SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDYING BIOLOGY 1 AS A SPECIALIZED SUBJECT IN

IMPROVING THE HIGHER-ORDER THINKING SKILLS OF SELECTED

GRADE 12 SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING,
AND MATHEMATICS (STEM) STUDENTS

ABRAHAM M. FULGAR
JESERY M. MARUEZ
JOANNE CRISA MARI A. PASION
KYLIE NHER R. NUDALO

A research study submitted

in partial fulfilment of the requirements
for Research Project

Mount Carmel College of Baler

(MCCB), Aurora
May 2021
 Lovingly dedicated to our beloved parents, the peer
also, Mr. Rommel N. Angara, our adviser, who had thought the
researcher throughout the year. Without their love and moral support,
this project would not have been work and made possible.
This research work Is wholeheartedly dedicated
 APPROVAL SHEET

This research study entitled “SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDYING BIOLOGY 1 AS A

SPECIALIZED SUBJECT IN IMPROVING THE HIGHER-ORDER THINKING SKILLS
OF SELECTED GRADE 12 SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND
MATHEMATICS (STEM) STUDENTS,” prepared and submitted by ABRAHAM M.
FULGAR, JESERY M. MARUEZ, JOANNE CRISA MARI A. PASION, and KYLIE
NHER R. NUDALO, Grade 12 STEM students of Mount Carmel College of Baler (MCCB), in
partial fulfillment of the requirements for Research Project, has been examined and is
recommended for acceptance and approval of oral examination.

ROMMEL N. ANGARA
Research Project teacher

PANEL OF EXAMINERS

Approved by the Committee on Oral Examination with a grade of ____.

ROMMEL N. ANGARA, LPT MARIANO A. QUIÑONES, MAEd–History

Chairman Co-chairman

Accepted and approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for Research Project.

May 25, 2021 DR. VIRGINIA G. SACRAMENTO

Date Principal III
Integrated Basic Education Department
 Acknowledgement

This research study would not have been completed without the help of the following:
Above all others, to the LORD God Almighty, who gave the researcher the enough
knowledge to made this project possible, the perseverance, and determination to finish this
project in spite of the struggles that came the researchers’ way;
Our beloved parents, for providing us not only financial support but also moral support in
all our undertakings.
To Mr. Rommel N. Angara, our Research Project teacher, senior high school (SHS)
faculty member of the Integrated Basic Education Department (IBED), for leading and helping
researchers to finish this project, for providing useful suggestions for the improvement of our
research manuscript;
To the researcher’s friends and classmates, for giving insightful comments, positive
energy, and helping us administer the questionnaires to the respondents; and
The various writers, whose ideas, concepts, and principles helped ignite our passion for
inquiry and research and whose works are properly cited in this study.

ABRAHAM M. FULGAR

JESERY M. MARQUEZ

JOANNE CRISA MARI A. PASION

KYLIE NHER R. NUDALO

 ABSTRACT

This research study aimed to determine the significance of studying Biology I as a

specialized subject in improving the higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) of selected grade 12

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) students. A survey was conducted

to the 30 respondents from Mount Carmel College of Baler (MCCB) containing basic questions

about the significance and suggestions on studying Biology 1. The researchers found out that

66.7% of the participants were encouraged to justify a stand or a decision on issue affecting living

things, their vital processes and environment; 63.3% of them were inspired to support their claim

or statement with evidence concerning living organisms, their structure, mechanism, and

development; and 80% completely agree to offer suggestions for improvement on an output

highlighting the natural function or processes of life and living organisms. The researchers

therefore conclude that studying Biology 1 is important to improve HOTS for offering valuable

knowledge and skills on how things work and can be used to everyday life.
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

TITLE PAGE……………………………….......…………..………………………………....…..i
DEDICATION……………………………..……………………………………………..…..…..ii
APPROVAL SHEET…………………………...…………………………………...…….....…..iii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS………………...……………………………………………….….…iv
ABSTRACT…………………………………..………………………………..…….….…..….…v
TABLE OF CONTENTS………………………………………..…..…………………….…….vi
LIST OF TABLES…………………………………………………………………………...….vii
LIST OF FIGURES………………………………….…………………………………..……..viii

CHAPTERS

1 THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING…………………………......….………...1

Introduction………………………………..……………..………………………..1
Conceptual framework………………………………..……...………...…………2
Statement of the problem……………………………...…….……………………2
Statement of the assumptions…………………………….……………………….3
Scope and limitation of the study……………………..…………………………..4
Significance of the study……………………….……………...…………………..4
Definition of terms………………………….…………..…………………………5

2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES…..……………...…7

3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY……………………………………….………15
Participants………………………………………………………….……………15
Research design……………………………………………………………..……15
Sampling procedure………………………………………………………….…..16
Research instruments and data-collection techniques…………………………17
Data analysis………………………………………………………...……………19

4 PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS, AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA….…21

5 SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS…………..…48

Summary……………...………………………..……………………...….………48
Conclusions…………………...….……………………………………....……….48
Recommendations………………..…………………………………...………….49
REFERENCES………………………………………………………..…………………………50

APPENDICES…………………..………………….……………………………………………51

A. Letter asking permission to conduct the study……………………………………..51

B. Letter to the participant……..……………..………………………………………...52
C. Survey questionnaire…………………………..…...………………………………...53
D. Graphs……………………………………………….………………………………..54
E. List of participants with addresses……………………………..………..……....….62

CURRICULUM VITAE……..………………………………………………………………….63
 LIST OF TABLES

Page

Table 1.1 Frequencies and percentages of the grade 12 STEM students’ ages………….....

Table 1.2 Frequencies and percentages of the grade 12 STEM students’ sexes .......…....

Table 1.3 Frequencies and percentages of school year Biology 1 was studied...................

Table 1.4 Frequencies and percentages of school semester Biology 1 was studied……......

Table 2.1 Frequencies and percentages of the significance of studying

Biology 1 as a specialized subject to improve the HOTS…………………….

Table 2.2 Mean rating of the significance of studying Biology 1

as a specialized subject to improve the HOTS.….…...….......….…………....…

Table 3.1 Frequencies and percentages of the suggestions of the STEM students
to promote the significance of studying Biology 1
to improve the HOTS……………………………………………..…...….…...…

Table 3.2 Mean rating of the suggestions of STEM students to promote

the significance of studying Biology I to improve the HOTS……………………..
 LIST OF FIGURES

Page

Figure 2.1 Pie graph of the grade 12 STEM’s ages…..….............................……...….…

Figure 2.2 Pie graph of the grade 12 STEM’s genders….………………..……….....…

Figure 2.3 Pie graph of the school year were Biology I was studied ..............................

Figure 2.4 Pie graph of the School semester were Biology I was studied .......................

Figure 3.1 Bar graph on the response of the significance of studying

Biology 1 as a specialized subject in improving the
HOTS of grade 12 STEM students......……..……………………………....…

Figure 4 Bar graph on the helpful suggestions of the grade 12 STEM students
for improving HOTS through studying Biology 1
as a specialized subject ..................................................................................…