This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of eight kindergarten teachers in Talomo District, Davao City, regarding the use of standardized Self-Learning Modules (SLMs) during the shift to Modular Distance Learning (MDL) caused by the pandemic. Findings confirmed that while SLMs ensured learning continuity, they presented significant challenges: they were often mismatched with the play-based needs of young children and placed an unsustainable burden on parental facilitators. Teachers countered these issues by developing strong collaborative networks, sharing self-developed materials, and establishing complex multi-modal support systems for both students and parents. The study concludes that MDL in its current form requires system-level modification, highlighting the need for formal support for decentralized curriculum adaptation and targeted parental training to sustain educational quality in early childhood.
Buco et al. (Sat,) studied this question.