“TO WRITE,TO PRESENT AND TO TABULATE: ANALYZING THE LEVEL OF
COMPETENCY OF MICROSOFT OFFICE APPLICATION OF HIGHSCHOOL
STUDENTS IN ICT-ED INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE
AND TECHNOLOGY-SAN ANTONIO CAMPUS”
A Research
Presented to the Faculty of ICT-ED Institute
of Science and Technology
San Antonio, Quezon
In Partial Fulfilment
of the Requirements for Grade 12
Information and Communications Technology Strand
By:
Abellanida, Sia Marie K.
Aranda, ShynneMisfah L.
Buenaobra, Anthony E.
Laroza, Lealyn M.
Merano, Julius M.
March 2023
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CHAPTER 1
THE RESEARCH PROBLEM
This chapter contains the introduction to the topic being conducted,
problem of the study, hypothesis, scope, delimitation and limitation, significance
of the study, definition of terms, and theoretical framework. These parts would
clearly provide clear explanations for the readers about the topic of this research.
Introduction
The use of MS Word, MS Excel, and MS PowerPoint is now frequently
used for the school tasks that the teachers are giving to the students. Students
nowadays have activities like conducting research, submitting printed text,
making presentations, creating designs, and others which one cannot do well
without knowledge of these widely used Microsoft Applications. The Microsoft
apps that the high school students at the ICT-ED campus commonly use are MS
Word, MS PowerPoint, and MS Excel. Word is an essential educational
application for processing raw facts into organized outputs through typed
documents (Sharma, 2017). PowerPoint is a powerful presentation software that
uses slides to convey information and allows users to use multimedia for
business presentations, simple educational outlines, and much more (Rose,
2020). Excel is also an application that helps to convert raw data into arranged
manner and perform faster calculations through visualized data. (Sharmai, 2023).
Word, PowerPoint, and Excel are bundled together with all the other applications
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under Microsoft Office. Only MS Word, MS PowerPoint, and MS Excel are widely
used by students.
The issue in the ICT-ED San Antonio campus that inspires the
researchers to conduct this study is the struggle of their classmates during period
of computer class. Most are still struggling in performing several basic skills in
MS applications like simple typing, saving and locating files, using app features
and shortcuts functionally, and more. These could affect their confidence in
pursuing further use of MS apps upon seeing others already competent in using
these software. In the future, all students will encounter more individual projects
in college that they need to complete on their own. Most of job requirements
nowadays also require basic computer skills. It is hard to imagine for the
researchers if their classmates would experience difficulty on these situations.
So, the researchers want to help plan to support them as well as the other grade
levels in the campus, in improving their skills in MS applications.
This research aims to find out and analyze the level of competency of MS
applications of the students from grade 7-10 and grade 12, for they are the grade
levels with Microsoft apps topic on computer subject. The findings of this study
will help the computer teachers to identify the level of knowledge of their
students, detect deficiencies, and to serve as guide for building strategy on how
to solve the weaknesses of the students. The proponents of this study believe
that the findings of this research will serve as a foundation for providing more
effective teaching or further assistance to the students.
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Conceptual Framework
Figure 1. The IV-DV Model
Knowledge on using Word, Presentation, and Spreadsheet applications in
line with computer literacy are the most essential skills for catching up in the
digital generation today in which the students must be prepared for. Thus it is
important that they get trained on these commonly used applications for school
and especially for their future jobs. Schools are great influence for the learning of
the students on these software application. How institutions integrate ICT at
school will greatly affect their students acquired level of computer skills.
Entailed within D.O no. 78, s. 2010 (2010) are the guidelines on the
implementation of DepEd Computerization Program (DCP), which aims to
develop and transform schools through DCP, targeting quality teaching-learning
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process by providing appropriate technologies. This program is for resolving the
computer backlog of schools by catering hardware and software, and training on
simple trouble shooting. In respond to this, schools nationwide integrates
Information and Communication Technology within the school system, provides
necessary technologies such as computer laboratory packages for secondary
school while e-classroom to elementary schools, provides laptop for mobile
teachers, and most importantly raise the Information Communication Technology
literacy of learners, pupils, students, teachers and school heads which is in line
with the objectives under this legal order. Hands-on training between the basic
computer skills are one of the most important ground for the students to bear with
technological competency and one of those is by means of using word
processing, presentation, and spreadsheet application such as Microsoft Word,
Microsoft PowerPoint, and Microsoft Excel by means of computer or a mobile
phone.This conceptual framework will serve as the flow of this study on how we
will determine the competency of the students in Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.
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Research Paradigm
INPUT
PROCESS
OUTPUT
Figure 2. The Input-Process-Output (IPO) Model
The paradigm shows the different stages that the researchers will take for
the completion of the study.
The inputs will represent the academic performance of the students understudy
specifically the mean percentage score in computer subject during the first and
second quarters with the survey questionnaire focusing on Microsoft Office
Applications: MS Word, MS PowerPoint and MS Excel.
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The processing step will include the distribution of survey questionnaire ,
analysis and interpretation of data gathered.
The output of this study will be the level of competency in Microsoft Office
application of high school students in ICT-ED, San Antonio Campus, and the
recommendations regarding to the findings.
Statement of the Problem
This study aims to determine the level of competency in Word,
PowerPoint, and Excel of the high school students in ICT-ED-San Antonio.
Specifically, it will seek to answer the following questions:
1. What is the demographic profile of the respondents in terms of:
a. age
b. grade level
c. gender
d. average major exam scores
2. What is the level of competency of students in terms of:
a. Basic orientation
b. features of Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel)
3. Is there a significant relationship between the profile of the respondents and
the level of competency of students in Microsoft Office?
4. What action plan will be developed based on the results of the study?
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Hypothesis of the Study
Alternative Hypothesis:
Ho1: There is a significance relationship between the profile of respondents and
the Level of Competency in Microsoft office applications of the high school
students in ICT-ED San Antonio Campus.
Ho2: There is no significance relationship between the profile of respondents
and the Level of Competency in Microsoft applications of the high school
students in ICT-ED San Antonio Campus.
Scope, Delimitation and Limitation
This research focuses on the level of competency in Microsoft Office of
the High School students in ICT-ED, Institute of Science and Technology-San
Antonio Campus. The respondents will be the forty (40) students of Grades 7-10
and 12 only which had computer-related subject during the school year 20222023. This study included the Level of competencies of the students in Word,
PowerPoint, and Excel only.
Significance of the Study
By reading this study, the researchers can be able to find out the level of
competency on Microsoft Office among High School students of ICT-ED San
Antonio Campus. It will also be important to:
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To Students. This will help them in maintaining good academic performance and
expand their knowledge Microsoft Office.
To the teacher. This study will give more insights and informations into what
strategies and approaches to use in teaching the students about microsoft office.
To the Readers. This study will provide information about the level of
competency on Microsoft Office.
To Future Researchers. This study will serve as reference to future researchers
to conduct their study on Microsoft Office using other variables.
Definition of Terms
Level of Competency. This refers to the ability to successfully perform a job
while applying the required skills and characteristics.
Microsoft Application Office: It is a software commonly used by the
respondents in their computer subject which includes the MS Word, MS
PowerPoint and MS Excel.
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CHAPTER 2
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES
This chapter presents the literature and studies that are relevant to the
present research. It provides additional information about the problem studied.
An unpublished thesis is included in this review, as well as the use of the online
researchers.
Related Literature
Microsoft Office
Microsoft Office is a suite of desktop productivity applications that is
designed specifically by Microsoft for business use and has been a dominant
model
in
delivering
modern
office-related
document-handling
software
environments (Rouse, 2020). Thus, nowadays where the technology has been
developing continuously, the education of the students have also upgraded and
become modernized causing the normalized use of Microsoft Office Applications
mainly : Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.
Stated at the article posted on “office.com” (2020), the use of MS Office
have a numerous benefits for the student: Easy Access, makes their work easier
and faster writing essay in Microsoft word application, creating data in
spreadsheet Microsoft excel, and more.One of the benefits of using Microsoft
Office as a student is that they can create professional-looking documents for
assignments. With Word, you can easily format your document to make it look
neat and tidy (Akura, 2021). Proficient MS Office skills will bring user the
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confidence and increase their productivity when delivering responsibilities on the
task. Microsoft Office training can give confidence to use the tools provided.
(Jack Ross 2022)
Presentations, word files, excel sheets, working with databases – are all a
part of daily tasks for most of people. When we have an great knowledge of MS
Office, it means we can make better presentations, use more features in Word or
Excel and thus make our mark on work in our style(Van Rensburg, 2020).
Microsoft Word
Microsoft Word is an important education application that is for processing
raw facts into meaningful information through typed documents (Sharma, 2017),
Microsoft Word is primarily used by the students for essay writing, creating
professional-looking documents and reports (Office.com, 2017). There’s more to
Microsoft Word than word processing. Business students can harness intuitive
editing features, advanced formatting options, tables, lists, and sleek design
elements to create documents and proposals (Pearson, 2019).
Tanzannia (2016) stated in his research that the purpose of the MS Word
is to allow the users to type and save documents. It saves time, and enhances
document appearance. According to Software Academy (2019), in future,
students need to print the letter or all the departments will be becoming digital.
So they need the use of MS Word for digital letters instead of handwritten letters.
Microsoft Word is an important application that helps to make notes in
place of notebooks. We can prepare notes with diagrams, graphs, tables, and
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smart art, among other things. Microsoft Word can benefit teachers and students
to create new innovative methods of learning and teaching. (King, 2022). Users
can also insert images, charts, and other graphics to make their document more
visually appealing (Akura, 2021).
Microsoft PowePoint
Microsoft PowerPoint is a powerful presentation software that uses slides
to convey information, it is rich in multimedia and used to create complex
business presentations, simple educational outlines and much more (Rose,
2020). In addition to creating impressive class presentations and reports, the
students will also have a skill they can take with them into the workplace. With
the proper PowerPoint skills they can create compelling presentations that will
help prepare them for life after schoo (Kwalker, 2013). Students’ understanding
of the ins and outs of the MS PowerPoint can turn heir basic slideshow into a
dynamic presentation that lets their professional skills shine (Pearson, 2019).
Luke Edwards (2021) stated that PowerPoint allows students to share the
presentations live, in the room, as well as digitally online via a video conference
interface. Students can also work through a presentation in their own time,
making this a versatile way to communicate.
Additionally, PowerPoint
presentations enable students to learn complex and sophisticated concepts. In
the present-day academic environment, teachers and students use this software
as it allows creating engaging slideshows. (Smith, 2022)
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Microsoft PowerPoint is a widespread instrument that is a part of the
Microsoft Office 365 package. PowerPoint presentations enable students to learn
complex and sophisticated concepts. In the present-day academic environment,
teachers and students use this software as it allows creating engaging
slideshows (Smith, 2021).
Microsoft Excel
Excel is a spreadsheet application developed and published by Microsoft.
It is part of the Microsoft Office suite of productivity software. Unlike a word
processor, such as Microsoft Word, Excel organizes data in columns and rows.
Rows and columns intersect at a space called a cell. Each cell contains data,
such as text, a numerical value, or a formula. (Computer Hope, 2021)
According to Sharma (2023), Microsoft Excel offers numerous benefits for
students. It helps them to convert raw data into meaningful information, perform
faster calculations through Excel exercises, visualize data, and learn financial
planning. Overall basics of excel help students to understand the importance of
data and information filters. By using Excel, students can enhance their analytical
and problem-solving skills, which can be beneficial in both academic and
professional settings. Learning to track goal progressions and calculate salaries
are essential skills that students will encounter and use in the future. By
practicing these skills early in their careers using Microsoft Excel, students can
handle large amounts of data and information easily and accurately. This will
prepare them for the demands of the professional world and enable them to work
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efficiently and effectively in data science, data analysis, and financial
management field. Students can become good and proficient in any school or
college subject by using Microsoft Excel. Microsoft Excel is really important in our
education system because that enhances data management creativity in
students’ minds. Microsoft Excel is an important application in computers that
need to be used in the classroom and education.
Microsoft Excel help students to understand the importance of data and
information filters. It offers numerous benefits for students such as helping them
to convert raw data into meaningful information, perform faster calculations
through Excel exercises, visualize data, and learn financial planning (Sharma,
2023). Not only should students be able to organize, analyze, manipulate, and
present data within Microsoft Excel, they should be able to communicate their
insights in a way that helps build a business’s competitive lead. (Pearson, 2019).
Many at the undergraduate level have had very little to no exposure to the
use
of
Microsoft
Excel,
which
increases
the
amount
of
time
spent
troubleshooting, leads to increased anxiety, and takes away from their learning
(Rubin & Abrams, 2015). Although Microsoft Excel may seem elementary—
compared to Microsoft Access, for example—undergraduate students must begin
developing those skills early to have an understanding and comfort in the full
suite of tools that are available for research. (Carlson, Nelson, Johnston, &
Koshoffer, 2015).
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Academic Performance
Academic performance is the outcome of students’ effort in examinations.
Students’ academic performance is determined by a number of factors (Eze et al.
2016). Academic performance is measured by the average marks of the previous
semesters and the total average marks(Garkaza et al. 2011; Tailab 2013;
Sugahara and Boland 2014;).
Higher academic success rate for the students is benefited by the
education process of learning that have thepositive perception of the students
(Gul, Ince &Turan, 2011). The same findings was also found out by Sauer (2012)
that students’ interest and their relationship with the instructor were contributing
factors in successful academic performance. Therefore, the data implied that
teachers need consider student interest and develop a relationship with them in
order to foster student growth and success.
The research of Gabejan and Takenaka (2021), the extent of students’
computer literacy in terms of Word Processing, Spreadsheet, Presentation, and
General Computing, significantly influenced the academic performance of the
students. This signified that the higher their computer literacy in the identified
areas
manifested,
the
higher
the
academic
performance
also. Thus,
teachers should support the students by implementing an intervention program
that improves students’ level of computer literacy.
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Related Studies
The review of related studies highlights what previous researchers have
discovered. This section primarily depends upon how much research has
previously been done in the chosen area of investigation. If the area relatively
new, the studies reviewed should cite similar areas that lead up to the current
research.
In recent years, the use of computers have been normalized in countless
countries in the world, using them as tools for an easier life and work. That’s why
most nations, including Philippines, are also trying to catch up and be a part of
this technology trend, in order to be a more developed country. Computers are
now necessities at jobs, in which those who are computer illiterate were often
rejected during hiring because computer skills have also become a standard.
That’s why
computer skills must be taught to every people especially the
students, so that they will become prepared for the changes happening today,
and for the future. There must have improvement in curriculum regarding ICT
education among the students in order to develop computer competency on the
students. As Harrell and Bynum (2018) stated in their research, the integration of
computer in classroom is important for students to be prepared to use technology
to compete in the 21st-century global economy. Tomaro (2018) based on the
results of her study, have concluded that the equitable
provision
of
ICT
education among all Philippine schools and the increase of ICT infrastructure
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provisions must be prioritized. For Filipinos to be globally competent, adoption of
the technological trend must be integrated to the school’s basic education.
She also mentioned that development of one country, rest upon how it
caters changes and innovation and smoothly transitions towards an upward
slope of progression.
There is a study conducted by Idrinal (2022) where the computer skills of
the Grade 11 and Grade 12 students from Lopez, Quezon including use of MS
Office package, where assessed. It shows that the top place where the students
get access to computer is at school. His study also included that the Grade 11 &
Grade 12 have excellent word processing skills, while in presentation software,
Grade 11 have fair skills and Grade 12 have Good skills. The maturity and time
of study of the grade 12 students affected their proficiency in computer
applications than grade 11 students. Overall, Grade 11 & Grade 12 students
have high awareness of basic computer skills in connection to having access at
school. Furthermore, his research have pointed
out the weaknesses of the
students and proposed it to be a consideration on the enhancement program that
may be applied to the specializations or integrated into other ICT subjects.
Barajas, Saavedra, & Albeniz (2014) mentioned that the importance of
identifying the level of understanding of the students is for the teachers to identify
what is the initial knowledge level and the level that students must reach at the
end of the course. It can give influence to detect deficiencies and solve them.
This helps a lot to students with an initial lack of knowledge of the subject.
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From the study of Banji, Okyere, Kornu, & Migbordzi (2020) the
commonest challenges of using ICT tools for learning were lack of opportunity
provided by teachers for students to use the tools on their own, inadequate ICT
tools and difficulty teaching ICT practical lessons without demonstration.
Doe, Annan, Ahiale & Anyamadu (2016) observed that the current
curriculum and training in spreadsheet of their university (Polytechnic) was
inadequate, which may explain the observed low self-competency ratings. There
is a need to revise the current curriculum by integrating spreadsheet into the
teaching and learning of relevant courses.
Durana (2019) in her study, revealed that the demographic characteristics
of the respondents do not affect their level of perceived computer literacy
skills.They still have a high rating despite not owning personal computers and
having minimal daily time exposure to it. Grade 12-CSS of Pag-asa National
Highschool are confident that they possess the skills under basic, intermediate
and advanced computer literacy skills (which also includes Word processing,
Spreadsheet, and Multimedia presentation skills.)
Gabejan & Takenaka (2021) found out that the majority of 178 Grade 10
students from Silanga National High School perceive that they have high literacy
on Word processing, while moderate literacy only in Presentation and Excel. The
results also signified that the greater the extent of their computer literacy in said
areas, the higher their academic performance. This implied that classroom
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intervention activities are imperative to enhance the extent of the students'
computer literacy. Thus, teachers should support them by implementing an
intervention program that improves students’ level of computer literacy in the
specific areas mentioned.
According to Dy (2022), in our country,only 6% of those aged 15 and
above have basic digital skills, while only 2% have standard digital skills. Less
than 1% of those aged 15+ have advanced digital skills. Basic digital skills are
defined as the ability to conduct four activities: (1) copying or moving a file or
folder, (2) using copy and paste to duplicate or move information within a
document or folder, (3) sending emails with attachments, and (4) transferring files
between computer and other computers. It doesn't seem very easy to believe
that only 6% of the surveyed population can perform such tasks, perhaps
because most of our focus is only on metropolitan areas where these basic
digital skills are prevalent.
Synthesis
The mentioned related studies from other researchers were relevant for
this study. As Harrell and Bynum (2018), Banji, Okyere, Kornu, & Migbordzi
(2020), and Tomaro (2018) highlighted the importance of ICT integration in
classrooms which is to prepare the students for the modern generation of today,
Idrinal (2022) have assessed students’ computer skills and have come up to
significant findings which can be used for improvement in teaching, and Barajas,
and Saavedra, & Albeniz (2014) have pointed out the significance of knowing the
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level of knowledge of students in such subjects/fields, which is for identifying their
weaknesses and knowing how to improve the students.
In the similar study conducted by Idrinal (2022), Grade 12 students have
excellent skills in word processing, while good skills in presentation software,
while Grade 11 students have the same skills in word processing, yet fair skills in
presentation software. It is said that the reason why Grade 12 has higher
competency than Grade 12 is because Grade 12 have more time in computer
classes than Grade 11 which is a lower grade. However, in comparison with the
current research, there could be a possible similar result from the competency of
higher level students than lower grade students, yet it will not be concluded that
the cause is the longer period of computer classes of higher level, because in
ICT-ED San Antonio Campus, Grade 12 only have classes for a subject once a
week. Lower grade levels are only expected to have moderate competency in
MS Office apps since they have computer classes more than once a week.
Another similar study by Doe, Annan, Ahiale & Anyamadu (2016) revealed
the low self-competency ratings of the students on Excel, which leads them
toward suggesting the revision of curriculum in their school about the subject.
Identical with the goal of this study, to find the level of competency of the
students in MS applications, and to come up with action plan based on the
results. Durana (2019) also conducted the similar research of identifying the level
of computer skills, the demographic profile she tested was time exposure to
computer and ownership of personal computer, while in the current research, the
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demographic profile to be tested is age, average exam scores, gender, and
grade level. A lot more than theirs. Next, Gabejan & Takenaka (2021) found out
that grade 10 students have high perceived skills in Word, Powepoint, and Excel.
Which in this study was expected to have only moderate skills. Lastly, Dy (2022)
emphasized the very few percentage of youth who are literate in basic computer
skills.
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CHAPTER 3
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This chapter deals with the research design, respondents of the study,
data gathering procedure, data gathering instrument, and statistical treatment.
Research Design
The researcher will utilize the descriptive method of research in this study.
As cited by Penwarden (2014), descriptive research is a method used to gather
quantifiable information by describing, recording and analyzing the gathered data
to measure and interpret the significance of something about a group of
respondents. In this study, the researchers will find out if there is a significant
relationship between the profile of the respondents and the level of competency
of students in Microsoft Office.
Respondents of the Study
The respondents of the study will comprise of forty (40) Grades 7-10 and
12 students of the ICT-ED, San Antonio Campus who had Microsoft officerelated-subject.
This study will utilize purposive random sampling technique wherein the
elements of the sample were chosen on the basis of the researcher’s knowledge
of the information desired or needed. (Aquino, 2000)
Data Gathering Instrument
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To find out their level of competency on MS Office,
modified survey
questionnaire which is composed of a certain related skills and the respondents
will evaluate if they know how to perform such competency. The format of such
instrument had been extracted within some of basic, intermediate and advanced
level of proficiency in MS Word, MS PowerPoint, and MS Excel elaborated within
the related literature and studies. The researchers will prepare questions about
respondents’ competency in using MS Word, MS PowerPoint and MS Excel,
respectively.
Data Gathering Procedure
The researchers will prepare a letter of request to the President of ICT-ED
San Antonio Campus where the study will be conducted Likewise to the
computer teacher where the researchers will get the respondents’ mean
percentage score (MPS) in computer subject during the first and second
quarters. Next, the researchers will distribute the questionnaire to the
respondents. The researchers will explain to the respondents the importance of
their response to the study. The researchers will clarify some terms to the
respondents and will request them to answer with all honesty.
The acquired data will be retrieved, tallied and summarized. Likewise, the
data gathered will be treated and analyzed using appropriate statistical tools.
Statistical Treatment of Data
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1. To determine the demographic profile of the respondents the Frequency and
Percentage will be used.
(P) p = f/n x 100
Where:
P= percentage
f= the number of respondents related factors
n= the total number of respondents.
2. To determine the academic performance in computer subject and the level of
competency in MS Office of the respondents, the Weighted Mean will be utilized.
Where:
w = the weights
x = the value
3. To find out if there is a significant relationship between academic performance
in computer subject and to the level of competency in MS Office of the
respondents, the Pearson r Correlation Coefficient will be utilized.
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4. Likert Scale
Ethical Consideration
The researchers have considered some ethical issues while conducting
the research, keeping all the personal details of the pupils and school confidential
to protect their privacy and make them feel secure as the names will be
anonymous. All the data will be recorded and tabulated professionally as well.
The data, results, methods, and procedures will be collected and conducted
without any manipulation. This is to provide genuine results for the research. The
researchers will present a confidentiality letter to the teachers to get the Exam
Mean Percentage Scores of the students, for research purposes only. Besides
that, the researchers will get permission from the school president and authority
to survey the Junior and Senior high school pupils. The researchers will explain
the research using simple terms to the pupils. This is to respect the pupils' rights
as participants. This will make them aware of the research objectives and aims.
Furthermore, the researchers will not threaten or force the pupils to participate in
this research. They also have the freedom to withdraw if they want to. They can
participate and contribute to the research of their own will.
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