OTIS LENNON SCHOOL ABILITY TEST (OLSAT) OF FIRST YEAR B SIT STUDENTS AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN THE COLLEGE OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS’ TECHNOLOGY
Ariel T. Sumagaysay, MSCS, MAEd ABSTRACT
This descriptive study investigated the relationship between Otis Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT) and the Academic Performance of 184 first year BSIT students of the CICT, STI WNU. The OLSAT findings as a whole revealed that 1.1% of the students were ‘Above Average’; 42.4% were ‘Average’; 47.3% were ‘Below Average’ and 9.2% were ‘Low’. ‘ Low’. In the correlation between OLSAT and sex, the correlation is weak with negative value of r which means that OLSAT increases in favor of the female group. In the academic performance, the students were found to be Superior (3.3%), Above Average (16.3%), Average (60.9%), Below Average (15.8%) and Low (3.8%). In the correlation between academic performance and sex, the correlation is weak with a negative value of r which means academic performance increases in favor of the female group. It however showed a positive and moderate correlation between OLSAT and academic performance when taken as a whole. In the correlation between OLSAT and academic performance when grouped according to sex, it is significant in the female group only. The study, therefore, recommends opportunities for remedial and tutorials classes and enhancement training for teachers on dealing with low scorers, underachievers, and slow learners especially for male students. Keywords: Academic Performance, Otis Lennon School Ability Test, BSIT Students. INTRODUCTION
A test is a series of questions, problems, or practical tasks to gauge somebody's knowledge, ability, or experience. It is also a measurement device or technique used to quantify behaviour or aid in the understanding and prediction of behaviour (Kaplan & Saccuzzo, 2013). Tests such as entrance tests are administered to graduates of secondary education, transferees and foreign students who are interested to enrol in a particular college or university. Examples of these tests include Scholastic Achievement Test or Scholastic Assessment Tests (SAT) and Otis Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT). SAT and OLSAT are designed to objectively measure the academic aptitude of students from varying social backgrounds and with different educational experience. OLSAT series in particular, formerly known as Otis Group Intelligence Scale which were based on Dr. Arthur Otis’ graduate study at Stanford University, in which he sought to develop a group – administrable method of measuring the same “general ability” as the Stanford–Binet in 1918. These series of test was designed to provide an accurate and efficient measure of the abilities needed to acquire the desired cognitive outcomes of formal education. This complex of abilities, sometimes designated “scholastic aptitude” is what is intended by the term “school ability” as it is used here. (Otis and Lennon, 1979). 1979) . Most colleges and universities require these tests as part of the application process for admission in tertiary education. The schools use the scores of these tests to assess student’s performance in different areas in higher education. STI West Negros University like most schools utilizes OLSAT as primary requirement for admission in any undergraduate degree programs such as Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (BSIT) and Bachelor of Science in Computer Science (BSCS) offered in the College of Information and Communications’ Technology (CICT). With the aid of these tests, CICT will have a profile of the applicants for admission in BSIT and BSCS degree programs. The tests will measure what they have learned from previous academic level. The indicator for the effort of those pursuing the degree program such as BSIT or BSCS is shown in their academic performance which is measured in Grade Weighted Average (GWA) computed every end of the semester.
Research Problems
This study is a replication and aims to determine the relationship between the Otis Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT) and academic performance of First Year BSIT students of the College of Information and Communications’ Communications’ technology. Specifically, it sought to: 1. Ascertain the profile of the First Year BSIT students on the Otis Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT). 2. Find the significant difference in the Otis Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT) of First Year BSIT students when grouped according to sex. 3. Ascertain the academic performance of the First Year BSIT students. 4. Find the significant difference in the academic performance of First Year BSIT students when grouped according to sex. 5. Find the significant relationship between the entrance test and academic performance of First Year BSIT students when taken as a whole and when grouped accord to sex? Null Hypotheses
The following null hypothesis was formulated: 1. There is no significant difference in the Otis Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT) of First Year BSIT students when grouped according to sex. 2. There is no significant difference in the academic performance of First Year BSIT students when grouped according to sex. 3. There is no significant relationship between the entrance test and academic performance of First Year BSIT students when taken as a whole and when group according to sex.
Delimitation of the Study
This study is about the relation between the entrance test and academic performance of first year BSIT students of the College of Information and Communications’ Communications’ Technology. This study focused on the use of Otis Lennon School Ability Ability Test (OLSAT) only. Other degree programs offered in CICT CICT such as BSCS is excluded in the study. Likewise, this study focused only on the first year BSIT students using the BSIT curriculum year 2015– 2016. The grades of these first year BSIT students were taken from the first and second semester of the curriculum year 2015–2016 and the study excluded the subjects that were marked ‘dropped’ and ‘left’ in the students’ report cards and information from STI WNU Schoolautomate system. Finally, the study was bounded by the descriptive research method with proportionate population size used in gathering data and the statistical concepts like Frequency, Simple Mean, Point Biserial (rpb) Correlation and Pearson Product Moment (PPM) Correlation.
METHODOLOGY Research Design
In this study, the descriptive method of research is used. Descriptive statistics do what they say: they describe, so that researchers can a nalyze and interpret what these descriptions mean (Cohen, 2011, p. 622). The specific technique of descriptive method utilized in the study is the status survey since the researchers aim to organize, analyze and interpret data on the relation between the entrance test and academic performance of first year BSIT students of the College of Information and a nd Communications’ Technology, STI West Negros University. The Respondents of the Study
The respondents of this study are the first year Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (BSIT) students of the new curriculum year 2015–2016 based on CHED memorandum number number 53 (CMO 53) series of 2006. The total number of first year BSIT students from the College of Information and Communications’ Technology (CICT) is 340. Using Yamani’s formula (i.e. Slovin’s) with 0.05 (5%) margin of error, the sample size of one hundred eighty – four (184) BSIT students were randomly selected. Table 2 shows the summary of the CICT enrollment statistics of First Year Students in the Second Semester of School Year 2015–2016. Table 1. The Summary of CICT Statistics of First Year Students 2 nd Semester, S.Y. 2015 – 2016.
TOTAL FIRST YEAR
360
BSCS Students
20
BSIT Students
340
Sample Size: BSIT Students
184
Data Gathering Procedure
The instrument used for the entrance test in this study was the Otis Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT) administered by the STI WNU Testing Center. The researcher obtained the entrance results of OLSAT from STI WNU Guidance Center and Testing Center with a promise of confidentiality in the treatment of the data gathered. The online STI WNU SchoolAutomate was also used to gather the data about Grade Weighted Average (GWA) of the students. Then all the data gathered were organized, systematized and analyzed in accordance with the statistical techniques appropriate to the problem and hypothesis.
Data Analysis and Statistical Treatment
The data gathered was tabulated, analyzed and treated for interpretation using the appropriate statistical tools for the descriptive method. In this study, IBM SPSS release 20 and Microsoft Excel 2016 were used to analyze the data gathered. The following statistical tools will be used: Problem 1 – To determine the profile of the First Year on the Otis Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT), the frequency is used. IBM SPSS was also used to graphically describe the profile using a Histogram together with its normal curve relation. Problem 2 – To determine the significant relationship in the Otis Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT) of First Year BSIT students when grouped according to sex, the Point Biserial ( rpb) Correlation was used. The significant difference between the variables was determined using IBM SPSS. Problem 3 – To determine the academic performance of the BSIT students, the grades were normalized using Z scores and Percentiles. Problem 4 – To determine the significant relationship in the academic performance of First Year BSIT students when grouped according to sex, the Point Biserial ( rpb) Correlation was used. The significant difference between the variables was determined using IBM SPSS. Problem 5 – To determine the significant relationship between the entrance test and academic performance of First Year BSIT students when taken as a whole and when grouped according to sex, the Pearson Product Moment (PPM) (PPM) was used. The significant relationship between between the variables was determined using IBM SPSS.
RESULTS OF THE STUDY
The findings were as follows: 1. In describing the profile of the respondents based on the interpreted entrance test results, 1.1 percent were above average, 42.4 percent were average, 47.3 were below average, and only 9.2 were low. Table 2. The Summary of the Interpreted Entrance Test Results
SCALE
FREQUENCY
PERCENT
VALID PERCENT
CUMMULATIVE PERCENT
Low (L)
1
17
9.2
9.2
9.2
Below Average (BA)
2
87
47.3
47.3
56.5
Average (A)
3
78
42.4
42.4
98.9
Above Average (AA)
4
2
1.1
1.1
100.0
Superior (S)
5
0
0
0
100.0
184
100
100
INTERPRETATION INTERPRETATION
TOTAL
2. There is a significant difference in OLSAT results when grouped according to sex. The relation between OLSAT and sex is negative which means means OLSAT increases increases in favor of the female group. Table 3. The Correlation Between OLSAT and Sex Results
SEX
Pearson Correlation Sig. (2 -tailed) N
OLSAT
Pearson Correlation Sig. (2-tailed) N
SEX
OLSAT
1.000
- 0.140**
.
0.007
184
184
- 0.198**
1.000
0.007
.
184
184
**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed)
Interpretation
WEAK
Strength of Correlation
3. In the academic performance, the students were found to be Superior (3.3%), Above Average (16.3%), Average (60.9%), Below Average (15.8%) a nd Low (3.8%).
Table 4. The Distribution of Percentiles of Grades
VALUE
FREQUENCY
PERCENT
VALID PERCENT
CUMULATIVE PERCENT
1
7
3.8
3.8
3.8
Low
2
29
15.8
15.8
19.6
Below Average
3
112
60.9
60.9
80.4
Average
4
30
16.3
16.3
96.7
Above Average
5
6
3.3
3.3
100.0
Superior
Total
184
100.0
100.0
CLASSIFICATION
Figure 1 shows the normalized graph of grades converted to percentiles. The graph is plotted with the ranges of percentiles on the x–axis against the frequency on the y–axis.
Figure 1. The Normalized Graph of Grades Using Percentiles
4. There is a significant difference in academic performance when grouped according to sex. The relation between sex and grade is negative which means grade increases in favor of the female group
Table 5. The Descriptive Statistics and Correlation Between Sex and Grade MEAN
STANDARD DEVIATION
N
SEX
1.45
0.498
184
GRADE
85.0976
4.49507
184
SEX
GRADE
1.000
- 0.146*
.
0.047
184
184
- 0.146*
1.000
0.047
.
184
184
SEX
Pearson Correlation Sig. (2 -tailed) N
GRADE
Pearson Correlation Sig. (2-tailed) N
Interpretation Strength of Correlation
*. Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed). WEAK
5A. There is a significant relationship between the entrance test and academic performance of First Year BSIT students when taken as a whole. The correlation is positive which means OLSAT increases as grade percentile increases Table 6. The Descriptive Statistics and Correlation Between OLSAT and Grade Percentiles When Taken as a Whole. MEAN
STANDARD DEVIATION
N
OLSAT
2.35
0.661
184
GRADE PERCENTILES
51.6874
26.83438
184
OLSAT
GRADE PERCENTILES
Pearson Correlation
1.000
.194**
Sig. (2-tailed)
.
.008
N Pearson Correlation
184
184
.194**
1.000
Sig. (2-tailed)
.008
.
N
184
184
OLSAT
GRADE PERCENTILES
Interpretation
** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2–tailed)
Strength of Correlation
Weak
5B. There is no significant relationship between the entrance test and academic performance of First Year BSIT students in the male group, but the relationship is significant in the female group. Table 7. The Correlation Between OLSAT and Grade Percentiles When Grouped According to Sex. MALE
Pearson Correlation
Sig. (2– tailed)
FEMALE
OLSAT
Grade Percentiles
OLSAT
Grade Percentiles
OLSAT
1.000
0.173
1.000
0.325**
Grade Percentiles
0.173
1.000
0.325**
1.000
OLSAT
-
0.083
-
0.003
Grade Percentiles
0.083
-
0.003
-
Interpretation
Not Significant
** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2–tailed)
Strength of Correlation
–
Moderate
CONCLUSIONS
Based on the findings of this study, the following conclusions conclusions are drawn: 1. Most of the students who took the OLSAT have results which were interpreted as ‘Below Average’ and followed by ‘Average’ results. Only a small percentage of the students have either high or low classification. 2. The OLSAT results of the First Year BSIT students are favorable on the female than the male. 3. Most of the students have an average academic performance level after two semesters. Only a small percentage of the students students have either high or low low academic performance performance levels. 4. The academic performance of the First Year BSIT students is favorable on the female than the male. 5. There is a positive correlation between the entrance test and the academic performance when taken as a whole, meaning the entrance test increases with the academic performance of the students. In the correlation when grouped according to sex, it is significant in the f emale group only.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Based on the findings of the study the researcher intends to present the following recommendations: 1. The school has to implement sectioning of enrollees according to their achievement results. General average in high school should also be considered in classifying students by section. 2. The Guidance Center with the participation of the different colleges in WNU has to provide opportunities such as remedial classes and tutorials for those students with low aptitude and slow learners especially for the male students. 3. The Guidance Center with the standards set by the different colleges has to provide career enlightenment and path for enrollees in guiding them to the appropriate degree to take based on their entrance test results, general average in high school, and other important data. 4. The school with the help of the different colleges has to provide short – term courses for those enrollees who cannot tackle the challenges in a four – year degree program. 5. The Human Resource Development Office (HRDO) will provide enhancement for teachers through seminar training and workshop for dealing with the students with low aptitude and slow learners especially for the male students. 6. The study can be replicated in the other colleges of West Negros University.
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