TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE i

TABLE OF CONTENTS iv

Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION 1

Chapter 2: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE 3

Review of Related Literature 3

Review of Related Studies 6

Chapter 3: METHODOLOGY 10

Research Design 10

Respondents 10

Research Instrument 10

Data Gathering Procedure 11

Statistical Treatment of Data 11

BIBLIOGRAPHY 12
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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION

Engineering field plays a huge role in the economic development, modernization and
civilization of the country. Thus, the country is in need of excellent and competent engineers.
The Civil Engineering Board Exams is the examination given by the Professional Regulations
Commission to assess the graduates who wish to be Licensed Civil Engineers and to equip
them with enough knowledge to meet the competencies required for work in the real world as
Civil Engineers, either here in the Philippines or abroad.

According to Singh (2010), evaluating factors such as academic competence, test

competence, strategic studying, time management, and test anxieties are very important in
evaluating academic success. Specifically, test competence and academic competence are
important factors associated with academic performance. Efficient counselling services
regarding study techniques along with stress management programs could assist students in
achieving better academic performance. The performance of the student in the licensure
examination reflects the institution’s efficiency as well as the intellectual capacity of the
student (Mervin P. Mohammed, 2017).

Researches about the results and the factors that affect the passing rate of board exams
have been conducted by a lot of universities but, this research focuses on the Civil Engineering
graduates of Palawan State University. In addition, it specifically tackles about the student’s
factor and curriculum effectiveness which seldom get discussed on other researches. Though
the passing rates of PSU graduates in the Civil Engineering Board Exams aren’t declining, we,
as future graduates, aim to increase the passing rate of our alma mater for the upcoming years
to come.

This research aims to determine the effects of the student’s factor and curriculum on
Palawan State University graduates in Civil Engineering Board Exam. More specifically, it
aims to evaluate the student’s factor in its two phases namely: during college study and while
in review, with the aspects: cognitive domain, time management, priority management, and
study tools and techniques, that affects the PSU graduates in the CE Board Exams. It also aims

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to evaluate the efficiency of the syllabi under a curriculum year that affects the graduates’
performance in the CE Board Exam.

This study is beneficial not only to the researchers but also to the country, the
immediate community, the institution, and the graduates. This study will help the country to
have more excellent and competent civil engineers. The community will benefit from this study
by means of developing the educational system of the community. This study will help the
institution to revise better curriculums, evaluate the conditions that affect the students, and
assess other factors that affect the passing rate of CE Board Exams and apply corresponding
actions. The result of this study is helpful to the graduates who are about to take the CE Board
Exams in assessing themselves and the conditions that could affect the result of their board
examination.

The research is limited only to the determination of the effects of the student’s factor
and curriculum on Palawan State University Graduates in Civil Engineering Board Exam. The
respondents of this study are graduates of Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from
Palawan State University who took the CE Board Exam for the first time in the month of
November from the 2015 – 2017.

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CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND RELATED STUDIES

2.1 Related Literature

2.1.1 Board Exam

The Board Examination for Engineers is a tool that measures and ensures the quality
of engineers who would join the workforce of various manufacturing industries in the
Philippines and abroad. The Professional Regulations Commission (PRC) as the duly
constituted body created for this function has been consistent in its task of screening who
among the graduates from all board courses will be granted the professional licenses based on
the board exam results (Mohammed et al, 2017). Passing the licensure examinations given by
the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) can be one of the greatest achievements in a
college graduate’s life.

The examination is intended to prove the graduates’ knowledge, progress, skills and
qualifications in a particular profession. Moreover, the performance of the graduates in an
institution who take the licensure examination determines the quality of education the school
provides, which eventually guarantees the efficiency and effectiveness of its graduate’s
application of the things he or she has learned in his or her chosen profession or career. It was
also suggested in one of the readings that a higher standard of performance of the instructional
system and consequently, the performance of the students in the licensure examinations reflects
the institution’s efficiency (Baang, 2014). As the institution endlessly offer quality education,
innovating instruction practice and enhancing graduates’ performances serve up as an input for
professional development (Pachejo and Allaga, 2013). As well as the intellectual capacity of
the students that the school has cultivated in the span of time that the students have remained
in its portals (Baang, 2014).

It needs a lot of time to study, to have self-discipline, patience and determination and
these will not be possible without prayers, support and encouragement (Mohammed et al,
2017). Mental and Psychological enhancement of graduates through high level of motivation,
perseverance; determination and influence by the institution to pass the board examination

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have been shaped as one of the strong factors affecting Licensure Examination. Previous
studies have indicated that, performance of graduates in Licensure Examination is shaped both
by personal and educational factors (Pascual and Navalta, 2011). Also, ineffective academic
programs and in-house review implemented by the academe decreased the level of motivation
of the student to perceive better academic performance and high ratings of examination (Riney
et al, 2006). Curriculum misalignment including failure to fulfill educational trainings and
mock achieved high level of passing rate serves as the influential factor in the personalities of
examinees to pass the board examination (Pascual and Navalta, 2011), (Goldhaber and Hansen,
2 010) and (Pascua, 2011).

2.1.2 Student’s Factor

Student factors such as aptitude, motivation, and study habits obviously affect student
success. But non-student factors such as the academic environment, course curricula, and
pedagogical techniques used by the course instructor can also dramatically affect student
success. It is therefore appropriate to also consider student, teacher, curricular, and
environmental influences in concert when interpreting DFW data to evaluate the academic
success of a course (Benford et al, 2006).

2.1.3 Curriculum

In its broadest sense, the word is used to refer to all courses offered at a school. This is
particularly true of schools at the university level, where the diversity of classes might be an
attractive point to a potential student. In colleges, specific courses make up the individual’s
curriculum, allowing a student to obtain a degree or certification in a certain field. Usually an
individual will have to complete a certain amount of general education courses, and then
specialized courses within a chosen field. In this way, the plan is individualized to the person’s
desire for a certain type of expertise (Bayles et al, 2012).

To ensure that the civil engineering graduates are articulate and understands the nature
of their special role in society and the impact of their work on the progress of civilization, the
BSCE curriculum is based on a set of desired competencies which are enumerated in Section
6. The curriculum contains 26 units of mathematics, 12 units of natural/ physical sciences and
39 units of languages, social sciences and humanities courses. To guarantee an extensive

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knowledge of the civil engineering disciplines, the curriculum also contains 21 units of basic
engineering and 6 units of allied courses. It also contains 82 units of secondary and primary
areas of specialization to ensure depth and focus in certain discipline (CHED Memorandum
Order, No. 29, Series of 2007).

2.1.4 Civil Engineering

Civil Engineering is a profession that applies the basic principles of Science in

conjunction with mathematical and computational tools to solve problems associated with
developing and sustaining civilized life on our planet. It is one of the broadest engineering
disciplines both in terms of the range of problems that fall within its preview and in the range
of knowledge required to solve those problems. Civil Engineering works are generally one-of-
a-kind projects; they are often grand in scale; and they usually require cooperation among
professionals of many different disciplines. The completion of a civil engineering project
involves the solution of technical problems in which information from numerous sources and
myriad non-technical factors play a significant role. Some of the most common examples of
civil engineering works include bridges, buildings, dams, airports, ports and harbors,
highways, tunnels, towers and water distribution systems. Civil Engineers are concerned with
flood controls, landslide, air and water pollution, and the design of facilities to withstand
earthquakes and other natural hazards (CHED Memorandum Order, No. 29, Series of 2007).

The career paths available to civil engineers are many and varied and can involve a
wide range of activities, tools, situations, and venues; from conceptual design of facilities that
do not yet exist to forensic study of facilities that have failed to perform as expected; from
advanced simulation of complex systems to the management of people and projects; and from
private consulting to public service. A civil engineer must be prepared for a career that
traverses this considerable professional breadth as well as for a career focused on a single
professional activity. The BSCE curriculum is designed specifically to meet this educational
challenge by emphasizing fundamental knowledge, transferable skills, and lifelong learning
(CHED Memorandum Order, No. 29, Series of 2007).

The Civil Engineering program comprises of five main disciplines: construction

engineering and management, geotechnical and geoenvironmental engineering, water
resources engineering, structural engineering and transportation engineering. Although each

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discipline has its own special body of knowledge and engineering tools, they all rely on the
same fundamental core principles. Civil Engineering projects often draw expertise from many
of these disciplines (CHED Memorandum Order, No. 29, Series of 2007).

2.2 Related Studies

2.2.1 An Analysis of the Factors Affecting the Performance of the Bachelor of Science in
Accountancy Graduates of Patria Sable Corpus College in the Certified Public
Accountant licensure examination from the Year 2004 to 2010

The purpose of this study is to determine the factors affecting the performance of
Bachelor of Science in Accountancy graduates of Patria Sable Corpus College in Santiago
City, Philippines in the Certified Public Accountant licensure examination.

The study found out that the factors affecting the performance of Bachelor of Science
in Accountancy graduates of Patria Sable Corpus College in Santiago City, Philippines in the
Certified Public Licensure Examination are academic performance, financial factors, social
factors, environmental factors, spiritual factors.
The study concluded that majority of the respondents took the examination after
graduation because what they have studied is still fresh and retention policy helps the
respondents in the preparation for the board examination for it motivates the students to study
well. These two factors affect the examinees in their performance during the examination.
Majority of the respondents revealed that ambiance of the review center in the preparation for
examination affects the takers because their review classes help the examinees to perform well
during examination. Majority of the respondents are single as to civil status because it is usually
the trend in studying to focus on reviewing and taking the board examination.
The study recommended that the takers must choose the review center where they feel
comfortable with and conducive for learning, pile up stock knowledge, and relax themselves.
And they must be physically fit. The takers should not be pressured by the expectations of
other people. The students must give importance in studies and have good study habits.

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2.2.2 Academic Achievement in the Learning Domains and Performance in Licensure

Examination for Engineers among Lyceum of the Philippines University Graduates of
Mechanical and Electronics Engineering

This study aimed to investigate the Board Examinations Performance of Bachelor of

Science in Mechanical Engineering and Electronics Engineering graduates and its relationship
to selected variables from the year of 2006 to 2011. Specifically, this study aimed to determine
the Board Examination Performance rating of Mechanical and Electronics Engineering
Examinees of Lyceum of the Philippines University in Batangas City, Philippines from the
year 2006 to 2011 and to determine the academic achievement of the Engineering examinees
in terms of Cognitive Domain: comprehensive examination result, average academic ratings
and Affective Domain.

The study found out that the Mechanical Engineering examinees obtained highest
average score in Machine design of 78.27 percent followed by Math subjects of 76.94 percent
while the Power Plant Design or Industrial Plant Design obtained the lowest rating of 73.03
percent. This indicates that Faculty members handling Power Plant Design or Industrial Plant
Design subject must exert more effort to strengthen the delivery of instruction and ensure the
cognitive ability of the students in the subject must be developed. Electronics Engineering
examinees obtained highest average score in Mathematics of 73.5 percent followed by
Electronics Engineering subjects of 72.7 percent while Electronic Systems and Technology of
68.0 percent and General Engineering and Applied Sciences obtained the lowest ratings of 66
.7 percent. These findings are indicative of the need for the faculty members handling the
subjects like Natural and Physical Sciences, Thermodynamics, Mechanics, Strength of
Materials to keep on improving the content of the subject being delivered to the students, the
teaching strategy that would lead to better retention and provide comprehensive evaluation
through exercises and board type examination. Likewise, Electronics Engineering must also
be provided better learning facilities and reading materials on latest trends in information
technology related to electronics and communication technology. Students must also be
encouraged to spend more time on reading latest electronics magazines and research journals
to keep abreast of the new innovation and trends in related fields. Technological innovation
has the fastest way of improving its features, functions, and processes to provide better

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dimension of living and responding to the company requirements as part of research and
development objectives.

The study concluded that Affective domain is significantly related to Licensure

Examination Performance of the respondents. Affective domain predicts the Licensure
Examination performance of Engineering Graduates. Outcomes-based curriculum must be
adapted to periodically monitor the academic performance and behavior as well as the result
of study habits of the students.

The study recommended that the General Education instructors teaching Physical and
Natural Sciences as well as in all Engineering mathematics must strengthen the delivery of
their instruction and they must provide proper evaluation of knowledge, skills and values
according to Outcomes-based curriculum. Professional and General Education Teachers must
consistently monitor the academic performance and behavior of engineering students to
provide thorough guidance for those who are low achievers. They must provide positive
environment and culture of excellence in handling classroom management through enhancing
the values of students towards achieving greater expectation of success in all their projects and
academic undertakings. They must develop the study habits of their students through providing
projects and assignments with clear objectives that need to utilize their leadership capability
and confidence to express their original ideas.

2.2.3 Licensure Examination Performance Evaluation of the Candidate Engineers as

Basis for a Proposed Action Plan

The present study is focused on evaluating the licensure examinations performance of

the candidate engineers of the Tarlac State University in Tarlac city, Philippines with
specializations in civil, electrical, electronics, and mechanical engineering. Specifically, it
aimed to determine the performances of the candidate engineers in the licensure examination
in terms of rating distribution per course, average performance per subject area, passing
performance, test the significant variation among the performances of the candidates from the
year 2008 to 2011 in the engineering licensure examination, and determine the plan of action
that can be proposed to improve the performances of the candidate engineers in the licensure
examinations.

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The study found out that majority of the performances of the civil engineer candidates
were below the passing mark of 70 percent. There were 45 candidates who surpassed the
passing mark but only 44 candidates passed the examination. The reason for this is that one
candidate had a rating below 50 percent in one of his subjects. There were 37 electrical
engineer candidates who earned ratings above the 70 percent passing mark. Unfortunately, the
candidates, passing rate stood only at 34.91 percent. The mechanical engineer candidates got
the highest number of passers among the courses in terms of percentage. Out of the 44
examination takers, 34 of the candidates earned a rating of above 70 percent. Out of the 34
candidates, two candidates earned ratings of 90.80 and 90.85 in the licensure examinations.

The study concluded that the mechanical engineer candidates out-performed the civil,
electrical, as well as the electronics engineer candidates in terms of their average passing
performance. The candidates in the mechanical engineering licensure examination had the
highest average performance with a 75.71 rating. Overall, the civil and mechanical engineer
candidates performed above the average national passing rate. On the other hand, both the
electrical and electronics engineer candidates had average passing rates but below the average
national passing percentage. There is no significant difference among the four-year licensure
examination performances of both the civil and mechanical engineer candidates. In contrast,
the electrical and electronics engineer candidates’ performances significantly differed within
the evaluation period. The proposed strategies to improve the performance of the candidate
engineers in the licensure examination are as follows: review of the curriculum; review of the
college retention policy; practice or mock board examination for graduating students; coaching
on how to pass the licensure examination; and conduct of bench marking in high performing
schools.

Based on mentioned studies, the authors come up with a solution on how to improve
the passing rate on the board examination of the authors’ respective departments. Due to the
declining rate of the Civil Engineering board examination of the Palawan State University, the
researchers come up to study the two phases of the student’s factor of Bachelor of Science in
Civil Engineering who took the board exam in the month of November from the year 2015 to
217 namely: during college study and while in review for board examination with the specific
aspects stated in the objectives and the effects of curriculum which is not included in the

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previous studies conducted by the authors. After the evaluation of the aspects stated by the
researchers, the researchers should give recommendations on how to improve the ratings of
Palawan State University on Civil Engineering Board exam.

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CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents important methodologies and procedures applicable in gathering

vital information about the effects of student’s factor and curriculum effectiveness on Bachelor
of Science in Civil Engineering graduates of Palawan States University in board exam from
the year 2015 to 2017. It also presents the discussion of research design, research instrument,
data gathering procedures, and statistical treatment of data.

3.1 Research Design

The researchers will use the descriptive survey in collecting data. Descriptive survey is
used to collect unbiased survey data and develop practical decisions based on analyzed results
and obtain more reliable information regarding the said research. It is believed that this is the
suitable method in conducting this study.

3.2 Respondents

The respondents of this study are the graduates on Bachelor of Science in Civil
Engineering of Palawan State University from year 2015 to 2017 who took the board exam for
Civil Engineer in the month of November.

3.3 Research Instrument

3.3.1 Questionnaire

Questionnaire is the primary tool that will be used in gathering data. This is
accompanied by personal interviews and syllabus analysis. The questionnaire comprises of
respondents’ profile which contains personal information and the questions regarding the
factors affecting the performance of the respondents in the CE Board Exam.

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3.3.2 Instructor’s Syllabus

The researchers will also use the copies of the Instructors’ Syllabus and Curriculum to
gather significant information.

3.3.3 Request Letter

Request letters will be used to acquire information from the Registrar’s Office.

3.4 Data Gathering Procedure

The researchers will present a request letter to the Registrar’s Office and the Dean of
College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology to use the records of the graduates who
took the Civil Engineering licensure examination from the year 2015 to 2017.

The researchers will seek permission from the instructors to have a copy of the
instructor’s syllabus. The researchers will distribute questionnaires to the takers of the board
exam personally and through social networking sites.

3.5 Statistical Treatment of the Data

To be useful in the research analysis, the data gathered from the survey and the
university record will be statistically evaluated through the following:

3.5.1 Frequency Count. It is the summary table in which the data is arranged into conveniently
established, numerically orders class in grouping or categories.

3.5.2 Percentage Computation. It will be used to determine the data on the distribution of the
respondents.

P = (Px) N/100

Where: Px = percentage required

N = number of population

100 = constant number

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3.5.3 Sample Size. A sample is a selection of respondents chosen in such a way that they
represent the total population as good as possible. An online sample size calculator will be
used to determine the sample size.

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