Difficulties in Applying the Flipped Learning Method in the Philippines' Mountainous Areas

Abstract

       In a mountainous area of the Philippines, this study investigated how flipped learning affected general science competencies in elementary education and IT students. The pedagogical intervention comprised synchronous in-class activities focused on application and group discussion, followed by taped video lectures for autonomous asynchronous study. A pre- and post-tests design was utilized to assess student competences, which measured their capacity to recognize, evaluate, and elucidate scientific concepts. Surprisingly, after the intervention, student performance did not alter in away that was statistically significant (p＞0.05).  The results indicate that although the flipped approach works well in settings with abundant resources, it is not appropriate for students in mountainous areas who have systemic obstacles including "energy poverty," inconsistent internet connectivity, and significant budgetary limitations. These elements significantly reduced participation in technology-mediated learning, indicating that a reliance on such resources may inadvertently exacerbate existing educational inequalities. The study underscores the imperative for contextually informed, "offline-first" pedagogical strategies tailored to rural and geographically isolated contexts.