La Consolacion University Philippines

Malolos City, Bulacan 3000

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR RESEARCH and INNOVATION

COMPLETED RESEARCH PAPER FORM

RESEARCH TITLE

A Qualitative Study on the Lived Experiences of Post-Graduate Students

Under the DOST Scholarship Program

RESEARCH AGENDA:

Theme 9: Transformative Education

ABSTRACT:

Keywords:

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INTRODUCTION

Scholarships provide vital financial support for undergraduate students who may
lack the resources to afford higher education. According to DOST (2023), they are
increasing their resources in order to mandate 55,460 scholars around the country.
However, according to Manalo (2024), ever since 2020, scholars have been receiving
delayed scholarships, and organizations have been voicing out about it. This leads to
questioning the reliability of the program and its accountability if they are able to support
their scholars. The current years have integrated technology in the field of education. A
number of scholars may be unable to meet the requirements of online classes and have
the resources for them. The Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging
Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD) wanted people to take online
training amidst the pandemic during that time. Which meant that certain scholarship
programs were already prepared for them.

Due to the number of underperforming students, it has recently been difficult for the
DOST to request funds. This has led to the delay of their undergraduate scholars’ stipends
(Insufficient Funds Delay Release of DOST Scholars Stipend — Official). This further
questions the reliability of the program and their resources to provide for all their
undergraduate students, alumni, and postgraduate students. According to Abella (2024),
there was a 2 month delay, and afterwards the scholars of DOST got stipends. This has
caused the scholar students to have a hard time with the budget given to them during
the delay. If the scholar students themselves were affected, how affected are the
postgraduates? The program’s reliability is already ambiguous, so all in all, this raises the
question of what we can expect for the program.

One of the main challenges DOST postgraduate students face is balancing their
return service agreement (RSA) due to the fact that some of them lack the necessary
training for the jobs they are assigned to, like engineers and scientists who are required to
teach, but since most of them do not have a strong background in education, they find it
difficult to handle teaching tasks Condino et al. (2023). This situation leads to personal
stress and lowers job satisfaction during the service period. Additionally, scholars are
sometimes placed in roles that do not match their area of expertise, causing a
disconnection of their training and demands of the job. As Hamengkubuwono et al.
(2022) pointed out, this stress, combined with the pressure of their service obligation, can
lead to burnout, which reduces the effectiveness of the program.

Furthermore, the lack of funds for the Department of Science and Technology-
Science and Education Institute's (DOST-SEI) scholarship program because of the
arguments for additional cash from the Department of Budget and Management (BDM)
causes delayed release of the scholar's stipends. However, the problem often comes
from the universities, where the student did not fulfill the submission of grades. This results in

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a negative effect on the student's determination and degree completion. Lastly, some
students do not have the equal means to consume all unexpected changes and
adaptations they create to survive the virtual learning. Students find it challenging
because of events they face in their learning methods. According to Riastuti R.D. and
colleagues (2021), the existence of various obstacles faced by students makes students
feel difficult and hampered in participating in the online lecture process, which can
cause the emergence of various perceptions of students who are different from one
another. Specifically, DOST scholars often experience challenges related to technology
access, as highlighted by Abella (2024), who found that inadequate internet connectivity
significantly hinders their ability to engage fully in their studies. Furthermore, a study by
Ramos and Santiago (2023) indicates that the stress associated with fulfilling the return
service agreement (RSA) can lead to increased anxiety, affecting both their academic
performance and mental health. Additionally, the lack of personalized support in online
learning environments may leave DOST scholars feeling isolated, as noted by De Guzman
et al. (2022), which can further complicate their educational experience. These factors
collectively underscore the need for enhanced support systems tailored to the unique
challenges faced by DOST scholarship recipients in their academic pursuits.

This qualitative study aims to enlighten the public on the personal lived experiences
of post-graduate students under the DOST (Department of Science and Technology)
scholarship program. The goal is to provide clear information about the struggles and
give further context for the real-world experiences of recent graduates and details how
the program continues to support them as well as scholar students. Furthermore, its
objective is to raise awareness for those who want to be a scholar under the DOST. It is for
them to have ideas or insights to what experiences they may encounter or have faced
when they enter the scholarship program. This research also seeks to highlight the unique
challenges post-graduate scholars face in navigating both academic responsibilities and
financial constraints. By shedding light on these personal accounts, the study aspires to
influence policy decisions regarding scholarship fund allocation and program structure.
Ultimately, the findings may contribute to a broader understanding of how to better
support scholars in achieving academic and career success.

This study aims to provide information about post graduate students and the
experiences they had being a DOST scholar. By seeking information about these students,
it can enhance the knowledge of those who want to be a DOST scholar themselves. On
the other hand, this research highlights UNESCO’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
of the United Nations, which is the number 4 (Ensure Inclusive and equitable quality
education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all). Theoretically, this research
can provide a clearer illustration of the personal experiences of post-graduate, leading
to the expansion of curiosity in the field to furthermore explore the experiences of the
scholars. The findings of this research will further contribute to the improvement of the

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program, and could lead to enhance other scholarship programs as well. Additionally, this
study can offer new insights into how scholarship programs can better support student
success, particularly in balancing academic and financial challenges. Through these
contributions, the research can serve as a foundation for further academic inquiry into the
intersection of scholarships, student well-being, and educational outcomes.

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

Below is the conceptual paradigm of the study about the lived experiences of post-
graduate students under the DOST program, attached to it is, 1) Enhancement of the
educational quality, 2) Pros and cons of being a scholar, 3) Allowances of students, and
4) Challenges of being under the program.

This study delves into the different experiences of post graduate students under the
“DOST” program. It emphasizes how different scholars develop their skills while being
under the program. Other variables may affect the students performance, personal lives,
and financial expenses. There are possible obstacles for students to overcome due to the
limitations of the program, it also highlights the advantages and disadvantages of the
students. Furthermore, the study also gives insight on what experiences they will
encounter and along with that, it points out how the education quality is.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The information about the experiences of post graduates is limited. The lack of

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knowledge in this field lacks valuable information for future researchers.

Central Question - How do postgraduate students describe their experience being under
the “DOST” scholarship program

Probing Questions:
1. What are the pros and cons of being a scholar under the DOST scholarship
program?
2. How does the DOST scholarship programs enhance the quality of education for
postgraduate students?
3. Is the allowance provided by the scholarship program enough for the educational
expenses of postgraduate students?
4. What challenges rise among postgraduate students as they undergo the
program, and how do these challenges affect them?

SCOPE AND DELIMITATION

This study looks into the personal experiences of post-graduate students under the
DOST scholarship program. The research is intended to explore the different perspectives,
challenges and personal experiences of students who are currently under the program.
Additionally, it addresses the pros and cons and the overall quality of being a DOST
scholar. The respondents of the study are the post-graduate students under the DOST
scholarship, excluding those who are not part of the DOST program or who are, but are
not a postgraduate student. This research study would be conducted in Malolos,
Bulacan, and it will be conducted this year 2024, specific dates are yet to be determined.
METHODOLOGY

METHODS AND TECHNIQUES OF THE STUDY

This research is qualitative in nature as this study aims to explore the lived
experiences of postgraduate students under the DOST scholarship program. It focuses on
understanding personal point of view and the challenges the student faces, providing
comprehensive and clear insights into their real world experiences. Studies approach is
standard, pose questions based on personal experiences or perspective of the subject,
make systematic selections from existing literature, collect and analyze data, read key
texts closely, make interpretations, move between theory and evidence to connect
them, meaning qualitative research is regarded as an ongoing or adaptive process in
which improvement in comprehension to the scientific community is achieved through
the discernment of new relevant differences as result of further investigation of the study.
(Aspers & Corte, 2021). The research work contained within the primary document
exhibits the fundamental features of qualitative research which intends to delve into the

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experiences of individuals. Qualitative researchers as described by Aspers and Corte
(2021) focus on participating in the activity and thus base their understanding on refined
and elaborate perceptions of the participant. The purpose of this study is to gather
particular information on the academic life and struggles of DOST students, which is why
there is an explicit preference for the use of the qualitative approach over the numerical
one so as to appreciate the complexity of their reality . The Phenomenological approach
has been employed as the research methodology with the focus on post-graduate
students on the DOST scholarship program. This is in line with the objective of capturing
how the participants experience their academics, which is in line with phenomenology
which aims at understanding the subjective perspectives of individuals so as to explain
their experiences fully.

RESPONDENTS OF THE STUDY

The data will be coming from the key informants, the post graduates students who
are under the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). In relation to this, the
target number of post-graduate sharing their experiences will be about 20 people,
however, this is simply a target and it can vary depending on the collection of data. The
choosing of the key informants will be done by using the purposive sampling technique.
In this sampling technique, the researchers have the privilege to choose or pick whoever
they want to interview, it involves the judgment of the researchers to choose the best
possible person for their research (McCombes 2019). The researchers will make use of this
since it will ensure that the key respondents are only those who are suited to provide
insights for the topic. Following this, the researchers created a criteria to ensure that the
best possible candidate will be chosen to be one of the key informants of the study. 1)
Post-graduate students under the DOST scholarship program, this does not include those
who are not post-graduate students and those who are not under the DOST program.
and 2) Students who are willing to share their experiences being part of the DOST
scholarship program and be a part of the study.

INSTRUMENTS OF THE STUDY

The researchers will utilize a structured interview in this qualitative study. This type of
interview is a formal set of questions to interview the respondent using a standardized
procedure. A structured interview is a data collection method that uses questions in a set
order to collect data on a topic and to easily compare the responses from the
respondent in a uniform context (George & Merkus,2022). Using a structured interview in
qualitative research will predetermine the questions, which makes the questioning more
systematic and prepared. Since structured interviews use patterns on data that was
collected from the respondents, it is already possible to find the main point of the
interview, which helps reduce the time needed to perform the interview and resources to

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fill to make up for the analysis. With this, the researchers will abide by the following
protocols during the interview:

● The researchers will set a time and place for the interview.
● The researchers will invite the key informant to an interview.
● The key informants will sign a consent form stating that they are approving of
being interviewed by the researchers.
● The estimated time of the interview is around 15 to 20 minutes.
● After the interview, the information gathered will be used in the research.

DATA GATHERING PROCEDURE

The objective of this research is to explore and understand the lived experiences of
post-graduate students under the DOST scholarship program. The study aims to uncover
how the scholarship impacts their academic journey, the challenges they face, and the
opportunities they receive through this support system. The following procedure will be
used by the researchers in gathering the data.

1. Choosing participants: The researchers will select participants who are

currently receiving the DOST scholarship, ensuring that they have experiences
with the program. This approach will help in gathering meaningful insights for
the study.

2. Picking the data collection method: The team will decide to use structured
interviews as the best way to collect information. This method will allow
participants to openly share their thoughts and experiences, while still
keeping the conversation focused on important details.

3. Preparing the interview questions: A set of questions will be prepared to

explore how the scholarship has impacted the participants academic and
personal lives. Before the interviews, the researchers will make sure to get
participants' consent and ensure they understand the study and feel
comfortable sharing their experiences.

4. Conducting the interviews: The interviews will be conducted either in

person or online, depending on what works best for each participant. This will
give both the researchers and participants more flexibility, making the
process smoother for everyone.

5. Taping the Conversations: After conducting interviews, all conversations

taped within a short time to ensure that all details gathered will be correctly

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 analyzed.

6. Data analysis: This study applied thematic analysis whereby patterns and
recurrent themes are derived from responses given by participants.

7. Validation of Findings: Findings are released to respondents to validate

their views and perspectives, thereby increasing the validity of the results.

DATA PROCESSING & STATISTICAL TREATMENT OF DATA

In this study, the researchers will be using thematic analysis in order to analyze the
data. Thematic analysis is a qualitative process wherein the recurring patterns and
themes are identified. It also looks into different interpretations and subjects in order to
extract the meaning. This analysis will be used since, in order to analyze and do the
interview, it will be necessary to find the recurring patterns and themes to answer the
questions in this study. Furthermore, this research will use Colazzi's phenomenological
method. This approach is a qualitative research method that looks over patterns and
themes, just like thematic analysis; its different variations and the suitable questions that
go under it are important for this type of analysis. Colazzi’s method, including the
descriptive one, helps researchers describe the people’s experience of a phenomenon
and is used in social science. (Bachkirova et al., 2020). This study includes social factors
and people's experiences that Collazi’s method has. It needs to describe people's
experiences and find the patterns that very well answer the questions of this research.

ETHICAL CONSIDERATION/S

The objective of this study is to explore and understand the personal experiences of
post graduate students who are under the DOST scholarship program, therefore, this
research aims to identify the challenges they face, support received, and how the
scholarship affects their academic journey. The study follows the ethical considerations
below;

1. The key informants of the study will be provided a thorough explanation of the
study's goal and objectives.

2. The participants will be informed as to why they were chosen to be a part of the
study.

3. They will be revealing sensitive information about their personal experiences

making it a possible risk for the informants identity.

4. By participating in this study, the post-graduate's experiences or concerns could

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 be voiced out to more people which would be beneficial to them or anyone who
will become a postgraduate student from the program in the future.

5. Researchers will handle participants' responses with sensitivity and respect.

6. The identity of the participants will be kept anonymous and confidential.

7. In order to protect the participants’ privacy, the participants will be given a

consent and agreement form stating that they are willing to provide information
along with giving permission for them to be recorded.

8. The participants will be asked for consent before proceeding with the interview.

9. The participants are free to withdraw from the interview at any time.

10. The participants are allowed to refuse any questions asked by the researchers.

11. The participants will be given a copy of the study's result if they please to.

12. The participants are free to ask questions.

13. The data collected will be properly kept and disposed accordingly.

14. Researchers will regularly check in to address participants' concerns and

prioritize their well-being.
RESULTS and DISCUSSIONS

LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

Conclusions

Recommendations

REFERENCES

ABS-CBN News. (2020, May 18). DOST offers scholarship for online data
science courses. https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/18/20/dost-offers-scholarship-
for-online-data-science-courses

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 ABS-CBN News. (2024, May 20). DOST offers scholarship for online data
science courses. ABS-CBN News. https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/18/20/dost-
offers-scholarship-for-online-data-science-courses

Cheerobie B. Aranas, & Rina J. Arcigal. (2022, May). Academic Performance of

DOST Scholars of Laguna State Polytechnic University: Basis for Intervention
Program Formulation. UIJRT - International Journal - Open Access - ISSN: 2582-6832.
https://uijrt.com/articles/v3/i5/UIJRTV3I50001.pdf

Flores, D. N. (2024, September 6). Insufficient funds delay release of DOST scholars'
stipend — official. Philstar.com.
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2024/09/06/2383299/insufficient-funds-delay-
release-dost-scholars-stipend-official?
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1yqoy1JqDMOfaZQPUhc_aem_e5YiCdLoMHWNhLTJePx8PQ

Insufficient funds delay release of DOST scholars' stipend — official. (2024,

September 6). Philstar.com | Latest Philippine news and multimedia.
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2024/09/06/2383299/insufficient-funds-delay-
release-dost-scholars-stipend-official/amp/

Platforms, E. P. (2024, September 7). DOST scholars’ stipend delay due to budget
rise decline. Explained PH | Youth-Driven Journalism.
https://www.explained.ph/2024/09/dost-scholars-stipend-delay-due-to-budget-
rise-decline.html?m=1#:~:text=Scholars%20are%20entitled%20to%20tuition,pushed
%20back%20due%20to%20delays

Rose Anne G. Yanuario. (2023, July 25). 55,460 DOST scholars get financial aid,
Indigenous People given equal opportunity. www.dost.gov.ph.
https://www.dost.gov.ph/knowledge-resources/news/78-2023-news/3272-55-460-
dost-scholars-get-financial-aid-indigenous-people-given-equal-opportunity.html?
fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR2FMn-
X938XfNR1mnLx6VfozwwBgT_xyN_zdfLuJJIQA5gsLsIIOWfASWU_aem_0z_Udzofb9U
QDAcdbVGpwA#:~:text=The%20Department%20of%20Science

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 %20and,undergraduate%20and%20graduate%20levels%2C%20in

UNESCO and sustainable development goals. (2024, September 4). UNESCO :

Building Peace through Education, Science and Culture, communication and
information. https://www.unesco.org/en/sdgs?
fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR2eKHs22nmLviNJnX6Cg_oN3hIXAQfWmF_UHWdb
owKHuBVNK39BKwYa3LY_aem_rnBqZGdAZliQel7N5n9tUw

UPD scholars get DOST stipend after two-month delay. (2024, July 28). Philippine
Collegian. https://phkule.org/article/1257/upd-scholars-get-dost-stipend-after-
two-month-delay
Vyan david abella. (2024, July 28). UPD scholars get DOST stipend after two-
month delay. Philippine Collegian. https://phkule.org/article/1257/upd-scholars-
get-dost-stipend-after-two-month-delay?
fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0GStBcIrB6pBcquca_WWnCvwYPULQ98MYRn86
QgKxuvxwF6n5qpBZU-VI_aem_4UvvB-4cLEscnlKaSLywjA

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Date:

Declaration of Absence of Conflict of Interest

A conflict of interest arises when personal considerations could potentially influence my research judgment,
conduct, or reporting.

I hereby declare that I have no personal conflicts of interest directly affecting this research project.

This includes but is not limited to:

● Financial interests: I have no personal financial interests (e.g., stocks, patents, consulting fees) that
benefited from the outcome of this research.
● Employment or affiliation: I have no employment or affiliation with any other organization that
benefited from the research findings.
● Personal relationships: I have no close personal relationships with individuals or organizations involved
in the research area that influenced my objectivity.

I understand that potential conflicts of interest must be promptly disclosed to the Office of the Vice President
for Research and Innovation.

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___Without revisions
___With recommendation for grammar checking
___With revisions on the following:

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Reviewer’s Recommendation/s:

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