CHAPTER III RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents the details on the way the research was conducted. It covers the methods used, research design, the respondents of the study, sources of data, and the data gathering procedure, as well as the statistical treatment utilized.

Research Design This study utilized a descriptive research method to assess the barriers to learning of the 3rd year Bachelor of Science in Customs Administration students in Mariners Polytechnic Colleges Foundation Legazpi City for the period of 2009 2010. The type of research served several functions in this study. This type of research ranged from simple surveys that inquired and provided empirical supports to question about the subject under study. The researchers designed the survey questionnaire. This will be used to gather data on barriers to learning of the third year students.

Sources of Data The primary source of data of this study came from the questionnaire answered by the respondents of the study. The secondary sources of data came from the Instructors of the Customs Administration. The researchers used

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supplementary data coming from books, Internet, undergraduate thesis, and dissertations.

Population of the Study Table A shows the population of the study.

Table A Population of the Study Respondents Students Instructors Total Number of respondents 16 4 20 Percentage 80% 20% 100%

Research Instrument of the Study The research used survey questionnaire to answer the problems stated by the study. The questionnaire was carefully designed to achieve the desired results. The questionnaire-checklist was opted to answer the vital questions of the study. Based on the statement of the problem, this focused on the level of learning of the respondents in major subjects, learning problems encountered and the possible solutions that may be recommended to solve the problems encountered for the improvement pertaining to their studies and needs.

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Data Gathering Procedure The researcher made used of research questionnaires as the main datagathering instrument. Upon finalizing the survey questionnaire, the survey was conducted in Mariners Polytechnic Colleges Foundation-Legazpi City on sixteen (16) third year customs students. The researchers personally administered the instrument survey

questionnaire to the respondents. They also interviewed some of the respondents to gather more inputs from them, to further validate their answers to the questions. Subsequently, the questionnaires were distributed and retrieved.

Statistical Treatment All problems were analyzed and interpret through the use of simple weighted mean. This will be determining the different levels of the variables on corresponding sub-problems. The formula below was used for this purpose:

w WA = __________ n Where: WA w n weighted average weight given to the category total number of the respondents Summation

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The numerical ratings for each problem were then transformed into adjectival ratings for easy interpretation.

Scale 5 4 3 2 1

Numerical Rating 4.51 - 5.00 3.51 - 4.50 2.51 - 3.50 1.51 - 2.50 1.00 - 1.50

Adjectival Rating Always encountered Often encountered Encountered Seldom encountered Never encountered

Notes Laurentina Paler-Calmorin and Melchor A. Calmorin, Statistics in Education and Science with Application to Research, Quezon City, Rex Printing Company, Inc., 2002.
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