Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
Region II – Cagayan Valley
Schools Division of Quirino
Diffun National High School
Aurora East, Diffun, Quirino
Initial Research Topic: FACTORS THAT AFFECT STEM STUDENTS’ ANXIETY AMONG
THEIR SPECIALIZED SUBJECTS

I. Basic Information
A. Complete Name: Marcelino, Lavli Alyssa S.
B. LRN: 104280100116
C. School and School Address: Diffun National High School Aurora East, Diffun,
Quirino
D. Track and Strand: Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics
E. Complete Home Address: Aurora West, Diffun, Quirino

II. Background
Anxiety can arise anytime, in any field, and in any course. This affects the overall
performance and actions of the student involved. Anxiety and the perception of difficulty in
learning science create tension for students. The sources of the anxiety that the student had in
learning science included her bad experience in science classes, a lack of models, the influence
of the scientists, her gender, unwise predictions, and invalid judgment. Subsequently, students
may experience academic difficulties, which lead to low class attendance, neglecting to submit
tasks, and a lack of discipline. This tries to make students fear enrolling in any science-related
matters and gives them the ability to avoid any science fields or courses. These factors emerge
from school, the students' environment, and family. Anxiety can have serious implications for a
student's mental health. By addressing anxiety in the classroom, schools and educators can
promote mental well-being among students and create a more positive learning environment.

RRL
Kalinin et al. (2021) claimed that anxiety is a pervasive issue that affects everyone and
has a negative impact on both mental health and quality of life. Global research has shown a high
prevalence of stress, anxiety, and depression among medical students. Medical students have
been found to experience a variety of psychological morbidities, including stress, anxiety, social
problems, depression, burnout, and suicidal ideation. This is likely due to the heavy educational
workload, which makes medical students more susceptible to psychiatric complaints like
depression, anxiety, and stress than their non-medical peers. Mental distress adversely affects the
learning and cognitive abilities of students which might have an influence on their academic
performance and reduce students’ life satisfaction.

According to Özbugutu (2021) science anxiety is the fear of the science lesson that many
students experience today. This fear causes individuals not to learn the subject and to think
negatively about the lesson. Anxiety about science lessons is also defined as an uneasiness factor
that damages self-esteem. People’s adaptation to the rapidly advancing developments, following
 Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
Region II – Cagayan Valley
Schools Division of Quirino
Diffun National High School
Aurora East, Diffun, Quirino
and assimilating the developments in science and technology, and using them in normal life
through science are essential requirements in all societies. Science lessons that aim to learn by
doing and experiencing also enable students to develop in terms of cognitive features. It is also
thought that student success increases if the anxieties of the students are determined during the
teaching of science lessons and an education free of anxiety is given.

RRS
Landicho (2020) states that the Philippines' K–12 basic education curriculum places a
strong emphasis on helping pupils become literate in science. The pursuit of a thorough
understanding of the nature of science is connected with the objective of scientific literacy.
Through scientific research, the junior high school pupils' science curriculum currently strives to
increase their scientific literacy. Low student perception of scientific inquiry activities was found
in a study that was undertaken to investigate students' perceptions of their science classes.
Activities that foster scientific inquiry and critical thinking, such as laboratory exercises and
doing scientific research projects, were included in the study's examination of scientific inquiry
activities. As children advance through secondary school, other studies show that there is a
growing tendency for them to display unfavorable attitudes toward science and technology.

According to Walag et al. (2020) self-efficacy levels were reported in in terms of one's
own effectiveness and expected results from science lessons. Both their own effectiveness as a
teacher of science and the expected results of their science instruction were satisfactory for the
science teachers. They thought that their lack practical teaching experience was to blame for this.
Moreover, teaching efficacy can also be dependent on the level of understanding of societal
perceptions of their role in the classroom, perceptions of support they get for teaching, the
opportunities to attend professional development training, and their motivation to continue
teaching that could affect students learning capabilities towards science.

III. Objectives and Methods

OBJECTIVES

This study will get the respondents perception about the effects of anxiety to their academic
performance. This can have a negative effect on their desire to learn and enjoy their time in
school. The objectives of the study are:
1. To analyze if anxiety affect the students’ performance in learning science.
2. To evaluate the impacts of anxiety to students’ learning capabilities and academic
performance.
3. To investigate the relationship between students’ anxiety and their perceptions of
difficulty in learning science.

METHODS
 Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
Region II – Cagayan Valley
Schools Division of Quirino
Diffun National High School
Aurora East, Diffun, Quirino
A. Preparation of Materials
The researchers identified the needed materials in order to collect the necessary
information. The materials are; questionnaires using Likert scale to measure opinions,
perceptions, and behaviors of the respondents, profile of the respondents.
B. Data Gathering
In this procedure, the researchers will distribute the questionnaires to the
respondents. The researchers will make use of survey as a tool in gathering information
regarding the students’ anxiety. Questionnaires will be distributed among the Grade 11
and 12 STEM students to achieve the desired outcome of the study.
C. Analysis of Data
The researchers will then proceed to the data analyzation process. The data will be
analyzed systematically with the use of various statistical tools discussed in this paper
and will finally proceed on data interpretation.
D. Data Interpretation
The researchers will interpret the gathered data according to the information and
analysis on the conducted research. The interpreted data will then be used to summarize
collected information to answer questions regarding the research.

IV. Working Framework

The researchers will employ scientific procedure in conducting the research. The
researchers will submit proposal to the panelists before conducting the study. After the
approval of the panels, the researcher will incorporate the suggestions and recommendations.
The researchers shall seek approval from the office of the principal to float questionnaires to
the students, survey will be done through printed questionnaires or survey form. After
collecting the needed data, the researchers will analyze the data collected, questionnaires will
be given to the Grade 11 and 12 STEM students of Diffun National High School.

Figure 2. Procedural Flowchart of the Study

Preparation of Materials

Data Gathering

Analysis of Data
 Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
Region II – Cagayan Valley
Schools Division of Quirino
Diffun National High School
Aurora East, Diffun, Quirino

V. Assumption

H0. There is no relationship between students’ anxiety and perceptions of difficulty in learning
science.
Ha. There is a significant correlation between students’ anxiety and perceptions of difficulty in
learning science.

Overall, conducting research on anxiety and its impact on learning science in Grade 12
STEM can provide valuable insights into how to support students and enhance the educational
experience. Furthermore, it is crucial to understand the root causes of anxiety, how it worsens
during scientific and professional activity, and how researchers might manage these symptoms or
problems. Of course, it aids academics and researchers in their efforts to solve or lessen the issue
and enhances national scientific capacities for dealing with the dispute. As a result, the goal of
this study is to measure students' levels of anxiety in order to pinpoint the primary causes of the
issue and provide solutions. To comprehend a phenomena, circumstance, or behavior that is
being studied and offer potential answers to a specific issue.
 Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
Region II – Cagayan Valley
Schools Division of Quirino
Diffun National High School
Aurora East, Diffun, Quirino

VII. References
Kalinin, V. V., Hocaoglu, C., & Mohamed, S. (Eds.). (2021). Anxiety Disorders: The
New Achievements. BoD–Books on Demand. https://books.google.com.ph/books?
hl=en&lr=&id=i74zEAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP12&dq

Özbugutu, E. (2021). An Investigation into Anxiety about the Science Lesson

through a Mixed Model. Journal of Education and Learning, 10(1), 104-117.
https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1283234

Landicho, C. J. B. (2020). Secondary school students' attitudes and practices

toward research writing and reporting in science. Issues in Educational Research, 30(1),
156-168. https://search.informit.org/doi/abs/10.3316/informit.085935282069270

Walag, A. M. P., Fajardo, M. T. M., Guimary, F. M., & Bacarrisas, P. G. (2020).

Science teachers’ self-efficacy in teaching different K to 12 science subjects: The case of
Cagayan De Oro City, Philippines. Science International, 32(5), 587-592.
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Angelo-Mark-Walag/publication/344892479