FACTORS
THAT INFLUENCE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS OF SCC IN THEIR CHOICE OF STRAND
Vanessa C. Aldamar, Irish Yvonne Mae O. Ambong,
Allyssa Mae S. Anuada, Rodney B. Arroyo, Charlyn D. Barnachea, Leizel Joy T.
Valdez
Abstract.
This study was aimed at finding out the factors that influenced Grade 11 Senior
High School student of Southern Christian College, Midsayap, Cotabato in their
choice of strand for the 2nd semester of the school year
2016-2017.This study utilized descriptive statistics using percentage to
analyze the data gathered. The respondents of the study were 80 Grade 11 Senior
High School students with 37 male students and 43 female students .Result
showed that the foremost factor that influenced Senior High School Students in
their choice of strand was personality with a percentage of while future opportunities was the least
factor that influenced their choice of strand with a percentage of
Introduction. A
career choice is important because it determines your success in the next
stages of your life (PAMS, n.d). One of the tasks of high school students is to
explore and plan for their postsecondary career options. High school students
are at the exploration stage of career development. 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 career selection process (Super, 1990).
Senior High School is two years of specialized upper
secondary education; students may choose a specialization based on aptitude,
interests, and school capacity. Each student
in Senior High School can choose among three tracks: Academic;
Technical-Vocational-Livelihood; and Sports and Arts. The Academic track
includes three strands: Accountancy, Business Management (ABM); Humanities and
Social Sciences (HUMSS); and Science, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture, and
Mathematics (STEAM). The choice of career track will
define the content of the subjects a student will take in Grades 11 and 12
(Official Gazette, 2012).
On the first semester SHS students were divided by their chosen strand.
However, for this second semester there are SHS students who opt to transfer to
the other strand. It is in this context that the proponents of the study would
like to determine the factors that influence SHS student of SCC in the choice
of strand.
This study is aimed at finding the factors that influence the senior high
school students in their chosen strand. It seeks answers to the following
questions: What are the factors that
influences senior high school students in choosing their strand and what is the
demographic profile of senior high school students who choose their
specialization in terms of: (a) Ideal Jobs, (b) Personality (c) Family and (d)
Peer/Classmate. The result of
the study may provide them information on the most and least influential
factors of Senior High School students in choosing their strand. The result
will help the faculty members in their programs to guide students in choosing
the strand for themselves. This study may give information on the factors that
influence Senior High School students in choosing their strand. This study may
serve as reference for other researchers who may be interested in the same problem
and in others that are related to it. This study was focused on the factors
that influence the senior high school students in choosing their strand. Only
the Senior High School students enrolled in the 2nd semester at Southern
Christian College (SCC) in the school year 2016-2017
Methods
Descriptive
survey design was
used in determining the factors that influence Senior High School track/strand.
Two sections from the four track/strands specially for HUMSS sections B and C,
for STEAM sections G and H, for ABM sections O and P, for TVL sections L and N. The
researchers asked permission from the principal of senior high school to
conduct the study. Upon approval, the questionnaire was administered by the
researchers to the respondents in the school campus. The data gathered was tabulated by statistical
analysis.
RESULTS AND
DISCUSSION
This
chapter deals with the results and discussion of the data collected from the
respondents.
Demographic
Profile of the Respondents
Figure
1 shows that out of 80 respondents, 37
(46%) were males and 43 (54%) were females. Hence, female respondents are more
than male.
Figure
1. Demographic Profile of the Respondents according to Sex
|
Sex
|
Frequency
(f)
|
Percentage
(%)
|
|
Male
|
37
|
46
|
|
Female
|
43
|
54
|
|
Total
|
80
|
100
|
Figure 2 shows
that out of 80 respondents, 20 (25%) were 16 years old, 56 (70%) were 17 years
old and 4 (5%) were 18 years old. Hence, the 17 years old is the highest
percentage than the 16 and 18 years old.
Figure
2. Demographic Profile of the Respondents according to Age
|
Age
|
Frequency
(f)
|
Percentage
(%)
|
|
16
|
20
|
25%
|
|
17
|
56
|
70%
|
|
18
|
4
|
5%
|
|
Total
|
80
|
100%
|
Factor that influence
Senior High School Students in choosing their Strand according to Personality
Table
1 shows that out of 80 respondents under personality, 76 (95%) agreed that the
strong desire for the strand is one of the factors that influence them in choosing their strand and 4 (5%) disagree, 61(76.25%)
agreed that the self-image help them to choose their strand and 19 (23.75%)
disagreed, 65 (81.25%) agreed that the
grades were one of the factors that influence them in choosing their strand and
15 (18.75%) disagreed, 51 (63.75%) agreed that gender is one of the factors
that help them in choosing their strand and 29 (36.25%) disagreed. Students
must take seriously the role grades play in limiting opportunities in the
future. As Splaver went on to say “It is important for you to have a good
understanding of yourself, your personality, if you are to make intelligent
career plans”. (Splaver 2000, p. 12)
Table
1. The percentage distribution of the respondents according to their
Personality.
|
Personality
|
Strong
desire for the strand
|
Self-image
|
Grades
|
Gender
|
|
|
f
|
%
|
f
|
%
|
f
|
%
|
f
|
%
|
|
Agree
|
76
|
95%
|
61
|
76.25%
|
65
|
81.25%
|
51
|
63.75%
|
|
Disagree
|
4
|
5%
|
19
|
23.75%
|
15
|
18.75%
|
29
|
36.25%
|
|
TOTAL
|
80
|
100%
|
80
|
100%
|
80
|
100%
|
80
|
100%
|
Factor that influence
Senior High School Students in Choosing their Strand according to Family
Table 2 shows that out of 80
respondents under family, 53 (66.25%) agreed that their choice of strand is based on
the family decision and 27
(33.75%) disagreed, 41 (51.25%) agreed that the financial status of the family
is also one of their basis in choosing their strand and 39 (48.75%) disagreed.
One consistent finding in research suggests that adolescents’ own aspirations
are influenced by their parent’s aspirations or expectations. Parental support
and encouragement are important factors that have been found to influence
career choice. Children may choose what their parents desire simply to please
them (Taylor et al, 2004)
Table 2. The
percentage distribution of the respondents according to their family
|
Family
|
Family
decision
|
Financial
status of the family
|
|
|
f
|
%
|
f
|
%
|
|
Agree
|
53
|
66.25%
|
41
|
51.25%
|
|
Disagree
|
27
|
33.75%
|
39
|
48.75%
|
|
TOTAL
|
80
|
100%
|
80
|
100%
|
Factor that influence
Senior High School Students in Choosing their Strand according to Future
Opportunities
Table
3 shows that out of 80 respondents under future opportunities, 66 (82.5%)
agreed that job opportunities is one influence in their choice of strand and 14
(17.5%) disagreed, 46 (57.5%) agreed that employment demand is a basis that
help them to choose their strand and 34 (42.5%) disagreed, 69 (86.25%) agreed
that career goal is the one of the influences in choosing their strand and 11
(13.75%) disagreed. Opportunity may influence how students have perceived their
future in terms of the reasonable probability of a future in particular career fields.
The issue of poverty has played an important determining role in the
opportunities available to all (McQuerrey, 2006)
Table
3. The percentage distribution of the respondents according to the future
opportunities
|
Future Opportunities
|
Job
opportunities
|
Employment
demand
|
Career
goal
|
|
|
f
|
%
|
f
|
%
|
f
|
%
|
|
Agree
|
66
|
82.5%
|
46
|
57.5%
|
69
|
86.25%
|
|
Disagree
|
14
|
17.5%
|
34
|
42.5%
|
11
|
13.75%
|
|
TOTAL
|
80
|
100%
|
80
|
100%
|
80
|
100%
|
Factor that influence
Senior High School Students in Choosing their Strand according to K-12 program
Table
4 shows that out of 80 respondents, 51 (63.75%) agreed that the teachers were
one of the influences in choosing their strand, and 29 (36.25%) disagreed, 57
(72.25%) agreed that the subjects help them to choose their strand and 23
(28.75%) disagreed, 58 (72.5%) agreed that the topics/lessons are one of the
influences that choosing their strand and 22 (27.55) disagreed. The choice of
career track will define the content of the subjects a student will take in
Grades 11 and 12. (Official Gazette, 2012).The K-12 program offers a
decongested 12-year program that gives students sufficient time to master
skills and absorb basic competencies. (K-12 Philippines, 2015) Teachers like
parents are viewed as key players in the career paths that young people
eventually pursue especially girls (Barnett 2007). Such constructs including
curricular subjects, quality of teaching, student participation in school
activities, school practices and policies and learning materials for the
student were found to impact on career
choice among learners (Bojuwoye and
Mbanjwa 2006).
Table 4. The
percentage distribution of the respondents according to the K-12 program
|
K-12 Program
|
Teachers
|
Subjects
|
Topics/lessons
|
|
|
f
|
%
|
f
|
%
|
f
|
%
|
|
Agree
|
51
|
63.75%
|
57
|
71.25%
|
58
|
72.5%
|
|
Disagree
|
29
|
36.25%
|
23
|
28.75%
|
22
|
27.5%
|
|
TOTAL
|
80
|
100%
|
80
|
100%
|
80
|
100%
|
Factor that influence
Senior High School Students in Choosing their Strand according to Peer
Influence
Table 5 shows that
out of 80 respondents, 55 (68.75%) agreed that their classmates influenced them
in choosing their strand and 25 (31.25%) disagreed, 54 (67.5%) agreed that
their close friends were the ones who influenced them to choose their strand
and 26 (32.5%) disagreed, 55 (68.75%) agreed that their special friends
influenced them to choose their strand and 25 (31.25%) disagreed. Friends may
influence an individual choice of career . Individual interest may be affected.
Classmates also play an important role in the formation of student’s
achievement, related beliefs and values , even if these classmates do not
always correspond with the peer group of leisure-time friends (Frenzel, Goets,
Pekrun & Watt , 2010)fected by peers for the reason that one wants to be
with them in fulfilling dreams or a certain career .
Table 5. The
percentage distribution of the respondents according to their peer influence
|
Peer Influence
|
Classmates
|
Close
friends
|
Special
friends
|
|
|
f
|
%
|
f
|
%
|
f
|
%
|
|
Agree
|
55
|
68.75%
|
54
|
67.5%
|
55
|
68.75%
|
|
Disagree
|
25
|
31.25%
|
26
|
32.5%
|
25
|
31.25%
|
|
Total
|
80
|
100%
|
80
|
100%
|
80
|
100%
|
Factor that influence
Senior High School Students in Choosing their Strand according to Skills
Table 6 shows that
out of 80 respondents, 67 (83.75%) agreed that communication skills is one of
the factors that influenced them to
choose their strand and 13 (16.25%) disagreed, 62 (77.5%) said that
manipulation is one of the skills they have that influenced them in choosing their strand and 14 (22.5%)
disagreed, 60 (75%) agreed that kinesthetic skill help them on choosing their
strand and 20 (25%) disagreed, 44 (55%) agreed that retention is one of their
skills that influenced in choosing their strand and 36 (45%) disagreed, 57
(71.25%) agreed that problem solving skills that help them to choose their
strand and 23 (28.75%) disagreed, 64 (80%) agreed that critical thinking is one
of their skills that influenced them to choose their strand and 16 (20%)
disagreed. Perception of being suitable for particular jobs also has been found
to be influenced by a number of factors including ethnic background, year in
school, level of achievement, choice of science subjects, attitudes and
differences in job characteristics (McQuaid and Bond, 2003). The K to 12
Program covers Kindergarten and 12 years of basic education (six years of
primary education, four years of Junior High School, and two years of Senior
High School [SHS]) to provide sufficient time for mastery of concepts and
skills, develop lifelong learners, and prepare graduates for tertiary
education, middle-level skills development, employment, and entrepreneurship.
Table 5. The
percentage distribution of the respondents according to their skills
|
Skills
|
Communication
|
Manipulation
|
Kinesthetic
|
Retention
|
Problem solving
|
Critical thinking
|
|
|
f
|
%
|
f
|
%
|
f
|
%
|
f
|
%
|
f
|
%
|
f
|
%
|
|
Agree
|
67
|
83.75%
|
62
|
77.5%
|
60
|
75%
|
44
|
55%
|
57
|
71.25%
|
64
|
80%
|
|
Disagree
|
13
|
16.25%
|
14
|
22.5%
|
20
|
25%
|
36
|
45%
|
23
|
28.75%
|
16
|
20%
|
|
TOTAL
|
80
|
100%
|
80
|
100%
|
80
|
100%
|
80
|
100%
|
80
|
100%
|
80
|
100%
|
Conclusion
Majority of the
respondents were female and 17 years old in terms of the sex and age of the
respondents according to their demographic profile. Personality is the
foremost factors that influence Senior High School Students in choosing their
track/strand which may have attributed to the account that personality plays an
important role in choosing the right career as stated in Splaver (2000). Future Opportunity is the
least factor that influence them in choosing their strand. Opportunity may
influence how student perceived their future in terms of the reasonable
probability of a future in a particular field (McQuerrey,2006).
References
HubPages Inc. 2016. Why Does the
Philippines Need the K-12 Education System? Retrieved from
https://soapboxie.com/social-issues/The-Implementation-o-the-K-12-Program-in-the-Philippine-Basic-Education-Curriculum
on December 17, 2016
Iproject, 2016. Factors affecting choice of career among
senior secondary school students Retrieved from
iproject.com.nj/education/factors-affecting-choice-of-career-among-senior-secondary-school-students
on December 20, 2016
K12Philippines, 2015. What is K12?
Retrieved from http://k12philippines.com/ on December 17, 2016
Official Gazette, 2016. The K to 12 Basic Education Program
Retrieved from
http://www.gov.ph/k-12-old/#about on December 17, 2016
Pams, n.d. What is CAREER CHOICE?
Retrieved from psychologydictionary.org/career- choice/ on December 20, 2016
Concept and Instrument Development
