Chapter 3

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

This phenomenological research papers’ target was to determine the

challenges, and problems being confronted by the science student in the

science-oriented program in a new science landscape.

The paper presents the gathered data organized into 14 subheadings

such as (a) Challenges confronted in studying the four learning areas of science,

(b) Problems encountered in the four learning areas of science in terms of

learning content, (c) Problems faced in the four learning areas of science in

terms of Performance tasks, (d) Problems met in studying four learning areas of

science in terms of teachers pedagogy, (e) The most challenging learning areas

of science, (f) The least challenging learning areas of science, (g) Categorizing

science student as by choice, by chance, by force, or by accident, (h) Reasons in

choosing STEP as path in secondary education, (i) Is Science-oriented program

stressful?, (j) STEP vs. Non science-oriented program: What is your Edge?, (k)

Determining the desirable qualities of student in STEP in overcoming rogue wave

of challenges, (l) The key to survive in the arduous program of science, (m)

Science students in tertiary education: Do they really pursue science?, and (n)

Telescoping young blood of scientist: Dreaming to become a Filipino Scientist?

Furthermore, each subheadings comprises of various themes supported

and strengthen by the related literatures and studies.

Profile of the participants

The profile of the students provides clearer background of their sex, age,

grade level, civil status, and religious preferences.

Table 1 Frequency and percentage distribution of the students-participants by
civil status
CIVIL STATUS
Percentage Frequency
Single 100 24
100.0 24
As displayed in the table, out of 24 participants, 24 or 100 percent of the

students are recorded as single.

Table 2. Frequency and percentage distribution of the students-participants by

sex

SEX
Percentage Frequency
Male 33.0 8
Female 67.0 16
100.0 24
Table 2 shows the profile of the students in terms of their sex. As shown in

the table, out of 24 student participants, only 8 or 33 percent are male while the

remaining participants which is 16 or 67 percent of the participants are female.

The tabulated data implies that female dominates the male in the study.

Table 3. Frequency and percentage distribution of the students-participants by

grade level

GRADE LEVEL
Percentage Frequency
Grade 7 17.0 4
Grade 8 17.0 4
Grade 9 17.0 4
Grade10 17.0 4
Grade 11 17.0 4
Grade 12 17.0 4
100.0 24
As presented in the table, out of 24 participants, the grade 7 to 12 is

composed of 4 participants each.

2
 A GE B R A C K ET
12

10

8 Table 4.
6
Frequency and
10 percentage
4 distribution of the
6 6 students-
2
2 participants by
0 0
0 religious
11 below 12-13 years old 14-15 years old 16-17 years old 18-19 years old 20 above
preferences
RELIGIOUS PREFERENCES
Percentage Frequency
Roman Catholic 67.0 16
Jehovah’s Witnesses 4.0 1
Iglesia ni Kristo 13.0 3
Babtist 4.0 1
Methodist 4.0 1
Aglipayan 8.0 2
100.0 24

Table 2 gleaned in the profile of the students in terms of their religious

preferences. Out of 24 participants, 16 or 67 percent are Roman Catholic, 1 or 4

percent identified as Jehovah’s Witnesses, Babtist, and Methodist, 3 or 13

percent are Iglesia ni Kristo, and 2 or 8 percent are Aglipayan. This imply that

majority of the participants are Roman Catholic.

3
 LOC A LITY/ A D D R E SS
San NarcisoSan Marcelino
8% 13%
Subic
8%
Figure 1. Frequency and percent distribution of the student participants by Age
bracket
Figure 1 reveals the

profile of students by

age brackets. As the

Figure 2. Frequency and percent distribution of the student participants by location

Castillejos
San Marcelino Castillejos 71% Subic San Narciso

data plotted in the

figure, out of 24 participants, none or 0 percent of the students ages 11 and

below, 6 or 25 percent are student ages 12-13, 10 or 42% are student land in

age bracket of 14-15, 6 or 25 percent of the student ages 16-17, 2 or 8 percent

are student ages 18-19, and none or 0 percent are participant ages 20 and

above. It shows that there are more participants ranging 14-15 dominates the

research study.

Figure 2. Locality or address presents the location of the participants. Out of 24

participants, 3 or 13 percent are the student participants from San Marcelino

municipality, 2 or 8 percent are participants from San Narciso, 2 or 8 percent

comes from Subic, Zambales, and 17 or 71 percent comes from the municipality

of Castillejos Zambales.

Challenges confronted in studying the four learning areas of science

Table 1 reveals the seven themes about the challenges encountered by

the science student in the science-oriented program in the learning area of Life

science.

4
Theme 1. Difficulty in analysing concepts and organizational principles

Memorizing terms in life science is quite easy but understanding the core

and concept of certain topic is difficult.

Table 5. Challenges confronted in studying learning area of Life Science.

Themes Sample statement Frequency

1. Analysis of concepts
and organizational
principles.
2. Perplexity in
understanding the origin
of life.
“ … I find a hard time to study the 2
similarities and difference between
animal and plant cell. In ecological
interactions, it is a challenge for me
to differentiate parasitism, mutualism,
commensalism, competition, and
predation.” [EDS01]
“Studying cell is very challenging to 2
me … and Evolution is because
people says that we humans came
from monkeys. God created us most
people said. It Is challenging because
we don’t know what or who we’ll
believe. And still take a lot processes
to figure out where do we really came
from. [EDS03]

3. Broad scope of study. “It’s pretty ‘wide’ for me.” [EDS06] 1

4. Life science requires
memorizations and
confusing terminologies.
5. Tools and place of
unravelling the world of
science is unavailable.
“Memorizing some terms with 8
complicated spelling … Sometimes
we are almost the same so they tend
to interchange with some terms.”
[EDS23]
“ … I can’t study some organisms or 3
insects because our school is lack of
scientific equipment.” [EDS13]

6. Lack of teachers’ “No laboratory room, facilities, lack of 1

competency and time
frame in teaching
science
Life science is not
challenging
teachers’ competency, and shortage
of time. Lesson in science should
have a longer period than the other
subjects.” [EDS15]
5
Life science has less 7
mathematical concept
than physics.