Making Math Easy: Perceptions of Senior High School Students Pursuing Math-

related Career Preferences with Mathematical Inadequacies.

A Research Paper
Presented to
The Faculty of Senior High School
Tagum City National High School
Tagum City

In Partial Fulfilment

Of the Requirements of the Subject

Practical Research 1

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics

Aspacio, Lady Belle C.

Asumbrado, Albrecht Rey V.

Corpuz, Aprilyn B.

Damaolao, Brent Don C.

Llano, Maryvic Abigail B.

Maureal, Harrey N.

Tongol, Altom Kent M.

March 2018
 ii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The researchers of the study would like to devote gratitude towards the
accompanying people for their assistance and support for the achievement of this
qualitative research. Success will not be visible without the aid of these people who fully
gave their efforts to help the researchers in meeting the needs and demands of this study.
Thus, we would like to thank the following:

To the research panel for sharing their expertise in this field of research and giving
their bits of knowledge as to how we can improve our study. Their feedbacks and
suggestions induced significant impact that gave us a way to enhance and hone our skills
as researchers.

To our Research 1 subject teacher, Dr. Madilyn Ondoy, for guiding us in every
way, for assisting us in such complex workloads, for sharing her insights, and for giving
desirable comments and suggestions in improving our study and us as researchers.

To the participants of our study who shared their insights and experiences as being
mathematically inadequate but still decided to pursue math-related courses with full
transparency, patience, and confidence. Without their cooperation, the researchers will
not be able to record such factual data regarding to their experiences and insights and
credibility will not be attained in this study.

To our families, especially our parents, who assisted us as we go through this

challenge, for their long-lasting patience and for giving us unending moral and financial
support to accomplish this study.

To our classmates and friends who also gave their persistent support anytime, for
aiding us in the very best that they can give, and for boosting our confidence to finish this
study with success.

Lastly, to our Almighty God who gave us knowledge and wisdom in surpassing this
academic challenge, for guiding us to the right path, for giving us strength and hope to
overcome the struggles we encountered, and for protecting us as whenever and wherever
we go in this particular endeavour.
 iii

The success of this qualitative study will not be achieved without them all. They
were there in times of our needs and in times of hardships, giving us moral, emotional,
and academic boosts in this journey. Thus, thank you very much.

The Researchers
 iv

ABSTRACT

Inadequate Mathematical competency in students’ career preferences involving

Maths was shown to have less significance and meaning in students’ anticipated courses.

This phenomenological study intended to comprehend the perceptions of the Senior High

School students on how they manage instability and appetency involving their

competencies in Mathematics. Data were extracted through interviews from sixteen (16)

senior high school students who are mathematically inadequate but has a desire to

pursue Mathematics courses.

The study revealed that students pursuing Math-related career preference with

Mathematical inadequacies entails Mathematics associates everything, self-study; peer

learning, learner’s inspiration for future career, and interests to their chosen careers.

Furthermore, this implies mathematics issues and problems, math-related career choices

based on mathematical difficulty, people’s support, and self-confidence and motivation.

Lastly, the participants indicated the math skills utilization, teacher’s ineffective approach,

and the student’s readiness.

Results presented that despite the students’ Mathematical inadequacies, they still

want to pursue their anticipated career preferences in the fields of Math. Thus, it was

concluded that students who are mathematically inadequate will still pursue their Math

related career choice despite the difficulties they encounter.

Keywords: Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, Math-related Career

Preferences, Mathematical Inadequacies, Phenomenology, Philippines

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page i

Acknowledgement iii

Abstract iv

Table of Contents v

List of Tables viii

Chapter

1. Introduction

Purpose of the Study 5

Research Questions 6

Theoretical Lens 6

Significance of the Study 8

Definition of Terms 9

Scope and Delimitations of the Study 9

Organization of the Study 10

2. Review of Related Literature 12

3. Methodology

Research Design 29

Role of the Researcher 30

Research Participants 31
 vi

Data Collection 32

Data Analysis 34

Trustworthiness and Credibility 35

Ethical Considerations 36

4. Results

Perceptions of students with regards to their 39

Mathematical Ability and their longing for a
Career involving Mathematics

Management of Issues and Students’ Anticipation in taking 50

Math-related Courses but has Insufficient
Foundation in Mathematics

Students’ Insights to their Mathematical Skills and 58

their Desired Career and Profession

5. Discussion

Perceptions of students with regards to their 68

Mathematical Ability and their longing for a
Career involving Mathematics

Management of Issues and Students’ Anticipation in taking 71

Math-related Courses but has Insufficient
Foundation in Mathematics

Students’ Insights to their Mathematical Skills and 75

their Desired Career and Profession

Implications for Educational Practices 78

Implications for Future Researches 80

Concluding Remarks 81

References 82

Appendices

A. Letter to Conduct a Study 89

 vii

B. Informed Consent 88

C. Validation Sheet for Interview Guide 95

D. Interview Guide 99

E. Member Check 105

F. Certification of Grammarian 109

Curriculum Vitae 111

 viii

LIST OF TABLES

Table No. Description Page

Perceptions of students with regards to their

1 Mathematical Ability and their longing for a 48

Career involving Mathematics

Management of Issues and Students’ Anticipation in

2 taking Math-related Courses but has Insufficient 56

Foundation in Mathematics

3 Students’ Insights to their Mathematical Skills and

their Desired Career and Profession 65

 Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

Rationale

Early adolescence is the time when students make important decisions about life

and career. For some students, early adolescence starts the beginning of a downward

spiral of academic failure. A decline in their grades negatively modifies their self-esteem;

which in turn has a negative result on their motivational orientation toward school.

Mathematics is a critical ability of human beings in modern society. Unfortunately,

some people are not that capable and efficient with regards to their mathematical

competency but the desire to have a degree in relation to Mathematics which oppose to

their own skills and abilities. According to Ma and Johnson, Mathematics coursework did

have isolated but important contributions on the status of students' career and college

major choices. How can some students avoid this occurrence?

The search of the research literature for studies of Mathematics coursework on

career and major choices yielded a lack of empirical evidence, highlighting the

significance of the present analysis. It is thus important to understand the barriers and

factors that holds individual educational and career choices (Wang and Degol, 2013).

In Africa, there are some studies that tackle about career choices related to

Mathematics namely Tanzania and South Africa. Career choice refers to the subjective

context of individual's preferences, aspirations, images, and intentions. This means that
 2

career choice is dominated by multiple factors including individual and society. Students

who aspire to have a career in Mathematics tend to possess daunting and pervasive

problems. According to Bandura et al., the individual undertaking the process of career

choice is controlled by the context in which they live in. This entails that career choice

does not emanate only from an individual, but is also a social phenomenon (Chuwa,

2014).

Studies in Asia explored the predictive utility of self-efficacy expectations in career

decision-making, vocational indecision, occupational preference and self-efficacy

expectations, external orientation and instrumentality in the status of academic and career

choice. As stated by Abdalla, students who had decided on an academic major or career,

compared with those who had made tentative decisions and the undecided, had higher

scores on self-efficacy expectations in career decision-making, occupational self-efficacy

expectations, and instrumentality, and lower scores on vocational indecision and external

orientation. Another present study in Asia, particularly in India, shows that parental

attitude and anxiety with regards to Mathematics is a precursor to the attitude and anxiety

of their children towards Mathematics (Soni and Kumari, 2016). This proves that parents

with mathematical anxiety precede their children's negative attitude towards

Mathematics, which also sways their future career preferences. Deficient performance on

student achievement is based on family values and climate, school environment, peer

pressure, and test‐taking anxiety. A student's judgment of their capability to accomplish

a task or succeed in an activity, or self‐efficacy, is a key factor as cited by Johnson. Self‐

efficacy beliefs help determine how much effort a student will expend and how much

stress and anxiety they will experience as they engage in a task. Through enhancing
 3

students' Mathematics self‐efficacy, students' Mathematics achievement is likely to

improve.

Some studies were conducted in several countries in North America mentioned by

Ma and Johnson that Mathematics preparation is important to the pursuit of high-status

careers. Sells referred to Mathematics as the ‘critical filter' that effectively screens

students for prestigious careers. Stinson argues that Mathematics has been an effective

tool for social stratification.

In South America, countries such as Argentina, and other Latin countries

conducted a research study similar to the researcher's study. Steyn and Du Plessis

indicated the analysis of student feedback which indicates that the support given at first-

year level can be regarded as an important contributor to both competence in

Mathematics as well as the successful completion of engineering study.

In one of the European countries, Lithuania conducted a past research that

discusses the concepts of professional motivation and career barriers for students who

chooses Physics and Mathematics professions. As what Aldona and Aiste stated, motives

that swayed the choice of Physics and Mathematics mostly expressed the dimension of

self-realization and the dimension of material achievements. It was also found that both

personality, family and social-cultural factors were important in choosing Physics and

Mathematics.

From the 10-member countries in the ASEAN region, only the Philippines has a

similar study and it can also fall under the national category. There is a high demand for

jobs waiting for graduates who would be pursuing careers related to science and
 4

technology, but only above half of the demand were produced as graduates in these

fields. The ultimate criterion of the effectiveness of curriculum development is in the

degree to which the learners are provided with better and continually improved

educational experiences that result to educational growth including interest to the

education the individual to become useful, upright, and effective member of the society

he lives in. Truly the meaning of the curriculum is seen on where the students would be

and the choices they make after they left school (Pascual, 2014).

The unemployment rate in the country is commonly associated with the misfit

graduates produced by universities and colleges and the workforce needed by different

companies. The wrong choice of course taken by most of the high school students adds

to the unemployment and underemployment rate of new graduate students (Pascual,

2014). This occurrence is the most well-known problem in students and even in a

workplace.

Discovering the insights of students and the factors and barriers influencing their

anxiety on math-related career choices is one of the compelling reasons this study is

conducted. Furner and Gonzalez-DeHass states that Math anxiety is a real issue that

greatly dominates students' goals and many career-related decisions they may make in

life and their overall future. Thus, comprehending the perceptions and insights of students

on how they manage instability and appetency involving their competencies in

Mathematics with regards to their career choice is significant.

This study fits a qualitative research for the researchers aim to comprehend the

perceptions of the Senior High School Students in Tagum City National High School on

how they manage instability and appetency involving their competencies in Mathematics.
 5

Past researches focus on anxiety while this research emphasizes individual

insights and perceptions of students in choosing their career path as well as their personal

motivation and willingness but still have hesitations due to their own evaluation of

mathematical skill. This study focuses on the participants' mathematical ability in relation

to their anticipated math-related career choices. Several studies were conducted that

corresponds to the topic. However, the study is limited globally and even in regions. Some

of the continents have related studies with the issue but others have none. Also,

researches around local setting lack contribution. It is also important to note that the

above-mentioned researches which predated this study are not recent. Thus, this

research is to be conducted for a reason to comprehend the underlying factors which

control the career choices of students in relation to their mathematical abilities.

Purpose of the Study

The aim of this phenomenological study is to comprehend the perceptions of the

Senior High School Students in Tagum City National High School on how they manage

instability and appetency involving their competencies in Mathematics. At this stage in the

research, inadequate mathematical competency will be generally defined as the

insufficient foundation of the participant in Mathematics, leading to unsatisfactory

possibilities as to their intellect in pursuing their anticipated profession in the field of

Mathematics

Students placed in this situation might be having difficulty and doubts because of

their status. Knowing the side of the participants as to how they perceive the idea of

having a Mathematics degree with an insufficient ability in the said field. The development
 6

of insights into how students' self-perspectives affect their career choices and

preferences that can help in understanding the position of the involved participants.

Research Questions

1. What are the perceptions of the students with regards to their mathematical ability

and their longing for a career involving Mathematics?

2. How do the participants manage their anticipation in taking math-related courses

but has an insufficient foundation in Mathematics?

3. What are the insights of the Senior High School Students when it comes to their

mathematical skills and their desired career and profession?

Theoretical Lens

This study is derived from Bandura's social cognitive theory applied to career

psychology focuses on the role of self-efficacy beliefs in academic interest, choice, and

performance. This theory states and explains a person's choice of behaviour and the

sustainability of their efforts despite the negative experiences governed by one's

perspective of self-efficacy. Bandura (1977) defines efficacy beliefs "the product of a

complex process of self-persuasion that relies on the cognitive processing of diverse

sources of efficacy information". A person is expected to have lower performance if they

believe they are incapable due to personal inadequacies rather than due to the situation

they were in. Working based on Bandura's self-efficacy theory, Betz and Hackett (1983)

developed a theory of career self-efficacy that constitutes a principal factor in career

choices. In this model, students' sense of career self-efficacy is partly informed by prior

educational attainment. Focusing on Mathematics-intensive career choices, these

 7

researchers argue that Mathematics self-efficacy, defined as beliefs about one's ability to

perform mathematical tasks, is related to choose from careers in Mathematics and

science fields. Prior Mathematics attainment is the major source of Mathematics self-

efficacy in their model. Students who possess inadequacies when it comes to

mathematical skills may have behaviours such as avoidance that is difficult to eliminate.

This defensive behaviour of students may end up avoiding Mathematics courses because

of the fear due to an insufficiency of mathematical potential. They may be limiting their

career options by avoiding challenging Mathematics courses and may be unaware that

their present career preferences are based on their avoidance of certain courses and

career paths in the past (Scarpello, 2005).

In 1985, Leone and Revelle enlightened the Attentional Theory of Mandler and

Sarason (1952). It was proposed that whenever an individual encounters a test situation,

he or she may perform a task completion for uneasiness to be reduced or encountering

a circle of thoughts full of inadequacy, helplessness, and insufficiency that drives a person

to stop the task. It was further hypothesized by Mandler and Sarason that an individual

with fewer worries compel more on completing a certain task while a more worried person

engages in a task distractedly. On the other hand, the basis of the Expectancy-Value

Model propounded by Eccles and his colleagues in 1980's, the Expectancy-Value Theory

proposed by Wigfield and Eccles in the year 2000 emphasizes on the expectation of

success and subjective task value. As these two variables greatly control achievement

choices are based on the individual belief about the level of confidence to accomplish and

finish an academic task as well as the serviceability in continuing the task. These are

further dominated by previous past experiences and socialization factors. When a student
 8

is placed in a certain condition wherein he or she feels uneasy and worried because of

the discontentment of personal capacity in performing math-related tasks, the individual

tends to stop and quit the task needed to perform. Students' confidence in doing

Mathematics can be based according to how easily they finish and accomplish problems

involving Math at the same time their capability of pursuing the given task. Experiences

happened in the past may affect their decisions in choosing a career even though their

level of anticipation in pursuing a specific course is high. An Individual's beliefs can be

swayed due to social factors. Limiting their choices for a reason that they embraced the

impossibility of achieving their desired career path despite the burning desire because of

some insufficiencies and inadequacies. This examination takes a step forward to know

and understands the factor that controls a students' math achievement. Negative direction

of success can lead to avoidance of Math course. Environmental factors and personal

factors such as their attitude towards Mathematics can highly dominate their academic

performance in math and plays a significant role in attaining Mathematics achievement

and choices to further study Mathematics (Soni, 2016).

Significance of the Study

In this study, we are to find the perceptions and perspectives of the students

having the difficulty in Mathematics with a math-related career preference. This

contributes to having a better understanding and comprehension of the student's personal

insights and views of the situation they find themselves to be in.

This investigation will be helpful for the Department of Education, school

administrators, guidance counsellors, teachers, and parents in giving a hand to the

students with lack of mathematical competence affecting their career preferences and
 9

course choice resulting to a module that can be a help to some individuals under the

same circumstances. Also, parents and teachers possess a huge significance on the

success of the students bringing motivation and positivity to the participants.

Definition of Terms

The accompanying terms were utilized as a part of this investigation are

characterized thoughtfully and operationally as takes after:

Easy: It is defined as presenting few difficulties, free from worries or problems and

without effort or difficulty. As utilized in this study, it shows the absence of difficulty in

relation to Mathematics generally among the students.

Perception: It is conceptually defined as "the consciousness of particular material

things presents to sense." Operationally, it is produced by stimulation of a sense organ

together with sensation (Angell, J., 1906).

Math-related Career Preferences: It is defined as a career field associated with

Mathematics in which students prefer. In an operational sense, these are the careers in

which students choose for the future by some contributing factors.

Mathematical Inadequacies: This means lack of quality or insufficiency of

mathematical ability. It is the condition of being inadequate, not good enough or lacking

skills in Math. It is operationally defined as the participants' status that catalyses problems

with regards to choosing their career professions in the future.

Scope and Delimitations of the Study

 10

This study will focus on those students that pursue math-related career

preferences. The team used some flexible approaches like the in-depth interview (IDI)

and focus-group discussion (FGD) to achieve the results; we needed from students of the

Senior High School who aspires a career inclined to Mathematics like Engineering,

Accountancy, Architecture, and many more. The study is to be conducted at Tagum City

National High School.

The study talks about how students with inadequate skills in Mathematics affect

their mind-set of becoming a professional with a career inclined to Mathematics. This is

also a study to know how these students who aspire these kinds of careers cope up to

their inadequateness and the adjustments they make when it comes to Mathematics. This

research focuses on the problems perceived by the Senior High School students

regarding the situation they are in.

Furthermore, this research study is designed to have a thorough information of the

participant's point of view that may vary due to their different perceptions towards the

topic. Also, the ideas and knowledge shared are based on the latter's own and opinion.

Organization of the Study

Chapter 1, the introductory chapter presents the overview of the topic. This

explains the purpose of the study, presenting the importance, significance, and

beneficiaries of this search. This part also includes the scope and delimitations where the

focus and exemptions of the topic are stated. Lastly, it contains works of literature related

and studies or theories supporting the overall idea of the study.

 11

Chapter 2 exposes a review of the literature related to the research study. This

chapter consists of (i) studies related to Making Math Easy, (ii) studies of Students'

Perception towards a Career Choice, (iii) studies pertaining to Students Pursuing Math-

related Career Preference, and (iv) studies about Mathematically Inadequate Students.

All in all, this chapter focuses on the pieces of literature supporting the topic.

Chapter 3 highlights the method, design, and theme of the investigation. It

describes the application of procedures used for the study. Here it states the Research

Design that shows the way of conducting the research, the Role of the Researcher, the

Participants or people that will be engaged and included in the study, and the process

and method of Data Analysis, Data Gathering, and Collection. Also, the Credibility and

Trustworthiness of the study to ensure its validity and reliability together with its ethical

consideration.

Chapter 4 or the results section presents the findings of the study based on the

method or approach used in data gathering. This part of the research clearly states the

findings in a comprehensive order without bias together with the verbatim responses of

the respondents used in organizing the results of the study. It also shows the themes

formed and tackles the outcome of the study.

Chapter 5, the discussion. This section presents the interpretation of the results,

contribution and significance of the findings. The recommendation includes the

concluding remarks. Also, it explains the new insights, understanding and knowledge

gained from the results and findings of the study conducted.

 Chapter 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

In this chapter, various kinds of affiliated articles and researches were gathered

by the researchers to provide an overview of the study. The categories that are discussed

are making math easy, students’ perception towards a career choice, students pursuing

math-related career preferences, and mathematically inadequate students. It serves as a

basis for reviewing the recent studies of the researchers to form this concept which is

related to the researchers' study.

Making Math Easy

Mathematics as a subject affects all aspects of human life at different levels.

Mathematics is seen by society as the foundation of scientific-technological knowledge

that is vital in the social economic development of a nation (Enu et al., 2015). Competency

in Mathematics learning is vital to any individual and nation in domestic and business

deals, scientific discoveries, technological breakthrough, problem-solving and decision

making in different situations in life. In spite of that, students' factor includes lack of

interest to learn Mathematics partly generated by Mathematics phobia and distractions

from handsets they carry about even in the Mathematics classrooms as perceived by the

researcher while teaching them Mathematics. These have lead probably to students' lack

of reading culture especially Mathematics textbooks (Anigbo and Idigo, 2017).

Mathematics has been accepted as an important component of formal education

from the ancient period to the present day. Our history shows that ancient scholars

developed Mathematics practically being obliged a day-to-day problem. Mathematics is a

 14

needed practice which has a different theory and several formulas. So learning

Mathematics, students should manage extra time for practice. Generally, Mathematics

achievements determine student's labor in present situation; students are not laborious

in Mathematics learning. Mostly parents' support is one of the important aspects of

parent's factors studying Mathematics. Parents achieve support for their child's learning

can make good achievement in education (Archarya, 2017).

Mathematics plays a crucial role in everyday life, affecting academic achievement,

job decisions, and performance (Jones et al., 2012). It is common however, to experience

math-related anxiety in the form of feelings of tension, apprehension, or fear when

confronted with even simple mathematical problems. (Klados et al., 2015). Academic

self-efficacy and optimism were strongly related to performance and adjustment, both

directly on academic performance and indirectly through expectations and coping

perceptions (challenge-threat evaluations) on classroom performance, stress, health, and

overall satisfaction and commitment to remain in school (Marsh et al., 2017). Learning

preparations analyse the identification of lessons objectives to be achieved and

organization of learning tasks to be undertaken (Wanyonyi, 2013).

The basic knowledge of Mathematics in lower secondary level is the key factors

which determined the good performance of the students or not at great (Mata et al., 2012).

On the other hand, students find themselves in new rhetorical situations, that is on how

they draw on and employ what they already know and can do, and whether such

knowledge and practice are efficacious in the new situation or not (Robertson et al., 2012).

A result suggests that students' confidence level in their academic and mathematical

abilities makes a significant difference in their initial STEM major choice. Study findings
 15

could assist educators, counsellors, and policy makers in their efforts to promote student

choice of STEM‐related majors and careers (Moakler, and Kim, 2014).

A study analysed that active learning leads to increases in examination

performance that would raise average grades by a half a letter, and that failure rates

under traditional lecturing increase by 55% over the rates observed under active learning

(Freeman et al., 2014). Furthermore, According to a study, ‘‘teaching activities should

foster the motivation of students to exert effort to engage in learning activities and to

sustain these efforts''. (Vandecandelaere et al., 2012). The findings show that students'

understanding about the usefulness of mathematics, perception of teacher's attitudes

positively predicted their dependence on personal confidence about mathematics (Achor

and Tyavbee, 2014).

Parental involvement is related to many positive child outcomes (Schiffrin et al.,

2014). Nevertheless, some studies analysed that parents support predicts students' self-

perceptions (perception of control and identification with school), which in turn predict

students' academic and behavioural engagement, and academic achievement (Fall and

Roberts, 2012). The use of contexts reduces students’ view of mathematics as a remote

body of knowledge, and by means of contexts students can develop a better insight about

the usefulness of mathematics for solving daily-life problems. Another benefit of contexts

is that they provide students with strategies to solve mathematical problems. (Wijaya, Van

den Heuvel-Panhuizen et al., 2014).

A study examines the guidance of apps on these students' engagement with

mathematical learning through the facilitation of differentiated learning programs.

Smartphones, tablets, and iPods and laptops offer users the ability to access the Internet
 16

through Wi-Fi or mobile phone networks. These mobile devices can be used to browse

the Internet or download apps. The term mobile learning or m-Learning has been coined

to describe the phenomenon of "learning with mobile devices" (Willacy and Calder, 2017).

The technology most commonly referenced in the documents from the IB and all the six

countries is the graphic display calculator (GDC). In two countries calculators with

symbolic manipulation facilities are used or referred to and there is some experimentation

with the use of such calculators in some other countries (Drijvers, et al., 2015).

Mathematics allows a range of mathematical ideas to be take along together to

solve problems in our everyday life (Booker et al. 2015). It is vital to economics and

finance, as well as to the computing technology and software development underlying our

technologically advanced and information-based world (Lindquist, Arora, and Mullis,

2015).The capability of an individual to make appropriate career choices is being

prepared in all the circumstance because it may affect the career decision, while also

taking into account the complexity of family, social, economic, and organizational

variables that influence an individual's career development (Sampson et al., 2013)

Students' Perception towards a Career Choice

“The organizational career is dead, while the protean career is alive and

flourishing.” This quotation precisely describes the importance of career self-

management of today’s career landscapes. Technological advancements and increasing

globalized workforce are one of the reasons why careers have become less predictable

and structured leading the need for individuals to be more adaptable and flexible. As a

result, career development researches have shifted its focus on individual’s interests,
 17

needs, values, towards advocating the development of career competencies essential for

career and work adjustments (Garcia, et al., 2015).

There have been several studies conducted about perceptions of students towards

career choice. A considerable number of studies stated factors that affects the viewpoints

of an individual with regards to choosing their career – contextual support (Balyer &

Ozcan, 2014; Garcia et al. 2015; Watson, 2017), university and higher education

experiences (Shen, 2014; Nachmias & Walmsley, 2015), learning environment (Singh,

2017), socio-economic status (van Tujil & van der Molen, 2016), access to guidance and

counseling services on school life (Eliamani et al. 2014), and personal interests (Broman,

2017, Sadler et al.2012).

Career choice is influenced by multiple factors including individual and society. It

refers to the subjective context of individual’s preferences, aspirations, images and

intentions. There are factors that may affect the choices of an individual with regards to

their career preferences such as the role of parental support, teacher support and career

decision-making self-efficacy. Parents and teachers support plays an important role in

influencing students’ career preferences as they directly influenced learning and

experience. Students choose a career or profession through the influence of their parents,

peers and teachers. A study identified support as a key instrument throughout students’

experiences at school and during their decision-making towards a career choice. The role

of support is to enable them to make appropriate career choice. Parental, family and

community support include emotional, social and learning support, career guidance, and

encouragement to pursue a career (Balyer & Ozcan, 2014; Garcia et al. 2015; Watson,

2017).
 18

Complex factors such as university and higher education experiences are involved in

shaping students career related decisions. Students feels unsupported when it comes to

making career related decisions highlighting the need for early career awareness,

training, and support to help improve decision-making toward a career choice. Students’

intention in pursuing a career can be influenced by exposure to training and practice. Due

to lack of career progression, students’ may feel the need of not continuing or pursuing

the career preferences. Indeed, higher education experiences have an influence in

students’ approach to career decision-making (Shen, 2014; Nachmias & Walmsley,

2015).

Learning and classroom environment are important factors in developing students’

education and career interest. As they made an educational progress, they can align their

educational experiences to their career preferences. Classrooms have been the setting

where students optimize their competence. Placing students to have a high expectation

for success, and motivated to engage in learning activities to fulfill their developmental

needs. A study investigated that students’ classroom experiences predicted students’

interests. Those who believed they were skilled or interested in a particular career were

more likely to pursue these courses. Supportive learning environment is also an essential

part of determining student’s perceptions on academic achievement and learning. It is

particularly important to develop understanding of how various aspects of learning

environment influenced students’ future educational and career interests (Singh, 2017;

Wang, 2012).

Career choices and interest of a student were also significantly affected by their

socio-economic status. In making decisions, students with lower socio-economic status

 19

have uncertainty in choosing their desired profession. Poor financial base of students

inhibits them to make appropriate or better career choices such that students tend to

avoid courses with high financial needs and requires long period of training. They have

less access to quality education, lower achievements and educational qualifications, and

less knowledge of educational and vocational trajectories. For example, those students

who want to pursue a degree that requires high training and education fee will be

expected to choose a career that does not require any of those. This inequality may

restrict an individual’s options for their career development. (Gutman & Schoon, 2012;

Shumba & Naong, 2012; van Tujil & van der Molen, 2016)

Another factor affecting students’ perception in choosing a career is access to

guidance and counseling services on school life. A study concluded that this factor has

an effect on student towards their choice of career. As students are approaching the stage

of rapid growth and change, they need guidance and counseling. These services helped

students to establish a career that is suited to them (Arguelles & Bay, 2014; Eliamani et

al. 2014).

Addendum, personal interests of students also play a salient role in choosing their

career. It is the perspectives often explored when discussing about students’ career

choices and preferences. These interests were found to be retaining the stability of their

career choices. Having an enjoyable and interesting work and working environment is

what career choice all about. Remember that each individual has different influences that

may vary at some points in their life (Broman, 2017; Hussain et al. 2012; Sadler et al

2012).

Students Pursuing Math-Related Career Preferences

 20

Career aspirations in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics

(STEM) are formulated in adolescence, making the high school years a critical time period

for identifying the cognitive and motivational factors that increase the likelihood of future

STEM employment (Wang, M.T., Ye, Degol, 2016).

Much of the research into career decision making (CDM) has represented the

construct as a developmental task of adolescence (Crites, 1973; Super & Forrest, 1972)

However, as changes in the workplace force us to revamp our concepts of long-term,

stable patterns of jobs and careers, CDM is increasingly being seen as an ongoing part

of one’s involvement in the world of work. These changes require us to ascertain how well

a construct that was originally defined and measured in the context of young people

making career entry-level choices relates to the CDM behavior of older workers faced

with mid-career choice opportunities or dilemmas. There is also a need to re-examine the

homological framework of CDM, to determine its relationship with other constructs such

as vocational interests, personality, and intelligence.

In the wise choice of a vocation there are three broad factors: (1) a clear

understanding of yourself, your aptitudes, abilities, interests, ambitions, resources,

limitations, and knowledge of their causes; (2) a knowledge of the requirements,

conditions of success, advantages and disadvantages, compensation, opportunities, and

prospects in different lines of work; (3) true reasoning on the relations of these two groups

of facts (Wiley, 2012).

In the math domain, studies have found that Social Cognitive Ability (SCA),

interest, and perceived importance of Math measured in elementary school predict how

many math courses students elect to take in high school. Students’ self-concept of their
 21

ability in math and their value for math measured in high school also predicts their plans

to pursue a math-intensive career or course of study in college. These studies establish

that individuals’ SCA and values in math can be used to predict future choices. The

present study builds on this work by looking at long term prediction of activity choice; that

is, how students’ math SCA and values measured in elementary and high school predict

their ultimate choice of a college major (Musu-Gillette et al., 2015).

“If the demand is clearly there, then why are students not viewing these fields as

windows of opportunity and instead choosing to steer clear of plentiful Mathematics-

related career choices?” (Flaaten, 2013). This has been an issue about career choice.

There are many factors affecting career choice of students especially in pursuing math-

related career preferences. One of the reasons is students do not pursue Mathematics-

related careers because they are not well prepared in Mathematics when they enter

college.

Classroom environment is a critical context for promoting the development of

students’ educational and career interests. As students’ progress from middle to high

school, they have opportunities to tailor their educational experiences to align with their

career interests. Evidence suggests that academic motivation and engagement influence

youths’ capacities to plan for future. Students can refine their intellectual capacities and

skills in particular domains, such as math, by choosing to engage in particular academic

activities. Research on achievement motivation provides some insights into why

adolescents choose to participate in certain academic activities. However, less attention

has been devoted to how classroom characteristics interact with students’ motivation to

influence their subsequent educational and career interests. Self-concept refers to one’s
 22

view of oneself—of whom one is both publicly and privately. It has many elements,

including appearance, abilities, personality, gender, values, and place in society. Some

elements are more central to one’s sense of self than others. People may not be able to

articulate their self-concepts, nor may their self-perceptions always be accurate, but they

act on them and protect them just the same. Individuals identify the occupations they most

prefer by assessing the compatibility of different occupations with their images of

themselves. Compatibility is what is usually meant by the terms congruence and person-

environment fit. The greater the perceived compatibility (suitability), the stronger the

person’s preference. Individuals may seek out but rarely achieve compatibility with all

elements of self (Wang, N., 2012).

People also hold images of occupations (often called occupational stereotypes),

including the personalities of people in those occupations, the work they do, the lives they

lead, the rewards and conditions of the work, and the appropriateness of that work for

different types of people. These common images are organized into a meaningful, shared

cognitive map of occupations. Adolescents and adults distinguish occupations along a

few major dimensions: masculinity-femininity, occupational prestige level (overall

desirability), and field of work (Wang, Eccles, Kenny, 2013).

Although science, technology, engineering and Mathematics (STEM) study paths

and STEM work fields may be relatively difficult and therefore not appropriate for

everyone, too many children prematurely exclude STEM-related study and work options,

based on negative images of the field or negative ability beliefs that should focus more

on turning pupils’ entity beliefs into incremental ones (Tuijl and Molen, 2015).

Mathematically Inadequate Students

 23

Inadequate students are not that efficient to cope-up easily when it comes to

mathematical concepts, problem solving, procedures and processes due to their lack of

understanding, skills and abilities that lead to the poor performance of students in

Mathematics. There are factors contributing to their poor performance include under

staffing, inadequate teaching or learning materials, lack of motivation and poor attitudes

but both teachers, students and retrogressive practices. Enhancing these factors and

sensitization of the local community to discard practices which prohibit students’ effective

participation in learning Mathematics could improve them. It form an essential foundation

entry requirement into any of the prestigious courses such as medicine, architecture and

engineering among other degree programs. In addition to this, personal factors

contributing to poor performance of learners in Mathematics at Kenya Certificate

Secondary Education (KSCE) were found to be gender, economic factors and attitude

towards Mathematics (Mbugua et al., 2012).

There have been several studies conducted about students who has inadequacies

with regards to their mathematical competencies towards their career choices – factors,

Mathematics, poor performance (Mbugua et al., 2012); professional competences,

cognitive competence, ability to solve problems, social competences (Duka & Zeidmane,

2012); problem solving, writing process, metacognition (Bicer et al., 2013); approximate

number system, quantitative knowledge, Mathematics achievement, learning disability,

dyscalculia , executive control (Chu et al., 2013); cognitive ability, a relationship between

number representations and mathematical performance (Simms et al., 2013); English

competency, language, Mathematics word problems, secondary students' performance

(Pungut et al., 2014); Mathematics, life skills, purchasing skills, intellectual disability
 24

(Bouck et al., 2017); survey, multiple disabilities, educational technology, cognitive

impairments, virtual manipulative (Jimenez et al., 2017); learning disability, children,

epidemiology, risk factors, early intervention (Johnson 2017); cover, copy, and

compare, learning disabilities, math facts, math fluency, special education (Stocker Jr. et

al., 2017); competences, failures, factors, university education (Zeidmane et al., 2017);

“Engineering Education” is a degree that has a relation in Mathematics, it should

focus not only on the development of professional competences – professional

knowledge, professional skills and reflection but also on the development of cognitive

competence, ability to solve problems as well as social competences such as self-

competence, co-operation and communication. The standard of engineering education

depends on the quality of individual study subjects. Numerals studies have an impact

on the development of the necessary outcomes especially for engineers’ both directly and

indirectly. Direct impact of mathematics which serves as a tool for solving and calculating

various problems is a great concern for everyone to be aware. However, much greater is

indirect impact of mathematics providing such learning outcomes as the skills to

formulate, solve engineering problems, use language of symbols, made long chains of

logical conclusions (Duka & Zeidmane, 2012).

Poor mathematical competencies are prevalent among students that result

difficulties in many common day-to-day activities. Learners who had poor mathematical

skills in modern economies places has lack efficient in solving mathematics due to several

factors and one of these are the absence fundamental problem solving skills of middle

grades students . In part, second language issues can manifest in poor story problem

solving. This study focused on writing as a mediator for story problem solving or story
 25

problem posing. Problem solving is an integral part of most mathematics classrooms;

however, research has shown that students have difficulty understanding, solving, and

interpreting problems due to several factors one of which is second language acquisition.

Seto and Meel stated that integrating writing into mathematics classrooms is considered

one of the crucial changes over the past couple decades in mathematics teaching and

learning. Specifically, Flower and Hayes indicated that the writing process has been

linked to the development of students’ problem solving skills. In this ever changing world,

present study indicates the writing process helps develop students’ problem solving skills.

There are bundle of reasons why integrating writing into mathematics classrooms

increases students’ problem solving skills. First, the writing process enables students to

organize their thoughts. Second, the writing process enables students to gather, analyze,

and interpret data. Third, the writing process fosters the development of reasoning skills

as stated by Bagley & Gallenberger, Nahrgang & Petersen, Swafford & Bryan. Using

writing as a tool in mathematics classroom not only increases students’ metacognition but

also helps teachers understand students’ mathematical misconceptions, beliefs,

understanding, and feelings and to help structure the mathematics learning resulted in

greater than expected gains in problem solving skills (as cited in Bicer et al., 2013).

Mathematical learning disability (MLD) of children had a poor understanding of

ordinal relations, and had slower learning of Arabic numerals, number words, and their

cardinal values. Poor performance on these tasks resulted in 3.6- to 4.5-fold increases in

the odds of MLD status. The results provide some support for the Approximate Number

System (ANS) hypothesis but also suggest these deficits are not the primary source of

poor mathematics learning. In this research, Preterm students has been observed to
 26

have a low academic achievement compare to their term-born peers, especially in

mathematics subject .This study investigated potential underlying causes of this difficulty.

Extremely preterm learner’s interventions may target improving children’s numerical

representations in order to succeeding remediate their mathematical skills (Simms and

Chu et al., 2013).

In solving word problems with relation to mathematics, children are generally weak

especially in problems that required skills in choosing the various mathematical

techniques they have learned in previous years. In this study, it investigate two main

areas, namely students' performance in solving mathematics word problems and the

relationship between English competency and the ability to do mathematics about

learners disabilities (Pungut et al., 2014).

Instructional strategy of Concrete-Representational-Abstract (CRA) is an

instructional approach that supports students with disabilities in Mathematics. This issue

discovers the effects of using the CRA approach to teach middle school learners in a self-

contained mathematics class focused on functional-based mathematics to solve making

change problems. They used this strategy to determine one’s ability to solve problems

with regards to Mathematics (Bouck, Nickell, Park, 2017).

Inadequate mathematical students have significant impairment in reading, writing

and mathematics, in spite of normal intelligence and sensory abilities. It has a chronic

academic underachievement and significant stress. Individuals with reading disability

have more social, emotional and behavioral problems than those without reading

problems. Learning disabled children have adverse emotional outcomes due to academic
 27

stress which should be prevented. For the students enable to work efficiently through

academic tasks, there should be a fluency to have a combination of response accuracy

and speed. Disabilities and math deficits of the children often struggle to learn math facts

fluently. It shows implementation of Cover, Copy and Compare (CCC) as a fluency

intervention for students who have disabilities or who demonstrate skill deficits in math

facts and its subsequent impact on such students' fluency outcomes. There are 75% of

student participants with tactile defensiveness or lack of gross motor skills; children with

85% weak to no fine motor skills; and 83% had learners who lost track of the math

objectives while manipulating materials, making the use of manipulative difficult and 94%

of respondents strongly agreed that the use of manipulative are important for students to

gain early numeracy concepts; however almost half indicated difficulty using them within

math instruction (Jimenez and Stanger, 2017; Johnson, 2017; Stocker and Kubina,

2017).

In mathematics, the quality of teaching and learning has been one of the major

challenges and concern in educators especially for students who take up a degree with

relation to numerals. Mathematics compromises a wide variety of skills and concepts with

regards in solving problems as one of the leading roles in developing one’s ability of the

learners. It is often considered as a subject that students find hard to understand,

therefore many universities are faced with the problem that students drop out due to

mathematics (Zeidmane et al., 2017).

The previous studies mentioned different concepts of the researcher's study that

will lead to better understanding in reviewing related literature. Students’ achievement

depends on their need, interest, practices, and seriousness in the subject matter. Without
 28

interest in the teaching-learning actives, there is no possibility to achieve knowledge in

subject matter. Students choose a career or profession through the guidance of their

parents, peers, and teachers and at some point, they do not pursue Mathematics-related

careers because they are not well prepared in Mathematics when they enter college. It

is their own perception that drives them to choose their certain careers in life.

Mathematically inadequate students have poor performance due to the lack of

understanding, skills, and disabilities when it comes to their mathematical competence in

solving problems, procedures, and processes. Poor performance by students in

Mathematics continues firmly. Specifically, this focus on the students which has difficulty

in Mathematics but has a desire to pursue math-related courses despite their

inadequacies. Thus, this study contributes to gathering more information to compile

different ideas that are related to the study.

 Chapter 3

METHODOLOGY

In this chapter, it holds the different sections of the research configuration. The

structure of the chapter is as follows. Introducing the research design including the type

of qualitative research adopting. This is followed by the role of the researchers and the

participants involved and needed to complete the study. Lastly, the process of data

collection and analysis. Also, the trustworthiness and credibility of the information being

gathered as well as its ethical considerations.

Research Design

Qualitative research provides holistic understandings of rich, contextual, and

generally unstructured, non-numeric data (Mason, 2002) by engaging in conversations

with the research participants in a natural setting (Creswell, 2009). A qualitative research

is a situated activity that locates the observer in the world (Creswell and Poth, 2018).

LaFrance (2015) emphasized that the purpose of any qualitative research is to

understand the meaning people have constructed about their world and their experiences,

and also to understand nature in a particular setting. As emphasized by Bogdan and

Bilken (1998), a critical element for qualitative research is gaining access to the

participants. For this study, the participants are senior high school students and their

perceptions on their experiences as students with mathematical inadequacies pursuing

Math-related career preferences is what we collected and analyzed.

Moustakas (1994) underlined that to determine what an experience means for the

people who have experienced a particular phenomenon, a phenomenological approach

 30

should be used. Thus, in this research paper we used the phenomenological approach to

identify, understand, and analyze the rich meaning students give to their experiences.

Exploring the structures of consciousness in human experiences is the main tenet of a

researcher utilizing a phenomenological approach (Polkinghorne, 1989). A

phenomenological study describes the meaning for several individuals of the lived

experiences surrounding a concept or a phenomenon. In phenomenology, researchers

need to understand the concept of studying how people experience a phenomenon. In a

nutshell, a phenomenological study emphasizes the common meaning of an experience

for a number of individuals (Miller and Salkind, 2002).

Role of the Researcher

Primarily, the researchers chose this kind of topic because it can be observed that

there are still students who are having inadequacies with regards to their mathematical

competencies who still want to pursue math-related career professions in the future. We

can infer that this dilemma is prevalent and still exists.

On the other hand, this topic is relatable to our roles in the community as students,

future professionals, as well as citizens in the country to help other fellow students to

adjust themselves and assist them in choosing their careers especially to those students

who want to pursue professions in the field of Mathematics in the future.

In this study, the researchers took the roles as moderators, interviewers in the

interview conducted, and data collectors, transcribers at the same time data analysers.

An emic approach was used wherein the viewpoints were obtained from within the social

group. The researchers have prepared set of questions that are related to the topic. The
 31

researchers asked the series of prepared questions to the qualified participants and

collected their responses without bias and are purely from the respondents' perspectives

on the subject.

Furthermore, as what Berg (1988) wants to emphasize, researchers must serve

as a foundation to support the society or group and not just as an outside observer and

adviser to the community.

Research Participants

A phenomenological study provides descriptive accounts targeted to

understanding a phenomenon under study (Ary, et al., 2009). Crouch and McKenzie

(2006) suggests that less than 20 participants in a qualitative study helps a researcher

build and maintain a close relationship and thus improve the exchange of "open" and

"frank" information. According to Dornyei (2007), the size of focus group interviews

ranges between 6 to10 people. Articles, book chapters, and books recommended

suggests anywhere from 5 to 50 participants as adequate for In-Depth Interviews. The

above mentioned sample sizes contributes in order to have more clarity on what is

expected in the study being conducted (Dworkin, 2012).

The participants of this study are Senior High School students of Tagum City

National School. There should be eight (8) participants and informants for an in-depth

interview (IDI) and for a focus group discussion (FGD) who can best relate to the research

questions and enhance understanding of the phenomenon under study. They are

selected by the use of purposive sampling wherein questionnaire is used as a systematic

way to find respondents (Robbins, et al., 1969 as cited by Tongco, 2007).

 32

There were representations of Senior High School students whose ages range

from 16-18. They contain the students who pursue math-related career preferences with

mathematical inadequacies excluding those students who are mathematically competitive

in terms of their competencies in Math. Saturation or data satisfaction is reached when

the researcher reaches a point where no new information is obtained from further data.

Saturation point determines the sample size in qualitative research as it indicates that

adequate data has been collected for a detailed analysis. The frequency of verification on

the participant's responses until data saturation has been reached depends on the new

themes or answers that will emerge sooner as the interview continues.

Data Collection

Data collection is the process of gathering and measuring information on variables

of interest that test hypothesis, and evaluate outcomes. The goal for data collection is to

capture quality evidence that then translates to rich data analysis and allows the building

of a convincing and credible answer to questions that have been posted. Specific

methods and techniques were used in this phenomenological study. These steps were

applied in the process of data gathering (Ubaidullah, 2015).

First, the informants were selected by the usage of the purposeful sampling

wherein each participant is identified based on the research questions and on the criteria

needed. They were asked for a consent signing for validation that the participants'

participation is voluntary and that they are ready to share their insights and stands as

needed in the study. Usage of triangulation leads to an acceptance of reliability and

validity of the information coming from the data sources. Focus groups and in-depth
 33

interview are the triangulation methods used to investigate the evaluation objectives

(Golatshani, 2003).

Next, in any research, it is much preferable to set up the interview schedule on

several respondents. This will allow the research team to establish a clear and available

time to conduct the interview phase. For the data collection proper, eight (8) informants

for IDI were given an explanation as to the purpose of doing the research. Eight (8) FGD

participants were also oriented and set the limits of the interview in terms of confidentiality.

All interviews were tape-recorded and field notes were taken during and after interview

regarding their observations, thoughts, and insights about the interview. Researchers also

spent some time giving reasons why they recorded the interview as this protects against

bias and provides a permanent record of what was and was not said during the interview

process (Pontin, 2000).

After the interview phase comes to the transcription phase. Verbatim transcription

of interview data has become a common data management strategy in research and is

widely considered to be integral to the analysis and interpretation of data (Halcomb and

Davidson, 2006). Audio recordings from the previous interview will be transcribed into a

paper. Every word uttered by the respondents are encoded. The vernacular language

used will be translated into English. Finally, data analysis will follow in which common

patterns are to find by the researchers. They will categorize and look for the connection

of the transcribed patterns and themes.

 34

Analysis of Data

Qualitative data come in various forms and content analysis is widely used

qualitative research technique. In many qualitative studies, the database consists of

interview transcripts from open-ended, focused, but exploratory interviews. Qualitative

researchers are often more concerned about uncovering knowledge about how people

think and feel about the circumstances in which they find themselves than they are in

making judgments about whether those thoughts and feelings are valid (Thorne, 2000).

Data analysis and interpretation were contrasted into two activities. Operations

were described for analysis namely: categorization, abstraction, comparison, integration,

and more. For interpretation, it suggested metaphor and other literary devices as models

for understanding the meanings of others, identifying patterns in these meanings, and

representing how systems of meanings reproduce culture. These works to stimulate

discussion about how researchers use qualitative analytical techniques arrive at

conclusions and make sense of data (Spiggle, 1994).

In the analysis of data, the aim was to build a model to describe the phenomenon

in a conceptual form in three main phases: preparation, organizing and reporting (Elo and

Kyngäs, 2008). Current applications of the content analysis show three distinct

approaches: conventional, directed, or summative. These approaches are used to

interpret meaning from the content of text data. In the conventional content analysis,

coding categories are derived directly from the text data. A directed approach of content

analysis starts with a theory or relevant research findings as guidance for initial codes. A

summative content analysis involves counting and comparisons, usually of keywords or

 35

content, followed by the interpretation of the underlying context (Hsieh and Shannon,

2005).

The convention content analysis is being applied to this study in which categories

are coded directly from text data. When the transcription is done, the statements that can

relate to the topic were categorized into core ideas. Respondents' responses were

reflected in groups of major themes in various aspects of the phenomenon. The data

gathered from the interview were analysed according to their perspectives. Data should

be well analysed based on the data sources for a reason that inappropriateness or

inadequate preparation of data transcripts can delay or negatively affect the data analysis

process (Dheda et al., 2005).

Trustworthiness and Credibility

When the researchers conducted the study, it was ensured that it establishes

trustworthiness and credibility. In pursuit of a qualitative study, it follows the four criteria

proposed by Guba: credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability.

Primarily, credibility means how confident the qualitative researcher is the truth

of the research study's findings. It deals with the question, "How congruent are the

findings with the reality?" (Merriam 1998). According to Lincoln and Guba (1985), it is an

evaluation of whether or not the research findings represent a "credible" conceptual

interpretation of the data drawn from the participants' original data according. In the

study, we addressed this first component by conducting in-depth interviews and focus

group discussions while ensuring that the informants' and participants' responses are
 36

truthfully and raw collected ─ without injecting ideas for them to come up with answers in

response to the questions.

Transferability refers to the degree to which results of qualitative research can be

generalized or transferred to other contexts or settings (Trochim, 2006). To address

transferability in this study, the researchers precisely describe and interpret the research

design and the research's context as well as the analysis of the data gathered.

Dependability means internal consistency over time. This means that the

research is consistent or comparable over time, that similar things are treated in a similar

way, and that it is similar in quality (Jones, et al., 2013). To follow these criteria, the

researchers clearly presented step-by-step collection and analysis of data by grouping

the team and separately inquire responses to the informants while still having and

following research questions entailed in the process.

Lastly, confirmability refers to the extent to which others, readers, and peers

alike, can confirm the ideas presented in the research (Jones, et al., 2013). The

researchers ensured that the findings are originally shaped from participants' narratives

rather than shaped by the researchers. An audit trail was also conducted in establishing

this component by recording topics that are unique and interesting during the collection

of data.

Ethical Considerations

Graciano and Raulin (2010) had taken into account the ethical consideration as an

integral part of the research design process.

 37

Before the conduct of data collection, full consent was obtained from the

respondents prior to the study. Their participation is on the basis of the informed consent.

It involves researchers providing sufficient information and assurances about taking part

to allow individuals to understand the implications of participation and to reach a fully

informed, considered and freely given a decision about whether or not to do so, without

the exercise of any pressure or coercion (Saunders, et al., 2012). The researchers

presented ample information to the respondents regarding the evaluation being

conducted.

The researchers gave importance to the decision of the respondents to participate

in the said qualitative study as well as to withdraw whenever as they wish to do so. On

the other hand, the researchers ensured that no harm or violence was allowed in the

process. Confidentiality was also considered by giving them assurance that no personal

information will be made available to or accessed by anyone.

Furthermore, the researchers had strived to give a guarantee that there are no

falsifications and misinterpretations regarding the information gathered from the

respondents in the process of this qualitative study.

 Chapter 4

RESULTS

After interviewing, data gathering, transcribing, and analyzing, the perceptions and

insights of the participants about students pursuing Math-related career preferences with

Mathematical inadequacies were completely understood. There are eight (8) informants

for in-depth interview and another eight (8) participants for the focus group discussion. All

in all, sixteen (16) participants involved. The findings of this study were all based on the

answers and responses of the respondents.

Data gathered from the focus group discussion and in-depth interview resulted to

themes related to the listed research questions:

4. What are the perceptions of the students with regards to their mathematical ability

and their longing for a career involving Mathematics?

5. How do the participants manage their anticipation in taking math-related courses

but has an insufficient foundation in Mathematics?

6. What are the insights of the Senior High School Students when it comes to their

mathematical skills and their desired career and profession?

In this chapter, a total of eleven (11) themes are presented. Forrester (2010)

suggested that an undergraduate project aim for two (2) to five (5) themes in a thematic

analysis. There are four (4) themes in the first and second question while there are three

(3) themes presented in question number three, seconded by the participants’ verbatim

and translated responses, in the in-depth interview and in the focus group discussion.
 39

Therefore, the following are the authentic results as obtained from the statements of

students pursuing Math-related career preferences with Mathematical inadequacies.

Perceptions of students with regards to their

Mathematical Ability and their longing for a
Career involving Mathematics

The perspective of participants is weak and inconsistent when it comes to their

ability in numerical concepts that affect their career choices with regards to their

profession in the field of Mathematics. They also perceived Mathematics as a necessary

fulfilment to pursue their dream careers in the future. Thus, the following themes in

relation to the participants’ insight with respect to their mathematical ability are the

following:

Mathematics Associates Everything

The participants viewed Mathematics as an essential part of their daily lives. They

have indicated that we encounter Mathematics everywhere and it is important in their lives

especially in their future career preferences. Mathematics is an immense help to the

students. These are reflected in the participant’s statements in the in-depth interview:

Kay kuan man gud… kanang gamit kayo siyag kanang… gamit
kayo siya sa kaugmaon kay… ug walay… di ka kabalo mu-compute,
wala lang pud. Ug kanang mag ano ka… mag… gamit siya pag…
siyempre kung imong course pud kay engineering, kailangan siyag
mathematics. Because… it is useful in… useful for the future
because… if you don’t know how to compute, then it is nothing. And
if you will… will use… of course if your course is engineering,
Mathematics is necessary (IDI1, Freya).
Kay kanang kuntahay mag compute ka tapos murag part pud siya
sa life gud kay kanang magsolve ka na magpalit ka nya matimingan
na dili kayka parehas sa imoha ang tindera na maglisod pud ug
 40

math so makatabang pud ka sa iyaha. Because for example if you

will compute and it is a part of our life to solve like if you will buy in
the store then the seller is having difficulties in Math so you can help
her or him (IDI7, Odin).
Kay ano man gud, kanang, kanang ang Math man gud kay
pirmanente ra gyud nako siya makit-an ba; kanang pirmanente lang
mabanggaan, maora. Because I can always see Math, I can always
encounter it that would be all (IDI8, Hera).

Freya stated that Mathematics is essential to their future careers,

helping them to prepare for their future careers.

Kay ano man… kay parehas sa akoa nga mag-engineer inig college
or in the future, kailangan ka mag-math, kay… gamit man jud sa
engineering pud ang math. Because… like me who will pursue
engineering in college or in the future, Math is really necessary,
because Math is really essential in engineering (IDI1, Freya).
Kay… kana siya ginagamit, magamit man gud nako na siya in the
future. Kay mostly man gud, ang math man gud daw sa… sa
engineering kay lisod man jud. Because… it is useful, needed in the
future. Mostly, Math in engineering is really difficult (IDI3, Loki).
Because it’s really helpful in school labonna karon nanaa ta sa
STEM--kay makatabang jud siya. Like, pangit kayo kung behind ka.
Because it is really helpful in school especially now that we are in
STEM—it can somewhat helpful. Like, it is not pleasant if you are
behind (IDI6, Futhark).

Participants from the focused group discussion also confirmed that Mathematics

associates everything.

Mathematics is very important in our lives and Mathematics makes

our life in order and prevents chaos.. I want to pursue Civil
Engineering but my mathematical ability is one of the obstacles or
problems I am now facing because it is not that good and students
like me na dli kayo ,it may influence, whether if they will or they will
not achieve their career goals (FGD1, Swift).
 41

FGD number 2 stated that Mathematics helps us in some real-life and everyday

situations.

Para pod sa ako uhm of course makatabang jud ang mathematical,

akong mathematical ability sa akoa sa real life kay mao to. Example
magpalit ka sa tindahan tapos kung wala, dili ka kabalo kung pila
ang sukli, tapos masuklian ka either kulang or sobra, so dili gyapon
tama ang sukli sa imoha, oo, mao to tapos sa mga measurement
mag luto ana. Kung dili ka kabalo mu estimate kay nay tendency na
makulang or mahilaw, ma, ma mapagod imo nilutuan. Naa gihapon
na siyay, maaply gihapon nato ang mathematics in real life. For me
also uhm of course mathematical is really helpful, my mathematical
ability in real-life because that’s it. Example if you will buy in the
store then none, you cannot determine the change, and then the
change is either deficient or excessive, so the change is still
incorrect, yes. Then the measurements in cooking, if you do not
know how to estimate there is a tendency that it will be undercooked
or overcooked. There is still, it is also applicable inreal-life (FGD2,
Marshall).
For me so makatabang ning mathematical ability kay wherever I go,
naa man jud nay magamit man jud nimoninganokaningMathna skills
so yes makatabang ni siya sa akoa. For me so Mathematial ability
is really helpful wherever I go. Mathematical skills are really useful
so it really helps me (FGD7, Bob).
Para saako. Yes makatabang jud siya kay parehas nako na working
student ko nagabantay kog internetan, pirmente jud nako na ma
encounter nang mga kwarta na mubayad sa akoa so gamit kayo
ang math sa ako.For me, yes, it is really helpful to working students
like me whose manning an internet shop. I can always encounter
payments so Math is really helpful (FGD8, Potter).

Mathematics is essential in the participants’ life. They can use it in their real-life

encounters and they feel the need to develop their Mathematical abilities to support them

in pursuing Math-related careers in the future.

Self-study; Peer learning

 42

Participants improve their Mathematical ability by studying Math problems. They

also seek assistance to their peers if there are lessons they cannot understand well.

Searching the internet was a significant help for them to understand lessons in

Mathematics. These are reflected in the participant’s statements in the in-depth interview:

Ano, kanang… pagnaay mga… bag-ong lesson, imoha lang

studyhan, mga something ana. Kanang imohang i-review. What,
the… if there are… new lessons, you will study it, something like
that. Like you will review it (IDI1, Freya).

Naga-basa kog mga libro then like ginatan-aw nako ang ilang mga
pag-process then mangita kog mga way para mas mubo lang ilang
process. I read text books then like I will observe the process and
then find a way to shorten the lengthy process (IDI3, Loki).

Ang… para sa akoa ang para ma improve ang mathematical ability

is solve and solve until mastery so yes. The… for me to improve
mathematical ability is solve and solve until mastery so yes (IDI6,
Futhark).

Participants from the focused group discussion confirmed that they study and seek

help to their peers to develop Mathematical ability.

I think uh through solving more often ay kanang kabalo ko sa akong

sarili na dili ko hawd so dapat mag initiate ko na mag study ko, ma
solve ko more sa mathematics. I think uh through solving more often
like I know in myself that I am not adequate so I must initiate to
study, solve more Mathematics (FGD1, Swift).

Licky stated that watching tutorials online is helpful to understand Math lessons.

So akoa kay ma improve nako siya pag kanang kuan parehas

anang dili man jud kayo dali sabton ang mathematics so kanang
naga tan-aw ko video sa youtube usahay uhm kuan murag tutorial
siya and mao to para murag bisag dili ko makasabot sa kanang
kuan sa sa lesson sa teacher sa the way nga mag explain siya,
murag akoa nalang kaugalingon na kanang kuan na initiative na
mangitag pamaagi na makasabot kog akoa.So for me is I can
improve if like Mathematics is not that easy to understand so I
watched videos in Youtube. Sometimes uhm… kuan, like it is a
 43

tutorial and even if I cannot understand the way of the teacher, it is

up to myself to initiate and find a way to understand it myself (FGD5,
Licky).

Kathy supported Licky’s statement saying:

Para sa ako kay, kuan mag study then, mag tan aw ug video sa
youtube kay usahay pag explain kay kanang murag dili pa kayo ka
kasabot mao nang mga study jud. For me, to study then, watch
videos in Youtube because in explaining is I still somewhat cannot
understand so I must study (FGD7, Kathy).

The participants feel the need to self-study if there are lessons they cannot

understand. They also seek other references such as textbooks and watching tutorials in

online resources. It is their way of developing their Mathematical abilities to go with the

standard of their careers.

Learner’s Inspiration for Future Career

The participants indicated that contextual involvement plays a salient role in

choosing their careers. Some of them choose their career based on the influence of their

family and relatives. The guidance and support of their family motivates them to pursue

this career despite their Mathematical inadequacies. These are reflected in the

participant’s statements in the in-depth interview:

Uhmm.. the factors are: this career makes me happy; second the
support, support of my family, friends, family and friends because
they motivates me every second, and every minute to pursue this
career choice (IDI4, Apollo).
Mmmm…factors… family then…kuan…family then…mmm…
family ugkuan like personal pud sya kay pag Engineer kay murag
kanang sigeg pag mailhan ka kay murag makalaag-laag gani ka.
So mura pug travel nalang pud sa personal. Mmmm..factors.. family
then.. family then …mmm.. family and personal factors also
because if Engineer it maybe necessary for you to travel. So it is
 44

like a travel in my personal factor. Hmmm..factors.. family then..

family then …mmm.. family and personal factors also because if
Engineer it maybe necessary for you to travel. So it is like a travel
in my personal factor (IDI6, Futhark).

Apollo consider his family and friends supportive foundation as:

Because I’m being too slow to get the main point of the topic so they
support and motivates me every second, and every minute to
pursue this career choice (IDI4, Apollo).

Kuan parents, friends, mgakaila, mgatitonga engineer. Like

parents, friends , relatives , and uncles’ that is engineer. Like
parents, friends , relatives , and uncles’ that is engineer (IDI7, Odin).

Kanang ma-inspire man gud ko tungod sa kanang relatives bitaw,

mga teacher man gud sila unya Math pud ang ilang gi-anuhan. It
makes me inspire because of my relatives that is already a teacher
major in Math (IDI8, Hera).

Participants from the focused group discussion also confirmed that the factors

presented by the Learners’ are their inspiration for future career.

So akoa no kay ang mga factors na nag inspire saakoa kay uhm
kinaunhan jud kay ang akong pamilya then ang ikaduha kayang
akong future self kay kanang kaunsa kung murag ma kato ganing
murag maabo tsaakong hunahuna kung unsako in the near future
kung kanang kuan kung naa nakoy trabaho mao to makahunahuna
ko sa akoang kinabuhi in the near future kay murag mainspire ko
na maning kamot ugmaayo ug ipursue jud akong gusto na career.
So for me, the factors that makes me inspire first is my family then
second is my future self because I think what will be I am in the near
future if ever I get a job because it makes me inspire to study hard
and to continue pursuing my interest career (FGD5, Licky).

FGD number 1 stated the ways to do to for encouragement and inspiration.

 45

Uhm actually uhm kanang my parents and the people around me

sila jud ang naga inspire saakoa na kanang ipursue ni siya na
career choice and also uhm everytime I think every day nagatan-
aw jud mi ni papa ug kanang mga YouTube videos regarding with
engineering with their famous infrastructures with the famous
engineers and because of that mas na encourage ko na kanang
ipursue jud ni siya na career. Ahm actually ahm my parents and the
people around me are the one who makes me inspire to pursue this
career choice and also ahm everytime or I think every day we watch
YouTube videos regarding with engineering in their famous
infrastructures of the famous engineers and because of that, it
makes me encourage to pursue this career (FGD1, Swift).

So ang factors na nag inspire nako is akong papa kay para sa diraa
bali diraa nga kuan kanang bali kanang pagdira ay dira na kanang
career kay murag ma show nako akong love saiyaha kay dili man
kayo ko showy then also kay akong best friend kay ana siya mag
civil engineer siya so bagay daw mi kay architect ug civil engineer.
So the factors that makes me inspire is my father because in this
career it’s easy for me to show my love to him because I am not
showy to others then also my best friend because he said he will be
a civil engineer so we are accompany to each other because I will
be an architect and he will be a civil engineer (FGD6, Kathy).

Para saakoa ang naga inspire saakoa kay akong pamilya and then
ang akoang friends pod kay of course sila man jud ang dahilan
ngano ako ni gina kuan gina padayon ang akoang ambition na
mahimung engineer. For me the one that makes me inspire is my
family and then my friends of course they are the reason why I
continue pursuing this ambition to be an engineer (FGD7, Bob).
 46

All of the participants feel motivated by their families, friends, teachers, relatives

and other people that surround them, are very supportive in every actions and decisions

that the learners do for their safety and guidance as well as their choices career

preferences to have a better future in life.

Interests to their Chosen Careers

The participants denoted that they want to pursue their math-related career

preferences despite of their inadequate intelligence in solving word problems in

Mathematics. Most of them want to get a degree of Engineering that motivate and inspire

them to continue their interest in choosing their course related to mathematical

profession. These are reflected in the participant’s statements in the in-depth interview:

My habit, my love (IDI3, Loki).

I choose this because, I know, someday, I will become a successful

Math teacher or Professor and I will pursue this because this is my
passion (IDI4, Apollo).

IDI number 7 stated that his career choice was his dream since before.
Kay mao jud ni akong dream sukad pagkabata pa nya mao jud ni
akoang dream jud. Because this is my dream since I was a child
then this is really my dream (IDI, #7, Odin).

Swift stated about elementary days as:

Uhm from the start palang jud mga I think elementary pako mao
najud ni siya akong dream career and this is what my parents
wanted me to pursue. Hmm From the start I think I was just in
elementary this is really my dream career and this is what my
parents wanted me to pursue (FGD1,Swift).
 47

Ah ipursue nako siya ay gipili na ni nako siya daan since

elementary pako kay gi-relate nako siya kanang skills nimo tapos
ahh kanang mga laing iconsider pero kaning mao man gud ni
akong naganahan kay tungod maka ahh ambot mao juy akong
nagahanahan then kuanpod siya kining mao nato. Ah I’ll pursue this
because I already choose this since I was in elementary I relate this
to my skills then ah other things to be consider but this is really my
interest it’s because ah I don’t know, this is really my interest then
that’s it (FGD2, Marshall).

Para sa akoa kay mao ang pangarap nako ug dakog sweldo daw.
For me it is my dream and maybe it has big salary (FGD7, Bob).

Continuing math-related career preferences are important to the participants even

though they are not that capable when it comes to their competencies in the field of

Mathematics as long as they pursue their desired interest which belong on that particular

subject. No matter how hard or difficult numerals to encounter for the participants who

are interested, it’s not the reason not pursue their passion in life. They strive hard even if

they are not that efficient in mathematical concepts as long as they will achieve their goals

for them to be successful in the future.


Perceptions of Students with regards to their Mathematical
ability and their longing for a career involving Mathematics
Essential Themes
 Mathematics associate
everything
 Self-study; Peer learning
 Learner’s Inspiration for
Future Career
48
Table 1
Statements
 Mathematics aids us in real life
 It helps us in real-life situations
 Math aid them in their chosen careers
 Serves as a great help to the learners
 Math is everywhere we encounter
 It is important in our daily lives
 Makes our lives in order
 Needed to achieve my dream career
 Helps in my academic performance
 Important in my future career
 Helpful in engineering courses
 It’s necessary to study well
 Practice solving mathematical problems
 Initiate studying Mathematics
 Study if you cannot understand the teacher
 Study difficult problems
 Self-study in Math
 Study and seek help from peers
 Searching mathematical tutorials like
YouTube
 Peers tutorial in numeral concepts
 Read Math textbooks
 Due to the support of our families
 Guidance of the teachers in choosing our
career professions
 Increasing self-efficacy through the help of
their peers
 It motivate us by the help of people that
surround us
 Contextual influence by others
 Illustrations and application systems that
inspire us to be more interested
 Professional relatives (uncle that is Engineer)
who are here to guide us
 Motivational instructions or presentations by
the famous Engineers in the YouTube or
other sites for tutorials.
 49

Essential Themes Thematic Statements

  I was inspired to achieve the dreams of my
 Interests to their Chosen
Careers
mother for me in the future
 Was inspired to strive more through the
hardships of my parents until they are still
alive
 Will pursue this career because it is passion
 It is my habit, my love
 It is really my dream
 I like this career
 This is my dream since elementary
 I want to get a degree the same with my
father to make him proud
 I’m interested on it since before
 It suits my personal interest
 It is related to my skills
 It is my desired career and also my
beneficiary
 50

Management of Issues and Students’ Anticipation in taking

Math-related Courses but has Insufficient
Foundation in Mathematics

The respondents expressed their thoughts on managing the challenges and issues

they face as they anticipate a course inclined to Mathematics and is notable to be a

reason behind every decision and choice they make. Below are the themes that presents

the problems of insufficiency in Math as well as how the participants cope up with their

appetency in pursuing Mathematics courses:

Mathematics Issues and Problems

The participants mentioned the challenges they encounter in Mathematics. These

issues and problems coming from the answers of the respondents have differences but

somehow, the idea of their responses were connected, considering the following

evidences from the interview:

Para sa akoa no siguro kanang mga problem solving ug kanang

kanang pag familiarize sa kanang mga unsa na sa mga formula kay
ako kalimtanon man gud jud ko gud ug tapulan ko na tao. For me
those problem solving…familiarization of formulas because I am a
very forgetful and lazy person (FGD3, Bang).

Bang emphasized that familiarization of the formulas in Mathematics is a challenge

due to being forgetful and lazy. Another challenge is stated by a participant in an interview

below:

Mmmm… so kuan…ang Math, ma challenge ko sa Math if kanang

ang concepts is sagol sagol na sya. Yes so kanang mag mix na ang
concepts mao na sya ang kuan. Mmmm…so… the Math, I am
challenged in Math if the concepts are already mixed. Yes so
concepts are mixed (IDI6, Futhark).
 51

Participant stated that it is a challenge if the concepts in the lessons are mixed.

Para sa akoa kay daghan ug formula ug daghan ug memorison. For

me, there are a lot of formulas and a lot to be memorized (FGD7,
Bob).

Ahh… Kanang if ang ang subject… topic kay lisod na jud siya
sabton. Ahh… if the subject…topic is difficult to understand. (IDI3,
Loki).

Too slow to understood some complicated topics. (IDI4, Apollo)

Kanang lisod kaayo nga mga bag-ong lessons napud so mu-adjust

napud ko nya kanang millennial man gud ko kanang malimtan nako
ditso ang mga bag-ong lessons. Lisod kaayo i-remember kay naa
napu’y bag o, malimtan na ang daan nga lesson. The lessons are
very difficult so I should adjust again since I am a millennial, I easily
forget those new lessons. It is very difficult to remember because
there is another new (lesson), the previous lessons are forgotten
(IDI7, Odin).

The issues and problems in Math faced by the respondents gives them struggle,

making the subject hard to understand and comprehend, thus, generates a reason for

their insufficiency and weak foundation in Mathematics.

Math-related Career Choices based on

Mathematical Difficulty

Despite the respondents’ Mathematical difficulty, they have their personal desire

for a career they truly want in life. However, their choices were driven by the way they

look at own skills. The statements below show the result of their Math career choices

based on the latter’s difficulty in Math:

Ahh so because my mathematical ability is not that stable I think I

need to think and to decide thoroughly because when uhm uhm
deciding what your career choice, my future is at stake, at risk
(FGD1, Swift).
 52

Para sa akoa tungog niini na issue kay nanaghan na akong career

choice and naglibog nako kung unsa ako pilion pero mag stick to
one gihapon ko. For me because of this issue, my choice of career
multiplied, and I am confused on what will I choose but still I will
stick to one (FGD7, Bob).

Kanang, kung sa akong panghuna-huna, bali dili nako makaya sa

sobra lang…lisod basin ma-6 years nako Engineering. In my
thinking, I cannot do it too much… difficult I might (take) Engineering
for 6 years (IDI3, Loki)

Based on these statements, it can be inferred that the participants encounter self-

doubts and confusion in terms of their career choices in Mathematics.

Hmm, issue, uhhh, torn ko between taking, hmm…torn ko between

taking ano, architecture and animation. Hmm, issue, uhhh I am torn
between taking… I am torn between taking architecture and
animation (IDI5, Ran).

Another challenge encountered by Ran is confusion in deciding career choice in

Mathematics. Other problems about laziness and procrastination are enumerated below:

So para sa akoa no ang akong gina gina sagubang karon na issue

kay kannag kuan jud kanang ang kanang akong pagka tapulan no
kay kanang kuan i think kay mas madali guro nako ug sabot ang
mathematics if kanang mag put lang ko ug effort and time ana na
subject para lang ma improve. So for me, the issue that I am
currently facing is being lazy. I think I can easily understand
Mathematics if I will put some effort and time in that subject to
improve (FGD5, Licky).

Para sa akoa ang mga issue gyud kay ang uhhm mga parehas sa
kanang financial issues uhm mga ang pag ang pag sige pod ug
gamit anang manana habit and procastination kana jud duha. For
me, the issues are really the uhhm like financial issues uhm also the
usage of manana habit and procrastination (FGD8, Potter).
The reasons conveyed by the participants reverted their plans confusing the

decision they have in mind that may cause avoidance to the career they look up to. In
 53

turn, this allows them to test and evaluate themselves further for a more accurate choice

in their career.

People’s Support

The participants expresses the support of the people that surrounds them as a

help and a way for them to cope up and manage their instability in Math. Clearly, they

indicated the encouragement of people in the following statements:

So para sa akoa kay ginatabangan ko atong mga akong mga friends

and classmates nako na kanang by pag kanang pag pasabot sa
akoa ug maayo sa lesson especially ang math kay kananag
sabtononon man kaayo siya. So for me, my friends and classmates
are helping me by making me understand the lessons especially
Math needs to be thoroughly understood (FGD5, Licky).

Oo… Uhmm… isa didto akong mga classmates. Yes… Uhmm…

one of those are my classmates (IDI1, Freya).

Kanang naa, naa sa akong classmate magtinabangay lang me.

Yes, my classmates we are just helping (IDI2, Frigg).

The participants expressed that friends and classmates serve as aid in

understanding the lessons.

Wala. Ay, dili ang ako diay’ng ubang mga pariyente bitaw na
teachers sad. None. Oh, no my other relatives who are teachers too
(IDI8, Potter).

Family and relatives also helps in comprehending the topics as what Potter stated.

Ahh nakatabang ang mga tao sa akoa kani sila kay gitagaan ko
nilag guide and motivation. Ahh people helped me because they
gave me guide and motivation (FGD7, Bob).

According to the respondents’ answers, family, parents, teachers, classmates, and

friends are the people that gives them support to pursue and continue their passion in
 54

choosing Math-related courses regardless their lack of knowledge and skills in the said

field. This encourages the participants to push themselves in achieving their dreams.

Self-Confidence and Determination

To be able to surpass the problems, determination is required. The respondents

emphasized their self-confidence to have a positive view in their career path. Their

answers presented a need for perseverance in the pursuit of willingness towards a goal

as shown in the following:

Siguro no kanang i try lang jud nimo imong best no kanang aron ma
cope nimo ning ing-ani na issue. Maybe you should try your best to
cope this kind of issue (FGD3, Bang).

Bang suggested that trying your best is ideal in coping this kind of issue.

Siyempre dapat dili sila mag huna huna ug mga negative thoughts
pero naa jud biyay uban nga dili malikayan ngamo jump into
conclusion jud nga bisag wala pa nila gi try musurrender na dayun.
Dapat positive lang jud always like dapat huna hunaon lang nila
pirme nga makaya ra nila ang math para sa ilang gusto nga course
ug huna hunaon sad nila ilang future. Surely they should not think
negative thoughts but there are others that is really unavoidable why
jump into conclusion even if they did not yet tried to surrender
already. It should be always positive like they should always bear in
mind that they can do Math for their preferred course and they must
also think their future (IDI6, Futhark).
Futhark promotes optimism by being positive and resilient every time in facing

Mathematics.

So first, commitment. Then second, strive hard. Third, mag ampo ta

mag pray kay God and lastly, magtiwala sa sarili. anything is
possible. So first, commitment. Then second, strive hard. Third,
praying to God and lastly, trusting yourself anything is possible
(FGD4, Joaquin).

Joaquin stated that commitment, striving hard, praying to God, and trusting

yourself are ways to manage with these issues.

 55

Hmmm.. first my family, friends and those teachers who have

difficulties yet they become successful in terms of Mathematics
(IDI4, Apollo)..

Parehas gud atong grade 10 ko, kanang naa koy nadunggan ba

nag-em-… uh… unsa ni… nag-ano siya… nag-speech siya sa
gym. Ana man siya nga dili daw tanan engineer hawd mu-drawing,
dili tanan engineer hawd mo- ay bright ug math, dili tanan
engineer hawd mo calcu, mu-compute, mga something ana.
Murag na-inspire pud ko ba nga “Ah, dili jud diay tanan. So,
depende ra jud diay sa pag paningkamot.” . Like (back when) I
was Grade 10, I had heard…uh…what do you call this… he/she
(gave) speech at the gym. He/She said that not all Engineers are
skilled in drawing, not all Engineers are skilled- smart in Math, not
all Engineers are skilled in computing, something like those. Like I
was inspired that ‘Ah, not really all. It really depends on your
hardwork.’ (IDI1, Freya).

Kay… in the first place… ganahan man jud kog programing jud nga
akong goal lang man jud ana kay maghimo kog dula na akoa… na
kanang unique jud siya. Gusto man jud ko mag-software engineer
jud na kana gning mag-program. Kana gning dapit na jud sa steam
gani or di kaya kanang sa valve… para ako ilang senior programmer
sa choy choyg mga dula para… wala nay mga cheater oy… mga
tikasan ning mga cheater… Because… in the first place… I really
like Programming that my goal is just making games that is mine…
that is really unique. I really like to be a Software Engineer that
programs. Like almost in the steam or in the valve… so that I will be
their senior programmer in nice games to… there will be no
cheaters… cheaters are cheaters… (IDI3, Loki)

Self-encouragement serves as their edge in pushing hard to attain their

dream career. It a way of personal motivation to become strong-willed and emphatic in

the career path they will be taking with a positive outlook of success.
 56

Table 2

Management of Issues and Students’ Anticipation in taking Math-related

Courses but has Insufficient Foundation in Mathematics

Essential Themes Thematic Statements

 Mathematics Issues  Grades became lower
and Problems  Unsatisfactory grades
 It can greatly affect my grades in Math
 What makes math hard for me is the familiarization of
formulas.
 Too many formulas to memorize and understand.
 I forgot the equations and left my calculator.
 Mental block during examination.
 Forgetfulness about the topic and the process of
solving or the solution.
 Difficulty in higher Mathematics
 Application of Mathematics
 Hard to remember old lessons that can be used in the
present lecture.
 Lack of Mathematical knowledge
 Laziness in studying the lessons in Math
 Mathematics does not suit me
 Procrastination and manana habit
 Difficulty in understanding the lessons
 Complexity of concepts
 Confusion on wordings used
 Math-related Career  Multiple career choices
Choices based on  Not fixed/unstable decision whether to continue
Mathematical Difficulty pursuing Math courses or not
 Think twice and thoroughly because of Mathematical
ability
 Self-doubt about abilities on preferred career
 Molds preferred career choice
 57

Essential Themes Thematic Statements

 People’s Support  With the help of my family, friends, I can solve and
know more about Math.
 My best friend and also my younger sibling because
they are good in Math.
 My mother always encourages me to study hard.
 Teachers give assistance by means of their teaching.
 Classmates help me in solving
 My Junior High School teacher inspires me to
embrace Math
 My brother and to the one I am always with
 They help me understand Math more
 Helping me based on their experiences
 Teaching me in some difficult lessons
 Helping me mentally
 Helps in giving equations and tips
 Gives guidance and motivation
 Motivates me to pursue Architecture
 Helps me to solve Math equations by myself
 My relatives who are teachers
 Self-Confidence and  Study well to accomplish the desired Math-related
Motivation career preference
 Studying makes everything easy only if the laziness
can be lessened
 Keeping positive expectations
 Stick to what I really want
 Self-confidence and self-trust
 Try something even though it is hard
 Try your best to cope up
 Commitment, strive hard, believe in God, and believe
in yourself
 Find ways to succeed
 Promoting optimism
 No matter how hard it is, I will still be an Engineer
 Keep facing and pushing even if struggling
 My difficulties will help me to be better
 Continue even when my body feels weak
 My decision will never change
 Join Math workshops
 58

Students’ Insights to their Mathematical Skills and

their Desired Career and Profession

The participants of this research paper openly and frankly shared their insights

regarding their Mathematical skills and their desired career and profession. The

participants honestly acknowledge their inadequacy. From their statements, we learn that

the teaching methods and approaches of their teachers directly affects their outcome and

academic performance. Furthermore, they shared their own preparations for their desired

career. The themes below emerged from the responses of the respondents:

Math Skills Utilization

Utilizing Math skills enables a student to achieve better in academic performance.

The two FGD and one IDI participants say that they utilize their Math skills but they also

acknowledge their inadequacies. Based on their perceptions, they need to utilize their

skills more in Mathematics, as shown in the following:

Dili paman kaayo ko hawd ug math kanang kailangan jud nako siya
i improve kay kanang gamit kaayo siya sa atong kinabuhi. I am not
that good in math and I need to improve because it can be useful in
my life (FGD1, Swift).
Kailangan pajud kanang study pa jud. Mga improvement ba. More
study is needed (IDI1, Freya).

Loki confesses that he has a difficulty in remembering the lesson and that he needs

to give more time in studying:

Hmm.. Kanang sometimes, dili man gud nko mahinumduman gud

tanan gud kay sa… BaCal man kaayo ang harang gud sa ako gud
ba. Kay ang BaCal, gamit man gud jud tanan mga unsa ana so…
dli nko- dli kaayo nako ma-utilize ang tanan skills jud. Kay like ang
uban makalimutan na nako ang uban. Kay like tama…
nahinumduman nako pero dili tama. Hmm…sometimes, I cannot
 59

remember everything because…BaCal is my hindrance. Because

in BaCal, everything can be used so, I cannot utilize all my skills.
Because I can forget some lessons. I may remember but it is not
correct (IDI3, Loki).
kanang wala man jud koy skills sa math kailangan jud nako mag
give time sa pag study aning math mao lang to. I really do not have
skills in Math I need to give time in studying Math that’s it (FGD3,
Loki).

Marshall on the other hand, gradually utilizes his skill saying:

Para sa akoa, hinay hinay sa nako siyang gi utilize ako lang para,
para lang pod bahalag slowly but surely. For me, I gradually utilize
it so that even if it is slow it is sure (FGD2, Marshall).

Futhark acknowledges his skill’s inconsistency, saying:

Ah… so kuan…kuan sya ah… like 50-50… mura syag kanang

murag ah… nay confidence pero naay naay…naay confidence pero
naay part nga dili pud sure so… so ang skills murag inconsistent
sya . Ah…so…like 50-50…it’s like it’s like…there is confidence but
there is there is…there is confidence but there is some part that I
am not sure so…so the skills are like inconsistent (IDI6, Futhark).

Bob states that mathematics is indispensable:

So para sa akoa kay kanang kuan nang gamit jud kaayo ang
kanang kuan mathematics so mao to.For me, Mathematics is
completely useful that’s it (FGD7, Bob).

Frigg and Potter also added:

Kung sa akong ginahimo, mapa-improve jud siya, maminaw lang ug

tarong para makatuon. In my ways, it will really improve if you listen
properly to learn (IDI2, Frigg).
Para sa akoa gamit jud kaayo akong skills sa math kay kay taga
adlaw jud ko naga gunit ug kwarta taga adlaw jud ko muihap ug
kwarta. For me, my skills are really useful in Math because I handle
and count money everyday (FGD8, Potter).
 60

Most of the students’ evaluation of their Mathematical skill is low or very poor. Their

academic performance depends on their utilization of their skills. The students are trying

to improve their skills by using various methods that they think is effective for them to use.

Teacher’s Ineffective Approach

Most of the participants spoke about the ineffectiveness of the teaching

approaches used by their teachers. Student’s understanding has a relationship to the

teaching approaches of their teachers. Thus, if the teacher’s approaches is ineffective,

the students will not learn effectively. The participants’ responses, one from IDI and two

from FGD reflects the statement mentioned. The following statements below are their

responses:

It's good on their own perspective but in ours it's not. (FGD7, Bob)
Oo kay kanang kung dili kaayo nimo masabtan ilang mga gi topic
then kanang murag wala kaayo kay knowledge ana. Yes, because
if you cannot understand their topic then, its like there is no
knowledge, like that (FGD3, Bang).
Kanang ano, usahay kay kanang madungagan bitaw, usahay kay
maglibog ka kung kanang, ang uban man gud kay mag-libog bitaw
ko pag-sabot sa ilaha kung unsa ilang gi-discuss. Sometimes, it
gets better, sometimes I get confused in understanding what they
are discussing (IDI8, Hera).

Odin exclaims that the pace of teaching has a direct effect to students like him who

can’t easily cope up with the lesson:

Yes, dako siya kay kanang kung magpaspas siya ug tudlo, naa pud
baya’y pareha sa akoa na hinay ug dugay kaayo maka cope up pero
kuan… dako jud siya ug impact sa akoa. Yes, it is great because if
[the teacher] teaches in a fast pace, there are really persons like me
that are really slow in coping up but...it really has a great impact for
me (IDI7, Odin).
 61

In Marshall’s perception, he believes that his teachers’ know how to teach but not

that effective:

Para sa akoa kabalo man jud ko na kabalo sila mutudlo but dili ing-
ana ka kahawd or something na ka effective ilahang pagtudlo sa
amoa ay sa isip isa ka estudyante. For me, I know that they know
how to teach but they are not that proficient and effective (FGD2,
Marshall).

Loki emphasized the subject [Math] is already difficult even more because of the

teacher’s pace in teaching:

Kanang mka-unsa man siya… like masabtan man nako ilang

pagka-tudlo pud. Ang kuan lang jud mismo… ang subject lang jud
mismo. Unya usahay pud, kana gning magdali gani ang teacher
gani… wa ko kasabot ana… lisod na ganing subject, magdali pa jud
ang teacher. Patay na tang tanan ani. The teacher can…I can
understand their teaching. But just the…the subject. And
sometimes, the teacher teaches hastily…I cannot understand
that…the subject is already difficult, even more when the teacher
teaches hastily. We’ll all be dead (IDI3, Loki).

Potter says that the teacher needs more experience:

Para sa akoa kay naa pajud siyay kulang, kulang pa iyahang skills
sa pagtudlo, bahalag biskab brayt siya, kulang pa iyang experience
sa pag pagpasabot ug mga bagay bagay sa ubang tao. For me
something is really lacking, [the teacher] lack skills in teaching, even
though [the teacher] is knowledgeable, [the teacher] lacks
experience in helping others understand some matters (FGD8,
Potter).

Futhark stressed that:

Mmmm…ahhh…murag so sa karon na kuan karon na year

murag… ang… ang ilahang magtudlo kay… kanang sometimes kay
tungod sa ilang murag sa experience or ka hawd ba kay murag
ma… ma leave ang students nga kanang na murag murag kanang
kuan ba dili kasabot kay bata pa man so i-needed gyud ang proper
na teaching method para makuan ang…ang pag pag hone sa skills
 62

sa mga students so yes. Mmmm…ahh… like… at present... this

year like... the… the way of teaching is… sometime because of their
experience or proficiency… students are left behind and can’t
understand. We are still young so we need proper teaching method
to hone our skills as students, so yes (IDI6, Futhark).

Licky appealed to his mental and intellectual capacity, saying:

So kanang i think uhm the teacher should know the mental and or
intellectual capacity of the student in order to deliver in order to uhm
understand well their lessons. I think uhm the teacher should know
the mental and or intellectual capacity of the student in order to
deliver in order to uhm understand well their lessons. (FGD5, Licky).

According to the participants, they do not easily understand their teachers because

of their teachers’ pace in teaching. It is evident that the teaching method of teachers

greatly influences students’ academic performance and outcome. Ineffective teaching

approaches results to low grades in students.

Student’s Readiness

Students’ readiness is important in order for them to prepare for their future career.

Readiness is a precursor of further academic success. Preparedness opens up many

opportunities to students. The following statements state the readiness of the students in

the in-depth interview and focus group discussion:

Ako kay naga prepare ko sa ginagamit nako akoang pagtrabaho

para makatigom ko sa akoang course sa college ug mag study
napod ko. I prepare by using my job to save for college and also, I
study (FGD8, Potter).
I think ah i need to prepare myself mentally, physically, and
emotionally because ah when ah im in times of difficulties, dili nako
ma break down ang then kanang, kanang makaya na nako ang mga
challenges because i know na God is with me and uh he will always
guide me throughout the journey. I think ah i need to prepare myself
mentally, physically, and emotionally because ah when ah I’m in
 63

times of difficulties, I can’t break down and then, I am able to

surpass the challenges because I know that God is with me and uh
he will always guide me throughout the journey (FGD1, Swift).
Maminaw sa mga lesson sa teacher tapos mag-aim ko ug high na
grade sa math. Listen to the lessons, and I aim a high grade in Math
(IDI, 7, Odin).

Licky assesses his own skill about Mathematics and said:

So kanang kuan naga prepare ko in a way na kanang gina ahh

asses nako akong kaugalingon kung makaya ba nako nang math
related career kung kanang makalahutay ba ko ana so mao to unya
ug kanang gina try pod nakog improve na nga kanang kanang ability
nako. So I am preparing in a way of assessing myself if I can handle
math relater career and if I am able to finish that and also I am trying
to improve my ability (FGD5, Licky).

Bob anticipates the problems and said:

Ako kay gina prepare nako akong sarili ug gina anticipate nako ang
mga unexpected nga mu happen parehas anang mga financial
problem gina anticipate jud nako na. I prepare myself and anticipate
the unexpected happenings like financial problems, I always
anticipate that. (FGD7, Bob)
Uhmm… I will purs, ay…Uhmm I will pursue on doing my best
during the discussion in my Math subject in Senior High, Senior
High School and College. (IDI4, Apollo)

Futhark exclaimed that he needs to learn more about Mathematics:

So…mag prepare kay… learn more… more on Mathematics. Love

Mathematics… mao ra. So… my preparation is… to learn more…
more on Mathematics. Love Mathematics (IDI6, Futhark).

Joaquin acknowledged that we should also be aware:

So most of us kay dili pajud prepare especially ako diba pod ko

prepare but so ang counter measure nalang nato ani kay dili lang ta
mag prepare but we should also be aware. kanang mao lang siya.
 64

So most of us are not prepared especially me but my counter

measure is to not just prepare, but we should be also aware, that’s
all (FGD4, Joaquin).

Freya’s perspective about students’ readiness is about learning the fundamental

tools of your desired course:

Magtuon about ana nga… siyempre Geo man, magtuon about sa

mga gamit, sa imong mga gamit. Mga autocad, mga something ana.
To learn about it [Math]… of course Geo [Geodetic], and learning
about how to use the tools. Autocad, something like that (IDI1,
Freya)

As stressed by the participants, they have different way to be ready in their chosen

career related to Mathematics. They use their methods to be better and to have a good

performance in school. Therefore, the students’ readiness depends upon on their

preparations and their preparation varies from one another in which they believe is

effective to them.
 65

Table 3

Students’ Insights to their Mathematical Skills and

their Desired Career and Profession
Essential Themes Thematic Statements

 Math Skills Utilization  Study more and needs improvement

 Listen in order to learn
 Unable to remember lessons
 Difficulty in Math
 Confidence in Mathematics
 Inconsistency and uncertainty regarding
one’s Math skills
 Poor mathematical skills
 Changing
 Weak somehow it will work yet seasonal
 Useful in my daily life
 I gradually utilize it
 I need to give time in studying
 Mathematics is helpful
 Mathematics is useful
 Mathematical skills re beneficial

 Teacher’s Ineffective Approach  Some teachers tackle lessons, but it is hard

to understand
 I can comprehend but I often forget
 The subject is already hard, yet the teachers
teach hastily
 He or she have a good teaching skill that
easily to comprehend the problem.
 Due to teachers’ proficiency students are
left behind
 They teach in a fast pace
 Confused on how teachers teach
 It really can affect me
 Unsatisfactory teaching skills
 It's good on their own perspective but in
ours it's not.
 Something is really missing
 66

Essential Themes Thematic Statements

 I can’t comprehend their approach, but

maybe it’s just because of me
 Poor and ineffective
 Insufficient proficiency
 the teacher should know the mental and or
intellectual capacity of the student
 He/She is a teacher that’s why He/She
should teach well
 Student’s Readiness  I need to prepare myself mentally,
physically, and emotionally
 I try to take notes
 I should try my best
 We should be aware
 I assess myself if I am capable
 I prepare spiritually, and I ask for God’s
guidance
 I anticipate the unexpected happenings
 I use my job to save for my future
 To study about Math
 Needs greater motivation
 I will pursue on doing my best during the
discussion in my Math subject in Senior
High
 By learning Math and solving problems.
 learn more and love Mathematics
 Listen properly and aim for a high grade
 Chapter 5

DISCUSSION

The main intent of this is to summarize the foremost findings from the conducted

in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, discussing the results according to the

theories and other different findings of the study. The classified eleven (11) themes are

discussed in relation to the three (3) research questions.

This study clearly explains its purpose which is to comprehend the perceptions of

the Senior High School Students on how they manage instability and appetency involving

their competencies in Mathematics. It aims to go beyond in knowing and understanding

how their Mathematical insufficiency serves as a factor behind the students’ decisions in

pursuing Math-related career choices.

Results indicate that students who desires to pursue Mathematics courses struggle

due to the unpleasant situation they belong. They face issue, challenges, and also

recognize problems wherein their decision making are being tested. The participants

involved also find the current circumstances hard to control however, these students

believe that self-trust and perseverance can develop ones determination for a successful

future career path.

Hence, these findings imply that students’ career preferences are determined

based on self-interests with the help of social encouragement allowing them to continue

pursuing their desired Math-related career choice despite their difficulty in the field of

Mathematics.
 68

Perceptions of students with regards to their

Mathematical Ability and their longing for a
Career involving Mathematics

The participants generally perceived Mathematics as a necessary part of their daily

lives though their perspectives of their mathematical skills are weak. Inadequate

participants strive hard for them to improve their skills and abilities with regards to their

mathematical competences. Studying and practicing Mathematical problems is an

essential part for them to pursue their desired careers for their future someday.

Mathematics Associates Everything

Mathematics is an integral part of an individual’s life. As a subject, it affects all

aspects of human life at different levels. Mathematics aids individuals through their daily

life problems and is an important subject to improve the academic performance of the

students. Mathematics is the subject we encounter every day and is important for the

future careers.

The study of Archarya in 2017 supported this stating that Mathematics has been

accepted as an essential component of the formal education from the ancient days to the

modern day. Mathematics is practically obliged to day-to-day problem. Also, Mathematics

is essential in daily life in such activities as counting, cooking, managing money and

building things (Gronmo et al. 2015).

Anigbo and Idigo in 2017 stated that competence in Mathematics plays a salient

role in an individual and nation through domestic and business deals, scientific

discoveries, technological breakthrough, problem solving and decision making in different

 69

situation in life. Mathematics allows a range of mathematical ideas to be brought together

to solve problems in everyday life (Booker et al. 2015).

Self-study; Peer Learning

Studying is one of the inadequate students’ ways of developing their mathematical

skills. Students with inadequate Mathematical skills solve mathematical problems to

enhance their skills in this subject. Students also use textbooks and online websites to

study lessons they did not understand well.

Mathematics needed practice as it has different formulas and theories. In learning

Mathematics, students must find time to practice and study (Archarya 2017). According

to Freeman and his colleagues in 2014, active learning of students leads to increase in

examination performance that will raise average grades.

A study examines the usage of apps in students’ engagement with Mathematical

learning through different learning programs. Gadgets allow them to have an ability to

access the internet and browse the internet for mobile learning. The term mobile learning

has been invented to describe the phenomenon of learning with mobile devices (Willacy

and Calder, 2017).

Learner’s Inspiration for Future Career

Contextual involvements of family, friends, teachers, relatives, and application

systems serve as a factor that plays an essential role on students who are mathematically

inadequate. These factors are accountable to the guidance and support of the participants

which motivate them to continue pursuing their desired career in Mathematics degree.
 70

These involvements serves as an inspiration for the inadequate students to increase their

motivation and energy for their passion career in the future.

This is supported by Balyer & Ozcan (2014), Garcia et al. (2015), and Watson

(2017) who believed that subjective factors of individuals and society are the one who

affect the decisions of students that make them inspired in choosing their career

professions with regards to their career preferences due to the motivational approach of

parents, teachers, relatives, friends and also with the help of applicaton systems that help

and aspire them to continue pursuing their future degree. Contextual involvement support

can increase self-efficacy and choices as they directly motivate the students for

encouragement to pursue a career.

Arguelles, Bay and Eliamani et al. in the year 2014 also indicate another factor in

students perception that give them inspiration on the career they want is through the

access of guidance and counseling services that help them in their choices as they are in

the stage of growing up for them to be guided in every decision in life as they encounter

the stage of adolescence.

Interests to their Chosen Careers

Inadequate intelligence is not the hindrance for the students who are interested in

their choices related to math career professions. Even they are not capable in

mathematical concepts, still they are striving and doing their best because they aspire

very much the course they want to be in the future. Being interested on their desired

profession give them strength to work hard and give them motivation to learn more

something about numerals.

 71

Singh (2017) and Wang (2012) stated that those individuals who positively believe

that they are interested on that particular career were more likely to continue pursuing

those courses due to the determination they have even they are not that efficient on that

subject matter as long as they are interested to their future degree and career interests.

It was also supported by Broman (2017), Hussain et al. (2012), and Sadler et al.(

2012) that students personal aspiration is a great role in choosing their degree course as

an individual. These interests serve as the foundation of inadequate students in choosing

their career preferences since they are willing and interested to pursue their desired

ambition in life.

Management of Issues and Students’ Anticipation in taking

Math-related Courses but has Insufficient
Foundation in Mathematics

The participants encounter different problems in relation to their approach in

Mathematics and choosing their Math-related career paths. Self-management and

stability of their decisions are elements that serve as a foundation in preparation to being

mavens in Mathematics and to guide them in pursuing Math-related courses.

Mathematics Issues and Problems

Generally, students are ‘innately’ vulnerable to issues and problems in school. For

instance, some students encounter difficulty in comprehending a topic in a specific subject

just like in Mathematics. This uneasiness may affect their self-esteem as well as their

academic performance.
 72

Anxiety in this area exists among students. Students experience math-related

anxiety in the form of feelings of tension, apprehension, or fear when confronted with

even simple mathematical problems. (Klados et al., 2015). Inadequate mathematical

students have significant impairment in reading, writing, and Mathematics, in spite of

normal intelligence and sensory abilities. It has a chronic academic underachievement

and significant stress. Individuals with reading disability have more social, emotional and

behavioural problems than those without reading problems. Learning disabled children

have adverse emotional outcomes due to academic stress which should be prevented

(Johnson, 2017). These problems and issues are challenges for students to overcome.

Math-related Career Choices based on

Mathematical Difficulty

Choosing a career is a sensitive and complicated process that is being done by

students especially if mathematical skills are needed to be honed and if a student’s strong

preference is a Math-related course. Wrong choice may lead to complication in all aspects

in a student’s life.

Numerals studies have an impact on the development of the necessary outcomes

especially for engineers' both directly and indirectly. The direct impact of Mathematics

which serves as a tool for solving and calculating various problems is a great concern for

everyone to be aware. However, much greater is an indirect impact of Mathematics

providing such learning outcomes as the skills to formulate, solve engineering problems,

use the language of symbols, made long chains of logical conclusions. (Zeidmane, 2012).

In the wise choice of a vocation there are three broad factors: (1) a clear

understanding of yourself, your aptitudes, abilities, interests, ambitions, resources,

 73

limitations, and knowledge of their causes; (2) a knowledge of the requirements,

conditions of success, advantages and disadvantages, compensation, opportunities, and

prospects in different lines of work; (3) true reasoning on the relations of these two groups

of facts. Students can refine their intellectual capacities and skills in particular domains,

such as math, by choosing to engage in particular academic activities. Research on

achievement motivation provides some insights into why adolescents choose to

participate in certain academic activities. However, less attention has been devoted to

how classroom characteristics interact with students' motivation to guide their subsequent

educational and career interests (Wang, 2012).

"If the demand is clearly there, then why are students not viewing these fields as

windows of opportunity and instead choosing to steer clear of plentiful Mathematics

related career choices?" (Flaaten, 2012). This has been an issue about career choice.

There are many factors affecting career choice of students especially in pursuing math

related career preferences. One of the reasons is students do not pursue Mathematics

related careers because they are not well prepared in Mathematics when they enter

college.

People’s Support

Assistance of other people takes part in helping the students make decision

regarding the career path they want to take. When the latter is too confused for some

reasons, every individual surrounding them gives them encouragement in order to lessen

the doubts. The support of people among students motivates them to do good and better

when it comes to their academic performances, achievements, and career decisions.

 74

Archaya (2017) concurred that people’s support, specifically parents' support, is

one of the important aspects of parent's factors studying Mathematics. Parents achieve

support for students’ learning in order to attain good achievement in education. Aside

from parents, Balyer and Ozcan (2014), Garcia et al. (2015), and Watson (2017) also

agreed that teachers’ support influences students' career preferences as they directly

dominated learning and experience. Students choose a career or profession through the

guidance of their parents, peers, and teachers. Support is a key instrument throughout

students' experiences at school and during their decision-making towards a career

choice. These supports enable them to make an appropriate career choice. Parental,

family and community support include emotional, social and learning support, career

guidance, and encouragement to pursue a career in the future.

Self-Confidence and Determination

Believing in oneself is the first and most effective motivation an individual can have.

In every doubtful, confusing, and problematic situation, self-confidence is needed for

everybody to stay positive and optimistic. Marsh et al. (2017) emphasizes that academic

self-efficacy and optimism were strongly related to performance and adjustment, both

directly on academic performance and indirectly through expectations and coping

perceptions on classroom performance, stress, health, and overall satisfaction and

commitment to remain in school. This entails that personal motivation and determination

helps students in decision making and improves self-trust.

Findings of Moakler and Kim in the year 2014 suggested that students' confidence

level in their academic and mathematics abilities makes a significant difference in their

initial Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) major choice. Study
 75

findings could assist educators, counsellors, and policy makers in their efforts to promote

student choice of STEM-related majors and careers. In addition to this, students with

Math-related career preferences and choices must have self-confidence and be

persistent for them to successfully pass and achieve their goal without hesitations and full

of determination and stick-to-itiveness.

Students’ Insights to their Mathematical Skills and

their Desired Career and Profession

The collected insights of the participants regarding their desire career and

profession produced three essential themes. Math skills utilization which pertains to the

students’ use of one’s own maths skills, teacher’s ineffective approach which shows that

a teacher’s methods has a relationship to the understanding of the students, and students

readiness which proves that sufficient career preparation and readiness develops career

certainty and satisfaction are the three (3) themes that has come up from the combined

responses of the participants. In addition to this, the three emphasized concepts are given

further definition and detail by the succeeding paragraphs.

Math Skills Utilization

The knowledge of Mathematics is an essential tool in our society that can

be used in our daily life. Utilizing mathematical skills enables the students to manage their

performance in academic to overcome their difficulties. Students attempt to enhance or

improve their skills in Mathematics through several techniques that they think is efficient

for them to use. The students answered questions regarding their personal confidence to

mathematics and perceived usefulness of mathematics. A study highlights the utilization

 76

of their mathematical skills that is dependent to their personal confidence they inhabit.

(Achor and Tyavbee, 2014).

The use of contexts reduces students’ perception of mathematics as a remote

body of knowledge, and by means of contexts students can develop a better insight about

the usefulness of mathematics for solving daily-life problems. Another benefit of contexts

is that they provide students with strategies to solve mathematical problems. (Wijaya, Van

den Heuvel-Panhuizen et al., 2014). The utilization of their mathematical skills is

important in improving their self-esteem and managing their inadequacies in

Mathematics.

Teacher’s Ineffective Approach

The teacher’s pace in teaching has a relationship to the learning, outcome and

academic performance of students. The approach of a teacher is a boon or bane to the

understanding and skills development of the students. Hence, the ineffective approaches

of a teacher yields inadequate and incompetent students.

Student’s education and career interest are developed by multiple factors; one

principal factor is the learning and classroom environment. A study emphasized that

teachers support is one primary factor which plays an important role in the career

preferences of a student as well as in their learning and academic experiences (Balyer

and Ozcan, 2014; Garcia et al. 2015; Watson, 2017).

Vandecandelaere et al., in the year 2012 stressed that teaching activities should

nurture student’s motivation to use their strengths and abilities to engage in learning

activities and to sustain the efforts they exert. If the teacher’s approach do not buoy up
 77

the efforts of the students to learn and understand the subject matter [Mathematics]

students will not be able to develop their skills.

For those grounds, a teacher’s approach hinders the learning and interest

development of the students. This external factor directly influences a student’ career

preference and understanding of the subject matter. A teacher, therefore, must consider

the students’ pace in learning and background knowledge to aid them developing their

knowledge and ability.

Student’s Readiness

The student readiness is the student’s current level of knowledge, which affects

their ability to complete a specific task at a given time. Readiness is different from ability

or intellectual capacity. Readiness is a student’s entry point relative to a particular concept

or skill at a given time. Therefore, student’s readiness is a big factor in their career choices

and preferences.

Student’s readiness in terms of career choice is swayed by multiple factors

including individual and society. It refers to the subjective context of individual's

preferences, aspirations, images, and intentions (Balyer and Ozcan, 2014; Watson,

2017). It is affected by individual's interests, needs, and values as emphasized by Garcia,

et al., (2015).

Readiness for career decision making is not a static state, as changes within

individuals or their circumstances can enhance or detract from readiness. They defined

readiness for career decision making as the capability of an individual to make

appropriate career choices while also taking into account the complexity of family, social,
 78

economic, and organizational variables that influence an individual's career development

(Sampson et al., 2013)

Implications for Educational Practice

In this research, we have sought to respond to a number of research questions

related to the perceptions of mathematically inadequate students pursuing Math-related

career preferences. Numerous themes emerged from the consolidated responses of the

participants. A total of eleven (11) themes manifested and emerged from the insights and

perceptions of mathematically inadequate students who aspire and has a longing for

Math-related career preferences. With regards to the perceptions of the students to their

Mathematical ability and their longing for a career involving Mathematics the essential

themes that emerged are: Mathematics Associate Everything; Self-study; Peer Learning;

Learner’s Inspiration for Future Career; and Interests to their chosen Careers. When it

comes to how they manage their anticipation in taking Math-related career courses amidst

their insufficient Mathematical foundation the following themes that emerged are:

Mathematics Issues and Problems; Math-related Career choices based on Mathematical

Difficulty; People’s Support; and Self-confidence and Determination. The themes: Math

Skills Utilization; Teacher’s Ineffective Approach; and Student’s Readiness has sprang

up from their insights with regards to their Mathematical skills and their aspired career

and profession. These themes have implications for educational practice which are further

discussed by the following paragraphs.

All themes that manifested in this research paper have implications to educational

practice. The themes: Mathematics Associate Everything; Self-study; Peer Learning;

Learner’s Inspiration for Future Career; and Interests to their chosen Careers have direct
 79

implications to the parents of the Mathematically inadequate students for it will help them

understand the meaning their children make to their experience on their longing for a

career involving Mathematics and will help them ameliorate this problem. It will assist

them in developing a better understanding on the ubiquitous nature of Mathematics.

Moreover, it will also help them to develop profound understanding on the interests of the

learners to their chosen careers. Peer learning and self-study will also gain consideration

from the educationists.

The next themes namely: Mathematics Issues and Problems; Math-related Career

Choices based on Mathematical Difficulty; People’s Support; and Self-confidence and

Determination have significance and possible future effects, particularly to teachers. The

themes mentioned will help teachers and the learners’ parents to develop understanding

on Mathematical difficulty. An implication to education, especially with regards to external

support and intrapersonal self-motivation of the learners in the classroom environment

has become known and apparent because of the themes that emerged from this

research.

Educational institutions will gain knowledge on how an educator’s approach relates

to the inadequacy and incompetence of students. Teachers will also learn that a teacher’s

methods of teaching is a boon or bane to student outcome. The themes that emerged

which are related to the implications discussed in this paragraph are: Math Skills

Utilization; Teacher’s Ineffective Approach; and Student’s Readiness. In addition to what

precedes, the themes mentioned will also help the students themselves as well as their

parents to become aware that scholastic achievement also has a relation to the utilization

of one’s own Math skills. Furthermore, it will also aid teachers to comprehend that
 80

student’s career preparations and readiness practices has a deep-seated relation to the

student’s career certainty.

As a concise recapitulation, the researchers of this paper acknowledges the

implications discovered from the process and aims to disclose it for positive implications

to the institution of education. As an adumbration, the 11 themes which emerged have

positive implications to the learners, parents, teachers, and to the education system to

understand, address, and better understand the perceptions of mathematically

inadequate students who pursue Math-related career preferences.

Implications for Future Research

The researchers believe that this study was significant and worthwhile because it

highlighted a number of anticipated results. This research revealed that the perceptions

of senior high school students in terms of Mathematics has a great factor in pursuing their

math-related career preferences. The following are recommended for future research:

One must remember that this study encompassed the data from Tagum City

National High School, a secondary school in the city. The findings were not generalized

beyond the 16 participants, 8 from IDI, and 8 from FGD. Thus, leaving many room for the

future researchers on the concept of making math easy in other schools and places. This

study only focused on making math easy with the perceptions of senior high school

students pursuing math-related career preferences.

In the view of the researchers, this study represented a narrow and finite attempts

to draw a bit of definitive conclusions about making math easy. It is recommended for the

future researchers on this topic to make the research in a large scale to cover a large bit
 81

of the issue. The future researchers could possibly explore more schools in the city to

collect more information from the students from different schools around and to establish

interactions with the participants which could give them more of the information they need.

Although educators and educational leaders across the nation are convinced that

Mathematics can be made easy for those students with Mathematical inadequacies

pursuing math-related career preferences. The future researchers might be interested in

making Mathematics more applicable and easy for all students especially those who are

planning to pursue math-related career but has Mathematical Inadequacies that may help

to elaborate the issue more.

Concluding Remarks

This study was able to grasp the perceptions of the Senior High School Students

concerning their inadequacies in Mathematics in relation to their Math related career

preferences. It was concluded that students who are mathematically inadequate will still

pursue their Math related career choice despite the difficulties they encounter like

instability with their decisions, comprehension, and analysis. Moreover, they are still

external support given to the mathematically inadequate students who are favor in

pursuing math related career.

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Appendix A
LETTER TO CONDUCT A STUDY
 90

Appendix B
INFORMED CONSENT
 91

02‐28‐18
 92

02‐28‐18
 93

02‐28‐18
 94

02‐28‐18
 95

Appendix C
VALIDATION SHEET FOR INTERVIEW GUIDE
 96

Appendix C
VALIDATION SHEET FOR INTERVIEW GUIDE
 97

Appendix C
VALIDATION SHEET FOR INTERVIEW GUIDE
 98

Appendix C
VALIDATION SHEET FOR INTERVIEW GUIDE
 99

Appendix D
INTERVIEW GUIDE
As researchers, we would like to send our warmest gratitude to you for your

support and participation in this study as our informants. Your participation is a big help

for us to pursue this concept and gave us the desire to conduct this research. This study

will be conducted by Aspacio, Lady Belle; Asumbrado, Albrecht Rey; Corpuz, Aprilyn;

Damaolao, Brent Don; Llano, Maryvic Abigail, Maureal, Harrey; and Tongol, Altom Kent

with their study, Making Math Easy: Perceptions of Senior High School Students Pursuing

Math-related Career Preferences with Mathematical Inadequacies to comprehend

perceptions on how students manage instability and appetency involving competencies

in mathematics. Your participation in this study motivate us to have a better performance

in doing this assigned work. And most of all, you serve as our grace to finish and complete

this partial fulfillment in our Practical Research 1.

All of your answers regarding this study will and shall be kept confidential. The

following information such as names, gender, and personal information will be kept

between you as our participant and the researcher. As research respondents, you are

requested to answer three (3) main questions. After answering, your responses will be

analyzed and transcribed by the researchers. The transcribed texts will be kept

confidentially between the researchers, teachers or research coordinators, and to you

research participants. The place where the interview will be conducted will be limited only

in Tagum City National High School. The duration of the interview will be more or less 2-

3 hours depending on the questions and responses given. You are free to ask question

and clarifications. A witness is required to sign a consent and also the legal guardian if
 100

the participants are still 18 years old and below. However, all participants must leave

signatures to ensure the safety and validity of the interview conducted.

The following questions below will be the guide questions for the interview.

1. What are the perceptions of the students with regards to their Mathematical ability

and their longing for a career involving Mathematics?

1.1 Does your Mathematical ability aid you in real life?

1.1.1 How can you improve your Mathematical ability?

1.1.2 Why do you think you need to develop your Mathematical ability?

1.2 What is your Math-related career choice?

1.2.1 Does your skills and present knowledge go in proportion with

your desired career?

1.2.2 Why do you choose to pursue this career?

1.3 Is your chosen career truly your passion?

1.3.1 How can your aspired Math-related career inspire you to

overcome your mathematical inadequacies?

1.3.2 What factors inspire you to continue pursuing your career

choice?

1.4 Does your Mathematical skills give you an edge in school?

1.4.1 Why do you say so?

 101

1.4.2 What satisfaction does it give you?

1.5 Is your knowledge applicable to contexts outside the school?

1.5.1 What situations have you experienced where it required your

application of Mathematics?

1.5.2 How often do you use your skills in these situations?

2. How do the participants manage their anticipation in taking Math-related courses but

has insufficient foundation in Mathematics?

2.1 What challenges do you encounter when it comes to Mathematics?

2.1.1 What makes Math hard for you?

2.1.2 How does it affect your academic performance?

2.2 Are there people who assisted you in managing the challenges you

have encountered?

2.2.1 How did these people help you?

2.2.2 How did their assistance help you?

2.3 What issues did you encounter when it comes to choosing your career

choice?

2.3.1 How did these issues affect your choices and decisions?

2.3.2 How did you cope up with these issues?

2.4 Is your career choice or preference related to Math in some way?

 102

2.4.1 What courses or degree are you planning to pursue in college?

2.4.2 Why did you choose that course or degree?

2.4.3 What difficulties do you think awaits you in pursuing that career

choice?

2.5 How does your difficulties in Mathematics affect your career choices

and preferences?

2.5.1 Despite your Mathematical difficulties, do you still want to pursue

your anticipated career choice?

2.5.2 If yes, what inspires you to pursue your desired course? If no,

what are the reasons behind your decisions?

3. What are the insights of the Senior High School students when it comes to their

Mathematical skills and their desired career or profession?

3.1 How do you view your skills in the field of Mathematics?

3.1.1 What are your methods of improvement in your Mathematical

skills?

3.1.2 What can you say about these methods?

3.2 How can your Mathematical skills affect your choice of profession in

Math?

3.2.1 How can you use your Mathematical skills in determining your
 103

Math-related career preference?

3.2.2 What can you say about the utilization of your skills in Math?

3.3 Is the teaching skills of your teachers affect your understanding in

Math?

3.3.1 What can you say about the approach of your teaching

facilitators in terms of your skills?

3.3.2 Do you think the approaches can also affect your Math-related

career decision as well?

3.4 What can you say about your choice of career?

3.4.1 How do you prepare for your chosen Math-related career?

3.4.2 Is your preparation enough?

3.5 Are there people or situation that catalyzes your perception about your

Mathematical skills?

3.5.1 In what way does these matters invoke your views about your

skills?

3.5.2 Do you think it will affect your decisions in choosing Math-related

career preferences?

3.5.3 What makes you say so?

 104

After answering the questions, we will transcribe your words verbatim and

analyze the data by generating and identifying themes and categories. The transcribed

text will be given to the participants to ensure that the transcription is correct and gets the
 105

Appendix E
 106

Appendix E
 107

Appendix E
 108

Appendix E
 109

Appendix F

CERTIFICATION FROM THE GRAMMARIAN

Date: __________________________________

CERTIFICATE OF GRAMMARIAN

This is to certify that the undersigned has reviewed and went through all the pages

of the research paper entitled “Making Math Easy: Perceptions of Senior High

School Students Pursuing Math-Related Career Preferences with Mathematical

Inadequacies” by Aspacio, Ladybelle C., Asumbrado, Albrecht Rey V., Corpuz,

Aprilyn B., Damaolao, Brent Don C., Llano, Maryvic Abigail B., Maureal, Harrey N.,

and Tongol, Altom Kent M., aligned with set of structural rules that govern the

composition of sentences, phrases, and words in the English language.

Signed this _________________ day of ______________________________at

______________________________________________________________________

Signed:

___________________________________________

Editor
(Signed over Printed Name)

___________________________________________

Contact No. & E-mail address

 110

CURRICULUM VITAE

Personal Data:
Name : Lady Belle C. Aspacio
Age : 18
Sex : Female
Date of Birth : November 23, 1999
Place of Birth : Upper Pangasinan, Pantukan
Civil Status : Single
Religion : Roman Catholic
Father : Mardo C. Aspacio
Mother : Annabelle C. Aspacio

Educational Background:
Secondary : Pantukan National High School
Legal St., Kingking, Pantukan
Primary : Kingking Central Elementary School
Bonifacio St., Kingking, Pantukan

Seminars Attended:
Gender and Equality Seminar
Fire Awareness
Disaster Risk Reduction Seminar
 111

CURRICULUM VITAE

Personal Data:
Name : Albrecht Rey V. Asumbrado
Age : 17
Sex : Male
Date of Birth : November 28, 2000
Place of Birth : Tagum City
Civil Status : Single
Religion : Roman Catholic
Father : Rey C. Asumbrado
Mother : Mina V. Asumbrado

Educational Background:
Secondary : Tagum City National High School
Mangga, Visayan Village, Tagum City
Primary : St. Mary’s College of Tagum Inc.
National Highway, Tagum City

Seminars Attended:
Gender and Equality Seminar
Fire Awareness
Disaster Risk Reduction Seminar
 112

CURRICULUM VITAE

Personal Data:
Name : Aprilyn B. Corpuz
Age : 19
Sex : Female
Date of Birth : April 25, 1998
Place of Birth : Nuevo ILoco, Mawab Comval Province
Civil Status : Single
Religion : Protestant
Father : Orly C. Corpuz
Mother : Linda B. Corpuz

Educational Background:
Secondary : Tagum City National High School
Mangga Visayan Village, Tagum City
Primary : Mangga Elementary School
Mangga Visayan Village, Tagum City

Seminars Attended:
Gender and Equality Seminar
Fire Awareness
Disaster Risk Reduction Seminar
 113

CURRICULUM VITAE

Personal Data:
Name : Brent Don C. Damaolao
Age : 16
Sex : Male
Date of Birth : June 02, 2001
Place of Birth : Davao City
Civil Status : Single
Religion : Protestant
Father : Dionisio V. Damaolao
Mother : Jonah C. Damaolao

Educational Background:
Secondary : Tagum City National High School
Mangga, Visayan Village, Tagum City
Primary : Mangga Elementary School
Mangga, Visayan Village, Tagum City

Seminars Attended:
Gender and Equality Seminar
Fire Awareness
Disaster Risk Reduction Seminar
 114

CURRICULUM VITAE

Personal Data:
Name : Maryvic Abigail B. Llano
Age : 17
Sex : Female
Date of Birth : July 21, 2000
Place of Birth : Tagum City
Civil Status : Single
Religion : Roman Catholic
Father : Vicente A. Llano
Mother : Mary B. Llano

Educational Background:
Secondary : Tagum City National High School
Mangga, Visayan Village, Tagum City
Primary : Visayan Village Central Elementary School
National Highway, Visayan Village, Tagum City

Seminars Attended:
Gender and Equality Seminar
Fire Awareness
Disaster Risk Reduction Seminar
 115

CURRICULUM VITAE

Personal Data:
Name : Harrey N. Maureal
Age : 17
Sex : Male
Date of Birth : December 04, 2000
Place of Birth : Tagum City
Civil Status : Single
Religion : Roman Catholic
Father : Reynante I. Maureal
Mother : Heyda N. Maureal

Educational Background:
Secondary : Tagum City National High School
Mangga Visayan Village, Tagum City
Primary : Magugpo Pilot Imelda Elementary School
Sobrecary Street, Tagum City

Seminars Attended:
Gender and Equality Seminar
Fire Awareness
Disaster Risk Reduction Seminar
 116

CURRICULUM VITAE

Personal Data:
Name : Altom Kent M. Tongol
Age : 17
Sex : Male
Date of Birth : September 22, 2000
Place of Birth : Tagum City
Civil Status : Single
Religion : Protestant
Father : Tomas T. Tongol (Deceased)
Mother : Aldene M. Tongol

Educational Background:
Secondary : Tagum City National High School
Mangga Visayan Village, Tagum City
Primary : Rizal Elementary School
Sobrecary Street, Tagum City

Seminars Attended:
Gender and Equality Seminar
Fire Awareness
Disaster Risk Reduction Seminar