CHAPTER II

METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents the methods and procedures used in this study. It covers

information on the research design, respondents, research instrument, data collection

procedure, data analysis procedure, and ethical considerations.

Research Design

This study used a descriptive survey method. The researchers used a self-made

questionnaire to gather the data needed.

Respondents

In this study, Total Population was used. Out of 92 Math major students, 18 of

them were participants in the reliability testing and 74 students were selected to be the

actual respondents for this study.

Research Instrument

A researcher-made survey questionnaire was used to gather data needed that will

provide answers to each of the objective of the present study. The researcher-made

questionnaire is divided into two (2) parts. Part I of the questionnaire include questions

that will identify the demographic profile of the students – respondents when grouped

according to age, sex, and year level. Part II of the questionnaire are questions that will

determine the difficulties in learning mathematics of the BSED Math major students of

Bacolod City College. It is divided into three (3) categories, each composed of five (5)

questions, and are grouped according to the following variables: cognitive, affective and

distractions.
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Validity of the Research Instrument

Validity means the degree to which a test or measuring instrument measures what

it intends to measure. In other words, there is veracity or truthfulness of the responses.

Likewise, the validity of a measuring instrument has to do with its soundness, what the

test or questionnaire measures its effectiveness, and how well it could be applied

(Calmorin, 2007)

In this study, the researcher-made questionnaire was used, it has undergone and

has been subjected to content and validation to test its validity. There were three (3)

jurors who validated the said instrument. The jurors include three (3) instructors of

Bacolod City College.

To test the validity of the researcher-made questionnaire, an instrument evaluation

form was used, using the rating scale according to the criteria set forth by Carter V. Good

and Douglas F. Scates. Using the validation summary rating tool, the results of the

content validity was 4.67, which means that the test or the research instrument indicates

that it is valid.

Reliability of the Research Instrument

Reliability means the extent to which a research instrument is dependable,

consistent, and stable (Meriam, 1975). In other words, the test agrees with itself. It is

concerned with the consistency of responses from moment to moment.

To establish the reliability of the research instrument, the same test was

administered to 30 Teacher Education students of Bacolod City College who are not part

of the actual respondents of the study. Out of the 30 participants, 18 are BSED Math

majors and 12 are BEED.

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In this study, the consistency of the research questionnaire was determined using

the Pearson Correlation Coefficient Formula or Pearson's r, which is a measure of

strength of a linear association between two variables. A Pearson's r can take a range of

values from +1 to -1, where -1 indicates a perfect negative linear relationship between

variables, 0 indicates no linear relationship between variables and +1 indicates a perfect

positive linear relationship between variables. Furthermore, when the r value is closer to

+1 and -1, it indicates that there is a stronger linear relationship between two variables.

A Pearson's r score should be ≥ 0.7 to indicate a high correlation or a good

reliability. In this study, the results of the Pearson's r is 0.86 which means that the test or

the research instrument indicates high correlation or a good reliability.

Data Gathering Procedures

The researchers had allotted vigorous time, effort, and cooperation in developing

their questionnaire so as to serve its intended respondents. The survey questionnaire was

created using suitable events that shows relation to the objectives of the study. After the

validation of the instrument, the researchers prepared a letter to ask the Dean of Bacolod

City College to ask permission to conduct the survey. When the permission was given,

the researchers explained the purpose of the study to the selected respondents. The survey

was then conducted and the results was gathered by the researchers.

The data gathered by the researchers was based on the results of the researcher-

made survey questionnaire answered by the respondents. The data gathered will be

treated and interpreted statistically using appropriate statistical treatment.

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Ethical Considerations

Through research protocols, the researchers complied with the guidelines. In the

data gathering of the researchers, the informed consent was distributed through e-mail.

This notice of consent letter ensured that the researcher informed the respondent of the

nature and purpose of the study, its causes and benefits from the study. The researchers

assured the respondents that all of their answers to the questions would be treated with

utmost confidentiality.

Data Analysis Procedure

To analyze the data gathered, different statistical tools were used according to the

nature of the specific problems.

For the first problem, which aims to identify the profile of the BSED Math major

students of Bacolod City College when grouped according to variables age, sex, and year

level, Frequency and Percentage was used.

Formula:

% = f ,x 100
N
Where: % = percentage

f = frequency

N = number of cases

For the second problem, which sought to determine the extent of difficulties in

learning Mathematics of BSED Math major students of Bacolod City College in terms of

the following variables cognitive, affective, and distractions, Mean was used. Mean or the

average, is the sum of a collection of numbers divided by the count of numbers in the

collection.
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Formula:

x̄ = (∑xi),
n
Where: x̄ = sample mean

∑ = add up

xi = all the x-values

For the third problem, which seeks to determine the significant difference in the

difficulties in learning Mathematics of BSED Math major students of Bacolod City

College when they are grouped according to age, sex, and year level, t-test and F-test

were used.

Formula:

x̄ 1−x̄ 2
t=

√
2 2
SD SD2
1
+
N1 N 2

Where: t = t-value

x̄ 1 = mean of the first variable

x̄ 2 = mean of the second variable

SD12 = variance of x̄ 1

SD22 = variance of x̄ 2

N1 = total number of cases on the first variable

N2 = total number of cases on the second variable

Formula:

F = MSP ,
MSE
Where: F = F-test
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MSP = Mean square for participants

MSE = Mean square for error