Correlates of academic achievement of third and fourth year education students in Central Luzon State University SY 2002-2003

The study was undertaken to find out the correlates of academic achievement of third and fourth year education students in Central Luzon State University SY 2002-2003. The respondents were 274 third and forth year BEED and BSED students and 18 education faculty. Pre-tested survey questionnaires were used in collecting the data. The data on student factors were birth order, household size, highest educational attainment of parents, parents' occupation, monthly family income, extra-curricular activities, scholarship grants, learning styles, perception on education faculty's teaching methods or approaches, high school weighted average, CLSU College Admission Test (CAT) score, average grade in basic English (100 and 105), and average grade in basic Math (100 and 105). The data on teachers were highest degree earned, field of specialization (major and minor), professional examinations passed, years of service, academic rank, seminar/in-service training attended, position held, membership in professional organization, and methods or approaches in teaching. The data on college condition were instructional and non-instructional facilities. Findings revealed that most (39.78%) of the student were middle born. They belonged to an average household size of six, had a monthly family income below poverty link had parents who were high school graduate, had fathers engaged in agricultural, craft and related occupations, and had mothers who were then unemployed or housekeepers. Moreover, most of them were involved in extra-curricular activities frequently organization or fraternity. Their high school weighted average ranged from 85.00 to 89.99 and their percentile rank in the CLSU CAT was 70-79. Most of the respondents had an average grade of 2.01-2.50 described as ”good” in basic English and 2.51-3.00 (fair) in basic Math. Generally, their academic achievement or college grade point average (GPA) is at the cluster of 2.01-2.50 described as ”good”. Scholarships that they enjoyed mostly came from government institutions. Most of the student respondents chose to study in a place free from noise and distraction. Their most effective way to learn a new lesson is to listen to lectures and take down notes. The best time in reading newly assigned lesson is at home, in specific time set for each subject, while the best way of reading is to read carefully and take down notes. When preparing for a quiz or exam, most of the student respondents read lectures and understand the lesson thoroughly, and make a reviewer. Generally the three most effective ways of studying for them were reading the lesson in advance, writing the details of each lessons and reviewing it before an examination, and reading notes regularly. The most frequently used method or approach in teaching by the College of Education faculty according to the student respondents was expository. This had a descriptive equivalent of ”often” used and ”effective”. With reference to teachers' characteristics, findings showed that majority of the teachers were licensed and 50 percent were with the rank of instructor. The test were assistant professor (27.78%), associate professor (5.56%), and full professor (16.67%). Their highest educational attainment was distributed as follows: BS (38.89%), MS (33.33%), or PH.D (27.78%). Their mean years of service was 10-14 years. Most of them held a curricular position, involved in an average of three in professional organizations and attended 5-9 seminars/in-service trainings for the last three years (44.44%). The most frequently used method/approach in teaching by the College of Education faculty according to them was lecture-discussion. This was described as ”always” used and ”very effective”. Correlation study revealed a highly significant relationship of student factors and students' academic achievement. These student factors were mother's occupation, presence of scholarship grant, high school weighted average, CLSU College Admission Test score, average grade in basic English, and average grade in basic Math. Number of extra-curricular involvement was only significantly related with academic achievement. The college condition in terms of instructional and non-instructional facilities was rated as ”adequate”. Among the facilities that had a negative correlation was between audio-aids and academic achievement. T-test revealed no significant differences between the perceptions of the teachers and those of the students regarding the effectiveness of teaching methods or approaches used by the education faculty and the adequate of college condition.