The Effectiveness of the K-12 Curriculum in Preparing Students for College

and Career Readiness

___________________________

A Thesis

Presented to

JEAN JASMINE UNGAB SOLIS

San Roque National High School

Alburquerque, Bohol

______________________________

In Partial Fullfilment

Of the Requirments of the subject

ENGLISH 10

______________________________

Cuizon, Firmo

Daluran, James Ryan

Daplin, Mecah Lyn

Daplin, Louiel Timothy

Delapena, Allaijha Mae

Doliguez, Jhon Lou Renz

Dumagan, Diane

Gonzaga, March

Labastida, Jessie James

Saguran, Rica

April 2024
Chapter 1
 INTRODUCTION

Rationale

In today's rapidly changing world, the importance of college and career

readiness cannot be overstated. With advancements in technology, globalization,

and the evolving demands of the job market, it is essential for students to

possess a solid foundation of knowledge and skills that will enable them to

succeed in higher education and the workforce. This is where the K-12

curriculum comes in. The curriculum is a comprehensive program that is

designed to equip students with the necessary skills to thrive in the modern

world. It encompasses a wide range of subjects, including language arts, math,

science, social studies, and elective courses, and is intended to prepare students

for post-secondary education and the workforce. In this research report, we will

analyze the effectiveness of the K-12 curriculum in achieving its primary goal of

college and career readiness. We will explore the various elements of the

curriculum, including the teaching methodologies, the course content, and the

assessments used to evaluate student performance. Our aim is to gain a better

understanding of how well the K-12 curriculum prepares students for the

challenges and opportunities of the modern world. By examining the curriculum

in detail and evaluating its effectiveness, we hope to identify areas where it can

be improved and make recommendations for future enhancements. Our goal is

to ensure that students receive a high-quality education that prepares them for

success in college and their chosen careers.

Objectives of the Study

This study aims to gather insights from educators, parents, and students

on the implementation of K to 12 programs in the country. The research utilized a

systematic approach to analyze the gathered data and sought to answer the

following questions:

1. What are the primary challenges that K to 12 programs face during their

implementation?

2. How do teachers incorporate different teaching approaches to enhance the

learning experience in K to 12 programs?

3. What are the opinions of teachers, students, and parents regarding the

implementation of K to 12 programs?

4. Based on existing literature, what action plans can be proposed to address

the gaps observed in the K to 12 curriculums?

5. What recommendations can be made to resolve the issues arising from the

implementation of K to 12 programs?

Research Methodology

The research design for this study will be a quantitative research

approach. The study will use a survey questionnaire to collect data from a
sample of students who have completed the K-12 curriculum and have entered

college or the workforce. The survey questionnaire will be designed to measure

the level of preparedness of the students in terms of academic skills, soft skills,

and technical skills.

The sample for this study will be selected using a stratified random

sampling technique. The sample will comprise of students who have completed

the K-12 curriculum, have entered college or the workforce, and are between the

ages of 18 and 24.

The data for this study will be collected using a survey questionnaire. The

questionnaire will be administered online to the selected sample using email. The

questionnaire will be designed to collect data on the following variables:

academic skills, soft skills, technical skills, and the effectiveness of the K-12

curriculum in preparing students for college and career readiness.

The data collected from the survey questionnaire will be analyzed using

statistical software. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize the data

collected from the survey questionnaire. Inferential statistics such as t-tests and

ANOVA will be used to test the hypotheses formulated for this study.

This research aims to investigate the effectiveness of the K-12 curriculum

in preparing students for college and career readiness. This study's findings will

provide valuable insights into the K-12 curriculum's effectiveness in achieving its

intended objectives. The results of this study will be useful to educational

policymakers and practitioners in evaluating and improving the K-12 curriculum.

Theoretical Background
 The K-12 curriculum is a crucial part of modern education, as it provides

students with a well-rounded education that prepares them for a successful

future. The curriculum is designed to develop essential skills such as critical

thinking, problem-solving, and communication, which are vital in both college and

the workforce. The curriculum is divided into several subject areas, including

language arts, math, science, social studies, and elective courses, which offer

students a diverse range of learning opportunities. Language arts courses focus

on developing students' reading, writing, and communication skills. These

courses help students to become proficient in reading and writing, which are

essential skills for success in college and the workforce. Math courses teach

students the fundamentals of mathematics, including algebra, geometry, and

trigonometry, which are essential for success in science, technology,

engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Science courses provide students

with an understanding of the natural world, including physics, chemistry, and

biology. These courses help students to develop critical thinking skills and the

ability to analyze complex data, which are essential for success in college and

the workforce. Social studies course focus on history, geography, and

economics, providing students with a broad understanding of the world around

them. Elective courses offer students the opportunity to explore a wide range of

interests, from the arts to technology and everything in between. These courses

allow students to develop skills that are not necessarily covered in the core

curriculum, such as creative thinking and problem-solving. Overall, the K-12

curriculum is designed to provide students with a well-rounded education that

prepares them for success in college and the workforce. By providing a solid

foundation of knowledge and skills, the curriculum ensures that students are

adequately equipped to face the challenges of the future.

Literature Review

Upon the K-12 program's implementation in the country, it received a mix

of reactions, including backlash and praise. This left the students in a state of

confusion as to whose voice to trust. While there are still challenges and quality

standards to consider, it is important to acknowledge that the new program has

brought about development. Now that the K to 12 systems has been fully

implemented in the Philippines, it is important to ask how it has impacted the

country's education system and whether it has achieved its objectives. To answer

these questions, a systematic and reviewed design approach was used to

analyze the program. Specifically, the research investigated the perspectives of

teachers, parents, and students on the implementation of the K-12 program,

which added two more years to a student's high school education. The study also

identified various problems that arose because of the program's implementation

and highlighted the government's action plans to address these issues. Finally,

the research aimed to provide recommendations to improve the curriculum to

ensure that all learners who are part of the new program receive quality

education.

In the study of Caup, D. and Buda, A. (2017), The DepEd lays high

confidence on the K-12 Program in providing better quality of education that is

based on spirally progressing curriculum starting with simple topics moving

toward increasing complexity for the learners to gain mastery of concepts and

skills. Graduates of the K-12 program is therefore envisioned as better prepared

to compete globally for employment opportunities. This change on basic

education cycle caused the conduct of stakeholder consultations, policy

discourses, and education summits to gather inputs and feedback on the

educational reform; however, the K to 12 Program remains an issue of inquiries

on its implementation and effectiveness. It continuously solicits different

responses among various individuals from the students, teachers, and parents.

Grade 7 students are put to a certain level of confidence performing varied

learning activities aided with learning modules in the K to12 Program.

In Abueva, A. (2019), implementing the K-12 Program in the Philippine

Curriculum of Basic Education was the key to the growth of our country. Although

the government has faced many problems as it implements the program over

several years, it has been a necessary improvement as it has been critical to the

success of our nation to increase the quality of our education.

As stated in Cruz, I., (2010), in one of his columns in a local newspaper,

he pointed out the following reasons why we should support the K to 12 basic

education system in the Philippine basic education curriculum, which enables

students to have sufficient training time to carry out subject-related tasks that

have made them more ready in different subjects, the students of this program

are well qualified to enter the workforce, and the Filipino graduates are
immediately accepted as professionals abroad, adopting the universal standard

of education followed by all nations.

From a teacher’s point of view, as quoted from the Acosta study, I. and

Acosta, A., (2016) found that there were five predisposing factors, namely:

qualifications, hiring requirements, streamlining of courses, management of

surplus labor, and alternative programs to assess the readiness of senior high

school teachers and higher education institutions to ensure stability and to

encourage and protect the health of the faculty involved and other workers in the

higher education field.

A positive impression was identified by the study by Lacorte, E. (2011)

that teachers are likely to have been adequately prepared for the implementation

of the K to 12 programs in terms of teaching skills, teaching strategies and

teaching materials and there was a considerable variation in the readiness of

private and public schools, as well as the readiness of their respective teachers,

and this, was mostly attributable to the different settings and conditions in the two

groups of schools.

Crisol, L., et. al., (2014) affirmed that the teachers approved the program's

implementation. They believed that the program effectively provided students

with the fields and careers they had chosen. Although they were willing to take

part in the program, they still do not find themselves equipped to instruct students

because they believe they need more training.

References
Abueva, A., (2019). Why Does the Philippines Need the K-12 Education System?
Retrieved from https://soapboxie.com/social-issues/The-Implementation-o-the-K-12-
Program-in-the-PhilippineBasic Education-Curriculum

Acosta, I. and Acosta, A. (2016). Teachers’ Perceptions of Senior High School

Readiness of Higher Education Institutions in the Philippines. Universal Journal of
Educational Research. Retrieved from
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309710847_Teachers’_Perceptions_on_Seni
or_High_S chool_Readiness_of_Higher_Education_Institutions_in_the_Philippines

Caup, A., Duda, A.K., (2017). Perceptions of Parents, Students, and Teachers of
Pikit National High School, Pikit, Cotabato on The Implementation of The K to 12
Program of The Department of Education. 2nd International Conference on Educational
Management and Administration (CoEMA 2017).
 Cruz, I. (2010). Reasons why we should support K to 12 Basic Education Program
in the Philippine Basic Education Curriculum. Retrieved from
http://udyong.gov.ph/index.php?
option=com_content&view=article&id=6182:reasonswhyweshould-support-k-to-12-
basic-education-program-in-the-philippine-
basiceducationcurriculum&catid=90&Itemid=1267.

https://scholar.google.com/scholar?
hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=the+effectiveness+of+the+k+12+curriculum+in+preparing+students+f
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https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1279173.pdf

https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/2198595