The Effects of Public Transportation Challenges on Academic Performance of STEM

students at Jose Rizal University

A Prelim Examination Paper Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements of the

Subject

RSC S112: QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

by

Flauta, Mareizeehn O.
Abelardo, Jiles Andre D.
Amer, Alaysah G.
Betito, Neesha Bernice
Cristobal, Hayden D.
Magsayo, Eunezah A.
Pilapil, Nicholas Frank D.S.
Torres, Jonathan JR. R.

March, 03, 2024

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Public transportation in Metro Manila faces serious challenges that urgently require a
modernization effort. The current system has issues that need a strategic and professional
approach to improve service quality for everyone involved. A few of these are trains, buses, and
tricycles, and the most famous one is the jeepney. Due to overpopulation from rural-urban
migration, public transportation hasn’t always been the most accessible way for students to get to
school. The overpopulation has had an adverse effect on the quality of life in the urban area.
Inadequate support from the government on this issue has made this issue worse, from the
modern jeepneys that are way too expensive for the drivers to the trains that aren’t big enough to
handle the large number of people who use them.

Longer commute times have had negative effects on students’ ability to get to school on
time and miss early morning classes. This implies that transportation plays a role in a student's
academic performance. Public transportation, sometimes referred to as public transit, mass
transit, or simply transit, is a form of passenger transportation that is accessible to the general
public and is typically run on predetermined schedules and routes (English Oxford Living
Dictionaries, 2018). Public transportation is a crucial part of a student's life to be able to get to
school on time, as it is affordable and helps students from different backgrounds. It also teaches
students independence, responsibility, and perspective.

Public transportation is very crucial to school accessibility and students’ development. As

rapid urbanization across the globe continues, challenges to the continuous increase in
population in metropolitan areas, traffic congestion, bus and railway accessibility, and adequate
public transportation infrastructure are some of the concerns that governments need to address.
According to Oort and Yap (2021), public transport is a practical tool to address numerous
societal challenges in terms of mobility, sustainability, and livability. When looking at typical
public transport projects and traditional appraisal methods, the main types of benefits that are
considered for public transport projects are passenger travel time savings, increased revenues due
to increased ridership and fare systems, and timetable savings.
 A large number of students across the globe use public transportation as their mode of
transportation to arrive and depart from their schools and universities. Railway lines and buses
are the leading modes of public transportation in numerous countries. According to Balabanian
(2020), in Abu Dhabi, the transportation of students is different from the way students’
transportation is done in many Western countries. The modes of walking, biking, and buses are
not popular in the United Arab Emirates, as the majority of students use family cars. In the
relationship between academic performance and students’ transportation, the choice of
transportation mode or the duration of the trip to and from school does not affect the total stress
level. The factors found in pupils’ stress levels that cause negative effects on academic
performance have no significant impact on their psychological state. According to Zu et al.
(2021), transportation sustainability has robust influences on higher education attainment and the
academic performance of students in regional counties in China. The roles of transportation
sustainability and higher education in regional equalities promote more skilled talents and
students through the sustainable development of transportation to reduce the regional gap in the
academic performance of students.

In the Philippines, public transportation infrastructure is lacking in urban and rural areas
of the country. Despite the Philippines being a car-centric nation, there are still areas of the
country that lack road access and have vulnerable road networks. Most students at Mountain
Warriors are very far from school and are not accessible by road. The student's distance from
school affects their math performance. Meanwhile, there was no established evidence that the
mode of transportation and road accessibility affected the students’ math performance. Although
there are challenges that could affect the students’ academic performance, the challenges that
students meet every day while attending school due to long-distance travel can make them
physically and mentally exhausted, which leads to poor performance. (Peteros et al., 2022).

Metro Manila is the only region in the Philippines that has a formal variety of modes of
public transportation and has three metro railway lines. Other metropolitan areas in the
Philippines, such as Metro Cebu and Metro Davao, still lack infrastructure for public
transportation. Metro Manila still faces challenges, even with the public transportation system.
The capacity of public transportation vehicles is not adequate for the volume of passengers on a
daily basis. According to Cadaoas et al. (2019), traffic congestion is rampant not just in Metro
Manila but also in the provinces and cities due to the continuous growth of the public transport
system in the area. Traffic congestion is experienced by the students of the University of
Northern Philippines in Vigan City almost every day. It causes stress, anger, and anxiety for
students since their attendance for their classes has been affected by tardiness. Most of the
students often miss the first class and their lessons, which can affect their academic performance
in the subjects involved.

In the realm of transportation and academic performance, existing research

predominantly focuses on the general impact of school transportation on student outcomes, yet
there remains a significant gap in understanding how public transportation challenges
specifically affect the academic success of STEM students at institutions like Jose Rizal
University. While studies have explored the broader relationship between school transportation
and student attendance and achievement, there is a dearth of in-depth analysis regarding the
unique challenges faced by STEM students due to public transportation issues. This gap is
further underscored by the limited attention given to the implications of long commute times,
safety concerns, and inconvenient schedules associated with public transportation on STEM
students' ability to fully engage in their academic pursuits. Additionally, the current literature
lacks detailed insights into interventions or strategies that educational institutions can implement
to mitigate these challenges, particularly within the context of STEM education, where hands-on
learning experiences and collaborative activities play a significant role.

Moreover, there's a need for research to delve into the socio-economic impacts of public
transportation challenges on STEM students, considering factors like affordability, accessibility,
and equity. This research study will focus on the gap in the students' accessibility, which will
intersect with the students' academic journey, which is essential for developing comprehensive
solutions that support their holistic development and success. Therefore, addressing this research
gap is crucial for informing policy and practice aimed at enhancing the educational experience
and outcomes of STEM students navigating public transportation challenges at institutions like
Jose Rizal University.
 Our study, entitled “The Effects of Public Transportation Challenges on STEM Students
at Jose Rizal University,” aims to better understand and evaluate the impact of these public
transportation challenges. This research aims to recognize the different specific challenges faced
by STEM students at Jose Rizal University regarding the accessibility, reliability, or safety of
public transportation. By exploring these public transportation challenges and how it affect the
lives of STEM students when it comes to their academic performance, mental well-being, and
other aspects of life that are affected. The researchers want to investigate if public transportation
challenges, school proximity, commuting time, and accessibility have any correlation to the
academic performance of STEM students. These challenges and the gathered data will be the
basis for possible solutions that can alleviate their impact on the academic success of STEM
students at Jose Rizal University. By establishing correlations between public transportation
challenges and academic outcomes, the study can contribute valuable insights to both academic
institutions and transportation authorities, ultimately working towards enhancing the holistic
educational experience for STEM students at Jose Rizal University.

Statement of the Problem

This research study will analyze the effects of public transportation challenges on the
academic performance of STEM students at Jose Rizal University. This study will evaluate if
public transportation challenges, public transportation accessibility, school proximity, and time
travel affect the academic performance of STEM students.

SOP 1: What are the specific challenges posed by public transportation to the academic
performance of STEM students?

1.1 How do these challenges affect their ability to attend classes regularly and perform
academically?

SOP 2: Does commuting time and school proximity affect the academic performance of STEM
students during face-to-face classes?

2.1 What is the average school proximity of STEM students?

2.2 What is the average daily commute time of STEM students?

2.3 What is the average attendance rate of STEM students?

SOP 3: Is there a correlational relationship between public transportation accessibility and the
academic performance of STEM students?

3.1 What are the first two subjects of each STEM student?

3.2 What is the average grade of STEM students per subject?

3.3 Are public transportation stations easily accessible to STEM students?

Conceptual Framework
Figure 1. Conceptual Framework:
INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT

STUDENT PROFILE  Preparation of a  Collected the different

 NAME Survey Questionnaire mode of public
 GENDER  Validation of the transportation used
 GRADE LEVEL survey questionnaire  Achieved the different
 CITY LIVING and consent form from challenges experienced
the teacher  Achieved how the different
STUDENTS’  Acquire consent from challenges affects a student
TRANSPORTATION the office.  Achieve whether
EXPERIENCE  Find a respondent and commuting time and school
 Challenges ask for consent. proximity affects academic
experienced  Data gathering performance
 City living in  Data Analysis  There is a correlation
 Average commuting between public
time transportation accessibility
 Does this affect the and the academic
academic performance performance of students
of STEM students (yes  School proximity
or no)  Achieved the average
 How does this affect commuting time
 the academic
performance of STEM  It does or doesn't affect the
students academic performance of
STEM students
STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC  Collected the attendance
PERFORMANCE rate
 The first two subjects  Collected the average grade
 Attendance rate per subject of students.
 Average Grade per
subject

Figure 1 above exhibits the conceptual framework of the study. The Input-Process-Output
(IPO) system was the system approach applied to give a rundown of the conceptual framework
of the study. As demonstrated in Figure 1, the input comprises the Respondents’/ Students’
Profile. The process focuses on the preparation and validity of the survey questionnaire, the
acquisition of the letter of consent from the office, the availability of respondents, the data
gathering, and data analysis. The output comprises the compiled data. This data serves the
purpose of identifying challenges faced by STEM students, investigating the influence of public
transportation on their academic performance, and exploring potential correlations between
public accessibility and STEM students' academic success. Specifically, we aim to examine such
correlations through variables like attendance rates in the first two subjects and average grades
per subject to help us analyze and have numerical proof of whether there is a correlation between
public accessibility and academic performance.

Significance of the Study

This research study serves as a valuable contribution to the field of education by
analyzing and exploring different transportation challenges and academic performance among
STEM students, ultimately aiming to improve educational outcomes. Understanding the effects
of transportation challenges on STEM students can inform policymakers, educators, and
transportation authorities about the need for improvements in public transportation infrastructure,
which are crucial for economic development and innovation. This study will be beneficial for
various people, including:
STUDENTS: This study can help STEM students understand and navigate transportation
challenges that affect their academic performance, potentially leading to strategies to overcome
these obstacles.
UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATORS: They can use this study’s findings to implement
support systems or transportation services adapted to the needs of STEM students, enhancing
their overall academic experience and their overall wellbeing.
POLICYMAKERS: They can use this study’s findings to advocate for policies aimed at
improving public transportation infrastructure and services to support students' academic
endeavors, particularly in STEM fields.
TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITIES: Insights from this study can inform
transportation planning and policies, ensuring better access to educational institutions for STEM
students.
FUTURE RESEARCHERS: The study can serve as a foundation for further research
into the broader impacts of transportation challenges on academic performance across different
educational disciplines and institutions, contributing to the development of evidence-based
interventions and solutions.

Scope and Delimitation

The focus of this study is to investigate the effects of public transportation challenges on
the academic performance of Grade 11 and Grade 12 Science, Technology, Engineering, and
Mathematics (STEM) students enrolled at Jose Rizal University (JRU) during the academic year
2023-2024. The respondents for this study will include Grade 11 and Grade 12 STEM students at
JRU who encounter public transportation challenges, potentially affecting their academic
performance.
To gather data, the researchers will administer both online and traditional survey
questionnaires to the selected respondents. The survey will consist of 3 parts and 10 items, each
aimed at investigating the transportation challenges students face and how these challenges affect
their academic performance. The results of the survey will be analyzed quantitatively to identify
patterns and recurring themes in the data, providing insights into the specific challenges faced by
STEM students due to public transportation issues. Recommendations and strategies will then be
offered to address these challenges and support their academic needs at JRU.
Operational Definition of Terms
1. Public transportation - A system of vehicles, such as buses and trains, that operate on
fixed routes and are used by the public. Used to transport groups of passengers and is
available to the general public. Public transport. (2024).
2. Challenges - The problem or difficulties one experiences that require skills, abilities,
motivation, and knowledge of the person performing them. Something that exists in
someone’s nature that they have to overcome. (Sci space,n.d.)
3. Academic Performance - The assessment of student achievement across multiple
academic subjects. The student’s ability to complete their tasks. (Ballotpedia n.d.). The
academic performance would be collected to see if it’s affected by the public
transportation challenges.
4. STEM students - field or curriculum chosen by a student that is focused on an education
under Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. (Hallinen, J., 2024). STEM
students would be the focus and respondents of the study.
5. Commuting time - A length of time that a person normally needs to get from one place
to another. Time spent by someone traveling. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada
(Commuting Time, 2011 to 2022). Minutes and hours of commuting time would be
collected to analyze whether it affects the academic performance and attendance rate of a
STEM student.
6. School proximity - A term used to describe a distance between a student’s home and
their school. The significance of secondary schools in suitable locations for enhancing
students' academic performance. The distance from house to school of students will be
collected to analyze whether it affects their academic performance and attendance rate of
students.
7. Attendance Rate - The ratio of the number of students' attendance over the course of a
school year. Attendance heightens the risk of students engaging in delinquent behavior
and disrupting the community. Attendance rate will be one of the variables collected from
each STEM student to determine whether they are on time, late, or absent due to public
transportation challenges and whether it affects their academic performance.
8. Average grade - The total number of grade points received over a given period divided
by the total number of credits awarded. It reflects the cumulative performance you
achieved across your classes during a semester, term, or year. Average grade would be a
numerical value that would serve as a comparison to the public transportation
accessibility.
9. Public Transportation Accessibility - The concept of accessibility pertains to whether a
product or service is usable by all individuals, regardless of how they interact with it.
Public transportation accessibility will be compared to determine whether it correlates
with the average grade and attendance rate of a student.
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