3R - A Strategy in Improving Academic Performance in Mathematics

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

CNSHS grooms its students to take up STEM in Senior High School. The final grade of students who wants to enroll in the STEM Strand should be at least 85 in Science and Mathematics. Project 3R was pursued by the proponents in the hope of increasing the achievement level of Mathematics subjects in Junior High School by at least 2% at the end of the year, thereby raising the achievement level of the department for School Year 2016-2017 and ultimately help the students qualify for the STEM Strand in Senior High School.

METHODS

The study made use of pre-test post-test design. In the first week of the quarter, participants were given a 40-item pre-test, which determined the students in the upper 20% and lowers 20% were selected as the sample group. Project 3R, which involved reviewing/reteaching, was executed two weeks before the administration of the Quarterly Assessment. The mean of the scores of the upper 20% and the lower 20% were compared. Paired t-test was used to determine whether there is a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test scores of the participants.

RESULTS

Results of the study showed that there was a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test scores in Mathematics of Grade 7 to Grade 10 students. For Grade 7, the mean of the pre-test was 38.19 while the post-test was 74.03; for Grade 8, the mean of the pre-test was 59.40 while the post-test was 65.63; for Grade 9, the mean of the pre-test was 30.00 while the post-test was 70.46; and for Grade 10, the mean of the pre-test was 33.59 while the post-test was 89.02. Both of the groups had a positive percent increase in the scores. It can be seen that there was a greater percent increase in pre-test and post-test scores in the lower 20% than in the upper 20% group.

DISCUSSIONS

Since the QA is given only once in a grading period, there is a chance that the students have already forgotten the long list of lessons covered in a quarter. Project 3R gives an opportunity for students to have a review for the QA. The percent increase in the lower 20% group which is greater than the percent increase in the upper group may be attributed to the fact that students "at risk" exert more effort to improve their scores because they need to meet the standards set by the school as a Regional Science High School. Project 3R could be an effective tool to improve the academic performance of Junior High School students of CNSHS. It is recommended that Project 3R be continued until the 4th quarter.