An analysis of the physics competencies of Mariano Marcos State University students under the new secondary education curriculum (NSEC)

• Main Author: Calacal, Stanley P.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 1999
• Subjects: Physics; Education > Curricula; Curriculum-based assessment; High school seniors; Curriculum and Instruction; Secondary Education
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_doctoral/801
• Institution: De La Salle University

The study aims to determine the level of physics achievement of senior high school students in the five campuses of the Mariano Marcos State University-University High School, Ilocos Norte, Philippines during the Academic Year 1995-1996 in terms of their cognitive skills and physics content areas.Two hundred eighty-five seniors were proportionally sampled from the five campuses.Employing a descriptive research design, data were gathered through the administration of several research instruments that included standardized tests and achievement tests in physics. Moreover, secondary sources were used to beef-up the data. The achievement test in physics was pretested among 50 seniors not included in the study to determine which of the test items should be included in the final test. Content validation was done by experts while reliability was established by item analysis. Proper protocol was observed by the researcher prior to the actual conduct of the research. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and correlation and regression analyses. The computer software Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) facilitated data analysis. Results of the study showed that the senior secondary students had average competencies in physics as far as mechanics (74 percent), electromagnetism (75 percent) and modern physics (51 percent) were concerned. However, they were relatively weak in waves and optics. By cognitive skill level, the students were average in knowledge (61.75 percent) and comprehension (76.14 percent) but weak in application (49.12 percent) and analysis (55.09 percent). However, test of hypothesis revealed insignificant differences across content area and cognitive skill levels. Correlation analysis revealed that physics achievement was correlated to the students' cognitive development level (r=0.7446), class attendance (0.2997), sensitivity (0.2523), apprehension (-0.2506), attitudes towards science (0.2431) and study orientation (0.2198). Of the 13 student variables tested, multiple regression analysis identified seven variables to significantly predict physics achievement. These include cognitive development level personality factors such as conformity, emotional stability, dominance and self-sufficiency study orientation and class attendance.