Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
National Capital Region
Division of City Schools – Valenzuela
VALENZUELA CITY SCHOOL OF MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE
A. Pablo St., Malinta, Valenzuela City
Telefax: 291-5591 / 942-9360
Email: [email protected]
A member of Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) 50x3 Schools’ Network

Phenomenology: A study of lived experiences of STEM students from Valenzuela City School of

Mathematics and Science who planned to pursue incompatible college courses

A Qualitative Concept Paper

presented to the Science Department of

Valenzuela City School of Mathematics and Science

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements in the subject

PRACTICAL RESEARCH I

Ramos, Aera Cassandra O.

11-Confucius

Mary Ann Fernandez

Research Adviser

March 14, 2023

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[email protected]
www.valscience.webs.com
 Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
National Capital Region
Division of City Schools – Valenzuela
VALENZUELA CITY SCHOOL OF MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE
A. Pablo St., Malinta, Valenzuela City
Telefax: 291-5591 / 942-9360
Email: [email protected]
A member of Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) 50x3 Schools’ Network

Rationale

There are three options for the senior high school academic track. The STEM (Science,

Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) strand is one of them. This strand provides students with the

fundamentals necessary for the four fields, as the name clearly states. Problem-solving, logical thinking,

critical thinking, and innovation are among the skills promoted (Bernal, 2021). Education in STEM

extends beyond the school environment. It provides a skill set that controls our thoughts and actions.

STEM education, which combines science, technology, engineering, and math, aids in resolving the

problems that the world is currently facing (Norris, 2022).

In order to complete a college degree, college students typically need four (4) years, but this

amount of time can occasionally increase to six (6) years or even longer. As a result, it is essential to

choose a college course that corresponds to the student's senior high school track. The curriculum of a

traditional university frequently focuses on distinct subject matter taught through compartmentalized

academic disciplines. However, we are all aware that the problems facing our complex world do not

neatly fit within these disciplines (Nelson, 2021). This results in various job mismatches that are

happening in our society. The interaction between a person's needs, values, and expectations on the one

hand, and the traits and benefits of their job on the other, leads to job mismatches (Graham, 2013).

Another perspective to see are the personal and environmental factors that affect a student’s decision in

taking a college course. It can be resources such as money and materials, the strength and weaknesses,

and many more.

(02) 8291-5591
[email protected]
www.valscience.webs.com
 Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
National Capital Region
Division of City Schools – Valenzuela
VALENZUELA CITY SCHOOL OF MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE
A. Pablo St., Malinta, Valenzuela City
Telefax: 291-5591 / 942-9360
Email: [email protected]
A member of Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) 50x3 Schools’ Network

This study aims to explore the reasons and experience of STEM students from Valenzuela City

School of Mathematics and Science who planned to pursue incompatible college courses. Once these are

known, seminars and ample knowledge on this field can be conducted to aid the problem. This study may

help in the improvement of the students in choosing a college course considering their SHS track and to

teachers and instructors in guiding their students in this matter.

SOP

It is crucial to choose aligned college courses based on the SHS strand that a student will take. However,

there are factors that may affect their decision-making in this part. This study aims to describe and

understand the experiences and factors in deciding of STEM students who will pursue incompatible

college courses. Specifically, it aims to answer the following questions:

1. Why do you take the STEM strand if you planned to pursue an incompatible college

course?

1.1. Before taking the STEM strand, are you still undecided on what you will take in

college, resulting in pursuing incompatible college courses?

2. Are you aware that you’ll be taking a STEM strand despite it not being aligned to your

desired college course?

2.1. What are the factors that made you decide to take the STEM strand despite having a

college course in mind that is not aligned to the said strand?

(02) 8291-5591
[email protected]
www.valscience.webs.com
 Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
National Capital Region
Division of City Schools – Valenzuela
VALENZUELA CITY SCHOOL OF MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE
A. Pablo St., Malinta, Valenzuela City
Telefax: 291-5591 / 942-9360
Email: [email protected]
A member of Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) 50x3 Schools’ Network

Scope and Delimitation

This study mainly focused on the experiences of STEM students who will pursue incompatible

college courses. The participants that were selected are only among the senior high school students from

Valenzuela City School of Mathematics and Science. In order to make it convenient for both the

participants and the researchers, the study was carried out at the aforementioned school.

Methods

Creating a survey form

The researchers will create a survey on who among the STEM students from Valenzuela City

School of Mathematics and Science will pursue incompatible college courses. The utilization of google

forms and quick interviews will be done. The survey form is expected to have – responses from Grade 11

Batch Hiraya, and – responses from Grade 12 Batch Alpas (SHS Batches 2022-2023)

Gathering of Participants

After gathering responses, 20 participants were recruited for this study from Valenzuela City

School of Mathematics and Science. Only Senior High School students studying under the STEM track

who will pursue incompatible college courses were given the opportunity to participate. This is done to

ensure that participants can adequately address the issues and experiences STEM students face on making

a decision of pursuing incompatible college courses.

Data Collection

(02) 8291-5591
[email protected]
www.valscience.webs.com
 Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
National Capital Region
Division of City Schools – Valenzuela
VALENZUELA CITY SCHOOL OF MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE
A. Pablo St., Malinta, Valenzuela City
Telefax: 291-5591 / 942-9360
Email: [email protected]
A member of Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) 50x3 Schools’ Network

The selected participants will be informed of the purpose and methodology of the study and given

the option of participating or not. The researchers will guarantee the candidates' privacy will be upheld.

The researchers' method will involve conducting a structured interview with each participant. As implied

by its name, every applicant is subjected to the same set of interview questions during this style of

interview (Smith, 2020). Structured interviews make it simple to compare the opinions of various

participants. Additionally, it is for the researchers' convenience since the questions will be ready before

the interview. For the purpose of transcription, the interviews will be audio recorded.

Research Design

According to Flick et al. (2004), qualitative research makes the claim that it can "explain

life-worlds from the inside out," from the viewpoint of the participants. By highlighting processes,

meaning patterns, and structural components, it seeks to accomplish this while also advancing knowledge

of social reality. Phenomenology was used as the research design in this study. Phenomenology studies

observations, perceptions, and other aspects of conscious experience, including judgments, emotions, and

feelings (Balls, 2009, as cited in Connelly, 2010). The goal of phenomenology is to describe how

particular people experience a phenomenon as well as their feelings and thoughts about it. From the

viewpoint of the participants, the conclusion is explained. However, the researcher may still reach a set of

conclusions that can be used to identify recurring patterns in the phenomena being studied (Hoover,

2021). In this study, the researchers will use structured interviews to obtain data from the participants,

particularly their viewpoints in their experience as STEM students who planned to pursue incompatible

college courses.. Hence, the research design used in this study is phenomenology.

(02) 8291-5591
[email protected]
www.valscience.webs.com
 Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
National Capital Region
Division of City Schools – Valenzuela
VALENZUELA CITY SCHOOL OF MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE
A. Pablo St., Malinta, Valenzuela City
Telefax: 291-5591 / 942-9360
Email: [email protected]
A member of Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) 50x3 Schools’ Network

Appendices

Figure 1: Concept Map in conceptualizing the topic of the study

(02) 8291-5591
[email protected]
www.valscience.webs.com
 Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
National Capital Region
Division of City Schools – Valenzuela
VALENZUELA CITY SCHOOL OF MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE
A. Pablo St., Malinta, Valenzuela City
Telefax: 291-5591 / 942-9360
Email: [email protected]
A member of Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) 50x3 Schools’ Network

References

Bernal, M. J. (1970, January 1). College Courses You Can Pursue if You Took the STEM Strand in SHS.

Candymag.com.

https://www.candymag.com/lifestyle/college-courses-for-stem-a1734-20210926-lfrm2

Connelly, L. M. (2010). What is phenomenology? Medsurg Nursing : Official Journal of the Academy of

Medical-Surgical Nurses, 19(2), 127–128.

Flick, U., Von Kardoff, E., & Steinke, I. (2004). A Companion to Qualitative Research. SAGE.

Hoover, L. (2021, October 29). 5 Qualitative Research Designs and Research Methods. GCU.

https://www.gcu.edu/blog/doctoral-journey/5-qualitative-research-designs-and-research-methods

How higher education can do better at developing skills for the workplace. (2022, November 17). THE

Campus Learn, Share, Connect.

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/how-higher-education-can-do-better-developing-s

kills-workplace

Literature Review Exploring Job Mismatch and Income, | DEEP 2022. (n.d.).

https://deep.idrc.ocadu.ca/literature-review-exploring-job-mismatch-and-income/#:~:text=Job%2

0mismatches%20result%20from%20the,on%20the%20other%20%5B11%5D.

Smith, A. (2022, June 14). Differences Between Structured, Unstructured and Semi-Structured Interviews.

Comeet.

https://www.comeet.com/resources/blog/structured-unstructured-semi-structured-interviews#:~:te

xt=Advantages%20and%20Disadvantages%20of%20Structured%20Interviews&text=The%20be

nefits%20include%3A,with%20questions%20on%20the%20spot.

(02) 8291-5591
[email protected]
www.valscience.webs.com
 Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
National Capital Region
Division of City Schools – Valenzuela
VALENZUELA CITY SCHOOL OF MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE
A. Pablo St., Malinta, Valenzuela City
Telefax: 291-5591 / 942-9360
Email: [email protected]
A member of Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) 50x3 Schools’ Network

Why Is STEM Important? The Impact of STEM Education on Society. (n.d.).

https://www.studyusa.com/en/a/2157/why-is-stem-important-the-impact-of-stem-education-on-so

ciety

(02) 8291-5591
[email protected]
www.valscience.webs.com