METHODS

Research Design

In this study, the researchers will employ a correlational research design to investigate the

relationship between students’ support systems and academic engagement among junior school

students under the MATATAG curriculum. The researchers will utilize a constructed survey

questionnaire and employ a random sample survey of junior high school students of Sorsogon

National High School. The survey will consist of a checklist and a likert scale.

Data Collection

For data collection, the researchers will rely on primary sources of information, and they

will also depend on secondary sources. For the primary sources, these include survey questionnaire

responses gathered from students of Sorsogon National High School. The survey will also cover

the respondents' demographic profile, which is optional, such as their name, age, gender, and grade

level, as well as their view of how different support systems, such as family, peers, teachers, and

school programs, influence their academic engagement. These responses will provide measurable

data that is directly the actual experiences and perspectives of the students.

In addition to primary sources, the study may also utilize secondary sources to support and

identify the findings. These may include already existing literature, journals, and studies on student

support systems and academic engagement. By combining both primary and secondary sources,

the researchers will ensure that the data collected is direct in student experiences by their existing

knowledge in the field.

RESEARCH SOURCE OF DATA METHODS USED

OBJECTIVES

[Link] measure the level of Primary Source: Distribution of

support received by students Survey responses survey forms (self-

along the following support from students of administered

systems: a. Curriculum and Sorsogon National questionnaire);

Instructional b. Health and High School. Descriptive

Wellness c. Guidance and Secondary Source: statistics

Counselling Services d. Related literature, (frequency,

Parent and Community journals, and school percentage, mean).

Engagement Support records on student

support systems.

[Link] assess the level of Primary Source: Structured survey

academic engagement of Student survey questionnaire;

students under the responses on Descriptive

MATATAG Curriculum in academic statistics

terms of: a. Behavioral engagement (frequency,

engagement b. Emotional indicators. percentage, mean).

engagement c. Cognitive Secondary Source:

engagem Existing studies and

references on

academic

engagement.

[Link] determine the Primary Source: Correlational

relationship between student Student responses analysis using

support systems and from administered Pearson’s

academic engagement survey. Secondary correlation

among learners at Sorsogon Source: Scholarly coefficient.

National High School. articles and research

on correlations

between support
 systems and

engagement.

[Link] identify which type of Primary Source: Correlational

support system has the most Student responses analysis (Pearson’s

significant influence on from survey data. correlation

students’ academic Secondary Source: coefficient);

engagement. Comparative studies Interpretation of

and related literature results.

on student support

and engagement.

The participants of the study will be junior high school students of Sorsogon National High

School. The sample size of researcher respondents will be a total of 374 based on the answer of

using Slovin's Formula. Students from Sorsogon National High School will be included in the

study. The value of 374 was determined using Slovin’s formula at 95% confidence with a 5%

margin of error, based on the school’s estimated eligible student population. A sample of 374 offers

enough precision for estimating the influence of student support systems on academic engagement

while remaining practical to manage and analyze within the research time. The study will employ

stratified random sampling by grade level. The 374 slots will be evenly distributed for each group,

after which simple random sampling will be used to select participants within each of the specified

groups.

Slovin’s formula: n = N / (1 + Ne²)

Sites & Justification

This research will take place in Sorsogon National High School (SNHS) located in

Sorsogon City, Philippines. SNHS is one of the biggest public secondary schools in the Bicol

Region, with an estimated almost 3,500 students in Grades 7 to Grade 10. The school offers both

junior and senior high school programs to students who have various experiences and
socioeconomic backgrounds, including urban and rural populations. This diversity makes the

school a relevant research setting for exploring how academic engagement is supported in a variety

of support systems. These supporting mechanisms are timely due to the introduction of MATATAG

Curriculum, which is the most recent framework to provide enhancement and improvement to the

quality of basic education as authorized by the Department of Education that SNHS is beginning

to implement in the current school year.

There are some important reasons for the choice of this research site. First, SNHS as a

leading implementer of the MATATAG Curriculum regionally provides a unique and relevant

context for exploring how academic engagement with the supports of peer, parental, teacher, and

school services can shape students learning experiences. This is pertinent during times of

curriculum change as supports will either ease or hinder the adjustment process for some learners.

Second, the large and diverse student population has given the researcher the ability to

retrieve representative and generalizable quantitative data. Students from SNHS come from

multiple cultural, economic, and social realities such that these characteristics may reflect the

broader realities of the public education system of the Philippines. The SNHS may not only be

relevant for the sustainability of the snhs as a school but also have use cases for other similar

schools.

Thirdly, the availability of the researcher to the site makes it easier to conduct Surveys,

distribute Questionnaire and get reliable information. Being close to school administrators, teachers

and others can make it easier for them to support your research. The study can be done in an orderly

way and within the timeline thanks to this easy access.

Lastly, SNHS is a flagship public secondary school in Sorsogon Province that participates

actively in academic and co-curricular activities. As a competitive and innovative school, its

participants (students, teachers and parents) can surely contribute to better understanding academic

engagement under the MATATAG Curriculum. Thus, its selection as the site strengthens the

rationale of the study. The school has a guidance office, student government, and parent-teacher’

association. Thus, the support system is present in the school.

 Given these points, Sorsogon National High School is deemed to be the most suitable

location for this research. Due to its huge number of diverse students, accessibility, and pioneering

implementation of the MATATAG Curriculum, one can analyse how student support systems affect

academic engagement

Instruments

The researchers will conduct a survey questionnaire that consists of a check list and a Likert

scale to collect information about the influence of the student support system under the MATATAG

curriculum on their academic engagement, and what type of support system has more influence on

their academic engagement. The tools will also measure the level of support the students receive

in the support systems such as curriculum and instructional, health and wellness, guidance and

counselling services, and parent and community engagement support. Lastly, it will assess the level

of academic engagement of students under the MATATAG Curriculum in terms of their behavioral

engagement, emotional engagement, and cognitive engagement.

Data Gathering Procedure

The following steps were undertaken by the researchers to proceed with the study:

1. First, to obtain the data from the research objectives, the researchers will obtain

permission from the school's administration by providing informed consent forms. And then, to

determine the level of support received by students, the researchers will develop a check list and a

Likert scale instrument to measure the frequency and satisfaction of student support systems.

2. The validated questionnaire will be distributed to the selected respondents using a

stratified random sampling method to ensure representation across different grade levels and

strands. Participants will be given clear instructions and a substantial time to answer. The

researchers managed the distribution and retrieval of questionnaires to ensure completeness of

responses.

3. Collected data will be processed and arranged using statistical software. Descriptive

statistics (mean, standard deviation) will be used to determine the level of support received and

academic engagement. Pearson’s correlation will be employed to assess the relationship between
student support systems and academic engagement, while multiple regression analysis is conducted

to identify which support system had the most significant influence.

4. The results will be analyzed in relation to the research questions and relevant literature.

Tables and figures will be used to present findings clearly. A comprehensive research report was

prepared, and the findings were presented to the school administration, faculty, and student

representatives. The report highlighted practical recommendations for enhancing student support

systems under the MATATAG Curriculum.

Ethics Protocol

The researchers intend to adhere to ethical values to protect the rights, safety, and welfare of

every participant. Before any data is collected, the researchers will explain the rationale for the

study, the methods that will be used, and how the collected data will be used. The respondent will

have ample time to read the information and the right to voluntarily decide whether to participate.

Participation in the study is strictly voluntary. Only individuals who consent to informed consent

will be included in the research study, and they may withdraw at any time without penalty,

disadvantage, or negative consequence. All individuals will have the right to withdraw from

participation, and that right will be recognized and respected throughout the study. In an effort to

protect participant confidentiality, there will be no identifiable data, such as names, student

numbers, or personal profiles, disclosed in the research output. The responses received in the

questionnaires and focus group discussions will be reported as collected into a group, so that no

party can identify any one person's response from the aggregated results. All documents that cover

personally identifiable data will be secured in a protective manner and will only be made available

to the researchers involved in this study. All responses will be collected to ensure that it meets the

study objectives. There is no risk for harm in this research study, and the respondents will have no

anticipated physical risk and will have no psychological or social risk since participation in the

study will not alter their academic status, nor the way they complete their daily activities. While

asking questions, the researchers will only ask the relevant questions pertinent to the research tissue

or the study research objectives. All information will be used for academic research only, in this
case, the study on the type of support system to help improve academic engagement from Sorsogon

National High School's students, with the results presented and published together so that no

respondent can be identifiable. All information and records collected from the study will be

published after the completion of the study.

Duration & Schedule of the Data Collection

It will take the researchers two weeks to complete the data collection process. In the first

week, data relevant to achieving the research objectives were obtained from different sections and

grade levels of Sorsogon National High School. The actual data collection will start in the first

week of September 2025 and will end at the end of the week. During the first week, survey

questionnaires will be distributed to gather information on the level of support received by students,

which support system is beneficial to their academic engagement, to which in assessing the level

of it, in terms of behavioral, emotional and cognitive engagement. These tasks are assumed to be

completed within two weeks.

Data Analysis Method

This study employed both descriptive and correlational statistical techniques for quantitative

data analysis. To address the first research objective, descriptive statistics such as frequency,

percentages, and means were utilized to measure the level of support received by students (Ramos

& Magallanes, 2021). The results were summarized in tabular form and explained through narrative

description. For the second research objective, which aimed to examine the relationship between

student support systems and academic engagement, the researchers applied correlational analysis

using Pearson’s correlation coefficient (Asio et al., 2019). This tool measured the strength and

direction of the relationship between the two variables, and the computed results were further

interpreted and explained to provide meaningful insights.

Analytical Framework

This studys’ main goal is to gain a better understanding of how student support systems affect

academic engagement among MATATAG-compliant students at Sorsogon National High School.

It is crucial to look into the availability, efficacy, and function of different support systems in the

educational setting in order to guarantee that students stay actively involved in their studies and

receive assistance during the curriculum transition.

To address the challenges, surveys will be used to gather data on peer support, parental

involvement, guidance services, and teacher assistance. This information will be carefully analyzed

to determine gaps in the support systems. Evaluating these findings will guide the creation of

appropriate solutions.

A Support Program will be developed based on the study's findings. It will include peer mentoring,

parental involvement, tutoring sessions, academic counselling, and other regular student

engagement activities. These activities aim to provide targeted support to address the concerns and

problems. The program will serve as a standard for improving the academic experience and

engagement of students.

The implementation of the Support Program is expected to enhance academic engagement and

motivation among students. Learners will become more active, consistent in attendance, and more

motivated in seeking help when needed. A stronger collaboration between students, parents, and

teachers will also be a key factor. Finally, the outcome aims to create a more supportive and

effective educational environment.