POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

Chapter 3

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter deals with the methodology of the study. It presents the method and

techniques that will be use, the population and the sample, the data gathering instruments and

procedures, followed by data gathering, and the statistical treatment employ in this study.

Method of Research

This study would determine the level of time management and the learning strategies of

working college students of Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Santa Maria Bulacan

Campus. This study utilized the mixed methods research design. According to Aramo-Immonen

H. (2013), mixed methods research is an approach to inquiry that combines or associates both

qualitative and quantitative forms. Mixed methods designs provide researchers, across research

disciplines, with a rigorous approach to answering research questions. Quantitative research is

a procedure for gathering and investigating numerical data, it is used to discover patterns, make

predictions, test relationships, generalize results to a more extensive population (Bhandari,

2020). On the other hand, researched by Crossman (2020) explained that qualitative research is

designed to reveal the meaning that informs the action or outcomes that are typically measured

by quantitative research. As a result, qualitative researchers look at the meanings, perceptions,

symbols, and social structures and relationships.

The researchers used the descriptive research method and phenomenological research

method in conducting the study to know if the working college students have an effective time
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management and learning strategies in school while working during the new normal education.

According to Calderon (2012), descriptive research obtains facts about existing conditions in a

phenomenon and describes and interprets revealing conditions or relationships that exist or do

not exist, practices that prevail or do not, beliefs or point of view, or attitudes that are held or

not, processing that is developing. This includes gathering information that depicts events and

after that, organizes, tabulates, delineates, and portrays the information collection. Additionally,

the descriptive method in research aims to accurately and systematically describe a population

or phenomenon. It can answer what, where, when, and how but not why questions. A

descriptive research design can use a wide variety of methods to investigate one or more

variables, and it also observes and measures the given variable to come up with the analysis.

This carefully developed and analyzed to ensure that the results are valid and reliable

(McCombes,2019). On the other hand, Creswell (2013), stated that phenomenological research

under the qualitative method is an approach that focuses on its fundamental goal to arrive at a

description and explanation of the nature of particular phenomenon. It gives a deeper

understanding of an event, situation, and experience. The researchers choose the descriptive

research method and phenomenological research method as they believe that this will be the

most applicable method and will show the best result of the study.

Population, Sample Size, and Sampling Technique

The total population of this study composed of one-hundred thirty-four (134) working

students consisting of eighty-nine (89) working college students from Bachelor of Secondary

Education Major in Mathematics (BSED MT) and Bachelor of Secondary Education Major in

English (BSED EN) and, also forty-five (45) working college students from Bachelor of Science
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in Hospitality Management (BSHM) who are currently enrolled in Polytechnic University of the

Philippines, Santa Maria Bulacan Campus in the school year 2020-2021.

The researchers used a random sampling technique and purposive sampling technique

to determine the respondents of this study. The random sampling technique is where every

participant in the population will have an equal opportunity to be selected in the sample size of

the study (McCombes, 2019). The researcher also used the purposive sampling technique to

select their respondents based on their judgments. Purposive sampling technique in which the

researchers depend on their selection of respondents in participating in the study based on their

own judgment (Crossman, 2020).

The researchers selected 80 working college students from the Education program and

Hospitality Management program as the sample of this study from the total population of

working college students in Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Santa Maria Bulacan

Campus from 1st – 4th year levels.

Description of Respondents

The respondents of the study consisted of 80 college students of the Polytechnic

University of the Philippines, Santa Maria Bulacan Campus, who are currently enrolled in the

First semester Academic Year 2020-2021. The said students are currently studying and working

at the same time. They were from Bachelor of Secondary Education Major in Mathematics

(BSED MT) and Bachelor of Secondary Education Major in English (BSED EN), from year levels

1st – 4th year and Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management (BSHM) from year levels 1st –

3rd.
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As for this study, there were different types of students who are working while studying,

some of the students just want to challenge themselves, to try new things in life, to gain work

experiences and also for their future career, to earn money to sustain their expenses and most

of them are working because of financial crisis within their families.

Research Instrument

In order to acquire the desired data of the students, the researchers of this study used

survey questionnaires and interview as the major instrument in gathering information from the

respondents composed of two parts – Likert-scale questionnaire composed of several factors

and the other part is the interview guide questions that served as support towards the answers

of the respondents.

The instrument that was used is a researcher-made questionnaire checklist and a

structured interview to gather information needed to answers of the respondents. Before

preparing the instrument for the research, the researcher gathered information needed in

formulating the instrument from journals, different sites, the published and unpublished thesis

that have similar information about time management and learning strategies of working

students. In this way, the instrument was authorized to obtain a valid response from the

respondent. The researcher used validation tools to validate the efficiency of the research

instrument needed in gathering information. The researchers made a draft of the questionnaire

then they submitted it to five professional teachers for validation and criticism.

The Likert-Scale Questionnaire. The researchers made used of survey questionnaires

in this study which have two categories: the first category will be the time management skills of

working students in terms of prioritizing, scheduling, and goal-setting and the second category

will be for the learning strategies of working students in the new normal education. The Likert
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scale was used in the questionnaire composed of 5- strongly agree; 4 – agree; 3- neutral; 2-

disagree; 1- strongly disagree.

Structured Interview. A structured interview is one that the interviewer presents a

series of predetermined questions to the respondent. In structured interviews, questions are all

prepared and developed in advance, which implies that all respondents are asked the same

questions in the same order. Since all respondents are asked the same questions in structured

formal interviews, it is simple to compare their responses and make a conclusion.

The researchers distributed 80 questionnaires to randomly selected working college

students of Polytechnic University of the Philippines in the school year 2020-2021 to determine

their level of time management and learning strategies in the new normal education. The

researchers were utilized questionnaires and interviews as the instruments they can use based

on their discoveries. The questionnaire has been done through online with the use of google

forms that must be completed by the respondents amid studies and the interview guide can be a

list of questions that the respondents will be answering to support their answers.

Data-Gathering Procedure

The researchers conducted a pre-survey to all education students and hospitality

management students from year levels 1st – 4th year of Polytechnic University of the Philippines,

Santa Maria Bulacan Campus, to know the total population of students who are studying and

working at the same time.

It is the process of collecting information from the respondents by answering the

questionnaires, the researchers undertake on the following activities; first, the researcher asked

the president of every class in all year levels of Education program and Hospitality Management
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program to know the exact number of working students in the class; second, the researcher

asked for the permission of the students to be the respondents of the study by giving them the

letter that indicates that they were participate in gathering the data for the study; third, the

researcher conducted the distribution of questionnaires for the collection of data that is required

for the evaluation through online specifically with the use of Google forms. The researcher

explained to the students what are the purposes of the test and the importance of giving their

objective answers; fourth, the researcher collected, classify and tabulated the gathered data;

fifth, analyzed the data; and the last one is, interpreted the data.

Statistical Treatment of Data

All the data collected was carefully sorted, tallied, entered and analyzed by the

researchers. In the analysis and interpretation of data, the researchers made used of the

statistical tools which is, the weighted mean to show the summary of the computed descriptive

measure on the time management and learning strategies of the selected working students.

The formula of the statistical tool that was used in this study is illustrated as:

For the weighted mean:

f (1)+ f (2)+f (3)+ f (4)+f (5)

Where: f = frequency

N = total number of respondents

WM = weighted mean
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To help in the interpretation in the data collection about the time management and

learning strategies of working college students after the distribution of the said survey

questionnaire, the researchers will make use of the scale below:

RANGE QUALITATIVE VERBAL

INTERPRETATON
DESCRIPTION

4.50 – 5.00 Strongly agree Highly Effective

3.50 – 4.49 Agree Effective

2.50 - 3.49 Neutral Fairly Effective

1.50 - 2.49 Disagree Slightly Effective

1.00 - 1.49 Strongly Disagree Not Effective