HOLY CROSS COLLEGE OF CALINAN

Davao-Bukidnon Highway, Calinan Poblacion, Davao City

Assessing the Effectiveness of Math-Galing Initiative: A Basis for

Curriculum Improvement in the College Department

Lunay, Jonesa
Ortega, Erlyn Joy
Ortega, John Rey
Ravelo, Stela
Villanueva, Maylyn

February, 2024

Introduction
Background of the Study

It is important to understand basic math concepts like integers, fractions,

decimals, and complex numbers when dealing with numbers in a wide range of real-life

and school settings, from money-involved calculations to taking more advanced math

subjects. As stated by Wriston (2015) and McAnelly (2020), they both emphasize that

handling more advanced coursework is grounded with a strong foundation in basic

concepts of mathematics. However, according to the Department of Education (2019), the

Philippines was placed second to last in global rankings in mathematics on the 2018

Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) (Bautista, J. 2023).

There were five identified countries at the bottom of the rankings in the PISA

2018 results, which gives us relevant data about how students around the world are doing

in school. Since the PISA 2018 results showed some problems, the government and

teachers are putting in place specific initiatives to address the problem. First, The

Dominican Republic utilizes adaptive technology to improve its math education. This

technology uses artificial intelligence to figure out how much each student already knows

and then adapts the tasks to meet their needs (Zúñiga et al. 2023). Moreover, Morocco

has revised and improved its national curriculum for the first four years of primary

school, focusing on reading, writing, science, and math, as part of a comprehensive

strategy to enhance students' learning progress and proficiency in these areas, thereby

significantly improving the quality of education in the country (Mulis et al., 2016).

Panama, on the other hand, also have poor performance in math on the PISA 2018 tests.

Shakalli, a non-profit official, developed a math outreach program that led to the creation

of FUNDAPROMAT, whose goal is to foster math education (Hill, 2020). In addition,

the curriculum in Kosovo has been restructured to focus on a broader range of skills and

abilities, rather than just subject-based learning, to prepare young people for the 21st-

century challenges and enhance their competitiveness in the global labor market

(Kadriu,2022). Lastly, Saudi Arabia is working to improve its low PISA 2018

performance in mathematics by a well-known training program called Mathnasium has

teamed up with Saudi Arabia to open 45 centers all over the country. In line with Saudi

Arabia's educational goals set out in Vision 2030, this project aims to offer specialized

math courses limited to students in Saudi Arabia as stated by Mathnasium (2022). Even

though these programs were put in place, the PISA 2022 result shows that their

performance is still below the OECD average. This indicates that they need more

strategic interventions to improve their educational outcomes.

Poor performance in mathematics has been a significant challenge faced by the

Philippines ranked second to the last based on PISA 2018 results. According to the study

done by Arenillo A. and Cruzado S. (2014), students struggled with integer subtraction,

decimal number division, and fractions due to procedural difficulties and a high

frequency of errors. The majority of the difficulty differences in performing four

operations using Basic Mathematics were determined to be essential. To address the

pressing need, in Memorandum No. 110 s. of 2020, the Department of Education

(DepEd) specified the establishment of a Technical Working Group (TWG) and Steering

Committee (SC) for the National Mathematics Program, (Bautista, J. 2023). The SC is in

charge of the program's strategic orientations and work plans, making sure that they are

in line with deadlines, budgets, and deliverables. The TWG, on the other hand, is in

charge of designing the National Mathematics Program, establishing a work plan, and
developing implementation methods (Malipot, M.H. 2022). The Philippines was ranked

with the lowest countries in the world in the PISA 2022 test, with only 16% of students

getting at least the baseline level of math skill (Chi, C. 2023). The Philippines was ranked

with the lowest countries in the world in the PISA 2022 test, with only 16% of students

getting at least the baseline level of math skill (Chi, C. 2023). This means that the

Philippines needs to keep coming up with innovative methods to help students do better

in math.

In a local school within Calinan, the same scenario can be seen in the pre-test

result during the intervention program conducted last January 2024 with the Bachelor of

Science in Business Administration (BSBA) freshmen college students having a mean of

34% which is below average from the passing score of 60%. The pre-test result shows

that most students are experiencing difficulties in dealing with basic fundamental

operations.

Since it was found based on the pre-test result that there are college students who

are experiencing difficulties in performing the four fundamental operations in fractions,

the researcher will design an intervention initiative namely the “Math-Galing Initiative”.

Upon conducting this intervention initiative, the researcher also wants to assess its

effectiveness in improving the basic mathematical skills of college students. Thus, the

researchers would like to do this research.

Statement of the Problem

The study aims to assess the effectiveness of the Math-Galing Initiative conducted

by the College Math Club to improve the mathematical skills of college students in a

school situated in Calinan, Davao City.

Specifically, it aims to answer the following questions:

1. What is the pre-test score of the respondents in terms of basic operation of the

following:

1.1 Fractions;

1.2 Decimals; and

1.3 Integer?

2. What is the post-test score of the respondents in terms of basic operations of the

following:

2.1 Fractions;

2.2 Decimals; and

2.3 Integers?

3. Is there a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test scores of the

respondents?
Significance of the Study

This study seeks to determine the effectiveness of the Math-Galing initiative in

providing essential skills and knowledge about basic mathematics for future learning.

This study will be beneficial to the students as it can boost their confidence in dealing

with mathematical problems by providing significant support in improving their

mathematical skills. They can now manage to handle advanced topics since their

knowledge gaps are now being filled. For teachers, it allows them to make their lectures

fast and easy as they can now focus on their subject matter rather than revisiting the basic

math. This means that they will not have to spend time repeating what students already

know, allowing them to address more advanced topics in class. It keeps the lessons

running smoothly and ensures that students make the most of their time in class. Program

heads can also utilize student progress data to identify the areas where students are doing

well and where they require additional assistance with basic math skills. The data will

help them to make informed decisions in providing additional assistance and

modification to improve the curriculum. If successful, this program can be

institutionalized to promote long-term improvement.

Finally, the result of this study will serve as a pivotal resource for future

researchers. It will unlock opportunities for refining and expanding studies related to this

innovative math education initiative. Moreover, this research will provide essential

information to guide those embarking on similar studies or advocating for math education

enhancements in the future.

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