ENGLISH 102 Thesis

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The Factors that Affect Student’s Choices In the Tertiary Course(s) they Acquire Ellen Joyce L. Sy Colegio San Agustin – Bacolod

Transcript of ENGLISH 102 Thesis

The Factors that Affect Student’s Choices

In the Tertiary Course(s) they Acquire

Ellen Joyce L. Sy

Colegio San Agustin – Bacolod

“THE FACTORS THAT AFFECT STUDENT’S CHOICES IN THE TERIARY COURSE(S) THEY ACQUIRE”

Abstract

This research was conducted to identify the factors that affect student’s choices in the tertiary

courses they acquire. The study seeks the difference when said subjects are grouped according to

gender or age. The experimental study made use of the descriptive method in research involving

fifty tertiary students that represents the collegiate level scholars. It is grouped as such because

there have been gender discrimination in the fields of occupational professions. There is also a

saying that wisdom comes with age. But sociologists believe that as we age, the more we are

distracted away from the goals and objectives we wished to achieve. In other words, we can

easily become senile. Through survey method, the researcher will have found the most

influential of all agents of socialization. Socialization is the process through which people learn

the expectations of society. Society can be described as a group or a whole, but in this study, it

can also be described as the external influence to an individual.

Keywords: Tertiary, Gender, Age, Socialization

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“THE FACTORS THAT AFFECT STUDENT’S CHOICES IN THE TERIARY COURSE(S) THEY ACQUIRE”

Table of Contents

1. ABSTRACT…………………………………………………………………………..1

I. INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………………….3

I.1 Statement of the Problem…………………………………………………5

I.2 Significance of the Study…………………………………………………5

I.3 Objectives of the Study…………………………………………………...5

I.4 Definition of Terms……………………………………………………….6

I.5 Limitations of the Study…………………………………………………..6

II. METHODOLOGY……………………………………………………………………7

III. RESULTS …………………………………………………………………………….8

IV. DISCUSSION………………………………………………………………………..10

IV.1 Related Literature………………………………………………………..10

V. CONCLUSIONS...………………………………………….……………………….12

VI. BIBLIOGRAPHY…………………………………………………………………...13

VII. REFERENCES………………………………………………………………………14

VIII.1 Sample Questionnaire………………………………………………………...14

VIII.2 Tables…………………………………………………………………………15

VIII.2.A Over-All Results………………………………………………………..15

VIII.2.B According to Gender…………………………………………………...16

VIII.2.C According to Age………………………………………………………16

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“THE FACTORS THAT AFFECT STUDENT’S CHOICES IN THE TERIARY COURSE(S) THEY ACQUIRE”

Introduction

“There are three ingredients in the good life: learning, learning and yearning.” And in

true context to this quote by Christopher Morley is the evidence of our experiences wherein the

learning process is unintended but continuous all the same. But once we have learned some

knowledge, we yearn for more so that we can elevate ourselves. It is only natural to think that

way because man is hardly content for long or we are, sometimes, rather insatiable. In this

consideration, we can say that we ourselves have asked if what we yearn for is our own. If we

are not influenced by external factors in the decisions we make.

Society can be described as a group or a whole, but in this study, it can also be described

as the external influence to an individual. Socialization is the process through which people learn

the expectations of society and roles are presented for these expectations, it has been theorized

before by Plato, Montaigne and Rousseau. Here are six agents of socialization. Family is one and

the most important because they are the primary caretakers, they are the ones who introduce

children to social expectations but this is not limited to blood relations. There are many kinds of

family and they have the most influence because we follow on their footsteps, through them we

choose our religion and base our social status. Another is the media – the various means of mass

communication which provides social images. Sports can also function with and or under media.

It develops a sense of group power and awareness of gender inequalities. (Blinde et al., 1994).

Men’s identity was shaped because sports enforce the homophobic attitude or the fear of

homosexuals. (Messner, 1992). Women excelling in sports are often stereotyped as lesbians as a

form of social control to reinforce traditional gender roles. (Blinde and Taub, 1992a, 1992b)

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Peers are those you interact with on equal terms, learn self concept while gaining social

skills and form attitudes. It is said that girls form a close knit & egalitarian group while boys tend

to have hierarchical group. But a study shows 40% of boys have friendships with intimacy, in

general they tend to have share more activities than feelings (Corsaro and Eder, 1990; Youniss

and Smollar, 1985). While religion shapes the beliefs and values that people develop. Research

on urban individuals shows as religious faith increases so does educational attainment (Brown

and Gary, 1991). And schools cause direct effect as students are exposed to hierarchical

bureaucratic environment.

Education in society is concerned with the systematic transmission of the society’s

knowledge. Patterning ourselves for the standards of society has been long conformed because of

our need to feel that we belong. Education not only involves reading, writing and arithmetic but

also morals, values and ethics. Schools emphasize conformity to social needs like the respect for

authority, punctuality and discipline. These prepare the young for entry into society, specifically

organizations that values these traits. (Bowks and Gintis, 1976; Lever, 1978). Functionalists view

education as a form of social control and occupational training. It is said that the more formal

training the individual receives, the higher his occupational status will be. Thus, many say that

education is the solution for poverty and low social standing.

These are some of the important points on the effects society has on an individual. The

researcher’s aim is to divulge individual’s priorities because it has determining consequence in

his consideration for his tertiary education. It will also show if there is correlation between his

considerations during his selection of course to be taken and those who support his decision. This

is important because support subdue the fears that take individuals from their goals.

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“THE FACTORS THAT AFFECT STUDENT’S CHOICES IN THE TERIARY COURSE(S) THEY ACQUIRE”

Statement of the Problem

This study will determine “The Factors that Affect Student’s Choices in the Tertiary

Course(s) they acquire”

Significance of the Study

This study is significant to the researcher because she has personally experienced the

pressure on this critical decision making, twice. It is also significant academically because it is

based on individual and societal education found in a 3rd world or developing country which has

limited number of applicable studies. And Society can benefit from this by relating later findings

to their expectations and improving the agents of socialization by enriching their importance.

Objectives of the Study

1. Determine the Factors that Affect Student’s choices in the Tertiary Course(s) they

acquire?

2. Determine if there is a significant difference on these factors when they are grouped

according to gender and age?

Hypotheses

This study will prove the following hypotheses:

1. There is no significant difference on the factors that affect students’ choices in the tertiary

course(s) they acquire when they are grouped according to the age of the students.

2. There is no significant difference on the factors that affect students’ choices in the tertiary

course(s) they acquire when they are grouped according to the gender of the students.

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“THE FACTORS THAT AFFECT STUDENT’S CHOICES IN THE TERIARY COURSE(S) THEY ACQUIRE”

Definition of Terms

Factors – The elements that influence and contributes to any given situation or decision.

Affect – The action or reaction to the factors that may cause altercations or disruptions.

Students – The pupils that will be going or is under an educational institution.

Choices – The selection, in this case, of courses available to the students.

Tertiary – The educational level one enters after passing secondary school standards.

Courses – The training modules of different professions available to students.

Acquire – The attainment and development of the student’s course(s).

Limitations of the Study

There are many external factors that affect student’s choice in the tertiary course he

wishes to acquire like the name or popularity of the institution in a given field or his accessibility

to such institutions from his home or the psychological tests he may have undertaken in his

previous education to give the most compatible occupation to him before his decision to simply

pick a course he feels suited for. So this study will limit it only to the ones discussed in the

introduction. Some of these factors may also help determine his success in his tertiary course but

we will only initiate this conductive research on the most influential factor so that we don’t stray

away from the objectives of this study.

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Methodology

This chapter describes the research designs, the subjects and the instrumentation used in

gathering data, the procedure followed in the gathering of data as well as the data analysis

technique and procedure employed.

This study uses the descriptive method in research. According to Gay (1976), descriptive

research involves the collection of data in order to test the hypotheses or to answer the questions

concerning the current status of the subject of the study. A descriptive study determines and

reports the way things are. The principal aims in employing this method are to describe the

nature of a situation as it exists at the time of the study and to explore the causes of particular

phenomena. (Traver, 1978)

50 Questionnaires were distributed and 50 were returned.

This study used Quota sampling. This sampling identifies a set of important

characteristics of a population and then the researcher selects the desired samples in a non-

random way. It is assumed that the samples will match the population with regard to the chosen

set of characteristics. (Vockell, 1983) This study also used correlation. A correlation is a

statistical measure of the extent to which two variables are associated so that some factors can be

used to predict others. (Spearman, 1904)

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Results

The Survey Questionnaire posed questions answering the hypothesis to be proven. The

first question asks the enlistment of the individual’s priorities to see the most influential agent of

socialization in comparison to himself. In the Over-all results, their first consideration in

choosing their tertiary course is Themselves (dreams, goals); second to be considered are their

Families (traditions); third is their Status (class standing, life situation); fourth are their Friends

(choices, peer pressure) and lastly are their Teachers & School (advice, suggestions);. It can be

concluded that the influence of socialization lies second to the student’s ambitions.

The second question asks to enlist the individual’s support system, these can be

themselves to show how confident and competent they are of their abilities in their chosen field

and the agents of socialization that can either encourage the students or disrupt them. In the

Over-all results, their main support system is their family which is factual because their

education is funded mostly by their families. Second is themselves, possibly because they lack

independence to live and fend for themselves. Third is their status, in most cases, poverty

stricken individuals hardly finish secondary education so most of those who are able to go to

college are in either the middle class or the upper class. Fourth are friends and lastly are the

teachers.

It is important to correlate these two because if they are positively correlated, it can be a

minor achievement to the individual that may encourage him to pursue his ambitions. But his

belief in himself seems to falter as his first consideration is himself but his main supporter is his

family, it is negatively correlated. Therefore, schools should instill more confidence in their

graduates as they finish their secondary education. But otherwise, it is positively correlated.

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When the results of their considerations are grouped according to gender, their top three

considerations didn’t change but the male considers the teacher’s advice more important than his

friends’ choice which is the opposite for the females. When these results are grouped according

to age, the top two considerations didn’t change. But those aged below 18 considers their

teacher’s advice before friends and their status. While those aged 18 and above considers their

status before friends and their teachers’ advice.

When the results of their support system are grouped according to gender, their top two

answers don’t change but males’ feels their friends support more than their status & teachers’

support and females’ feels their status supports them more than teachers & their friends. When

these results are grouped according to age, the top three supporters don’t change but those aged

below 18 feels the support of their teachers more than their friends which is the opposite for

those aged 18 and above.

The majority also believes that there is gender equality today, in the choices of courses

and the different professions available today whether grouped in gender or age. The majority

also believes that there is also very little or no media influence whether grouped according to

gender or age. In the over-all results there is very little or no peer pressure but males and those

aged 18 & above feel there is. And yes, many believe that teachers are just as important as

parents. And sociologists do believe that schools do have direct effect in regards to students but

they often have the least influence on an individual’s choice.

Friends’ choices or giving in to Peer Pressure is often but not as influential like family, so

it is natural for it to place as their fourth consideration and support. Thus, the student’s peers

often pressure them into conformity but provide lesser support once they have conformed.

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Discussion

Review of Related Literature

In the 2000 Census of the Philippines it is stated that 92.6% of the population is literate,

meaning that the people age 15 and over can read and write. In 1980, the Philippines placed 8 th in

150 countries that participated in world statistics in the category of Education enrollment in the

tertiary level. By the year 2002 we have slipped to 9 th place in the same category. Unlike the

western countries the Philippines have little or no racial discriminations. What we have though,

is likely a case of inferiority complex. According to the 2006 estimate, 34% of the total

population is under the poverty line. This means that more than 30% of the population may be

suffering from inferiority complex because they feel that they cannot surpass the standards set by

the educational institutions. Teachers perceive working class or poor children less bright, less

motivated and trouble makers than middle-class children. (Bowditch, 1993) This way of thinking

only helps to decrease students’ self-esteem and consequently increases the population’s

unemployment rate of 7.5% (2009 est.)

The teachers’ influence seems to have the least importance in the student’s tertiary course

in decision making. Teachers are responsible for the student academically, their advice matters.

According to Highet (1950), good teachers feel that … “It is very difficult to teach anything

without kindness. Students should feel that the teacher wants to help them, wants them to

improve, interested in their growth, sorry for their mistakes, and pleased by their successes and

sympathetic with their inadequacies.”

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According to Robert Rosenthal (1968) High expectations encourages students to do better

and low expectations lead to mediocre performance. He told teachers certain students were

bloomers based on his tests but the testing was done randomly and had nothing to do with

Rosenthal’s predictions. The students who were thought to be bloomers out-performed the rest

on a retest at the year-end; they gained 15 IQ points over the non-bloomers. Teachers’

expectancy creates self-fulfilling prophecy. But this is also applicable to Parents.

A study sponsored by the National Science Foundation confirmed that the greatest impact

on a student’s performance is parental encouragement. Without it, children have difficulties over

the schools’ purpose. Parents without interest produce students who do poorly and may drop-out

eventually. The best kind of support is active and specific. Insisting on finishing homework,

discussing schoolwork and praising a well-done assignment are examples of active and specific

support. Parents may be insecure of their own academic achievements or abilities but it should

not prevent them from speaking up to possibly misguided teachers on the children’s

performance.

But, as children enter adolescence, the feel social pressures beginning to war with

the priority of learning. Recognition of Athletic abilities or Leadership skills can be far more

important to them than good grades. Teenagers want to be treated as individuals, yet fear doing

things that may set them apart from their peers. Being within ones’ peer groups protects them

from feeling isolated or inadequate. For example, the very bright student may try to hide his

academic abilities so as to not stand out from the crowd. High school graduates going to colleges

have difficulties with families over their new status.

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Conclusion

From the previous results, we can conclude that there is a significant difference on the

factors that affect students’ choices in the tertiary course(s) they acquire when they are grouped

according to the age of the students. But there is no significant difference on the factors that

affect students’ choices in the tertiary course(s) they acquire when they are grouped according to

the gender of the students.

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Bibliography

Books:

Andersen, M. L., & Taylor, H.f. (2001) Sociology: The Essentials. Connecticut, CT:

Thomson Learning Inc.

Guiness, A.E. (ed.) (1990) Reader’s Digest: ABC’s of the Human Mind. New York, NY:

The Reader’s Digest Association, Inc.

Kahn, J.E. (ed.) (1991) Reader’s Digest: How to Write and Speak Better English. New

York, NY: The Reader’s Digest Association, Inc.

Online References:

www.readersdigest.com.ph

www.starteacher.ph

www.nationmaster.com

www.answers.com/topic/socialization

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References

Sample Questionnaire

February 24, 2010

Dear Madam/Sir:

I, of the first year college students of Colegio San Agustin – Bacolod, am conducting a research on “The Factors that Affect Students’ Choice in the Tertiary Course(s) they acquire”. I would like to solicit your help in this project. Kindly fill out the questionnaire with your honest opinions or views regarding this matter. Thank you very much for your cooperation.

Ellen Joyce L. Sy

Gender: Age:

_ Male _ Below 18

_ Female _ 18 & Above

1. What were you considering in choosing your course? (arrange 1 to 5, 1 – first consideration)_ Yourself (dreams, goals)

_ Your Family (traditions)

_ Your Friends (choices, peer pressure)

_ Your Teachers & School (advice, suggestions)

_ Your Status (class standing, life situation)

1. Who supports you the most in your chosen course? (arrange 1 to 5, 1 – first consideration)_ Yourself (dreams, goals)

_ Your Family (traditions)

_ Your Friends (choices, peer pressure)

_ Your Teachers & School (advice, suggestions)

_ Your Status (class standing, life situation)

2. Do you think that there is gender equality in courses? Females are equal to Males? (1 only)_ Yes

_ No

3. If you are a boy, do sports make you boyish? If you are a girl, does beautifying make you girly? (1 only)_ Yes

_ No

4. Are you easily persuaded by your peers? (1 only)_ Yes

_ No

5. Do you think that teachers are just as important as your parents? (1 only)_ Yes

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_ No

TABLES

Over-All Results

Considerations

1 Yourself (dreams, goals)

2 Family (traditions)

3 Status (class standing, life situation)

4 Friends (choices, peer pressure)

5 Teachers & School (advice, suggestions)

Supporters

1 Family (traditions)

2 Yourself (dreams, goals)

3 Status (class standing, life situation)

4 Friends (choices, peer pressure)

5 Teachers & School (advice, suggestions)

*Gender Equality YES

*Media Influence NO

*Peer Pressure NO

*Teachers as 2nd Parents YES

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According to Gender

MALE FEMALEConsiderations

1 Yourself 1 Yourself 2 Family 2 Family 3 Status 3 Status 4 Teachers & School 4 Friends5 Friends 5 Teachers & School

Supporters1 Family 1 Family2 Yourself 2 Yourself3 Friends 3 Status4 Status 4 Teachers & School 5 Teachers & School 5 Friends

Gender Equality YES Gender Equality YESMedia Influence NO Media Influence NOPeer Pressure YES Peer Pressure NOTeachers as 2nd Parents YES Teachers as 2nd Parents YES

According to Age

BELOW 18 18 & ABOVEConsiderations

1 Yourself 1 Yourself 2 Family 2 Family 3 Teachers & School 3 Status 4 Friends 4 Friends 5 Status 5 Teachers & School

Supporters1 Family 1 Family 2 Yourself 2 Yourself3 Status 3 Status 4 Teachers & School 4 Friends5 Friends 5 Teachers & School

Gender Equality YES Gender Equality YESMedia Influence NO Media Influence NOPeer Pressure NO Peer Pressure YES

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Teachers as 2nd Parents YES Teachers as 2nd Parents YES

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