BE WISE OR REGRET OTHERWISE: TRAVAILS AND TRIUMPHS OF GRADE 12-

EPAS STUDENTS

A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF

LOWER BALA NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE
COMPLETION OF

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

TECHNICAL VOCATIONAL
AND LIVELIHOOD

KEN C. AQUITAN
AIVAN JOY Q. SEBIAL
ROCKIE M. BANTOG
JHON KHARLO T. ENCALLADO
JAPHET ROSALITA
VINCE A. SALISALI

MARCH 2019
 CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Consequently, it goes without saying that high school life is the most formative

period of a person's life. Here the meaning of existence is transparent and the students

get an insight into how the real world works. Just as in real life, for activities such as

hobbies and interests, high school life can be grouped into two: the fun side and the

work / study side with a grey area in between.

Student success is controversial without controversy at all. Not everyone realizes

that each individual has different ideals for success. These ideals may not fit in with the

paradigm of student success held by a school.  Without the student putting forth effort,

student success is impossible to achieve. Every individual has different obstacles to over

-come before they are successful. The key is, wanting to overcome these obstacles. 

Not many have investigated how college students acquire learning strategies and

why they choose to (or not) use them to improve their academic work. Few researchers

have looked at the relationship between the self-regulation and learning strategies of

college students and their academic achievement. The results provide empirical support

for the use of a number of advisory approaches, including clear, specific study-skills

training for academically failing at matriculation. Students are dropping out of college

because of a lack of preparation for the rigors of academic work, according to a recent

national report (Harvard University, 2011).

 Only student perception of teacher productivity and level of commitment affect

accounting performance among the SHSA factors. Studying time, attending review

classes in tutorial centers, motivation and study habits have no significant effect.

Comparing high and low performers after further examination, research patterns often

show up to be important. For fact, students who have performed better are those who

have done more in terms of reading, doing their homework, taking part in lessons, and

cramming for exams. Since student perception of teacher effectiveness strongly

influences accounting performance, it is critical that hiring and training of accounting

faculty be given utmost importance. Level of effort and good study habits also help, but

not the sheer number of study hours (Yu, 2011)

With the mandate of K to 12 Philippine Education Program, the traditional way of

teaching and learning should be turned into electronic learning where ICT skills and

technology were applied to these aforementioned millennials and now commonly known

as the learners of the 21st century. Students allowed learning to become interactive.

They can use online world as a learning avenue. Their ideas and knowledge are not

contained in a four-walled classroom but can be learned with the world instead. The

integrated learning strategy is one of the most promising approaches in combining

immersive lessons with the technical and technological advances of the virtual

environment. Those students who were exposed to mixed learning enhanced their

academic performance from pre-test to post-test and decreased their scores with those

students who were not exposed to mixed learning. Students displayed practical skills in
reading, speaking, designing, observing, analyzing, and questioning (Hinampas, Murillo,

Tan and Layusa 2018)

In Davao del Norte, a study conducted to evaluate the oral proficiency of

students according to their level of exposure to English linguistic environment. Results

shows that

the level of exposure of first year college students to the English linguistic environment

is moderate and their level of oral comprehension, fluency, grammar, pronunciation 

and vocabulary is low. In addition, there is no significant relationship between English

environment and oral skill among first year students, and exposures of the students in

the context of this study do not significantly affect their oral skills.

Indeed, there are too many strategies that can help students to learn and to

pass in their desired career path. This study aims to identify the strategies of Grade 12-

EPAS students in Lower Bala National High School, Magsaysay Davao del Sur.

Theoretical Framework

Below are the theoretical arguments that have been put forward in the literature,

but do not propose a new theoretical framework.

Evolution by Natural Selection

Natural selection evolution is one of the most substantiated hypotheses in

science history, supported by evidence from a wide range of scientific disciplines

including paleontology, geology, genetics and developmental biology.

 The theory of natural selection evolution, first proposed in Darwin's 1859 book

"On the Origin of Species," is the mechanism through which species evolve over time as

a result of changes in heritable physical or behavioral characteristics. Changes helping

an organism to adapt better to its surroundings would enable it to survive and have

more offspring.

Brian Richmond, curator of human origins at the American Museum of Natural

History in New York City, said the theory has two main points. "All life on Earth is linked

and interrelated," and this diversity of life is a result of "population modifications by

natural selection, where some characteristics have been preferred in and climate over

others".

To understand more about the theory of evolution by natural selection, it is

necessary to have a basic understanding of how natural selection works. Natural

selection will small-scale alter a species,

causing a population to change color or size over several 

generations. This is known as "microevolution." Moreover, natural selection can do

much more too. Given sufficient time and sufficiently accumulated changes, natural

selection can create entirely new species, known as "macroevolution," which can turn
dinosaurs into birds, amphibious mammals into whales and apes ancestors into

humans.

This theory is relatively interconnected with the travails and triumphs of

Grade 12-EPAS students because students tends to evolve in order to survive its

environment which is the school, and work accordingly to the situation they are facing.

Ecological Systems Theory

This theory of (Bronfenbrenner, 1979) suggests the development of children

within a complex system of relationships at different levels of their environment. The

innermost layers, or microsystems, refer to the behaviors and relationships in their

immediate surroundings, such as the family, school, community, and day care center.

Whether or not other persons are supportive within that environment can determine

whether parent-child relationships enhance or undermine the development of a child.

For example, when a couple in their parental roles are mutually supportive, they parent

their child more effectively. Conversely, marital conflict is associated with inconsistent

discipline and hostile reactions to offspring and the suffering of children (Davies and

Cummings, 1994).

Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) ecological system theory has provided a helpful

framework for understanding the importance of adaptation to school. As it explains

Each single person interacts with five environmental systems. The microsystem has,

among them, the closest bi-directional interactions with the students. College, one of

the students ' most significant microsystems, exhibits profound and huge influences on

their progress. Hence, for all students, positive engagement with the school
environment and continuous adaptation to school is essential (Bolger et al., 1998;

Margetts, 2009; Huang, 2010, Unpublished). Additionally, adapting to a new learning

stage could be conceived as a multifaceted task that could put considerable pressure on

the students (Perry and Weinstein, 1998; Valentine et al., 2004).

Statement of the Problem

This study emphasizes the strategies used by the Grade 12-EPAS students of

Lower Bala National High School to triumph against the difficulties of their chosen

specialization. It also seeks to find out their motivations to pursue their desired

specialization with these questions that will serve as guide:

1. What are the struggles encountered by the Grade 12-EPAS students during their

early years in EPAS specialization

2. What are the strategies used by the Grade 12-EPAS students to overcome the

struggles

3. What are the things that motivates the Grade 12-EPAS students to pursue EPAS

specialization

Objectives of the Study

This study focuses on the strategies used by the Grade 12-EPAS students to

overcome the struggles in their chosen specialization with the following objectives:
  To identify the difficulties encountered by grade 12-EPAS students in their early

years of specialization

 To determine the approaches used by the Grade 12-EPAS students to resolve the

difficulties

 To evaluate the things motivating grade 12-EPAS students to pursue

specialization in EPAS

Significance of the Study

The aim of this study is to highlight the struggles encountered, strategies used

and assess the things that motivates the Grade 12-EPAS students to pursue EPAS

specialization. In such manner this study is beneficial to several groups of people.

School Administrators. This study will help the school administrators to have

an assessment in the EPAS specialization specifically in the facilities and equipment

needed in the specialization

Grade 8 students. This study will help the students decide whether they want

to pursue EPAS specialization that will help them to have a better future.

EPAS students. This study will help EPAS students to have an insights of what

they have to undergo in the specialization as well as help them to develop strategies to

pass the specialization.

 EPAS Teachers. This study will help the teachers to also have an insights of

what are the struggles that students will encounter and also to develop strategies to

lessen the burden of the students

Future Researchers. The study will help the researchers to have a more

significant findings and additional information.

Scope and Delimitation

This study focused on investigating the strategies used by the selected Grade 12-

EPAS students who decided to choose EPAS course from Grade 9 to Grade 12 to

surpass different struggles during their early years in the specialization and look for

significant patterns that will help other EPAS students pass this specialization

Operational Definition of Terms

Struggles- the difficulties of the Grade 12-EPAS students and the trials they need to

overcome.

Strategies- an organized thought in order to overcome the difficulties

Motivation- someone who keeps a person to keep moving forward

Review of Related Literature

The related studies helped the researchers to understand the topic from different

point of view.
 "You can't watch television now; first you've got to finish your schoolwork!" "If

you don't study now, you're going to fail your math test." Every year, countless kids

hear similar comments from their parents and teachers who seek to help them succeed.

Yet many of the students are failing. As education prepares young people for life,

considering the causes of the school failure might be a good idea.

Lack of Preparation

Many students approach the studies with an easy mindset and do not feel that

proper preparation is important. This is one of the main reasons why a lot of students

fail despite having all the educational facilities of top class.

Going to university is a difficult challenge for most students but it is a daunting

leap into the unknown for others (McInnis et al., 1995). The sudden transition from

school or college and family controlled environment to an environment in which

students are expected to accept personal responsibility for both academic and social

aspects of their lives can create anxiety and depression, disrupting their usual coping

mechanisms. Some students will eventually cope with the challenge by simply avoiding

it (Rickinson & Rutherford, 1995). If students fail to adapt satisfactorily to the current

academic and social demands of university life, these students are at risk, if not from

drop-out, then from under-performance and lack of fulfilment.

In the Philippines, a study conducted to determine the challenges experienced by the

student teacher of Philippine College Foundation during their practice teaching. Results

shows that one of the challenges they experienced is the lack of time to prepare lesson

plans and instructional materials because they don’t know how to manage their time so,
they end up going to bed late at night to prepare the lesson plan and instructional

materials.

The Department of Education (DepED) conducted annually the National Achievement

Test (NAT) for second year high school students. DepED has embarked on intervention

programs aimed at improving key performance indicators in basic education. Based on

the result of the previous years, the Mathematics achievement of the students is very

low (DepED Press Release, 2009). In the Division of Davao City, it was observed that

students performance in Mathematics is very low. Results showed that the respondents

are prepared for Grade 5 level. Based on the t-test results on the significant difference

in terms of mathematical readiness when analyzed by sex, it was established that

female students were more prepared than male students

    Being prepared means being ready for whatever comes your way and being

alert so that you never get caught up in a bad situation where you will not know what

to do or how to react. Being prepared also means having the things you need with you

at the time you need it. Or being prepared could also mean just knowing what you are

doing at the time you are needed to do it.

Procrastination

Many researchers have described procrastination as the lack or absence of self-

regulated results, and the behavioral propensity to delay what is needed to achieve an

objective. If we postpone initiating or undertaking a planned course of action, we

procrastinate (Beswick & Mann, 1994; Ferrari, 1993; Lay & Silverman, 1996).

Procrastination in society is fairly common. Many citizens (Kachgal, Hansen, and Nutter
2001) procrastinate at least occasionally. Nevertheless, at least 20% of adults identify

as chronic procrastinators (Harriott and Ferrari 1996). Procrastination involves knowing

that you need to perform an activity or perform a task, and maybe even wanting to do

so, but not motivating yourself to perform within the desired or expected time frame.

Also in the Philippines, a study conducted to Rizal Universities Athletes. Results

led the researchers to conclude that the degree of Procrastination of the respondents is

moderate as they sometimes procrastinate but also exhibit similar diligence,

conscientiousness and perseverance with a Medium Perfectionist tendency. There is an

important relationship between the rate of Procrastination and the age and years of

experience of the respondents, although there is no significant difference when

measured for gender and sports. Results also show significant relation between

perfectionism and procrastination. Therefore, since there is a link between

perfectionism and procrastination, the researchers recommend that programs that will

enable athletes to strive for excellence should always be provided as it results in a

strong athlete desire to complete and master a task.

Based on observation, here in locality of Magsaysay, Davao del Sur, students do

often procrastinate when they have something to do related to their studies knowingly

that the deadline is far ahead. It leads to unaccomplished or underrated task because

of poor time management.

Indeed, Procrastination has a bad effect on work, and on you. When you

procrastinate you don’t learn how to discipline yourself, the quality of work suffers, and

you get stressed out.

Procrastination is dangerous, you fool yourself by thinking up reasons to wait one more

week or one more day. The worst thing is, is that procrastination is so easy to stop. You

just have to quit being lazy, make up your mind to get it done, and just do it!

Lack of Motivation

Now there is growing concern about those talented students who might be

identified in one or many academic areas as unmotivated and underachieving. Parents

and teachers who have observed these youngsters ' exceptional potential become

intensely frustrated in their efforts to enhance the achievement, motivation and self-

discipline of the students.

The problem of gifted students who lack the motivation to take part in school or

to aspire for academic excellence is, in most cases, the product of a disparity between

the motivational characteristics of the child and the opportunities afforded in the

classroom. When the social climate of the classroom is nurturing, the content of the

curriculum is important to personal interests and is stimulating, and the instructional

process is ideal for the natural learning style of the child, usually high levels of

motivation are present (Whitemore,1986).

The Philippine Statistics Authority (2016) had reported that in Davao Region

most of the out-of-school youth are boys and their main reason is that they lack of

interest in school.

Everyone suggests other than the person lack motivation, or directly suggests

the person remain motivated. But, no one ever tells what is the motivation of how one

can stay motivated. Motivation means to face the obstacle and find an inspiration that
helps you to go through tough times. Motivation is something that cannot be

understood with words but with practice. It means to be moved by something so

strongly that it becomes an inspiration for you. Furthermore, it is a discipline that helps

you to achieve your life goals and also helps to be successful in life.