Utilising Digital Modules as a Learning Intervention Toward Conceptual Understanding Enhancement Among Grade 8 Students in a Drug Education Content

Drug education is a vital component of health education in Philippine basic education, requiring both sensitivity and contextualised content. With digital learning gaining prominence after the COVID-19 pandemic, this study utilised BookCanBee Digital Modules, developed through BookWidgets, Canva, and Kotobee, to enhance gateway drug instruction. Using a mixed-methods approach within an action research framework, the study employed a pretest-posttest design and semi-structured interviews. A 25-item teacher-made test was given to two classes to measure baseline understanding. The lowest-performing class (35 students) served as the experimental group, receiving the digital modules over three weeks through onsite and modular formats. Post-intervention results showed a significant improvement in the experimental group’s scores, surpassing those of the class that did not use the modules. Qualitative analysis revealed four themes: multimodal and offline accessibility, increased engagement and enjoyment, improved user accessibility, and the benefits of flexible, self-paced learning. Technical challenges were also reported, indicating the need for refinement. Overall, findings suggest that such digital tools can enhance drug education, particularly for digital-native learners, and warrant further development and integration into instruction.