Most Common Cause of Boredom Among High School Students in Academic Subjects

Future Generation Philippine International School

Bldg. no. 223-225, Al-Baljourashi St., Suleimaniah District, Riyadh, K.S.A.

MOST COMMON CAUSE OF BOREDOM

AMONG HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

IN ACADEMIC SUBJECTS

In partial fulfilment of the requirements in

Thesis Writing

Agustin, Audrey C.

IV “€“ Newton

Tr. Nadia Kathleen T. Manalaysay

January 21, 2012

Table of Contents

Title 1

Acknowledgment 5

Chapter One: The Problem and Its Background 6

Background of the Study 6

Statement of the Problem 7

Objectives 7

Null Hypotheses 8

Theoretical Framework 8

Conceptual Framework 9

Assumptions 10

Significance of the Study 10

Scope and Limitations 11

Definition of Terms 11

Chapter Two: Review of Related Literature and Studies 12

Introduction 12

Related Literature 12

Related Studies 14

Chapter Three: Methodology 18

Research Design 18

Research Sample 18

Research Instrument 19

Data Gathering 21

Statistical Treatment 21

Chapter Four: Presentation, Analysis, and Interpretation of Data 23

Introduction 23

Presentation of Data 24

Presentation of Tables 26

Data Analysis and Interpretation 32

Chapter Five: Summary, Conclusions, and Recommendations 34

Summary 34

Conclusions 35

Recommendations 36

References 37

Appendices 39

Appendix A 39

Appendix B 40

Acknowledgment

This research study wouldnt have been made possible without the guidance and the help of

several individuals who, in one way or another, contributed and extended their invaluable

support and cooperation in the completion of this thesis paper.

First and foremost, I”€™d like to extend my utmost gratitude to Sir Greg L. Samar, who

had introduced and taught us the proper ways of research during the time he was our thesis

adviser and is one of the many who had helped initiate this study. Many thanks to Tr.

Nadia Kathleen T. Manalaysay who had the patience to help us pull through all the way to

the completion of our thesis papers and for her unselfish and unfailing support as our thesis

adviser. And many thanks as well to Ma”€™am Zenaida C. Meren, assistant principal of

Future Generation Philippine International School, for her words of encouragement and for

boosting our self-confidence and to Ma”€™am Marie Con C. Caro for allowing me to

conduct my survey.

To all the respondents of the questionnaire of this thesis, thank you all for your cooperation

during the conducting of this studys survey. Your honest responses are well appreciated

through this studys cause.

Last but not the least, my family, friends, and the one above all of us, the omnipresent

God, for answering my prayers for giving me the strength and the knowledge to finish this

thesis, thank you so much Dear Lord.

Chapter 1

The Problem and Its Background

Background of the Study

Boredom is what many would define as the feeling of being tired and impatient of a person

or situation that is not interesting, exciting, or entertaining. Boredom is a condition where a

person feels lazy and disinterested in doing something. When a person is like that, it wont

do any good to him/her. There are different cases of boredom; one is which that will be

clarified in this research study, boredom among high school students in academic subjects.

Boredom among high school students in academic subjects may be a serious problem.

According to most articles, boredom is not a good habit for students, especially those of

the high school department, to have. Boredom in subjects, especially the major ones, can

lead to the students disinterest of learning that particular subject.

Students who are disinterested in studying wouldnt provide them a good future and jobs.

They”€™ll be having a hard time coping up with lifes daily challenges and obstacles since

they havent been paying enough attention to their lessons at school.

This research study will help identify the most common cause among the other common

causes of boredom among high school students in academic subjects as well as provide

tips that may help avoid students being bored in class.

Statement of the Problem

The problem of this study is identifying the factors that cause boredom among the high

school students in their academic subjects. The research questions regarding this are the

following:

* What is the most common cause of boredom among high school students in academic

subjects?

* What are the possible solutions and tips that would prevent said boredom?

Objectives

1. To determine whether high school students willingly admit their boredom in academic

subjects;

2. To know if the teachers method of discussion is the most common cause of boredom

among high school students in academic subjects;

3. To know if the students lack of interest is the most common cause of boredom among

high school students in academic subjects; and

4. To provide possible solutions towards boredom in academic subjects among high

school students

Null Hypotheses

1. The teachers method of discussion is the most common cause of boredom in academic

subjects among high school students.

2. The students lack of interest towards a subject is the most common cause of boredom

in academic subjects among high school students.

Theoretical Framework

Being mood monitors provides less opportunity for intense concentration on the situation.

For high mood monitors, engaging in an activity will require an effortful maintenance of

attention, resulting in more frequent feelings of boredom (Harris, 2000).

The theoretical framework of this study is based on the concepts of “The Attentional

Theory of Boredom Proneness”€. This theory by Mary B. Harris (2000), states that

boredom results from deficit attention.

This study relates by the attention that is being implied by the teachers way of discussion

and the students show of attention by their interest towards their subjects. If such is

implied by the theory, then the researcher points out that is mentioned that it could be the

teachers”€™ or the students”€™ activities in class that leads to the students”€™ boredom.

This study uses these concepts by focusing the teachers”€™ way of discussions and the

students”€™ behavior in class in order to know the most common cause of boredom

between the two.

Conceptual Framework

This study focuses on the causes of boredom among high school students in academic

subjects. The variables in this study will be the most common cause of boredom, the

dependent variable, the teachers method of discussion and the students”€™ interest in the

subject, the independent variables, and the level of boredom that occurs among the

students, the intervening variable.

The relationship among these three is that, the level of boredom among the students will

indicate which between the two independent variables will be the most common cause of

boredom among the high school students in academic subjects.

This will be assessed through the use of questionnaires with reference to previous studies

regarding the studys research topic. The information that will be referred to from the

previous studies is these previous studies”€™ statements on the causes of boredom among

high school students.

Figure 1. Conceptualized relationships among variables

teachers method of discussion

Independent Variables

students interest in the subject

Dependent Variable

Intervening Variable

most common cause of boredom

level of boredom

Assumptions

* Boredom is present among the high school students of Future Generation Philippine

International School.

* Boredom among high school students are directed towards their academic subjects.

Significance of Study

The researcher has chosen this study due to the frequent occurrences of boredom among

high school in their academic subjects and as such, has decided to do this study in order to

find out the causes of this boredom and possible solutions to this problem.

The significance of this study is identifying the causes of boredom among high school

students in academic subjects. If the researcher knows the causes and most common cause

of boredom among high school students in academic subjects, the researcher will be able

to provide possible solutions and tips to students and teachers regarding boredom in order

to avoid problems involving the topic mentioned in the future. Another part of the

significance of this study is that this study would benefit the students and teachers by

making them aware of the causes of boredom among the students in their academic

subjects that would lead to a better teaching and learning process to both parties.

Scope and Limitations

This study will only be focusing mainly on two factors, namely the teachers way of

discussion and students lack of interest, that cause students boredom as well as the possible

solutions regarding said factors of boredom among high school students of Future

Generation Philippine International School in their academic subjects.

Definition of Terms

1. Boredom is the state of being weary and restless through lack of interest.

2. Academic subjects are those subjects that embody the principles of the various

branches of learning that are taught in all types of secondary schools, as well as the social

sciences, foreign languages, higher mathematics, and physics taught in the higher schools.

3. Tedium is the state of being wearisome or troublesome.

4. Level of boredom is the extent, measure, or degree of intensity of boredom.

5. Mood monitor is someone who has a tendency to be very mindful about oneself in

regards to their surroundings.

Chapter 2

Review of Related Literature & Studies

Introduction

School boredom occurs in students who are disinterested in a topic that is being discussed

in class. Even when the whole class is having fun and showing interest in the way their

teacher discusses, there are those who stay nonchalant and wont pay attention. Boredom

may be a simple tedium; to others however, it is complicated and hard to understand due to

unspecified or irrelevant reasons.