Why do Parents Answer their Children’s Modules? A Closer Look on Parental Practices and Challenges in Modular Distance Learning

Abstract

As the schools abruptly shifted from face-to-face learning to distance learning due to the pandemic, novel education-related problems emerged which include parents answering their children’s modules. This study described the ways and practices of parents in guiding their children in answering self-learning modules at home and it also identified the challenges faced by the parents in modular distance learning by taking a closer look into the parents’ reasons on why they answer their children’s modules. In doing so, 638 parents were asked to answer a qualitative survey comprising of one closed-ended and two open- ended questions. The responses of the parents were thematically analyzed which paved the way in the identification of practices they employed as well as the plights they faced in the implementation of modular distance learning. This study identified the pedagogical stances, albeit unconsciously, taken by the parents in facilitating learning at home. Moreover, this study revealed that the malpractice of parents answering their children’s modules is an offshoot of the challenges faced by the parents, to wit: a) poor reading and writing skills of their children; b) time constraints due to work and household chores; c) too many children to attend to; d) too difficult lessons and subjects; and e) too many learning activities in the modules. If these challenges are left unaddressed, modular learning will fail and no learning whatsoever will take place. Hence, parents, being the facilitators of learning, should be capacitated and empowered to effectively facilitate learning at home.