A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF DIFFICULTIES OF STEM STUDENTS IN

MATHEMATICS

A Research Presented to
The Faculty of Senior High Department
Assumption College of Nabunturan
Nabunturan, Compostela Valley

In Partial Fulfillment
of the AS 2 (Practical Research 1)

By:

JARVEY M. MESIONA
JANJOMEL B. TEOXON
JHELJAN ROSE T. GALVEZ

March 2018
 DEDICATION AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First and foremost, we thank God Almighty for always there to guide us

throughout the success of our research.

I dedicate this study to all STEM student who find mathematics difficult.

May this study help you to overcome your difficulties toward mathematics.

We would like to express our sincere thanks to our Practical Research

Teacher, Julius Jim A. Credo for the continuous support, for his patience,

motivation, and knowledge. His guidance helped us to finish our research.

Our heartfelt thanks to the validators who validated our research

questions, for their incredible advice and knowledge to helped us in making our

research successful.

Our thanks to our classmate and friends, foe all the fun we have shared

in doing the research and to the respondent who did not hesitate to express

their opinion in our research study.

Most of all, we would like to thank our parents for their unconditional love

that strengthens us every day. Thank you for being there to support us

financially and emotionally. Without them, life is nothing.

Their encouragement is our daily reminders not to give up and to keep

holding on. The moments we have shared together will be treasure forever.

EXCELSIOR!

To God be the Glory

 ABSTRACT

The purpose of this research is to know the difficulties of STEM Senior

High School students towards Mathematics. The focus of this study is to
discuss the major mathematics skills and cognitive abilities in learning that
caused the difficulties in mathematics among STEM students from their point
of view. We conduct interview to the STEM student and was recorded and
transcribed. Data finding was analyzed descriptively. Data findings showed that
respondents lacked in many mathematic skills such as number, fractions, and
other topic that are related to mathematics. But most of them described that
studying hard and having a motivation can help them in developing their skills
toward mathematics. The researcher concluded that some of the STEM student
does not like mathematics.

We researcher recommend that STEM student should motivate

theirselves to love mathematics and recommend them that they should practice
solving mathematical equations in order for them to be a critical thinker in
solving equations.
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ii

ABSTRACT iii

LIST OF FIGURES iv

Chapter 1- Introduction Pages

The Problem and its Background 1

Purpose of the Study 3

RRL- Review of Related Literature 3

Theoretical Lens 10

Schematic Diagram 12

Research Question 13

Scope and Delimitation of the Study 13

Significance of the Study 13

Definition of Terms 14

Chapter 2- Methodology

Research Design 16
 Research Locale 17

Role of the Researcher 19

Research Participants 19

Research Collection Procedure 20

Data Analysis 20

Trustworthiness and Credibility 21

Ethical Consideration 22

Chapter 3 – Results 24

Chapter 4 –Discussion, Conclusion and Recommendation

Discussion 44

Conclusion 53

Recommendation 54

References 56