CHAPTER I

PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING

Background of the study

In school, students have different beliefs, manners, tradition, religion as well

as tribe that make every learner unique from each other. This aspect is called

cultural diversity. According to Dr. Belfield, L. (2012), cultural diversity is a system of

beliefs and behaviors that recognizes and respects the presence of all diverse

groups in an organization or society, acknowledges and values the socio-cultural

differences, and encourages and enables their continued contribution within an

inclusive cultural context which empowers all within the organization or society. This

study aimed to determine how beneficial cultural diversity and how it affects the

Grade 11 and 12 students academically.

Students are diverse in terms of their identities; in this aspect they are

become more aware of something towards from each other. In University of Geneva,

Switzerland, a study titled “Cultural Diversity in the Classroom and its Effects on

Academic Performance” found that performance benefits as the percentage of

immigrant students increased across nations. Moreover, these effects remained

significant for both native and immigrant students, once several other predictors of

test performance at the national, school, and individual levels were controlled for.

Cultural diversity is such a vital aspect of the learning environment because it

helps the student learn more. Particular schools given each student the same rights

to acquire quality and affordable education that results to the combination of the

different learners across the nation. In Far Eastern University, there are students

enrolled coming from foreign countries, students who have different identity, culture,
tradition, and beliefs. The students are mixed from various races, acquire new

knowledge from each other, can have a good connection that leads to friendship and

a better start for the future and strong relationship between two or more nations. In

terms of acquiring new knowledge, a student can enhance his skills and widens

his/her perspectives just like a Pilipino student can be more fluent in speaking

English language or a foreign student will know how to speak Filipino language. This

shows that cultural diversity helps the student to perform well in class knowing that

they gain new information from their classmates’ everyday as they interact.

The main interest of the study is to: (1) Identify the demographic file of the

students in terms of their religion and tribe; (2) Determine the academic performance

of the students; and (3) Investigating the significant relationship between the cultural

diversity of the Grade 11 and 12 students and their Academic performance. The

study will be conducted during the period of S.Y. 2019-2020 in Villamor College of

Business and Arts.

Statement of the Problem

This study will focus on “Cultural Diversity of Grade 11-12 and Its Effects to their

Academic Performance”

The specific questions that the researchers aim to answer are the following:

1. What is the demographic profile of the students in terms of:

1.1 Religion

1.2 Tribe

2. What is the academic performance of the students?

3. Is there a significant relationship between the Cultural Diversity of the Grade 11

and 12 students and their Academic performance?

 Conceptual Framework

Its Effects to the Academic

Cultural Diversity Performance of Grade 11 and
12

Independent Variable Dependent Variable

The figure above presented the conceptual framework of the study. The
independent variable is the cultural diversity, while the dependent variable is Its
Effects to the Academic Performance of Grade 11 and 12.
Significance of the Studies

The results of the study are beneficial to:

The Teachers. This study will help them to gain in-depth knowledge about

the beneficial effects of the Cultural diversity of the students inside the classroom

and how it affects them academically.

The Students. This study will be a tool to inform the students on how Cultural

diversity affects their academic performance, treat each other’s classmates equally

knowing that everyone is a unique individual and they can also perform well in class.

The future researcher. This study is beneficial to the future researchers

because they can use this as their references, specifically when they are also

studying the same field.

The researchers: This study will help the researchers to investigate and

deeply understand the beneficial effects of the Cultural Diversity of the students in

the classroom and how it affects the students’ academic performance. The

researchers can also apply the new information that they can gain in this study in

their daily lives.

Scope and Delimitation

The study will determine the Cultural Diversity of Grade 11 and 12 and Its

Effects to their Academic Performance S.Y. 2019-2020. This study will limit only in

the Cultural Diversity of Grade 11 and 12 and Its Effects to their Academic

Performance in Villamor College of Business and Arts, and further information aside

from the said limitation will not be included.

Definition of Terms

The following terms are defined conceptually in this study.

Academic Performance – this refers to on how Grade 11 and 12 students performs

inside the classrooms that includes their grade and classroom achievements

Cultural Diversity- This refers to the different identity of the students in terms of

their religion and tribe.

Religion – This refers to the fundamental sets of beliefs and practices of the

students (i.e. Islam, Christianity, etc.).

Tribe – This refers to the group who shared the same interest in where the students

belong (e.g. Cebuano, Tagakaulo, B’laan, Ilonggo, etc.).