Researh Paper Essay Example
Researh Paper Essay Example

Researh Paper Essay Example

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  • Pages: 12 (3232 words)
  • Published: July 17, 2018
  • Type: Research Paper
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The Background of the Study on the Research Problem

The aim is to significantly improve the quality of science teaching in order to attain its goals and objectives (Haclao, 2008). Science education plays a critical role in school education by equipping students with knowledge necessary for explaining and understanding natural phenomena in their surroundings. Physics, being a fundamental and comprehensive scientific discipline, requires careful analysis to identify areas that need improvement and fully unleash students' potential in this subject. The challenging nature of Physics is evident from Filipino students' performance on international assessments like TIMSS-R and the International Assessment of Students Achievement in Science and Mathematics, where they ranked 36th out of 38 participating countries in 2004.

According to Angell et al. (2004), there has been a decline in the performance of Filipino students, parti

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cularly in physics. This emphasizes the urgent need for comprehensive approaches, reforms, and coordinated efforts from stakeholders to enhance their performance, as noted by Alcober (2009). The decrease in student performance is not limited to International Assessments but is also evident at the National and Division Levels. An example of this can be seen in Hampipila National High School's academic achievement, which is the main focus of the researcher. The unsatisfactory performance of students has led educational researchers worldwide to investigate factors contributing to their lackluster physics performance and identify strategies to improve their achievements.

According to Alcober (2009), there are various factors that contribute to the decline in students' science performance. These factors can be categorized as student-related and teacher-related. Student-related factors include study habits, attitude towards science, overall grade point from the previous year, an

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GPA in previous science subjects. On the other hand, teacher-related factors consist of the educational qualification of the science teacher, their attitude towards teaching science, and their classroom management skills.

Furthermore, socio-economic, psychological, and environmental aspects have also been found to impact student performance. Research studies emphasize the importance of learning abilities in determining student performance. However, it is crucial not to view these factors as limitations because variables like race, gender, and sex can also influence student achievement levels.

In relation to this topic, Arroyo (2005) suggests that students' school performance is closely linked to their cognitive level. Bacolod et al. (2004) further emphasize the significance of the school itself as a factor influencing students' achievement levels.

The researcher has chosen to investigate the impact of students' mathematical ability, reading comprehension, and socio-economic status on their performance in Science (Physics) at Hampipila National High School. This decision was motivated by the school's poor performance in the National Achievement Test (NAT) in 2010 and previous years. The school's rating has consistently declined from 2007-2010, with percentages of 55%, 38%, 37%, and 33% respectively. Similar low academic performance in science was observed at Hampipila National High School during the Division Achievement Test (DAT), a test conducted by the Division of Leyte for all year levels. These results confirm that Hampipila National High School is one of the underperforming schools within the Division of Leyte, as acknowledged by Mrs. Felicidad T. Espinosa during a Work-Conference of Science Teachers on September 18, 2011. Thus, these findings provide strong justification for this study.

The study's objective is to investigate the factors influencing students' achievement in Physics. It also aims to determine the profile

of fourth-year high school students by assessing their Mathematical Ability, Reading Comprehension, and Socio-Economic Status. Furthermore, it seeks to analyze the achievement level of these students in Physics and identify which factors have a significant impact on their success. The study's theoretical framework is based on Piaget's Cognitive Theory, which provides insight into the factors affecting students' achievement in Physics. Three main factors that can influence the achievement level of fourth-year high school students in Physics are Reading Comprehension, Mathematical Ability, and Socio-Economic Status.

The purpose of this research is to enhance the academic performance of students by addressing the challenges experienced by the researcher and others who are interested. The research will concentrate on fourth year high school students at Hampipila National High School in Abuyog, Leyte. It will specifically investigate the students' Mathematical Ability, English Proficiency, and Socio-Economic Status. This study holds importance as previous national achievement tests (NAT and DAT) conducted over the last four years at Hampipila National High School have shown a decrease in student achievements.

This study's objective is to support students and stakeholders in improving their success rates in Physics. The research provides both theoretical and practical significance. School administrators can obtain valuable insights from the findings, which can aid their work and inform their management, administrative functions, and leadership styles. This will enable them to prioritize addressing student learning needs, adapting to a dynamic student population, enhancing student grades, and producing successful graduates.

This study offers valuable insights for teachers, enabling them to better support and guide parents and students. It also emphasizes the significance of establishing strong relationships among teachers, students, and parents in order to achieve high-quality education.

The findings from this study provide information on how teachers can enhance student achievement.

Parents gain a clearer understanding of their primary responsibility in providing proper education for their children through the results of this study. This understanding helps them prepare their children for life and understand their important roles within the school community. Furthermore, this study encourages parents to actively contribute to improving student performance by collaborating with schools, teachers, and administrators. By working together as educational partners, schools and homes can mutually benefit from their interdependent relationship.

The objective of the study is to promote collaboration between parents and students for the benefit of the student. It also emphasizes the significance of parents acting as educators for their own children. This research is crucial in enhancing students' cognitive abilities, allowing them to tackle future challenges. Moreover, it seeks to cultivate students' confidence in comprehending scientific concepts, specifically in Physics, as they advance academically.

The aim of this study is to enhance students' self-esteem and comprehension of science's significance in contemporary society. The subsequent section furnishes explanations for crucial terms employed in this research, encompassing "Achievement Level," which pertains to appraising students' performance through objective criteria.

This study focuses on the rating of the National Achievements Test (NAT) and the District Achievements Test (DAT) from 2006 to 2011. NAT is an assessment that measures the performance level of students in Physics, specifically in the areas of Light and Electricity. On the other hand, DAT refers to the rating in Reading Comprehension, specifically in the Phil-IRI (Oral Reading), which is conducted at the beginning and end of each school year.

Mathematical Ability involves the Math achievement test that will be

administered to the students. Additionally, Socio-Economic Status includes student participants in the federal free/reduce lunch program (Norris, 2000).

The survey of students' living arrangements is explored in the chapter titled "Review of Related Literature." The results of prior research on the issue being investigated are discussed, considering significant technological advancements and societal changes in recent decades. Science education has become a key focus, leading to numerous studies that highlight both its challenges and potential improvements. Previous research indicates that various factors influence students' achievements in science and physics, which also affect their performance in physics.

Multiple studies have investigated various elements that can impact the academic performance of students, such as gender, age, cognitive development, previous knowledge, mathematics achievement, attitude, socioeconomic status and achievement expectations. However, this particular study focuses on three factors: mathematical ability, English proficiency and socio-economic status.

In addition to these specific areas of focus, the researcher also examines Piaget's concept of cognitive development. This concept refers to the stages and patterns of behavior that children acquire through their interactions with the environment.

Regarding science (physics) learning specifically, Lee and Avalos (2002) stress the significance of English language proficiency for effective participation in mainstream classrooms. Language plays a crucial role in academic functioning.

In accordance with Wellington (2002), the acquisition of scientific inquiry and process skills, such as observation, description, explanation, prediction, estimation, and inference, takes place concurrently with cognitive processes like description, hypothesis formation, explanation, prediction, and reflection. The utilization of language plays a vital role in scientific reasoning. Consequently, individuals who struggle to comprehend the language employed in science will likewise encounter obstacles in their capacity to reason and problem-solve.

According to Padron (2006), students who

possess reasoning skills can effectively apply their acquired knowledge to new situations. The early studies of physics education have shown significant positive connections between students' mathematical abilities and their achievement in physics. For instance, in a study conducted by Ogunsola-Bendele (2005), out of 104 high school students surveyed, 75.95% expressed a preference to leave the class when the teacher begins writing equations on the board. Additionally, 68 participants shared a similar sentiment.

Approximately 26% of the same students indicated a preference for the statement "The calculation in physics makes me score lower on the subject." These high percentages suggest that students are intimidated by the mathematics involved in physics. Lee and Avalos (2002) conducted a study that emphasizes the significance of mathematics in science. They assert that in order to engage in scientific inquiry, students must be able to measure weight, volume, length, temperature, speed, and other properties of objects and events. Additionally, they need to understand statistics and probability concepts for data analysis and interpretation. Furthermore, students must possess the skills to accurately record and present data using various formats such as graphs, charts, tables, figures, and drawings. This enables them to develop precision in taking measurements, apply mathematical concepts, recognize patterns and anomalies in data, and effectively utilize multiple representations for data displays.

The ability to interpret and represent information in various contexts is crucial for educated individuals to analyze statistics, create reports, evaluate financial offers, and identify false claims. Mathematics is also essential in building theories in the physical sciences, as noted by Brown (2004). Similarly, Clarke (2006) emphasizes its role in research and development in science and technology. Wang (2006) conducted a study

on the correlation between mathematics and physics achievement at TIMSS in 1995 and 1999, which revealed a moderate link between math and physics performance.

In agreement with previous findings, Hakan Uz and Ali Eryilmaz (2007) assert that while mathematics is essential for physics, it alone cannot guarantee success in the field. They propose a greater emphasis on mathematics, beginning with the math teacher and extending to the physics teacher. Specifically, the physics teacher should emphasize mathematical concepts related to the subject matter and maintain ongoing communication with the math teacher.

Otherwise, students may only achieve partial success in physics. The discussed studies highlight the significance and connection between mathematics and physics. These studies are pertinent to our ongoing research on how mathematical ability impacts the academic performance of fourth-year high school students at Hampipila National High School. Socio-economic status and family background are acknowledged as indirect factors that influence students' academic achievement. This is because environmental and familial influences can shape perceptions, attitudes, and experiences, subsequently affecting emotional and intellectual traits. Therefore, it is reasonable to expect a correlation between socio-economic status and students' academic success.

Ylmaz et al. (2004) conducted a study to investigate the correlation between Turkish students' economic condition and their physics achievement. The findings demonstrated that an improvement in students' economic status leads to an increase in their physics achievement. Conversely, it was observed that receiving either excessively high or low amounts of pocket money from family is linked to a decrease in physics achievement. Among the participants, those who received moderate amounts of pocket money achieved the highest level of success. Furthermore, the research revealed that a student's overall number of siblings is

also inversely associated with their physics achievement.

Carpenter and Hayden (as cited in Kocyigit, 2003) found that a student's socio-economic status is positively related to their achievement. This socio-economic status encompasses various factors such as the education levels of both parents, the father's occupation, the school's composition in terms of gender, support from teachers and parents, peers' career plans, and the science subjects taken. These correlations were observed in two different Australian states; however, it should be noted that the correlation coefficients for the sub-dimensions of socio-economic status differed between the states. In one state, all correlation coefficients were below 0.20 while in the other state they were above 0.

5. It was demonstrated that the impact of socio-economic status may vary in different cultural settings. Another study, conducted by Catalo (as cited in Kocyi it, 2003), explored the influence of socio-economic status on achievement among Turkish students. The findings revealed a significant disparity in the mechanics misconception test scores between students from higher and lower socio-economic backgrounds. Similarly, Kocyi (2003) reached a comparable conclusion, stating that students from lower socio-economic status display more misconceptions about static electricity compared to their peers from higher socio-economic backgrounds.

These studies provide evidence that the socio-economic status of students impacts their performance in Physics. Cognitive Level is a key aspect of Science (Physics) Performance as it relates to an individual's understanding and knowledge of the world. It also encompasses thinking, perceiving, and problem-solving activities. Piaget outlined four stages of cognitive development.

Progression through the various stages can occur at different rates, but it is always orderly and follows an unchanging sequence. Each stage is characterized by the development of

cognitive structures known as schemes. A scheme is a coordinated pattern of thought or action that helps organize an individual's interaction with the environment. The stages named are the sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational stages. Although there are multiple factors that contribute to poor performance in science, it is important not to overlook the impact of the cognitive abilities of Filipino students, especially in subjects like Physics. Lupdag (2004) highlights that certain skills predicted by Piaget's Cognitive Theory, such as the concept of reversibility, are lacking in nursery and kindergarten students at an urban preschool. Additionally, the concept of conservation in relation to time, distance, and velocity does not seem to have fully developed by the end of the concrete operational period (ages 7-11). Furthermore, it is noted that Filipino children reach the concrete operational stage at a slower rate compared to the Swiss sample studied by Piaget.

In addition, according to Leongson and Lingyap (2009), even in college, 36 out of 59 students (most of them aged 17) are barely at the concrete operational stage. A study of 20 students found a correlation between formal operational reasoning and performance in physics. Multiple regression analysis showed that test scores of formal operational reasoning strongly predicted course performance. Renner (2007) suggests that students' cognitive level significantly affects their achievement.

According to a researcher, it is important to note that no students with concrete operational thinking were successful in answering formal questions. The effectiveness of cognitive development on physics achievement was demonstrated in a study of 195 randomly chosen university students. Another study, using a sample of 65 students, found a significant positive correlation between Piagetian level

and physics achievement (Sills, 2003). The data collected by various researchers indicates that high school students are not reaching the expected cognitive level. It is also possible that even some high school graduates are not yet mentally prepared for higher-level thinking.

The low performance of students in physics can be attributed to their inadequate cognitive skills. In Chapter III, the research design, study locale, study respondents, instruments used, validation of instruments, and data gathering procedure are discussed. The study utilized the descriptive survey method to determine the achievement level of fourth-year students in physics. The achievement level serves as the dependent variable, while Mathematical Ability, Reading Comprehension, and Socio-Economic Status are the independent variables. Mood of students and environmental conditions are considered as extraneous variables. The measurement of the dependent variable will be done through a physics achievement test.

This test contains 15 multiple choice questions on Light and Electricity, which was taught during the second period of the school year. The questions will be chosen from previous University Entrance Examinations, ensuring their reliability and validity as they were created and tested by experts. The maximum score a student can achieve on this test is 15, while the minimum score is 0. To evaluate the performance of fourth-year students in Mathematics and English, data will be collected through a Mathematics achievement test and Phil-IRI, respectively.

Lastly, the Socio-Economic Status Questionnaire will be utilized to analyze ocio-economic status. The questionnaire consists of questions designed to determine students' socio-economic level, including inquiries about parents' occupations, educational backgrounds, family income, family size, and more. This assessment was adapted from a previous study.

This study will be conducted at Hampipila National High School,

which is located in Barangay Hampipila, Abuyog, Leyte. The school is positioned 20 Km East of the town proper and 100m away from the Maharlika highway leading to Silago Leyte.

The respondents of this study are the fourth year high school students of Hampipila National High School. There are two groups of fourth year students in Hampipila National High, with each group consisting of 40 students. The Research Instruments Achievement Test in Physics is a researcher-made achievement test in physics, which includes multiple choice test excerpts from college entrance examinations. The test covers competencies in Physics as outlined in the Basic Education Curriculum (BEC) of the Department of Education.

Socio-Economic Status Survey Questionnaires included questions about student demographics and the employment and income of parents. The survey had multiple choice response options. The most frequent responses from that version were included in the multiple choice survey that was given and provided the data for this report. Reading Competencies are reading skills that are structured and organized to meet the students' minimum preferences.

The process is known as Phil-IRI. The researcher will request a licensed statistician to validate and provide the results in a statistical format, including the mode, mean, and frequency. English and Math teachers will participate in this study by analyzing the subject achievement results. Additionally, there will be a dry run in another school in Abuyog to validate the researcher's achievement test.

Before conducting the validation, research experts will assist in validating the instruments to be used by the researcher. The research procedure will take approximately six weeks and will encompass the entire grading period. Data for the study will be gathered from the English and Math

test scores of Hampipila National High School for the years 2010-2011 and 2012-2013. Similar to the collection of Socio-Economic Status data, this will occur throughout the research process. The Likert scale will be employed as one of the measuring instruments for processing the collected data.

The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 13 will be used to process the data for this study. The statistical test that will be used is the t-tests and Pearson correlation. These tests will analyze data to determine if there is a relationship between student performance level, Mathematical Ability, Reading Comprehension, and Socio-Economic Status. The t-tests and Pearson correlation will determine if there is a relationship between individual variables as related to the dependent variable academic achievement. The data obtained will be tabulated, analyzed, and interpreted using statistical techniques such as mean, standard deviation, average rating, and analysis of variance (ANOVA). The quantitative analysis to be used will be the t-test on dependent sample means.

The researcher will obtain the mean score on the achievement test and the t-value in order to analyze the level of students' achievement. This analysis will also determine if there are any correlations between the achievement level of fourth year high school students in Physics and the factors identified by the researcher.

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