Readiness of senior high school science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students to learn basic calculus Rose Ann Fernandez Sinakay

Thesis (Master of Arts in Mathematics) -- Benguet State University, July 2018.

The study determined the level of readiness of senior high school students under Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) strand to learn the Basic Calculus course in terms of the readiness indicators - Grade 10 mathematics final grade, Grade 11 first semester mathematics average and the readiness test result.; compared the students' level of readiness along non - intellective and intellective variables that included sex, type of junior high school last attended, and degree they intend to pursue in college; and found out the relationship of mathematics grades and the level of readiness. The respondents were 144 11" graders who are entitled to enroll the specialized subject, Basic Calculus course. A teacher - made test was constructed consisting of 40 - item readiness test with a reliability coefficient of 0.76 which indicates a good reliability. This was one of the bases in determining the level of readiness of the respondents to learn Basic Calculus course. Both the descriptive and inferential statistics were applied in the study to analyze the data gathered at 0.05 and 0.01 levels of significance as bases in rejecting and accepting the null hypothesis. The findings showed that the level of readiness of the senior high school STEM strand students were significantly above average, average, and significantly below average level of readiness in terms of the included readiness indicators. Sex, type of junior high school last attended, and degree they intended to pursue in college do not significantly affect the level of readiness to learn Basic Calculus course. In addition, there were significant positive interrelationships among the identified readiness indicators. Furthermore, the respondents were expected to have a good performance in learning Basic Calculus coarse since they had similar level of readiness regardless of their sex, the type of junior high school they attended, and the degree they intended to pursue in college; and that the readiness test was a good tool in assessing their readiness level. Recommendations included: improving of students' mathematics 10 and mathematics 11 grades, exerting efforts to increase the retention of mathematics concepts, conducting remediation activities to address retention issues, adopting readiness test in assessing the level of readiness of SHS-STEM strand students in learning Basic Calculus course, and conducting a study integrating other variables in different academic strands and tracks in the senior high school.