Coping Mechanism of Marine Engineering Students When Faced With Difficulties in Math and Physics

Giovanni  L. Palomares,

Coping Mechanism of Marine Engineering Students When Faced With Difficulties in Math and Physics

Abstract:

The study dealt with the different coping mechanisms of Marine Engineering students when faced with difficulties in math and physics.

The study was undertaken to the students of the Technological Institute of the Philippines, Marine engineering students from first year to third year. The study was conducted during the second semester of SY 2007-2008.

A research questionnaire was distributed to the respondents. Interviews were also conducted. Observations were also undertaken during classroom discussions. Data were also gathered from informal conversation with the students.

The research also dealt with the profile of the students, including their family background and peers that may relate to the coping mechanism when faced with difficulties. Some profiles of the school and the teachers were also considered because these profiles may contribute to the responses of the students.

A questionnaire was given to the students of the marine engineering department. From the questionnaires, there were profiles of the students and the school that correlates to the coping mechanism of the students. From the students’ profile, a good family orientation is correlated with studying hard, computer games may push the students to cheat and escape responsibilities. It may also a reason for students of blaming others for failure and finally lead to the students to think “come what may”. Personal interest or drive will also yield a student to study hard. Educational background has nothing to do with the coping mechanism except from relying others. When students have a good educational background, the students seldom rely from other people.

A good spiritual foundation will also yield a student to study hard and ask for divine help and think positively when faced with difficulties. But there is also a tendency for the student to escape responsibility and blame others in times of failure.

Financial status and classroom attitude has no correlation of the correlates are negligible with any of the coping mechanism. This means that financial status does not contribute to the responses of the students when they are faced with difficulties in math and physics.

Good teachers contribute not only for the intellectual development of the students. Teachers also affect the behavior of the students. Five of the eight coping mechanisms have negatively moderate correlation on the teacher factor. To sum it up, the students’ attitude towards the subjects is dependent on the ability of the teacher. If the teacher is good, then the students will be responsible enough.

Conditions of the classroom affect not only the teaching and learning process but also the behavior of the students. A good classroom condition may change the perception of the students in their studies.

For school policy, it is negatively correlated with positive thinking. If the policies of the school will be strictly implemented, there is a tendency that the students will lose hope of passing any given task a better academic support from the school will inspire the student to study harder.

In the light of the foregoing findings, the following conclusions, were drawn from the result of the study. Students’ profile and the schools profile affect the coping mechanism of the students as shown by the correlation value obtained. Certain profile correlates with a certain coping mechanism. There are collective responses from students for every situation they encountered.