Psych Educ, Document ID: 2022PEMJ0, doi: 10.5281/zenodo.

7065825, ISSN 2822-4353

Research Article

Perception and Academic Performance of STEM Students in Learning Calculus

Bonifacio L. Giangan Jr.*, Melanie G. Gurat
For affiliations and correspondence, see the last page.

Abstract
This study aimed to determine the relationship between academic performance and students’
perceptions in learning Calculus during distance learning modality. Learning Calculus is part of
developing students' Mathematics skills and abilities towards enhancing STEM education in Senior
High School. Thirty-five (35) STEM students were purposively sampled at a public school in Davao
Region, Philippines. These students took up Pre-Calculus and Basic Calculus during pandemic. This
study used a quantitative research design, particularly the descriptive-correctional method, to analyze
the collected data. Based on the result, the level of students’ perceptions was positive, while the
level of academic performance was very satisfactory. Moreover, no significant correlation exists
between students’ perceptions and academic performance in learning calculus on distance learning.
This implies that students can perform well regardless of their perceptions in learning Calculus, in
both Pre- Calculus and Basic Calculus. However, further assessment needs to be done in their
Mathematics subjects at the Tertiary level since the modality used was not face-to-face. Appropriate
action may be considered based on the assessment result, such as bridging courses or tutorial
sessions.

Keywords: Attitudes, Basic Calculus, Modular Approach, Pre-Calculus, Distance Learning

Introduction function (Tarmizi, 2010). In addition, students also

found difficulty in function graphs and trigonometric
Learning Calculus is part of developing students’ manipulations, domain and range, values of a limit
Mathematics skills and abilities towards enhancing function, the maximum and minimum values in the
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics story matter, using integral rules, using substitution
(STEM) education in Senior High School. Ayebo et and partial integral techniques, and in the completion
al. (2016) stated that College calculus has a great deal of the volume of rotary objects (Fatimah & Yerizon,
of potential to increase the proportion of students 2019).
majoring in STEM professions. It is a prerequisite for
all STEM disciplines and, if taken effectively, should Ellis et al. (2016) found that students' top
give students a successful first year of college and a justifications for quitting the calculus program were
springboard into more challenging coursework. changing their majors and no longer needing to
Calculus subject is beneficial to both STEM and non- complete it, lacking the time and effort necessary to
STEM students for developing critical thinking and succeed in calculus, and having a bad experience with
problem-solving skills, the twin goals of mathematics differential calculus. The difficulty was identified as
education (Hagman, 2019). frequently attributed to the student's lack of confidence
College calculus has received attention in recent years, in their mathematical competence. This was supported
which has led to more emphasis on problem-solving in by Liang (2009), who said that perceptions of learning
practical contexts, increased attention to helping calculus would affect students’ performance in
students develop conceptual understanding rather than learning calculus. Understanding how students
just procedural fluency, and frequently more active perceive their mathematics learning abilities is
learning strategies used in the classroom, such as essential because it relates to mathematics
student-centered instruction and increased technology achievement (Lee & Kung, 2018).
use (Rasmussen et al., 2014). One of the greatest
Moreover, a greater challenge was faced by both
challenges facing students in learning calculus is the
students and teachers with the COVID-19 pandemic.
ability to persevere in the face of failure (Crawford et
Through the Department of Education (DepEd) Order
al., 2018) because Calculus subject is known to be a
no. 12 series of 2020, students' learning and teaching
“difficult” subject. High school students struggle to
process throughout the country shifted from face-to-
understand the mathematical content of calculus
face to distance learning. Learning modalities were
courses. This is also the case for most undergraduate
being used, such as online, TV/Radio, blended, and
students who find calculus to be a challenging topic,
modular modalities. Marber National High School, a
and they frequently misunderstand the notion of
public school in Davao Region in the Philippines, used
modular modality to ensure the continuity of the

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Psych Educ, Document ID: 2022PEMJ0, doi: 10.5281/zenodo.7065825, ISSN 2822-4353
Research Article

students' learning, providing the quality distribution of Switchers than Persisters if they believe their
modules across disciplines. Susilawati et al. (2020) instructor holds whole-class discussions infrequently.
stressed that learning Calculus in distance learning is
ineffective, particularly in online learning. Tsvigu Susilawati, Darmawan, and Desiasni (2020)
(2007) established that the learning environment could highlighted that the students' difficulty levels stayed
affect students' learning, both favorably and constant. Tang, Nor, and Voon (2013) revealed that
unfavorably, with the learning support system being Calculus learning, as perceived by the students and
the key contributing component in a distance ideas made by the lecturers to improve it and lessons
education system. Students also faced technological, in calculus, ought to be structured to relate concepts
personal, domestic, assessment, pedagogical, and theories to practical applications. On the other
consultation, and test anxiety challenges during hand, Krishnan (2016) highlighted that when learning
COVID-19 (Bringula et al., 2021). Hence, this study mathematics, students prefer the online approach, but
explored the relationship between the students’ when it comes to assessment, they prefer the
perceptions and academic performance in learning traditional mode.
Calculus on a distance learning modality.
Academic Performance
Research Questions
Based on the 2018 Program for International Students
The primary purpose of this study is to determine the Assessment (PISA) results, the Philippines performed
relationship between the student's perception and poorly under challenging courses like calculus and
academic performance in Calculus. Specifically, this came in second last overall in mathematics. Padernal
study sought to answer the following questions: and Diego (2020) revealed that regardless of the
student’s place of origin or entrance exam results,
1. What is the level of perception of learning Calculus senior high school students generally performed at an
of STEM students? average intellectual level in Pre-Calculus.
2. What is the level of academic performance of
STEM Students in learning Calculus? Further, Ayebo et al. (2016) emphasized that college
3. Is there a significant correlation between STEM calculus has a great deal of potential to increase the
students' perception and academic performance in proportion of students majoring in STEM professions.
learning Calculus? It is a prerequisite for all STEM disciplines and, if
taken effectively, should give students a successful
first year of college and a springboard into more
Literature Review challenging coursework. Meanwhile, Nasir et al.
(2018) stressed that since students frequently
memorize information rather than comprehend it, their
Students’ perception
performance is average.
Students in various situations and statuses have
Tarmizi (2010) conducted a study on visualizing
different perceptions of the foundation of the
students' difficulties in learning Calculus. He found
prerequisite knowledge in learning calculus. However,
that students do not perform well in Calculus and that
this brought a further study that may relate to how the
they need further attention, such as conducting tutorial
students or learners reveal their perception in learning
sessions to check their misconceptions of the students.
Calculus.
Similarly, Tsvigu (2007) also conducted a study on
calculus, but the experiences, and learning styles were
According to García-Santillán et al. (2016), the study
of mathematics could be analyzed from various angles. considered. Furthermore, the modality in the study
This means considering the viewpoint of the subject was distance learning. Also, Fatimah and Yerizon
matter of mathematics, student's perceptions and (2019) analyzed the student learning difficulties with
attitude, assessing their needs, attitudes, beliefs, and calculus subjects.
feelings to confront them, from the point of view of
the teachers, from the educational system, their Methodology
curricula, and the teaching-learning models involved.
Meanwhile, Ellis, Kelton, and Rasmussen (2014)
stated that when considering factors like course This study used a quantitative approach, particularly
enrollment and other background variables, the studies the descriptive-correlational design. It is descriptive
reveal that students are more likely to identify as because it aimed to describe the level of perception

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Psych Educ, Document ID: 2022PEMJ0, doi: 10.5281/zenodo.7065825, ISSN 2822-4353
Research Article

and academic performance of STEM Students in relationship between the students’ perception and
learning Calculus. These two variables were also academic performance in Calculus. Thereby, there is
correlated; hence this study was also correlational. no conflict of interest in the present study. Rest
assured that the privacy of the participants was
Participants respected, and all the data collected was treated with
the utmost confidentiality. With these, the researcher
The participants of the study were senior high school can only retrieve all the accomplished data, and
students in Marber National High School under the identification codes were used to replace the
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics respondents' names. Also, the data were only used to
strand. The purposive sampling method was used in conduct this research.
selecting the participants in this study. There were 35
STEM students suited to required characteristics or
criteria inclusion, such as participants are STEM Results
students and took up Pre-Calculus and Basic Calculus.
Level of Perception on Learning Calculus of
Sources of the Data
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
There were two sources of data used in this study. The (STEM) Students.
Likert scale questionnaire in determining the
perception of the STEM students in learning calculus Table 1 shows the mean and qualitative description of
and the record of the teachers. STEM students’ perception of learning calculus.

The research instrument was adapted from Tang et al. Table 1. Perception of STEM Students in Learning
(2013) in determining the STEM students’ Calculus
perceptions, particularly in Pre-Calculus and Basic
Calculus. The questionnaire consists of 20 items.
There are 9 negative statements (Items 6, 8,9,10,
11,12,14,16,17) and 11 positive statements in the
questionnaire. It is a 5-point Likert scale
questionnaire. The lowest scale is 1, strongly disagree,
and the highest is 5, strongly agree. The questionnaire
was reliable with an alpha value of 0.874.

Data Gathering Procedure and Data Analysis

The researcher secured a permit letter from the

principal's office to conduct the study. Once
approved, the survey questionnaire was distributed via
google form, and the responses were recorded.
Moreover, the participants would be free to withdraw
from being a respondent. The data were analyzed and
interpreted.

The ratings in the negative items of the questionnaire

were reversed. The mean was computed to determine
the level of students' perceptions and the level of
academic performance in learning calculus. Moreover,
the standard deviation was also computed. Tables 1
and 2 show the verbal interpretation of the mean. The
correlation between the level of academic performance
and students’ perceptions was explored through
As shown in Table 1, most of the positive items were
Pearson-r.
rated within 3.50-4.49. The overall weighted mean is
Ethical Considerations 3.55, which means the grade 11 and 12 students of
Marber National High School had a positive attitude
Generally, the study aimed to determine the

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Psych Educ, Document ID: 2022PEMJ0, doi: 10.5281/zenodo.7065825, ISSN 2822-4353
Research Article

towards learning Calculus even though they were approach was not positively correlated with their
taught using a modular approach. It was also observed grades in Pre-Calculus (r=.126), Basic Calculus
that the students agreed that they find it difficult to (r=.133), and their mean grade in Calculus (r=.132).
relate Calculus in the field of their study. However, However, the result also revealed a weak and not
they disagreed that Calculus is not useful and that significant correlation in Pre-calculus (p=.469), Basic
studying it is a waste of time. For other positive and Calculus (p=.446), and the mean grade (p=.448). This
negative statements, the students were undecided implies that there was no significant correlation
whether they agreed or disagreed with the statements. between the perception of the STEM students in
learning Calculus and their grades.
Level of Academic Performance of STEM Students
in Learning Calculus
Discussion
Table 2 shows the students' level of performance in the
calculus subjects. The students’ perceptions of learning Calculus were
positive. This contradicts the result of Ellis et al.
Table 2. Academic Performance of the Senior High
(2016) that students had a lack of confidence in
School Students learning Calculus. Despite the positive result in
learning Calculus using a modular approach, according
to Krishnan (2016), face-to-face training helps the
students learn and understand mathematical ideas more
effectively since they feel more at ease communicating
with their peers and the teacher in this setting. Ayebo
et al. (2016) added that students also retain
information better when they can relate it to actual
problems.
As gleaned in Table 2, the level of the academic
The senior high school students under the STEM
performance of 35 STEM students was 89 in their Pre-
strand had a very satisfactory performance in Calculus
calculus and Basic Calculus subjects. The overall
in learning through modular modality. This shows that
grade in Calculus was 89. This is qualitatively
the senior high school students under the STEM strand
described as very satisfactory. This implies that
had very satisfactory performance in applying
students performed well in their calculus subject even
concepts and solving problems involving conic
during modular distance learning.
sections, systems of nonlinear equations, series and
mathematical induction, circular and trigonometric
Correlation between perception and academic
functions, trigonometric identities, and polar
performance of STEM students in learning Calculus
coordinate systems. The result in the study of
Table 3 shows the correlation between STEM students' Padernal and Diego (2020) was only an average
intellectual level in Pre-Calculus. The possible reason
perception and academic performance in learning
Calculus. was the lessons were only memorized but not
comprehended (Nasir et al., 2018).
Table 3. Correlation between the level of students’
Moreover, Tarmizi (2010) found the students have
perception and the level of academic performance of
difficulty understanding functions. Moreover, they
STEM students in learning Calculus also had very satisfactory performance in determining
the limit of a function, differentiating, and integrating
algebraic, exponential, logarithmic, and trigonometric
functions in one variable, and formulating and solving
problems involving continuity, extreme values, related
rates, population models, and areas of plane regions.
This contradicts Fatimah and Yerizon (2019) who
found that students’ difficulty in function graphs and
As shown in Table 3, the perception of the STEM trigonometric manipulations, domain and range, values
students in learning Calculus through a modular of a limit function, the maximum and minimum values
in the story matter, using integral rules, using
substitution and partial integral techniques, and in the

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Research Article

completion of the volume of rotary objects. Since students may be measured again as a diagnostic
Tsvigu (2007) said that the distance education system assessment in Mathematics at the Tertiary level to
could affect students' learning favorably and determine what lessons needs to be given emphasis.
unfavorably. In this study, the result reveals that the Possible interventions can also be done, such as
distance learning education system favorably affects offering bridging courses for those who cannot get a
the students' performance in Calculus. In addition, passing score on the diagnostic test.
even if the STEM students faced technological,
personal, domestic, assessment, pedagogical,
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46(4):507-515 Affiliations and Corresponding Information

Republic of the Philippines. Official Gazette, Proclamation 929. Bonifacio Giangan Jr.
Declaring a State of Calamity Throughout the Philippines Due to Saint Mary’s University
Corona Virus Disease 2019.
Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines
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effectiveness of online calculus 2 learning during the Covid-19 Melanie Gurat, PhD
pandemic. Journal of Physics: Conference Series , 1657(1), Saint Mary’s University
012089. Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines
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