1

WORKING MEMORY AMONG GRADE 12 STEM STUDENTS:

BASIS FOR INTERVENTION PROGRAM

A research paper Presented to the Faculty of

Senior High School Department

In partial fulfillment of

The Requirement for

Practical Research 2

By

Entero, Noraine Joyce G.

Berdos, Pauleen Grace

Tuclaud, Faith Aleah C.

Baluarte, Allen L.

Buat, Chedel F.

September 2024
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE i

TABLE OF CONTENTS ii

Chapter Page

1 INTRODUCTION

Rationale 1

Research Objective 3

Hypothesis 3

Review of Related Literature 3

Theoretical Framework 8

Conceptual Framework 9

Significance of the Study 9

Definition of Terms 11

2 METHODOLOGY

Research Design 12

Research Locale 12

Population and Sample 13

Research Instrument 13

Data Collection 14

Statistical Tool 15
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REFERENCES 16
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CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION

Working memory is a sort of short-term memory that stores information

briefly while performing cognitive processes such as understanding, problem

solving, reasoning, and learning. Since this temporary storage is brief and

fleeting, it has little effect on the brain. Working memory is critical for attention,

learning, and memory. Working memory has three major components: encoding,

storing, and retrieving (Bistami, 2023).

In Switzerland, a study examined the relationship between cognitive

abilities, including working memory, and achievements in science, technology,

engineering, and mathematics STEM fields. In a study with 319 students, two

were excluded due to prior experience or extreme outlier values. Our sample

comprised 8-15% of mechanical engineering students and 9-26% of math-

physics students. The proportion of women matched ETH's typical proportions.

The mean age was 19.5, ranging from 17 to 25. There were no significant

differences between cohorts in age, study program proportions, or female

proportions. We recommend that SA training might benefit performance in

particular spatial tasks, but may not be the optimal way of improving students’

achievements in math-intensive courses. Even if SA training yields learning gains

in math in less selected samples, these could be driven by factors not specific to

visualization. Understanding what is, in fact, being trained in SA training could

help clarify these questions. Working memory is a critical cognitive ability that

aids in STEM education by temporarily storing and manipulating information for

problem-solving, understanding abstract concepts, and performing tasks. Strong

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working memory significantly enhances a student's ability to succeed in STEM

fields (Berkowitz, et al. 2018).

The study found a substantial association between Mayapyap National

High School pupils in Cabanatuan City and their working memory ability. Working

Memory (WM) has risen in prominence over the last 40 years, expanding from its

origins in cognitive psychology to other areas of cognitive science and

neuroscience, and being used in domains as diverse as education, psychiatry,

and palaeoanthropology. Working memory is assumed to be a specialized

memory component that stores and manipulates information temporarily in order

to perform a cognitive task. It requires being able to recall something and then

perform an activity using that memory. This skill allows students to remember

information and apply it for learning, reasoning, or producing results. It refers to

the ability to recall information and then apply that knowledge to execute a task.

This skill allows students to remember information and apply it for learning,

reasoning, or producing results (Gelacio, 2021).

Furthermore, reading difficulties are a continuous issue that affects people

of all ages, genders, and socioeconomic levels. Research done at Davao

Oriental on 120 randomly selected junior high school teachers revealed that they

are connected with deficiencies in a variety of cognitive domains, including

working memory, attention, and phonological processing. The study found that

reading difficulties had a major impact on cognitive development, phonological

awareness, working memory, attention, and language comprehension.

Additionally, reading challenges might impede the development of vocabulary,

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background knowledge, and critical thinking abilities, all of which are essential for

cognitive development. Addressing reading challenges is critical to promoting

cognitive growth (Colegado, 2024).

A study on Working Memory among Grade 12 STEM Students was

urgently necessary in this particular situation. Through this study, different

stakeholders may learn different benefits, according to the researcher.

Research Objectives

The main object of this study is to propose an intervention design on

Working Memory among Grade 12 STEM Students on the basis of the study

result. The specific objectives are enumerated as follows:

1. To determine the capacity of Working Memory among Grade 12 STEM

Students.

2. To determine whether there is a discernible variation in Working Memory

among Grade 12 STEM students when the respondents are examined by:

2.1. Sex

3. In order to suggest an intervention program based on the findings of the study.

Hypothesis

The null hypothesis of the study is that there is no significant difference on

the level of Working Memory among Grade 12 STEM students when the

respondents are grouped by sex. This will be tested at 0.05 level of significant.

Literature Review
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Presented in this section are the related literature that are relevant in the

present study taken from various sources such as books, magazines,

newspaper,

journal and internet.

Working Memory

As stated in the study of Blashill (2016), research has demonstrated that

low working memory can impact academic performance in various disciplines;

however, it is also possible for low working memory to stem from other

underlying causes. Since childhood is a time of fast neurological development,

unnecessary stress might have more severe long-term effects on a person.

Previous studies indicate that those with high levels of psychological stress

related to anxiety had poorer executive performance, particularly in the domain

of working memory. Research indicates that working memory, both verbal and

visual-spatial, was significantly predicted by academic stress. Also, in these

models, it was discovered that the association between achievement and

academic stress was significantly mediated by both verbal and visual-spatial

working memory abilities. The effects of recent life stress on working memory

were examined in another study. The results supported the hypothesis that

higher exposure to recent life stress was linked to worse performance on tests of

working and long-term memory as well as higher rates of self-reported memory

issues. Even after accounting for potential confounding variables including

participant age, sex, and negative affect, these relationships remained relatively

strong (Shields et al., 2017).

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As indicated in the study of Miller et al. (2018), working memory is the

essential feature that allows us to break out from reflexive input-output

processes and achieve control of our own ideas. It has two sorts of mechanisms:

online information management and volitional or executive control. Synaptic

weight alterations during sparse bursts of spikes improve working memory

maintenance. Executive control is achieved by the interaction of network

oscillations in superficial cortical layers with alpha and beta waves in deep

cortical levels. Deep-layer alpha and beta neurons are connected with top-down

information and inhibition. It controls the flow of bottom-up sensory information

connected with the superficial layer gamma. We argue that interactions between

rhythms in various cortical layers are responsible for working memory

maintenance and volitional control.

Moreover, as stated of Verhaeghen (2018), working memory serves as a

temporary buffer for cognitive processing and is an integral component of the

cognitive system. Its potential and certain features of its operation are age

sensitive, particularly for spatial rather than verbal material. This reduction is

thought to be caused by a decrease in cognitive resources (such as processing

speed) and/or a failure in basic control mechanisms. According to meta-

analyses, a reduction in cognitive resources explains far more of the age-related

variance in real working memory tasks than a breakdown in basic control

processes, despite the latter being heavily implicated in passive storage tasks.

Working memory capacity declines with age, affecting more sophisticated parts

of cognition. Working memory remains malleable in old age, and training in

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working memory and cognitive control functions produces near transfer effects

with minimal evidence of strong far transfer.

According to the study of Oberauer (2019), the preservation of temporary

bindings is constrained by the working memory's capacity. This binding

hypothesis is supported by two trials in which participants remembered word lists

of different lengths. Their error rates rose as the list got longer when tested on a

word chosen at random, indicating a limited ability for short-term maintenance.

The main cause of this rise in errors was binding errors: individuals rarely

mistook terms not in the list with the correct word, but they did so with other

words in the current memory list. Two measurement models that capture

memory for items and for bindings in different parameters were used to assess

the frequencies of response choices. One model was based on the assumption

of discrete memory states, while the other assumed continuous memory

strength. Supporting the binding theory, increasing the size of the memory set

reduced binding memory but not item memory.

Also, based on the study of Cowan (2014), working memory is a

temporary cognitive system that holds and manipulates information for mental

tasks such as problem-solving and decision-making. It is a vital component of

human intelligence and plays a significant role in learning and education.

Cognitive developmental improvements in working memory occur throughout

childhood and adolescence, with children being able to hold more information in

working memory as they grow older. Adequate working memory capacity is

essential for academic success, particularly in subjects such as mathematics and

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reading. Interventions that target working memory skills, such as training

programs and cognitive exercises, have been shown to improve academic

performance and reduce learning disabilities.

Furthermore, working memory is a mechanism that stores and manipulates

information for many seconds while doing various cognitive activities.

Traditionally, it was thought that the neural basis of working memory was the

stationary sustained firing of certain neuronal groups. Recent advancements

have presented new hypotheses about putative working memory processes,

including short-term synaptic facilitation, precise modulation of recurrent

excitation and inhibition, and intrinsic network dynamics. These concepts are

driven by computational considerations and a thorough examination of

experimental evidence. Taken collectively, they may reflect the multitude of

diverse mechanisms that underpin working memory in the brain (Barak &

Tsodyks, 2014).

According to the study of Cockcroft (2015), working memory is a cognitive

ability that allows individuals to temporarily store and manipulate information. It

differs from long-term memory in both its functioning and capacity. Working

memory is essential for optimal learning and development. Despite extensive

research on its theoretical aspects, there is a lack of research on how children

perform in educational settings and how to support and improve their academic

performance. Working memory has five key aspects and their implications for

early childhood development, learning, and education. These aspects include the

role of working memory components in early childhood learning, methods for

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assessing working memory in children, development of verbal and visual working

memory, manifestations of working memory difficulties in children, and ways to

improve working memory.

In addition, working memory capacity has been identified as an important

variable when performing and learning sports-related abilities. In this review, we

critically examine the evidence linking working memory capacity to performance

under duress, tactical decision making, motor skill learning, and sport

competence. Laboratory experiments show that decreased working memory

capacity is associated with lower performance under pressure and poorer

decision making when distractions or conflict are present. However, the

generalizability of these findings is unknown. While working memory capacity

has been linked to the earning of simple motor abilities, there is no evidence for

sophisticated motor skills in the existing data (Buszard et al., 2017).

Another study was conducted by Del Angel et al. (2015) to study at how

five days of lack of sleep affected the storage components of working memory.

The findings indicate that working memory's phonological and visuospatial

storage components are negatively impacted by five days of sleep deprivation,

which may make it more difficult to process verbal information and solve

problems requiring spatial analysis. Reduced sleep negatively impacts numerous

cognitive functions, including working memory, which is essential for carrying out

a wide range of tasks.

Theoretical Framework
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As stated by the study of Adams et al. (2018), working memory is defined

as a small quantity of knowledge that may be briefly retained in an accessible

condition, making it beneficial for a variety of cognitive functions. It is one of the

most often debated subjects in psychology science. Working memory is believed

to have a part in a wide range of activities and cognitive processes, which

contributes to its popularity. As a real-world example, suppose a teacher tells the

class that Earth is the third planet from the sun and asks a specific student to

locate it on a solar system map on the wall. The youngster must recall the first

half of the teacher's discourse while digesting the second. At this stage,

thoughts, about performing in front of the class and how to deal with such social

pressure may preoccupy working memory, interfering with the assignment.

Conceptual Framework

The conceptual paradigm is presented in Figure 1. The variable is

Working Memory, it is the degree to which a student stores information briefly.

This degree includes the capacity to carry out cognitive functions including

acquiring knowledge, comprehending, problem solving, and thinking.

Input Output

Working Memory
Intervention
Program
gram
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Sex:
Male (11)
Female (19)

Moderate Variable

Figure 1. Conceptual Framework

Significance of the Study

This study would help school administrators, teachers, parents, students

and future researchers. The result of this research would further the theoretical

background of working memory among Grade 12 STEM students. To the

Administrators, the outcome of the research will serve as the administrator's

general guidance for the action that they are going to take to provide each of the

students with knowledge, particularly in the student's working memory, access to

educational resources and tools that aid memory, and a supportive learning

environment. Additionally, this guarantees that the learning environment for

students is appropriate for their field of study, making them globally competitive

individuals. To the teachers, the study will give them knowledge on how to

improve their teaching styles to accommodate their student’s working memory. It

will efficiently produce teachers who are competitive and develop more methods

and relevant ways when it comes to teaching. With instructional strategies that

will simultaneously increase student engagement and enhance students'

capacity for learning, which often leads to contentment and satisfaction pupils.

To the parents, the study will give awareness regarding the condition of

their students. Parents can think of possible ways to improve their child or
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students working memory according to their knowledge as a parent. To the

students, this research significantly assists in communicating the student's

worries and the significance of their individuality in addition to their perspectives

on life. The knowledge they have gained allows them to better understand their

health and how important their working memory is, and also recognises their own

satisfaction in relation to the actions they take on a daily basis as it moulds their

future over time. To the future researchers, the findings of the study about

working memory will serve to be a reference for a larger-scale investigations in

the future. There will be more concrete information, particularly to the study's

anticipated factors for the single variable.

Definition of Terms

Working Memory- This will help to deepen the knowledge of individuals about

the working memory that we use every day, and it will also be a guide for them in

conducting their own study.

STEM students- refers to the respondent of the study.

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CHAPTER 2
METHODOLOGY

Research Design

The research design for this study will be descriptive-comparative. A

quantitative research design known as descriptive-comparative research seeks

to characterize the variations across groups within a population without

modifying the independent variable (Cantrell, 2011). Within the framework of this

study, the researcher will ascertain whether the respondents' responses differ

significantly based on their sex. However, a four-point Likert scale will be used

for the quantitative data collection, with the options being strongly disagree,

disagree, agree, and highly agree.

Research Locale

The research study will be conducted in the institution of one of the private

schools in Davao. This college and senior high institution are strategically

situated in the heart of the city, the booming Ecoland Drive, Matina, Davao City.

The institution is composed of eight different departments, which are the College

of Business Administration, College of Education, College of Criminal Justice

Education, College of Nursing, College of Engineering, College of Hospitality

Management, College of Information technology and Senior High School.

Senior High School has four different departments, also called strand. The

General Academic Strand (GAS), Accountancy and Business Management

(ABM), Science, Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), but the

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chosen respondents of this study are the Grade 12 students under the Science,

Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics strand.

Population and Sample

The respondents of this study will be 30 participants. All are grade 12

students under science, technology, engineering and mathematics; female with

19 respondents and male with 11 respondents during 1st semester of school

year 2024-2025. Stratified random sampling method will be used in selecting the

respondents.

Population (N) Sample

Section
Male Female Male Female

Lourdes 9 31 1 5

Medal 21 11 3 2

Light 9 31 1 5

P.Help 21 19 3 3

Manaoag 16 24 3 4

Total 76 116 11 19

Research Instrument

The researcher adapted a survey questionnaire. The first draft will be

submitted to the researcher adviser for comments and suggestions then to the
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principal to make sure that the questionnaire will be valid and reliable. The

mentioned questionnaire gauged the level of Working Memory Among Grade 12

STEM students.

The variable of the study will be scaled using the 4-level Likert scaling system as

follows:

Parameter Limit Descriptive Level Interpretation

3.26 – 4.00 Very High The level of Working

memory Among Grade
12 STEM students is
always manifested.

2.51 – 3.25 High The level of Working

memory Among Grade
12 STEM students is
often manifested.

1.76 – 2.50 Low The level of Working

memory Among Grade
12 STEM students is
seldom manifested.

1.00 – 1.75 Very Low The level of Working

memory Among Grade
12 STEM students is
never manifested.

Data Collection
The researcher will conduct the following steps in the study. A letter asking

permission to conduct a survey will be forwarded to the principal for self-purpose

and research duty noted by the Principal of the Senior High School Department,
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asking permission to conduct a survey among the students. Upon approval, the

researcher administered the questionnaire to the respondents and assisted them

in answering the said questionnaires at the same time. Questionnaires will be

then retrieved by the researcher after the respondents answered them and the

data collected will be tallied for statistical analysis.

Statistical Tool

The data were treated using the following statistical tools.

Mean. This will be used to determine the level of Working Memory Among

Grade 12 STEM students.

Standard Deviation. This will be used to determine the variability of the

data between the mean.

T-test. This will used to determine the significant difference on the level of

Working Memory Among Grade 12 STEM students.

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