FACTORS AFFECTING THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS OF BATO

RURAL DEVELOPMENT HIGH SCHOOL IN SELECTING A TRACK

CHAPTER I : BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

One significant reform in the Philippine Educational System is

the implementation of K to 12 program. Its goal is for the development
of a holistically developed Filipino with the 21th century skills who are
ready for employment, entrepreneurship, middle level skills development and
higher education upon graduation from grade 12. ( The K to 12 Basic
Education Program, 2012 ).

Career selection is one of the many important choices students

will make in determining future plans. This decision will have impact to
their lives. The essence of who the student is will revolve around what the
students wants to do with their life-long work. Basavage ( 1996, p. 1 ) in
her thesis asked, What is it that influences children one way or another?
Every students has unique past that determine how they view the world.

Stated, that the greatest barrier among students pursuing their

own career and having command over their life is the lack of in- depth
knowledge of the said career . In addition, knowledge is required to make a
valid career preferences.

A major turning point in an adolescents lives involves the

career choice that they make while in high school. These decision are
mostly influenced by the family and community of a student which plays a
major role in establishing a career path that opens as well as closes
opportunities ( Bluestein, Phillips, Jobin Davis, Finkelberg, & Roarke, 1997 )

There are lots of factors that could affect the students

decision in choosing their courses. There are uncontrollable elements such
as location, cost, distance, and availability of financial aid ( Jackson, 1982 ).
 A labour force survey suggested that the Philippines has the
highest unemployment rate among the countries from the Southeast Asia
( Ericta, 2013 ). Mismatch graduates are believed to be a reason why the
country has high unemployment rate. The reasons of this mismatch might
be due to the produced graduates of colleges that do not fit the present
demand of the economy, or the graduates were not capable of achieving
the required skills the industry needs. The incompatibility of the graduates
to meet the competencies needed by the companies may be due to wrong
preference of courses ( Rosero, 2012 ) .

Many factors affect career choices of high school students.

Identifying these factors would give parents, educators, and industry an idea
as to where students place most of their trust in the career selection
process.

The researcher conducted this study to identify the factors

affecting the high school students of Bato Rural Development High School
in selecting a track.

Statement of the problem

This study intent to determine the factors affecting the high

school students of Bato Rural Development High School in selecting a
track, school year 2017-2018. Specifically, it sought answers for the
following questions:

1. What is the profile of the respondents in terms of:

a. Gender d. Monthly income

b. Age e. Parents educational attainment

c. Status in life

2. What are the factors affecting the high school students of Bato Rural
Development High School in selecting a track?
3. Is there a significant relationship between the respondents profile and
the factors affecting the high school students of Bato Rural Development
High School in selecting a track?

Research Hypotheses

There is a significant relationship between the profile of the

respondents and the factors affecting the high school students of Bato
Rural Development High School in selecting a track, school year 2017-
2018.

Scope and Delimitation

This study will focus on determining the factors affecting the

high school students of Bato Rural Development High School in
selecting a track, school tear 2017-2018.

Only one section was selected to be the respondents in this

study. The grade 10 section Tranquility will be the respondents of the
present study. Grade 10 Tranquility is composed of 49 students, the
researcher will distribute questionnaire to the respondents to attain the
result of the study.

Importance of the study

Students. This study will benefit the high school students specially those
whose still having difficulties in deciding on what track theyll pursue
in senior high school. This may help them to find the track suited to
them.

Teachers. This study will give the teachers knowledge as to how students
decide or what are the preferences of students in selecting a track.

School administration. This study will serve as a guide for the school
administration to formulate plans. This will help them to encourage and
guide the students of Bato Rural Development High School to pursue
there senior high school life.

Researcher. This will serve as a guide for the future researcher to be use
as a reference for further studies.

Definition of terms

Bato Rural Development High School. One of the secondary school in

the division of Catanduanes under the Department of Education. Located
at Bato, Catanduanes. This is where this study was conducted.

High school students. Refers to the grade 10 students of Bato Rural

Development High School who were the respondents of this study.

Factors. Refers to something that helps produce or influence a result.

Track. Refers to the career a student choose.

 Chapter II

Related Literature and Studies

Related literature

Super ( 1990 ) cited by Witko, Bernes, et al. ( 2005 ) suggested

that career planning becomes significant during late adolescence and
early adulthood.

Lewis ( 1981 ) cited by Witko, Bernes, et al. ( 2005 ) found a

positive relationship between adolescents age and decision making
capabilities, such as an increased awareness of the risks and implications
involve in making a decision, a tendency to seek more advice from
adults and peers and an increased awareness and implications of
receiving advice from someone with vested interests. A more recent
study by Bregman and Kellen reported that adolescents and young adults
support responsible vocational decisions that nurture personal growth
and that they disapprove of self- indulgent choices concerned with short-
range goals ( 19999, p 269 ).

Ferry ( 2006 ) further asserts that adolescent occupational

choice is influenced by many factors, including the context, personal
aptitudes and educational attainment. Students around the world usually
faced with the task of career decision making.

Bautista ( cited in Phillips, 1968 ), stated the greatest barrier

among students pursuing their own career and having command over
their life is the lack of in-depth knowledge of the said career. In
addition, knowledge is required to make valid career preferences.

He cited Castillo ( 1963 ) who stressed the redirection of

guidance of high school youth because; it is in that stage where skill,
capabilities and decisions are developed. The youth should get a thorough
picture of their aspirations and expectations.

According to John Holland ( 2010 ), individuals are attracted to

a given career by their particular personalities and numerous variables
that constitute their backgrounds. First of all, career choices is an
expression of, or an extension of personality into the world of work
followed by subsequent identification with specific occupational
stereotypes. Accordingly one chooses a career to satisfy preferred modal
personal orientation. Modal personal orientation is a developmental
process established through heredity and the individuals life history
reacting to environmental demands. If the individual has developed a
strong dominant orientation, satisfaction is probably in a corresponding
occupational environment. If, however, the orientation is on of indecision,
the livelihood of satisfaction diminishes.

According to Howard and Ill7 stressed out that whenever

students are in their high school experience, they are the center of
learning. In a traditional high school, the center of the system is the
content or subject, not student learning. Howard and Ill presented a
system to promote the shift from traditional content or subject-centered
high schools to student-centered high schools called as Collaborative
Career Pathways- a system of organizing the student learning interests
and aptitudes around career paths. It provides a structure for students
to reference their learning and comment each year of their high school
experience. It allows students to plan and practice their skills while
creating a smooth and successful transition to a post- secondary option.

Goffredsons Developmental Theory of Occupational

Aspirations8 describes how people become attracted to certain
occupations. Self-concept in vocation development is the key factor to
career selection and people want jobs that are compatible with their self-
image. The key determinants of self-concept are ones social class, level
of intelligence and experiences with sex typing. Roes need approach9
emphasized that early childhood experiences play an important role in
finding satisfaction in ones chosen field. The need structure of
individual, according Roe, would be greatly influenced by early childhood
frustrations and satisfactions.

According to Elmer ( 1989 ), career planning is a life goal-

setting without such a plan, it is a like making a journey to an
unfamiliar destination without a map. He proposed a career planning
guide that will help the students in choosing their appropriate course
from planning a career, steps in planning a career, goal-setting and self-
understanding. Also, it reveals that guidance and counseling is
intervention of underemployment individuals and career preparedness
must be initiated.

According to Tiedmen ( 2002 ), career development unfolds

within the general process of cognitive development as one continuous
process in which individuals will change their courses of career action,
generally by leaving a setting or environment. Such as when a student is
disoriented in his course he have been taken that will result in
decreasing eagerness on that particular field. He decides to transfer in
another school or to shift another courses that really fits his own
interests and when one is unstable in making decision, this disoriented
strategy may be repeated until achieve different bachelors degree which
can be a major distraction of ones future job.

According to the study of Garcez ( 2007 ), it was found out

that by increasing career development activities, which includes setting
career goals, students has a higher self-esteem.

According to the theory of vocational development by

supeer ( 2005 ), the students should first become aware of the need for
a career. So, very graduating students needs a wise choice in decision
making. Bautista ( 1997 ) stated that at this stage, a student must take
important and vita decision in selection of a career which will determine
the future success.

The need to find out the factors affecting the high school
students of Bato Rural Development High School in Choosing a track
gave the impetus to this study.
Related studies

Borchert ( 2002 ), studied the career choice factors of high

school students and he used students as the respondents in his study. He
conducted his study on 2002 at Germantown High School.

Pascual ( 2016 ), focused on factors affecting high school

students career preference: a basic for career planning program. The
result of the study justifies that career plan for students must be made
in a continuous manner and should start from an earlier grade level to
help student identify thoroughly the suited course for them. He
accustomed students as the respondents on his study, used questionnaire
in collecting data and mean as the statistical treatment.

Abarro ( 2016 ), concentrated on factors affecting career track

and strand choices of grade 9 students in the division of Antipolo and
Rizal, Philippines. He used grade 9 students as the respondents in his
study. Abarro used descriptive survey method in gathering data and
mean as statistical treatment. The result of his study implies that sex,
average monthly family income, school preference, occupation of the
head of the family and average scholastic rating in the preceding years
are factors associated to the career track choices of the students.

Witko, Bernes et. al. ( 2005 ), studied about the senior high
school career planning: what students wants. They conducted their study
at University of Lethbridge Canada and used the students as the
respondents in their study. They used comprehensive career needs survey
in collecting data and mean as statistical treatment.

Japitan et. al. ( 2014-2015 ), emphasized the factors affecting

senior high school track preference of grade 9 students of Don Bosco
technology center Inc. Academic year 2014-2015: a basis for career
guidance program. He accustomed students as the respondents in his
study. Also, he used mean as statistical treatment and survey rating
scale/questionnaire in collecting data.
 Su, Chang et. al. ( 2016 ), focused on factors affecting the
student career decision-making of junior high school students inncetral
Taiwan area. His study showed that students career decision-making is
most deeply affected by personal factors . they used mean as
statistical treatment and questionnaire survey in gathering data. They
invited students as their respondents.

Pendergrass ( 2008 ), studied study of career choice factors and

students academic success at an aviation school. The students are the
respondents in this study. He used questionnaire in collecting data and
mean as statistical treatment.

Fizer ( 2013 ), studied the factors affecting career choices of

college students enrolled in agriculture. In his study it is concluded that
there are a lot factors that influence students when choosing their
academic careers, but family was the one factor that had the biggest
influenced on students. The respondents in this study are college
students. He used questionnaire inn collecting data and mean as
statistical treatment.

Olamide et. al. ( 2013 ), focused on the factors determining the

choice of career among secondary school students. He used choice of
career questionnaire in gathering data and mean as statistical treatment.
The respondents in this study are the students.

Edwards and Quiter ( 2011 ), studied the factors influencing

students career choice among secondary school students in Kisimu
municipality, Kenya. He used descriptive survey design n collecting data
and mean as statistical treatment. He invited students to be the
respondents on this study. It is said in his study that students career
choice are influenced by numerous factors including outcome
expectancies, individual variants such as gender, personal interest,
learning experiences, environmental factors and personal contacts.

Ferry , concentrated on the factors influencing career choice of

adolescents and young adults in rural Pennsylvania. It is said that in his
study that engaging parents and community in active support of career
exploration and choice provides the context that assists adolescents in
making successful transitions into adult workplace roles. He used
interview in gathering data. His respondents are the student.

Synthesis of the state-of-the-art

Borchert and Pascual focused on the factors affecting high

school students career preference and both used students as their
respondents. Borchert conducted his research on 2002 while Pascual
conducted his research on 2016. Pascual used questionnaire in collecting
data and used mean as his statistical treatment.

Abarro conducted his study on 2016, he used students as the

respondents and used descriptive survey method in collecting data.
Abarro used mean as his statistical treatment, while, Fizer conducted his
study on 2013, he used college students as the respondents on his study.
Fizer used questionnaire in collecting data. Abarro and Fizers study
concentrated on factors affecting career choices.

Edwards et. al. and Ferrys study concentrated on factors

influencing career choices among students. Edwards et. al. used
descriptive survey design in gathering and used mean as statistical
treatment. He conducted his study on 2011 and accustomed students as
his respondents, while, Ferry used interview in gathering data. She used
students as the respondents on his study.

Su, Chang et. al. focused on factors affecting the students in

career decision making and used questionnaire in collecting data and
conducted his study on 2016, while, Witko, Bernes et. al. focused their
study on senior high school career planning and used comprehensive
career needs survey in collecting data, he conducted his study on 2005.
They both used mean as statistical treatment.
 Pendergrass, Japitan et. al., and Olamide et. al. concentrated on
factors affecting career choices. They used questionnaire in collecting
data and mean as statistical treatment. Olamide et. al., Japitan et. al.
and Pendergrass accustomed students as its respodents . Pendergrass
conducted his study on 2008 while Japitan et al. on 2041-2015 and
Olamides et. al. on 2013.

Gaps in the Review of related literature and studies with the

present study bridge

Conceptual framework

Independent variable Dependent variable

I. Personal Background

Variable

Gender
Age
FACTORS AFFECTING THE HIGH
Grade level
SCHOOL STUDENTS IN
SELECTINS A TRACK
II. Family Background
 The 49 students respondents were taken from Bato Rural Development
High School ( BRDHS ). The high school was selected on the length of their operation
and other similitude such as geographical location, enrolment size and availability of
the students of BRDHS which is located at Catanduanes in Banawang, Bato.