Situational analysis:

Senior high school is a crucial phase in the academic journey of a student, particularly in the field of
STEM strand.

-The research problem is the need to understand student struggles with problems and challenges.

-The study will add to knowledge about coping strategies and obstacles in senior high school STEM
students.

-Understanding student struggles can help develop programs and interventions.

-The goal is to create a supportive environment for student success.

-The study will explore the causes of the issues and difficulties that the students are facing and examine
how these difficulties affect their day-to-day activities.

Research design:

-Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with ten Grade 12 STEM senior high school
students.

-The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic analysis (identifying and
analyzing patterns, themes, and categories in the data.)(method for interpreting qualitative data and can
provide rich and detailed insights into participants' experiences and perspectives.)

Abstract:

-Students encounter academic challenges like:

-workload

- time management

- difficulty understanding complex concepts

- Academic pressure

- lack of motivation

- self-doubt

- Coping strategies for these challenges include:

- seeking help from teachers and peers,

- time management techniques,

- developing a positive attitude

- Positive self-talk

- Goal-setting

- Relaxation techniques

Significance of the study:

-The study focuses on identifying coping strategies and academic obstacles of senior high school
students.

-It is important to understand the challenges faced by students when dealing with problems and
difficulties.

-The research can provide insights to educators and administrators for developing interventions and
support systems for students.

-The study can help develop effective coping mechanisms useful not only in school but also in personal
and professional lives.

-Identifying the root causes of academic difficulties can lead to targeted and sustainable solutions.

-The study can provide valuable insights into the experiences of senior high school students and help in
developing evidence-based approaches to support their academic success and well-being

Why did you chose the research problem:

We choose this because there is a lot of problems we encounter but in talking about academic, we often
misunderstand and we barely given much attention and taken seriously. Some must say that students
that are struggling are just overacting and full of demand, some would say that in their time when they
are at school, they just take it easy. But they didn't know that the educational system changed.
Therefore, we come up to this study to provide insights into the challenges that students encounter and
how they cope with them. In addition, this can be a support systems for students, as well as to develop
effective coping mechanisms that can be useful in various aspects of their lives.

Research gap/ how do we know that the problem exist:

-Limited research on coping strategies and obstacles faced by senior high school students in the STEM
track specifically.

-Limited understanding of how students' day-to-day activities are affected by academic difficulties.
-Limited research on the effectiveness of current interventions and support systems for students dealing
with academic challenges.

Based on our observation and our own experience, we saw that there are struggles of the students. And
we can support it thru thories we have:

Struggles theories:

1. Workload

-Cognitive load theory (John Sweller)

-suggests that our working memory is only able to hold a small amount of information at any one time
and that instructional methods should avoid overloading it in order to maximise learning (Sweller, 1988).

2. Attribution theory by Fritz Heider (1958)

- Is concerned with how people translate events around them and how their translations affect their
thinking and behavior. Eg. a student who is struggling with a math problem may attribute their difficulty
to their lack of ability (internal) or the complexity of the problem (external).

3. Self-determination theory

-Suggests that students who feel a sense of autonomy, competence, and relatedness in their academic
pursuits are more likely to succeed.

a. Autonomy: Students who feel that they have no say in their academic pursuits or are forced to follow
rigid guidelines may feel disengaged or even resentful of their studies.

b. Competence: Students who feel that they lack the skills or knowledge to succeed academically may
feel discouraged and give up on their studies.

c. Relatedness: Students who feel disconnected or unsupported in their academic pursuits may struggle
with motivation and engagement.

Coping Mechanism theories:

1. Self-efficacy refers to an individual's belief in his or her capacity to execute behaviors necessary to
produce specific performance attainments (Bandura, 1977, 1986, 1997). When students have high self-
efficacy, they are more likely to use effective coping strategies to overcome academic challenges.
2. Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) (Albert Bandura) describes the influence of individual experiences, the
actions of others, and environmental factors on individual health behaviors.

3. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs theory suggests that students must first meet their basic needs like
safety and physiological needs before they can focus on academic needs. Coping strategies that help
students meet their basic needs can help them overcome academic challenges. It includes:

-physiological needs,

-safety,

-love and belonging,

-esteem,

-self-actualization

RRL

(Deasy et al., 2014; American College Health Association, 2018; Gustems-Carnicer et al., 2019).

In their daily lives, university students have to face a wide variety of demands, both academic and non-
academic, that could affect their well-being. Academic demands include adaptation to a new context,
overwork, insufficient time to do their academic tasks, preparation for and doing of exams, and the
pressure to perform

(Algorani & Gupta, 2021)

"Coping mechanisms are cognitive and behavioral approaches that we use to manage internal and
external stressors . ”

DEDICATION

Parent

-By understanding the obstacles that their children may face academically, parents can better support
their child in their academic persuits.

-can work with their child to develop coping strategies to overcome these obstacles and provide
emotional support.

-provide valuable insights for parents who want to support their child's academic success and help them
to develop important life skills like resilience and coping strategies.
STUDENT

-help students cope with stressful events that can occur in their academic lives, particularly in school.

-can develop resilience and learn how to manage their stress levels in healthy ways

- Learning how to manage stress effectively can help them maintain their academic performance and
avoid burnout

-may develop a better understanding of the impact that stress can have on their academic performance,
as well as the strategies that can be employed to manage stress effectively.

-can be invaluable as they progress through their academic careers and face new challenges.

TEACHERS

This study is significant to the teachers, it can be useful for teachers in multiple ways. It provides insights
into the challenges and coping mechanisms of Grade 12 STEM learners, which can help teachers
understand their students better and adapt their teaching methods accordingly. The study also suggests
effective coping strategies such as peer support, time management, and goal-setting, which teachers can
incorporate into their classroom activities or provide guidance on how to use them effectively.
Additionally, the study can serve as a basis for further research and discussions among teachers,
educators, and policymakers on promoting academic success and well-being among Grade 12 STEM
learners. Teachers can use the findings of the study to advocate for interventions and policies that
address the challenges faced by their students and promote their academic and personal growth.

SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR

This study is significant to the school administrators, because It can help them identify the specific
challenges faced by Grade 12 STEM learners academically and develop targeted interventions and
programs to better support these students. The study can also serve as a basis for creating a school-wide
approach to promoting resilience and well-being among all students by identifying effective coping
strategies and obstacles faced by students. Furthermore, the study can help administrators advocate for
policies and resources that can support the academic and personal growth of their students and work
towards creating a more supportive and effective learning environment for all students.

COMMUNITY

This study is significant to the community because the findings of our research can provide valuable
insights into the coping strategies and obstacles faced by Grade 12 STEM senior high school learners.
This information can be used by educators, policymakers, and parents to develop effective interventions
and support systems to help these learners overcome their challenges and achieve academic success.
Our research can help to raise awareness about the barriers faced by STEM learners and the importance
of building resilience to overcome these barriers. This can help to reduce stigma and promote a more
inclusive learning environment for all students. And also our research can contribute to the broader
body of knowledge on academic resilience, which can have implications for future research and the
development of effective educational policies and practices.