The Normal Lights

Transitioning to Post-COVID-19 Education

2023-12-28T22:33:32-07:00

Humorous Linguistic Memes as Students' Coping Relief Against COVID-19 Anxiety

2023-12-28T19:20:23-07:00

This quasi-experimental study investigated the effects of humorous linguistic memes as a coping strategy against anxiety. The respondents consisted of 41 students who were purposefully selected based on their manifestation of COVID-19 anxiety. These participants received interventions using humorous linguistic memes. The study used a researcher-made instrument on COVID-19 anxiety composed of 30 items on common anxiety about the coronavirus pandemic. The study utilized the mean for descriptive data analysis, the Mann-Whitney U, and the t-test for inferential data analysis. The researcher also analyzed the respondents' impressions of humorous linguistic memes. Data analysis deduced that funny linguistic memes can potentially reduce a person's anxiety about COVID-19. Frequent exposure to funny memes may contribute to good mental and emotional health. The study suggests that individuals can be exposed to humorous linguistic memes when confronted with a stressful situation.

Publication History

Version of Record online: December 28, 2023

Manuscript accepted: December 22, 2023

Manuscript revised: December 20, 2023

Manuscript received: April 1, 2022

Creative Problem-Solving in K to 12 Physics Classroom on STEM Strand

2023-12-28T18:24:28-07:00

Creativity is an important skill to be developed in STEM education and is also needed for economic development. Hence, this study identified and described the instructional practices of Physics teachers that foster creativity in problem-solving in Physics classrooms and their students creativity as influenced by these practices. Using a descriptive case study, classroom observation, semi-structured interviews, and document analysis were initiated from the purposive sample of six cases of Physics teachers. Thematic analysis revealed that the teacher participants foster creativity in problem-solving through constructivist-oriented and student-directed learning activities. The descriptive statistics further revealed that Creative Problem-Solving v6.1TM stages were moderately observed. Assessment of the students' learning outputs uncovered that relevance, effectiveness, problematization, and elegance were the criteria that were highlighted in all cases. In conclusion, the instructional practices and their extent of alignment to CPS v6.1TM can influence the level of creativity in problem-solving. Implications and recommendations were also discussed.

Publication History

Version of Record online: December 28, 2023

Manuscript accepted: December 26, 2023

Manuscript revised: December 21, 2023

Manuscript received: April 27, 2022

Flexible Learning and Student-Teacher Relationship Experience of College Students with Visual Impairment

2023-12-19T19:13:08-07:00

In the absence of guidelines and policies on flexible learning delivery to students with special needs from the Commission on Higher Education, this study aimed to describe the lived experiences of flexible learning and the student-teacher relationship of four college students with visual impairments who were mainstreamed in a Philippine higher education institution during the COVID-19 pandemic. The researchers utilized the Husserlian descriptive phenomenological approach and performed a thematic analysis of the data gathered from the interview. As a result, the themes that emerged for flexible learning were (1) environmental and (2) personal factors. On the other hand, the themes that emerged for student-teacher relationships were (1) instructional and (2) motivational interactions. During flexible learning, the students encountered factors beyond their control, making them feel ambivalent and experience adverse health consequences. Despite the challenging circumstances, they coped by upskilling and through social support. The students received accommodation, care, and encouragement from their teachers but asserted that their unique needs must be considered when their teachers design academic tasks and instructional materials. The insights gained from the study imply that education leaders and university administrators may improve the flexible learning experience of students by crafting inclusive quality education policies and capacitating teachers on disability awareness, appropriate teaching strategies, and the use of assistive technology for students with visual impairment.

Publication History

Version of Record online: December 19, 2023

Manuscript accepted: December 11, 2023

Manuscript revised: December 5, 2023

Manuscript received: August 17, 2022

Teachers' Perspectives on the Use of Differentiated Instruction for English Language Teaching

2023-12-13T18:57:54-07:00

This study aimed to investigate teachers' perceptions on the use of differentiated instruction for English language teaching. A concurrent triangulation design that involved 160 elementary school teachers from Catanauan I and II Districts, Schools Division of Quezon Province, who were chosen through a complete enumeration, was used. Data were gathered using a validated survey questionnaire and an FGD protocol. Meanwhile, weighted mean, multiple regression analysis, and interpretive phenomenological analysis were used to analyze the data. Findings revealed that the respondents practiced differentiated instruction along the dimensions of content, process, product, and environment to a great extent. Accordingly, they perceived differentiated instruction as a potent approach designed to employ strategies suited to the needs of English language learners (ELLs). Meanwhile, results affirmed that the content, process, product, and environment as dimensions of differentiated instruction practices are significantly related to the public elementary school English language teachers' perception.

Publication History

Version of Record online: December 13, 2023

Manuscript accepted: December 6, 2023

Manuscript revised: November 23, 2023

Manuscript received: August 28, 2022

Filipino public-school teachers' empathy: A cross-sectional, descriptive study

2023-12-28T22:23:04-07:00

This cross-sectional study describes Filipino public school teachers' empathy levels and whether these levels are affected by attributes such as age, sex at birth, educational attainment, years of service, and grade level taught. One hundred forty-six public school teachers agreed to participate in a survey conducted during in-service training. Teacher participants reported above average levels of affective, cognitive, and overall empathy. Among the attributes, years of service were found to have significant results from non-parametric analysis. Teachers teaching for 1-5 years had significantly higher affective and overall empathy than those teaching for 16-20 years. No such differences were observed for cognitive empathy. The implications of this decreasing trend in affective empathy, but not cognitive empathy, to length of service were discussed. Recommendations were also provided to address the possible varied effects of cognitive and affective empathy on teachers’ well-being and empathy as a risk or protective factor.

Publication History

Version of Record online: December 28, 2023

Manuscript accepted: December 29, 2023

Manuscript revised: December 27, 2023

Manuscript received: February 9, 2023

E-BAKADA: Interaktibong Kagamitan sa Pagtuturo ng Filipino bilang Ikalawang Wika ng mga Banyagang Estudyante

2023-12-20T20:49:12-07:00

Globalization connotes progress, and its manifestation is the incomparable importance of technology. Its extraordinary effect is observable in many aspects like education, which has significantly evolved. The Philippines is not at par with the influence of its neighboring countries in the region in terms of maximizing globalization. At present, Information Communication Technology (ICT) integration in Filipino as a subject in higher education institutions places it as a global language. This Research and Development study developed the E-BAKADA, an interactive platform, where E is sourced from electronic and BAKADA from the book ABAKADA, a basic reference for Filipinos to learn the Filipino language. The researcher utilized a modified checklist based on the Learning Resource Management and Development System for the validation by expert teachers with experience in teaching foreign students. Pre- and post-tests were employed as instruments to determine the effectiveness of the interactive teaching tools for foreign students. The developed interactive teaching tools can be considered effective and beneficial in teaching Filipino to foreign students, as evidenced by the increase of mean score from pre to post-test, which can be deemed that there is a significant improvement. This study distinguishes the benefits of teaching Filipino language and culture to other nationalities as a second language (SL) or foreign language (FL) as a new approach in language teaching. Further, it aims to be introduced as an material for teaching, useful as a tool for foreign learners to enhance and optimize their second or foreign language acquisition. This will aid language teachers teaching foreign learners and other students and teachers who aim to discover new learning through technology integration in language learning materials.

Abstrak

Kaakibat ng globalisasyon ang pag-unlad at manipestasyon nang hindi matawarang kahalagahan ng teknolohiya. Makikitang malaki ang pagbabagong dulot nito sa aspekto ng edukasyon. Bunga ng impluwensya ng mga karatig bansa, hindi pahuhuli ang bansa sa pagkonsumo sa globalisasyon. Sa kasalukuyang estado ng Filipino, malaki ang maitutulong ng integrasyong ICT upang makilala ang wikang Filipino bilang wikang pangglobal. Layunin ng pag-aaral na ito na makabuo ng interaktibong kagamitan at matukoy ang kabisaan nito. Tatawagin itong E-BAKADA, E mula sa elektroniko at BAKADA mula sa ABAKADA. Pananaliksik at Pag-unlad o Research and Development (R&D) ang disenyo ng pag-aaral na ito. Gumamit ng minodipikang tseklist na hango sa Learning Resource Management and Development System para sa balidasyon ng mga gurong eksperto na may karanasan sa pagtuturo ng mga banyagang estudyante at pauna at pangwakas na pagsusulit bilang instrumento sa pagtukoy ng kabisaan ng interaktibong kagamitan para sa mga banyagang estudyante. Maituturing na mabisa at kapaki-pakinabang ang nabuong interaktibong kagamitan sa pagtuturo ng Filipino dahil sa pagtaas ng mean iskor mula sa pauna at pangwakas na pagsusulit na maituturing na makabuluhang pagbabago. Magsisilbi itong gabay sa bawat indibidwal na banyagang estudyante na mahasa ang kanilang kagustuhan at kakayahan sa pagkatuto ng wika at kulturang Filipino. Makatutulong din ito sa mga gurong nagtuturo ng mga banyaga at sa mga estudyante at guro na nagnanais na makatuklas sa panibagong kaalaman gamit ang makabagong teknolohiya.

Publication History

Version of Record online: December 21, 2023

Manuscript accepted: December 20, 2023

Manuscript revised: December 19, 2023

Manuscript received: October 3, 2022

Key Elements of Relevant Pre-service Training from the Perspectives of Science Education Graduates

2023-12-19T20:31:05-07:00

The challenges in schooling brought by a pandemic point to the importance of relevant practices responsive to the dynamics in the workplace and suggest rethinking the pre-service training in higher education. The study used the triangulation in mixed methods research among the 24 purposely selected science education graduates. The qualitative data was gathered through interviews, and the contexts of narratives were analyzed thematically. The survey results on attaining professional standards represent the quantitative data, and the two data sets were merged for analysis and comparison. The merging of the identified themes and quantitative results revealed that thekey elements relevant in pre-service training are procedural and pedagogical content knowledge that facilitates learning, skills for lifelong learning, behaviors for self-regulation, and behaviors supporting effective teaching. These fundamental elements in teaching are recommended as the basis for determining pre-service teachers' readiness toward actual teaching practice.

Publication History

Version of Record online: December 19, 2023

Manuscript accepted: December 15, 2023

Manuscript revised: December 13, 2023

Manuscript received: March 24, 2022

Perceptions of Pre-service Teachers on Code-switching in Bahasa Indonesia to English or Cebuano to English

2023-12-11T19:59:00-07:00

This paper explores the perceptions of Filipino and Indonesian pre-service teachers on code-switching between Cebuano or Bahasa Indonesia, respectively, and English. Attributed to Canagarajah's Global English, among other theories, this quantitative research described the languages used and the perceptions on code-switching. The study compared the results of the Filipino and Indonesian pre-service teachers' perception on codeswitching and identified the preference for language use in both groups. It was found that the respondents are bilingual teachers. Also, both groups agree that teaching in one language only is not beneficial, teaching in both languages is desirable and easier to understand, mixing both languages does not weaken each other, and codeswitching assists in higher grades. Almost all respondents prefer the teaching of English through code-switching. Therefore, an empowered use of the local language and an established teaching of a World English variety unique to the Philippines and Indonesia can help pre-service teachers in their future teaching endeavors.

Publication History

Version of Record online: December 11, 2023

Manuscript accepted: November 3, 2023

Manuscript revised: September 6, 2023

Manuscript received: February 14, 2022