In Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements in

Inquiry, Investigation, and Immersion

A Qualitative Descriptive Study about

“Conducting a Career Talk in assisting the Grade 10 students of Theresian School of

Cavite regarding their Track and Strand Preference”

Members

Caimol, Ereen Lauren O.

Diaz, Mariko A.

Hermosilla, Christian Paul S.

Jumagdao, Cielo D.

Lorenzo, Shiela Anne Marie S.

Olaes, Deah Willen G.

Ricafrente, Erika Louise D.

Ventura, Harris C.

Ms. Marylourd T. Daroy

Inquiry, Investigation, and Immersion Teacher
 CHAPTER I
THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Background of the Study

In the past few years, Philippines was the only Asian country to have a 10-year
education program, and one of the three (3) countries in the world including Djibouti and
Angola in Africa who does not implemented yet the K to 12 Education Program
(Geronimo, 2013). When it comes to competitiveness, 10-year education has always
been a debate because it enables the student to master the basic competencies that they
need compare to other countries that have 12 or more years of education. According to
Southeast Asian Ministers Education Organization (SEAMEO) (2012), 10 years of
education is insufficient and considered congested. To pair up with the developing
countries and to face the battle against unemployment, the Department of Education
(DepEd) implements the K to 12 basic education programs. The said program aims to
improve student’s quality of education by mastering the basic competencies that they
need and to prepare the students in the future by being eligible to work internationally.
One thing that everyone should be reminded of is the two (2) additional years in K
to 12 Curriculum which will cover the Senior High School and the first year up to fourth
year secondary education will be replaced by Junior High School. The K to 12 curriculum
for Senior High School is composed of four (4) tracks which are the Academic track,
Technical-Vocational track, Arts and Design track, and Sports track. But only Academic
track and Technical-Vocational track are further subdivided into strands.
In Academic track there are four (4) strands which are the Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), Accountancy and Business Management (ABM),
Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS), and General Academic Strand (GAS). In
Technical-Vocational track there are also four (4) strands which are the Home Economics
(HE), Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Agri-Fisheries Arts, and
Industrial Arts.
The Tracks and Strands offered by Senior High School is the first step towards the
chosen career path of a students. It requires a big decision by the students to which track
and strand will they pursue because each track and strands provides necessary
knowledge and skills in preparation for their future jobs. In line with this, it is important to
the students to choose the right track and strand for them to not have a problem in the
future. In an early study, Bingham (1978) found out that adolescents were immature in
their understanding of demand associated with career choice when compared to real
adults. That's why some students in Grade 10 or even in Grade 11 are still confused about
their preferred track and strands. Without guidance and assistance, some of the youth
will find it difficult to make a decision regarding their track and strand to choose in Senior
High School. This led the researchers to conduct a research study regarding the track
and strand preference of Grade 10 students.
The main purpose of this research study is to show and to provide assistance by
conducting a career talk to all the Grade 10 students of Theresian School of Cavite
regarding their preferred track and strand.

Research Framework
FIGURE 1. The effect of conducting a career talk to the Strand Preference of Grade
10 students in Theresian School of Cavite

Career Talk Strand Preference

FIGURE 1 Shows the effect of conducting Career talk in assisting grade 10

students of Theresian School of Cavite to their track and strand preference.
Statement of the Problem
This research study aims to know how a career talk helps in the decision
making of the Grade 10 students of Theresian School of Cavite regarding their preferred
strand and track that they may take in their Senior High School. In addition, this study
seeks to answer the following specific questions:
1.) What are the preferred track and strand of the Grade 10 students of Theresian School
of Cavite?
2.) In what way can the researchers help upon the decision making of the Grade 10
Students regarding the Track and Strand they are going to take in Senior High School?
3.) How did the intervention made affect the decision making of the Grade 10 students
about the Track and Strand they are taking up for Senior High School?

Significance of the Study

These are the beneficiaries of the research study:
Students. This research study will benefit Grade 10 students of Theresian School of
Cavite by informing and assisting them in choosing their preferred track and strand in
Senior High School.
Future Researchers. This research study will also benefit future researchers due to the
information and data collected by the researchers that may help them in their own studies.
Scope and Delimitation of the Study
The research study is focused on the effect of a career talk to the strand preference
of the Grade 10 students of Theresian School of Cavite. The researchers would like to
know how a career talk can help the students regarding their preferred track and strand.
The research study is limited only on the effect of a career talk without focusing on
the other different factors that may affect the decision making of the Grade 10 students
of Theresian School of Cavite with their track and strand such as, interest and hobbies,
personal preferences, parental pressure, and environmental influence.
Definition of Terms
Academic Track. is one of the four tracks offered in the Senior High School program of
the Philippine’s K-12 Basic Education Curriculum. It is intended for students who want to
pursue higher education after they graduate in senior high.
Accountancy, Business and Management Strand. is designed to train students in the
basic concepts of business management, financial management, and corporate
operations.
Agri-Fishery Strand. was designed for hands-on learning and application of skills that
are related to agriculture and aquaculture. You will be taking various subjects that are
connected to other jobs such as food processing, rubber production, animal production,
or landscape installation.
Arts and Design Track. prepare you as you wander around the design, performative,
and creative industry.
career. an occupation undertaken for a significant period of a person's life and with
opportunities for progress.
General Academic Strand. provides a flexible curriculum that allows students to learn
and experience the electives of all the other Academic Strands
Home Economics Strand. offers various specializations that can lead to livelihood
projects at home. This strand aims to give you job-ready skills that can help you in finding
the right employment.
Humanities and Social Sciences Strand. is one of the Academic Track strands that
focuses on the study of human behavior, arts, culture, literature, politics, and society.
Industrial Arts Strand. provide you the skills and knowledge on carpentry, automotive
servicing,
driving, electronics repair, electrical installation, welding, plumbing, and tile setting.
Information and Communications Technology Strand. encouraged to utilize
information and communication technological tools to contextualize, collaborate, and
create experiences for learning in this professional strand.
K-12 curriculum. can refer to the courses or subjects taught in school from grades
kindergarten through twelve. As it is used in the field of education, K-12 curriculum usually
refers to the specific learning objectives and activities experienced by students in grades
kindergarten through twelve.
Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics Strand. is designed to provide
students with the fundamental concepts related to engineering, science, and math.
Sports Track. aims to give you understanding of the basic principles and techniques in
relation to physical education and recreation.
Technical-Vocational Livelihood Track. this track also invests primarily on skills that
can gain you requisite COCs (Certificates of Competency) and NCs (National
Certifications) which would be essential when looking for better career opportunities in
agriculture, electronics, and trade.
 CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES
Related Literature
Local
A. K-12 System in the United States of America
As stated in relocatemagazine.com, the K to 12 system of United States of
America (USA) start in school at the age of five (5) and end in the age of eighteen (18).
The system is broken down into three (3) stages: Grades K-5 is commonly called as
elementary School, grades 6-8 is called the middle school while grades 9-12 is also
called high school.

The states and the local government in USA are the one who is responsible for
prioritizing education for the students. Each of the fifty-four (54) states of USA has its
own Department of Education and laws regarding the finance, the hiring of school
personnel, student’s attendance and curriculum. Issuing a high school diploma on
satisfactory completion of Grade 12 is not a standardized qualification in USA, each
individual state provides and implements their own requirements.

In USA, each student provides a Grade Point Average (GPA) at the end of their
high school which can help them to determine their next step either into work or
college. Grade Point Average is an average score taken from the student’s high school
career and their performance inside the school like quizzes, results of tests,
assignment, homework, group work, project and etc. In USA, class rank will be
determine by placing each other’s GPA.

B. K to 12 System in the Philippines

The educational system of the Philippines is under the supervision of the
Department Education (DepEd)--- the only organization in the Philippines which handles
the education here in the country. The DepEd has introduced different curriculums
throughout the years, which is aligned from the historical record of education in the
country. Curriculums change over time as DepEd continuously improve the education
system in the country. It started from the Spanish Era up to American Era before
entering the new era wherein the Basic Education Curriculum (BEC) has introduced.
Years after, a new curriculum has been set by the DepEd which is the Revised Basic
Education Curriculum (RBEC). In the year 2012, the Enhanced Basic Education
Curriculum (EBEC) has emerged. It is the curriculum that the Philippines has been
following up to date. In the year 2013, Former President Benigno Aquino III signs K to
12 Program into Law which advocates educational equity. The K-12 program was
recognized as it is under the EBEC and Republic Act (RA) 10533, wherein the high
school program has an additional of two (2) more years for the secondary level. The
additional years for high school are considered as the Senior High School (SHS), while
the four years of secondary level is recognized as Junior High School. According to
DepEd, the senior high school has been implemented as for preparedness and
readiness of the high school students who are not yet ready for tertiary education. It is
also stated in an article produced by Philippine Daily Inquirer that SHS also helps in
developing students’ skills that is helpful when they enter college education. According
to the Official Gazette of the Philippines, the goal of the Senior High School program is
to provide enough time for mastery of concepts and skills, develop lifelong learners, and
prepare graduates for tertiary education, middle-level skills development, employment,
and entrepreneurship.

C. Senior High School Tracks and Strand

Philippines embraced the K-12 curriculum to showcase potentials and enhance
skills of the 21st Century Learners. DepEd’s goal is to improve the educational system of
the country. Philippines is one of the countries who embraced the K-12 curriculum, yet,
on the other hand, there are many other countries who imposed the K-12 system first
before the implementation here in the Philippines. As stated in the research article entitled
“Educational Transformation in the Philippine Education System: Towards Global
Competitiveness”, the Philippines had to catch up with the development of the K-12
program that was first introduced in the other countries. As a globally competitive country,
DepEd decided to come up with a new program adopting the K-12 curriculum. The
educational organization elevated the standards and quality of the K-12 program, with the
introduction of Academic Tracks and Strands. It is cited in a research article conducted
by Danilo H. Sarmiento that despite being the country being one of the list of last country
who embraced the K-12 program, Philippine has still a clearer model of the curriculum. In
other countries such as Japan, America, and so, the K-12 curriculum has only a standard
of 12 years of education for high school. On the other hand, to support the fact that the
Philippines has a clearer model of Senior High School, there are Academic tracks and
Strands which may be chosen by students who are incoming Grade 11. As cited in the
website of findcourses.com, the senior high school program is broken down into career
tracks and learning strands. The career track refers to the General categories that the
different fields of studying belongs to such as Academic Track, Arts and Design Track,
Sports Track, and TVL/TLE Track. On the other hand, the learning strands refer to the
different areas of expertise under the program which are Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), Accountancy, and Business Management
(ABM), Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS), Information and Communications
Technology (ICT), General Academic Strand (GAS), Home Economics (HE), Agri-Fishery
Arts, and Industrial Arts. The career tracks and learning strands are helpful for the
students to decide what career path they may take.

D. Track, Strand, and Career Choice Difficulty

Being the only country having a clearer model of Senior High School Program,
one problem that the Philippines encounter, specifically the students, is the choice of track
and strand for Senior High School. Roberts (1995) stated that students who are not yet
taking tertiary education doesn’t really focus on thinking about the career that they are
going to take. It is the reason why students now have also difficulty with choosing the
correct strand and track for them. It is cited in the journal of the Philippine Gazette that
parental influence, hobbies, personal interests, and environmental pressure are the main
factors that affect the decision making of the career path of the students that may also
help in choosing the right strand and track for them. According to DepEd, the K-12
program was introduced to help the grade 10 students find their right career path to take.
They mold the students to showcase their potentials and enhance them by applying to
any Strand and Track that will help them maximize their capabilities. On the contrary, the
Philippine Daily Inquirer contradict to the statement of the DepEd for they believe that
personal interest may help the students with their career path. It is explained in the
website of Lifestyle.Inq that dream job is also a factor that helps in the career choice of
the students. Having a dream job helps a student determine the career path they are
going to take in the future. In addition, writers form the Winter Journal of the year 2016
said that parental expectations and parent-child interactions can also affect the decision
making of the students regarding the choice of career of the students. First, parents tend
to expect so much from their children. They sometimes decide courses that they want
their child to take in the higher level of education. It is common in the Philippines that
some students tend to enter the track, strand, or career their parents want for them even
if it is against their control. Second, the parents-child interaction also helps with this
matter. According to Taylor (2015), it is also an effective technique that the parents do is
talk with their child clearly about the career and plans of the child as he or she enters
higher level of education. It is important to have a clear communication between parent
and child for a intact education of the child. Meanwhile, DepEd encouraged the parents
to guide their children with regards to choosing the right strand, for they also have the
most important role with the career guidance of their children.

Related Studies
Local
According to research conducted by the Faculty of the High School Department of
University of Immaculate Concepcion that is entitled "Factors Affecting the Grade 10
students in choosing their preferred Tracks for Senior High School" (2016), based on
their research findings the decision making of the Grade 10 Students in choosing their
preferred track and strand is affected by such factors like Parental Influence, Aptitude,
Interest and Environmental factors.

Among these Indicators, the greatest factors that affects the decision making of Grade
10 Students in choosing their preferred track and strands is the students’ Interest. Then,
followed by Environmental Factors. Next is their Aptitude and last is the Parental
Influence.

This led the researchers to conduct a study regarding the Grade 10 students preferred
track and strand. With the said research study, the researchers will assist and guide
incoming Senior High School student in their decision making towards their preferred
tracks and strands by conducting a Career Talk.
 CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
Research Design
The researchers used Qualitative Descriptive Research Design wherein researchers
will identify the effect of career talk to the track and strand preference of the Grade 10
students of Theresian School of Cavite. In this study, the researchers will describe the
results gathered and will identify how the career talk helped the Grade 10 students with
their preferred track and strand for Senior High School.

Sampling Technique and Participants

In this study, the researchers will use purposive type of sampling, where participants
are selected according to purpose. The researchers will choose the two sections of Grade
10 in Theresian School of Cavite, namely Proverbs and Ecclesiastes that will serve as
the respondents for this research study; therefore, the sampling to be used is purposive,
and non-randomized
Survey Questions, including the pre and post survey questions will be given to identify
the effect of career talk to the track and strand preference of Grade 10 students of
Theresian School of Cavite.
Research Instrument
The researchers will provide a survey questionnaire to be answered by respondents
twice for this research study. The survey questionnaire is consisting of questions about
the track and strand preference of Grade 10 students in Theresian School of Cavite. A
pre- test will be given to the students which will be answered before the career talk. After
the career talk, the students will answer a post-test to know if there is a change in the
track and strand preference of the Grade 10 students, and to know if the career talked
helped them in choosing their tracks and strands.
 Data Gathering Procedure
FIGURE 2. Data Gathering Procedure

• The reseachers asked for the Junior High School's head approval for the data gathering
procedure that was conducted exclusively for Grade 10 students in Theresian School of Cavite,
Phase 1 by giving a consent letter signed by the 3I's instructor.

• The researchers went to the two (2) sections of Grade 10 in Theresian School of Cavite to look
Phase 2 for the respondents of the data gathering procedure for the researchers' research study.

• The reseachers will distribute pre-test survey questionnaires to the Grade 10 students in
Phase 3 Theresian School of Cavite.

• The reseachers will conduct a career talk to inform and assist the Grade 10 students regarding
Phase 4 their preferred track and strands in Senior High School.

• The reseachers will distribute the same set of survey questionnaires to the Grade 10 students
that will serve as the post-test survey questionnaires which can be used to determine if the
Phase 5 conducted career talk was effective.

FIGURE 2 Shows the step by step process of how the researches will gather data
for the research study. The data gathering procedure for the researchers’ research study
consist of 5 different phases.
s
Data Analysis Procedure
In analyzing the data gathered from the respondents, the researchers will tally the data
from the pre-test and post-test results which will be used to identify if there is an effect by
comparing the results of the pre-test to the post-test. If there is a difference of answer
with the two surveys, it means that the career talk has an effect to the decision making of
the Grade 10 students of Theresian School of Cavite with regard to their strand and track
for Senor High School.
Ethical Considerations
The researchers will deal with ethical issues by informing the respondents of the
purpose, data collection, methods, and extend of the research prior to commencement.
Informed Consent. The research participants will be informed by the researchers about
the procedures involved in the research study.
Risk of Harm. The researchers will guarantee to the research respondents that they will
not be put to any situation that they may be harmed.
Voluntary Participation. The participation of the respondents of the study is all voluntary.
The researchers will not force anybody to participate.
Confidentiality. The researchers will give respect and assure that the participants’
identity, personal information, and their given data for the study will not be made available
to anyone.
Honesty. The honesty and trustworthiness of the researchers to the data collected from
the volunteered participants will be assured.