Undergraduate Thesis

The Problem This study intended to determine the level of study habits and study preferences of third year high school students of Olivarez College, school year 2010-2011. Rosearch Methodology This study used the descriptive design using survey and unstructured interview as the primary means of gathering the data. A total of 72 third year students of Olivarez College enrolled during school year 2010-2011 were involved as respondents in this study. After the raw data have been gathered, the subsequent results were organized, tallied, presented and analyzed with the use of different statistical tools such as frequency, percentages, weighted mean. The frequency and percentages were used to determine the profile of the respondents along with the different variables while the weighted mean was computed to determine the students' level of study habits and study preferences. Hence, the t-test was employed to test the null hypothesis on the significance and non-significance of the student-respondents' level of study habits along with the different components to their gender. Findings The study revealed the following significant findings: 1. Profile of Student-Respondents 1.1 As to age. 1 of them or 1.38% are aged 13; 15 or 20.83% of them are aged 14; 38 or 52.77% of them are aged 15; 8 Or 11.11% of them are aged 16; 3 or 4.16% are aged 17; 5 or 6.94% are aged 18; while 2 or 2.77% are aged 20. 1.2 Gender. Out of seventy two student-respondents, thirty-six (36) or fifty percent (50%) are males and thirty-six (36) or fifty percent (50%) are females. 1.3 Family Income. The data shows that most of male (30.56%) and female (30.11%) respondents have P 16,000-20,000 family incomes. 1.4 Number of Hours Spent in Studying. The data indicated that most of the male (58.33%) and female (69.45%) respondents have 1-2 hours spent in their studying. 1.5 Study Preferences 1.5.1. Place 1.5.11. In School. With regard to the respondents' study preferences in school, most of the male (70.83%) and female (43.58%) respondents prefer to study in the classroom. 1.5.1.2 At Home. With regard to the respondents' study preferences at home, most of the male (70.83%) and female (43.58%) respondents prefer to study in the bedroom 1.5.2. Time. Most of the male respondents (33.33%) prefer to study in the afternoon while female respondents (42.86%) prefer it in the evening. 1.5.3. Study Resources. As of their study resources, most males (66.67%) and females (50%) prefer to study their lecture notes 2. What are the perceived factors affecting respondents' study habits? The perceived factors that affect student-respondents' study habits among males include: time (15.84%), technology (14.85%), and study place (12.87%). while among female respondents are technology (15.59%), time (14.68%); and environment (14.68%). 3. What are the perceived problems that hinder effective study habits among respondents? The male respondents consider some problerns that hinder their effective study habits such as the emergence of technology (20%) and the overloaded schedule (17.65%) while among the female respondents are the overloaded schedule (17%) and the emergence of the technology (15%). 4. What is the level of study habits of respondents along with the components? The student-respondents have an average level of study habits with 1.97 grand weighted mean along with the following components: 4.1. Concentration With a weighted mean of 1.90, it is as interpreted as "average extent" 4.2. Remembering With a weighted mean of 1.95, it is interpreted as "average extent" 4.3. Organizing Time With a weighted mean of 1.96, it is interpreted as "average extent" 4.4. Studying a Chapter With a weighted mean of 1.96, it is interpreted as "average extent" 4.5. Listening and Taking Notes With a weighted mean of 2.08, it is interpreted as "average extent" 4.6. Taking Tests With a weighted mean of 1.87, it is interpreted as "average extent" 4.7. Motivation according to gender? With a weighted mean of 2.08, it is interpreted as "average extent". 5. Is there significant difference in the level of study habits of respondents The student-respondents got a computed t- test of 1.97 which is lesser than the critical value of 5.99 at significant level of 0.05. Therefore, the null hypothesis is accepted that there is no significant difference on respondents' level of study habits to their gender. 6. Based on the findings of the study, what related student improvement plan can be proposed? The researchers designed a student improvement plan that entails seminar, workshop, lecture, and film showing in each quarter of the school year Focusing on the bottom 4 among the given study habit components. Conclusions Based on the findings of the study, the following conclusions were drawn: 1. Majority the pupil-respondents were 15 years old; they were equal in number as to gender; most of them have a total family earning of P16,000 to P20,000; they spend 1-2 hours in studying per day; they prefer to study in the classroom when they are in school while in the bedroom when they are at home; majority of them prefer to study in the afternoon; they prefer to study their lecture notes. 2. The perceived factors that affect students' study habits are time, technology, study place, technology and environment. 3. The perceived problems that hinder effective study habits include the emergence of technology and the overloaded schedule. 4. There is no significant difference in the level of the respondents' study habits to their gender. 5. With the desire to realize and mobilize the result of this study, a related student improvement plan was hereby designed and proposed. Recommendations Based on the findings and conclusions of the study, the following recommendations are here offered: 1 Students should be oriented on the significance of study habits among students toward better academic performance in all course subjects. 2. Being direct providers of education to students, the teachers should further assess the teaching program and reflect on to their mode of instructional delivery particularly the use of effective strategies including technology considering that it is the greatest factor that affects students' study habits. 3. The perceived problems and factors that affect students' study habits should be further given enough attention and focus in order to remedy and thereby, come up with necessary solutions. 4. Being a co-partner in developing academic performance of students, the parents should provide their child/ren the necessary assistance and guidance in improving study habits especially at home. 5. Being the curriculum designers and implementers, the administration should exert effort in reviewing and assessing the existing curriculum and thereby, include some facets that would focus on improving the study habits of students towards better academic performance. 6. Being direct auxiliary support to academics in the school, the guidance counselor should create/develop some related intervention programs and student activities toward student improvement specifically in academics as a priority. 7. Being the center of all learning tenets, the students should pay attention and be open to any innovations and activities prepared by the school that would lead them to further improvement in academic considering that they are the main beneficiaries of all these. 8. The Basic Education Department of Olivarez College thru its academic administrators should review consider the proposed output of this study towards students' academic improvement and thereby, assess the result later on to determine further enhancement and/or enrichment of the said student improvement plan. 9. The same study should also be conducted to other year levels or to other school settings of various contexts to further determine their study habit level and thereby, compare and assess the relationship and/or difference of the results and also to determine if same factors and problems would come out. 10. For future researchers, may they look into considering this study and thereby, replicate it in such a way that it would be further enhanced and reinvigorated with additional variables such as academic performance and technology or media exposure.