CHAPTER 3
METHODOLOGY
This chapter presents the research methods and procedures followed by
the researchers to answer systematically the specified problems. This include the
research design, research locale, research respondents, sampling procedure,
research instrument, measurement of variables, data gathering procedure and
data analysis .
Research Design
This study will utilize the descriptive-comparative and correlational
research design. The descriptive research design is a method uses to describe
and analyze a phenomenon or variable without the involvement of manipulation
or control. It focuses on gathering and analyzing data to gain insight into a
particular topic, situation, or group, often through observation, surveys, or
existing data analysis (Voxco, 2021). On the other hand, comparative research
involves systematically comparing two or more entities to identify their similarities
and differences (Iranifard, & Latifnejad Roudsari, 2022). While, correlational
research design aims to explore the relationships between of two or more
variables without manipulating either variable (Chiang, 2015).
In line with this study, this research is descriptive because it will describe
the respondents based on their demographic profile, level of academic stress
experienced by freshmen teacher education during online classes. Moreover, this
study is comparative because it will investigate the difference between level of
academic stress experienced and coping mechanisms of Freshmen Teacher
Education during online classes when they are grouped according to their
demographic profiles. Lastly, this study is correlational because it will determine
the relationship between the academic stress and coping mechanisms of
freshmen teacher education students during online classes.
Research Locale
The study will be conducted in Eastern Samar State University (ESSU)
Salcedo Campus located at Barangay Naparaan, Salcedo, Eastern Samar, it
comprises of 4 different colleges namely College of Education (COED), College
of Computer Studies (CCS), College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences
(CANS), and the College of Engineering (COE). The College of Education offers
various programs such as Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (BECED),
Bachelor of Technology and Livelihood Education (BTLED) major in Home
Economics (HE) and Information Communication Technology (ICT), Bachelor of
Elementary Education (BEED) major in General Education and Bachelor of
Secondary Education (BSED) majors in Mathematics, Science, and English. In
this study will composed of freshmen teacher education students currently
enrolled during the online classes. The College of Education serves as
appropriate locale for this study since, freshmen education students are in the
adjustment period in their academic journey and most likely experience academic
stress due to the demands of learning modalities and limited face- to face
interactions. Understanding their academic stress and coping mechanisms while
having online classes will offer significant insights to help the university and
College of Education design interventions to enhance the well-being and
academic performance of students
Respondents of the Study
The respondents of this study will be the freshmen teacher education
students enrolled at Eastern Samar State University Salcedo Campus. These
students are selected because they are in the early stages of their teacher
education journey and undergoing the transition to higher education, which may
expose them to various academic stressors, especially in an online learning
environment.
The sample will include a diverse group of freshmen teacher education
students, allowing for an analysis of how different demographic factors may
influence their level of academic stress and coping mechanisms they use during
online classes.
Program Population Sample
BEED 41 33
BECED 9 7
BTLED 20 16
BSED 30 24
Total 100 80
With the total of 100 populations, 80 samples were selected using the
Slovin’s Formula. The following samples consist of 33 samples from BEED, 7
from BECED, 16 from BTLED and 24 from the BSED.
Sampling Procedure
To select the respondents of the study, the researchers will be using a
stratified sampling technique. In stratified sampling, researchers divide the
population into distinct subgroups, referred to as strata. Each member of the
population belongs to only one stratum. After this categorization, random
samples are drawn from each stratum to ensure that all subgroups are
adequately represented in the overall sample. This method enhances the
accuracy and generalizability of research outcomes by minimizing sampling bias
and improving the precision of estimates for each subgroup within the population
(Merkus, 2024).