Chapter II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter is made up of three parts: (1) 45-

minute Class Duration, (2) Students’ Academic Performance

and (3) Synthesis.

Part one, 45-minute Class Duration, discusses the

importance of Class duration and how it influences

students’ academic achievement.

Part two, Academic performance, describes the

studies on students’ achievement on academics both

locally and internationally.

Part three, Synthesis, Summarizes the related

literature and studies reviewed in the study.

45-minute Class Duration

In education, time is one of the most valuable

resources, with class duration playing a critical role in

shaping the learning experience. As schools and

institutions worldwide experiment with different time

structures, the 45-minute class period has become a

standard for many. But does this time frame optimize

student engagement, comprehension, and ultimately,

academic performance? According to Chie (2024), the

Philippine Department of Education (DepEd) has allowed

schools to return to holding one-hour classes under the

new curriculum starting in the second quarter of the

school year. DepEd Order 12, s. 2024, released on

Wednesday, September 18, gives schools the option to

allocate 45, 55, or 60 minutes for each subject,

depending on teacher availability and the size of the

student population, among other factors. Teacher groups,

such as the Alliance of Concerned Teachers and the

Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC), have previously called

on Education Secretary Sonny Angara to amend the new

Matatag curriculum, as its shortened 45-minute class

duration inadvertently assigned teachers more subjects to

teach in a day. TDC Chairperson Benjo Basas described the

newly implemented curriculum for grades 3 to 10 as

“impractical” and “illegal,” arguing that it forces

teachers to handle eight sections in six hours to meet

their teaching load. The new curriculum was introduced as

part of DepEd’s efforts to address students’ learning

losses during the pandemic. It decongested the curriculum

for Kindergarten to Grade 10 and placed greater emphasis

on numeracy and literacy.

The research of Spitzer M.W.H.(2022) investigated

the relationship between study time and mathematical

achievement in K-12 students. It found that increasing

study time, especially for low-performing students, can

significantly improve performance. However, the quality

of study time, not just the quantity, is also important.

The study also found that the positive effects of

increased study time can persist over time.

Academic Achievement

Academic achievement refers to the performance

outcomes that indicate how well an individual has

achieved specific educational goals in environments like

schools, colleges, and universities. It is a broad and

multifaceted concept, encompassing various cognitive

skills across multiple domains, such as general abilities

like critical thinking and specific knowledge areas like

literacy, numeracy, science, and history. The measurement

of academic achievement varies, with indicators including

grades, standardized tests (e.g., SAT), educational

degrees, and certificates. These measures not only

reflect intellectual capacity but also determine future

opportunities in higher education and career paths.

Moreover, academic achievement is crucial on both

individual and societal levels, as it is closely linked

to socioeconomic development. International assessments

like PISA, administered by the OECD, provide important

insights into national academic performance, guiding

educational policies and improvements.

The study of Suleiman et al,(2024) has shed light on

the intricate web of variables that influence students’

success in their educational pursuits. Our findings

underscore the central role of prior academic performance

as well as study hour as a robust predictor of future

achievement, emphasizing the cumulative nature of

learning. Additionally, the significance of effective

study habits and time management cannot be overstated, as

students who cultivate disciplined routines and strategic

study approaches are better positioned for academic

excellence. Furthermore, extracurricular engagements and

revision of previous papers have emerged as influential

factors, highlighting the importance of intensive study.

It must be noted that balancing extracurricular

activities with academic commitments is a key challenge,

necessitating a thoughtful approach to time allocation.

According Mukun Liu (2022) study time was

recognized as an important factor for students’ grade.

Students need different levels of effort based on their

knowledge difficulty, learning ability, and career goals.

Firstly, students should invest the necessary study time

if they want to get better grade. Secondly, academic

performance does not need to make further requirements on

the amount of study time, and the main point is to

improve the learning skills. For example, they can make

good use of the time and find suitable learning methods.

Otherwise, it will not make much difference no matter the

time invested more or less. Students should not blindly

pursue the length of learning time, but should focus on

the learning quality in each hour. Reasonable improvement

of study efficiency can not only save learning time, but

also allow students to have extra time to explore

extracurricular interests. All in all, it is essential to

spend enough time, but it is even more critical to get

learning benefits during this period.