Group3 Action Research Proposal
Group3 Action Research Proposal
by
AMBAGAN, RALPH P.
DIVA, VIMAVIC M.
HARA, CHARMEL F.
MAY 2023
ABSTRACT
School chairs are an example of furniture that are commonly used inside a classroom and is considered an
essential part of an education system. A chair provides comfort and support and gives a student the ability
to concentrate. This research aims to determine the advantages and disadvantages of well-functioning
chairs on the academic performance of IT students; to identify how chairs affects the learning atmosphere;
and to assess how vital well-functioning chairs are in the process of learning of IT students in RSU (Main
Campus). The target participants for this research are the 1 st Year to 3rd Year IT students currently attending
Romblon State University (Main Campus).
In conducting the research, the researchers used survey questionnaires to gather the necessary data for
the study. Out of 50 respondents, 14 individuals were freshmen, 19 were sophomores, and 17 were juniors.
Half of the questionnaires were distributed online and half were printed and distributed personally.
The survey were composed of three parts – (1) Socio-demographic Profile, (2) Satisfaction on IIT chairs
and (3) Students’ Academic Performance. The answer for the open-ended questions were also listed below:
For question number 1, the most common answer that were given is it gives comfort and makes you
comfortable. For number 2, the answer is to let the teachers realize that the right chairs and tables can help
develop their students into proactive learners. For question number 3, the answer is that it is comfortable.
For question number 4, the answer is none. And lastly, for question number 5, the respondents’ answer is
to add more chairs and give more budget for school furniture.
The mean score for the second part of the survey is 3.196 and the mean score for the third part of the
survey is 3.02 which are both interpreted as agree. Additionally, the total mean score of the questions is
3.108 which is also interpreted as agree. It means that the respondents have a high level of agreement in
the questions that were asked by the researchers.
The data of study for T-Test were analysed using SPSS-20 software. The results obtained from this study
showed that there is no evidence to conclude that a statistical significant difference exists between well-
functioning chairs and academic performance of IT students in RSU (Main Campus).
INTRODUCTION
School chairs are an example of furniture that are commonly used inside a
classroom and is considered an essential part of an education system. A chair provides
comfort and support and gives a student the ability to concentrate. Chairs are furniture
that plays an important role in the effectiveness of learning of the students.
According to Bryan Morgan, students sit in many different positions, from slouching
to straddling their seats, and wonders how a chair improve the learning of students.
Moreover, as our technology continues to flourish and evolve, many types of chairs for
comfort are being invented. Take armchairs, for example.
This action research was proposed to raise awareness of the impacts of well-
functioning chairs in IIT classrooms and about how it affects the students academically
speaking.
Furthermore, by taking this route, we are challenging ourselves and our target
participants to cooperate to know how chairs affect the learning atmosphere of IIT
Department students.
Objectives
This study sought to answer the following problem and present the null and alternative
hypothesis.
Statement of the Problem
Questions
This part presents the literature and studies reviewed which are relevant to the
present study.
A research about the thorough examination of the effects of school furniture on
students’ performance and bodily responses showed that the systematic review of the
literature presented a clearly positive effect of school furniture dimensions on students’
performance and physical responses.
The authors/researchers used a scientific publications database, SciVerse Scopus
to identify the field studies on student’s performance and physical qualities. The results
were grouped according to the specific dependent and independent categories and to
avoid misunderstandings, the dimensions was placed in an independent variable
category when a mismatched level was considered or when the school furniture was
adapted to the body size of each individual child. When the school furniture design
proposed high furniture or stand-sit workstations, dimension was not considered an
independent variable, but instead the independent category variable was the design.
The purpose of the study was to assess whether school furniture characteristics
(dimensions and design) affect students’ performance or various physical responses such
as posture, reported pain, discomfort or other similar physical conditions.
The results of the review provide a clearer picture of one of the school micro
ergonomics variables. Of the studies that tested only school performance, two of three
presented positive results. Those findings should be considered with caution, primarily
because of the small sample sizes involved and the participants’ characteristics, which
included either behavioural or neurological issues. Of the studies that assessed children’s
physical responses, most studies reviewed observed that a change in school furniture
dimensions resulted in an improvement in posture, EMG and discomfort/pain, with the
latter being the most studied dependent variable. Proper care should be taken when using
adjustable furniture because a lack of knowledge regarding proper settings and/or out-of-
date standards may contribute to negative effects. Only five studies analysed the effects
on both student performance and physical responses. All of these studies presented
positive relevant results, specifically an increase in energy expenditure and better
academic performance in class behaviour and attention span.
The overall results indicate that some school furniture findings must be highlighted:
the school furniture must fit student anthropometric characteristics, and the desk must
have the possibility of a tilt angle and a slight concave curve in the front, with a high saddle
chair also desirable. The considered papers focused on assessing the effects of school
furniture in terms of the physical responses. Only a few studies examined the effect on
performance or both physical responses and performance. Further research should be
conducted detailing the dependent variables, specifically using more objective measures,
such as academic performance complemented with controlled and prospective design, to
ultimately clarify the positive effects of school furniture on performance.
METHODOLOGY
This part contains the methodology used in conducting this study, including
research method, a description of the sample, instruments used in conducting the study,
data collection methods and strategies, and finally, techniques for the quantitative
analysis of collected data.
Our primary target participants for this research are the 1 st Year to 3rd Year IT students
currently attending Romblon State University (Main Campus). The participants are given
the ability to consent to the survey and the students’ General Weighted Average (GWA)
for the first semester will be asked as a part of the survey.
Instruments
In this study, the researchers will be using survey questionnaire to collect the data
needed. The first part of the questionnaire is about the respondents’ socio-demographic
profile and 5 open-ended questions. The second part is about the satisfaction on IIT chairs
by the IT students in RSU (Main Campus). The third and last part of the questionnaire is
about the students’ academic performance.
In the survey questionnaire, scale was used to specify the level of agreement of the
respondents to the statement.
Data collection
Plan
In order to gather sample data from our population, we will use Stratified Random
Sampling as our sampling method, where we will divide each year level into strata.
The data will be collected using survey questionnaire with 5 open-ended questions and
20 survey statements. Survey questionnaire will then be answered by the participants
by checking their level of agreement based on the description of its meaning in the
given direction.
Discuss
The survey questionnaire would then be revised and reviewed in a way that would suit
our research objectives and research questions.
At the end of the study, we, the researchers, sincerely hope that the findings of our
research study will help in the decision of the staffs of the IIT Department to provide
more convenient and comfortable chairs for the IT students of RSU (Main Campus).
This part presents the analysis and interpretation of the data gathered in this study.
The course of the analysis and interpretation was guided by the problems stated in
introduction.
Table 1
Demographic Profile in terms of Gender
In terms of demographic profile of the respondents, 24 out of 50 or 48% are male and 26
out of 50 or 52% are female.
In terms of the number of respondents by year level, 14 out of 50 or 28% are 1st Year, 19
out of 50 or 38% are 2nd Year and 17 out of 50 or 34% are 3rd Year.
Table 3 shows the General Weighted Average Mean of IT students by year level
Table 3
General Weighted Average
Respondent GWA
1st Year IT students 1.81
2nd Year IT students 1.86
3rd Year IT students 1.89
Total 1.85
In terms of general weighted average mean of the respondents, the 1st Year IT students
is 1.82, the 2nd Year IT students is 1.86 and the 3rd Year IT students is 1.89. The overall
average of 1st Year to 3rd Year IT students in RSU (Main Campus) is 1.85. It means that
the General Weighted Average of 1st Year is higher that the
Open-ended questions
1. In your own opinion, why is it important to have a well-functioning chair in IIT
Department classrooms?
Answer: Because it gives comfort and makes you comfortable.
2. What would you suggest to help other students realize the importance of well-
functioning chairs in studying?
Answer: Let the teachers realize that the right chairs and tables can help develop
their students into proactive learners.
3. Give one advantage of having a good and well-functioning chair.
Answer: It is comfortable.
5. What other recommendations do you have to improve the school chairs in the IIT
Department?
Answer: Add more chairs and give more budget for school furniture.
Table 4 shows the mean score of the satisfaction on IIT chairs of the IT students in RSU
(Main Campus)
Table 4
The Mean Score of the Satisfaction on IIT chairs
Questions Mean Verbal
Interpretation
1. The school chairs in VoAg, ITC, and MMC are 3.04 Agree
of good condition
2. I feel comfortable sitting on a well-functioning 3.32 Strongly Agree
chair
3. I feel pain and physical discomfort whenever 2.86 Agree
I’m sitting on a broken chair for an extended
period of time while attending classes
4. A broken chair appeals to my study and 2.9 Disagree
concentration
5. It’s more comfortable to sit on a chair that is 3.54 Strongly Agree
well-maintained and well-functioning
6. Chairs are important in the improvement of 3.36 Strongly Agree
my study
7. A chair limits my movement while sitting 3 Agree
8. A good and well-functioning chair allows a 3.52 Strongly Agree
correct sitting position
9. Good chairs promote healthy posture that is 3.46 Strongly Agree
critical for developing our bodies
10. I am satisfied with the chairs in IIT 2.96 Agree
classrooms
Total
3.196 AGREE
For the satisfaction on IIT chairs of the IT students in RSU (Main Campus), it’s
more comfortable to sit on a chair that is well-maintained and well-functioning has the
highest mean of 3.54 which is interpreted as strongly agree. This means that the students
in IT are aware of the comfort of a well-maintained and well-functioning chair.
A broken chair appeals to study and concentration of IT students has the least
mean score of 2.9 which is interpreted as disagree. It means that a broken chair is not
conducive in the learning and concentration of students.
Table 5
The Mean Score of the Students’ Academic Performance
Table 6 shows the summary of the mean score of the Satisfaction on IIT chairs and
Students’ Academic Performance
Table 6
Summary of the mean score …
Questions Mean Verbal
Interpretation
1. Satisfaction on IIT chairs 3.196 Agree
2. Students’ Academic Performance 3.02 Agree
Total
3.108 AGREE
The total mean score of the questions is 3.108 which is interpreted as agree. It
means that the respondents have a high level of agreement in the questions that were
asked by the researchers.
Table 7
Analysis of data
T-TEST GROUPS=Group1(0 1)
/MISSING=ANALYSIS
/VARIABLES=Group2
/CRITERIA=CI(.95).
T-Test
[DataSet0]
Group Statistics
Group1 N Mean Std. Deviation Std. Error Mean
CONCLUSION
Firstly, the demographic profile of the respondents revealed that 48% were male and 52%
were female. In terms of year level, 28% were 1st Year students, 38% were 2nd Year
students, and 34% were 3rd Year students.
The General Weighted Average (GWA) Mean of the IT students by year level indicated
that the 1st Year students had a GWA of 1.81, the 2nd Year students had a GWA of 1.86,
and the 3rd Year students had a GWA of 1.89. The overall average GWA of the IT students
in RSU (Main Campus) was 1.85.
The survey questionnaire results revealed that the respondents highly agreed on the
importance of well-functioning chairs. They expressed that well-functioning chairs provide
comfort, promote correct sitting positions, and contribute to a conducive learning
atmosphere.
Furthermore, the satisfaction level of IT students regarding the IIT chairs in RSU (Main
Campus) was generally high, with a mean score of 3.196, which is interpreted as “agree.”
The students emphasized the importance of well-maintained and well-functioning chairs
for their comfort and overall study experience.
Based on the statistical analysis using T-test, the results indicated that there was no
significant difference between well-functioning chairs and the academic performance of
IT students in RSU (Main Campus).
These findings suggest that well-functioning chairs play a vital role in creating a
comfortable and conducive learning environment for IT students. However, it is important
to note that this research focused specifically on the academic performance of IT students
in Romblon State University (Main Campus).
Loose, T. (2021). School Chairs To Meet Your Student’s Needs. Classroom Direct.
https://classroomdirect.co.uk/blogs/blog/school-chairs-to-meet-your-students-needs
Morgan, B. (2019). Does Seating Ergonomics Affect Classroom Learning?. Linked in.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/does-seating-ergonomics-affect-classroom-learning-
bryan-morgan
Casellucci, H. I., Arezes, P. M., Molenbroek, F. M., de Bruin R. & Viviani, C. (2016). The
influence of school furniture on students’ performance and physical responses: results of
a systematic review. Taylor & Francis Online.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00140139.2016.1170889
APPENDIX A
CURRICULUM VITAE
RALPH P. AMBAGAN
Address: Lanas, San Jose, Romblon
Contact No.: 09383591047
E-mail Address: [email protected]
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
2021-Present COLLEGE
Bachelor of Science in Information and Technology
Romblon State University
2009-2015 ELEMENTARY
Lanas Elementary School
Lanas, San Jose, Romblon
*Special award
PERSONAL DATA
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
2021-Present COLLEGE
Bachelor of Science in Information and Technology
Romblon State University
2009-2015 ELEMENTARY
Poctoy-Baito Elementary School
Poctoy-Baito, Odiongan, Romblon
PERSONAL DATA
VIMAVIC M. DIVA
Address: Tabobo-an, Odiongan, Romblon
Contact No.: 09816660942
E-mail Address: [email protected]
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
2021-Present COLLEGE
Bachelor of Science in Information and Technology
Romblon State University
2009-2015 ELEMENTARY
Tabobo-an Elementary School
Tabobo-an, Odiongan, Romblon
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
2021-Present COLLEGE
Bachelor of Science in Information and Technology
Romblon State University
2009-2015 ELEMENTARY
Tulay Elementary School
Tulay, Odiongan, Romblon
PERSONAL DATA
CHARMEL F. HARA
Address: Canduyong, Odiongan, Romblon
Contact No.: 09085159786
E-mail Address: [email protected]
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
2021-Present COLLEGE
Bachelor of Science in Information and Technology
Romblon State University
2009-2015 ELEMENTARY
Gogon Elementary School
Gogon, Casiguran, Sorsogon City
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
2021-Present COLLEGE
Bachelor of Science in Information and Technology
Romblon State University
2009-2015 ELEMENTARY
Legarda Elementary School
Sampaloc, Manila
SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE
Dear Ma’am/Sir,
We, the 2nd Year Block 3 IIT students at Romblon State University are carrying out a
survey for our research topic, entitled: The Impacts of Well-functioning Chairs on the
Academic Performance of IT Students in Romblon State University (Main Campus).
If you are currently enrolled and attending the University as an IT student (from 1st Year
to 3rd Year), we would be grateful if you could spare some time to respond to the following
statements. Rest assured that the information that will be collected will be used strictly for
academic purposes and will be kept confidential and that your individual responses will
not be shared to anyone.
This survey is composed of three parts – (1) Socio-demographic Profile, (2) Satisfaction
on IIT chairs and (3) Students’ Academic Performance. Please read carefully and respond
to all questions.
Your participation is greatly appreciated! If you have any questions about this survey,
please contact the proponents.
Proponents:
Ralph P. Ambagan
Email: [email protected]
Vimavic M. Diva
Email: [email protected]
SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE
I. Socio-Demographic Profile
Name: (Optional) _____________________________________________
Year and Block: ______________________________________________
General Weighted Average (First sem. 2022-2023): __________________
Gender:
Male
Female
LGBTQA+
Prefer Not to say
Age Category:
Below 18
18 to 23
24 to 29
30 to 35
36 to 41
In your own opinion, why is it important to have a well-functioning chair in IIT Department
classrooms?
______________________________________________________________________
What would you suggest to help other students realize the importance of well-functioning
chairs in studying?
______________________________________________________________________
________________________________
Give one disadvantage of having a good and well-functioning chair.
_______________________________
What other recommendations do you have to improve the school chairs in the IIT
Department?
4 - strongly agree
3 - agree
2 - disagree
1 - strongly disagree
Statements 4 3 2 1
1. The school chairs in VoAg, ITC, and MMC are of good condition
Total
4 - strongly agree
3 - agree
2 - disagree
1 - strongly disagree
Statements 4 3 2 1