Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

Every student’s primary responsibility is to fulfill their duty as a learner which is

studying. Studying is essential to the field of learning, which should always be done. Also,

noticing what kind of study habits the students are having is essential, especially those they are

now practicing. It is significant to keep up good study habits for it will indeed affect the students’

performance about how they process knowledge. On the other hand, keeping up a bad study

habit will only lead to not meeting the desired goal for study habits are the behaviors that the

students used during the learning or preparation for a test.

According to Aristovnik et al. (2020), globally, online classes are becoming more

common, so it's important to research the benefits and drawbacks of learning online in each

discipline. Following up on anecdotal evidence that students in scientific/technical writing did

better or worse in an online course than in an offline equivalent. It was decided to investigate

the effects of learning style and prior Internet experience on grades. Students who excelled in

this online class tend to have more experience working online as well as study patterns that are

conducive to working online. Students who did poorly or failed were more likely to rate

themselves as making good use of study time and to spend substantially more time online on

assignments than students who did well. Designing courses that evoke specific behaviors or

teaching students study habits specific to online learning tend to be crucial tasks for improving

online course performance and retention rates.

Aristovnik, A. Et Al. (2020) Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Life of

Higher Education Students: A Global Perspective. doi:10.3390/su1220843.
Retrieved date: April 24, 2021

In Philippines, during the CHED’s proposed budget for 2021 during the house hearing

an individual shared a concern over the student’s lack of focus during the online classes. It was

cited as an example that the student was listening while eating and when asked, what the kid is
listening in to, the student answered that he was having an online class. The lawmaker worries

how students will be able to learn when surrounded by so many distractions at home during the

remote learning. It was stated in here that what every student should feel must be similar to

what it is like in a classroom setting. That there really are effects of this online learning to the

students’ behavior, habits and values as well as their health. There are studies which suggest

that if you force a student into two or three hours (of online class), there are definite effects in

their habits and health (Pelayo, 2020).

Pelayo, M. (2020). CHED examines effects of online classes on Study Habits.

https://www.untvweb.com/news/ched-examines-effects-of-online-classes-on-
students-study-habits/. Retrieved date April 25, 2021

In one of the private schools here in Tagum City, it was observed that college students

during this pandemic have problems in their study habits. The researchers noticed that the

class, specifically English language students were having a hard time fulfilling their

responsibilities as it was somehow reflecting on the result of their academic performance. Their

study habits concern them, and the changes occurred during the start of studying or learning in

the online class. Some of the students said that they were able to identify if what they practice

during their study if it is a good one or a bad one.

To date, there have been researches conducted about Study habits. Like, “Study habits

and Its impact on the Academic Performance in Biology” and “Examining Study Habits in

Undergraduate STEM Course. However, none are conducted about the study habits of English

language students. Considering that this new normal is still new, we the researchers are certain

that studies about the study habits of the 2nd year English language students under the

Education Program focusing only on the new context is available. It is for these reasons that we,

the researchers, decided to conduct this qualitative study in one of the private schools of the

Division of Davao del Norte, which is situated in Tagum City.

 It is significant to provide quality outputs that would help the English teachers know

what the students' study habits during the new normal context of learning are new to this new

mode of learning. Thus, the students' learning preference can affect how he or she performs a

task, how one stock-up's a knowledge or acquire new information is important, as well as how

they do it. Knowledge and education are common goods. The acquisition and application of

knowledge is part of the collective societal endeavor. Through this study, English teachers and

other persons that contribute learning and acquisition of the English language students would

be given relevant ideas and valuable suggestions as to how they would deal with the challenges

on the study habits of the English language students as they go through their journey in learning

and acquiring the second language in this online learning.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore and understand the study

habits of English language students in new normal situation. Moreover, this study also aimed to

know how the English language students cope with the difficulties as well as their insights in

learning the English lessons in the new normal situation.

At this stage of research, the study habits of the English Language students were

generally defined as the recurrent behavior of the students as they prepare themselves for the

examination in their English subject in this new normal.

Research Questions

1. What are the study habits of the English language students in the context of the new

normal learning situation?

2. What are the challenges encountered by the students in studying their lessons in the

new normal situation?

3. How do the students cope with the challenges encountered in studying?

4. What insights could the English language students give?

Theoretical Lens
 This part contains the theories that helped explain the phenomena. The theories are;

Study Habits Inventory Theory by Gilbert C. Wrenn in the year 1997, the Self- Determination

Theory coined by Edward L. Deci 2016. And the Effect of Study Habits on the Academic

Performance of English for Academic Writing by Maraya in the year 2020.

This study was gleaned through the Study Habits Inventory Theory by of Wrenn (1997).

The Study Habits Inventory Theory focuses on note taking, concentration, reading and

time management skills. On his adapted inventory being used in his study looks at the overall

level of study habits among the students based on poor and good study habits. He further stated

that there is a relationship between study habits and academic performance among the students.

Students with poor study habits either lack effective or organized study routines while those

with good study skills have more organized routines where they focus more effectively on the

work at hand. Furthermore, few researchers formulated their own study habits inventories. In

relation to this, Richards and Estes (1999) developed a study habit inventory derived from

Wrenn’s initial work. The inventory was developed for classifying both high school and college

students based on three factors which included distractibility, inquisitiveness and

compulsiveness. Also, it focuses on the investigation of the academic performance among

university level students and it is based on test, preparation, concentration, time management,

textbooks, note taking and memory.

To put into the context of this study, since the participants are enrolled in the English

class, it is very important to establish good study habits in order to have a good output or

performance. The factors stated in Wrenn’s Study Habits Inventory Theory, together with the

inventory developed by few researchers, presented different kinds of behavior that the English

language students possessed while studying the English language, especially in this normal way

of learning. Therefore, the study behavior of a particular student may affect his or her academic

performance in school. Students who have poor academic performance have a huge possibility

to fail their classes or drop their subjects more particularly their English class. Alternately,
students who establish good study habits can have an excellent academic performance or can

acquire the English language effectively. Along with, it was proposed that school counselors,

teachers, administrators, review bodies and governments should, among other things, do the

following in order to develop the research habits of students, conduct regular study needs

assessment of students of secondary school science, teach students how to study, and how to

schedule and use personal time tables in successful study especially during this new process of

teaching and learning.

In addition, according to Broni and Hogrey (2010) as cited by Maraya (2020) on the

study entitled “The Effect of Study Habits on the Academic Performance of English for

Academic Writing.”

In this study, it gives emphasis that having a good study habits could help every student

to improve their academic performance. It further stated that assignment should be used as one

of students’ learning way to improve their performance academically as well as acquiring and

learning the Second language. Similarly, the institutions may use another study habit such as

correction stimulating them to act in good habits. In addition, a lot of researches about learning

behavior identified the relationship between study habits and the academic performance going

together in the same direction.

Since the participants are the English Language Students, maintaining a good study

habits are considered as the most important key element in maintaining a good grade specially

for the students who are currently experiencing this new normal setting, it was for the reason

that it will probably lead the students in to academic success. The positive students’ behavior in

preparing themselves in learning the English language is necessary and appears to be very

helpful. Through this, they will be able to effectively acquire or learn the language itself and it

will definitely give them a good academic performance at the end of the semester or grading

period.
 Furthermore, Edward L. Deci Self- Determination Theory (2016) that stated that, as a

primary driver of motivated actions, emphasizes the fulfillment of basic human needs for

autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Unlike several other motivation theories, which focus

on the quantity of motivation (e.g., goal-setting theory), Self-Determination Theory stresses the

importance of qualitative differences in motivation. Self-Determination Theory's main

contribution is that it defines a spectrum along which objectives can be pursued for various

purposes, ranging from inherently motivating at one end to extrinsically motivating at the other.

According to the theory, these multiple motives may all lead people to act, but they can have

different consequences for success and well-being.

This theory highlighted how the study habits of the students influenced by the

motivation or self-determination of the learners and how the external factors influence the

execution of the individual. In the task of a person, study habits or the behavior of the students

were greatly affected by the internal factors such as the motivation of a particular student has

and it is very significant because it is the key ingredient in having a good outcome of a task or

learning a particular language. Deci (2016) asserted the self-determination is the condition that

can sustain the focus and actions of learners as well as provide more resources to complete

tasks. Thus, over a period of time, it may help support operations. In studying, motivation can

have a number of impacts on the student's behavior, preferences, and outcomes of students. He

further said that studying is one of the most significant responsibility of a student during school

and motivation or self-determination plays an important role in having a great or good study

habits.

To put into the context of this study, since the participants are enrolled in the English

class, it is very important to have self-determination or motivation in order for them to establish

a good study habits especially in learning the English language. Self-determination or

motivation greatly contribute to the study habits of the English Language students in a way that

having a good study habits especially in learning or acquiring the English language appears to be
very important particularly in this new normal way of teaching and learning. Keeping up great

study habits will enable one to take in the material and succeed. Alternately, poor study habits

will make it harder for a particular student to exceed expectations in his or her courses. Luckily,

there were few strategies a student can use to enhance his or her study habits during school.

There were a lot of ways for the students to improve in academic field.

Scope and Limitation of the Study

This study was delimited on discovering experiences on the new study habits of 2nd year

English language students in the context of the new normal.

Moreover, the actual experiences that was shared through virtual in-depth interview was

delimited on the experiences of 2nd year students as they experienced the changes of their study

habits in the context of the new normal and enrolled in Education Department Program in one

of the private schools in Tagum City for the first semester School Year 2020-2021.

Furthermore, this research study would not include the other Department Program of

the one of private schools in Tagum City and the other majors in the Education Department

Program. Even though the study involved all the 2nd year English language students of the

Education Department Program of one of private schools in Tagum City, it was only be limited

to the particular students.

Importance of the Study

The usefulness of this study is to perceive how English language students study habits

change in the context of the new normal. The researchers further believe that the results of this

study will be beneficial to the following:

The English language students, as they will be able to know what are the challenges

encountered by their fellow English language students in studying their lessons in the new

normal situation, and as to how do the students cope with the challenges encountered in

studying through online class. They can also compare the difference between their normal study
habits and online study habits as well as the effect of their own behavior on their academic

performance. Also, the result will enable them to know the importance of studying.

English Instructors as they will be more aware on how does the mode of teaching in

the new normal shape the students’ study habits and as to what and how to educate with way

better strategies utilizing the approach to cater students’ needs superior. By recognizing what

works best for the students in a given setting, instructors can advance learning encounters that

can meaningfully pull in students to ended up viable, effective and to help the students cope

with the challenges they will encounter on their study habits. It will also give them awareness on

how to have more types of strategies that works for teaching the English language.

Moreover, to those who are in higher position within of the Commission on Higher

Education, this study will give them data on the individual encounters and point of view of the

participants that can open the entryway to assess and elevate our instructive system. It is trusted

that analysts who need to conduct studies related to this request will be given a direct and

valuable information that are required in seeking after more extensive and deeper scope of

investigation.

Furthermore, we hope that this study will also help future researchers as it will help

them acquire and gain knowledge on this new normal setting and for them to be able to learn in

this research as well. This study proves that having this new normal process of teaching and

learning the English language will have its unexpected ups and down’s but nevertheless as an

English language teacher we must overcome these circumstances and give a quality education to

the students. It is hoped that future researchers who need to conduct studies related to this

request, this study will serve as a guide as well as it will give them additional information that

are required in seeking after more extensive and deeper scope of researches.

Definition of Terms

For better comprehension of the concepts and ideas of the study, the following terms

were conceptually and operationally defined:

 New Normal. This refers to a course conducted over the Internet (Northey, 2015). They

are generally conducted through a learning management system, in which students can view

their course syllabus and academic progress, as well as communicate with fellow students and

their course instructor. In this study, this defines as the new type of learning wherein the

platforms course that takes place over the internet.

Study habits. This refers to the conscious and purposeful use of one’s cognitive skills,

feelings, and actions to maximize the learning of knowledge and skills for a given task and set of

conditions (Nevin, 2016). In this study, it was an approach applied to learning. The behaviors of

the students used when preparing for tests or learning academic material it is carefully planned

study behaviors, such as note-taking, reviewing learning material, reading, consulting teachers,

arranging a suitable learning space and peer studying. It is one of the greatest learning factors

that hugely influence student’s academic achievements.

Organization of the Study

This qualitative study was organized and arranged in an order which can be easily

identified and comprehended by the readers. Below is the comprehensive presentation and

discussion of the organization of the study:

Chapter 1 presents the require of conducting this research. It highlights problem

situations within the worldwide, national, and neighborhood setting. This chapter moreover

contains the purpose of the study as well as the inquiries that were responded within the latter

portion. It also incorporates the importance of the study which states the recipients of this

research, definition of terms for way better comprehension, and the articulated boundaries of

conducting the study.

Chapter 2 presents the review of related literature, readings, thinks about and concepts

of a few researchers and concerned people that were similar to the present study. These

literatures were gotten through books, web articles, and other distributions.
 Chapter 3 depicts the application or utilization of qualitative research methodology, and

expresses the information collection, data analysis and issues related with participants’

confidentiality. The chapter addresses information related to research design appropriateness,

the ponder population and selection, and information collection approaches.

Chapter 4 uncovers the results of the interview which contains examination of data

referring to the research questions.

Chapter 5 talks about the major subjects extracted from the results coming from the

participants’ thoughts with supporting explanations coming from the different authors. It is in

this chapter that the conclusions and its implications are stated.