Utilizing TASKS (Tutorial Assistance as Skills

Enhancement Strategy) As Intervention to Improve the

Practical Skills of SMAW Students

Proponent
Florentian M. Espiritu
Maricar A. Carandang
Taysan Senior High School
 ABSTRACT

Utilizing TASKS (Tutorial Assistance as Skills Enhancement

Strategy) As Intervention to Improve the Practical Skills of
SMAW Students

K-12 is a program that covers kindergarten and 12 years of basic education to

provide enough time for mastery of concepts and skills, develop lifelong learners and
prepare graduates for tertiary education, middle-level skills development, employment and
entrepreneurship in connection with this, Municipality of Taysan built a new stand - alone
school to cater the incoming first batch of senior high school. This school, Taysan Senior
High School offers a course SMAW NCI and NCII. It was observed that the performance tasks
results of the students were low since students came from different schools and mostly of
them do not have knowledge or experience in welding. So the subject teacher used peer
tutoring as a strategy in facilitating the learners. The respondents of the study were the
Grade 11 students who specialized in SMAW. The teacher conducted interview to students
who got low performance tasks results after experimenting the peer tutoring/mentoring as
a strategy in facilitating the learners. The subject teacher recorded the performance tasks
results before and after the implementation of peer tutoring.

This study used qualitative method through one on one interview with the
respondents and also class observation for the first quarter. Data analysis showed that peer
tutoring had a great impact in the performance tasks results of the respondents. It also
helps them to be at ease in performing different performance tasks in SMAW NC I.
Title: Utilizing TASKS ( Tutorial Assistance as Skills Enhancement Strategy ) As Intervention to
Improve the Practical Skills of SMAW Students

I.Context and Rationale:

Taysan Senior High School is the only stand-alone school in Taysan district. It offers
STEM, ABM, Home Economics and Industrial Arts strand. Under the Industrial Arts strand is
the Shielded Metal Arc Welding NCI and NC II.

Shielded Metal Arc Welding is one of the different processes of welding. It is

informally called as stick welding. It is a manual arc welding process that uses a consumable
electrode covered with a flux to lay the weld. This process is used in small scale welding
shops that repairs tricycles, jeepneys and used in making pig caging. These are the common
business of the residents from Taysan and Rosario.

During the first year of the researcher in teaching SMAW course, she had a hard time
because some of the students do not have knowledge about welding. Some students had
just enrolled because they were influenced by friends, they don’t know what they really
want or they know someone who has welding shop. During that time the school also has
limited tools and equipment. There’s no Industrial arts area where the students can perform
welding in different positions.

The researcher experienced a hard time in teaching especially to students who do

not have experience in welding. The researcher tries different strategies in facilitating the
students in their welding class. The researcher tried the peer mentoring as a strategy to help
the learners to achieve the competencies needed. She let the students who are advance
with their skills in welding to teach their techniques to students who are having a hard time
in performing their performance task.

II. Review of Related Literature

It is said that the most cost efficient and sustainable method of fostering the
talent within an organization is thru mentoring. Knowledge and experiences can be handed
down with the use of mentoring. There are lots of benefits in a mentoring programme
where the learners and mentors both achieve their goals. There are also different models of
mentoring according to Clutterback (2014)

Peer mentoring is regarded as effective intervention that helps the students to be

successful. There are many schools and universities that implemented some mentoring
program as a support for the students. There are some researches that support using peer
mentoring for the improvement of the students learning process according to Terrion and
Leonard (2007).

Relationships among students, mentors and instructors affect the successfulness of

peer mentoring. They have different perspective of what are the roles of the mentor and
how would they act. There are also several roles that were enacted by mentors such as
peer leader, learning coach, student advocate and trusted friend according to Janet W.
Colvin and Marinda Ashman (2010).

III. Research Questions

This study aims to determine the effectiveness of TASKS as a strategy in facilitating

Grade 11 Industrial Arts students who specialized in welding in Taysan Senior High School
furthermore it sought to answer the following research questions:

1. What is the level of competency of the respondents?

2. How peer mentoring helps the students in acquiring the required skills for
SMAW?
3. What peer mentoring plan can be used to improve the learners welding
skills?

IV. Scope and Delimitation

This study is focused on the competency level of the SMAW students based on the
performance task results, and on peer mentoring as a strategy which will help increase the
students’ competency level. This was participated by the Grade 11 students who specialized
in Shielded Metal Arc Welding of Taysan Senior High School this school year 2019-2020.
V. Research Design

a. Participants of the Study

The respondents of the study were twenty nine (29) Grade 11 Industrial Arts
students who specialized in Shielded Metal Arc Welding in Taysan Senior High School . The
respondents were 25 male and 4 female students. Since some students were able to finish
their performance tasks, the researcher concentrates on the students who had difficulty in
performing lay out beads on flat position.

b. Research and Methodology

The researcher used qualitative method and conducted interview as data gathering
method.

The researcher made sure that the students’ performance tasks results last first
quarter were recorded and evaluated carefully. The researcher also sought students’ stand
on peer mentoring as a strategy for skills improvement through interview.

c. Data Analysis Plan

There searcher prepared an interview guide question for gathering information in

the study being conducted then conducted an interview and their responses were recorded
based on the conversations which were transcoded into writing. The data was translated in
English before it was analysed and interpreted. Lastly the researcher made an in depth
analysis of the transcript to obtain relevant findings and conclusions.

VI. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The result shows that students who came from schools that do not offer SMAW as
an exploratory course had difficulty in performing actual in Shielded Metal Arc Welding. In
identifying the level of competency, there are some students who were able to set up
cutting equipment and setting up of welding machine. However, most of them had difficulty
in striking an arc especially to the first timers. They were afraid and some were shocked
because of the sparks. This happened also when they deposited straight bead on flat
position. Most of them were unable to maintain the arc and deposit straight bead. Peer
mentoring was used to address this struggle. Peer mentoring usually takes place between a
person who has live through a specific experience. This strategy was used to address the
needs of the students who had difficulty in performing actual in welding. The results show
positive response from the students. Positive comments are: Their confidence in performing
welding increased, they learned from the experiences of others, they become empowered
and they build strong bonds with their classmates and friends. TASKS intervention helped
the students to perform better in welding. They improved not only in their performance in
welding but also with their social skills.
 Table 4. Peer Mentoring Plan

PROJECT STRATEGIES OBJECTIVES PERSON EXPECTED

INVOLVE OUTPUT
TASKS Balance the support with To provide Mentor and Balanced challenge

( Tutorial question and challenge. opportunities and set mentee and support between
positive expectations. the mentor and
Assistance as
mentee.
Skills Encourage the mentee to To encourage the Mentor and Positive attitude of
Enhancement take ownership of the mentee to take charge mentee the mentee
Strategy) peer mentoring process. in leading their
mentoring schedule.
Demonstrate effective To communicate well Mentor and Good communication
communication skills with each other. mentee between the mentor
and mentee
Assign mentors to guide To lead the mentees Teacher, Well - equipped
mentee on how to set up in setting up gas mentors, SMAW students
cutting equipment. cutting equipment. mentees
Appoint a model to cut To show the mentees Teacher, Skilled Learners
and prepare edge of the how to in cut and mentors,
materials. prepare the edges of mentees
the materials.
Select a student who To aid the mentees in Teacher, Well - equipped
knows how to set up setting up welding mentors, SMAW students
welding machine machine correctly. mentees
properly.
Create a duo in striking To guide the mentees Teacher, Skilled Learners
an arc. They will help to maintain the arc for mentors,
each other on the given time. mentees
maintaining an arc.
Designate mentors that To guide the mentees Teacher, Skilled Learners
will guide students in in depositing bead in mentors,
depositing bead. flat, horizontal and mentees
vertical position.
Form a duo in performing To give advice and Teacher, Skilled Learners
tack welding. They will help each other to mentors,
help each other in pass in performing mentees
 performing the task. tack welding.
Select students who To give guidance in Teacher, Skilled Learners
passed in welding butt welding butt joint in mentors,
joint in flat and horizontal flat and horizontal mentees
to guide students who position.
had hard time
performing.

The respondents have a positive feedback with peer mentoring. They were given
tutors during their welding time. The teacher assigned their friends who are advance with
welding skills to guide them during laying beads on flat position, since some of the students
are already in vertical position. According to them they felt at ease when their friends
guided them physically and emotionally. It also helps them to cope up with the fast pace of
their classmates in performing laying beads in different position.

VIII. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATION

This chapter presents conclusions and necessary recommendations offered by the

researcher for future considerations.

Conclusions

In the light of the findings obtained, the following conclusions were drawn.

1. The level of competency of the students in striking an arc and depositing straight
beads were low.
2. Peer tutoring/mentoring helps some students to be at ease in using welding
machines.
3. Peer tutoring also helps students to perform better in welding.
4. Peer mentoring helped the student to not only improved with their welding skills but
it also helped them develop their social skills.
5. The peer mentoring plan that can be used to improve the learners welding skills is:
The teacher should identify first the level of competency of the students then she
needs to assign a mentor from the class that can help the students to be ease and
perform better in welding.
Recommendations

Based on the conclusions, the researcher offers the following recommendations in

peer tutoring or mentoring as a strategy to improve the students welding performance in
SMAW.

1. Junior High Schools in Taysan should teach Shielded Metal Arc Welding in
Exploratory year.
2. During enrolment period, enrolees should be aware with the competencies needed
in SMAW NCI.
3. Peer mentoring plan can be used in different TVL specialization especially in SMAW
so that the students will be comfortable in performing different performance task.
4. Peer mentoring can be a strategy to produce a skilled learner.
Referrences:

https://journals.sagepub.com

https://researchgate.net

https://link.springer.com