The COVID-19 pandemic transformed educational delivery in the Philippines, leading to the widespread use of modular learning, particularly in contexts with limited access to digital instruction. Although adopted as an emergency modality, modular learning has potential as a flexible learning approach for mathematics, though few researchers have investigated its effectiveness and student experiences in a post-pandemic setting. In this study, I examined modular learning in mathematics by analyzing the cognitive demands embedded in the modules, describing students' conceptual performance after implementation, and exploring students' perceptions and learning experiences, including differences between high- and low-performing learners. I employed a descriptive mixed-methods design using a one-group posttest-only approach with qualitative support. Participants were 123 Grade 10 students from a laboratory high school in Northern Mindanao, Philippines, during the second quarter of academic year 2024–2025. Quantitative data were collected through a 45-item posttest and a perception questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data from semi-structured open-ended questions administered to purposively select high- and low-performing students were analyzed thematically. Posttest results yielded a mean score of 27.66 out of 45 (61.5%) with a standard deviation of 6.72, indicating moderate variation in student performance. Students also reported favorable perceptions of the modular approach (M = 4.06). Thematic analysis generated seven themes: collaborative learning, use of resources, problem-solving strategies, benefits of the modality, aspects to retain or improve, challenges encountered, and support mechanisms. My findings suggest that modular learning provides opportunities for engagement, self-directed learning, and collaboration in mathematics while emphasizing the need for enhanced scaffolding and contextualized tasks to strengthen conceptual understanding and application. The study contributes to the growing literature on post-pandemic modular learning by providing evidence of students' performance, perceptions, and experiences with modular mathematics learning.
Citation: Alexis Michael B. Oledan. Implementation of a modular learning approach in mathematics: An examination of students' performance, perceptions, and experiences[J]. STEM Education, 2026, 6(5): 885-907. doi: 10.3934/steme.2026035
The COVID-19 pandemic transformed educational delivery in the Philippines, leading to the widespread use of modular learning, particularly in contexts with limited access to digital instruction. Although adopted as an emergency modality, modular learning has potential as a flexible learning approach for mathematics, though few researchers have investigated its effectiveness and student experiences in a post-pandemic setting. In this study, I examined modular learning in mathematics by analyzing the cognitive demands embedded in the modules, describing students' conceptual performance after implementation, and exploring students' perceptions and learning experiences, including differences between high- and low-performing learners. I employed a descriptive mixed-methods design using a one-group posttest-only approach with qualitative support. Participants were 123 Grade 10 students from a laboratory high school in Northern Mindanao, Philippines, during the second quarter of academic year 2024–2025. Quantitative data were collected through a 45-item posttest and a perception questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data from semi-structured open-ended questions administered to purposively select high- and low-performing students were analyzed thematically. Posttest results yielded a mean score of 27.66 out of 45 (61.5%) with a standard deviation of 6.72, indicating moderate variation in student performance. Students also reported favorable perceptions of the modular approach (M = 4.06). Thematic analysis generated seven themes: collaborative learning, use of resources, problem-solving strategies, benefits of the modality, aspects to retain or improve, challenges encountered, and support mechanisms. My findings suggest that modular learning provides opportunities for engagement, self-directed learning, and collaboration in mathematics while emphasizing the need for enhanced scaffolding and contextualized tasks to strengthen conceptual understanding and application. The study contributes to the growing literature on post-pandemic modular learning by providing evidence of students' performance, perceptions, and experiences with modular mathematics learning.
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Alexis Michael B. Oledan. Implementation of a modular learning approach in mathematics: An examination of students' performance, perceptions, and experiences[J]. STEM Education, 2026, 6(5): 885-907. doi: 10.3934/steme.2026035
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