ST BERNADETTE COLLEGE OF VALENZUELA

6121 Gen. T. De Leon Valenzuela City

Factors affecting HUMSS strand preference of

Grade 10 students in St. Bernadette
College of Valenzuela

Researchers:

Acosta, Romelyn

Bacelides, Maricel

Bangcaya, Jommel

Escondo, Kristine

Belarmino, Ian

Espiridion, Jeffrey

Pabo, Christine Jane

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6121 Gen. T. De Leon Valenzuela City

Chapter 1: Introduction
Background of the study
Quality education at par with international standards. This was the primary aim of
Republic Act No. 10533 passed in 2013, which established the K-12 program that
added Grades 11 and 12 as the senior high school stage of the 13-year enhanced basic
education system. Prior to this, the Philippines was the only country in Asia and one of
the three countries in the world (the others were Angola and Djibouti) that had a 10-year
basic education program.

Speaking on the proposed education system in 2012, President Benigno Aquino

III said Filipinos were at the disadvantage in competing globally because of the old
curriculum that he likened to “force feeding.”

“There is no time for the children to savor the knowledge they are receiving …
The result: information is not processed as well as it should be, context is not a given
and thus not applied, and the implications on the greater majority of Filipinos are not
explained,” Aquino said.

During the second National

K-12 Conference in January 2017, Education Secretary Leonor Briones said the
implementation of the new curriculum was more than just keeping up with our regional
neighbors or with the global community.

Competing in the Philippines

“We are doing K-12 for ourselves and for Philippine education. We are doing this
to be able to compete in our own country so that we can equip our learners with
appropriate skills, creativity, and intelligence to cope with the changing world,” Briones

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said.However, several petitioners have sought to halt its implementation, claiming that it
was “despotic and antidemocratic.”

In March 2017, parents, teachers and students of Manila Science High School
urged the Supreme Court to resolve their petition filed in June 2015 to stop the K-12
program, claiming that it has resulted in the clear abandonment by the State of its
constitutionally mandated obligation to provide free public education as well as to make
quality education accessible to all.

In its resolution in April 2016, the high court denied the petitioners’ plea for the
issuance of a temporary restraining order, paving the way for the Department of
Education (DepEd) to proceed with implementing K-12.

College alignment

The new curriculum initially gained ground in 2011 with the enactment of RA
10157, which made compulsory kindergarten education for children at least 5 years old.

With the additional two years in high school, the K-12 program aims to prepare
students for college, future employment and entrepreneurship.

Unlike the old system, senior high school has four disciplines—academic,
technical-vocational-livelihood, sports, and arts and design. Students can choose from
any of the four tracks based on how they want to do after high school. For those who
will pursue higher education, the SHS curriculum was aligned with that of the
Commission on Higher Education to ensure that its graduates are equipped to handle
college work.

The K to 12 Program covers Kindergarten and 12 years of basic education (six

years of primary education, four years of Junior High School, and two years of Senior
High School [SHS]) to provide sufficient time for mastery of concepts and skills, develop
lifelong learners, and prepare graduates for tertiary education, middle-level skills
development, employment, and entrepreneurship.

Senior High School covers eight (8) learning areas as part of its core curriculum,
and adds specific tracks (similar to college courses) based on four (4) disciplines
Academic (which includes Business, Science & Engineering, Humanities & Social
Science, and a General Academic strand) Technical-Vocational-Livelihood (with highly
specialized subjects with TESDA qualifications) Sports Arts & Design SHS Students

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6121 Gen. T. De Leon Valenzuela City

may pick a track based on how he or she will want to proceed after high school
graduation. You can learn more about the tracks and strands (as well as their
curriculum) in the K to 12 Curriculum Guides.

HUMSS stands for Humanities and Social Sciences. It is one of the strands
offered to Senior High students. This strand is for learners who aim to take up
journalism, communication arts, liberal arts, education, and other social science-related
courses in college.

As you may already know, the Senior High School Program offers four major
tracks: Academic, Technical-Vocational Livelihood (TVL), Sports, and Arts & Design.
The Academic track offers four strands: [a] Accountancy, Business, and Management
(ABM); [b] Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS); [c] Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM); and [d] General Academic Strand (GAS). And
since this blog is dedicated to informing students about the HUMSS strand, discussing
further the other strands will not be necessary.

The HUMSS strand revolves around improving a student’s reading, writing, and
speaking skills because if you haven’t noticed yet, people who choose this strand are
aspiring to become members of the society who will be be dealing with a lot of people.
(e.g teacher, psychologist, lawyer, etc.) Honing these skills are crucial for them to
establish effective communication with people when they are working. For these
reasons, half of the subjects involved in this strand focus on Language and Speech.
While Mathematics and Science are still included in their daily schedules, they are not
too difficult since they do not belong to the specialization subjects of the said strand.

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6121 Gen. T. De Leon Valenzuela City

Statement of the Problem

This study aims to know which factors affecting HUMSS strand preference of
Grade 10 student in St. Bernadette College of Valenzuela.

1. What is the demographic profile in terms of the following

1.1 Name (optional)
1.2 Age
1.3 Sex
2. What strand/track you are taking in Senior High School?
3. What are the factors you will consider in choosing HUMSS strand?

Research Objective

 To guide the Grade 10 students in choosing strand/track

 Awareness to grade 10 students in choosing HUMSS strand
 To introduce and promote HUMSS strand to grade 10 students

Significance of the Study

This study will help the Grade 10 Students to know the factors affecting HUMSS
strand preference of Grade 10 students in St. Bernadette College of Valenzuela

Students

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6121 Gen. T. De Leon Valenzuela City

This study will benefits the students, it will guide them to know the factors that will
help them to know if they choose the right strand.

Parents

This study will benefits the parents, it will help them to guide their children to choose the
right strand and give them information.

Future Researcher

This study will benefits the future researcher who need a guide in doing research and
also for those who interested in doing further studies that connected to this study.

Scope and Limitation

The researchers will only focus on the factors affecting HUMSS Strand
preference of Grade 10 student in St. Bernadette College Of Valenzuela. This research
will let us know the factors affecting HUMSS strand preference. We will conduct survey
questionnaires to 20 respondents in St. Bernadette College of Valenzuela. The result in
the survey questionnaires can be a guide in every Grade 10 students of St. Bernadette
College of Valenzuela.

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6121 Gen. T. De Leon Valenzuela City

Terminology
Academic Track – defines a set of possible course selections available to a specific
group of students

Antidemocratic - conflict with the principles of democracy.

Curriculum – the subjects comprising a course of study in a school or college.

DepEd (Department of Education) – is a executive department of the Philippine

government responsible for the quality of basic education and improving.

Entrepreneurship – is the process of designing, launching and running a new

business, which is often initially a small business.

K-12 – is a term used in education and educational technology in the other countries.

Republic act 10533 - A law initiative in the Philippine education basic system of its
current growth and receiving number of years for education basic, funding for fund and
for other purposes.

HUMSS ( Humanities and Social Sciences) - is one of the strands offered to Senior
High students. This strand is for learners who aim to take up journalism, communication
arts, liberal arts, education, and other social science-related courses in college.

TESDA (Technical Education and Skills Development Authority) – The government

agency tasked to manage and supervise technical educational skills.

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6121 Gen. T. De Leon Valenzuela City

Chapter 2: Review of Related Literature

Local Study
Dr. Nancy T. Pascuala, Director, Office of Student Development Services,
University of Rizal System, and 1960 Philippines noted the different factors that affect
students’ choice of course in college. There are different factors that affect students’
choice of course in college. One of this is family related factors. Study revealed that
Filipino immigrants and non-immigrants rely heavily on their family’s decision-making.
Students cope by following their parents’ advice. They also have to cope with an
expectation of financially supporting the family upon completing their education. Studies
from other Asian countries also show parents’ impact in decision making of students
when it comes to students’ course preference. Another study highlighted that parental
involvement have positive impact on Hmong / Mong adolescents’ education and career
choice. Furthermore, it is reported that parents are deeply involved and influential to
their high-achieving children’s college choices. The report also found open houses,
dialogue with college friends, alumni, and admitted-student programs are extremely
influential to students. The report claimed these sources are not well known, but very
powerful to student’s decision making for their college. The study also found 26% of
sampled students paid a specialist or advisor during the college decision process. The
studies presented are important to the present study since the studies explain the
importance of taking parents’ advice and permission in choosing a college course.

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6121 Gen. T. De Leon Valenzuela City

Respect for family is one of the most influential factors that impact Filipino
students’ career decision. It is concurred that “Out of respect and loyalty, it may not be
appropriate to express personal desires; rather, one may alter one’s interests to
maintain harmony.” As a sign of respect, Filipino children want to do well for the sake of
the family, follow parents’ advice about choosing a job or major in college and lastly,
make sacrifices for the family. For practicality reasons, it is also reported that parents
usually encourage careers that will not cost much money, but at the same time, are
stable sources of income. Careers in nursing, accounting, and engineering are highly
popular for Filipino families. These writings discuss that the family decides in what
college course students should take is also associated with the financial status of the
family.

Aside from family related factors, economic factors which includes the
employability and availability of job in the future is also considered by students.
Employability, i.e., the realistic feasibility of being employed in a stable job, then
becomes an important factor in career decision-making. Coming from a collective
culture, immigrant parents and children seek careers that will support the whole family.
Moreover, it is found that Asian American men and women tend to be more interested in
technical fields, the physical sciences, and non- enterprising business positions over
artistic, social, or socially interactive business careers. Aside from economic factors,
exposure of students to career related technical and academic subjects also known as
elective subjects in the Philippines also helps in students’ decision making in career
choices in college. It was revealed that career technical Education (CTE) was perceived
positively by middle school and high school counselors in Tennessee, and the need for
career awareness should begin in a student’s early years before high school. However,
there was a difference in perceptions of CTE by middle school and high school
counselors. Both middle school and high school counselors felt that CTE teachers
should have knowledge, skills and a teaching license. School counselors felt that they
did not have enough time to provide career counseling to students. Being informed and
ready to choose a career focus area in a student freshmen year could help make the
transition from middle school to high school easier thus help prevent the student from
dropping out of school before graduation. On the importance of integrating the
academic curriculum in students’ preparation for a college course choice, it is explained
that academics should be integrated with career-focused courses so students can see
practical application for the academic courses such as mathematics, science, reading
and writing.

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6121 Gen. T. De Leon Valenzuela City

(RonRongquillo 2017)The HUMSS strand revolves around improving a student’s

reading, writing, and speaking skills because if you haven’t noticed yet, people who
choose this strand are aspiring to become ,members of the society who will be
dealing with a lot of people. ( e.g teacher, psychologist, lawyer, etc.) Honing, these
skills are crucial for them to establish effective communication with people when
they are working

LOCAL LITERATURE
When Mr. Elvin Ivan Y. Uy, DepEd’s K-12 Program Coordinator, presented the
status of the Senior High School curriculum, problems began to emerge. He echoed
Bro. Armin’s summary of the reform as “Learner-centered” education. But from the
Power Point Presentation entitled: “The K-12 Curriculum: CEAP-NBEC Summit” he
spoke of “31 total Subjects” required for Senior High School, 15 of which were “Core
Subjects” and 16 of which were “Track Subjects,” the latter broken down into 7
“Contextualized” subjects and 9 “Specialization” subjects. From the same slide came
the “non-negotiable” announcement: “Each subject will have 80 hours per semester.”

The latter came as a shocker to curriculum planners from within the assembly
like Dr. Gina Montalan, Dean of the College of Education Ateneo de Davao University,
who was quick to point out that this would mean 6.5 hours of contact hours daily in the
senior high school for the DepEd’s required courses. If this were to be reckoned in
today’s college units, this would be the equivalent to a whopping 32.5 units – where
college students – who need time to read and study outside of class – should be taking
no more than about 20 units. The heavy daily 6.5 hours of required DepEd courses
allowed little room for “mission-driven” schools – as all CEAP schools are! – to add
courses required by their educational mission. These include subjects such as religious
education or theology, philosophy, and special formational courses such as in
leadership training.

Foreign Study

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6121 Gen. T. De Leon Valenzuela City

Future Opportunities/ Ideal Job

The earning potential of your chosen profession is likely to be a factor that influences
your career path. You may find one aspect of your career is more financially rewarding
than another, or that working your way through the ranks holds greater financial
incentive than staying in the same job. Your personal financial needs are also likely to
influence the career choices you make. Opportunity is the third factor that has shaped
career choices for students. Opportunity may influence how students have perceived
their future in terms of the reasonable probability of a future in particular career fields.
The issue of poverty has played an important determining role in the opportunities
available to all (McQuerrey, 2006)

Opportunities in career choice would include academic settings, technical schools, entry
level

job openings, job shadowing, vocational guidance, job placement, and industry

Contacts (Kroll, Dinklage, Lee, Morley, & Wilson, 1970)

Personality

“Personality” plays an important role in the choosing of the right career. A student‟s
personality must be self motivated type, as to investigate career possibilities from early
on in their lives, and not the procrastinating type that waits till they are compelled to
decide. Students must take seriously the role grades play in limiting opportunities in the
future. Splaver went on to say “It is important for you to have a good understanding of
yourself, your personality, if you are to make intelligent career plans”. (Splaver 2000, p.
12). perception of being suitable for particular jobs also has been found to be influenced
by a number of factors including ethnic background, year in school, level of
achievement, choice of science subjects, attitudes and differences in job characteristics
(McQuaid and Bond, 2003).

Most of the students lack adequate information regarding various careers hence the
choices that they make are embedded in their perception of the ideal job and the
subjects they study in secondary school (Taylor et al, 2004)

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6121 Gen. T. De Leon Valenzuela City

Family

Parents often have an influence on the career paths their offspring pursue. A parent
may urge a child into a vocation similar to their own, or to one that has demonstrated
high earning power. You may find yourself attracted to a particular line of work because
of your parents’ professional history, which likely has given you a first-hand perspective
on that type of work. Many children grow up idealizing the professions of their parents. If
you always looked up to your mother and admired her teaching skills, that may
influence you to pursue a career in education. Parents may also intentionally or
unintentionally push a child toward a particular career path, especially in the cases of
family-owned businesses, where parents expect their children to take over the
company. Still other parents apply pressure on their offspring to strive for particular
high-profile careers, feeling they are encouraging their children to reach high
(McQuerrey, 2006)

One consistent finding in research suggests that adolescents’ own aspirations are
influenced by their parent’s aspirations or expectations. Parental support and
encouragement are important factors that have been found to influence career choice.
Children may choose what their parents desire simply to please them (Taylor et al,
2004)

Peer/Classmate

Pummel, Harwood and Lavallee (2008) report that the external influences that help to
shape an individual’s career choice are also influenced by significant others through
social support from peers. People around contribute a lot in one’s decision-making
.Friends may influence an individual choice of career . Individual interest may be
affected by peers for the reason that one wants to be with them in fulfilling dreams or a
certain career . Classmates also play an important role in the formation of student’s
achievement, related beliefs and values , even if these classmates do not always
correspond with the peer group of leisure-time friends (Frenzel, Goets, Pekrun & Watt ,
2010). Id n a cross-sectional study relating aspects of classroom climate to student
enjoyment , Frenzel ,Pekrun and Goetz (2007) reported that class aggregated student
perceptions of classroom values were significantly and positively related to students’
enjoyment . Developments of students interest were really affected by their peers and
classmates.

Theoretical Framework

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6121 Gen. T. De Leon Valenzuela City

According to Elmer(1989) as cited in Arguelles & Miranda (2014) , specialization

planning is life goal setting. Sound decision -making is a need to prevent any misfits and
to assist students in the process of solidifying their course specialization. Below are
several theories on the choice of specialization.

First, Gottfredson’s theory, occupational aspirations are a reflection of one’s self-

concept. People seek occupations that (a) arc congruent with their self-image and (b)
reflect their knowledge of different occupations. This theory describes that students
become attracted to certain specialization. According to this theory,self-concept is the
key to specialization selection. Students tend to choose jobs that are compatible with
their personality. The key determinants according to the theory are one’s social class,
level of intelligence and experiences with sex typing. In the study of Siguan Jr., (1994)
as cited in Sonsona (2012) self-concept was also found significant on the choice of
specialization of students. Another is Holland’s theory of career choice suggested that
people can function and develop best and find jobs satisfaction in work environments
that are compatible with with their personalities. People tend to choose a career that is
reflective of their personality. Holland (1994), suggest that the closer the match of
personality to job, the greater the satisfaction. Holland’s theory places emphasis on the
accuracy of self-knowledge and career information necessary for career decision
making (Zunker, 1994 p. 49) as cited in Abernathy (2003).

Additionally, Socioeconomic theory suggest that many people follow path of least
resistance in their career development by simply falling into whatever work opportunities
happen to come their way. Furthermore, happenstance theory says that people choose
their career based on what they learned. Certain behaviors are modeled, rewarded, and
reinforced.

Sonsona (2012) further cited the need approach of Roe (1993) which gives emphasis
on the role of early childhood experiences in finding satisfaction in one’s choosen field.
Thereupon, structure of individual would be greatly influenced by early childhood
frustration and satisfaction. Personalities and backgrounds determines an individuals
choice of specialization. To Holland (2000) as cited in Sonsona (2012), specialization
choice is an expression or an extension of personality into the world of work followed by
subsequent identification with specific occupational stereotype. This approach can also
have in explaining why certain students choose their strand as their specialization.

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6121 Gen. T. De Leon Valenzuela City

Name (Optional): ____________________________ Date:___________

Grade&Section:_______________________

Age:_________

1. Which strand do you choose/prefer for your senior high school?

ABM GAS

STEM ICT

HUMSS

2. Are you having a hard time in choosing a strand?

Yes No
3. Do you have any basis in choosing the strand that you want?

Yes No

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4. Do you think HUMSS strand is the easiest strand?

Yes No

5. Do you consider school facilities in choosing strand?

6. Y yes No

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