Difficulties of Grade 11 STEM Students on their Major Subjects: Precalculus and

Basic Calculus

A Research Proposal
Presented to the
Faculty of Senior High School Department
ACLC College of Mandaue
Mandaue City

In Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirements for
PRACTICAL RESEARCH 1

Canete, Arman – 90, 87

Calero, Christian – 82, 87
Daclan, Clark Jade – 87, 95
Daligdig, John Anton – 86, 95
Gabayan, Clarence – 86, 87
Lucero, Elda Joyce – 85, 95
Marababol, David Kent – 100, 95
Notarte, Trisha Mae – 75, 87
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The researchers would like to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation to
these following individuals who made significant contributions and offered support in the
successful completion of this research project:

First of all, we would like to thank God, the Almighty, who guides and blesses us
throughout to our research journey and successful accomplishments.

The researchers would also like to extend heartfelt appreciation to our research
adviser, Sir Joey Sasing for his guidance and support throughout this research project.
His intelligent suggestions and knowledge helped us a lot in completing our research.

The researchers would also like to extend special thanks to our families for
always being there for us and for giving us the space to work on our research project.
They were very understanding and let us focus on our work, which helped us complete
our research successfully.

The researchers would also like to extend our thanks to our friends for being
there for us and for cheering us on throughout this research project. They were very
supportive and always willing to help and give us ideas about the research. We are
grateful for their contributions they had on our research process.

Lastly, we would like to express our gratitude to our research team members for
their hard work, dedication, and collaboration throughout this research project. Their
help was extremely important in helping us complete our research objectives, and we
appreciate the time and effort they put into this project.
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title page i

Acknowledgments ii

Table of Contents iii

CHAPTER 1: THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE 1

Rationale 1

Background of the Study 2

Theoretical Framework 4

Statement of the Problem 6

Scope and Limitations 7

Significance of the Study 8

Definition of Terms 9
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Chapter I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE

INTRODUCTION

Rationale

Struggles are a way to let one’s self improve. Problems are often faced by every
student. As students gradually go into higher levels of education they will face an even
harder obstacle on their path. In senior high school, it is the preparation of students for
college. Every student must go through senior high school and pick a strand that aligns
the course that they want to take.

Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), is also known as the

hardest strand in the field of academic track based on what majority of the senior high
school student’s opinion. The STEM strand studies focus more on science and
engineering. STEM students often face difficulties on their major subjects especially on
their math related subject. These major flaws occur on these students because they
lack of understanding on the topic.

This study aims to dive in deeper on how the grade 11 STEM students
experience complication on their major subjects specifically in their precalculus and
basic calculus subjects. Moreover, some complications faced by these STEM students
also helps them to be more prepared for the incoming difficulties to occur on a higher
level of education. Students who struggles on their major subject may possibly lack of
knowledge of the concepts, complicated formulas and processes, and confusion in
understanding mathematical problems.
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Background of the Study

The researchers conducted a research problem that the majority of the STEM
students faces. The STEM in senior high school is a strand focusing in Science,
Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. It is known that STEM is one of the hardest
strands in senior high school because of the major subjects. STEM students receive low
scores or low grades mainly on their major subjects because of how difficult and
challenging it is for one to handle. Based on the experiences and observations of the
researchers, it is the major subjects that are difficult to handle because it requires a
deep understanding and critical thinking skills. The most difficult major subject in Grade
11 senior high school STEM strand is the pre-calculus and basic calculus because it
involves advanced mathematical concepts and problem-solving techniques that can be
challenging even for those students who excels in mathematics.

The fact that basic calculus is open to everything pertaining to the complicated
fields of mathematics is one of the factors that renders it challenging to study. Up to the
second year of senior high school, the general harshness of the strand stem will persist,
resulting in additional complexity to deal with. As a result, it gives you the bravery and
knowledge you need to go through such challenging circumstances.

Pre-calculus and basic calculus are advanced math subjects that require a strong
foundation in algebra, trigonometry, and other math concepts. The fact that pre-calculus
and basic calculus is open to everything pertaining to the complicated fields of
mathematics is one of the factors that renders it challenging to study.

Some Grade 11 senior high school STEM students may struggle in pre-calculus
and basic calculus to understand the new concepts or may not have acquired the
appropriate techniques to successfully solve the problems effectively. Pre-calculus and
basic calculus require a high level of understanding and critical thinking skills of
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mathematical concepts. Students who are not prepared for this level of challenge may
struggle to keep up with the coursework and may need additional support and guidance
to help them succeed.

Overall, pre-calculus and basic calculus is the most difficult major subjects in
Grade 11 senior high school STEM strand because of how demanding and challenging
it is to study. Up to the second year of senior high school, the general harshness of the
STEM strand will persist, resulting in additional complexity to deal with. As a result, it
gives you the bravery and knowledge you need to go through such challenging
circumstances.
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Theoretical Framework

In this study, the theory that will be used is the Walberg's Theory of Educational
Productivity in 1981 and Cognitive Load Theory in 1988 by John Sweller, as these
theories align the idea with our research objectives. This theory supports our aim of
investigating the difficulties of grade 11 STEM students. After analyzing, we will
differentiate the study from ours. Then, we'll sum up the theory of Walberg’s Theory of
Educational Productivity and Cognitive Load Theory to get a better idea of these
student’s difficulties on their major subject which are the precalculus and basic calculus
subjects.

According to Walberg’s (1981) Model of Educational Productivity, it tackles about

the influences on learning that affects the academic performance of a student. A
student’s academic productivity depends on many variables. Walberg et al. have
identified key variables that effect student outcomes: student ability/prior achievement,
motivation, age/developmental level, quantity of instruction, quality of instruction,
classroom climate, home environment, peer group, and exposure to mass media
outside of school (Walberg, Fraser & Welch, 1986). In the first three variables (ability,
motivation, and age) reflect characteristics of the student. The fourth and fifth variables
(quantity and quality) reflect instruction, and the final four variables (classroom climate,
home environment, peer group, and exposure to media) represent aspects of the
psychological environment (DiPerna et al., 2002). He explained that these variables
have a certain effect that might cause problems with the academic performance of
students if it will not be properly guided. Giving importance with a certain variable can
mean a big impact with the student’s academic performance.

In John Sweller’s Cognitive Load Theory (CLT) suggests that our working
memory is only able to hold a limited amount of information at any one time and that
instructional methods should avoid overloading it in order to maximize learning. Working
memory poses significant constraints on human learning due to its limitations in
processing capacity and duration. Studies have also shown that working memory
processing capacity is closely associated with the availability of its cognitive resources.
In this theory, there are three types of load, Intrinsic Load, Extraneous Load and
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Germane Load. Intrinsic cognitive load refers to the degree of difficulty inherent in a
learning event. Are the ways that the information is presented to the students. Germane
cognitive load refers to the effort needed to transfer short-term information to long-term
knowledge and understanding via schemas (Clark and Kimmons, n.d.)

The Cognitive Load Theory and Walberg’s Theory of Educational Productivity

relates in some ways that connect to this study. The Cognitive Theory asserts that there
is a limit of how much information that the student’s working memory can handle and
how the information is presented can affect and require may require a great amount of
working memory while Walberg’s Theory of Educational Productivity relates the limit of
the student’s ability to handle the information and the clarity and amount of information
that the teacher provides to the students. Outside factors can also affect the student’s
cognitive performance like noises, watching videos, social medias, and other type of
distraction.

The student’s difficulties of understanding the precalculus and basic calculus can
be, due to the fact that the teachers strain the students or overloading them with too
much information. It can depend on how clear the teachers presented the information to
the students. The fact that students can also be the factors of why they do not
understand the topic such as they lack of interest or the ability of understanding the
topic.
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THE PROBLEM

Statement of the Problem

This study seeks to explore the difficulties of grade 11 stem students on their
major subjects: precalculus and basic calculus.

Specifically, it aims to answer the following questions:

1. What are the struggles of grade 11 stem students on their precalculus and basic
calculus subjects?

2. How does the pressure of the precalculus and basic calculus subjects influence the
grade 11 stem student's academic performance?

3. What coping methods can be used for the major subject; precalculus and basic
calculus?
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Scope and Limitation Delimitations

This study covers the difficulties of the grade 11 senior high school STEM
students on their major subjects which are the Precalculus and Basic Calculus. Its main
purpose is to determine the difficulties that the students encounter and to propose
possible coping methods regarding these problems. This study considers every aspect
of Grade 11 STEM student’s complication on the topic that has an impact on their
academic performances such as difficulty or complicated formulas, clarity and amount
of information provided by the teacher.

This research limits to issues that are not considered as difficulties. The study
concentrates merely upon two main subjects which are the precalculus and basic
calculus.
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Significance of the Study

STEM students struggle on their major subject by many different reasons. The
result of this study will determine why the students struggles and how the pressure of
the major subject precalculus and basic calculus influence the student’s overall
academic performance and what appropriate coping methods are used to succeed and
overcome such difficulty. And after this study, it is expected that the result will give some
information and knowledge of the following:

STEM Students. The researchers see their study as significant for the learners
as they tend to have different perspectives with regards the subjects Precalculus and
Basic Calculus, which is why the study itself could be significant for the students as it
contains an in-depth learning about why students struggle on the subject and what
appropriate coping methods are used.

Teachers. This study may be significant to the fellow teachers as they can use
this study to improve their way of teaching, by means of giving the learners a fun and
interactive discussions that would make them interested and have the willingness to
learn about the subjects regardless how hard it could be.

Future Researchers. The study currently conducted with regards the subject
matter of Precalculus and Basic Calculus may have its limitations, which is why this
study could be significant for the future researchers to be used as a basis. By means of
fulfilling the gaps that the current researchers missed, and to improve the outcome of
the study.
 9

Definition of Terms

There are some terms in this research. To avoid misunderstanding of the

readers, the terms need a clear explanation. The terms are valid for this study only.

Academic Performance - As used in this study, this refers to the measurement

of the learning level achieved by students and is considered a key indicator of the
effectiveness of educational institutions.

Coping Method - In this study, this refers to the thoughts and behaviors that are
mobilized to manage internal and external stressful situations. (StatPearls, 2023)

STEM - Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, is an academic

strand which belongs to the academic track developed to prepare primary and
secondary students for college. (TechTarget, 2022)

Major Subjects - This refers a specific area of study in which a student chooses
to specialize. (BestColleges, 2023)

Precalculus - This refers to the study of mathematical prerequisites for calculus

that includes algebra and trigonometry at a level which is designed to prepare students
for the study of calculus. (Sciencing, 2018)
 10

Basic Calculus - This refers to the mathematical field of study concerning

continuous change as well as how things change. (Study, 2023)

REFERENCES

McGrew, K. (1981). The Theory of Educational Productivity, Beyond IQ: A Model of

Academic Competence & Motivation, Walberg's theory of educational productivity
(iapsych.com)

Gupta, U. and Zheng, R. Z. (2020). Cognitive Load in Solving Mathematics Problems:

Validating the Role of Motivation and the Interaction Among Prior Knowledge, Worked
Examples, and Task Difficulty. European Journal of STEM Education, 5(1), 05.
https://doi.org/10.20897/ejsteme/9252

Clark, C. and Kimmons, R. (n.d.) Cognitive Load Theory, EdTechBooks, Cognitive Load
Theory (edtechbooks.org)

Gonzalez, G. (2021). Academically and Mentally Exhausted: Looking Through the

Challenges Caused by Distance Learning, Capstone Projects and Master's Theses.
1077. https://digitalcommons.csumb.edu/caps_thes_all/1077

LACKING PART

- CURRICULUM VITAE