THE UNVOICED STRUGGLES AND COPING MECHANISMS OF SENIOR HIGH

SCHOOL STUDENTS TOWARDS OVERLOADED SCHOOL WORKS

A Research Paper

Presented to the Faculty of Senior High School

Assumption College of Davao

In Partial Fulfillment

Of the Requirements for the Subject

APP3 – Practical Research

Researchers

Aglosolas, Leemarvince D.

Belar, SittiVanesa A.

Dacaldacal, Diana Catherine V.

Ebiro, Jenny Rose S.

Espinoza, Lorea Jean T.

Manluyang, Patrick Q.

Verdeflor. Clydel E.

March 2020
 Chapter 1

Introduction

This chapter describesthe background of the study, statement of the problem,significance of the

study, scope and delimitations, theoretical lens, and definition of operational terms.

Background of the Study

School works is very essential part of every student’s life. It's aimed at enabling the student to

learn how to supervise themselves, in other words it is beneficial. However, too much school

works may become non-beneficial to students and may adverse negative effects on them (“How

Homework Overload Affects Students,” n.d). Students may gain physical, emotional and mental

stress or worst may lead to depression if not handled well instead of learning something.

Students nowadays find school works a burden on their resting time and tend to neglect it.

The researcher of Stanford University California found that homework overload may negatively

affect children and their lives after school. The researchers utilized survey data to evaluate

perceptions about homework, behavioral engagement and well-being of the student.Their study

revealed that homework overload is linked with excessive stress and affects health.

Alvarez (2014) addedmore emphasis is put on students’ academic achievement, thus the amount

of school work being assigned has increased and those works are neither motivating nor

engaging.

Typically, students who are on a rigorous college preparation track, probably are receiving more

school works in order for them to be fully prepared on college(“Homework Wars: High School

Workloads, Student Stress, and How Parents Can Help,” n.d).

According to Salvatore (2015), students are also challenged with finding ways to fit everything

else they need to do in their schedules.

But, not all students possess the power of balancing time for the reason that they might have

different priorities in life or they are not that good in setting priorities which may cause on

having overloaded works.

Students had given tests and exam constantly and still is giving them loaded of projects that

sometimes have the same deadlines. Instead of resting or preparing for the upcoming tests, they

would use their sleeping time to do their works and sometimes stay awake till morning just to

finish the work. All of this may lead to weight loss, lack of sleep which results in inactivity in

class and lack of motivation to go to school due to fear on overloaded works (Winne, 2016).

Overloaded school works appears to be a "simple" term but it's not. Having overloaded school

works may lead to complications to the students’ mental health. Students might feel nervous,

students' have less time with family bond; students may develop school Alienation or start

developing antisocial behavior and may develop radical Behavior Development or start

developing a negative outlook(“How Homework Overload Affects Students,” n.d).Many of us

are working on more tasks than we can do that can lead to extreme stress and pressure.

The Philippine education system is already halfway through its second year of its senior high

program. Senior high school students are faced with an enormous amount of stress that comes

from too much homework, long tests, and performance tasks. Indeed, the workload is not an

issue; rather, it is a limited amount of time for these demands. There is also a lot to be valued

about this program as it provides high school students a taste of what is to come to college and

when they are finally looking for a job. However, a great deal of demand from the subjects

involved. This causes too much stress on the student, and this is where the problem arises.
Statement of the Problem

The purpose of this study is to explore the unvoiced struggles and coping mechanisms of senior

high school students towards overloaded school works during the Second Semester of the School

Year 2019 – 2020. Specifically, the study aims to answer the following questions below:

1. What are the effects of overloaded school work to students’ academic performance?

2. How do students overcome the struggles due to overloaded school works?

3. What advices could students give to others’ toward overcoming overloaded school works?

Significance of the Study

The results of this study are helpful to the following:

School Administration: School Administration can use this study to know and guide the

students on how to handle the school works. This study can use to conduct meeting for all

teacher and student on how to lessen the problem of school works overload.

Teachers: Teachers can use the result of this study to minimize academic overload and negotiate

an extension. They can use the result to know why some students can’t pass the schoolwork on

the given time.

Students:Students can use the result of this study to know how to deal with school works

overload. The result of the study will help them to improve their academic performance and

manage their time to do the school works and pass it on time.

Future Researchers: Future researcher can use the result of this study to their guide and

reference for their own similar study.

Scope and Delimitations

This study will focus on the exploring the struggles experienced and coping mechanisms

of students toward the overloaded school works. This study involves the population of Senior

High School Students of Assumption College of Davao during the Second Semester of the

School Year 2019 – 2020.

In this study, a research interview will be used to help researchers in data gathering and a total

of 15 respondents will be selected to answer the research questions. ABM students were chosen

as research participants because it is observed that ABM students are struggling due to

overloaded school works.

Theoretical Lens

This study is anchored on Cognitive Load Theory of Sweller (1988) which states that the

quantity of knowledge that can carry the working memory at one time. Due to the limited ability

of working memory, educational approaches should avoid overloading it with additional

activities that do not directly contribute to learning.

Furthermore, Social-Cognitive Theory of Bandura (1986) believes that observing others can

help people learn. By simply observing model, learners can acquire new practices and skills.

Definition of Operational Terms

The following definitions are provided throughout the study to ensure consistency and

understanding of these terms. The researcher generates all meanings that are not supported by a

citation.

Overload. This means excessive amount of charge.

Coping Mechanisms.This means how an individual react to a certain problem.

Endnotes

Alvarez, M. (2014).School overload: the effects of homework on families. Retrieved on January 5, 2020

from https://digitalcommons.csumb.edu/caps_thes_restricted/286/

Salvatore, S. (2015). Work, school overload students with stress.Retrieved on January 5, 2020 from

https://theorion.com/50304/news/work-school-overload-students-with-stress/.

Winne, J. (2016). Student experiences stress from schoolwork overload. Retrieved on January 5, 2020

from https://glhsreflection.org/2016/01/11/student-experiences-stress-from-schoolwork-overload/