FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTS’ CHOICE OF SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

STRANDS OF GRADE 10 STUDENTS OF TAYAWAN

NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL, S/Y 2019-2020

A Research Presented to
DARYL R. LIGAN
PRACTICAL RESEARCH II INSTRUCTOR
The Faculty of Grade 12-Senior High School
Tayawan National High School
Tayawan, Bayawan City, Negros Oriental

A Partial Fulfilment of
The Requirements for the Practical Research II (Quantitative Research)
General Academic and Technical Vocational and Livelihood (Animal Production)
Strand

MORENO, KENETH M.
MORENO, REINA ZYRA M.
VELASCO, RON JERALD C.

XXXX, 2020
 CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
           In the school year 2016-2017, the K-12 Basic Education implemented in the
Philippines by the Department of Education (DepEd) signed by the former Philippine
President, Mr. Benigno “Nonoy” Aquino. The additional two (2) years in high school, the
Senior High School level, divided into four major career track. It specified as the
Academics Track, arts and design, Sports track and technical vocational and livelihood
track. In academics track, there are four strands available: Accountancy and Business
Management (ABM), Humanities and Social Science (HUMSS), General Academic
Strand (GAS), and the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).
While the Technical Vocational and livelihood divided into four-strand as well: the
Agrifishery, Home Economics, Industrial Arts and Information and Communication
Technology (ICT).
The last year in junior high school, the Grade 10 level, is the stage when teenager
needs guidance in the proper selection of their desired career. Where they will arrive at
the right decision considering their inmate capacities, educational privilege offered to the
students and other resources that society makes available for them to be more efficient
and effective (DepEd 2017) for them to get prepared and know the what strand that are
suitable for their personality, financial capabilities and other aspect of education.
Having an unclear perceptions on what career paths they really want to pursue
usually affects the students in choosing a Senior High School Strand. However, the
President, Mr. Rodrigo R. Duterte, imposed a Republic Act 11206 or the Secondary
School Career Guidance and Counseling act that aims to institutionalize the career
guidance and counseling program in both private and public sector of secondary
education. Furthermore, a National Career Assessment Examination (NCAE) adhere to
determine the career path that are suitable for the students. It also test the vocational
aptitude, occupational preferences and entrepreneurial skills according to the DepEd
Order NO. 55, S. 2016.
Statement of the Problem
           This study aims to get the Factors Affecting Students’ Choice of Senior High
School Strands of Grade 10 Students of Tayawan National High School, S/Y 2019-2020.
           Specifically, this is sought to answer the following questions:
1. What is the demographic profile of the students along:
 Age
 Gender
 Year level and strand
2. What factors affecting career preferences of the respondents in terms of:
 Internal Factors
 External Factors
3. Is there a significant difference on the factors affecting strand choices of the
respondents when grouped according to profile variable?

Hypothesis
Taking the variables into mind, multiple hypotheses were made. Each hypothesis
tackles a different set of variables yet very similar. Each of them shall be tested at 0.05
level of significance.

H: There is no significant on the factors affecting strand choices of the respondents when
grouped according to profile variable.

Theoretical Framework
The present study was informed by Krumboltz’s Social Learning Theory and
Albert Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory in examining the factors that influence career
pathways among high school students. The two theories were chosen because of their
relevance to career issues, especially career development. They include both social and
cognitive factors while being sensitive to cultural aspects. Students live in a social world
where they interact with the environment as they seek guidance towards careers. These
theories deal with the cognitive aspects of the students by making them aware of their
decisions.
Krumboltz’s Social Learning Theory
John Krumboltz’s Social Learning Theory, developed in 1979, emphasizes the
importance of behavior (actions) and cognition (knowing and thinking) (Sharf,
1997:324). The essence of Krumboltz’s view is that certain generic processes, such as
learning experiences, affect the career development of all persons regardless of their
cultural affiliations (Lent & Worthington, 2000:380) hence the need to explore the
factors that influence career pathways among Grade 10 students in Tayawan National
High School. This theory differs from other theories of career development in that its
focus is on teaching people career decision making techniques and how to use such
techniques effectively in selecting career alternatives (Ireh, 2000:36). The types of
learning experiences that affect an individual are dependent on his or her culture (Lent &
Worthington, 2000:380).
Krumboltz identified four factors that play important role in the selection of a
specific career: genetic endowment, environmental conditions, learning experiences and
task approach skills (Beal, 1998:297; Ireh, 2000:36). According to the Social Learning
Theory, genetic endowment refers to those aspects of the individual that are inherited or
innate rather than learned. This may set limits on individual career opportunities.
Environmental conditions are those conditions that are generally outside the control of
the individual and influence skills development and career preferences. According to
Krumboltz, learning experiences include a) one’s career performances as a result of
prior learning experiences; b) individuals’ prior learning experiences that eventually
influence their career decisions; and c) that individuals’ prior learning experiences have a
direct effect on their career choices. According to Sharf (1997:330), individuals may
make observations about themselves and their environment that they will then use to
make career decisions. Observations about the self includes capabilities, interests and
work values (Ireh, 2000:36). Krumboltz emphasized task approach skills such as goal
setting, values clarification, generating alternatives and obtaining occupational
information in career decision making. Ireh (2000:36) explained that the interaction
between genetic endowment, environmental conditions and learning experiences lead to
the skills required for completing a variety of tasks. The Social Learning Theory by
Krumboltz is relevant to this study because it includes environmental factors such as
family, the learning environment and gender. Our behavior is shaped by beliefs about
ourselves and how we relate to society (Schonorr & Ware, 2001:249). According to
Krumboltz (1991:2), people make assumptions and generalizations about themselves and
the world of work based on their limited experiences. In this case, students in high
schools have limited experiences to choose an appropriate career hence the need for a
counsellor and/or a supportive environment.

In short, Krumboltz’s theory of career decision making and development is

based on social learning or environmental conditions, genetic influences and learning
experiences. People choose their careers based on what they have learned.

Social Cognitive Theory

Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), developed by Albert Bandura in 1986, purports
that contextual variables such as social support, which includes friends, family and
relatives, influence the career choice of an individual (Choo, Norsia & Tan, 2012:22).
Social persuasion also affects an individual’s choice of career (Lent, Brown & Hacket,
2002:36) because there is dialogue between children and their environment. Similarly,
Bandura posited that when individuals watch their peers succeeding, they are likely to
believe that they can also succeed (Mills, 2009:9). In this career development model, a
person’s background (or contextual factors) and individual characteristics influence
his/her learning experiences and consequently self-efficacy (Tang, Pan & Newmeyer,
2008:285). According to Bandura (1989:1) and Alexander, Seabi and Bischof
(2010:497), because of the bi-directionality of influence between behavior and
environmental circumstances, people are both products and producers of their
environment.
They affect the nature of their experienced environment through selection and
creation of situations. This is in line with the SCT which states that realistic
encouragement that leads people to exert greater effort is likely to bring success in career
development (Bandura, 1988:285). The researcher found this theory provided the
framework to examine the environment that promotes development in students’ quests
for sustainable careers. The theory recognizes both the cognitive and environmental
factors although this study concentrates more on environmental factors.
 Social Cognitive Theory focuses on several cognitive variables (for example,
self-efficacy, outcome expectations and goals) and on how these variables interact with
other aspects of the person and his or her environment (for example, gender, ethnicity,
social support and barriers) to shape the course of career development (Lent & Brown,
2000:36). According to Bandura (2002:269), the theory distinguishes three modes of
agency: a) personal agency exercised individually; b) proxy agency in which people
secure desired outcomes by influencing others to act on their behalf; and c) collective
agency in which people act in concert to shape their futures. Students in high schools are
influenced by these three modes when they choose careers, among many variables, that
they feel are appropriate for them. The environment, which imposes itself on them, also
impacts their choice of careers. These are the reasons that this particular theory is used in
this study to investigate factors that influence career pathways among Grade 10 students
in Tayawan National High School.

According to Social Cognitive Theory, career development is influenced by both

objectives and perceived environmental factors (Lent & Worthington, 2000:37).
Examples of objective factors include the quality of educational experiences to which a
person has been exposed to such as school counselling and the financial support
available from family or guardians for pursuing particular training. People live their lives
in socio-cultural milieus that differ in their shared values, customs, social practices and
institutional constraints and opportunities (Bandura, 2002:274).
The applicability of the SCT to explain career choice behavior of school students
was verified in a similar study by Tang et al. (2008:285) and was therefore deemed
suitable for the current study that looked at career choices among high school students.
The theory applied to this study because social factors such as peer and family
interactions that affect decision making were considered. In addition to career
development, the theory has been extended to domains of behavior such as educational
achievement, affective reactions, and organizational and health maintenance (Lent &
Brown, 1996:307).

Conceptual Framework 
     This study utilized the CIPP especially the input, process, and output. 
              The Input includes the laws, legal bases, related study, related literature, and
related theories that have been used in this study of the researchers.
              The Process involves making the title, analyzing the problem, researching the
related studies and literature, data gathering and lastly, interpreting the data.
              The Output of the conceptual framework was the Factors Affecting Students’
Choice of Senior high school strand of grade 10 students of Tayawan National High
School, S.Y. 2019-2020. It was the outcome of the research study that has been
conducted. 

 
          
        

    
      
  
 PROCESS

 Formulating a title
 Analyzing the
problem
 Researching
studies and
literatures
 Data gathering
 Interpreting the
data

INPUT OUTPUT

 Laws Factors Affecting

 Legal Bases Student’s Choice of
 Related studies Senior High School
Feedback Strand of Grade 10
 Related
Students in Tayawan
literature
National High School,
 Related Theory School Year 2019-
2020

Figure 1:
Conceptual Paradigm of the Study
Significance of the Study
The result of this study would be beneficial to the following:
Grade 10 Students. This study will help them know that every decision they
made especially about their career has an equivalent impact that may affect their lives in
the future.
Parents. This will help them realize that some factors cause the students to
pursue their career path in Senior High School and the impact of it may lead to good
opportunity or a bigger problem.
School. They can gather some information that they can use when it talks about
the performance of the students regarding the students’ choice of Senior High School
Strand. 
Researchers themselves. This study provides facts, which can serve as a basis or
further study through recommendation and for the completion of the thesis project. Thus
it also provides vital information to broaden the knowledge of them through reading this
thesis project.
           Future researcher. This study will serve as a reference for a deeper
understanding of the factors affecting students’ choice of senior high school strand.
           Community. This study will serve as a basis on how to attain a healthy and
progressive community by building an educational institution that will provide the
needed and desired career of the future contributor of the country. This will help the
community to be competitive by preventing the factors affecting students’ choice of
Senior High school Strand and to have a good solution regarding the topic.

Scope and Limitations of the Study

This study focuses only on the factors that cause and its impact that affects the grade 10
students to pursue the career path or strand that they are planning to take for the Senior
High School level of education in Tayawan National High School located at Barangay
Tayawan, Bayawan City, Negros Oriental. The respondents who participated in this study
are the Grade 10 students of Tayawan National High School. This study, Factors
Affecting Students’ Choice of Senior High School Strands of Grade 10 Students of
Tayawan National High School, S/Y 2019-2020, will provide information regarding the
topic and will not go beyond the scope and limits of the study.
Definition of Terms
The terms in this this study are operationally used:
Causes – as used in this study, this refers to the reasons for an action or condition
on students’ choice of Senior High School Strand.
Factors – as used in this study, this refers to the reasons that may affect the
students’ choice of Senior High School Strand of the Grade 10 students.
Impact – as used in this study, this is the effect, consequences, and the results of
the factors that affect the students’ choice of Senior High School Strand of the Grade 10
students.
National Career Assessment Examination (NCAE) – as used in this study, this
refers to the test taken by high school students in the Philippines that helps to the students
to determine their strengths in different career fields.
Grade 10 Students – as used in this study, this are the learner respondents of the
study who’ll deal with the career guidance counselling.
Senior High School Strand – as used in this study, this pertains to the desired
path or major/course of the students especially the Grade 10 students in Senior High
School.