Chapter 4

PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

This chapter presents, analyzes and interprets the data gathered from the students

of Laboratory High School at Laguna State Polytechnic University in determining factors

affecting Performance in Mathematics.

Extent of Interest of the students in Mathematics

Students’ level of interest in Mathematics was rated based on the students’ self-

perceived level of preparation for the Mathematics subject, attention given to teacher’s

lectures, active participation in class, their desire to get good grades and their desire to

listen to discussions or attention class. Table 1 shows the weighted mean of students’

interest in Mathematics.

The students gave a unifying perception on their level of interest in Mathematics.

The item “I want to get good grades on tests, quizzes, assignments and projects.” ranked

first with an average weighted mean of 4.77. The item “I get frustrated when the

discussion is interrupted or the teacher is absent.” got the lowest rating with an average

weighted mean of 2.88.

Table 1. Extent of Interest in Mathematics as Perceived by the Students

InterestWeighted

MeanRank Verbal

Interpretation1. I make myself prepared for the math subject 3.79 4 Often2. I listen attentively to the lecture of my math

teacher.4.10 2 Often

3. I actively participate in the discussion, answering exercises and/or clarifying things I did not understand.

3.93 3 Often

4. I want to get good grades on tests, quizzes, assignments and projects.

4.77 1 Always

5. I get frustrated when the discussion is interrupted or the teacher is absent.

2.88 5 Sometimes

Average Weighted Mean 3.90   Often

The overall weighted mean of interest in Mathematics is 3.90. This means

students are “often” interested in this subject. Among questionnaire items, the desire to

get good grades is the most interesting to students but the desire to attend discussion

received the lowest extent of interest.

Extent of Study Habits

The criteria in obtaining students’ level of study habits were based on their

personal tendency or pattern of action in studying when they are in school days. Table 2

shows the lists of ten (10) items about situational/action statements used in the data

gathering and the corresponding weighted means of the students’ responses ranked from

the highest to lowest weighted mean together with the verbal interpretation.

Table 2. Extent of Study Habits as Perceived by the Students

Study HabitsWeighted

MeanRank

Verbal Interpretation

1. I do my assignments regularly. 4.09 2 Often2. I exert more effort when I do difficult

assignments.3.88 4 Often

3. I spend my vacant time in doing assignments or studying my lessons.

3.08 9 Sometimes

4. I study the lessons I missed if I was absent from the class

3.65 5 Often

5. I study and prepared for quizzes and tests. 4.07 3 Often6. I study harder to improve my performance

when I get low grades.4.34 1 Often

7. I spend less time with my friends during school days to concentrate more on my studies.

2.97 10 Sometimes

8. I prefer finishing my studying and my assignments first before watching any television program.

3.10 8 Sometimes

9. I see to it that extracurricular activities do not hamper my studies.

3.37 7 Sometimes

10. I have a specific place of study at home which I keep clean and orderly.

3.45 6 Often

Average Weighted Mean 3.60   Often

Overall, the extent of study habits as perceived by the students themselves gained

an “often” result with an overall weighted mean of 3.60. Among each situational/action

statements or items given, the item “I study harder to improved my performance when I

get low grades.” ranked first with an average weighted mean of 4.34 but the item “I spend

less time with my friends during school days to concentrate more on my studies.” got the

lowest extent of study habits in Mathematics.

Extent of Teachers’ Personality Traits

Extent of teachers’ personality traits were ranked based on their relationship with

the students, their smartness, confidence and firmness in making decisions, their

imposing proper discipline and not lenient in following the prescribed rules, their

personality with good sense of humor and their appreciation to suggestions and opinions

and their worthy of praise. Table 3 shows the data on the extent of personality traits of the

teachers with the computed weighted mean, rank and interpretation.

Personality TraitsWeighted

Mean RankVerbal

Interpretation1. Has a good relationship with the students and

teachers.4.60 1 always

2. Shows smartness, confidence and firmness in making decisions.

4.58 2 always

3. Imposes proper discipline and is not lenient in following the prescribed rules.

4.43 4 often

4. Has an appealing personality with good sense of humor.

4.41 5 often

5. Is open to suggestions and opinions and is worthy of praise.

4.48 3 often

Average Weighted Mean 4.50   always Table 3. Extent Teachers’ Personality Traits as Perceived by the Students

The table reveals that item number 1 ranked first with an average weighted mean

of 4.60 and interpreted as “always” which means that the teacher always has a good

relationship with the students. The item number 2 ranked second with an average

weighted mean of 4.58 also interpreted as “always” which means that the teacher always

shows their smartness, confidence and firmness in making decisions. Items 3, 4, and 5

interpreted as “often” with the weighted means of 4.48, 4.43, and 4.41 for ranks 3, 4, and

5 respectively.

Extent of Teaching Skills

Table 4 presents the extent of teaching skills acquired by the teachers in

Mathematics as perceived by the students. The overall weighted mean of the teachers in

terms of teaching skills is 4.41 which is interpreted as “often”.

Table 4. Extent of Teaching Skills as Perceived by the Students

Teaching SkillsWeighted

Mean RankVerbal

Interpretation1. Explains the objectives of the lesson clearly at

the start of each period.4.51 2 always

2. Has mastery of the subject matter. 4.70 1 always3. Is organized in presenting subject matters by

systematically following course outline.4.40 4 often

4. Is updated with present trends, relevant to the subject matter.

4.46 3 often

5. Uses various strategies, teaching aids/devices and techniques in presenting the lessons.

3.96 5 often

Average Weighted Mean 4.41   often

Looking closely at the table item per item, it was observed that the “The teacher

has mastery of the subject matter” has the highest average weighted mean among the five

items and interpreted as “always” followed by the item “The teacher explains the

objectives of the lesson clearly at the start of each period” also interpreted as “always”.

Items “The teacher is updated with present trends, relevant to the subject matter” , “The

teacher is organized in presenting subject matter by systematically following course

outline”, and “The teacher uses various strategies, teaching aids/devices and techniques

in presenting the lessons” interpreted as “often” with the average weighted means of

4.46, 4.40 and 3.96 for ranks 3, 4. and 5 respectively.

Extent of Instructional Materials

Table 5 presents the extent of instructional materials used by the teachers in

Mathematics. It shows that the teachers “always”used chalk and blackboard in explaining

the lessons with an average weighted mean of 4.93. The teachers used

workbooks/textbooks and materials for project development interpreted as “sometimes”

with the average weighted means of 3.45 and 2.55 for ranks 2 and 3. The teachers used

articles interpreted as “rarely” with an average weighted mean of 2.48. Lastly, used of

power point presentation got the lowest extent of instructional materials with an average

weighted mean of 1.49 interpreted as “sometimes”.

Table 5. Extent of Instructional Materials used by the Math Teachers

Instructional MaterialsWeighted

Mean RankVerbal Interpretation

1. Chalk and blackboard in explaining the lessons.

4.93 1 always

2. workbooks/textbooks 3.45 2 sometimes3. PowerPoint presentations (visual

aids)1.49 5 never

4. articles 2.48 4 rarely5. materials for project development 2.55 3 sometimes

Average Weighted Mean 2.98   sometimes

The overall extent of instructional materials used by the Math teachers as

perceived by the students gained “sometimes” result with an overall average weighted

mean of 2.98. This means that the teacher in Mathematics sometimes uses instructional

materials.

Level of Performance of Students in Mathematics

Table 6 presents the level of performance of Laboratory high school students in

Mathematics in terms of some measure as mean, median, mode, standard deviation,

skewness and kurtosis. The grades presented are the means of the grades of students-

respondents in third grading period obtained through documentary analysis of Form 138

provided by the adviser.

Statistics  Value Verbal InterpretationMean 88.23 SatisfactoryMedian 89.00 SatisfactoryMode 91.00 Very SatisfactoryStandard Deviation 4.84Kurtosis 2.10 Relatively Steep/leptokurticSkewness -1.13 Skewed to the left/negatively skewed

Table reveals that the mean performance of students in Mathematics was

“satisfactory” with an average of 88.23 median of 89 mode of 91 and standard deviation

of 4.84. The skewness of the level of students is -1.13 which, which skewed to the

left/negatively skewed while kurtosis is 2.10, which is leptokurtic or has a relatively

peaked distribution.

It reveals that several of the students really wanted the subject of Mathematics.

Only few of the students got low and the rest got the high grades.

Significant Relationship of the Mathematics Performance of the Students in

Student-related factors and Teacher-related factors

Table 7 presents the significant relationship of the factors affecting Mathematics

Performance of Laboratory High School. As seen on the table, the Pearson r of the five

(5) factors such as Interest, Study Habits, Personality Traits, Teaching Skills and

Instructional Materials have _______ degree of correlation but the t revealed the lesser

value of 2.01. It means that there is no significant relationship to Mathematics

performance of the students. It reveals that the interest, study habits, personality traits,

teaching skills and instructional materials do not affect the Mathematics performance of

the Students of Laguna State Polytechnic University.

Variables df T-Computed T- value InterpretationInterest

113

0.544326 2.10 not significantStudy Habits -0.465262108 -2.10 not significantPersonality Traits -0.095499 -2.10 not significantTeaching Skills 0.984864987 2.10 not significantInstructional Materials -1.043867038

-2.10not significant