Access, attitude and interest: Their influence on engagement and performance in Technology and Livelihood Education (T.L.E.)

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the students’ performance in Technology and Livelihood Education (T.L.E.) concerning their: (a) sex, (b) access to equipment, (c) attitude towards their T.L.E. teacher, (d) interest and (e) extent of engagement. The results of the study are intended to serve as basis for the improvement of the students’ performance in T.L.E. This was a descriptive-correlational study that employed a one-shot survey design using a questionnaire checklist. Quantitative data were gathered via researcher prepared self-administered questionnaire. The target population was grade VII regular class students of Iloilo National High School, School Year 2012-2013. The statistical tools utilized were SPSS, Version 17.0 and Microsoft Excel 2007. The findings of the study showed that grade VII regular class students of Iloilo National High School, S.Y. 2012-2013 had a very favorable attitude towards their T.L.E. teacher and moderate interest towards T.L.E. Although they have to access to equipment and had low extent of engagement, they had a “proficient” performance in T.L.E. Interest towards T.L.E. and sex, sex and T.L.E. performance, extent of engagement and T.L.E. performance; extent of engagement and T.L.E. performance were found to be significantly related. On the contrary, Sex and access to equipment, attitude towards teacher and extent of engagement; access to equipment and attitude towards T.L.E teacher to extent of engagement; Access to equipment and attitude towards T.L.E. teacher were not significantly related to T.L.E. performance. The researcher concluded that the null hypotheses of interest towards T.L.E. and sex; sex and T.L.E. performance; interest and extent of engagement; interest towards T.L.E. and T.L.E. performance and extent of engagement and T.L.E. performance were rejected. On the other hand, it was concluded that there is no significant correlation between access to equipment, attitude towards T.L.E. teacher and extent of engagement towards sex; between access to equipment and attitude towards their T.L.E. teacher to extent of engagement; Access to equipment and attitude towards their T.L.E. teacher to T.L.E. performance, thus the null hypothesis is accepted. This was understood to mean that the more the students are motivated, the more they show interest and engaged themselves to T.L.E. class and activities, the more they tend to perform academically better in T.L.E. However, although attitude towards T.L.E teacher and access to equipment had nothing to do with students’ performance in T.L.E., it is very important to note that students must have a good relationship with their teacher as well as access to equipment in order for them to improve and enhance their abilities and skills.