, affordable, and stable internet connections stymies online learning, particularly for those living in Pakistan's rural and marginalized regions (Wains & Mahmood, 2008). Because a large portion of online content is not available via smartphones, students who access the internet via smartphones cannot benefit from online learning. Nonetheless, it served as a reminder of academic institutions' lack of resources and students' social marginalization, as insufficient Internet access and availability, as well as a lack of cutting-edge technology, hampered organizational responsiveness and students' ability to participate in digital

learning. Another big concern with online learning is the lack of sufficient interaction with instructors. Concerns about any online course's material are usually discussed with the relevant course instructor by email, which necessitates a response time (Zhong, 2020). Students who are tactile learners will not be interested in virtual classes. Another significant omission in online learning is traditional classroom socialization. Students only communicate online and never see one another in person. Therefore, realtime sharing of ideas, knowledge, and information is limited in the digital learning world (Britt, 2006). Coping Strategies of Students, Teachers, and Institutions Teachers and institutions worldwide have begun to adjust to the new type of teaching and learning that the Pandemic has necessitated. To improve their online lessons, teachers have started to innovate their teaching strategies and use technology tools. Jena (2020) explains how the epidemic has created chances in schooling in India. Teachers have learned new tools and are putting them to use in ways they haven't done before. Teachers are adjusting, and the government is investing in educational agencies to help students learn. Sepulveda-Escobar and Morrison (2020) in Chile discuss how the Pandemic has created a climate that encourages new inventions and teachers to broaden their knowledge and technological abilities. This has been a significant benefit of the country's shift to online learning. Teachers struggled initially with the transition to online teaching, according to Velleet et al. (2020). Still, things are improving with a push for teacher training programs for new technology and ways to teach online virtual courses. According to the researchers, many teachers are attending classes to increase their digital

skills and learn more ideas for interactive online teaching approaches. Teachers were able to enroll in professional development courses and improve their teaching skills due to these training sessions. Students in Ecuador loved E-learning sessions when the teacher was prepared and employed ICT interactive teaching tactics, according to Tejedor et al. (2020). However, they claimed that many of their teachers were not equipped with these tools and lacked the knowledge necessary to make their classes more inventive. Another finding was how quickly many young pupils could adapt to virtual or online courses if they had access to the internet. In Greece, they discovered that many pupils acclimated to the new standard faster than many teache...