Academic Strands Research Articles

Digital Voices: The Role of Online Activism on Students’ Perspectives and Behavior toward Social Issues

In an era defined by digital connectivity, online activism has become a significant force in shaping discussions, particularly among the youth. This study investigates the influence of online activism on Senior High School students’ perspectives and behavior concerning social issues at Colegio de Sto. Tomas Recoletos, Inc. in the S.Y. 2023-2024. The study examines students’ engagement in online activism and its effects on their perceptions and behaviors related to social issues, considering factors such as sex and academic strand. 294 Senior High School students were respondents, randomly sampled from different year levels’ strands. Using a descriptive-comparative research design and Likert Scale questionnaires, data were collected and analyzed. Descriptive-comparative statistics, including T-tests and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), were employed to explore differences based on sex and academic strand. The results indicated a moderate (0.721) level of engagement in online activism, suggesting that students possess an average level of awareness and engagement with social issues through online platforms, irrespective of their academic strands. Regarding gender perspectives, females (0.585) were found to be significantly more likely to engage in online activism compared to males (0.643). However, no significant differences were observed in behavior towards social issues based on gender or academic strand. The study highlights how online activism shapes students’ perspectives and behaviors on social issues, emphasizing the need for educators to integrate digital literacy and advocacy into curricula. Further research is urged to explore this relationship, guiding future efforts in addressing digital-age challenges and opportunities.

EFFECTS OF TEXTESE ON THE LANGUAGE SKILLS AMONG SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS OF SIARGAO ISLAND INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY A.Y. 2023 – 2024

Textese is a type of informal writing that uses abbreviations, acronyms, and simplified spellings commonly found in text messages and online chats. This study aimed to determine the effects of textese on language skills among Senior High School students at Siargao Island Institute of Technology. Specifically, the research examined the influence of textese on students' spelling, grammar, reading, and writing skills, and explored whether these effects varied based on students' age, sex, academic strand, and frequency of textese use. A quantitative approach was adopted, with 100 students selected via purposive sampling. Data were collected through a validated questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive and non-parametric statistical methods. Results indicated that age and academic strand significantly influenced spelling skills, while no significant differences were found in grammar, reading, or writing skills when grouped by sex. The frequency of textese use significantly affected all four language skills, with higher textese usage linked to greater perceived impacts. Descriptive analysis showed that textese had the most substantial influence on writing skills, followed by spelling, grammar, and reading. Correlation analysis revealed moderate positive relationships among all language skills, suggesting their interrelated nature. The study concluded that textese primarily impacted students' writing skills, highlighting the need for interventions to help students distinguish between informal textese and formal academic writing. Recommendations included targeted educational programs that reinforced language standards and policies aimed at balancing textese use with the development of traditional writing skills. Further research was encouraged to explore the cognitive and sociocultural factors underlying the effects of textese on language skills, particularly spelling and writing abilities.

Mathematical Skills and General Mathematics Performance of Grade 11 Students in a Public National High School in Southern Negros Occidental, Philippines

Mathematical skills are essential tools that form the foundation for understanding complex concepts in mathematics relevant to our daily lives. General Mathematics is considered a core subject in the senior high school curriculum. This study investigated the mathematical skills and General Mathematics performance of Grade 11 students at a public National High School in southern Negros Occidental, Philippines. Researchers analyzed the relationship between these skills and academic performance, considering potential differences between sexes and academic strands. Using statistical methods like the Kruskal-Wallis test and Spearman's correlation, the study found students demonstrated approaching proficient mathematical skills but only developing-level General Mathematics performance. Significant differences in verbal skills were observed between academic strands, while nonverbal skills varied by both sex and strand. Crucially, a strong correlation emerged between mathematical skills and overall performance in General Mathematics.

Minds on Manuscripts: Analyzing the Research Writing Competencies of SHS Students as Catalysts for an Innovation

This study aimed to analyze and compare the research writing competencies of Grade 12 students at Paharang Integrated School in Batangas City, serving as input for an innovation to improve their research skills. The study used a descriptive method with a questionnaire as the main data-gathering tool, analyzing data using frequency, mean, standard deviation, standard mean error, Pearson’s r and t-test. Results revealed a strong preference for HUMSS and ICT strands among students, with satisfactory research writing skills in some areas but needing improvement in identifying literature gaps, writing clear methodologies, and connecting findings to broader frameworks. Students excelling in Practical Research 1 and 2 exhibited greater confidence in research writing skills, highlighting the importance of supporting students in both areas. However, students in different academic strands showed varying research writing performance, suggesting the need for targeted interventions. To address this, Project RESEARCH is proposed to empower struggling students by providing a structured framework, personalized support, and ICT- based resources to enhance their research writing skills and confidence.

Group Discussion and Simulation: Its Relation to Students’ Performance in Entrepreneurship

Innovative teaching strategies are some of the essential elements that impact student achievement. In this context, teachers play crucial and greater roles in engaging learners to boost learning effectiveness. This investigation was designed to determine the group discussion effect and simulation on students' achievement in academics. The sample was made up of forty-three Grade 12 Senior High School students taking Accountancy, Business and Management (ABM) and General Academic Strand (GAS). Students’ performance was based on the learners’s scores in the diagnostic and summative tests in the Entrepreneurship subject and also their final semestral grade. The collection of data was conducted during the first semester of the school year 2019-2020. Descriptive statistics, Pearson r, and T-test were used and complemented with qualitative data from students through focus group discussion. The research investigation found that the student's results in the post-test were substantially higher than their marks in the pre-test. They are good predictors of students’ performance in Entrepreneurship. Recommendations include strengthening the learner-centered teaching strategies, collaboration with teachers and school heads, private academic institutions, and other government agencies, and the enhancement of business enterprise simulation.

INQUEST ON THE CONCEPTION BY HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT STUDENTS OF THE TERM SUSTAINABILITY IN A STATE UNIVERSITY IN DANAO, CEBU, PHILIPPINES

As people worldwide increasingly acknowledge the importance of sustainable practices to preserve resources and guarantee long-term environmental, economic, and social feasibility, it becomes imperative to understand how aspiring professionals in the hospitality industry perceive and interpret this concept. This study examines the understanding of the concept of sustainability among Hospitality Management students at a state university in Danao, Cebu. A descriptive-correlational approach was used to determine the respondents' demographic profile and degree of understanding regarding sustainability. Also, this study explores potential variations in student perceptions based on sex and academic strands. Forty-nine (49) first-year students were selected randomly to join the collection data and treated the data using frequency distribution, percentage, weighted mean, and ANOVA. The findings reveal that respondents perceived a high understanding of water and waste management. Also, there is a significant difference in how students from different genders and academic backgrounds conceptualize sustainability, particularly concerning energy and waste management practices. These results offer valuable insights into tailoring sustainability education within hospitality programs to address potential knowledge gaps and equip future professionals with a comprehensive understanding of sustainable practices in the industry.

K to 12 Academic Strands And Nursing Licensure Examination of Batch 2022 Graduates of Isabela State University – Echague: A Comparative Study

K to 12 Academic Strands And Nursing Licensure Examination of Batch 2022 Graduates of Isabela State University – Echague: A Comparative Study

Learners' Engagements and Teachers' Pedagogical Success in an Online Academic Writing Class

This study examined Filipino students' engagement as a measure of teachers' pedagogical success in an online academic writing class. Through convenience sampling, 540 Grade 12 students from a Catholic university in Manila participated using the adapted four aspects of engagement and characteristics of successful teachers. The analysis required employing frequency distribution, percentage, mean, Mann-Whitney U test, and Kruskal Wallis Test, utilizing IBM SPSS v.23. Results showed students were "engaged" in the agentic type but exhibited minimal online engagement. They were much engaged behaviorally, emotionally, and cognitively. Meanwhile, teachers demonstrated significant pedagogical success. Results also showed no significant differences in sex, but notable differences were determined in their academic strands. Online instruction could be a platform for positive online practices behind arguments, challenges, and limitations. It recommends that teachers further empower learners by offering opportunities to develop their agency as active knowledge producers.

MACROPRUDENTIAL POLICIES CAPITAL FLOW MANAGEMENT

This article aims to present the legitimization process of macroprudential capital flow management policies as a tool for economic stability after 2009, when such policies started to have the support of multilateral institutions such as the IMF. To this end, we conducted extensive bibliographical research, bringing together several academic strands to present how this process of transformation and acceptance developed and the motivations, impacts, and effective results of these policies. As a result, we verified that the use and effectiveness of these management strategies must follow an arrangement in which their scope must involve several other policies of the fiscal, macroprudential, monetary, exchange rate, and capital control, mainly in emerging economies and in these cases, reduce financial fragility and maintain the macroeconomic stability of these countries in the face of adverse shocks to the balance of payments caused by excessive capital inflows or outflows, mitigating the resulting externalities in the process.Keywords: Macroprudential policies / Stability / Capital flow

Performance Task Mapping for Collaboration

As the main project, performance tasks call for broader cooperation among learning areas. This study mapped out the performance tasks assigned to students at the University of Baguio Senior High School and the common enhanced learning competencies for possible collaboration. Through a qualitative design, a semi-structured interview guide was used to gather data from 13 writers of learning modules in Grade 11 academic strands during the first semester of the school year 2022-2023. An analysis of the learning modules, course syllabi, and curriculum guides was conducted to support responses from interviews. The findings showed that the performance tasks were plans, creative presentations, and analytical documents. Simultaneously, the most common essential learning competencies were geared toward developing life and career skills, followed by learning and innovation skills. An action plan for collaborative tasks was prepared as the output of the study.

Physical Activity and Health-Related Fitness of Grade 11 Students

The lockdown period has led to a decline in physical activity and fitness among students with increasingly embraced sedentary behaviour. This study aimed to assess the physical activity (PA) level and health-related fitness (HRF) status of students according to sex and academic strand, also determining whether significant differences existed. The study was conducted in a large public high school responding to the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Long Form (IPAQ) and the Philippine Physical Fitness Test. The study employed a descriptive-comparative research design and employed stratified random sampling with proportional allocation. The students demonstrated a moderate PA level, regardless of sex and academic strand. Regarding health-related fitness, most students exhibited normal BMI, excellent strength in the basic plank, good cardiovascular endurance in the 3-minute step test, good flexibility in the zipper test, fair flexibility in the sit and reach test, and poor performance in the push-up. Furthermore, significant differences were found in BMI and strength when grouped by sex. In conclusion, most students maintain moderate physical activity, surpassing local restrictions and avoiding sedentary behaviour. Also, most students have shown muscular endurance and flexibility in various tasks but have yet to focus as much on strengthening their arms and core muscles. The FIT-UP YOU program has been developed to address this issue, focusing on improving weight and overall HRF status among young overweight/obese and underweight students.

Non-Cognitive Skills as Correlates to Academic Performance among Senior High School Students

Today's teachers and students have a tremendous degree of duty for surviving in a competitive world and they have a growing level of responsibility to achieve in a highly competitive environment. Aside from cognitive skills, the non-cognitive skills are believed to play a crucial role for academic success as they can improve student motivation, engagement, and overall well-being. This study examined the correlation of non-cognitive skills to academic performance among students at General Luna National High School, Siargao Islands, Surigao del Norte, Philippines. The main tools used to gather information were an adapted research questionnaire for Grades 11 and 12 students. The study respondents were the 302 senior high school students under the general academic strand at General Luna National High School during the school year 2022 – 2023. Data gathered were analyzed using Frequency Count and Percentage, Means and Standard Deviations, Mann Whitney U-Test and Kruskal Wallis H-Test, Independent T-Test, and Spearman Rho Correlation to yield a generally significant difference and relationship based on the data outcomes from the respondents’ responses.The descriptive-correlational research design was used to evaluate the non-cognitive skills in the learning of senior high school students that link to their academic achievement in which purposive sampling was done to obtain 302 respondents. Results showed that the respondents still need assistance writing high-quality research papers and more confidence especially when collaborating with teachers in doing class projects even outside the class. Majority of them (64%) got a grade point average below 85% which implies a need to demonstrate a higher degree of academic performance. With p-values of 0.0001 and 0.0120, significant differences exist in the respondents’ academic performance when grouped based on sex and grade level, respectively. Furthermore, with correlation coefficient of 0.29 and p-value of 0.0001, it was revealed that there is a significant positive relationship between the respondents’ academic achievement and non-cognitive skills in terms of academic perseverance. These findings provide several implications especially in enhancing students’ academic achievement for low performing subject areas such as science and mathematics. Hence, it is recommended that teachers and school administrators may consider providing activities or programs to strengthen students’ academic perseverance to improve their performance across all subject areas, most especially in writing research.

Comparative Assessment of the Communication Strategies Used by the Teachers in Oral Communication in Context in a Private Higher Education Institution in Quezon City

The study identified the communication strategies (CS’s) used by the teachers in expressing themselves in English in teaching Oral Communication in Context, compared the assessments of the student-respondents and teacher-respondents, and tested if there were significant relationships among the interplaying variables. It was found out that student-respondents identified asking for clarification as Always used and message abandonment as Rarely used by the teachers. The teacher-respondents identified asking for clarification and asking for repetition as Always used and message abandonment as Rarely used by them. A Mann-Whitney U test examined the significant difference in the assessment of oral communication strategies used by teachers in expressing themselves in English while teaching the identified SHS course when student-respondents are grouped according to gender. The analysis revealed that variables such as paralinguistic devices, literal translation, code switching appeal for help, use of fillers, asking for clarification, and asking for repetition, yielded statistically significant results at .05. Kruskal-Wallis H test was done to examine if there was a significant difference in the scores in terms of oral communication strategies used by teachers in expressing themselves in English when student-respondents are grouped according to academic strand. Few identified variables such as circumlocution, message abandonment, topic avoidance , and asking for clarification, yielded statistically significant results at .05. It is recommended that teachers use only the identified most useful CS’s and avoid those that are useless.

Light Wars: An Interactive Game-Based Sim Towards A Better Understanding of Interference and Diffraction in Senior High School

Interference and diffraction are phenomena of wave behavior discussed at senior high school level of the K-12 curriculum. Common misconceptions and low levels of understanding in this area of Physics often arise due to different factors. Due to these challenges, this study aimed to develop an engaging and educational game-based strategic intervention material called Light Wars. The content and quality of the supplementary material were evaluated by content experts in the field of Physics and students enrolled in grade 11 of the general academic strand in terms of goals and objectives, card design, components and organization, playability and playfulness, and usefulness. Based on the evaluation of the Light Wars after the utilization of the educational material, the content experts and students gave it an excellent rating and recognized it as an effective supplementary material in engaging learners, improving conceptual understanding, and concept retention. Furthermore, this study suggested that Light Wars could be utilized in other disciplines of Physical Science in grade 11 academic strands to further investigate the game’s efficacy. The efficiency of the game in terms of usage between the card component and the actual hybrid game setup was also advised to be determined through comparative research.

Peer Instruction as a Transformative Approach for Enhanced Academic Performance in General Physics 1

The widespread reliance on traditional teaching methods in science education has been identified as a contributing factor to the below-standard performance of Filipino learners in both national and international assessments. This underscores the need to integrate active learning strategies into pedagogical practices. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of peer instruction in enhancing the academic performance of Grade 12 learners in General Physics 1 during the third quarter of the school year 2023–2024. A total of 80 learners from the General Academic Strand at Gen. Tiburcio De Leon National High School in Valenzuela City participated in the study. They were equally divided (n = 40) into an experimental group, where the peer instruction approach was implemented, and a control group, where the traditional teaching method was employed. The intervention lasted three weeks and was framed within a quasi-experimental research design, utilizing a pre-test and post-test structure. The assessment tool used was expert-validated and reliability-tested. Data analysis was conducted using independent and dependent sample t-tests with IBM SPSS software, adhering to a significance threshold of p < 0.05. The results revealed a statistically significant improvement in academic performance within the experimental group compared to the control group, indicating that peer instruction is a more effective instructional strategy than traditional methods. The study recommends incorporating peer instruction into teaching practices, supported by comprehensive teacher upskilling programs, to foster an active learning environment.

Metacognitive Journal: An Intervention Strategy in Enhancing Low-Achieving Student’s Performance in Solving Functions and Perceptions Towards Mathematics

This research aimed to evaluate the performance of low-achieving students in solving mathematical functions—rational, inverse, logarithmic, and exponential—and their perceptions of mathematics. It also investigated the impact of metacognitive journals on these aspects. This was conducted on the Grade 11 General Academic Strand (GAS) students at Araceli National High School, the study divided participants into two groups: with metacognitive journals and no metacognitive journals. The effectiveness of the journals was measured using a 50-item test on solving functions and a 30-item test on students' perceptions of mathematics. The findings revealed that students using metacognitive journals generally showed score improvements and better posttest performance compared to those who did not use the journals. These students also developed more positive attitudes towards mathematics, though they faced challenges such as maintaining focus and feeling peer pressure. In contrast, students without journals enjoyed peer interactions but showed a slight decrease in performance. Overall, both groups had positive perceptions of mathematics, but the experimental group's perceptions of classmates and teachers were slightly less favorable. The study concluded that metacognitive journals are beneficial for enhancing learning and performance in mathematics, recommending their integration into classroom practices and assessments.

Analysis of Instructional Video as an Enhanced Learning Material in Writing Position Paper

This study determined the effectiveness of Localized Instructional Videos in teaching writing position papers among Grade 11 students at Don Gerardo Llamera Ouano Memorial National High School with a focus on Mechanics/ Grammar, Organization, and Content. The study utilized a mixed-method approach including quantitative and qualitative research. There were thirty General Academic Strand Students were the respondents of the study. The results of the assessments of the students in the teaching writing position paper showed a gained significant progress upon employing the localized Instructional Video in their level of performance on three of the competencies, namely, mechanics/grammar, organization, and content. It also emphasizes the different learning experiences of the students using the localized Instructional Video such as motivation to learn, enhanced comprehension, and improved retention to rekindle students’ interest in learning the subject matter. Students are more interested and motivated to learn in visual video-based and localized content compared to conventional methods such as conveying knowledge that only comes from books. There is a significant difference in the performance of the students in all writing competencies with the use of localized instructional video as an enhanced learning material. Localized Instructional Video is highly recommended to be used in teaching writing position papers since it increases the level of writing competencies of the students, they are more interested and motivated, and it enhances the learning of students. The utilization of localized instructional video can be used within or across all learning areas, especially in addressing the writing needs of the students.

Contrastive Form-Focused Instruction in Improving Vocabulary

The present study investigated the effectiveness of contrastive form-focused instruction (CFFI) in improving the vocabulary skills of grade 11 public school senior high school students from the general academic strand. The study also demonstrated the potential of CFFI coupled with subtitled videos to enhance vocabulary learning and should be considered in future educational practices. A quasi-experimental pretest-post-test design was utilized to evaluate the dependent variables before and after the intervention and overall results indicate that CFFI significantly improved learners’ understanding of the target words, leading to better vocabulary skills. Results further suggest that CFFI has the potential to provide a valuable learning platform for learners to develop a more nuanced understanding of L2 vocabulary words and their semantic differences from learners’ L1. Moreover, the study’s findings have implications for teaching methodologies, especially in teaching other subject areas. Since CFFI can serve as a valuable tool to help learners expand their vocabulary using their existing lexical schema as a springboard to build a sufficient vocabulary repertoire necessary to learn more new words and develop other skills, it may positively impact the overall academic performance of students, particularly the struggling learners who may have learning gaps and experienced learning loss.

Story Theatre in Improving the Students’ Speaking Skills in English

This study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of story theatre in improving speaking skills in English to Grade 12 General Academic Strand (GAS) students, University of Cebu- Main Campus, S.Y. 2020-2021. The result was used as a basis for a proposed action plan. Specifically, the study sought answers to the pretest scores of the control and experimental groups, the posttest scores of the control and experimental groups, the significant difference between their pretest scores, the significant difference between their pretest-posttest scores, and the significant difference between their posttest scores. A quasi-experimental design was used for the control and experimental groups. There were 40 Grade 12 students as subjects of the study. The experimental group was treated with the use of story theatre, while the control group was taught using the lecture method. Pretest and posttest evaluations were used to measure the academic performance of the students for both groups. The findings of the study revealed that most of the students had good level performances. The posttest scores of both groups marked an increase, and the posttest mean value of the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group. Student’s speaking skills in the English language are effectively enhanced with the use of story theatre. The interest, retention and learning ability of the students are better realized when they are actively involved with a combination of the written word, acting, movement and characterization.

Environmental Awareness and Practices of the Selected Public Senior High School in Surigao City, Philippines: A Case Study

Acknowledging and addressing contributions to environmental preservation is critical for a sustainable future. Environmental awareness and practices were tested among grade 12 students at a selected public high school in Surigao City, Philippines. The research focused on seven environmental themes: stewardship, finiteness of resources, diversity and stability, change, material cycle, the balance of nature, and interdependence. An adapted survey instrument was used to collect data using a quantitative correlational descriptive methodology. The majority of responders were 18-year-old females from the STEM academic strand, and their preferred source of environmental knowledge was the Internet. Based on the findings, respondents exhibited a "very high" level of environmental awareness and "good" environmental practices. The Pearson correlation analysis revealed a significant and positive correlation between the two variables, demonstrating that students recognized their obligation to conserve the environment and preserve finite resources and ecological balance. However, there remained an opportunity for improvement, notably in addressing environmental change and promoting outdoor activities. Environmental regulations that are effectively implemented can help minimize pollution, safeguard natural resources, maintain biodiversity, and build a more sustainable future.