Understanding The Difficulties and Challenges Encountered by Grade 11 STEM Students in Their

Specialized Subjects

Zahmer Chloe A. Gumabol

Russel Lindcy D. Santos

Alexis Andrea Pagador

Hairie Jen C. Escat

Sean Jared M. Atanacio

Divine Word College of Urdaneta, Inc.

Practical Research 1

Mr. Pilimpinas S. Conding III

January 09 , 2025
 Introduction

Background of the Study

The aim of this study is to know or deepen the knowledge on why the grade 11 STEM students of Divine

Word College of Urdaneta, Inc. are facing challenges, struggles, and problems in their specialized

subjects, specifically in Chemistry and Calculus. We chose this problem due to the fact that most of the

STEM students in our section are having a hard time properly understanding these subjects that leads to

academic struggles.

In the study of Caup and Buda (2017), the DepEd lays high confidence on the K-12 Program providing

better quality of education that is based on spirally progressing curriculum starting with simple topics

moving toward increasing complexity in order for the learners to gain mastery of concepts and skills.

However, almost six years after its inclusion in Philippine education, it has been reported that the country

still has insufficient STEM graduates, thereby producing insufficient Filipino scientists (Anito, Morales,

& Palisoc, 2019).

This could be traced back to the basic and common academic struggles being faced by students that

normally are in relation to curricular design and content (Holland, 2019). There are some students that are

facing difficulties in dealing with their specialized subject because of the confusion, it has been associated

with blockages or impasses in the learning process (Zahran, 2020).

Research Gap

This issue is that there has been no significant research on senior high school students' transfer of learning

and difficulties in calculus-based physics subjects. The study investigated the engagement of senior high

school STEM students to horizontal transfer from basic Calculus to General Physics subjects and the

difficulties they experience in solving calculus-based-physics problems. Quimson, J. M.(2022). STEM

education faces monumental challenges which are aggravated by the Industrial Revolution (IR) 4.0. These
challenges encountered by the students revolved around three categories-course-related challenges,

individual challenges and socio-cultural challenges. Rogayan D.V et al (2021). This study shows the

different challenges STEM students encounter but the respondents are very limited, they relied more on

the external factors on why the students are facing those challenges. At most students are lacking STEM

literacy skills and the ability to solve problems. The ability of STEM literacy and problem-solving is

deficient. Students are unfamiliar with STEM literacy and problem-solving in chemistry. Students are not

familiar with STEM literacy and problem solving skills in classroom learning. So it is necessary to have

learning media and learning resources that can integrate the STEM approach and problem solving so that

students' STEM literacy and problem solving skills can increase in order to face the world of work in the

future. STEM literacy and problem solving skills among students are able to be enhanced by means of

virtual laboratory learning media based on the STEM approach. Sari N. A et al (2021). The study showed

the lack of critical and problem-solving skills of the students in chemistry and the lower academic

performance of STEM students, the study focused on the negative sides or the factors that led to the lower

academic performance of the STEM students. Although previous scholars engaged in the analysis of

factors that cause academic performance, while there are numerous investigations that focus on factors

related to academic behavior, few of them include these factors within STEM learning environments. This

literature implies that there is a need for a study that would take a quantitative approach to examine the

determinants that affect STEM students academic performance in this context to inform the improvement

of student and teacher performance. Compared to the STEM approach as the best way to develop

problem-solving skills, there is a lack of information on the effects of this strategy, especially as long-term

results.
Research Objectives

- To investigate the limits and challenges the STEM students are experiencing.

- To observe how they cope with these challenges.

- To know the disturbances that caused these challenges.

Research Questions

- How did the STEM students cope with the difficulties in their specialized subjects?

- Why do STEM students find the specialized subjects in their strand challenging?

- What specific challenges are the STEM students experiencing?

Scope and Delimitations

This research was conducted to investigate the limits and challenges the STEM students are experiencing

and to observe how they cope with these challenges and also to know the disturbances that caused these

challenges. This study will be conducted at the Divine Word College of Urdaneta, Inc. during the school

year 2024-2025. The participants are the Grade 11 STEM 16-17 year old students from DWCU. This

research focuses on how the students face their struggles with learning in their specialized subjects which

affects their learning in their specialized subjects which affects their learning skills among the Grade 11

STEM students. This study is confined to Grade 11 students enrolled in STEM and the specialized

subjects at DWCU.

Significance of the Study

This study aims to explore how STEM students from Divine Word College of Urdaneta handle the

challenges that are overlooked in their specialized subjects. It aims to recognize the common challenges

these students face and also the strategies they use to overcome it. Additionally, this research emphasizes

the particular challenges by STEM students in learning conceptual difficulties with abstract topics,
hurdles in problem-solving, preferentially limitations in conducting laboratory and research based

activities. Responding to these concerns can contribute to actionable perception for educators and

administrators of higher quality of supporting students on learning and engaging in their specialized

subjects.

Definition of Terms

STEM - a strand in senior high school that stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

This strand teaches students on how to apply mathematics, science, technology and engineering on

solving problems, creating their critical and collaboration skills.

Cope - to deal successfully with a difficult situation (Cope, 2025). Limits - a boundary of a person.

Specialized subjects - subjects that are unique to the career track or learning strand that the student chose

(Senior High School - IHMA, n.d.).

Anito, J.C., Jr., Morales, M.P.E., & Palisoc, C.P. (2019). The pedagogical model for Philippine

STEAM education. Paper presented during the National Forum for STEAM in Higher

Education, Manila, Philippines.

Benildo et al., 2023. Factors affecting lower academic performance of grade 11 STEM students

of ECT Excellencia Global Academy Foundation Inc.

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11-stem-students-of-ect-excellencia-global-academy-foundation-inc/viewer

Caup, A., Duda, A.K., (2017). Perceptions of Parents, Students, and Teachers of Pikit National

High School, Pikit, Cotabato on The Implementation of The K to 12 Program of The

Department Of Education. 2nd International Conference on Educational Management and

Administration(CoEMA 2017).

Holland, D.G. (2019). The Struggle to Belong and Thrive. In: Seymour, E., Hunter, AB. (eds)

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Kadkhoda, A. M., Ahmadi, F., Hamidi, F., & Farzaneh, N. L. (2023). The effects of the STEM

approach on students’ problem solving skills in science education. idej.journals.pnu.ac.ir.

https://doi.org/10.30473/idej.2023.68191.1161
Quimson, J. Q. (2021). STEM Students’ Engagement in Horizontal Transfer from Calculus to

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Rogayan, D. V., Jr, Rafanan, R. J. L., & De Guzman, C. Y. (2021). Challenges in STEM

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