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Table of Contents
CHAPTER 1

Introduction 1

Rationale 1

Purpose of the study 3

Research Questions 3

Theoretical Lens 4

Significance of the Study 5

Definition of Terms 6

CHAPTER 2

Review of Related Literature 8

Lived experiences of students to curriculum transition 8

Transition as a stressful event students experience 8

Coping mechanisms of Grade 11 students 11

Summer Bridge Academic Programs 11

Insights formed from academic transition of Grade 11 students 13

Addressing transition to higher education 13

CHAPTER 3

Methodology 16

Research Design 16

Data Collection 17

Research Participants 18

Role of the Researcher 18

Data Analysis 19

Trustworthiness 20

Ethical Considerations 22

References 24
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CHAPTER 1

Introduction

Rationale

Transitioning from junior high to senior high school comes with a lot of

difficulties and obstacles for teens as they have to deal with this significant

adjustment during a challenging stage of life. A student’s transition to higher

education can be difficult because it is the period when the student experiences a

major shift in their normal routine. Students transitioning from tenth grade to eleventh

grade are subject to constant challenges with transitioning in an academic

environment. Because of the many new challenges facing students transitioning to

the eleventh grade, students often struggle in school and are academically

vulnerable (Aromolaran, 2021).

In the study conducted in South Carolina, USA, it shows that not all students

cope well with the challenges, stressors, and anxiety that accompany the transitional

changes from middle school to high school (US educational system). It also says that

poor mental toughness negatively affects them in managing their newfound

academic workload (Harwood, 2021).

Additionally, in the Philippines, specifically in Manila, students have a lot of

going through their life, too many projects, too many subjects to study, too many

things to learn, to memorize, and they only have 24 hours in a day. The academic

workload increases as students go to higher education. No wonder it’s never easy to

manage time effectively (Southville International School and Colleges, 2017).

Lastly, in Kapalong, Davao del Norte, students are struggling to adjust in the

Senior High School Curriculum as it indicates new subjects, new grading system,

frequent reporting, and various performance tasks. As a result, they are having
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difficulties in managing time doing these activities simultaneously and it affects their

academic performance.

Given the abrupt change or struggles posed by the aforementioned

occurrences, a need exists to address student concerns and feedback on the

academic transition towards senior high school curriculum, learners worldwide have

experienced and continuously experiencing difficulties towards the coping

mechanism and adjustment to senior high school academic curriculum. This study

aims to uncover the experiences, and understand the struggles of students in

academic transition, to look for results that could help in attaining resilience and a

variety of coping mechanisms.

This study intends to answer the experiences that students face during

academic transition, their mental health and academic performance, and the coping

strategies used to survive the challenges experienced. Moreover, several studies

about experiences of students in transitioning to higher education have been

conducted worldwide, however, no studies have been carried out to discover the

coping mechanism and strategy of Senior High school students towards senior high

school curriculum, particularly private schools. Furthermore, this study conducted by

the researchers would be very useful to senior high school students who have been

struggling in academic transition.

The struggles of Grade 11 students towards the academic transitioning to

senior high school curriculum must be studied and initiated soon. Conducting this

study is essential to help determine the challenges together with the lived

experiences of Grade 11 students towards their academic curriculum. To explore the

difficulties and behaviors of grade 11 students in the academic transitioning along

with the coping mechanism regarding their lessons and studies. This study also

seeks for the improvement as well as the adjustment of grade 11 students towards

their academic performances. Disregarding this study may lead to consequences of a

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delay that may cause absence, lack of self-esteem, depression and may point to a

severe drop out.

Students struggle in transitioning to higher education as they will undergo

major adjustments and encounter unfamiliar learning surroundings, subjects and

curriculum. It is significant to address this problem properly as transitioning is an

important stage to all students. Neglecting this issue might trigger stress to students

resulting to low academic performance. On the other hand, this study gives solution

to the problem and recommend various coping strategies used by other students in

overcoming transition struggles.

Purpose of the study

The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative research study will be to

explore on the lived experiences of Grade 11 students regarding the transition from

Junior High School to Senior High School Curriculum in private Schools.

The transition from junior high to senior high school can pose a challenging

period marked by socio-emotional changes, friendship changes, and academic

changes. During this transition, a student’s adaptive motivation and achievement

goals can also be put to the test, with students reporting that they have more

expectations placed upon them, with commensurate added responsibilities

(YoonJung & Kim, 2019).

Research Questions

This study seeks to determine the struggles of Grade 11 students on

transition to Senior High School Curriculum.

Specifically, the study will answer the following research questions:

1. What are the lived experiences of Grade 11 students in the basic education

transition from junior high school to senior high school curriculum?

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2. What are the coping mechanisms used by Grade 11 students the basic

education transition from junior high school to senior high school curriculum?

3. What insights can be formed from the conduct of the study?

Theoretical Lens

This study is gleaned on the understanding of Transitional Theory of

Schlossberg (1981). She posted that her model is a mechanism for “analyzing

human adaptation to transition”. Schlossberg argued that adaptation was based on

three sets of variables: the individual's perception of the transition, the characteristics

of pre-transition and post-transition environments, and the characteristics of the

individual experiencing the transitions. Furthermore, the characteristics of the person

and the environment could include perceptions seen as an asset, a liability, a

combination of both, or a liability in how an individual negotiates a specific transition.

Schlossberg’s book Overwhelmed (2008) identified the transition process as having

three parts: approaching change, taking stock, and taking charge. Evans et al. (2010)

wrote, “Essentially, the individual moves from a preoccupation with the transition to

an integration of the transition. The time needed to achieve successful integration

varies with the person and the transition”. Goodman et al. (2006) expanded upon

Schlossberg’s work to reinforce the ideas that transitions consisted of a series of

phases beginning with “moving in,” followed by “moving through,” and finally “moving

out” of the transition using the model Schlossberg previously introduced (Evans et al,

1998).

In the context of our study issue, Schlossberg’s transitional theory offers a

thorough framework for analyzing the variables that affect student’s adaptation to

transition. Moreover, this theory supports students’ reaction while they enter,

experience, and move out from the transition.

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People adjust to change in an unexpected way, how individuals adapt to a

transition depends on how they perceive their balance of resources to deficits in

terms of the transition, their sense of competency, their sense of well-being, and their

sense of health. Although students experience the transition into higher education in

different ways, for almost all of them, the change from a familiar environment into an

unfamiliar one represents a period of disequilibrium. More specifically, the transition

to higher education involves changes and potential challenges that students may

experience.

Moreover, it is further supported by Jindal-Snape’s Multiple and Multi-

Dimensional Transitions (MMT) Theory which is based on research findings from

participants and significant others across ages and educational and life stages (e.g.,

Jindal-Snape and Foggie, 2008; Jindal-Snape, 2016; Gordon et al., 2017; Jindal-

Snape et al., 2019). Jindal-Snape's MMT Theory is a way of understanding how

people go through big changes in different parts of their lives. The theory says that

these changes are not just one thing happening in one area, but lots of different

things happening in lots of different areas that all affect each other and change the

way people feel and experience the transition. This theory posits that transitions are

not isolated events that occur in a single dimension, but rather involve a multiplicity of

interrelated dimensions that interact with one another to shape individuals'

experiences. Factors such as personality, cultural background, and prior experiences

can shape individuals' experiences of transitions and influence the way they cope

with and adapt to change.

Significance of the Study

This qualitative research study explored the struggles of Grade 11 students in

private schools transitioning to Senior High School Curriculum. For various pertinent

reasons, a phenomenological approach is significant and beneficial. Since the setting

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focuses on the transitioning struggles of Grade 11 students, specifically from private

schools of an institution under the Department of Education, this study is significant:

To Department of Education (DepEd), this may be useful in organizing ways and

methods that may help Grade 11 students to overcome struggles in the transitioning

to Senior High School Curriculum;

To School Administrators, that this may become a basis for the school heads to

give the teachers time to help or assist the grade 11 students in coping up with the

transitioning to Senior High School Curriculum;

To Teachers, that this may become a basis to consider Grade 11 students’

adjustments towards the transitioning to Senior High School Curriculum and create

alternative actions to improve their teaching styles for the betterment of both the

teachers and the students;

To Senior High School Students, this study may encourage and motivate Grade 11

students to expand their learnings as they will have insights into what others have

experienced during the transitioning to Senior High School Curriculum; and

To Future Researchers, this may serve as a reference for other researcher who

might be conducting future studies related to determining the struggles of Grade 11

students during the transition to Senior High School Curriculum.

Definition of Terms

It will be important to define essential technical terminologies frequently used

in this study. Moreover, this portion provides the definitions to accustom the readers

to the concepts of the inquiry.

Academic Transition. It is defined as “any major changes in students’ role

requirements or study context (Coertjens et al. 2017, p. 359). In this study, it is the

students’ move from Grade 10 to Senior High School.

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Senior High School Curriculum. Senior High School subjects fall under either the

Core Curriculum or specific Tracks. There are seven Learning Areas under the Core

Curriculum. These are Languages, Literature, Communication, Mathematics,

Philosophy, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences (DepEd). In this study, it is a

program of study that is typically completed in grades 11 and 12, and it prepares

students for college or university.

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CHAPTER 2

Review of Related Literature

The following studies, articles, concepts, and citations are the supporting related

facts that give an insight into the understanding of the current study.

Lived experiences of students to curriculum transition

Transition as a stressful event students experience

As students transition from junior high to senior high school, they experience a

lot of challenges as they deal with changes that affect their lives, especially academic

performances. During adolescence, various mental, psychological, and physiological

changes occur and are experienced by teenagers (Aromolaran, 2021).

Moreover, in the study conducted by Krsmanovic (2022), it determined how

international undergraduate students perceive their academic transition into

American higher education. The study used the Schlossberg's (1984) 4S Transition

Theory as the framework to determine what academic challenges, if any,

international students experience during their first year of undergraduate studies in a

new cultural and educational setting. The findings revealed that students' academic

transition into the U.S. higher education was characterized by difficulties in

understanding the academic system of their new environment; overcoming

educational, instructional and pedagogical differences; building social relationships

with the students; and receiving the support necessary from the appropriate

institutional services.
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Furthermore, the expansion of student participation in higher education study

has resulted in unprecedented challenges to the sector as it seeks to respond to

greater diversity in the student body and increased demand for academic support

and flexibility in entry pathways. This qualitative study investigates the ‘lived

experiences’ of learners as they transition into and through the first year of higher

education. The study recognizes that student transitions are entangled in

circumstances of time and place, as well as the unique dynamics of individual agency

and interaction with others (O'Donnell et al., 2018).

Furthermore, emerging adolescence (12 to 15 years old) is a critical life period,

as individuals experience many different changes in their social lives, which

consequently impact their emotional self. Simply put, adolescent students experience

many life transitions that can influence their emotional well-being. The purpose of this

study was to explore adolescents’ perceptions of and lived experiences with their

transition from elementary to secondary school. Findings revealed that adolescent

males experienced academic, emotional, and social challenges in their transition

from elementary and secondary school, and that emotional well-being plays an

important role for this demographic during this transition. Overall, this study provides

a novel and unique insight into students’ lived experiences during and their emotional

well- being through the transition to secondary school. Future research and mental

health programs should consider the importance of students’ perspectives during this

educational transition (Marotta, 2022).

Moreover, successful transition to higher education is required for undergraduate

students to achieve academic success (Parker et al, 2017). Transition to higher

education is challenging, and more so for some groups. A major cause of

dissatisfaction was viewed as lack of clarity about the foundation year, including the

program, subjects and physical location of the course. This was apparent across all

ethnicities, age groups and genders. Support from academic staff, via office hours
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and as personal tutors, was rated as most important. Enabling academic staff to offer

support to students throughout their studies, and clear consistent information

available throughout an ongoing transition, may help to lessen these issues (Goldring

et al., 2018).

In addition, the transition from primary to secondary education is one of the most

stressful events in a young person’s life and can have a negative impact on

psychological well-being and academic achievement. One explanation for these

negative impacts is that the transition coincides with early adolescence, a period

during which certain psychological disorders (i.e., anxiety disorders) become more

prominent and marked social, biological, and psychological development occurs. This

review evaluates the existing literature on the psychological and academic impacts of

the transition to secondary education on young adolescents. We examine the factors

that plausibly increase or mitigate the risk of developing mental health issues and/or

a decline in academic performance during the transition to secondary education. We

also review the interplay between psychological health and academic achievement

across and beyond the transition. We conclude with a summary of what schools and

parents can learn from these findings to support children in a successful transition

into secondary education (Evans et al., 2018).

Moreover, in the study of Uka (2022), the transition from primary to secondary

school is more successful when students’ learning is consistent. Students are also

more likely to enjoy school, engage with learning, and have a high academic

achievement in secondary school when they feel motivated. The results showed that

students had a successful transition, especially when they were supported by their

parents and teachers. Next, bivariate Pearson correlation analysis indicated that

students’ perceptions about their experience with the transition from primary to

secondary school, their self-regulated learning, and their motivation were significantly

correlated. No gender differences were found among any of the main study variables.
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Teachers can foster students’ SRL skills by implementing effective teaching methods

and by guiding them towards SRL-enhancing techniques.

Even more, the transition from middle school to high school is fraught with

difficulties for students. Research identifies academic and social repercussions of the

disruption students experience as they enter high school, as well as factors that may

ease students’ transitions; however, little research has attempted to describe the

middle-to-high school transition from the perspective of the students who experience

it. Results suggest having ongoing conversations with students about their transition

experiences as well as active responses to address their concerns (Schou, 2019).

Coping mechanisms of Grade 11 students

Summer Bridge Academic Programs

In the study of Randall (2022), for students, the transition to high school is the

most difficult of all transitions. In order to assist students to successfully transition to

high school, many school districts in our nation have implemented Middle School to

High School Summer Bridge Programs to augment academic achievement and

strengthen the essential skills needed for the preparation of attending high school.

Findings show a summer bridge program can provide support of academic

assistance, social connectivity, vision planning, and related resources needed with

the transition to high school. More specifically, the strategies and interventions

implemented of this program decreased the students’ fears and anxiety of

transitioning to high school and provided a level of growth among different areas of

concern that allowed them to be more prepared for the start of their high school

journey and beyond.

Moreover, summer bridge programs (SBPs) are intended to promote student

learning, academic achievement, and persistence to graduation. They are also a

viable vehicle for supporting diverse minoritized student constituencies. Our study,
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guided by a student-centered assessment approach, examined the experiences of

incoming first-year students. Findings highlight the importance of the program in

supporting students’ transition to higher education, academic skill development, and

building social networks. This study offers implications for those interested in

assessing and improving SBPs. (Dorime-Williams et al, 2022).

Additionally, summer bridge programs are designed to ease the transition to

higher education by providing students with academic skills and social resources

during the summer between high school graduation and higher education. Research

shows that bridge programs are potentially effective at increasing retention and

academic success of at-risk students by providing an early orientation to higher

education experience and connecting these students with each other and the

community (Eblen-Zayas & Russell, 2019).

Furthermore, the K-12 Education Program is a new education system in the

Philippines that aims to improve students' skills and knowledge in different areas to

help them succeed in college and throughout their lives. However, there are some

problems with how it's being implemented. According to the study, students think that

the new curriculum is very difficult, especially because it adds more years to high

school and because there are not enough resources or support available. Despite

these challenges, students still see the benefits of the new system, like gaining more

knowledge, becoming more skilled, and having better career opportunities. The

students in the study were able to cope with the challenges by managing their time

well, adapting to new situations, accepting the changes, and getting support from

their peers. As a result, this research can assist students in preparing for the

obstacles they may face in senior high school and recommend possible coping

mechanisms (Gurobat and Lumbu-an, 2022).

Proper Handling of Time Management

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In the study of Razali et al (2018), handling time management is very important

and it may actually affect individual's overall performance and achievements. This

study aims to investigate the connection between students' time management skills

and their academic performance. Many students nowadays claim that they struggle

to complete all their assigned tasks due to a lack of time. Additionally, the flexible and

independent nature of university life can make it challenging for students who haven't

mastered effective time management techniques. Through factor analysis, the study

identified three key factors related to time management: time planning, time attitudes,

and time wasting. The study also established a positive but weak relationship

between all aspects of time management and academic achievement, with time

planning being the most influential predictor.

According to the study of Francesco (2018), Steve Miller Band used to sing,

“Time keeps on slippin', slippin', slippin' into the future”. They are not the only ones

who see the time flying like an eagle. The philosopher Andrew James Taggart

explains that the current feeling of lack of time is not a problem caused by the new

technologies, and much less a recent phenomenon. This feeling is historical and is

related to the way we live and perceive the world. The author of the book "The

Pomodoro Technique", Francesco Cirillo, explains that this is linked to two aspects

that seem to coexist with respect to time: the becoming and the succession of

events. The aim of the Pomodoro Technique is to make time your greatest ally in

accomplishing what you want in the way you want, and to continuously improve our

performance at work or in our study. It is also ideal for students and professionals

who want to create more productive routines.

Insights formed from academic transition of Grade 11 students

Addressing transition to higher education

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In the study conducted by Nicodemus (2021), the synthesis of students’

specific statements on their lived experiences in transitioning to senior high school

showed five vital theme outcomes namely: The way in which different individuals

perceive a student; and schools support transition programs and activities; difficulties

and modifications in senior high school; picking a job route after graduation;

preparing oneself and choosing the appropriate track improves transition. It is

suggested that the schools must perform career guidance orientation and/or any

information dissemination for both Grade 10 students and their parents/ guardians;

Continue offering extra-curricular activities that promotes the use of multi-

intelligences; Recognize output especially efforts done by the students to boost

confidence. Further promote the rewards and recognition program for the students

and institutionalize the graduate tracer study program for the school.

Furthermore, transitions are times of uncertainty and instability. In Scotland,

this has been complicated due to subtle changes experienced in schools with the

development and delivery of Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) which emphasizes

presently on senior high school phase. Concerning the transition to senior phase,

problems of excessive assessment-related workload and inappropriate use of the

flexibility in curriculum design and deliver have already been recognized. However,

even though the student is at the heart of this ambitious curriculum reform, the

students’ voices about curriculum and school in senior high school phase have not

yet been heard. Listening to what students have to say when transitioning to senior

high school is not only a way of exploring the relations between identity, agency and

structure in how students cope with this transition stage but can also be a way of

making curriculum more relevant for students’ engagement within their school. The

study discusses suggestions to guide schools in proposals of how to adjust their

curricula to the needs and expectations of their students and, thus, be more prepared

to promote their engagement in learning and school (Torres & Priestley 2017).
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The transition from primary to secondary school is difficult for children. A

problematic transition can have both short- and long-term consequences. Although

information from children and their parents about what concerns them can contribute

to a smooth transition, this information is rarely shared during the transfer to

secondary school. Our findings suggest that, although their perspectives differ,

positive relationships between the stakeholders in the transition process—schools,

children and their parents—can help to improve the challenges presented by the

transition. It shows the importance to involve all stakeholders in the transition

process. However, there is a gap in exchanging information. Little evidence is found

on interventions that focus on partnership or cooperation between parents, children

and schoolteachers. We conclude that children and their parents are not well

represented in the decision making and in the interventions that provide information

to the other stakeholders. There is a need for further research on the way children

can be partners in the transition process and how they can inform other stakeholders.

Researchers also must investigate how this information can be evaluated and what

the consequences are for the collaboration between stakeholders in the transition

(van Rens et al., 2018).

According to Brew et al., (2021), the good academic performance of students

at the Senior High School is essential in every educational system. Meanwhile,

numerous factors influence the academic performance of students and have been

researched, but many problems persist. The study elucidated how these factors

negatively affect academic performance and the need for them to be minimized to

improve students’ academic performance. The study found out that, missing school

affects academic performance drastically and sometimes even leads to school

dropout. Also, the study found out that other factors such as students’ parental levels

of education, textbooks availability and accessibility, libraries, practical laboratory,

and teachers have tremendous effects on the academic performance of students at

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school. Students who are above average academically and are positively exposed to

these factors are likely to perform better as compared to those who are less exposed

to these factors. The study recommends that factors such as truancy, of education,

textbooks availability and accessibility, libraries, practical laboratory, and teachers

should be regularly monitored and adjusted to meet students’ needs and aspirations.
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CHAPTER 3

Methodology

This chapter contains a description of the methods utilized in the conduct of

the study. It outlines the research design, research locale, research respondents,

research instruments, data gathering procedure, and ethical considerations.

Research Design

This study utilizes a qualitative research design employing a

phenomenological approach.

Qualitative research design is a type of research that determines and

provides deeper understanding into real-world problems. According to Yılmaz (2013,

p. 312), qualitative research is “an emergent, inductive, interpretive and naturalistic

approach to the study of people, cases, phenomena, social situations and processes

in their natural settings in order to reveal in descriptive terms the meanings that

people attach to their experiences of the world”.

The phenomenological approach is used in this study because according to

Ho & Limpaecher (2022), phenomenological approach is a method that seeks to

understand and describe the general essence of a phenomenon. In simpler terms,

researchers use phenomenological research designs to understand a phenomenon’s

universal nature by exploring the views of those who have experienced it. This

approach is commonly used to study lived experiences, gain a deeper perception of

how human beings think, and expand a researcher’s knowledge about a

phenomenon. In this study, we used phenomenological research design to help us

understand our respondents’ experiences in transition and knowing what it is like to

experience a certain situation or life event.

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Data Collection

The researchers will follow the data collection circle proposed by Creswell

(2007).

As researchers, it is necessary for us to respectfully ask permission from

relevant authorities before conducting our study. Once we have obtained permission,

we use purposive sampling to search and select respondents who meet our

predetermined criteria. We then proceed to search these individuals to interview and

locate their places.

We asked permission from the respondents to participate in the study after

reaching out to them. We have them informed about the importance of their presence

in the study, the purpose of our study, involved risks, and the benefits of their

participation. Then, we have them signed the informed consent as proof that they will

participate in the study knowing that they have acknowledged the conditions we

presented prior to affixing their signature.

Before starting the set-up of the interview, we ensured that our surrounding

perimeters are not exposed to loud and appalling noises that may affect the progress

of our interview session.

At the onset, before the conduct of the In-depth interview, we asked

permission to the respondents to have the whole conversation recorded. This is to

assure that the data collected during the interview is precise upon the transcription of

data. After they agreed, we then have the conduct of the interview recorded, while

one of us, the interviewer, took notes during the conduct of the face-to-face interview.

The recorded data then transcribed into text, word for word, to present credibility of

the interview.

Lastly, since the research data are confidential, it is our primary responsibility

to secure the data collected by any means to guarantee confidentiality. Thus, we put

the transcribed data in an envelope and have one of our co-researchers keep it. Also,
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we have other co-researcher secured other copies of the recorded data to avoid loss

of files as we move to the next step of the research.

Research Participants

The researchers will use purposive sampling in selecting the research

participants. Purposive sampling is where a researcher selects a sample based on

the needs about the study and the participants are selected based on the purpose of

the sample (Arikunto, 2010: 183). In this study, the researcher takes ten respondents

among the Grade 11 students of Maryknoll School of Maniki Incorporated, Kapalong,

Davao del Norte to make the data more valid.

Further, the research participants will be identified according to the following

criteria: 1) the respondents should be grade 11 students, 2) this should be the first

time the respondents are experiencing transition to senior high school, 3) lastly, the

respondents are willing to share their struggles in transitioning to senior high school

curriculum.

As this study aims to solicit experiences of senior high school students in the

transition to senior high school curriculum to expound knowledge on the

phenomenon, the researchers set the criterion in the selection of key information to

bona fide Grade 11 students to saturate relevant information to explore experiences

of students.

Role of the Researcher

The role of the researcher is vital and necessary in the conduct of a research.

Without researchers, no study can be conducted. Hence, it is vital for us,

researchers, to act according to our role.

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In this study, we, the researchers, acted three roles for the success of our

study. We acted as the interviewer, transcriber, and translator.

Interviewer encompasses series of meanings. However, as used in this study,

interviewer refers to us researchers who were gathering information from our

respondents through the conduct of an in-depth face-to-face interview. Hence, as an

interviewer, we would use several ways and techniques to allow our respondents to

become more comfortable and willing to share their experiences us we delve into

deeper levels of the discussion.

Transcriber is among the key elements in research. According to Maclean,

Meyer, & Estable (2004), the transcriber’s awareness of the subject of the research,

predisposed attitudes towards the subject, objectives, preconceptions of the

interviewees, as well as the difference in class, culture, and language between the

transcriber and the interviewees influences the transcription of the interview. Further,

the transcriber’s choices and decisions during the transcriptions may also influence

the quality of the transcript (Poland, 1995). Thus, as a transcriber, it is our role to put

the interview into text-based format without any forms of biases and prejudices.

Translator as define by the Your Dictionary as “a person who helps people to

speak different languages to communicate and to come up with understanding on

both party”. In this study, translator is used to refer to us researcher who would

translate the transcribed data to come up with conclusion in the advancement of the

study.

Data Analysis

To come up with conclusions that can give a solution to the problem of the

study, the data collected during the conduct of the study is necessary to be analyzed

and interpreted. Analysis of data in research will involve summing up all the data

gathered and presenting the outcomes in a way that it communicates the paramount

aspects (Harding, 2013).

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The data analysis was done after the process of transcribing the results of the

interview. In this study, the researcher used coding and thematic analysis in

analyzing the collected and gathered data. The data will be arranged into different

categories that have similar responses from different participants.

Thematic analysis is a method to analyze qualitative data. It's often used on

written or recorded conversations. The person studying the information looks for

things that are talked about a lot, like subjects or ideas that come up multiple times.

They group these things together and try to find patterns in them (Caulfield, 2022). In

this study, we used thematic analysis to analyze the data given by the respondents

and categorize them according to the common factors.

To get to know the information better, we listened to the recorded interviews

of the participants and wrote down what they said. We looked for similar things they

said. After familiarizing the information, we started organizing it. We put similar parts

together based on the ideas they talked about particularly, themes, ideas, and

categories. We marked those similar parts with a special code so we can retrieve

them easily later on and further analyze them.

After grouping the codes together, we gave each group a name based on the

things they had in common. Next, we will use these names to come up with an

overall label that accurately describes the relationship of each group and what it

means.

Lastly, the findings and analysis of the data were presented.

Trustworthiness

The trustworthiness of this study is established to ensure the rigor of the

research at hand. Guba (1981) emphasizes that qualitative research should embody

credibility, transferability, dependability, and conformability (Moon et al. 2016).

Credibility refers to internal validity and it is concerned with the question of

how congruent the findings to reality are. According to Shenton (2004), credibility in a
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study ensures the correctness of the data and is the most important factor in

trustworthiness.

Moreover, to further establish credibility, we employed member-checking to

ensure that data gathered is transparent to the key informants of the study. As

researchers, we asked our key informants if what we have recorded during the

interview are the same as their responses. After the participants have confirmed, we

have them sign a member-checking form to confirm the validity of the data.

Transferability refers to the degree to which the result of the study can be

generalized and be used in another setting that is of a similar context, Lincoln and

Guba (1985); Shenton (2004). Transferability can be established through a thorough

discussion of the description of the research context and the assumptions that were

central to the research.

Further, to ensure transferability, the researchers will make sure that we give

a thorough job in describing the context of the issue under study to give readers who

are interested in the same study the general idea of the context, and they were given

references as they transfer data.

Dependability entails thorough coverage of the research procedures. This

entails that thorough documentation on how the study is carried out is established in

the study. This allows people outside the research to follow through with the steps

taken in the conduct of the study (Sandelowski, 1986: Polit, et al. 2006; Steubert,

2007).

Moreover, we will employ dependability on the conduct of the study by giving

a clear description of the research design and the research procedure. We will also

give a concrete explanation of the data-gathering procedure and provide an appraisal

of how the study is carried out effectively.

 23

Confirmability focuses on how the research establishes the degree to which

the finding of an inquiry is a function solely of the respondents and not influenced by

biases, motivation, and perspectives of the researcher.

To achieve confirmability, we demonstrated that the results are linked to the

conclusions in a way that is replicated as a process. We ensured that we did not lose

sight of the informants as the phenomenon under study. Further, we also employed

the use of an audit trail which traced the research process, the action taken, and the

procedures being followed.

Ethical Considerations

Consideration was of paramount importance in the design of the research

study. As the researcher, it is necessary to consider several ethical issues regarding

the research participants' groups addressed in this fieldwork. Ethical considerations

can be specified as one of the most important parts of the research.

Respect for Persons. The respondents will be respected and will be given

rights to refuse to be our respondent or not. Furthermore, they will be given rights to

withdraw their information at any time upon the completion of the data collection

process and that they are allowed to verify their transcript after the interview and

decide whether they will amend or remove any information which they feel might

identify them. Moreover, the respondent will be informed that their identity and any

private information will be kept confidentially.

Beneficence. The researchers ensured that the respondents are treated in an

ethical manner and free from any forms of harms and exploitation. Furthermore, the

researchers done all means of making efforts to secure the well-being of the

respondents.

Justice. The respondents were informed of our role and their corresponding

role during data gathering. They were briefed that they have to give their full honesty
 24

in answering the survey questions and additionally, any type of communication about

the research should be done with honesty. Similarly, they were informed that the

study was beneficial to them.

 25

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