INTRODUCTION
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, (2024) defines heatwaves as
an interval characterization of significantly high temperatures and this is usually enhanced by
high humidity thus making it uncomfortable. According to Raad & Odhabi (2021), hybrid
learning represents a modern way of delivering education through both in-person and online
instruction simultaneously. Its inception and evolution result from technological
improvements. Furthermore, according to Tagud & Valle (2023), study habits refer to the
patterns or frequency of the practices that students adopt in order to enhance their learning
such as, how frequently students study, revising, testing or rehearsing what they’ve learnt, as
well as preparing and organizing a good learning environment.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) (2021), there
has been an approximate rise in the global temperature of 1.0 °C. Such aggravation has
consequently led to an increased frequency and intensity of heatwaves in several parts of the
world. In the current climate according to the World Weather Attribution (2024), the Earth is
1.2°C warmer than in pre-industrial times because of human activities, this kind of extreme
heat event is not very rare.
Extreme heat waves swept the nation this year and last year too, because of which
schools were either closed, shifted to online classes, or students were released earlier than
normal to avoid high temperatures (Will, 2022). Moreover, the weather and climate in the
Philippines is tropical, characterized by high rates of humidity and temperatures. Doing so
may be ideal for those who desire to sunbathe for several months; however, it may be
disastrous for the education system especially for the learners who attend school. There was
an appeal made by Save the Children Philippines (2024) for the government to address
climate change as temperatures rose above 42ºC in five areas in the country this week which
prompted the cancellation of many classes across the country. Actual conditions reach a
temperature of 50 degrees Celsius (122 degree Fahrenheit) and this is affecting students’
ability to concentrate during teaching and learning activities and hence many schools have
been forced to close.
Based on the instances such as the increasing level of heat index, it can be clearly
seen that immediate intervention is required to counter the increasing surge of heat bulletins.
In this research study, the researcher aims to establish the perceptions of college students of
Isabela State University San Mateo Campus in relation to hybrid learning brought about by
class suspensions related to high heat conditions. In the study of Suewei Wang et al. (2021),
“Characterization of Heat Index experienced by Individuals residing in Urban and Rural
Settings”, it revealed an urgent need to improve community preparedness for excessive HI
concentration with proper identification of who, when, and where individuals are most
vulnerable to the study compares the reality concerning the heat index in people dwelling in
rural areas compared to those in urban areas.
As a result, this study seeks to address the research question by exploring the
phenomenon of high heat index effects on students and faculty of the Isabela State University
San Mateo Campus and how these effects affect students and faculties’ performance.
Moreover, the study is complex and qualitative, and as a result, analyzing these different
facets of students and faculty’s context and experiences will help the researchers to identify
the difficulties and coping mechanisms that students encounter and use respectively. As such,
this study seeks to examine how the students and faculties respond or manage the existing
climate patterns, this leads to conclusions on what preventive measures need to be taken in a
view to at least averting the mentioned phenomenon.
Theoretical Framework
Figure 1. Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory of 1979
This framework reveals how Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory offers a framework
through which the complexities of the heat index and its impact on students’ learning
processes of students can be explained. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory provides
a holistic framework to understand how environmental factors such as extreme heat affect
student learning. According to the theory, one’s environment comprises numerous formal
and informal systems that interact in ways that can shape an individual's behavior and
growth.
This paradigm, which was developed by the American-Russian psychologist Urie
Bronfenbrenner, comprises five interconnected systems: Microsystem, Mesosystem,
Exosystem, Macrosystem, and Chronosystem.
The microsystem represents the environments immediate environment which includes
he classroom, teachers, peers, and family. When temperatures are high, classrooms become
uncomfortable causing the students to feel tired and distracted, hindering both students' and
teachers' ability to focus, retain information, and engage effectively.
The mesosystem comprising interactions between mesosystem. It refers to the
interaction between home and school. Parents must support students in learning from home
during class suspension due to heat which may not be ideal due to the occurrence of
insufficient resources. The coordination of family and school influences students’ academic
well-being.
The third significant subsystems of Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model are
exosystems or indirect environments which includes local government decisions, school
infrastructures, and family work environments. If families cannot afford proper ventilations,
the indirect impact of heat affects the students’ comfort and ability to study effectively.
Schools policies on heat protocols also stem from this layer like the suspension of school
uniforms and allowing the students to wear their decent and comfort clothes.
The culture and the large structure that form the background for the development of
the personality are referred to as the macrosystem. This includes national education policies
toward climate change. In the Philippines, the DepEd's decision to suspend classes due to
heatwaves is part of the macrosystem response. How society prioritizes student safety and
learning under climate stress impacts how education systems adapt.
The next and outermost sub-concept within the idea of the development of a human is
chronosystem which reveals how time influences development. As climate change increases
the severity of heatwaves, students will face more regular disruptions in learning. These
long-term patterns may require permanent shifts in educational deliver, like more hybrid and
remote learning models.
To conclude everything that has been stated so far, Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological
Theory analyze how the weather condition, such as high temperature as an environmental
factor, operates at various levels of students’ ecosystems like the classroom, family, school
policy, society, and climate trends respond to that heat, which has a great impact on students’
academic performances.