Gender Differences in Academic Performance of Grade 12 Students of Colegio de
la Purisima Concepcion
Researchers:
Fred Erick Jude Lim
Mary Nicole Hari-on
Florabel Faye Dordas
James Daliva
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
Education is the process of developing the capacities and potential of the
individual so as to prepare that individual to be successful in a specific society or
culture. From this perspective, education is serving primarily as an individual
development function. Education, in its broadest sense, may be defined as a process
designed to inculcate the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to enable
individuals to cope effectively with their environment. Its primary purpose is to foster and
promote fullest self-realization for all people. (Journal of Education and Practice, 2015)
As the world is becoming more and more competitive. Quality of performance
has become the key factor for personal progress. In fact, it appears as if the whole
system of education revolves round the academic performance of student. (Journal of
Education and Practice, 2015) Academic Performance is the quality and quantity of
knowledge, skills, techniques and positives attitudes, behavior and philosophy that
students achieve or acquire. This achievement is evaluated by the mark or grade that
students attain in a term or education cycle. The quality of grades and number of
students that pass in the various grades determine the level of academic performance.
(Wangu, M.J., 2014)
Gender is the range of physical, biological, mental and behavioral characteristics
pertaining to and differentiating between the feminine and masculine. In view of belief
that students’ gender may have impact on the students’ academic performance, this
study will study the relationship between them if any. Gender differences in the
achievement have been examined for some time resulting in a substantial body of
literature (Adeyemi & Ajibade (2011); Apata (2011); Atovigba et al, (2012); Dania
(2014); Agbaje & Alake (2014); etc.). Some of these researcher pointed out that there
is no significant gender difference in students’ academic achievement and retention in
various subjects while others found significant differences with either the boys or the
girls performing better. (Journal of Education and Practice, 2015)
Cognitive skills are the ways that your brain remembers, reasons, holds
attention, thinks, reads, and learns. Developed from early childhood through old age.
The cognitive abilities help process new information and distributing it into appropriate
areas of the brain. When the information is needed later, the brain also uses cognitive
skills to retrieve and use that information. ([Link]
advice/career-development/cognitive-skills-how-to-improve-them)
Non-cognitive skills are any skills that are not cognitive, such as memory,
attention, planning, language, and thinking skills. Non-cognitive skills include emotional
maturity, empathy, interpersonal skills, and verbal and non-verbal communication. Non-
cognitive skills influence the overall behavior of a person. (Robert, C., 2017)
Statement of the problem
1. Is there any gender difference in Grade 12 students’ Academic Performance in
Colegio de la Purisima Concepcion?
2. What Cognitive and Non-Cognitive Factors mainly affect gender difference in
Grade 12 students’ Academic Performance in Colegio de la Purisima
Concepcion?
Cognitive Factors
a. Working Memory
b. Recognition
c. Abstract Thinking
d. Audio and Visual Processing
e. Metacognition
Non-Cognitive Factors
a. Interpersonal Skills
b. Negotiation Skills
c. Planning Skills
d. Social Skills
e. Thinking Skills
Objectives
This study is to examine whether there is:
1. Any gender difference in Grade 12 students’ Academic Performance in Colegio
de la Purisima Concepcion.
2. Cognitive and Non-Cognitive Factors that mainly affect gender difference in
Grade 12 students’ Academic Performance in Colegio de la Purisima
Concepcion.
Cognitive Factors
a. Working Memory
b. Recognition
c. Abstract Thinking
d. Audio and Visual Processing
e. Metacognition
Non-Cognitive Factors
a. Interpersonal Skills
b. Negotiation Skills
c. Planning Skills
d. Social Skills
e. Thinking Skills
Hypothesis
1. There is no gender difference in Grade 12 students’ Academic Performance in
Colegio de la Purisima Concepcion.
2. Cognitive and Non-Cognitive Factors that mainly affect gender difference in
Grade 12 students’ Academic Performance in Colegio de la Purisima
Concepcion.
Cognitive Factors
a. Working Memory
b. Recognition
c. Abstract Thinking
d. Audio and Visual Processing
e. Metacognition
Non-Cognitive Factors
a. Interpersonal Skills
b. Negotiation Skills
c. Planning Skills
d. Social Skills
e. Thinking Skills
Scope and Delimitations
This study is finding out if there is any gender differences in academic
performance of Grade 12 students of Colegio de la Purisima Concepcion. This study is
only limited on cognitive and non-cognitive factors that affect academic performance of
an individual.
Significance of the Study
This study might be of great importance to the following groups of people:
Teachers
Teachers might use this study to design suitable methods of teaching and to make the
subject they teach relevant, interesting and meaningful to the learners.
Future Researchers
Other researchers can use this report as another point of reference for other related
research studies.
Theoretical Framework
Academic achievement problems have been the focal point for educators and
researchers for quite some time now. This is because the problems in the performance
of students’ school subjects are said to be associated with their attitudes. This can be
no less true in the educational pursuits. Experts in the field of education tend to place
greater emphasis on the cognitive characteristics of the student when examining issues
surrounding his academic attainment. This has often not produced best results as there
is not much that can be done in altering the cognitive components of an individual.
(Godwin & Okoronka, 2015)
Student academic performance measurements have received considerable
attention in the previous research, its challenging aspects of academic literature, and
science student performance are affected due to social, psychological, economic,
environmental and personal factors. Many researchers have been discussed the
different factors that affect the students’ academic performance in their research. There
are two factors that affect students’ academic performance. These are internal and
external factors and these factors strongly affect the students’ performance. (Mustaq &
Khan, 2012)
Definition of Terms
Academic Performance – is based on students’ scholarly achievement and skills,
impressive test scores, extracurricular accomplishments and student leadership.
(Willams, E., 2018)
Gender – the physical and/or social condition of being male or female. (Cambridge
Dictionary)
Cognitive Skills – skills and abilities for thinking that we develop from early childhood
through old age. ([Link]
Non-cognitive Skills – underpin the cognitive ones but can also be measured
independently of them. (Gabrieli, Ansel, & Krachman, 2015)
