Notes

Title
CHOOSING THE STEM STRAND AMIDST CAREER UNCERTAINTY: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY INVOLVING GRADE 11 STEM STUDENTS OF ST. MATTHEW COLLEGE ACADEMIC YEAR 2023-2024
Background of the study

Choosing a strand can be a daunting task for Grade 11 students. This decision can significantly impact their academic trajectory and future career paths, and often comes amidst considerable career uncertainty. The decision to pursue a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) strand, despite prevailing career uncertainties, embodies a complex interplay of aspirations, societal expectations, and the pragmatic quest for future stability. This phenomenon, particularly evident among Grade 11 students, serves as the focal point of our study. The choice of this topic emerges from an acute awareness of the global and local shifts in the job market, where STEM fields are increasingly regarded as pivotal for economic development and individual career success.

Our study emerges against a backdrop of rapid technological advancements and the evolving demands of the 21st-century economy, which have positioned STEM education as a critical pathway for ensuring workforce readiness and economic competitiveness. In the Philippines, Republic Act No. 10533, also known as the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, mandated the implementation of the Senior High School (SHS) program. This program introduced various learning strands, including STEM, aimed at providing students with specialized and rigorous academic preparation for higher education and future careers. However, despite the growing importance of the STEM strand, there is a persistent concern regarding students' choices of academic strands. While STEM equips students with valuable knowledge and skills, some may choose this strand due to external pressures or perceptions of better opportunities, rather than a genuine interest in the field. The phenomenon of students opting for STEM, perceived as offering more secure and lucrative career opportunities, amidst a landscape of rapid change and uncertain futures, encapsulates the complex interplay of motivations, aspirations, and perceived safety nets that our study seeks to explore.

Despite this clear policy direction and the recognized value of STEM education, many students face career uncertainty, partly due to the rapid pace of technological change and the evolving nature of future work. The decision by Grade 11 students to choose the STEM strand, despite uncertainties regarding their future careers, reflects a belief in the resilience of STEM fields and their perceived ability to offer more opportunities compared to other educational tracks, such as the General Academic Strand (GAS).

By grounding our study in this framework, we aim to contribute to the discourse on STEM strand and career decision-making in the face of uncertainties, providing a basis for more informed educational policies and support systems that align with the aspirations of students and the strategic interests of the nation in fostering a resilient and capable workforce.




Choosing a strand in Grade 11 poses a significant decision for students, fundamentally influencing their future academic directions and career opportunities. This choice becomes particularly daunting amidst the prevalent career uncertainties many students face today. Among the various options, the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) strand stands out due to its complex interplay of individual aspirations, societal expectations, and the pragmatic pursuit of future stability. This complicated decision-making process, especially pronounced among Grade 11 students, highlights the intricate relationship between personal interests and the broader economic and social landscape.
This study is motivated by the perceptual awareness of both global and local shifts in employment trends, where STEM fields are increasingly deemed critical for economic development and individual career prosperity. The decision to focus on this topic is further justified by the rapid pace of technological advancements that continue to reshape the 21st-century economy. These changes have positioned the STEM strand as an essential pathway for ensuring workforce readiness and maintaining economic competitiveness.
In the context of the Philippines, the enactment of Republic Act No. 10533, known as the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, marked a pivotal moment in the education sector. It mandated the implementation of the Senior High School (SHS) program, introducing various learning strands designed to provide students with specialized academic preparation. Among these strands, STEM is widely recognized for its role in preparing students for higher education and future careers in fields that are expected to drive national and global economic growth.
However, the increasing importance attributed to the STEM strand is accompanied by concerns regarding the factors influencing students' strand choices. Despite the potential benefits of a STEM education, there are indications that some students may opt for this path not out of genuine interest, but due to external pressures or perceived greater opportunities. This phenomenon underscores a critical area of investigation: the extent to which career uncertainties, societal norms, and economic prospects shape students' educational decisions.
Moreover, the persistent issue of career uncertainty among students worsened due to the rapid technological advancements and the dynamic nature of the labor market. Many students gravitate towards the STEM strand, believing that it offers a safer and more profitable career path compared to other educational tracks, such as the Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS), the Accountancy, Business, and Management Strand (ABM), or the General Academic Strand (GAS). This belief in the resilience of STEM fields, despite a lack of clear career direction, reflects a broader societal trend toward valuing STEM careers as more secure and financially rewarding.
By delving into these considerations, this study seeks to unravel the motivations and aspirations guiding the choice of the STEM strand among Grade 11 students. It aims to explore the complex interplay between individual interests and the external factors that influence educational and career decisions. Furthermore, this research aims to contribute to the discourse on STEM education, particularly focusing on Grade 11 students' career decision-making amidst uncertainties.

https://asuonline.asu.edu/newsroom/online-learning-tips/what-stem-education-and-why-it-important/
https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2013/05/15/republic-act-no-10533/
https://www.britannica.com/topic/STEM-education
https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2021/11/increasing-access-and-opportunity-in-stem-crucial-say-experts/
https://stemeducationjournal.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40594-020-00256-x
https://dottierosefoundation.org/2022/09/a-brief-history-of-stem/
Scope and limitation

This phenomenological study focuses on a selected group of Grade 11 STEM students at St. Matthew College during the 2023-2024 academic year. These students will be chosen based on their experience with indecision regarding their future careers despite choosing the STEM strand. To identify these students, a brief pre-screening survey will be administered. This survey will inquire about their current career goals and level of certainty. The research primarily delves into their lived experiences of navigating this uncertainty. Data will be collected through surveys and in-depth interviews, allowing for an in-depth exploration of their perspectives.

While the study offers valuable insights, some limitations need to be acknowledged. Firstly, students themselves might not fully grasp the reasons behind their choices. Open-ended interview questions will be employed to encourage deeper reflection and a more nuanced understanding of their experiences. However, even with this approach, there might be limitations in self-awareness that could impact the data collected. Secondly, social desirability bias could occur, where participants might provide responses they think are socially desirable rather than their true experiences. To address this, anonymity and confidentiality will be ensured throughout the data collection process. Finally, limited interview time is a potential constraint. To mitigate this, the interview guide will be focused and controlled to ensure it gathers rich data within the allocated timeframe.



Significance of the study