The Problem and Its Background
The Problem and Its Background
The Problem and Its Background
Mathematics plays a huge role in STEM strand, much is gained when teaching
and learning mathematics as it is connected with science, engineering, and technology.
In addition, General Physics, General Chemistry, Pre-Calculus, and Basic Calculus are
found in STEM strand wherein Mathematics have a huge part. However, STEM
students’ proficiency in Mathematics is not guarantee, some have to create a coping
mechanism to pass the said subject.
Coping Mechanism are strategies that people use when facing stress to a
particular situation, this can help people adjust to unmanageable events to help them
maintain their emotional well-being.
The purpose of the study is to determine how less mathematics proficient STEM
Students of Caloocan City Science High School cope with their strand despite not
excelling on Mathematics subject. Ways on how to teach mathematics effectively were
already studied, however, coping with the subject by less mathematics proficient STEM
students were not stated, hence this study was conducted. Some students fear taking
STEM as their strand in Senior High School because of mathematics, so this study is to
find methods and strategies on how to cope up with the strand despite not being good
at mathematics.
Conceptual Framework
Juadinez A.S (2019) says that when teaching Mathematics in Senior High School, it
focuses toward learner-centered, relevant curriculum, and contextualized. Deficit along
with mathematical and technology tools, teaching strategies, training, and performance-
based activities have made educators become resourceful and flexible when teaching
mathematics effectively.
INPUT
PROCESS OUTPUT
Determine the profile of
the respondents in terms The respondents profile
of sex and grade level. together with their
reason for choosing
STEM as their strand
Determine the reasons for
Questionnaire sent despite the difficulty in
the respondent to take through Google Forms Mathematics, their level
STEM strand? will be used when of difficulty when
conducting the study. learning mathematics,
The respondents will be their coping strategies
Describe the difficulty of
less Mathematics when studying
Mathematics when being proficient Grade 11 Mathematics will be
learned by less STEM Students of known. The study will be
Caloocan City Science published and will be
mathematics proficient given to Caloocan City
High School.
STEM students. Science High School
Library wherein the
beneficiaries may see
Determine the coping and may formulate ideas
strategies of the when learning
respondents when Mathematics and/or
learning Mathematics in teaching Mathematics to
STEM? Less Mathematics
proficient students.
Determine the most
common coping strategy
used by the respondents
when coping with difficulty
in Mathematics?
Statement of the Problem
a. Sex
b. Grade level
2. What are the reasons for the respondent to take STEM strand?
4. What are the coping strategies of the respondents when studying Mathematics?
5. What is the most common coping strategy used by the respondents when coping with
difficulty in Mathematics?
Hypothesis
1. There are significant reasons for the respondent to take STEM strand.
2. The are significant level of difficulty of Mathematics when being learned by less
Mathematics proficient STEM students.
Coping Strategy. It is a strategy people use in order to adjust in stressful events while
still maintaining their emotional well-being.
Less Mathematics Proficient. A person who is not conversant with the complexities of
mathematical reasoning.
Community. This study will provide enough knowledge regarding the coping
mechanisms of non-mathematician STEM students to mathematics.
Department of Education (DepEd). Through this study, DepEd can come up with an
idea regarding teaching Mathematics to students wherein students who excel in
mathematics and students who do not can comprehend to.
Future Researchers. This study will help them formulate ideas when thinking of a new
research topic.
Junior High School Students. This study will help them by easing their mind
whenever they feel anxious choosing STEM as their strand because of mathematics.
Caloocan City Science High School This study will make them widen their knowledge
regarding the coping strategies of less mathematics proficient students to Mathematics.
Less Mathematics Proficient STEM Students. Through this study, they will be aware
about strategies on coping with Mathematics.
Researchers. This study will also make them widen their knowledge regarding the
coping strategies of Less Mathematics proficient STEM Students to Mathematics
wherein they can use this research for future purposes.
Teachers. They will be aware about the coping mechanisms of Less Mathematics
proficient STEM students to Mathematics; hence, they can formulate ideas regarding
teaching them.
In addition, Shaikh B.T, Kahloon A., Kazmi M., Khalid H., Nawaz K., Khan N.A.,
and Khan S. (2004) says in Students, Stress and Coping Strategies: A Case of
Pakistani Medical School that factors of stress for students are helplessness, inability to
cope, increased psychological pressure, mental tension, and undesirable amount of
workloads, exams and academics also cause a lot of stress for students. Stress affects
academic performances, hence, students’ comes up with coping mechanism for stress,
these are 1. playing music and sports, 2. sleeping, going to insolation, and 3. hanging
out with friends. This study shows various coping mechanisms of students when
experiencing stress to academic related situations.
It was stated in the study conducted by Yazon A.D., Manaig K.A., and Tesoro J.F
(2017) in Coping Mechanism and Academic Performance Among Filipino
Undergraduate Students that one coping mechanism of a students is by asking advice
from relatives or someone they look up to. They also accept understanding and
sympathy from other people, they talk to someone about their feelings and seek
concrete solutions for their problems.
Moreover, a study conducted by Bausa N.C., Quilas D.C., and Inao R.J (2019)
regarding the Coping Strategies of selected grade 12 Science, Technology, Engineering
and Mathematics Students of Lagro High School towards General Physics II stated that
listening to music, watching movies, eating, spending time with family and(or) friends,
taking a walk, surfing internet, and playing online game are their coping mechanisms
when spending hard time in studying General Physics.
In addition, Mulligan J. (2011) have come up with an idea about the origins of
student’s difficulties when learning mathematics which states that some students fail to
comprehend mathematical concepts such as patterns and structures that leads to
mathematical competency. With this studies, it proves that there are students whom
have difficulties when understanding mathematics, wherein it can be called less
mathematics proficient students.
In a study conducted by Grehan M., O’Shea A., and Bhaid C.M (2010) Students
who have the same mathematical background with other students still fails
mathematics, it was said that both groups have similar difficulties and problems when it
comes to the said subject, however students who passed mathematics needs coping
mechanism and strategies in order to get through mathematics, although, its coping
mechanisms and strategies were not clearly stated.
The cited articles are relevant for the study conducted due to the reason that the
topics in the article are related to coping strategies, difficulties in mathematics, and
teaching strategies in mathematics which have given ideas for the researchers to add to
their study. Some are different and some are the same types of coping strategies when
dealing with different situations were found in different study which can be helpful for the
researchers when finding the most common coping strategy of an individual.
CHAPTER II
Research Methodology
Research Design
The respondents for the study being conducted are the grade 11 STEM Students
of Caloocan City Science High School who are less proficient in Mathematics. The
whole population of the Grade 11 STEM students will be utilized in this study which is
comprised of 165 individuals.
Instrumentation
The research tool that will be used for the study is survey questionnaire which
shows the purpose of the study followed by five more parts.
For the first part, the profile of the respondents will be asked, these are their sex and
grade level.
Second part states their reason for choosing STEM as their strand.
Third part will ask their difficulty level in Mathematics, linear scale will be use for this
part, and their hours of studying Mathematics.
Lastly, fourth part will be asking their coping strategies in learning Mathematics.
Through this survey, the researchers will determine the respondents’ coping
mechanisms and their methods and strategies when learning Mathematics, this will also
help the respondents determine which coping mechanism is most used by the
respondents
The researchers searched for related studies to coping strategies and difficulty in
mathematics which helped them widen their knowledge in the topics.
The test will be conducted online, the questionnaires will be sent to the
respondents through google forms.
With the help of the respondents, the researchers will determine their coping
strategies when learning Mathematics. All answered questionnaires will be combined for
analyzing of data.
Data Analysis
The researchers will be collecting data through a survey which will be sent
through online. Some parts of the questionnaire are through ordinal scale whilst there is
also part wherein the question does not require any scale.
Ethical Consideration
The researchers will seek consent and permission to the respondents when
conducting their test. The researchers will also document the process of their study for
validation purposes.
CHAPTER III
In this chapter, respondents’ response for the survey will be seen. The
researchers will then be interpreting the data gathered for them to reach the results.
I. Respondents’ profile.
Table 1
Frequency and percentage distribution of the grade 11 STEM students of Caloocan City
Science High School according to their sexuality
Male 93 56.4%
Female 72 43.6%
Table 1 presents the frequency and percentage distribution according to sex. Out
of 165 respondents, 93 are males which is 56.4% of the whole population percentage
while females have a percentage of 43.6% which is 72 out of the 165 whole enumerated
population. The data reveals that majority of the respondents who struggle in
Mathematics are female.
Table 2
Frequency Percentage
1. My preferred course
143 86.7%
for college is in STEM.
3. My friends are in
7 4.2%
STEM.
4. Others 13 7.9%
In a study conducted by Kaleva S., Pursianen J., Hakola M., Rusanen J., and
Muukkonen H. (2019) students tend to choose STEM strand due to it being helpful for
future purposes, the way the strand will impact them in the future is considered before
choosing any. Perceived need in their career plans and future study is the most
important factor when choosing a strand.
III. Difficulty of Mathematics when being learned by less Mathematics proficient
STEM students.
Table 4
1 2 3 4 5
Questions
f % f % f % f % f %
4. Do you do something to
26.1 27.3
improve your grade in 5 3% 11 6.7% 43 61 37% 45
% %
Mathematics?
Table 4
Frequency and percentage distribution of the grade 11 STEM students of Caloocan City
Science High School according to the length of time they spent studying Mathematics
Frequency Percentage
Other 4 2.4%
Table 4 indicates the frequency and percentage distribution of the length of time
respondents spent studying Mathematics. It shows that that out of all the 20
respondents, students who study at 30 minutes to 1 hour dominates. Data reveals that
students who only study for short hours only help them a little when learning
Mathematics, however, those who study from 1 hour to 2 hours help them a lot in terms
of learning Mathematics.
It was stated by Ukpong D.E. and George I.N. (2013) in Length of Study-Time
Behaviour and Academic Achievement of Social Studies Education Students in the
University of Uyo that there is a significant difference between studying in long and
short hours, students who study for long hours tend to have better performance in
academic that student who study in short hours.
Table 5
Frequency and percentage distribution of the grade 11 STEM students of Caloocan City
Science High School according to the coping strategy they use when learning
Mathematics.
Frequency Percentage
Other 6 3.6%
In a study conducted by Kissane B. (2008) states that internet offers a huge role
when learning mathematics as it is one of the education resources, it gives offers that
will help them in learn mathematics i.e. available websites to learn the topic, materials
for reading, reference material, and easy communication and access to sources.
3. STEM students of Caloocan City Science High School find Mathematics hard to
learn hence they came up of coping strategies to lessen the difficulty.
4. STEM students of Caloocan City Science High School study mathematics for 30
minutes to 1 hour, and uses internet as their coping strategy.
Therefore, coping strategy are made by the students of Caloocan City Science
High School to provide help for less Mathematics proficient students
Chapter IV
Summary
The study was conducted to determine the coping strategies of the less
Mathematics proficient students of Caloocan City Science High School. It is well known
that Mathematics are the most difficult subject to learn (Singh, 2018) hence the
researchers’ objectives for the research are as follows:
a. Sex
b. Grade level
2. What are the reasons for the respondent to take STEM strand?
4. What are the coping strategies of the respondents when studying Mathematics?
5. What is the most common coping strategy used by the respondents when coping with
difficulty in Mathematics?
The researchers then found that the students of Caloocan City Science High
School do came up with coping strategy to help them study Mathematics better, this
particular coping strategy that is most use by the students is using the internet and
searching the topic online.
Conclusion
Recommendation
The researchers proved that students of Caloocan City Science High School who
are less proficient in Mathematics indeed use coping strategy to understand the said
subject. However, the researchers recommend the following to further improve the
research:
Community. They should have a more positive outlook about mathematics. This will
help learners with difficulty in the subject to be more motivated in learning the subject
since many people will view it as a challenge instead of a burden. Mathematics is an
indispensable subject in the curriculum and is important in daily living as well as in the
study of other subjects. However, according to Gafoor 2015, there is a common belief
that majority of the students dislike mathematics, owing to an array of factors related to
instruction and learners’ cognitive, affective and psychomotor attributes, subject matter
and the learning environment. This notion should be eradicated in the community if we
want our learners to improve their skills in mathematics. Though is not the sole factor, it
surely is of great help in improving the mathematical skills of our learners.
Department of Education (DepEd). Propose a plan that will suit both the teaching and
learning process while using the coping strategies as their guide.
Future Researchers. Use this research as their basis when conducting their own
research, if they decide to further improve this research, they should focus on a bigger
population and might as well conduct a study on various subjects aside from
Mathematics.
Senior High School Students. Come up with their own coping strategy or decide to
use their most preferred coping strategy stated in the conducted research.
Caloocan City Science High School. Provide a concrete plan that considers this
research as well as the coping strategies stated to further teach their students
effectively.
Researchers. Further improve the research upon reaching college and come up with
advocacy relating to the conducted research.
Teachers. Use the conducted research as their basis to improve their teaching
strategies wherein both proficient and less proficient students may understand the topic
they are teaching.
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