STRIKING A BALANCE: UNDERSTANDING HOW STEM HEALTH

STUDENTS MANAGE THEIR ACADEMIC WORKLOAD AND WELL-BEING

AT SWU PHINMA

A Research Paper

Presented to the Faculty

Senior High School
Basic Education Department
Southwestern University PHINMA

In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Subject
APP 005: Practical Research 1

by:
BAJANA, ARVIE CLAIRE L.
BAJENTING, FE MARIELLE M.
CAGA, MARICRIS C.
CANTILA, PRINCESS MAE C.
CODILLA, MARIA MERCED S.
ORTIZANO, LORAINE M.
PASTURAN, MA. STEVIE LYN T.
SAL, ALANIS IRAH M.
SUAL, JASMINE
VILLAROSA, HILARY M.

GRADE 11 STEM HEALTH C4

JUDITH LOPEZ - CARACUT, MAT-ELL

Research Teacher
 March 2024

CHAPTER 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE

INTRODUCTION

Rationale

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Health is an

academic strand of Southwestern University- PHINMA aims to train senior high
school students for their future medical programs. The STEM Health Strand covers
learning in Anatomy and Physiology, Biology, Chemistry, and Introduction to Health
Professions. (STEM Health)

In recent years, the popularity of science, Technology, Engineering,

and, Mathematics (STEM) Health health strand has grown rapidly, especially for
students planning to take up a medical program in the future (Roberts et al., 2018).
However, bordering on this growing interest, there is a critical need to look at how
STEM Health Strand students manage the challenges of their academics while
maintaining their mental health. This investigation is essential in ensuring that the
educational setting satisfies the standards of the students and develops their overall
growth. Understanding how STEM Health Strand students balance their schoolwork
obligations and well-being is vital in promoting student success and sustenance
within the program. Teachers and administrators can make a difference by finding
out what works positively best for the students and what difficulties they might
face, for them to be better and help the students reach their full potential. It is
important to analyze the effectiveness of the curriculum in preparing students to
conquer the challenges they may face in the future, especially for STEM Health
Students who plan to work in the healthcare sector.

The primary goal of any educational institution’s mission is to promote

student well-being. By investigating the various factors that affect the well-being of
STEM Health students, Southwestern University- PHINMA can create proactive
events to cultivate a positive educational environment that promotes mental and
physical health along with their academic performance exploring the factors that
affect the well-being of STEM Health students. By emphasizing the exclusive
challenges and problems within the STEM Health program, administrators can
achieve reforms that enhance the overall quality of STEM education and promote
student well-being beyond educational succession.
 The objectives of this study are to assess the academic workload of
students enrolled in the STEM Health Strand at Southwestern University-PHINMA
explores the coping mechanisms employed by the students to balance academic
obligations and maintain overall well-being, identifies common challenges faced in
maintaining the balance, examines the role of administrators and instructors in
supporting student development, and proposes recommendations for enhancing
student success and well-being within the program. These objectives aim to gain a
comprehensive understanding of how students in the STEM Health Strand manage
their academic workload and well-being, as well as identify areas for improvement
in support mechanisms and interventions. By addressing these objectives, the study
aims to enhance the learning environment and overall growth of STEM Health
Strand students, ultimately fostering their success and sustainability within the
program.

Statement of the Problem

The growing popularity of STEM Health Strand at Southwestern University

PHINMA has prompted concerns regarding how students handle the academic
workload alongside their health. This study aims to identify the difficulties faced by
STEM Health students at Southwestern University PHINMA in managing their
academic workload while maintaining their well-being. It seeks to evaluate the
adequacy of support mechanisms offered by administrators and instructors and
propose ways to enhance student success and sustainability within the program.
Therefore, it is essential to investigate the strategies students use to navigate the
multifaceted challenges they encounter, balancing their dual responsibilities as
students and individuals striving to maintain their physical and mental well-being.

Specifically, it anchors on this question:

1. How do academic requirements and challenging coursework in the STEM

Health Strand at Southwestern University PHINMA contribute to stress levels
and burnout among students? What effective strategies do they use to
balance these demands with their health?

Scope and Delimitations

The scope of the study would involve the primary purpose of the research
to determine exactly how STEM Health students of Southwestern University PHINMA
in Cebu City manage their schoolwork and mental health. This study also applies to
instructors and administrators of the STEM Health faculty department since they
can help the students develop to their full potential. This involves keeping an eye
on their time management techniques, stress-coping skills, and academic
development in addition to looking for help within the campus communities. To
balance their personal and academic well-being, it would also need to look at the
unique barriers and expectations that students in this field face and how they
handle them.

This study can only be applied to STEM Health senior high school
students, teachers,and administrators at Southwestern University PHINMA. This
research shows how Southwestern University prepares its stem health students as
future medical professionals. However, this study only covers college students,
other senior high school strands, and junior high students of Southwestern
University PHINMA. This study also only applies to the school's curriculum and
premises and does not exceed other schools' curricula.

Significance of the Study

This study aims to understand how STEM HEALTH students manage

their academic workload and well-being at SWU PHINMA. This study will be valuable
and significant for the following:

Students. This study will broaden the knowledge of the students on how to
Balance their academic workload as well as develop their overall health
and they can make themselves feel validated.

Teachers. The researchers believe that teachers will benefit from this study for
them to be aware of the academic experiences and mental state of the
students in the STEM HEALTH strand at Southwestern University
PHINMA.

Future Researchers. This will benefit future researchers looking for studies
on how STEM HEALTH students manage their Academic Workload and
Well-being. Future researchers can use this study to elevate their
knowledge about this topic and they may use this as their guide when
doing the research and in hopes to draw out ideas for this topic.

Definition of Terms

Academic workload The Academic responsibilities and activities that the

 students need to manage and complete within the
given period.

Burnout This is a state of emotional, mental, and physical

exhaustion resulting from chronic stress or
overwork, often characterized by feelings of
detachment reduced effectiveness and diminished
satisfaction in one's activities or work.

Coursework Assigning academic assignments to students as a

part of their grades. It includes all the different
exercises and tests given during a
course.

STEM Health One of the strands offered in Senior High School at

Southwestern University PHINMA.

Study Aims Broad statements that describe the overall purpose

of your study. They provide a general direction for
your study and indicate the intended achievements
of your research.

SWU PHINMA This is an abbreviation of a school named

Southwestern University PHINMA is located in Cebu
City.