Hard sciences are any of the natural or physical sciences, such as chemistry, biology, physics, or astronomy, in which aspects of the universe are investigated by means of hypotheses and experiment. On the other hand, soft sciences are any of the specialized fields or disciples, as psychology, sociology, anthropology, or political science, that interpret human behavior, institutions, society, etc., on the basis of scientific investigations for which it may be difficult to establish strictly measurable criteria.
The geosciences are part of the hard sciences, according to the news article of Jeffrey Mavis (2015) based on Margaret Leinen, president of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) and a former head of the National Science Foundation’s geosciences directorate. Additionally, according to the executive Director and CEO of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) Christine McEntee, “Geosciences are a fundamental part of Science. They constitute hard sciences that help us understand the world we live in and provide a basis for knowledge and understanding of natural events that affect our physical environment, weather forecasting, air quality, and water availability, among other concerns.”
However, according to Earth Science Senior Advisor, Helen King, in her study Student Difficulties in Learning Geoscience last December 2015, states that when students were asked in what ways the concept were difficult for them, the coding revealed that there were six categories that were mentioned by students, these were:
1.) Terminology and memorization;
2.) Spatial literacy (including visualizing in 3D and undertaking 2D to 3D transformations);
3.) Problems with Sciences;
4.) Abstract concepts/visualizing the unseen;
5.) Issues with teachers or learners; and
6.) the depth of geological time.
This is the reason why Earth Science leads them not to cooperate, participate, and interact with their lessons. They also find it difficult to answer questions and grasps different concepts in this subject.
Earth Sciences is taught in Grade 11 Senior High School in the Philippines every first semester as per in the curriculum guide. It is also one of those Sciences where teachers are having a hard time explaining because of the abstract concepts, and limited materials for the students to see what had happened long before the Earth has been created. This will be supported by the study of Chakour et. Al (2019) entitled Earth Science Teaching Difficulties in Secondary School: A Teacher’s Point of View, presents that teaching earth science is a delicate and seems to be problematic for both learners and teachers for multiple reasons. Based on the result of their study it revealed that the major difficulties that hinder the teaching of natural sciences are mainly related to the teachers’ university studies. Most of them had training in biology as well as in the relationship that the natural sciences maintain within time and space, the limited abstraction capacity of unmotivated learners, and the inadequacy of their prerequisites in these sciences. On the other hand, they were aware of the demotivating geological knowledge taught to the learners and the lack of initial and continuous training for teachers, especially for those who specialized in natural sciences.
Based on the results of 2018 National Achievement Test (NAT), Grade 12 students from Cagayan Valley obtained 48.55 in Media and Information Literacy registered as the highest among other subjects, followed by Language and Communication with 40.52. Mathematics and Science recorded the lowest performance registering an overall mean of 30.91 and 31.94, respectively. As against the national standard level, all the subject areas are below the standard level of acceptable MPS of 75%. As to competencies, results show that Grade 12 students’ performance in Media and Information Literacy, Language and Communication, Social Studies, Humanities and Philosophy fall under “Average Mastery” level while students’ performance in Mathematics and Science fall under “Low Mastery” level.
Furthermore, the Department of Education decided that they will provide Self-Learning Modules (SLMs) with the alternative learning delivery modalities to be offered for various types of learners across the Philippines in this time of pandemic. The integration of SLMs with the alternative learning delivery modalities (modular, television-based, radio-based instruction, blended, and online) will help DepEd ensure that all learners have access to quality basic education for SY 2020-2021 with face-to-face classes still prohibited due to the public health situation. According to DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones, that distance learning is a major component of learning delivery. Distance learning means lessons will be delivered outside the traditional face-to-face setup.
Since the Department of Education decides and recommends to have different learning modalities, one of these is the modular learning, to enhance learning strategies for the distance learning of students, thereof, this study aims to develop clear and precise concepts that will open new paths for the teaching and learning process. In this study, it focuses not only to develop module, but also validating it in order to minimize errors so that every student will be engaged, overcome difficulties, have in depth understanding about Earth Sciences.
On the other hand, DepEd Undersecretary Nepomuceno Malaluan, “we’re preparing printed learning modules and we’ll find a way to bring them to their homes or there would be coordinated pick-up points for this printed learning modules.” The modules to be developed will be Earth Science modules from Schools Division Office of Bataan, specifically Earth Science 11 Quarter 1, modules 1 to 6.
With the abovementioned scenario and situations, it is the main objective of the researcher is to help students comprehend vague concepts discussed during online classes especially in this time of pandemic. Therefore, the research findings on that objective become the basis of developing modules in Earth Sciences for students’ learning.
Statement of the Problem
The general problem of the study is: How may the proposed modules in teaching Earth Science be developed and validated for students’ least-learned topics during school year 2020-2021?
Specifically, the study seeks answers to the following questions:
1. How may the students’ content mastery of the following areas be described in terms of:
1.1 Origin of the Solar System;
1.2 Characteristics of Earth;
1.3 Water Distribution;
1.4 Minerals;
1.5 Classifying Rocks; and
1.6 Fossil Fuels?
2. How may the modules be developed using Addie model be described in terms of:
2.1 Content;
2.1.1 Learning Competencies;
2.1.2 Instructional Design and Organization;
2.1.3 Instructional Quality;
2.1.4 Assessment;
2.1.5 Readability;
2.2 Language Evaluation;
2.2.1 Coherence and Clarity of thought;
2.2.2 Grammar and Syntax;
2.2.3 Spelling and Punctuation; and
2.2.4 Consistency in Style?
3. What are the respondents’ perception and recommendations about the module?
4. What are the implications of the findings of the study to Earth Science teaching?
Significance of the Study
The study will be beneficial to the following:
Students. This sector will benefit from the study because they will comprehensively learn even distance learning. They will have other means of learning, not just by listening to their teachers or reading their books, they will be striving hard to answer the modules and will improve their problem-solving skills. Additionally, it will provide them quality education because if the least learned topics will be clearly, accurately, and comprehensively done, then they will learn even the most difficult topics.
Teachers. They will benefit from the study because teachers will not find it hard to look for solutions or alternative way to teach lesson because they have modules. On the other hand, they will not have a hard time in explaining to the students. They will just guide, instruct, and assess students work.
School Administration. This will be a big help to the school because they will have lots of enrollees, for they will also provide developed modules, that will also aid their teachers in guiding their enrollees. They will not just develop modules, but they will develop holistic graduates.
Department of Education. With what is happening in the country and to the whole world, with all the chaos the whole country is experiencing, developing the modules, as well as having lots of means to learn will be a gratitude to the department of education. By conceptualizing these kind of learning modalities, and by arriving at the decision of using modules that is developed, DepEd will be more praised and commendable. With this, they will surely benefit in the study.
Other Future Researchers. The study is beneficial to the present and future researchers because this can be their guide and reference in making their own thesis. Any development or improvement can be applied by other researchers to make it better for the generations to come.
Scope and Delimitation of the Study
The study is generally concerned about developing modules in Earth Science but not to test its effectiveness to the students of Tomas del Rosario for it will be another study to conduct. The scope of this study involves those professionals who mastered the field Earth Science to validate the module. The purpose of this study is to develop a module that will serve as a guide to students’ online learning since there are least learned topics in Earth Science that they should understand.
The study will be limited in terms of respondents due to health protocols because of the pandemic. The module will only be used by Tomas Del Rosario College Earth Science teachers; therefore, this module may not be applicable to other schools’ least learned topics.
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