Understanding or Memorization:

Determining the ways of learning in K-12

General Academic Strand in Western

Mindanao State University

CRUCIATUS

Abasa, JhonCristopher A.

Acabo, Gershom P.

Ali, Al-Zhamiir P.

Alibasa, Aldhinnar J.

Jackaria, Prince Daryl I.

Lucañas, Bon Jerald R.

 1. Introduction

The Problem and its scope and Background of the study

The K-12 program was implemented in our country in order for us to outreach

our prior educational system and be globally competent when it comes to

educational attainment, it comprises goals and objectives that aims to

contribute learning techniques that may help students for their future

needs.This paper will show how K-12 curriculum comprises with which

subjects are being offered in order to know if it mainly teaches topic that

masters memorization or understanding.

Although memorization and understanding has their own capabilities in the

field of education, the paper aims to identify who’s among them both mainly

dominances. Based on Reeder, E. (2000), “ Understanding and logic are

aspects that is important in learning, but they can’t stand alone without

recalling facts that also contributes to solve real problems.” (Measuring What

Counts: Memorization Versus Understanding, 2000). Which states that

understanding relies on what memorization contributes, as well as

memorization, vice versa.

According to Koester, G. (2014), “Memorized concepts are taken to

comprehend and in order to have a better understanding” (The best ways to

learn: Memorization versus Comprehension, 2014). One must know whether

memorization or understanding are being practiced in used of K-12 program

for us to know the wider picture of learning techniques we practice.

This paper aims to identify the focus of the learning techniques between

memorization and understanding specifically in General Academic Strand

(GAS)that Western Mindanao State University offers in College of

Nursing(CN).

This study will help many students, especially for those who will be included in

the K-12 curriculum to determine what skills are being learned and practiced

during the senior high school period.The paper will also benefit for both the

teachers and the curriculum of the Department of Education to further

develop the growing information about the implementation of the K-12

program.

Statement of the problem

 How does the subjects offered serve as a factor to determine whether it

practices more on understanding or memorization?

 What are the basis to identify whether the subject practices

understanding or memorization?

 What will be the benefit of the study?

Significance of the study

 Identifying the effective way of learning in General Academic Strand

under K-12 curriculum

 The findings of the study will benefit the society as a whole from its

content by determining what is being practiced in K-12 program

‘Memorization or Understanding’ whose target population are the SHS

students in Western Mindanao State University(WMSU).

 The results of this study can be used as a basis for the students who will

include themselves in the K-12 offered by WMSU.

 This study can also be used as a source when doing a research related on

the topic inside or outside WMSU.

 Opportunities are taken by the researchers like uncovering areas in

education that researchers haven’t explored yet that will mostly be in use

for future researchers in relation to their studies.

Definition of terms

o Memorization– To learn (something) so well that you are able to

remember it perfectly.

o Understanding–The knowledge and ability to judge a particular

situation or subject.

o Curriculum– The courses offered by an educational institution.

o Techniques– A way of doing something by using special knowledge or

skill.

o Practice– To do something again and again in order to become better

at it.
2. Review of related literature:

Importance of a curriculum

According to Alvior, M.G (2014), “A learning institution comprises a

curriculum that serves as the heart of its foundation” (The meaning and

importance of curriculum development, 2014). Every student depends

on the learnings that the school teaches them, it includes every

techniques and strategies for learning they practice. A learning institute

or school is beingdefined by the curriculum it offers to students wherein

it employs whats best for the learners to gain or to nourish.

Employing K-12 program

Based on Officialgazette.com "The K to 12 Program covers Kindergarten

and 12 years of basic education (six years of primary education, four

years of Junior High School, and two years of Senior High School [SHS])

to provide sufficient time for mastery of concepts and skills, develop

lifelong learners, and prepare graduates for tertiary education, middle-

level skills development, employment, and entrepreneurship" (What is

k-12 program, 2013) in this study, it is also important for everyone of us

to know more about the current curriculum for us to have a wider

understanding on what is happening and what will happen to every

students in this generation. Knowing more about the current curriculum

(K-12) will help us understand which is more important in learning,

memorization? Or understanding? By knowing more about the K-12

program will help us gain knowledge about what will the students need
for them to be able to pass every grade knowing that there is an

additional two years for them in high school so most probably, failing is a

big no.

Why understanding?

According to Congos, D. (n.d). "A real learning can be considered when

informations encountered are being comprehend and applied for new

experiences or situations" (Memorization versus Understanding, n.d).

Where learning is defined by how the learners comprehend the

informations they might encounter, in what extent of comprehension

they apply when real life situations are given to hold. In K-12 curriculum,

understanding maybe a good learning technique to students for them to

practice that might become handy for future use.

Why memorization?

According to Best Colleges Online.com, (2019). "When learners do

memorization on tables, passages, points and etc. they learn to find

focus" (In praise of memorization: 10 proven brain benefits, 2019).

Memorization may come in many context or figures, which may help

learners to gain focus on what they want to learn or perceive. K-12

curriculum comprises of subjects that may include this kind of learning

technique.
What K-12 program means for students

According to Uyquiengco, M. (n.d), “Improved K-12 program is designed

to create well learning system for all, where it will master the learner’s

skills in non academic and academic activities” (Benefits of the K-12

curriculum for Filipino students!, n.d). K-12 learning system grants

learning that will master each skills that students possess. Either

memorization or understanding, the said curriculum will practice skills

for the students in their future use.

According to http://www.learningscientists.org "students approach

learning in one of two ways: either in a kind of utilitarian, surface

manner, wanting only to memorize as much as possible, in order to pass

exams; or in a deeper, more meaningful manner, wanting to understand

the material and relate it to their personal lives." this two methods of

learning are what we all use, these important are what helps students

improve upon their knowledge and cope with the given activities of the

school, in our research we aim to determine if they focus mainly in

Memorization or understanding in specific subjects or give a hybrid of

both.

According to edutopia.org, "The research reveals unequivocally that the

ability to memorize facts does not necessarily imply understanding of a

concept. Apparently, understanding is not so much a destination as it is a

point along a continuum. We may never arrive at perfect understanding

of a subject, but we can deepen our understanding beyond the

superficial. At some point, learners' grasp of the concept becomes deep

or sophisticated enough that they can use their knowledge in a practical

way. It is this level of comprehension that teachers aim for, that we

qualify as understanding something." Eeva Reeder talks about how she

teaches Geometry to her class thinking they have grasped the concept

she gives a question to prove it, she was found shocked for many of the

student really had not gotten the concept at all, they had memorized the

formula of said problem but they simple did not understand its depth

and use completely. The research we will conduct will aim to further this

problem that many people face as to is learning from.memorization or

understanding, is it within the student to understand or the teacher to

present in order for true learning to occur.

 2.2 Methodology

a. Research Design

The study will be conducted in Western Mindanao State University (WMSU),

and the respondents will be the General Academic Strand(GAS) students both

sections A and B in the College of

Nursing.
2 years curriculum of
GAS Nursing in WMSU

Implementation

Meta- analysis of Focus Group

secondary data Discussion
(FGD)

Results

Understanding/Memorization

K-12’s teaching techniques

The figure above shows the conceptual framework of the study. The primary

idea of this paper is to analyze the K-12 curriculum underGAS of WMSU. The

research method for this study is done through meta-analysis of thecurriculum

guide and through Focus Group Discussion (FGD). The criteria of the meta-
analyzation of the data gathered is based on what is Understanding and

Memorization.

The unit of analysis of this study is the Grade 11 and 12 curriculums. The table

of subjects below will the basis of the meta-analysis that will determine the

classification whether the subjects focuses on understanding or memorization.

Grade 11 Grade 12

1st semester

Core Subjects Core Subjects

 Oral Communication
 Komunikasyon at pananaliksik sa
Wika at Kultura
 General Mathematics
 Earth and Life Science
 Introduction to the philosophy of
human person
 Physical Education and Health
Applied Specializes Subjects
 Creative Non- Fiction
 Basic Human Anatomy
Contextualized Subjects
 Pagsulat sa Filipino Piling
Larangan (akademik)
2nd Semester
 21st Century Literature
 Contemporary Phillipine Arts from
the Regions
 Media and Information Literacy
 Understanding Culture, Society
and Politics
 Physical Education and Health
Applied Specializes Subjects
 Applied Economics
 Disaster Readiness and Risk
Reduction
Contextualized Subjects
 English for Academic and
Professional Purposes
 Empowerment Technologies

Core subjects Core subjects

 Reading and writing skills  Physical Education and Health
 Pagbasa at pagsusuri ng ibat ibang
teksto tungo sa pananaliksik
 Statistic and probability
 Physical science
 Personal development/pansariling
kaunlaran
 Physical education and health
 Applied Specialized Subjects
 Organization and management
 Basic Principles in Health
Assessment
Applied Specialized Subjects
 Trends, Networks, and Critical
thinking in the 21st Century culture
 Community engagement, Solidarity
and citizenship COMESC
 Work Immersion

Contextualized Subjects Contextualized Subjects

 Research in daily life 2

 Entrepreneurship
 Research Projects

As for the FGD, cluster sampling will be done with the sample size of 8

persons per group for both A and B sections, and questions will be distributed

per group.

The questions will be:

1. Do you remember anything significant from your lessons in GAS? What

are those?

2. Why do you think you remember these lessons?

3. Would you consider your learned lesson as understanding or

memorization?

The researchers will record the data as what each person per FGD will

respond. The recorded data will be categorized from minor to major group of

answers. These data will be interpreted by the researchers and will be the

result in determining the way of learning in K-12 curriculum that refers to

memorization or understanding.
MEMORIZATION UNDERSTANDING
 INSIGHT  MASTERY
 COHESIVE  COMPART-MENTALIZED
 WHOLE  NON-COHESIVE
 APPLICABILITY  FOCUSED
 JUST IT  WIDE
 REMIND  KNOW
 RECOGNIZE

The table above serves as the criteria for judging the FGD’s result. This table

will be introduced to the respondents of the FGD for them to be able to point

out their answers and experiences on the said curriculum.

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