Chapter I.

INTRODUCTION

1.1 The Problem and Its Scope

As a student of today’s generation prior to being a student dealing with this kind of topic is really
interesting because we can relate with the current pressure school is giving us and we think that this
research will be a way for us to understand what is the effects of being grades sensitive on the
academic attainment and learning inspiration of senior high school students. As we observed that
most of the students now a days doesn’t really focus on the learning that school is giving us they have
this thought in mind that “basta makapasa okay na”. There are some factors that affects the learning
encouragement and academic attainment of the students. Learning skills, intrinsic motivation and
extrinsic motivation of students have been identified as major factors for an improved academic
attainment [10], [11]. A very unique factor that has been identified by psychologists is that a
psychological distress that negatively affected the student’s encouragement to learn and have
considerably reduced their academic performance by experiencing stress and anxiety related to their
academics thus relying on the external academic assistance [12].
After reading the related literature although many studies are conducted about perceptiveness in
grades and academic attainment not many studies have explicitly describe the impact of the
perceptiveness in grades on the academic attainment and learning incitement of senior high school
students. Although there has been some research on the idea of being perceptive with the grades
between males and females [13] but up to our knowledge and research none has adequately illustrated
the impact it causes on the learning encouragement and attainment of students. The idea in which the
topic of perceptiveness in grades has previously been researched [13] is quite different from what we
want to achieve through this study. We want to investigate whether the students who are perceptive
with their grades have a higher learning encouragement and do they perform better than those who
are not.
The scope is to conduct this study in student context. The analysis will be conducted in Western
Mindanao State University senior high school students. This analysis will give us the results
regarding whether the senior high school students in WMSU get encouragement and perform better
academically when they score high grades or on the contrary if they think that grades are not the
predictor of their encouragement and academic attainment.
0.2 Background of the study
The notion of learning encouragement and academic attainment has been cast out by many
researchers [1], [2], [4], [7] who have identified evident factors which affect the learning encouragement
and academic attainment of the senior high school students. Some researches [21] – [23], [28], [29]
regarding this phenomena have been emitted by various psychologists on motivation which covers the
learning aspect starting from Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (shown below).

Prior to the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs individuals always desire to become the most that one can
be which is called the self-actualization this phenomena is one of the reason why human beings always
aim to be on top. Apparently many findings have also been rendered on students learning incitement and
academic attainment. A five key ingredient theory on the learning encouragement of students was
propounded including learning factors like student, teacher, content, method/process and the environment
[1]. Moreover, it was found that students intention to learn and the strategies they use for learning along
with the tasks that they are assigned in a particular academic environment according to the methods used
by the teachers also play a major role in their motivation [2], [3]. Another that bestows to the learning
encouragement is that of self- perceived academic competence which is the self-efficacy and self-concept
on self-regulated learning (SRL) tactics used by students which has greatest impact on their academic
performance [4]-[7]. It was also proposed that students who scored relatively higher in SRL strategies
tend to pursue a unique learning approach rather than focusing on grades and performing better than
others [8]. So, here it is implied that students who prefer learning over grades achieve a better academic
performance.

0.3 Statement of the Problem

This study is focused on the effects of perceptiveness in grades on the learning encouragement and
academic attainment of senior high school students in WMSU. In response to this problem, our study
proposes to investigate whether the students who are perceptive with their grades have a higher learning
encouragement and do they perform better than those who are not. It help us answer the following
questions:

1. Does grading increase/decrease achievement?

2. Does class size affect student learning?
3. Why do many students focus on grades not knowledge (insert name and year of proponent)?
4. What are the undue effects of the grading system in the learning capacity of students?
5. Does student-teacher relationship affect the learning encouragement of the students?

0.4 Significance of the Study

The first and foremost being is to test whether the perceptiveness in grades has any effects on the
learning encouragement and academic attainment of WMSU senior high school students. Secondly is
to resolve the general difference of opinion among senior high school students regarding the cause of
learning encouragement and enhanced academic attainment by this it can also help our school to
improve the productivity of its academic sector.
And lastly, the final objective of the study is to gain more knowledge regarding this phenomenon
since it has not been essentially researched.

0.5 Definition of terms

 Academic – an education based process, which facilitates learning or the acquisition of

knowledge and skills, everything that is taught in school or in a specific course or program. It
is also any related school activities that help us to grow and know ourselves more.
 Attainment – the action or fact of achieving a goal towards which one has worked for or we
can also say the student’s performance in class. For example in school you aim for a grade
that is not lower than 90 for you to be one of the candidate for honor students you really
worked hard for it and in the end when you checked your card you didn’t see any line of 8
and you successfully received an award for graduating with honors. When talking about
attainment or goal it always depend on the person perspective because we are all different, for
example for some 85 is already high but for some this is very low.
 Encouragement – external and internal perspectives of students. It is something that inspires
or motivate the students in learning and doing their job. For example as for me my motivation
 to study is my family and self. Some also motivate their self to study because of the reward
that they can get in return, it’s either money, stuffs and etc.
 Perceptiveness – Sensitivity to your grades. Some students have this thought in mind “na
basta makapasa okay na” and some also are really concern with their grades they are really
grades sensitive that it comes to a point that they want everything falls right into place. But
some students also who are concern with their grades are not concern to the learning that they
will gain, they are already contented with high grades but not high learning.
 Self – efficacy – indicates one’s self perceived confidence to successfully perform a
particular academic task. This is already build in yourself the confidence as a student you
should learn on how to develop and use this confidence for you to achieve your goals.
 Self – concept – indicates one’s self perceived ability within a given academic area. It is your
capabilities in anything that is related on academics, it is simply “kung ano yung makakaya
mong gawin”. There are somethings that you think you can’t do, but as times goes by you
slowly discover that this things that you think you can’t do are the things that you are really
good at.
 Self – regulated learning – a reflection of the student’s performance in any academic area.
The student will use strategies and monitor his/her performance, when the student already
reflect on his/her performance he/she will use the results from previous performance to guide
the next one. It’s like if on the first performance you fail, in the next time you perform you
should already learn from your mistakes and let this mistake serves as a tool for you to
improve yourself.
 Self – perceived competence – people determine their attitudes and preferences by
interpreting the meaning of their own behavior. Students in this matter knows what and what
not to do. Because before doing something they critically think first on what the
consequences will be. We have this ability to protect ourselves from anything.
 Student context – student’s perception of their own academic competence influenced by their
achievement. This student context will be the foundation of building the encouragement and
attainment within the students this will serve his/her basis to achieve his/her goal within
his/her own context.
 Intrinsic Motivation – performing an action or behavior because you enjoy the activity itself.
You simply enjoy what you are doing. You may have small victories along the way, but you
would be doing regardless of what you get out of it simply because you like doing it.
 Extrinsic Motivation – when you feel the urge to do something in order to gain a specific
reward. For example working hard on a paper to get a good grade, or aiming high grades to
get the reward your parents offer you for example a new phone, laptop or money.