Abstract
Flexible learning (FL) gained prominence in Philippine higher education institutions during the pandemic and continues to be relevant today owing to the impact of the global oil crises. This study aimed to highlight the challenges, strategies, opportunities and mechanisms for enhancing the continuous adaptation in science courses at a state university in the Philippines. Qualitative data were generated from a semi-structured interview with eight science teachers and documents and analysed within the framework of transcendental phenomenology. Learner-related challenges dominate, followed by institution-related, syllabus-related and a few teacher-related challenges. These challenges mandated teachers to implement strategies that are categorized as flexibility in time, theme, technique and transfer, which are essential for addressing the diverse needs of learners and improving educational outcomes. Additionally, teachers gained opportunities to improve or learn new social, technological, efficiency and pedagogical skills, which helped them become more effective at adapting to new teaching environments. These changes, in turn, led to better student engagement and learning outcomes. Finally, based on the experiences of science teachers, there are still areas that need improvement, particularly in developing a framework or policy that includes all aspects of flexibility and the necessary support systems for flexible learning, such as training programs for teachers and resources for students to adapt to various learning environments.
Keywords: Flexible Learning, Science Education, Science Teachers, Transcendental Phenomenology