Factors Influencing

Strand Decision-
Making
Among Senior High
School
Students
Situational Analysis

Education is universally recognized as the answer to socio -

economic problems of the world. Nations and individuals look up to

education to provide a cure for poverty, ignorance, drought, excessive

rainfall, mental deficiency, joblessness, bad government, poor

communication system, hunger and inadequate shelter among other

things. Every nation of the world aspires toward quality of life and

social status.

The Department of Education is addressing the mentioned

challenges by implementing a new K-12 curriculum, a major reform

nationwide. This initiative involves enhancing basic education to

ensure students acquire essential skills and extending the education

cycle from kindergarten through year 12. It aims to equip graduates

with the skills and legal age for employment, should they choose to

enter the workforce, while also better preparing those pursuing

tertiary education. The addition of two years of Senior High School is a

significant change introduced by the K-12 curriculum. The current

four-year secondary curriculum will be referred to as Junior High

School, spanning Grades 7 to 10, while Senior High School will

encompass Grades 11 to 12. Ultimately, this reform aligns with global

aspirations for a high standard of living and social status.

Career choice of students is significant on the profile of students’ in

selecting a strand (sex, family income, occupation of the head of the

family, school preference and average scholastic rating) in selecting a

strand (Abarro, 2016). There are three factors that can affect students’

strand selection and these are the environment factors, personality

factors, and family factors (Kaneez & Medha, 2018). There are also

other factors that can affect students’ career decision such as school,

personal and family factors (Su et al., 2016). However, policies

alleviating income, which increases permanent income well, become a

result to alter schooling decision of students’ (Chevalier et al., 2013).

Choosing a senior high school strand is a critical decision for

students as it significantly impacts their future. Students, often with

guidance from their parents, peers, and a consideration of their

financial situation and career aspirations, make a thoughtful choice.

This decision ensures they select the most suitable strand for their

future course for college.

Parents play a pivotal role in this decision-making process for two

primary reasons: they provide financial support for tuition and other

expenses, and they can influence their child's choice of strand.

Similarly, peers also have an influential role in the decision-making

process, although they lack the financial capacity to support their

friends. Additionally, students take into account their financial status,

considering their financial capability. Financial status is categorized

into three classes: low, middle, and elite, with further subdivisions of

low-lower class, low-upper class, middle-lower class, and middle-

upper class. Students often choose a strand based on their dreams,

interests, or one that offers a secure future.

According to Alutu (2004), career choice should be initiated as early

as the nursery school years through the primary, secondary and to

the tertiary school levels. Individual social status, income, lifestyle,

choice of friends, mental and physical health is influenced by the type

of work he or she does. In other words, a person’s career choice plays

an important role in his or her entire life. Career choice decision

making is not an easy task, yet at one time or the other, individuals

are faced with the task of making choice in career, preparing for it,

starting it and making progress in it. This choice point is undoubtedly

the most critical stage. This is because making a wrong career

decision can mar one’s happiness in life as this could result to career

maladjustment. Inappropriate career decision made may spell doom

not only for the individual but also the entire society. In view of the

foregoing, the need to equip our students with appropriate career

decision skills becomes highly imperative.

 There are different factors that affect students undecidability in

making career choices. One of which is family-related factors.

According to Pascual (2014), study revealed that Filipino immigrants

and non-immigrants rely heavily on their family’s decision-making.

Furthermore, she stated that “Sad to say but very few studies are

made to investigate success of career path used in the students of the

Philippines, even the factors that affect the career choice of Filipino

students. This provides us with limited information on how to help

our students identify the proper career options and strand or track

choice they have to pursue on the future.

This research study aims to investigate the intricate process by

which Senior High School students make critical choices regarding

their preferred strand and track. It will delve into the factors that

influence these decisions, providing a comprehensive understanding

of the decision-making process among these students.

Statement of the Problem

1. What are the primary factors that senior high school students

consider when choosing their academic strand?

2. What is the level of satisfaction of student-respondents?

3. Is there a significant relationship between the level of influence of

factors affecting the strand decision-making and level of satisfaction of

student-respondents?

Theoretical Framework

The Choice Theory

According to William Glasser as cited in Charles (2014) states that

fundamental premises of the school which explains that all people are

allowed to develop their own creativeness. That all people are curious

about nature, that the most efficient and knowledgeable in learning is

started and pursued by the learner. It also claimed in this theory that

freedom is essential to the development of their personal

responsibility. According to this theory, development of their

knowledge, creativeness and talents will gives progress in their reason

to choose and it will give hint to what they want career in the future.

The choice theory is important in this study since this study is

explaining how people develop their talents, creativity and in learning

which gives their hint to the career tracks they want to pursue. It will

help them to know their tracks and they should take it seriously when

choosing their specialized tracks. In their learning's through their

developing talents and skills, they will have an idea on which way to

go.

Curriculum Theory

John Dewey’s Curriculum Theory states that curriculum should not

be presented as finished abstractions, but should include child’s

assumptions and include the child views in his or her own world.

Dewey uses four instincts that describe the characterize children’s

behavior. These are social, constructive, expressive and artistic.

Curriculum should build a world that the children will be interested.

Dewey wants to accomplish his goal was to combine subject areas and

materials. By doing this, Dewey made connections between subjects

and world’s child. Dewey was credited for the development of the

progressive schools which are still existence today.(2012)

This theory states that curriculum should be connected to the

children’s world. The child has the right to connect with his/her world

to his/her choice of track.

Career Development Theory.

According to David Tiedman said that this theory is career

development of decision making and self-development approach to

career is responsible for one’s own behavior because each one has the

capacity for choosing a career. He referred to the evolving stage of self-

in-situation from the earliest awareness of self to point at which

individual becomes capable of evaluating experiences, anticipating,

and imagining future goals.

This theory states that when choosing career is when one’s

individual change their courses because of external factors and

changing aspirations can affect choosing a track. According to that

theory, a new decision must be made that you need to be sure on

choosing a track. Beginning with exploration and eventually reaching

integration.

Career Choice Theory

Holland’s Theory of Career Choice by John Holland can help the

children to choose the majors that interest them. They need to

combine self-assessment with exploring possible majors. They need to

expand and explore one’s options and be able to talk with

knowledgeable people about one’s field of interest. This are the good

decision making that help one to decide what one really desires.

For obvious reasons, this theory has something to do with choosing

one’s career and the researcher’s study has something to do with the

preferred tracks of Grade 10 that they need to know that their

interested in. Choose what they really want and motivates them. They

need to assess themselves to know what their major is and explore

their options and think about their field of interests.

Conceptual Framework

The input contained the data gathered which are subjected to

analysis. The input variables for this research are the socio-

demographic and decision making style of senior high school

students. The process employed in this research is highly dependent

on the survey questionnaire administered to the respondents.

It entails identification of the key data to arrive on the identifying

the factors influencing senior high school students of Castor Z.

Concepcion Memorial National High School in their decision making

on their path to success. Finally, the output contains the product of

the whole research process which is the Understanding the factors

influencing senior high school students decision making in their path

to success. This includes the findings yielded from the date gathering

procedures, recommendations from the respondents and more

importantly, the researchers own analysis and recommendations as to

how capable are the senior high school students in their decision

making styles. The research study was depending around the

research paradigm shown below.

 Research Paradigm

1. What is the socio- 1. Analysis andFactors Influencing

demographic profile of interpretation of Strand

the: Decision-

the SHS students along 1.1. Status of the SHS

Making

the following: students by choosing

Among Senior High

A. Age their strand. School

B. Gender 1.2. Problem Students

C. Ethnicity encountered by SHS

D. Current Strand students in their

2. What is the factors decision-making process.

that influences the 2. Data gathering

decision-making of SHS through Floating survey

students in CZCMNHS? questionnaire to the

A. Personal Interest respondents.

B. Peer Influence 3. Formulation and

C. Parental Influence validation of the

D. Social Status proposed outputs.

3. What output can be

proposed?
 FEEDBACK

Definition of terms

The following terms are operationally defined for better

understanding of the readers.

Career- A student choice by interest or the path of his/her chosen

profession in the future.

Career aspirations- Are the future occupations or professions that

students aspire to have.

Decision- Making is the mental process that results in choosing a

perspective or a course of action from a variety of possible options. It

can be either illogical or logical, depending on the situation.

Factors -Are the different components or factors that can influence

the decision-making process of high school seniors when selecting

their academic strands. These factors can have an impact on the

choices students make regarding their academic paths

Interest- These are the qualities or thing's that attract one's attention

and make a personal want to learn more about something or be

engaged on it.

Motivation- Pertains to the needs, desires, wants, or urges of an

individual. It involves the process of inspiring individuals to take

action in order to accomplish their goals.

Personality- Refers to the desired careers that a child want to be

upon becoming adults.

Senior high school- Is the second part of secondary education under

the k-12 programs wherein the student would take up the subjects

under their chosen track or career pathway.

Socio-demographic profile- Refers to gender age socio-economic

status parents occupation and size of income.

Values- Are individual beliefs that guide behavior and serve as

standards for what is considered acceptable, often influenced by

cultural ideals and believed to be universally applicable.

Significance of the Study

Policy makers, They can benefit from this study by gaining a better

understanding of the factors that influence students’ career choices.

Public Employers. Public Employers can use this knowledge to

identify and recruit potential employees who have the necessary skills

and qualifications.
For educators. The educators will benefit from this research because

they can design more effective educational programs that cater to the

needs and goals of the learners.

Parents.The findings of this study may make parents aware of the

aspects that influence their children’s level of pleasure, allowing them

to support them with their requirements at home.

For the School Heads of CZCMNHS. they could propose a pass

pertinent students programs like seminars that would allow them to

figure out how to develop the students talents and intelligence.

For the JHS Students of Castor Z Concepcion Memorial National

High school. They must understand the importance of picking the

most appropriate strand in Senior High School.

Researchers. The information can be used to draw the appropriate

conclusions and provide solutions to issue that will pique their

interest.

For future researchers. the findings of this investigation will be used

as a guide by researchers who wish to carry out the aforementioned

study in the future.

 Chapter II

Research Methodology

This chapter contains the research design and the methodology

used in the conduct of this study. It incorporates the sampling

technique, sources of data, the research subjects, population of the

study, the instrument utilized to gather data, as well as the statistical

tools employed in processing the data. This chapter is showing how

the researcher came to the necessary data for this study, and how

these data were analyzed, interpreted and presented in the easiest

way possible. Other details will include the role of researchers in the

study and ethical considerations.

Research Design

The researchers make use of descriptive research design which is

appropriate to realize the purpose and objectives of this study.

Dudovskiy (2017) defined descriptive research as a statement of

affairs as they are at present with the researcher having no control

over variable. Moreover, descriptive research may be characterized as

simply the attempt to determine, describe or identify what is, while

analytical research attempts to establish why it is that way or how it

came to be. Descriptive research is aimed at casting light on current

issues or problems through a process of data collection that enables

them to describe the situation more completely than was possible

without employing this method.

Descriptive research design was used to describe level of influence

of the factors affecting strand and track choice in terms of student-

related factors, family-related factors, and socioeconomic factors and

the level of satisfaction of student-respondents.

Sources of Data

As discussed by Burns and Bush (2012), simple random sampling is

the best type probability sampling through which you can choose

sample from a population. By means of pure-chance selection, you

can assure that every member of the population has the same

opportunity to be in the sample. Here, the only basis of including or

excluding a member is by chance or opportunity, not by any

occurrence accounted for by cause-effect relationships.

The researchers used the random sampling to make sure that

samples were representatives of the target population. In order to get

the sample size from the population, the researchers gathered a list of

all members of the population; cut the names; put it into a five
separate boxes representing each strand; and pick ten names on every

boxes through a pure-chance selection.

Locale and Population

The research respondents of this study were the 20 SHS students

from Castor Z. Concepcion Memorial National High School school year

2023-2024.

The study was conducted at Castor Z. Concepcion Memorial National

High School, Balaoan, La Union.

Instrumentation and Data Collection

The researcher used a researcher-made survey as the data collection

instrument for this study. The survey questionnaire were distributed

to the selected Senior High School students. The questionnaire was

composed with two parts.

Part one focused on the level of influence of the factors, family

related factors, student-related factors, and socioeconomic factors.

Part two dealt with the problems being faced by students when they

are choosing strand to pursue on.

Scoring Mechanism

To describe the level of influence of factors affecting the strand and

track choice, a 5-point scale was used. The numerical value,

statistical limit, and verbal interpretation were shown below.

Numerical Value Statistical Limit Verbal Interpretation

5 4.50-5.00 Very Strong Influence

 (VSI)

4 3.50-4.49 Strong Influence (SI)

3 2.50-3.49 Moderate Influence(MI)

2 1.50-2.49 Weak Influence(WI)

1 1.00-1.49 Very Weak

Influence(VWI)

Numerical Value Range Verbal

Interpretation

5 81-100 Very Satisfied (VS)

4 61-80 Somewhat Satisfied

(SS)

3 41-60 Neither Satisfied or

Dissatisfied (NSND)

2 21-40 Somewhat

Dissatisfied(SD)

1 00-20 Very Dissatisfied (VD)

Statistical Treatment od Data

The data to be gathered in this study was subjected to the

following statistical treatment.

1. Frequency and Percentage. They were used to interpret the level

of satisfaction of the student-respondents.

Formula:

Where: f=frequency

N= Number of population

2. Weighted Mean. It was utilized to determine the mean perception

of the student-respondents on level of influence of the factors affecting

the strand and track choice in terms of student-related factors,

family-related factors, peer-pressure, and socioeconomic factors.

Formula:
n

∑ W i Xi W 1 X 1+W X 2 …+W n Xn
X w = i=1n = 2

W 1+W 2+ …+W n
∑ Wi
i=1

Where: Xw = weighted mean

Wi = corresponding weight
Xi = the value of any particular observation or measurement

3. Pearson’s Product - Moment Correlation Coefficient. It

determined which of the variables in the study predicted the level of
influence of factors affecting strand and track choice and level of
satisfaction among student-respondents.

Formula:
 N ∑XY - ∑X ∑Y
r= 2
√ ¿ ¿ Y) ]

Where: r = Pearson’s
N = total population
X = values under the first variable
Y = values under the second variable
∑X = summation of X or variable of X
∑Y = summation of Y or variable of Y
∑XY = summation of X and Y or variable
of X and Y
∑X2 = summation of square of X or
variable of squares of X
∑Y2 = summation of square of Y or
variable of squares of Y
N∑XY = the total population multiplied the
summation of X and Y or variable of X and
Y