FACTORS THAT AFFECTS THE LEARNING CAPABILITIES OF THE SELECTED 4TH YEAR TOURISM STUDENTS: BASIS FOR A PROPOSED IMPROVEMENT PLAN

Abstract

The learning capabilities of students are influenced by various factors, including ethnicity, socioeconomic status, environment, and the guidance of parents, peers, and teachers’ methodologies. Additionally, many students are unaware of how multicultural diversity operates.  This research study aims to identify the factors affecting the learning capabilities of selected fourth-year tourism students as a basis for a proposed improvement plan. This study plays a significant role in clarifying the coverage and concepts of multicultural diversity for both readers and target respondents—an issue that remains relevant today. Furthermore, guidance from individuals with sufficient knowledge on the topic is essential to help people understand and appreciate how multicultural diversity functions. The respondents of the study consisted of fourth-year tourism students. Through random sampling, a total of 65 respondents were selected to participate in the study. The researchers gathered data by distributing survey questionnaires via Google Forms. After data collection, the data was thoroughly analyzed and calculated using frequency, average weighted mean, and ANOVA. The results show that 73.85% of the respondents are female, while 26.15% are male, which may indicate a gender imbalance. However, this reflects the overall composition of fourth-year tourism students at Bestlink College of the Philippines, where female students outnumber males.  After completing and analyzing the data, researchers found that most respondents strongly agreed on the five key factors affecting their learning capabilities: ethnicity, socioeconomic status, parental guidance, teachers’ methodologies, and peer groups. They reported encountering minor to major challenges in pursuing this program, and all respondents concurred with the findings of this research study. Based on the findings, the researchers provided recommendations and a proposed improvement plan to address the identified issues. Bestlink College of the Philippines should conduct more seminars on racism, discrimination, harassment, and bullying prevention. These initiatives would help students develop awareness, foster understanding among peers, and recognize boundaries that should not be crossed.  As a result, this study has allowed the researchers to identify the underlying challenges that hinder the learning capabilities of most respondents.