REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

(Charlyn Barnachea)

             This chapter presents a review related literature and studies related to choice of specialization of senior high school students. The chapter includes the following topics: senior high school, factors that influence the choice of specialization of students, theoretical framework, and conceptual framework.

Senior High School

           Senior High School is two years of specialized upper secondary education; students may choose a specialization based on aptitude, interests, and school capacity. The choice of career track will define the content of the subjects a student will take in Grades 11 and 12. SHS subjects fall under either the Core Curriculum or specific Tracks (Official Gazette, 2012). Senior High School (SHS) covers the last two years of the K to 12 program and includes Grades 11 and 12. In SHS, students will go through a core curriculum and subjects under a track of their choice (http://k12philippines.com/, n.d). 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 entrepreneur ship.  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, Mathematics (STEM).  Students undergo immersion, which may Include earn-while-you-learn opportunities, to provide them relevant exposure and actual experience in their chosen track  (Official Gazette, 2012).

Filipinos are known to be competitive in the international community. However, our current education system hinders us from becoming even more competitive. Starting in the 2012-2013 school year, the education system of the Philippines was enhanced from the ten years of basic education to a 12-year program through an initiative called the K-12 Education Plan sponsored by the Department of Education (HubPages Inc. 2016). The K-12 program offers a decongested 12-year program that gives students sufficient time to master skills and absorb basic competencies. The K-12 program accelerates mutual recognition of Filipino graduates and professionals in other countries (K-12 Philippines, 2015)

Factors that influence the choice of specialization of students

              The following are literature reviews and studies related factors that influence senior high school students in their choosing track/strand:  future opportunities/ideal job, personality, family, and  peer/classmate.

Future Opportunities/ Ideal Job

             The earning potential of your chosen profession is likely to be a factor that influences your career path. You may find one aspect of your career is more financially rewarding than another, or that working your way through the ranks holds greater financial incentive than staying in the same job. Your personal financial needs are also likely to influence the career choices you make. Opportunity is the third factor that has shaped career choices for students. 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)

Opportunities in career choice would include academic settings, technical schools, entry level

job openings, job shadowing, vocational guidance, job placement, and industry

Contacts (Kroll, Dinklage, Lee, Morley, & Wilson, 1970)

Personality

              “Personality” plays an important role in the choosing of the right career. A student‟s personality must be self motivated type, as to investigate career possibilities from early on in their lives, and not the procrastinating type that waits till they are compelled to decide. Students must take seriously the role grades play in limiting opportunities in the future. 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). 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).

                Most of the students lack adequate information regarding various careers hence the choices that they make are embedded in their perception of the ideal job and the subjects they study in secondary school (Taylor et al, 2004)

Family

                  Parents often have an influence on the career paths their offspring pursue. A parent may urge a child into a vocation similar to their own, or to one that has demonstrated high earning power. You may find yourself attracted to a particular line of work because of your parents’ professional history, which likely has given you a first-hand perspective on that type of work. Many children grow up idealizing the professions of their parents. If you always looked up to your mother and admired her teaching skills, that may influence you to pursue a career in education. Parents may also intentionally or unintentionally push a child toward a particular career path, especially in the cases of family-owned businesses, where parents expect their children to take over the company. Still other parents apply pressure on their offspring to strive for particular high-profile careers, feeling they are encouraging their children to reach high (McQuerrey, 2006)

                 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) 

Peer/Classmate

                 Pummel, Harwood and Lavallee (2008) report that the external influences that help to shape an individual’s career choice are also influenced by significant others through social support from peers. People around contribute a lot in one’s decision-making .Friends may influence an individual choice of career . Individual interest may be affected by peers for the reason that one wants to be with them in fulfilling dreams or a certain career . 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). Id n a cross-sectional study relating aspects of classroom climate to student enjoyment , Frenzel ,Pekrun and Goetz (2007) reported that class aggregated student perceptions of classroom values were significantly and positively related to students’ enjoyment . Developments of students interest were really affected by their peers and classmates.

Theoretical Framework

               According to Elmer(1989) as cited in Arguelles & Miranda (2014) , specialization planning is life goal setting. Sound decision -making is a need to prevent any misfits and to assist students in the process of solidifying their course specialization. Below are several theories on the choice of specialization.

               First, Gottfredson’s theory, occupational aspirations are a reflection of one’s self-concept. People seek occupations that (a) arc congruent with their self-image and (b) reflect their knowledge of different occupations. This theory describes that students become attracted to certain specialization. According to this theory,self-concept is the key to specialization selection. Students tend to choose jobs that are compatible with their personality. The key determinants according to the theory are one’s social class, level of intelligence and experiences with sex typing. In the study of Siguan Jr., (1994) as cited in Sonsona (2012) self-concept was also found significant on the choice of specialization of students. Another is Holland’s theory of career choice suggested that people can function and develop best and find jobs satisfaction in work environments that are compatible with with their personalities. People tend to choose a career that is reflective of their personality. Holland (1994), suggest that the closer the match of personality to job, the greater the satisfaction. Holland’s theory places emphasis on the accuracy of self-knowledge and career information necessary for career decision making (Zunker, 1994 p. 49) as cited in Abernathy (2003).

               Additionally, Socioeconomic theory suggest that many people follow path of least resistance in their career development by simply falling into whatever work opportunities happen to come their way. Furthermore, happenstance theory says that people choose their career based on what they learned. Certain behaviors are modeled, rewarded, and reinforced.

                Sonsona (2012) further cited the need approach of Roe (1993) which gives emphasis on the role of early childhood experiences in finding satisfaction in one’s choosen field. Thereupon, structure of individual would be greatly influenced by early childhood frustration and satisfaction. Personalities and backgrounds determines an individuals choice of specialization. To Holland (2000) as cited in Sonsona (2012), specialization choice is an expression or an extension of personality into the world of work followed by subsequent identification with specific occupational stereotype. This approach can also have in explaining why certain students choose their strand as their specialization.

Conceptual Framework

The reviewed materials suggest that there are varied factors that affect the decisions of senior high school students in choosing their field of specialization. These factors ranged from future opportunities, personality, family, and peer/classmate. In this study, the choice of specialization is dependent on the said factors.