Abstract
The research assessed the status of the modular approach in teaching the most essential learning competencies (MELCs) in Physics to Grade 9 students at Subangdaku Technical Vocational School of Mandaue City Division during the school year 2020-2021 as a basis for contextualized learning exercises. It used a descriptive-correlational design to determine the relationship between the indicated variables and the status of the modular approach. The data were gathered from 50 randomly selected students and 2 Science teachers and analyzed using percentages, a weighted mean, and the Pearson r correlation coefficient. The status of the modular approach was assessed based on module content, module distribution, retrieval of answer sheets, and students' performance in Physics 9. Results revealed that the modules' content was Highly Observed in the following DepEd standards; the distribution of modules was Very Highly Observed; and the retrieval of the answer sheets was Highly Observed. The performance of the students was Very Much Competent on the competencies, investigating the relationship between the angle of release and the height, and range of the projectile, and relating impulse and momentum to the collision of objects (e.g., vehicular collision), while Not Competent on describing Uniform Accelerated Motion (UAM) qualitatively and quantitatively, most of the students. Furthermore, the top challenges of both the teachers and students encounter in the implementation of the modular approach were over-congested activities found in Physics 9 modules, the low performance of the learners due to the limited input of the teachers, learners' late answer sheets due to the level of difficulty of the activities found in the modules, parents' capacity to tutor the students, and teachers' accessibility to the internet. Thus, this research recommends the attached contextualized learning exercises from the PHET simulation to deepen students' understanding of the competencies of Physics 9, especially during the pandemic.
