Chapter 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

This chapter includes the introduction, background of the study, scope and

limitation of the study, statement of the problem, theoretical framework, conceptual

framework and definition of terms.

Introduction

Math was taught to everyone ever since they were little, math is something

people use, all the time. Inside our house, outside, especially in school, and in

work. Math includes numbers, letters, and equations, however, it is much more

than that—math is a way of thinking, a method of explaining arguments and solving

problems, a foundation upon which modern society is made, a structure that nature

is patterned by, and math is everywhere.

Mathematics is all around us, in everything that we do. It is the building block

for everything in our daily lives, including mobile devices, money, art, architecture

(ancient and modern), engineering, and even sports (Hom, 2013). According to

Dictionary.com, mathematics is a group of related sciences, including algebra,

geometry, and calculus, concerned with the study of number, quantity, shape, and

space and their interrelationships by using a specialized notation.

Students’ belief in solving the given problems can influence the ability to

understand mathematics. Nowadays, students find it difficult to understand

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mathematics. Knowing the mathematical ability of the students is an indispensable

thing because the teacher can know the difficulties faced by the students. In that

case, the teacher can design the right learning method so that student

achievement can increase and for the subject matter to be delivered well

(Ramdhani, Usodo & Subanti, 2017).

Materials in mathematics are not only provided as an ability to memorize,

but to also train the ability of the students to understand mathematics (Ramdhani

et al., 2017). One example of the materials used in mathematics is the DD Cards

which is a card whose function is to test the ability of the students in solving basic

mathematics quickly and accurately which can build the students’ foundation for

complex equations and mathematical solving.

Ever since, students in the elementary department of R.E.C. School use

Diagnostic Drill Cards but these previous years, students in the seventh grade are

now using Diagnostic Drill Cards too for them to be more prepared on their

Mathematics subject, especially now that Mathematics on junior high school

comprises of integers.

Background of the Study

Keith Devlin describes Egyptian and Babylonian mathematics in

Mathematics: The Science of Pattern, up to 500 B.C. as "the study of number,"

and, as "the study of number and shape" in the era of Greek mathematics from

500 B.C. to 300 A.D. In the mid-1600's, mathematics became "the study of number,
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shape, motion, change, and space" with the invention of calculus by Newton and

Leibniz. As interest grew in mathematics itself, "by the end of the nineteenth

century, mathematics had become the study of number, shape, motion, change,

and space, and of the mathematical tools that are used in this study." Mathematical

activity and knowledge has increased more than a thousand fold in the past

century.

Mathematics has been a part of the human search for understanding for

more than two thousand years. Mathematical discoveries have come both from the

desire to arrive at a form of inescapable truth from careful reasoning and from the

attempt to describe the natural world. For mathematical thinking these remain

fruitful and important motivations but mathematics, in the last century, has been

successfully applied to many other aspects of the human world: voting trends in

politics, the dating of ancient artifacts, the analysis of automobile traffic patterns,

and long-term strategies for the sustainable harvest of deciduous forests, to

mention a few.

Taken up at the Pre-K level all the way to college, Mathematics is one of

the subjects most studied. Over the years, the Philippine mathematics basic

education curriculum has undergone several revisions. The New Elementary

School Curriculum (NESC) was implemented in 1983. In 1988, New Secondary

Education Curriculum (better known as the Secondary Education Development

Program or SEDP Curriculum), was launched. The Department of Education,

Culture and Sports (DECS, now Department of Education) decided to adopt the
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Refined Basic Education Curriculum (RBEC) in 2002 after curricular reviews that

began in 1995.

At the elementary and secondary levels, the Philippine mathematics

education program aims to teach the most fundamental and useful contents of

mathematics and organizes these into strands. Much of mathematics is formally

introduced in high school. High school mathematics prepares students for college

and university as well as provides them with the comprehensive set of

mathematical concepts and skills that they need should they choose to discover

work right after year 10 or 11. The mathematics taught is formal, highly structural,

highly symbolic and high level at these grade levels.

One of the keys to progress in understanding mathematics and,

specifically, algebra is mastering the four basic mathematical operations—

addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division—for the reason that it has

application in the most advanced mathematical theories.

Mathematical tools allow students to deepen their mathematical

understanding and to be actively engaged in learning mathematics. These tools

include hands-on and manipulative materials that can be effective for developing,

clarifying and applying mathematical concepts. These materials should be

carefully integrated into the instructional process.

Some example of the materials are the flash cards and DD Cards if you

have difficulty performing the basic operations for simple numbers. Even cutting

up a sheet of paper into sections is sufficient; just write the numbers and operation
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on one side (such as 3 8) and the answer (24, for example) on the other. This

way, without simply relying on a calculator, you can practice your math skills.

In mathematics learning, assessment is an essential component. Results

are useful to both teachers and students, whether the assessment is carried out

by teachers or external groups and during or all throughout the learning period or

at the end of it. Formal or informal, through assessment, the students know how

much mathematics they have learned and how much more they need to know. To

understand the different dimensions of students’ learning, assessment tools must

be varied in order. While quizzes and exams have a place in measuring skills,

knowledge development and acquisition, many aspects of mathematical learning

could be more effectively measured by other means.

These days in many different types of jobs, including those related to

engineering, business, science, medicine and more, mathematics is important. To

pursue higher education, students today require stronger mathematical

knowledge, skills and values, to compete and be part of the technologically

oriented workforce and to be informed citizens.

In R.E.C. School, unlike in elementary that the DD Cards are whole

numbers, and the items are up to 100, in the seventh grade, it is integers and are

less than 100 items. The minutes of how long the students will answer the

diagnostic drill cards will depend on what operation will be used.

Scope and Limitation of the Study

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This study is all about the apprehension of the students in terms of using

Diagnostic Drill cards. The grade seven students of R.E.C. School for S.Y. 2019-

2020 are the participants in conducting this study. This study only limits its

coverage on the grade seven-Pearl students.

Statement of the Problem

This research sought to answer the following questions:

1. What is the demographic profile of the participants in terms of:

1.1. Sex;

1.2. Age?

2. How will Diagnostic Drill cards help the grade 7 students in their Mathematics

subject?

3. What is the apprehension of the grade 7 students in terms of using Diagnostic

Drill Cards?

Theoretical Framework

Ertmer and Newby (2013) explained the importance of linking theories of

human learning to the instructional strategies or techniques. They indicated that

learning theories are considered a source of verifying instructional strategies as

well as a foundation for the choice of specific strategies. The theories provide

information about the relationships among context, strategies, and learner

characteristics for better integration, and, most importantly, for reliable prediction
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of the effectiveness of the selected instructional strategies (Khalil & Elkhider,

2016).

Conceptual Framework

INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT

1. What is the ● Diagnostic Drill Mathematical

demographic test in the four capability of grade
profile of the
basic 7 students in
participants in
terms of: mathematical terms of using DD
operations cards
1.1. Sex
● Written
1.2. Age interview before
and after the
2. How will
Diagnostic Drill Diagnostic Drill
cards help the Test
grade 7 students
in their
Mathematics
subject?
3. What is the
apprehension of
the grade 7
students in terms
of using
Diagnostic Drill
Cards?

FEEDBACK
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Figure 1. Conceptual Framework Showing the Apprehension of the Grade Seven

Learners of R.E.C. School in Terms of Using Diagnostic Drill Cards for S.Y.

2019-2020

Figure 1 shows the conceptual framework of the study wherein the input

consists of the statement of the problem while the process is through Diagnostic

Drill test in the four basic mathematical operations and written interview before and

after the Diagnostic Drill Test and the output is the mathematical capability of grade

7 students in terms of using DD cards.

Definition of Terms

The following terms were defined operationally in the study to clarify and

simplify the study.

Addition - adding two (or more) numbers means to find their sum (or total)

Apprehension - the act or power of perceiving or comprehending something

Division - 'undoes' multiplication and involves a number called the dividend being

'divided' by another number called the divisor

Four basic mathematical operations - addition, subtraction, multiplication and

division; they provide the basis for the most complex operations used in

mathematics
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Instructional materials - any collection of materials including animate and

inanimate objects and human and non-human resources that a teacher may use

in teaching and learning situations to help achieve desired learning objectives

Mathematics - the abstract science of number, quantity, and space. It may be

studied in its own right

Mathematical ability - the ability to obtain, process, and retain mathematical

information

Multiplication - means times (or repeated addition)

Student - a person who attends a school, college, or university

Subtraction - the subtracting of one number from another number to find the

difference between them

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Chapter 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDY

This chapter presents related local and foreign literature and studies to

provide a background for further understanding of this study.

Related Literature

As we see Mathematics, it has the following roles in Philippine Education:

facilitating participation in productive life activities, serving as a means of

communication, operating as a gateway to national progress and providing a way

of making sense of the world. Mathematics is indeed worthy of the focus and

attention it receives in our curriculum for the significant role it plays in our lives as

Filipinos. It is our hope that we can help educators enrich their students’ lives as

they give them the gift of a high quality mathematics education through this

framework (SEI-DOST& MATHTED, 2011).

At any age and in any circumstance, Mathematics is one subject that

pervades life. Mathematics as a school subject, therefore, should be learned

comprehensively and with a lot of depth. In teaching mathematics, we recognize

that the use of appropriate tools is necessary. More importantly, the K to 10

Mathematics Curriculum, provides necessary concepts and life skills needed by

Filipino learners as they proceed to the next stage in their life as learners and as

citizens of the Philippines (K to 12 Mathematics Curriculum Guide, 2016).

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In a manner of teaching instruction, teachers and educators of today’s

generation should have a paradigm shift. According to Elena R. Ruiz – Assistant

Secretary for Programs and Projects of the Department Education within the

Aquino Administration, we must have the following methods to attain success in

mathematics education: Capability building wherein the teachers got to have

trainings, grant scholarships and provide incentives for teachers to encourage

more in teaching. Another is student competitions – our students have to be

motivated more in joining mathematics competitions from district level to national

level, and attend Math Camp Olympiad and Congress (Guevarra, 2018).

Leone, Wilson, and Mulcahy (2010) stated that to support the development

of mathematics proficiency for youth in short-term juvenile correctional facilities,

one of the guides designed is to teach students mnemonic devices to remember

concepts or processes. To teach new concepts to students, mnemonic devices

can be used within a strategy instruction approach. Mnemonics assist in the

memorization of new or difficult concepts by developing artificial cognitive

structures that organize and order concepts so that they are mutually evocative.

Often, you can find disengaged students, some with blank faces and the

rest others dozing off in mathematics class/lecture. To make the class interesting

enough for the students is a daunting task for the teacher and to find an innovative

way to teach the subject to the students is a crucial skill for the teachers. To truly

enhance the learning process, the teacher has to adopt methods and approaches.

Applying attention-management and innovative learning techniques to classes is

a win-win for both students and teachers (Kumar 2016).

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Related Studies

Silao (2018) determined the factors affecting the mathematics performance

of Kiamba SPED Center pupils in Kiamba, Sarangani, Philippines. Respondents

consists of 95 pupils from the Fast-Learner section from Grades lV, V, and Vl pupils

of Kiamba Central School SPED Center. The instruments used were the Basic

Skills Test, the Attitude Scale Test, Parental Involvement Questionnaire and the

Problem Solving Test. There is a significant relationship between the problem

solving skills and the pupils' mastery of basic skills, attitude towards mathematics,

and parental involvement, the result of the study showed.

To make pupils effective problem solvers is the main goal of mathematics.

In order to develop the problem–solving skills of pupils in the elementary level,

research–based grade level–appropriate instructional materials are therefore

indispensable. As revealed by Philippine National Achievement Test of Grade

VI student, one area where students find greatest difficulty is on fraction. As

revealed by the pre-test and the post test, the use of the instructional material

using algebra as a tool in problem–solving increased the number of pupils using

algebraic solution from 7.5% to 20.9% (Torio, 2015).

Villanueva (2015) aimed to determine the significant relationship between

the general point average in Mathematics and respondents’ results in the

Numeracy Level Test. In order to propose remediation program in Mathematics

that will enhance and promote better performance of learners in the level of
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numeracy, it was conducted among grades 7-9 of LCNHS-Mayao Parada

Extension in Lucena City. As results, the researcher proposed a remediation

program that will improve the level of numeracy and proficiency that will enhance

and promote better performance of respondent.

To safely administer medicines and fluids to patients, mathematical ability

is a skill nurses need. However some nurses and nursing students lack

mathematical proficiency. To assess the mathematical abilities of nursing

students, a tool was devised. This was administered to 304 nursing students in

one Higher Education Institution (HEI) in Wales, United Kingdom (UK). The tool

proved useful in two ways; in identifying those students who needed extra tutorial

support in mathematics and those areas of mathematics that presented difficulties

for students (Harvey et al., 2009).

In examining the effectiveness of math racetrack procedure with basic math

facts and of DI flashcards, three students enrolled in a rural elementary school and

at-risk for school failure are served as participants. All three students improved

their performance as indicated by the overall results. Also, on their timed tests,

each student could complete more problems correctly per minute. Pre and posttest

scores for math facts also improved (Walker, McLaughlin, Derby & Weber, 2012).

Chapter 3

RESEARCH METHOD AND PROCEDURE

This chapter provides the methods of research, setting of the study, subject

of the study, procedure of the study and sources of data.

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Methods of Research

This study will use the Qualitative method of research in determining the

apprehension of the students. Qualitative data is non-numerical in nature. This

data type can be observed and recorded. This type of data is collected through

methods of observations, questionnaires, one-to-one interview, conducting focus

groups and similar methods.

Setting of the Study

Subject of the Study

The participants of this study are the grade seven-Pearl students of R.E.C.

School of S.Y. 2019-2020. All the grade seven-Pearl students will be used as the

subject of this study.

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Procedure of the Study

The researchers will first interview the participants through written interview

about the given topic, then, the researchers will distribute the Diagnostic Drill Cards

and the students will be given enough time to answer. After collecting the students’

answers, the researchers will interview the students again about the Diagnostic

Drill Cards they answered.

Sources of Data

The instruments that will be used in this study are written interviews and

Diagnostic Drill Cards to know the participants’ apprehension in terms of using

Diagnostic Drill Cards. The researchers will interview the students before and after

the students answer the Diagnostic Drill Cards.

Chapter 4

PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

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This chapter discusses the presentation, analysis and interpretation of data

which are obtained from the fifteen (15) grade 7 students of R.E.C. School. The

results of the study are presented in graphic format.

Table 1:

Demographic Profile of the Grade Seven Students

of R.E.C. School Regarding their Sex

SEX FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE

MALE 9 60%

FEMALE 6 40%

TOTAL 15 100%

Table 2

Demographic Profile of the Grade Seven Students

of R. E. C. School Regarding their Age

AGE FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE

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11 1 6.67%

12 12 80%

13 2 13.33%

TOTAL 15 100%

1. The interpretation that discusses on what the students know about Diagnostic

Drill Cards or DD Cards.

Out of the 15 participants, five (5) 26% of the students said that the

Diagnostic Drill Cards is about solving, three (3) 20% students said that DD Cards

is about Math and solving, two (2) 13% students said that it is about Math, one (1)

6% Out of the 15 participants, four (4) students did not answer the question, of the

students said that it is about solving the numbers, another student said that it is

about answering math problems, someone also said it ask the people to write the

answers, a student also said that it is a number that can be multiplied and one (1)

6% student said it could be multiplication, addition, subtraction and division. The

interpretation shows that all the grade seven students know about Diagnostic Drill

Cards.

2. The interpretation that discusses if the students accomplish/finish answering DD

Cards within the time limit given to them and if not, what specific number of items

can they answer it.

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Out of the 15 participants, four (4) 26% students did not answer the

question, three (3) 20% students said they cannot finish answering the DD Cards

and only get up to 10, 30 and 39 items, also, two (2) 13% students said that they

can only finish answering half of the DD Cards, another student also said that he

cannot finish answering or he can only finish answering half of the DD Cards,

another student also said he cannot finish answering the DD Cards because the

time limit given is only five minutes, one (1) 6% student said that sometime she

finishes the DD Cards and sometimes no, she thinks they need more than 10

minutes to answer the DD Cards, one (1) 6% student also said that they need 10-

12 minutes to answer the DD Cards, a student said she can finish the DD Cards if

the operation is multiplication, but if it is division, she cannot, a student said he

think so that he can finish answering the DD Cards, while only (1) 6% student out

of the fifteen (15) participants said he can finish answering the DD Cards within

the given time limit. The interpretation shows that majority of the grade seven

students cannot finish/accomplish answering the Diagnostic Drill Cards within the

given time limit.

3. The interpretation that discusses if the students think DD Cards is a good way

to introduce Mathematics, especially the 4 basic operations to them.

Out of the 15 participants, fourteen (14) 93% students agreed that DD Cards

is a good way to introduce Mathematics, especially the 4 basic operations to them,

three (3) 20% students said because of solving, the other ten (11) 73% students

said because it shows the 4 basic operation, it helps the kids to solve, it is like a

practice to improve her brain at Math, it helps us to do many things, it can practice
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us to answer in Mathematics subject, we can solve all the question depending on

the number, it can help us slowly, it helps us to solve the quotient, because they

make DD Cards a challenge to know how fast a student can solve and because it

helps the students learn fast and one (1) 6% student agreed but did not state the

reason why while the other student did not respond to the question. The

interpretation shows that most of the grade seven students think DD Cards is a

good way to introduce Mathematics, especially the 4 basic operations to them.

4. The interpretation that discusses the students’ own opinion about how often do

students have to use/answer DD Cards.

Out of the 15 participants, four (4) 26% students said it should be every

month, two (2) 13% students said it should be every quarter, one (1) 6% student

said it should be every quarter or once a month, another student also said every

quarter because it can help her solve the mathematical question easily, two (2)

13% students said it should be once a week, because, one of the two students

said it can help us enhance the skills in Mathematics, a student said sometimes,

while the other students said to make easy, by learning Math subject and because

Math is one of the major exam so it can make his grades in Math higher while one

(1) 6% student did not answer the question.

5. The interpretation that discusses how do students think DD Cards can help them

in their Mathematics subject.

Out of the 15 participants, three (3) 20% students said it can help teach

them how to solve the four basic operations, three (3) 20% students also said that
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it can help them solve faster in their Mathematics subject, one (1) 6% student also

said it can challenge her brain and also help her solve faster, one (1) 6% student

said that it can help us enhance our skills in Math, one (1) 6% student said that it

can help us by enhancing the children to multiply, one (1) 6% student said that it

helps us solve any numbers in different operation, one (1) 6% student said to think

easy, one (1) 6% student said to learn to multiply, one (1) 6% student said by

solving and answering, one (1) 6% student said that it can help him multiply fast,

and the remaining one (1) 6% student did not answer the question.

The participants answered the written interview first before answering the

DD Cards for eight (8) minutes each operation.