CHAPTER 4

CHANGES FROM SWITCHING TO IN-PERSON CLASSES FROM MODULAR

The changes experience of Grade 12 HUMSS Students after finally started

taking in-person classes again, resulted to adjusting in the new environment due to 2

years span of distance learning. It brings excitement and fun to learn in the traditional

way of learning again. This also helps the respondents in their socializing and lessen

their stress in doing their tasks. The respondents had a better academic performance in

face-to-face classes than distance learning, In-person learning is the traditional way of

learning, where students attend face-to-face classes at allotted times that give them

chance to improve their academic performance by participating in recitations and doing

tasks. Consequently, they enjoy the process of learning again. For the most beneficial

traits for their academic performance that they found after switching from in-person

classes, they respond in a positive way that they are physically and mentally active.

They can socialize and be more confident now. After asking how productive are they

when learning at school, the three responded that they are productive in school and

doing their best at all time. However, the two students says that they still experienced

some difficulties in being productive. The attendance on daily school affects their

academic performance in in-person classes, in terms of some missed information and

achieving their goals when they are absent or late. To avoid this, they arrive early so

that they can come at the exact time.

 According to Tus and Perante (2021), Everyone is aware of the existence of

personality, but no one is aware of what it is. It determines the number of key qualities

as well as how people connect. A person’s personality is made up of a variety of

characteristics. Thus, this investigates the impact of personality traits on the academic

performance of senior high school students. School is referred as a major learning

place, and it is here that students can successfully acquire learning strategies. Learning

strategies are the skills to initiate, guide, and manage the search for information, as well

as its subsequent processing and storage, which students must acquire to develop their

knowledge effectively. The growth of student’s knowledge is linked to the development

of their learning strategies, which they can employ to achieve their goals. This changes

can have an effect on a student’s time management between house and school works.

More time spent in school will give students less time for their duties inside their homes.

However, this can produce a more desirable outcome on students’ academic

performances, for schools offer a more focused and confined setting for students to

learn. This is also a preferable way for teachers to teach better and clearer, and gives

students an easier way to interact with their teachers for further inquiries on lessons.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STUDY HABITS AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

The Grade 12 HUMSS senior high school students assess how taking periodic

breaks to prioritize their mental well-being, abiding by schedules, reading, reviewing,

studying inside or outside, and dealing with distractions like noise and gadgets affect
their academic performance to describe the relationship between their study habits and

performance. As per the respondents, taking breaks periodically while studying is good

for their general well-being because it reenergizes their brain, boosts their energy,

productivity, and ability to focus, prevents information overload in their brains, helps

them refuel and relax, lowers their stress levels, and gives them more time to think. The

respondents concluded that accomplishing school work by adhering to their schedules

is better when asked to distinguish their states when following their schedules and

cramming or procrastinating. They claimed that the wasted time cramming or putting off

unfinished tasks could have been used for something else, will cause them to lose track

of important details, put a lot of pressure on themselves, cause something to be wrong

with their previous work, and harm their health and academic performance. However,

finishing their schoolwork on time by sticking to a schedule will give them plenty of time

to rest and evaluate their work, making the task easier, and ensuring that they submit

their assignments on time. In the discussion of the students’ preparations for their

school assessments, they said that they must always pay attention, study and

understand the provided materials, read the lesson, and review. When asked what kind

of place helps them focus better, they mentioned their school, a more quiet place, quiet

gatherings with friends, a library, and the comfort of their bed. It’s usual to deal with

distractions when studying, and the respondents offered their strategies for doing so.

They simply let their loud classmates continue making noise until they stop, cover their

ears, and move to a place where silence can be found to avoid being distracted by

noise. On the other hand, the respondents deal with gadget-related distractions by
turning their phones off or activating the “do not disturb” mode, while some don’t know

how to deal with it.

As stated in the study conducted by Tus et al. (2020), “Study habits are at the

core of a learner’s academic success. It is an action like reading, taking notes,

conducting study groups that students perform frequently, and regularly accomplishing

the learning goals. It can be defined as effective or counterproductive based on whether

it serves the students well.” In this study, the factors taken into account in describing the

relationship between the students’ study habits and their academic performances

include taking regular breaks, following the schedules, preparing for assessments,

selecting the best place to study, and dealing with distractions. In conclusion, students

must adopt study habits that will enhance their academic performance if they are to

attain their academic goals. To feel positive about their academic success, students

need to find the study techniques that work best for them. Effective study habits will not

only prepare students for their studies physically but also mentally for things like tests,

deadlines, and anxieties.

ADVANTAGES OF SWITCHING FROM DISTANCE MODULAR TO IN-PERSON

CLASSES

The Grade 12 HUMSS students are returning to in-person classes after two

years of studying modular classes, we, the researchers, assess what are the

advantages that they gain switching from modular to in-person classes, in terms of

having a real-interaction with their teachers, the respondents claimed that in face-to-
face education, there are less distractions and they are required to pay attention to their

teacher or school work at a certain period of time. The respondents also concluded that

the lessons are sinking faster into them and they learning and understanding more

accurately and detailed. Along with advantages the respondents also gain improvement

with their academic performance, as per the respondents, they have better employment

benefits, higher income, higher self-esteem and self-confidence, low levels of anxiety

and depression, and are less likely to engage in substance abuse, some of them also

responded that they becoming more fluent with their language skills and their grades

are getting much better. We also asked them how they concentrate with their studies in

in-person classes and the respondents claimed that they can concentrate more

because of there are teachers in front of them, some of them also responded that they

making sure that their hydrated and rested well in able for them to concentrate better.

When asked what are the things they have easier access to with in-person classes, the

respondents answered that they can gain greater understanding, stories and real-world

examples from teachers and other students. Some respondents also responded based

on their interaction with others some of them answered that they have better connection

or socialization with people learning new things a bit faster than when it’s in distance

learning.

At last, when they’ve been asked how in-person classes encourage them to be

more responsible for their academic performance, the respondents have different

responses some of them answered based on their goals and claimed that they

encouraged themselves to attain their goal settings and to have better grades, while the
others responded based on their learning and claimed that they encourage themselves

because of the teachers that are willing to teach them.

According to the findings of Kurniawan (2022), “Offline learning was more

familiar, and it makes them easier to understand the lesson, and they followed the

learning process as usually done. They came to campus to have the lecture, had some

activities in the class during the lecturer, such as group discussion, presentation, doing

assignments and examination, listening to the lecturer explaining and sharing the

material in the class, and collecting the task or assignment from the lecturer to the

program or the lecturer directly. In addition, when it is offline, the participants feel that

they can have a new ‘link’ by interacting and socializing with other students.” In this

study, it is found that offline learning or in-person classes has a lot advantages compare

to distance learning. It is also found that offline learning is much easier in terms of the

learning of the students and socializing with people.

WAYS TO MAINTAIN OR IMPROVE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

For Grade 12 HUMSS students, there are different ways that help maintain or

improve their academic performance, from maintaining to quitting practices to setting a

goal that they want to achieve for the school year. According to some respondents, a

practice that they want to maintain is time-managing for it allows them to have more

time for personal responsibilities and studying. Some respondents also answered that

reviewing their lessons after waking up or eating a meal, or by simply doing their best

helps them helps them maintain their academic performance. On the other hand,
activities such as procrastinating and using gadgets to play online games are activities

that some respondents want to quit. There are some respondents who sees setting

goals as the activity they want to quit, while some sees nothing that they have to quit

on. When it comes to what kind of help they are willing to accept from other people,

some said that personal comments from teachers encourages them. Being corrected is

also something some considers as a help for them to improve. For the respondents who

get confused or can’t understand the lessons said that the help they are willing to

accept are elaboration of lessons. When it comes to self-motivation to make room for

improvement in their academic performance, the repondents gave different answers.

Some uses a weekly study schedule as their way of motivating themselves. Celebrating

small achievements serves as motivation for others, while some thinks of the future

outcomes to serve as their motivation to improve. Some, on the other hand, gaslights

themselves to make room for improvements in their academic performance. All these

practices leads to one question where the respondents are asked what academic goal

they want to achieve by the end of the school year 2022-2023. Most respondents

answered that they want to become an honor student by the end of the year. However,

some does not see being an honor student as their goal, answering that they just want

to become a better version of themselves and graduating with their head held high.

According to Blegur et al. (2021), “Goal–setting ensures that students complete

their work on time and are more selective in using the clarity of information in lecturer

learning designs. In addition, they reduce their learning challenges by learning and

acting according to the assessment rubric, commit to each learning task and

responsibility, use feedback to improve learning performance, and ensure all learning
task needs by developing self–learning strategies.” It is found in this study that setting

goals help students to focus and have more enthusiasm for exploring more information.

It is also found that students prioritize activities wherein the learning activity they carry

out should have relations to the goals that they want to achieve. With these findings, we

can say that setting academic goals make students feel more motivated which can

serve as the reason for students to maintain or improve their academic performance.

Although, not all students will find improvement using this strategy which is why

students need to evaluate themselves to know what strategy best fits them to help

achieve their academic goals.