USE OF PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING IN ENHANCING THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF GENERAL ACADEMIC STUDENTS AT IMMACULADA CONCEPCION COLLEGE

Abstract

The Problem-Based Learning (PBL) educational approach places students at the center and empowers them to address real-world problems, fostering personal development. This strategy aims to enhance critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving abilities—all of which are crucial for classroom success. Academic performance, a measure of students' achievement of educational goals, improves as they actively participate in classroom activities, lesson discussions, and examinations. This research paper explores the use of PBL to enhance the academic performance of General Academic (GA) students in a study conducted at Immaculada Concepción College (ICC) during the Academic Year 2023-2024. Previous studies have shown that PBL enables students to achieve satisfactory outcomes and learn effectively, with teachers and administrators playing a crucial role in facilitating this learning process. A descriptive research design, known for its reliability, employs a quantitative method to observe and collect data from 62 Grade 12 General Academic (GA) students. The researchers conducted an online survey via Google Forms using a standardized survey questionnaire. The sampling technique used is convenience sampling, which involves selecting respondents from the total population of 74 GA students. The data were analyzed using a Likert scale, frequency and percentage distribution, weighted average, and statistical measures such as mean, median, and mode. The data analysis reveals promising results, indicating that PBL significantly enhances students' academic performance. The findings demonstrate strong agreement among students regarding their experience with PBL through classroom-based activities, lesson discussions, and examinations. The patterns and trends observed further support this positive outlook, with most students achieving a satisfactory outcome in their first-semester General Weighted Average (GWA), ranging from 85% to 89%. Importantly, students perceive PBL as a valuable tool for enhancing their academic performance, reinforcing the potential of this approach. Implications state that the teaching style of PBL is more effective than traditional methods, as evidenced by previous studies. Due to its student-centered nature, students feel motivated and confident as they can be in charge of their learning. PBL helps in creating a fun and exciting learning environment. Since PBL helps a learner solve problems, its power can measure the depth of knowledge, contributing to the success factor. Hence, students must understand and engage with PBL to maximize the benefits they can obtain. Moreover, teachers and administrators should combine PBL with the traditional curriculum to be utilized more in sessions and classroom discussions.