Background of the Study
Our world today faces a multitude of increasingly interlinked challenges such as the need to reduce poverty, promoting sustainable social and economic development, globalization, and the need to bridge the digital and broader technological and knowledge divides. The technical know-how and capability to uncover new solution to overcome these challenges require advanced skills in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) (Madara & Namango, 2016; as cited in UNESCO, 2010).
In the Philippines, one of the fastest growing supply of jobs is in STEM fields yet despite the availability of working STEM, there is no sufficient supply of workers to fill open positions (Castleman, Long & Mabel, 2014). There is a concern that many students do not currently have the level of STEM capabilities necessary for high-skill STEM professions such as engineering or even for low-skill STEM positions in field such as manufacturing.
With the implementation of K-12 Basic Curriculum, we embraced the goal of preparing students for college and careers, particularly for careers in the area of mathematics and science (Buddin & Croft, 2014). Since this is new to the Philippines, there is not much expected from the pioneers but maximum attainment of learning and acquisition of newly developed skills to enter to a job, to put up own business or to proceed to college.
Current engineering messages in the society largely portray engineering as challenging, demanding and stressful. Many people understand an ‘engineer’ to be someone who does manual work, probably with machinery which does not accurately reflect the profession. Another common misconception about studying engineering is that it is only for the intellectual elite, or that, it’s only for students getting A’s in Math and Science subjects in high school (Madara & Namango, 2016; as cited in Bainye, 2015). Another one is the impact of exposure to role models particularly adults with whom students can identify because they are the same gender, race or family.
It is said that parents can be thought of as the most primary of role models, and students who had a parent with a bachelor’s degree are more likely to stay on track to earning a degree (Hazan, Sadler, Sonnert & Tai, 2015; as cited in Warburton, Bugarin & Nunez, 2001) and those who had a parent with a STEM degree had a higher probability of earning one themselves (Hazan, Sadler, Sonnert & Tai, 2015; as cited in Leslie, McClure & Oaxaca, 1998).
Between 2003 and 2009, one out of every two students who entered a STEM field switched majors to Non-STEM field or dropped their secondary education (Brown, Halpin & Halpin, 2015; as cited in Chen, 2013). There are factors that impacted the decision to leave, it include conceptual difficulties, lack of self-efficacy (Brown, Halpin & Halpin, 2015; as cited in Geisinger & Raman, 2013) and as the most notable factor that influences success in engineering (Brown, Halpin & Halpin, 2015 as cited in Klingbeil, Mercer, Rattan, Raymer & Reynolds, 2005) inadequate high school preparation (Brown, Halpin & Halpin, 2015; as cited in Chen & Weko, 2009). Program difficulty, lack of study skills, poor academic performance, quality instruction and lack of knowledge about the skills needed to succeed in engineering are also some of the factors also that play a role in this phenomenon (Cole, High & Weinland, 2013). Researchers like Lebold and Ward (1988) and Pajares and Miller (2007) revealed that mathematics ability is the strongest predictor of success in the field of engineering as it will be required to students to apply the mathematical content knowledge because of the strong focus in physics according to Dewinter and Dodou (2011) (Brown, Halpin & Halpin, 2015). As for problem solving, students often have the difficulty to transfer concepts taught and learned inside the school to the solving of well-structured problems during mathematics and science tests (Dixon, 2012; as cited in Lave, 1988; Johnson, 1997; Johnson, Dixon, Daugherty & Lowanto, 2011).
Students who possess the desire and ability to matriculate into any STEM fields but lack of math remediation and typically ineffective in problem solving are most likely to struggle to surpass the course. But this can be solved through self-assessment and realization of interest with the proper environment orientation, persistence and motivation.
This study provides an insight of the issues, problems and opportunities for the cause of maintaining the enrolment rate in STEM fields and increasing the job employment in Engineering courses. Thus, this study is conducted to determine the relationship between Science and Mathematics grades and problem solving skills of STEM-NH students toward Pre-Engineering Course to at least cater the complications identified by previous researches and to give enlightenment to students who aspire to enroll in any Engineering course.
Statement of the Problem
This study aims to determine the relationship between Science and Mathematical midterm grades and problem solving skills of STEM-NH students toward Pre-Engineering Course. Specifically, it seeks to answer the following sub-problems:
1. What are the midterm grades of STEM-NH students in Science?
2. What are the midterm grades of STEM-NH students in Mathematics?
3. What are the scores of the respondents on the test on Problem Solving Skills?
4. Is there a significant difference on the Science midterm grades of the respondents?
5. Is there a significant difference on the Mathematics midterm grades of the respondents?
6. Is there a significant difference on the scores of the respondents on Problem Solving Skills Test?
7. Is there a significant relationship between the Science midterm grades and the score on the Problem Solving Skills Test of the respondents?
8. Is there a significant relationship between the Mathematics midterm grades and the score on the Problem Solving Skills Test of the respondents?
9. Is there a significant impact of the relationship between the Science midterm grades and the score on the Problem Solving Skills Test of the respondents to the percentage of students pursuing Engineering courses?
10. Is there a significant impact of the relationship between the Mathematics midterm grades and the score on the Problem Solving Skills Test of the respondents to the percentage of students pursuing Engineering courses?
Hypothesis
1. There is no significant difference on the Science midterm grades of the respondents.
2. There is no significant difference on the Mathematics midterm grades of the respondents.
3. There is no significant difference on the scores of the respondents on Problem Solving Skills Test.
4. There is no significant relationship between the Science midterm grades and the score on the Problem Solving Skills Test of the respondents.
5. There is no significant relationship between the Mathematics midterm grades and the score on the Problem Solving Skills Test of the respondents.
6. There is no significant impact of the relationship between the Science midterm grades and the score on the Problem Solving Skills Test of the respondents to the percentage of students pursuing Engineering courses.
7. There is no significant impact of the relationship between the Mathematics midterm grades and the score on the Problem Solving Skills Test of the respondents to the percentage of students pursuing Engineering courses.
Significance of the Study
The outcome of this study is beneficial to the incoming students for it will provide a valuable discernment of their choice of future career course and will help them decide carefully whether to enter an Engineering course or to shift to other courses.
The researchers are also benefited from the result of the study, not only that this will enlighten them but to prepare themselves as the future Engineering students.
The teachers are also given the chance to improve their teaching strategies and styles. They will have the best orientation on how to teach Engineering-related subjects to students in an easy manner. This will inform them on what are the points they should be focusing so that later on the students could apply it in their career course.
The administrators of any Engineering department will have the power to adjust and employ the best suitable learning curriculum for Engineering students. A learning curriculum centered in honing and discovering the hidden skills of students and be able to use it in real life applications. With this, job vacancies or employment in the STEM fields will be solved or lessen at least.