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LEVEL OF EFFECTIVENESS OF RADIOLOGIC TECHNOLOGY GRADUATE

IN PREPARATION TO THE LOCAL BOARD EXAMINATION

Presented to

The Faculty of College of Health and Services

Professor Dennis Maximo

Arellano University

In Partial Fulfillment

of the requirements

in

ELEMENTS OF RESEARCH

Submitted by:

Franz Joseph Baniqued

Joyce Anne M. De Guzman

Christian Paul Rubio

Paul Alvin L. Yap

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CHAPTER 1

PROBLEM AND IT’S BACKGROUND

Introduction

Many students have showed that passing a board examination is the product of

hardwork, excellent preparation and efficient learning style. Every student has an

inimitable technique of learning strategies that they believe it makes easily for them to

understand and learn their major subject or specialization.

One of the professional course that is great, so far different, and have an immense

opportunity is the Bachelor of Science in Radiologic Technology, a degree program that

teaches on how to perform medical imaging procedures. Medical Imaging is branch of

health care delivery that utilizes x-rays and other energy forms to give aid in a diagnosis

or treatment to some medical condition. This course is a combination of classroom

education and a clinical practice on internship, students learn to operate radiographic

equipment, principle of radiation protection, patient positioning and procedures, radiation

safety of patient care.

BS Radiologic Technology program are combination of classroom lectures,

discussions and hands-on practice or the clinical internship. The last year of their

education is the internship training program from different hospitals.

Furthermore this program in medical allied profession or a professional course

with board examination, in order for the graduate to practice they need to pass the board

examination. Where student will make all the necessary preparation prior to the board

examination. Part of this program is implemented during their education and review prior

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to the board examination. In physical preparation which is consist of exercise, diet, and

sleep. While in mental preparation which is consist of study habits and in house review,

lastly the school program or college program.

Diet, exercise and sleep are interrelated, says Ulysses Magalang, MD, director of

the sleep medicine program at the Ohio State University Medical Center in Columbus.

They are all essential for a healthy lifestyle. Good sleep habits and a healthy lifestyle –

eating right and exercising- work together in a cyclical fashion. “ A healthy lifestyle

promotes sleep and, at the same time, adequate sleep also helps promote a healthy

lifestyle,” explains Dr. Magalang. Think about it. You need to be well rested to have the

energy for a workout. And regulat exercise can help to manage your stress levels and tire

you out so that you sleep well at night. Being physically active also encourages you to

make other healthy lifestyle choices. Just be sure to exercise no later than a few hours

before bedtime so that you aren’t all revved up when you should be winding down.

Good study habits are essential ingredients for excellent academic performances

for every student. For study to be effective, Freeman and Mors (1993) have observed that

it should be regular, intense and should cover long periods. The habits of studying must

be a sustainable one, for that matter students must see the need to develop good study

habits. Although studies abound on the causative and predictive nature of factors of study

habit on students academic achievement, all factors of the variables tend to focus on poor

study habit while the effect is yet to be fully accessed on the nations educational

development. Study habits are important as they influence the academic performance of

students so parents and teachers must help in improving the study habits of student.

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Furco (1996) defines Internship have been viewed by different researchers as

offering a diversity of benefits to the student intern. They engage the intern in service

activities primarily for the purpose of providing them with hands-on experience that

enhances their learning or understanding of issues relevant to a particular area of study.

They assist the internee to bridge the gap between the academic learning process and the

practical reality (Furco, 1996; Lam and Ching, 2007). McMahon and Quinn (1995) note

that internship is supervised work experiences where students has been carried out

(Mounce et al, 2004) but the effects of these internships on the success of the intern to

transfer the field practice into the actual workplace engagement needs follow up (Beard

and Morton, 1999). The importance of internships have also been established in

recruiting decisions by employers (Pasewark et al, 2001) and research studies in

accounting internships have shown improved subsequent academic performance (English

and Koeppen, 1993).

The core focus of this study is the Level of effectiveness of Radiologic

Technology graduate in preparation to the local board examination from different

hospital in Quezon City area such as Philippine Heart Center, East Avenue Medical

Center, Philippine Children’s Medical Center, Lung Center of the Philippines, St Lukes

Medical Center, Quirino Memorial Medical Center. To achieve this end, the researcher’s

will vvisit the five hospitals in Quezon City to conduct a survey questionnaire in relation

to the given variables, to know what is the different preparation made by the different

Radiologic Technologist that is effective why they passed the board examination.

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Theoretical Framework

Self- regulated Learning Theory

According to self-regulated learning theory (Zimmerman, 1990), the activities of

studying and using learning strategies, which reflect self-regulated learning, promote

academic achievement. In contrast, a student’s participation in other activities may not

produce positive effects on his academic performance.

The importance of personal responsibility and activity for academic achievement

stems from the perspective of self-regulated learning. According to this perspective, the

student is responsible because he or she perceives him- or herself as a learner. The

student can use learning strategies and engage in various activities to create environments

that are conductive to learning.

The term ‘self regulated’ can be used to describe learning that is guided by

metacognition (thinking about one’s thinking), strategic action (planning, monitoring, and

evaluating personal progress against a standard), and motivation to learn. In particular,

self-regulated learners are cognizant of their academic strengths and weaknesses, and

they have a repertoire of strategies they appropriately apply to tackle the day-to-day

challenges of academic tasks. These learners hold incremental beliefs about intelligence

(as opposed to fixed views of intelligence) and attribute their successes or failures to

factors (e.g. effort expended on a task, effective use of strategies) within their control.

Students who are self-regulated learners believe that opportunities to take on

challenging tasks, practice their learning, develop a deep understanding of subject matter,

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and exert effort will give to rise to academic success. In part, these characteristics may

help to explain why self-regulated learning usually exhibits a high sense of self efficacy.

Self-regulation also considers a triadic interaction between the people (e.g. beliefs

about success), his or her behavior (e.g. engaging in a task), and the environment (e.g.

feedback from a teacher). Zimmerman et al. specified three important characteristics of

self-regulating learning: self-observation (monitor one’s activities): self-judgment (self-

evaluation of one’s performance) and self-reactions (reactions to performance outcomes).

To the extent that one accurately reflects on his or her progress toward a learning

goal, and appropriately adjusts his or her actions to maximize performance, he or she has

effective self-regulated. An effective self-regulated learner understands which activities

he engages in bring about optimal academic performance.

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Conceptual Framework

INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT

Figure 1

Research Diagram shows the flow of the study in the preparation of the two

colleges in the upcoming Radiologic Technology Licensure Examination

Figure 1 presents the conceptual framework of the study. It shows the input,

process and output diagram presentation. The diagram is consists of input, process and

output of the study. The demographic variables includes, gender and institution that

represent the input in terms of physical and mental preparation. The Process includes

Survey Questionnaire, Administration of test questionnaire and Collection, interpretation

and analysis of data. The output pertains to know the what preparation will be chosen by

the RXT and RRT prior to the board examination, and then the result of the study

Profile of the Respondents:

Age

Gender

Education

A. Physical Preparation

B. Mental preparation

- Survey

- Administration of questionnaire

- Collection, Interpretation and analysis of data

- To know the effective preparation of RXT and RRT prior to the board exam.

- The result of the study benefits the student of Arellano University taking Bachelor of Science in Radiologic Technology.

- Awareness of future researcher, School Administration, Faculty and Future Examinee.

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benefits the student of Arellano University taking Bachelor of Science in Radiologic

Technology. This also includes the awareness of Future Researcher, School

Administration, Faculty and Future Examinee.

Statement of the problem

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This study will cover the needed preparation done by the respondent prior to the

board examination that contributed in the success of the examinee.

This study aims to answer the significant questions to the problems:

1. What is the demographic profile of the student in terms of:

1.1 Age;

1.2 Gender;

1.3 Education;

1.3.1 XRT

1.3.2 BSRT

1.4 School/University

2. What are the necessary college programs in preparation for the board examination in

terms of;

2.1 Physical Preparation;

2.1.1 Sleep;

2.1.2 Exercise;

2.1.3 Diet;

2.2 Mental Preparation;

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2.2.1 In house review;

2.2.2 Study habit;

3. Is there any significant difference between the Radiologic Technology school in

manila area in terms of;

3.1 Percentage of passing for board examination

3.2 Preparation for board examination

3.2.1 Physical

3.2.2 Mental

3.3 School program/college program

3.3.1 Internship program or clinical training program

3.3.2 Others activity such as seminar, convention.

3.3.3 RLE

Assumption

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There is a significant difference between the preparations of graduating student of

radiologic technology school in manila area. When they group according to the profile of

the respondents.

Significance of the study

This research study will be beneficial to the following:

Students of Arellano University. Serves as their guide in creating a thesis in

their study and also to make them aware on preparing an examination.

Faculty of Arellano University. The result of the study will help the faculty to

provide the best strategy to the students prior to their preparation for their board exam.

School Administration. The study will help the Guidance Counselor Staff for

their assessment on which preparation is better for the students as part of their assistance

to the students.

Future Researchers. This will serves as a tool for research for those who are

planning to conduct a similar study or to continue researching about the readiness of the

students in other colleges with board examination. This will also serves as related studies

in other future research.

Scope and Delimitation

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The respondent of the study are RRT and RXT from different hospital in Quezon

City area such as Philippine Heart Center, East Avenue Medical Center, Philippine

Children’s Medical Center, Lung Center of the Philippines, St. Lukes Medical Center,

Quirino Memorial Medical Center.

Definition Of terms

The following terms used in the research study are defined operationally:

Bachelor of Science in Radiologic Technology. It is a professional course that

deals with the study of different application of imaging modalities

Board Exam. Serious Exam that will take by a college student after he or she

finish the professional course.

Clinical Education. Duty of student in the hospital. Wherein they apply the

knowledge and skill learn in the school.

Internship. Hospital based duty of a junior and senior intern to utilize all the

skills and knowledge as a radiologic technology student.

Mental Preparation. Advance mindset in exercising the mind, by physical

activity and mental activity in order to be ready for the exam.

Physical Preparation. Advance practice in exercising the body in order to be

ready for the exam.

Preparation. It’s all about advance mindset in organizing, practicing, reviewing

to one thing in order to be ready for the tomorrow challenges

CHAPTER II

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REVIEW RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter consists of related literature and studies regarding the research

entitled “LEVEL OF EFFECTIVENESS OF RADIOLOGIC TECHNOLOGY

GRADUATE IN PREPARATION TO THE LOCAL BOARD EXAMINATION”. This

is composed of local and foreign literatures and studies that the researcher believed to be

somewhat related to the dependent variables.

FOREIGN LITERATURE

An emerging body of multidisciplinary literature has documented the beneficial

influence of physical activity engendered through aerobic exercise on selective aspects of

brain function. Human and Non-Human animal studies have shown that aerobic exercise

can improve a number of aspects of cognition and performance. Lack of physical activity,

particularly among children in the developed world, is one of the major causes of obesity.

Exercise might not only help to improve their physical health, but might also improve

their academic performance. This article examines the positive effects of aerobic physical

activity on cognition and brain function, at the molecular, cellular, systems and

behavioral levels. A growing number of studies support the idea that physical exercise is

a lifestyle factor that might lead to increased physical and mental health throughout life.

It’s well established that exercise substantially changes the human brain, affecting

both thinking and emotions. But a sophisticated, multifaceted new study suggests that the

effects may be more nuanced than many scientists previously believed. Whether you gain

all of the potential cognitive and mood benefits from exercise may depend on when and

how often you work out, as well as on the generic makeup of your brain.

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For the experiment, Neuroscience researchers in the department of psychology

and neuroscience at Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H., recruited 54 adults, ages 18 to

36, from college and the surrounding community. The volunteers were healthy but

generally sedentary; none exercised regularly.

During their first visit to the lab, they completed a series of questionnaires about

their health and mood, including how anxious they were both at that moment and in

general.

They also gave blood for genetic testing. Earlier studies had shown that exercise

can increase levels of a protein called brain-derived neurotropic factor, of BDNF, which

is thought to play a role in the positive effects of exercise on thinking. But some people

produce less BDNF after exercise than others because they have a variation in the gene

that controls BDNF production, though it’s unknown whether they derive less cognitive

benefit from exercise as a result. So the scientists wanted to determine each volunteer’s

BDNF gene status.

Then the group submitted to a memory test, consisting of pictures of objects

flashed across a computer screen. Soon after, another set of pictures appeared, and the

volunteers were asked to note, with keystrokes, whether they’d seen each particular

image before.

This task involves a different part of the brain from the one most often focused in

studies of exercise and memory, says David Bucci, an associate professor of psychology

and brain science at Dartmouth, who oversaw the study. Other experiments typically

examine the effect of exercise on the hippocampus, the brain’s primary memory center,

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he says, but the object-recognition task involves activity in the perirhinal cortex, you

might recall where you’ve put your car keys (a hippocampal memory task), but not what

car keys are.

Finally, after completing the tests, the volunteers were ramdomly assigned to

exercise or not during the next four weeks. Half began a supervised program of walking

or jogging four times a week for at least 30 minutes. The other half remained sedentary.

After a month, the volunteers returned to the lab for retesting. But first, some

exercised. Half of the exercising group walked or jogged before the testing; half did not.

Ditto for the sedentary group: Half exercised that day for the first time since the start of

the study; the rest did not.

The results were, in certain aspects, a surprise. As expected, many of the

volunteers who’d been exercising for the past month significantly improved their scores

on the memory and mood tests. But not all of them did. In general, those volunteers who

had exercised for the past month and who worked out on the day of retesting performed

the best on the memory exam. They also tended to report less anxiety than other

volunteers.

Those who had exercised during the preceeding month but not on the day of

testing generally did better on the memory test than those who had been sedentary, but

did not perform nearly as well as those who had worked out that morning.

Interestingly, while exercising before the test didn’t improve the memory scores

of those who’d remained sedentary for the past month, it did increase their self-reported

anxiety levels. They were more jittery than they had been on the first lab visit.

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Perhaps most intriguing, though, was that the researchers discovered when they

compared the volunteers’ BDNF gene variants and their scores on the memory test. They

found that those with the variant that blunts BDNF production after exercise - a fairly

common variation, existing in about 30 percent of people of European Caucasian heritage

– did not improve their memories, even if they exercised regularly. (No consumer test

exists to check for the variant.)

What all of this means for people who are hoping that exercise will improve their

minds in unclear, Dr. Bucci says, but it does suggest that the interplay of physical activity

and brainpower is more complex than we have perhaps yet acknowledged.

Some people’s ability to recall objetcs, for instance, “may respond less robustly”

to exercise than other people, he says if their genetic makeup doesn’t promote the release

BDNF.

But the overall message of this study and of ongoing research in his lab, Dr. Bucci

adds, is that exercise generally enhances the ability to remember. The people who did

improve their memory test scores, he points out, were invariably those who’d exercised

throughout the previous month and again the morning of the testing, suggesting a

powerful cumulative effect from the exercise sessions, he says.

More generally, Dr. Bucci says, there are many types of memory involving many

different areas within the brain, and few seem unaffected by regular, moderate exercise,

although the effects may be inconsistent from person to person.

“The current data strongly suggests that people should be physically active” if

they wish to enjoy a sturdy, unporous memory in the long term, Dr. Bucci says. Walk or

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jog regularly, in other words, and most of us can expect to continue recognizing our keys

as keys.

If you exercise regularly, there’s a good chance that you’re helping to boost your

immune system. In fact, recent studies have suggested that if you complete moderate

exercise just a few times every week, you can drastically reduce the number of colds that

you get every year. Outside of just keeping you in shape and helping you to become

healthier over time, exercise can boost your immune system and help your body fight off

harmful diseases and even something as simple as the common cold. Though doctors are

continuing to do research on the link between exercise and the immune system, they have

discovered some simple truths that impact how exercise can help.

When you exercise regularly, there are number of things that benefit your body.

Your heart gets stronger and is able to pump more blood throughout your body when you

exercise. Your lungs get better equipped at handling oxygen and dishing it out to the rest

of your body. Your muscles also get stronger as you use them more often. Your immune

system is no different. Doctors have found that exercise can boost your immune system

by providing a boost to the cells in your body that are assigned to attack bacteria. These

cells appear to work more slowly in people who don’t exercise than in those that do. As a

result, if you exercise, your immune system is better equipped to handle bacteria that

could cause you to become sick. Though this boost only lasts for a few hours after you

exercise, it’s often enough to help keep you healthier than you would be if you didn’t

exercise.

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While it’s obviously beneficial to give your immune system a boost by exercising

you also need to be aware of the fact that you could actually hurt your immune system if

you don’t give your body enough rest. Too much exercise can actually cause your

immune system to weaken. It’s one of the reasons that you may feel very rundown and

weak if you’re training for a marathon or doing a lot of exercise during a short window of

time. In order to avoid having this effect on your immune system, make sure that you get

enough rest for your body.

The truth is that you don’t have to be a super athlete to boost your immune system

through exercise. All you need to do is walk for a half hour every day or find time to hit

the gym a few times every week. By speeding up the cells in your immune system that

fight off bacteria, you can get healthier in no time. Studies have also known that people

who work out often take half as many sick days per year as those that don’t work out. Try

to incorporate more exercise into your day to help strengthen your immune system over

time.

A typical student will spend a lot of time in lectures and working at desks or

computers. This can often mean that he or she isn’t getting enough exercise for the body

to function at its peak. Not only exercise is important for students for overall health, but it

is also thought to be able to increaselearning abilities and concentration. Avoiding a

sedentary lifestyle while in university is difficult for many students, which is why an

exercise routine that includes cardiovascular exercise should be used on a regular basis.

Establishing a healthy lifestyle is important for people of any age, but it can be

hand for students who have to cope with a variety of different time crunches and stresses

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for the first time. For example, most students will have to learn how to live away from

home, make new friends and how to study effectively. Student health can oftern become

of secondary importance in this situation. While high school and other lower-level

students don’t often have to deal with living away from home or the stresses of college

life, regular exercise and activity is still of equal importance.

There are many health benefits to leading a healthy lifestyle. Exercise for students

will reduce the risk of problems such as obesity and diabetes. Regular exercise also

releases endorphins that can make problems such as depression less likely and increase

happiness. To increase fitness and overall health a student should aim for around 60

minutes of exercise most days of the week. In order to avoid injury, the exercise should

focus on a different area of the body each day.

Some people may also find exercising helps build concentration during lectures

and in general learn more efficiently. Studies performed over the years have discovered

the students who regularly exercised were happier and felt more alert. The same effects

are not seen immediately after exercising – it’s a product of consistent workouts.

Exercise for students should involve a variety of different methods. For example,

university and college is often a good place to join a sports team or exercise class.

Exercises such as jogging, swimming and biking are also useful for cardiovascular

exercise. The more enjoyable the exercise for the student the easier it will be to continue

it for a long period of time.

Healthy eating should be used in conjunction with exercise for students. Avoiding

student obesity is important as it can cause numerous health problems later in life. By

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combining a healthy diet that includes only a small amount of saturated fats with an

increased amount of exercise a student can quickly become healthier.

College students, especially online college students, have packed schedules.

Classes, employment and family or social obligations quickly fill up your calendar. It

seems cruel to add another obligation to the list, but here’s ont to consider: exercise.

Scientific evidence is piling up that shows regular exercise provides important cognitive

benefits that could make your efforts a little less taxing.

Recent human and animal studies show that regular aerobic exercise has profound

effects on the brain. A recent New York Times article, “ How Exercise Could Lead To A

Better Brain”, describes experiments performed on mice at the University of Illinois.

Mice who ran regularly on a wheel had nore neurons-brain cells-than those who did not.

Also, mice who ran regularly had more complex connections between neurons,

meaning they were able to access their brain cells more flexibly. Finally, the mice who

ran regularly did better on cognitive tests, such as completing a maze. There’s evidence

that this direct relationship also exists in humans.

The hippocampus is a structure in the brain that controls the formation, retention,

and recall of memories. In most adults, the hippocampus strats to shrink slightly starting

in the late 20’s, leading to memory loss over time. Evidence from a 2011 study,

recounted in the New York Times article mentioned above, shows that exercise prevents

this shrinkage and may even promote regrowth.

A group of senior citizens were randomly assigned to a stretching program or a

walking program for a year. After the year was over, the stretching goup’s brains were

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scanned, and their hippocampuses had shrunken according to normal expectations. In the

walking group, however, the hippocampus had grown. For college students, the

implication is clear: regular exercise could benefit the parts of your brain that help you

recall information.

In 2009, a Canadian school for learning-disabled and ADHD children took part in

an experiment that involved having students exercise for 20 minutes on treadmills or

exercise bikes before starting their math class. Teachers noted a marked improvement in

student’s ability to concentrate, participate, and retain information during the class after

they had exercised. Inappropriate behavior also improved in the group that exercised.

Additional experiments of this type, such as those taking place at Naperville

Central High near Chicago, IL, suggest that three 20-minute session a week is the

minimum dose needed to reap the concentration-enhancing benefits of exercise.

Numerous studies have shown that exercise profoundly improves your mood. A

1999 Duke study into the effects of exercise on depression had some participants work

out while others took a well-known anti-depressant medication. By the end of the study,

the exercise group showed as much improvement in mood as the medication group did.

So college students looking to maintain their positive attitude succeed can benefit from

regular exercise.

Prolonged stress can lead to health problems, such as heart attacks and stomach

problems. Exercise, by helping you sleep better and easing anxiety, can relieve the

negative effects of stress on your body. Many regular exercisers also find that they can

focus constructively on problems during or after about of exercise.

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So make time exercise. Choose an activity you love that gets your heart rate up,

whether it’s hiking, running, or dancing, and put it on your schedule the way you would

any other appointment or class for atleast three 30-minutes sessions a week. You’ll soon

be reaping the benefits that exercise offers the scholar: a sound mind in a healthy body.

A healthy diet is the basis for a well-functioning body. Food is the source of

energy for all of our bodily functions and directly affects how our bodies and minds

function in every stage of life. There are a variety of reasons why a healthy diet is

important, including disease prevention, maintenance of a healthy weight and quality of

life.

Calories are the unit of measure for stored energy in food. The energy provided

by food calories is needed for every function of the body, including thought, physical

activity, growth and healing. According to Medicine Plus, foods containing an equal

amount of calories and nutrients are ideal for a balanced diet.

Proteins, carbohydrates and fats are the building blocks of energy. After ingestion,

carbohydrates are broken down into glucose, which provides raw energy that is either

used immediately or stored in the muscles for later use. Complex carbohydrates like

whole grains, vegetables and fruits provide a balance of calories and nutrients, whereas

tsimple carbs such as sugar and white flour are high in calories and low in nutrients,

making them a poor choice for energy production.

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A healthy diet helps maintain an ideal body weight and prevent obesity. When

eaten frequently, foods high in saturated fat, trans fat and sugar can lead to excess weight

gain and obesity.

While calories are needed for energy, empty calories – those derived from foods

with little nutritional value – can lead to weight gain. Eating foods with a balance of

calories and nutrients can help provide the body with the fuel it needs to function while

avoiding weight gain.

A poor diet has been directly linked with diseases such as diabetes, heart disease

and certain types of cancer. Trans and saturated fats are known to cause atherosclerosis,

which is a major risk factor for heart attack and stroke. Foods high in cholesterol can

raise levels of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol in the blood, which is also contributes to arterial

damage seen in atherosclerosis.

According to the American Cancer Society, processed meats, fried meats and

alcohol are associated with an increased risk for certain types of cancer, such as cancer of

the colon or liver. Foods that contribute to obesity are also indirectly linked to cancer,

since obesity increases the overall risk for developing cancer.

A healthy diet can lead to better overall performance of the mind and body.

According to the U.S Department of Agriculture, foods high in antioxidants can help

promote generation of neurons into old age while improving the ability of existing brain

cells to communicate with each other, resulting in improved cognitive functioning.

What’s more, diet may play an important role in mood and mental health.

According to the Americann Journal of Psychiatry, a healthy diet is associated with a

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lower incidence of depression, anxiety disorders and dysthymia than a typical “Western”

diet high in sugar, processed foods and alcohol.

Azikiwe (1998) describes the study habit as “the adopted way and manner a

student plans his private readings, after classroom learning so as attain mastery of the

subject.” According to her, “good study habits are good assets to learners because the

(habits) assist students to attain mastery in areas of specialization and consequent

excellent performance, while opposite constitute constraints to learning and achievement

leading to failure”.

Good (1998) define the term study habits as: The student’s way of study whether

systematic, efficient or inefficient etc”. Going by this definition it literally means that

good study habit produces positive academic performance while inefficient study habit

leads to academic failure. In Nigeria, there are so many factors influencing the ability of

students to cultivate effective and efficient study habit. Ozmert (2005) emphasized the

importance of environmental influence as a major factor in the development of students

studying habit. In the same vein, Adetunji and Oladeji (2007) submit that the

environment of most children is not conducive for studying; it is in the light of this that

made some parents to prefer their children to go to boarding school for proper discipline

and to inculcate better reading habit.

According to Hussian (2006) secondary school students in public schools often

come from economically poor and average income families. These families face various

problems causing emotional disturbance among their children. They have poor academic

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performance. This singular factor has caused serious damage to the achievement status to

secondary school students.

Achievement is generally a pedagogical terminology used while determining

learners’ success in formal education and which is measured through reports

examinations, researchers and ratings with numerous factors of variables exerting

influence. Essentially, the National Policy on education (Federal Republic of Nigeria,

2004) has identified school achievement contents according to school subjects which are

classified as core or elective subjects.

Good study habits are essential ingredients for excellent academic performances

for every student. For study to be effective, Freeman and Mors (1993) have observed that

it should be regular, intense and should cover long periods. The habits of studying must

be a sustainable one, for that matter students must see the need to develop good study

habits. Although studies abound on the causative and predictive nature of factors of study

habit on students academic achievement, all factors of the variables tend to focus on poor

study habit while the effect is yet to be fully accessed on the nations educational

development. Study habits are important as they influence the academic performance of

students so parents and teachers must help in improving the study habits of students.

Research has shown that a large number of students’ performances are affected by

their attitudes towards specific subjects, education and academics in general. (Bowen &

Richman, 2000) It has been suggested that when students demonstrate week commitment

to their academics then they are bound to underperform. Additionally, some students with

an unrealistic view of themselves may perform poorly too. For instance, those who tend

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to be overconfident or nave about the requirements of their academics may register very

poor performance. (Broughton, 2003) Conversely, when students do not believe in

themselves or when they have low self confidence, then chances are that they will

underachieve. (Powers, 2006) Sometimes some students may think of themselves as

people who cannot control their own destiny. They imagine that they are victims of the

system and this can lead to academic failure. In other scenarios some students may be too

proud to ask for help when they encounter a problem in their studies. (Bowen &

Richman, 2000) Also, some students find it difficult to grow or develop because they

tend to resist change and this impedes their academic progress. In other situations, a

student may not work well in groups yet this is a necessary part of the academic

environment. Lastly, some students tend to avoid those areas where they perform poorly

such as in science or mathematics. These and many more aspects of student’s attitudes

can be causes of academic failure. School context is depicted through certain avenues.

These avenues can either lead to excellent performance or poor performance depending

on how they are implemented. (Powers, 2006) In certain schools, the system may be too

bureaucratic to the point that both teachers and students cannot do their jobs. This

eventually leads to poor performance. (Bowen & Richman, 2000) In other situations,

teachers lack the skills to impart knowledge and this may cause failures. Likewise, some

teachers may be disengaged with their students and this brings about problems in the end.

(Broughton, 2003) Additionally, there are certain school environments that are influenced

by the external world to such a large extent that the students cannot concentrate on what

they are meant to do. Such schools lack discipline. (Broughton, 2003) Some school

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environments may have certain levels of segregation and this impedes academic success.

(Broughton, 2003)

FOREIGN STUDIES

Many students give up sleep to get good grades, but research shows that students

who sleep more get better grades.

Members of the Student (SHAC), who provide a student perspective to University

(UHS), identified sleep as a top focus this year. They consulted noted sleep researchers

and developed recommendations for clinicians about how to address sleep with student

patients.

It’s no secret that college students tend to skimp on sleep to squeeze the most out

of 24 hours. But this generation is different, and researchers are increasingly focusing on

college students because they are one of the most sleep-deprived populations. College

students go to bed one to two hours later and sleep less per night on average compared to

previous generations. As a result, 75% of U-M undergraduates do not sleep enough to

feel rested on five or more days per week, and 19% reported that sleep difficulties had an

impact on academic performance in the past year.

The amount of sleep that a college student gets in one of the strongest predictors

of academic success. Sleep plays a key role in helping students fix and consolidate

memories, plus prevent decay of memories. Without sleep, people work harder and but

don’t do as well.

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With these facts in mind, the Student Health Advisory Council made the

following recommendations for UHS clinicians to consider in their work with students,

which may also help you as you talk with your student.

Encourage students to adjust wake-up time, because it is may be easier to adjust

than bedtime.

Emphasize behavioral changes to improve sleep. Medicine is rarely necessary.

Students can practice relaxation techniques before bed to increase quality of sleep, avoid

doing homework immediately before (or in) bed, and avoid TV and computer use before

bed.

Encourage napping. Most students don’t get a full night’s sleep every night, and

naps help them make up the difference. Research shows that napping 10-45 minutes

(before entering REM sleep) can increase performance.

Advise students to avoid caffeine, especially later in the aftermoon/night. To help

the Student Life continue making a difference in students’ lives.

Nobody goes to graduate school expecting a walk in the park – long hours spent

in the lab, in the library and sitting in front of a computer screen are just an accepted part

of daily life. For many students, it is most energetically demanding time of their lives, not

just for the hours put in, but the cognitive resources required to think critically and absorb

complex material. While such an assiduous lifestyle should perhaps warrant more rest

than normal, sleep often takes a backseat to projects, reading, and deadlines.

29

According to Northern Illinois University professor and Industrial-Organizational

psychologist Dr. Larissa Barber, sleep is the single most important health behavior we

engage in. In a 2010 study, she and her colleague found that healthy sleep patterns play a

critical role in self-regulation – an executive function in the brain that controls our

behaviors (Stress and Health, 2010). It helps us to override urges, initiate behaviors, and

persist. It tells us to get out of the bed and get to class on time, to start working on that

thesis/dissertation, and to keep trudging through that dense journal article, despite the

impulse to incessantly check e-mail and Facebook. Without adequate sleep, our brains are

less equipped to control our behaviors and direct them towards our goals, which can spell

trouble for burdened graduate students.

“I would say that graduate school is probably the ultimate self-regulatory

exercise,” Barber said. “Almost every critical performance outcome in graduate school

requires self-regulatory resources, or energy.”

Not only is self-regulation important for knowing when to buckle down and

focus, or get yourself out of bed in the morning, it’s also critical for managing emotions

and stress. Sleeping less can cause people to feel more threatened by stressful events,

which in response, can lead to dysfunctional coping.

“Things that usually rate as minor stressors all of a sudden seen like a big deal,”

Barber said. “So, sleep can often mean the difference between you crying after receiving

negative feedback from your advisor on a paper, or calmly evaluating the information as

constructive or motivating.”

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How much sleep is enough? While most people think of the standard as 8 hours,

studies show that performance decrements don’t appear until you hit below 7 hours, with

less than 6 hours showing a large effect. But personality and individual differences do

play a role in a person’s “magic number.” On average, people need between 6 and 8

hours of sleep. However, people who score high on extraversion (talkative, out-going,

assertive) tend to recharge a bit faster than others. Same goes for older people, and people

with high metabolisms.

But 7 hours a night may not get you off the hook. It’s not just the amount of sleep

that matters for positive well-being and performance outcomes; sleep routines are just as

important. Barber’s study found that in order to see stress levels decline and self-control

improve, people need to get enough sleep consistently over the course of the work week.

Further evidence for the importance of sleep routines comes from a study of the

effect of staying up late and sleeping late on the weekends, which is a common practice

for young adults. CUNY researchers found that a delayed sleep schedule on the weekend

can seriously hurt cognitive performance and overall mood in the beginning of the week,

through “Sunday night insomnia” and the “Monday morning blues” (Psychology and

Health, 2001). Scientists suggest that a later wake-up time prevents exposure to morning

light which throws our circadian rhythm off kilter, and subsequently shifts our body’s

sleep schedule.

Barber finds it troubling that people commonly overlook routines in favor of just

catching up on sleep at a later date.

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“People often think of sleep in compensatory terms, like a credit card – I’ll just

pay it back later!” she said. “But they forget what I call the “hidden interest rates,’ which

is circadian rhythm disruption. Poor Monday always gets a bad reputation, but the reality

is that we set ourselves up for Monday failure via our weekend sleep habits.”

In addition to getting enough sleep and getting it routinely, high-quality rest is

also an important factor to consider. Studies indicate that sleep hygiene is one of the

greatest predictors of overall sleep quality (Hong Kong Med J, 2010). This refers to

general behavioral practices and environmental factors that allow for a sound sleep, like

diet, exercise, light, temperature, noise, as well as sleep schedule and pre-sleep activities.

On the flip side, poor sleep quality is associated with significant psychological distress,

depression, confusion, and generally lower life satisfaction. Poor sleep hygiene in

specific, is linked to a higher prevalence of insomnia and chronic sleep difficulties.

In a 2010 study, Chinese researchers found that despite its importance in sleep

quality, the level of sleep hygiene knowledge among university students was “relatively

inadequate” (Hong Kong Med J, 2010). A more recent study found that although sleep

disturbances are often comorbid with most psychiatric disorders, and can exacerbate

symptoms, graduate clinical psychology students receive little training in the assessment

of sleep and treatment of sleep disorders (Training and Education in Professional

Psychology, 2012).

Studies over the years show a relationship between tests, test taking, scores and

sleep, especially for children. Sleep has significant impact on test taking and test taking

preparation, especially by improving memory and attentiveness. Long before test day,

32

students should focus on good sleep habits, so when the night before arrives, they won’t

be exhausted from thinking about ACT testing scores, test taking or getting better test

scores all night.

Sleep plays an important role in both behavior and activity every day, but even

more importantly in academic achievement. While you may not think there is a link

between sleep, an IQ test and scores resulting from it, but there is. You will be better able

to process and retain information, respond quickly and be more confident in your

performance if you are well-tested beforehand.

William Kohler, MD, medical director of the Florida Sleep Institute, director of

pediatric sleep services at University Community Hospital in Tampa, and an American

Association of Sleep Medicine (AASM) pediatric sleep expert, says that teens need more

sleep than adults because their circadian rhythm is easily disrupted. An adequate quantity

and quality of sleep is necessary for optimal learning, and Dr. Kohler encourages teens to

establish appropriate bedtime hours and a healthy sleep environment to ensure at least

nine to ten hours of quality.

“ A student’s performance in the classroom is dictated by the amount of sleep he

or she gets the night before,” says Dr.Kohler. “A teen who regularly gets enough sleep

will have improved academic performance and test scores, a positive attitude towards

their education, and be able to better interact socially with their peers and teachers.

Students can also remember better whay they learned if they get a good night’s sleep

after learning the task. Sleep depriviation, on the other hand, increases the incidence of

academic failure, worse test taking, depression and behavioral problems.”

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Daniel S. Lewin, PhD, of the Children’s National Medical Center at the George

Washington University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C, agrees that, on today’s

society, in between school, after-school activities and socializing with friends, sleep often

takes a back seat among teenagers.

“Weighing the importance of sleep and the essential activities is hard, and all too

often in our current culture of achieve-achieve-achieve, sleep loses,” says Dr. Lewin.

“The bad news is that when sleep loses, you lose. Here’s why: adequate sleep on a

nightly basis is essential for learning, memory, safety and even preventing weight gain.”

Dr. Lewin says that every now and then, a short sleep period is ok and even

necessary, but some care should be exercised the next day because the less you sleep, the

greater the risk of injury and getting into an automobile accident. Sleep loss night after

night leads to poorer grades and test scores, difficulty getting along with friends and

health problems in the long term, adds Dr. Lewin.

“ As mid-term exams approach, remember that adequate sleep will lead to

improved memory,” says Dr. Lewin. “Do not stay up late cramming for the test the next

day because there is a good probability that the loss of sleep will erode your performance,

and last-minute bits of information will not help much. There is some good news. If you

sleep adequate period of time, then rehearsing or practicing your test material at bedtime

will be very likely to improve your recall.”

Researh has shown that inadequate and disruptive sleep can lead to problems with

behavior and mood along with difficulty with cognition and performance in the

classroom, especially with their test taking skills, test taking preparation and the

34

knowledge on how to improve test scores. A study published in a recent issue of the

Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that students who have trouble sleeping do not

perform as well in school as students without sleep complaints.

Several recent studies outline the adverse effects of poor sleep among teens with

regards to their success in school and test taking:

1. Students with symptoms of sleep disorders are more likely to receive poor grades and

school test scores in classes such as math, reading and writing than peers without

symptoms of sleep disorders.

2. The brain responses of those children who don’t get enough sleep can accurately

predict the impact that sleep loss has on their ability to pay attention during the course of

a day and test taking preparation.

3. Research examining the impact of sleep inn school-age children suggests that even

mild sleep loss produces marked deficits in their cognitive development, functioning and

the development of good test taking skills.

4. Sleep restriction can alter children’s initial stages of speech perception, which could

contribute to disruptions in cognitive and linguistic functioning – skills necessary for

reading, language development and comprehension, which are crucial to test taking

preparation and test taking.

5. Teenagers who stay up late on school nights and make up for it by sleeping late on

weekends are more likely to perform poorly in the classroom. This is because, on

weekends, they are waking up at a time that is later than their internal body clock experts.

35

The fact that their clock must get used to a new routine may affect their ability to be

awake early for school at the beginning of the week they revert back to their old routine.

6. Aggressive behavior and bullying, common among school children, are likely to have

multiple causes, one of which may be an undiagnosed sleep-related breathing disorder.

7. Consuming caffeine may affect the sleep and school performance, including school test

scores, of young teens. Students who consume caffeine wake up later in the morning on

school days. The study links waking up later for school with having a lower grade-point

average and needing to improve test scores. Students who consume caffeine later in the

day are more likely to miss school.

8. Over the past decade, children have been going to bed later and sleeping less. This can

be attributed, in part, to a lack of awareness in the community concerning sleep need in

Children and how the amount of sleep a child should get each night is dependent on one’s

age. The Sleep-Side Rule is found to be an effective classroom tool that improves

children’s understanding of the relationship between age and sleep need.

The following tips are provided by the AASM to help teens get the most out of

their sleep. Parents should be aware of these guidelines and should use them to help their

teen develop healthy sleep habits:

1. Try to get close to nine hours of sleep each night. Get enough sleep so that you wake

up refreshed and alert for the day, ready for test taking preparation and learning.

2. Try to wind down and relax before bedtime. Avoid intense studying, arguing and

exercising. Stop plating video or computer games and enjot some quite time before bed.

36

3. Avoid bright light in the evening. Darkness lets your body know it’s time to sleep.

4. Try to get bright light in the morning. This helps reset your clock for the next night.

Turn on bright lights and open your blinds when you get up. Getting exercise in the

morning also may help in setting the tone for test taking.

5. Try to catch up on any lost sleep when you can. Naps can be helpful to catch up with

lost sleep, but don’t nap in the evening. Sleeping later on weekends can help catch up

with lost sleep. But do not sleep later than two to three hours past your normal weekday

wake up time, especially on Sunday mornings.

Another helpful resource to sleep better and improve test scores and test taking,

especially skills, is using the SOUND+SLEEP sound machine. SOUND+SLEEP is

designed to help student and test takers sleep naturally. SOUNDS+SLEEP’s patented

Adaptive SoundTM technology adjusts volume and dynamically mixes complementary

sounds into the main sound track in response to background disturbances, which will help

children get natural sleep. This ensures a continuously relaxing environment regardless of

the surrounding noise. SOUND+SLEEP’s quality sound recordings create the most

realistic and natural sounding environment that minimizes sleep disruptions to facilitate

sleep in the effort to improve school test scores and test taking preparation. As intrusive

noises subside, SOUND+SLEEP gradually and automatically returns to normal levels.

SOUND+SLEEP has been awarded the Parent Tested, Parent Approved (PTPA)

Winner’s Seal of Approval. PTPATM media is North America’s largest parent community,

with over 40,000 volunteer parent testers. SOUND+SLEEP was among several entries

from across North America competing to earn the PTPA Seal. Independent parent

37

volunteers evaluated sudmitted products in their own homes; thus PTPA winners are

chosen based on merit and consumer experience not on commercial considerations. As a

result, the PTPA Seal has gained recognition as a leader in certifying consumer products

for quality, effectiveness and value.

Reviewer feedback was overwhelmingly positive with such antidotes as, “ I loved

this product! I live by sound machines in my children’s rooms. This product provided a

soothing environment for my children to sleep in, as well as having us (the parents) be

able to be louder than a whisper downstairs while they are asleep!”

If you’re concerned about your or your child’s test taking and study habits, test

scores consult a doctor for suggestions.

Sleep, learning, and memory are complex phenomena that are not entirely

understood. However, animal and human studies suggest that the quantity and quality of

sleep have a profound impact on learning and memory. Research suggests that sleep

helps learning and memory in two distinct ways. First, a sleep-deprived person cannot

focus attention optimally and therefore cannot learn efficiently. Second, sleep itself has a

role in the consolidation of memory, which is essential for learning new information.

Although the exact mechanisms are not known, learning and memory are often

described in terms of three functions. Acquisition refers to the introduction of new

information into the brain. Consolidation represents the processes by which a memory

becomes stable. Recall refers to the ability to access the information (whether

consciously or unconsciously) after it has been stored.

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Each of these steps is necessary for proper memory functions. Acquisition and

recall occur only during wakefulness, but research suggests that memory consolidation

takes place during sleep through the strengthening of the neutral connections that form

our memories. Although there is no consensus about how sleep makes this process

possible, many researchers think that specific characteristics of brainwaves during

different stages of sleep are associated with the formation of particular types of memory.

Dr. Robert Stickgold discusses how sleep plays a role in memory, both before and

after new learning situation.

Sleep researchers study the role of sleep in learning and memory formation in two

ways. The first approach looks at the different stages of sleep (and changes in their

duration) in response to learning a variety of new tasks. The second approach examines

how sleep deprivation affects learning. Sleep deprivation can be total (no sleep allowed),

partial (either early or late sleep is deprived), or selective (specific stages of sleep are

deprived).

Different types of memories are formed in new learning situations. Scientists are

exploring whether there is a relationship between the consolidation of different types of

memories and the various stages of sleep.

The earliest sleep and memory research focused on declarative memory, which is

the knowledge of fact-based information, or “what” we know (for example, the capital of

France, or what you had for dinner last night). In one research study, individuals engaged

in an intensive language course were observed to have an increase in rapid-eye-

movement sleep, REM sleep. This is a stage of sleep in which dreaming occurs most

39

frequently. Scientist hypothesized that REM sleep played an essential role in the

acquisition of learned material. Further studies have suggested that REM sleep seems to

be involved in declarative memory processes if the information is complex and

emotionally charged, but probably not if the information is simple and emotionally

neutral.

Researchers now hypothesize that slow-wave sleep (SWS) which is deep,

restorative sleep, also plays a significant role in declarative memory by processing and

consolidating newly acquired information. Studies of the connection between sleep and

declarative memory have had mixed results, and this is an area of continued research.

Sleep plays a major role in the ability to learn new tasks that require motor

coordination and performance. Research has also focused on sleep and its role in

procedural memory – the remembering “how” to do something (for example, riding a

bicycle or playing the piano). REM sleep seems to plays a critical role in the

consolidation of procedural memory. Other aspects of sleep also play a role: motor

learning seems to depend on the amount and timing of both deep, slow-wave sleep

(SWS) and REM sleep.

Another are that researchers study is the impact that a lack of adequate sleep has

on learning and memory. When we are sleep deprived, our focus, attention, and vigilance

drift, making it more difficult to receive information. Without adequate sleep and rest,

over-worked neurons can no longer function to coordinate information properly, and we

lose our ability to access preciously learned information.

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In addition, our interpretation of events may be affected. We lose our ability to

make sound decisions because we can no longer accurately assess the situation, plan

accordingly, and choose the correct behavior. Judgment becomes impaired.

Being chronically tired to the point of fatigue or exhaustion means that we are less

likely to perform well. Neurons do not fire optimally, muscles are not rested, and the

body’s organ systems are not synchronized. Lapses on focus from sleep deprivation can

even result in accidents or injury..

Low-quality sleep and sleep deprivation also negatively impact mood, which has

consequences for learning. Alterations in mood affect our ability to acquire new

information and subsequently to remember that information. Although chronic sleep

deprivation affects different individuals in a variety of ways (and the effects are not

entirely known), it is clear that a good night’s rest has a strong impact on learning and

memory.

Although current research suggests that sleep is essential for proper memory

function, there are unanswered questions, as in any area of active scientific inquiry. For

example, certain medications will significantly, if not entirely, suppress REM sleep.

However, patients taking these medications do not report any memory impairment,

Similarly, injuries or disease causing lesions to the brainstem (and subsequently

eliminating a person’s REM sleep) have not resulted in any obvious loss of the ability to

form new memories. Exploration and debate continue.

Mice exhibit an increase in REM sleep after completing a new course through a

maze.

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Not all researchers are convinced that sleep plays as prominent a role in memory

consolidation as others believe. In experiments in which animals completed a course

through a complicated maze, the animals amount of REM sleep increased after

performing the task. Some researchers believe that the increase in REM sleep reflects an

increased demand on the brain processes that are involved in learning a new task. Other

researchers, however, have suggested hat any changes in the amount of REM sleep are

due to the stress of the task itself, rather than a functional relationship to learning.

Researchers are likewise split with regard to the impact of sleep deprivation on

learning and memory. For example, rats often perform much worse on learning tasks

after being selectively deprived of REM sleep. This suggests that REM sleep is necessary

for the animals’ ability to consolidate the memory of how to perfrom the task. Some

scientists have argued that the observed differences in learning are not actually due to the

lack of REM sleep, but may be due to the animals not being as well rested because they

were deprived a portion of their sleep.

In the view of many researchers, evidence suggests that various sleep stages are

involved in the consolidation of different types of memories and that being sleep

deprived reducesone’s ability to learn. Although open questions (and debate) remain, the

overall evidence suggests that adequate sleep each day is very important for learning and

memory.

Research shows students learn better when they’re well nourished. Healthy eating

has been linked to higher grades, better memory , more alertness, faster information

processing and improved health leading to better school attendance, according to

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registered dietitian Elisa Zied, author of “Feed Your Family Right.” Conversely,

unhealthy eating habits can negatively affect learning. Researchers have studied a number

of areas related to eating and learning.

Skipping breakfast can have impact on learning: A higher percentage of breakfast

eaters passed a biology exam in one study of college students by Gregory Phillips. It’s

also important to eat high-quality breakfast. In a study of students 12 to 13 years old, the

average mark increased as breakfast quality improved. In another study of students ages

11 to 14, easting a breakfast with foods low on the glycemic index (GI) was associated

with faster information processinga

Even with breakfast, the brain can run out of fuel before lunch. In one study of

students ages 7 to 9, having a midmorning snack improved memory. The children who

ate a smaller breakfast and lunch but consumed a midmorning snack experienced a

smaller decline in immediate and delayed memory. Attention was not affected , however.

Zied recommends yogurt with blueberries; this fruit has been linked to better memory in

studies. Hard–boiled egg is also a good snack choice because egg contains choline, a

nutrient shown to improve memory in animal studies.

Kids who eat healthy are more likely to be in school and participating. Without

proper nutrition and adequate calories, students often don’t have enough energy to power

the brain, resulting in fatigue and learning problems. In fact, alertness improved

significantly in students eating breakfast in one study of high school students published in

the journal of Pediatrics. The male students also reported feeling more positive, may

43

improve academic performance by making students more eager to learn, according to

Zied.

Students who eat lots of junk foods are more likely to fall behind in school. A

study of public school students published in the Journal of School Health linked high

intake of sweetened beverages, such as sugary sodas to lower scored on math tests. A diet

high in junk food and sugary sodas is also linked to childhood obesity, which could result

in lower cognitive functioning, according to 2011 Yale University research. On the other

hand, students with healthy eating habits are less likely to be obese and more likely to

learn well.

Time management is a skill that directly impacts your academic performance.

Effective time management strategies make studying and school work less overwhelming

and more enjoyable. Academic stress occurs when students feel the pressure of cramming

for exams, rushing through homework and getting minimal sleep because of

disorganization and worry. Effective time management techniques should not only be

applied to your academic life but to your overall schedule to achieve success and peace of

mind.

A study conducted by Dr. Ranjita Misra, Ph.D., and Michelle McKean and

published by the American Journal Health Studies found that stress levels decreased

among students who managed their time well. Students who sought relaxation through

parties and other social events still maintained a relatively high stress level, in spite of

their efforts. The study also determined that the time-balanced students achieved higher

grades, felt less anxiety over tests and were more confident in their academic

44

performance overall. Furthermore, these students also fit a social life into their busy

schedules, simply due to efficient and realistic time planning.

Difficult tend to lack motivation. There are conflicting opinions regarding

whether the lack of motivation stems from the frustration of feeling that there is not

enough time available to study and attend classes, or if the lack of motivation was there

to begin with, resulting in poorer academic performance. Either way, students should

focus on their goals with passion that will carry them through to fruition. Sometimes this

means rejuvenating by joining a gym or entertaining a hobby. While this might seem to

oppose the purpose of focusing on studies, exercise and enjoyment can fit into a carefully

planned schedule in such a way that will actually increase motivation and encourage

good study habits.

Procrastination can be a problem for people of all ages, in and out of school.

Cramming too much information into your head right before a test can turn out to be

worse than not studying at all. Rushing through a paper the day before it’s due leaves

little time for reflection, review and editing. If you are overwhelmed by a school project

that you keep putting off, remember that tending to the assignment or studying a little

every day allows more time for quality work. Test grades are bound to be the higher

because the information is being absorbed in portions rather than your brain going into

overload. Term papers and other assignments reap higher grades when little bits are done

each day because there is plenty of time to correct and change things as needed. Your

stress level is bound to be lower, and your sense of organization will be more intact.

45

While students who manage time well undoubtedly achieve a higher level of

academic performance, their achievements also give them a greater sense of self-esteem.

Life is more enjoyable in general without the stress of a huge task list lingering in the

back of your mind. Confidence soars with higher grades, and the student carries those

effective time management skills and learning habits into the work world. Their careers

and family life are bound to be more successful and stress-free, and the pride they feel

from academic success is one they will carry on to future generations.

Parental support and Academic Achievement Fan (2001) demonstrated that

parent’s educational aspiration for their children proved to be strongly related to student’s

academic growth. Research studies have found that parental educational level has a

significant impact on child’s learning, (Khan & Malik, 1999). Similarly, Scheneider and

Lee (1990) linked the academic success of the East Asian students to the values and

aspirations they share with their parents, and also to the home learning activities in which

their parents involve them. In fact, all parents have desired to do something better for

their children according to their available resources. But the extent and effectiveness of

parental support depends on a variety of reasons, such as, ethnicity, family income, and

home environment and their awareness about the importance of education.

Research studies indicated that socio economic status is correlated strongly with

parent’s educational ambition for their children. Khan, Khan and Zubairi (1999) stated

that “interacting with and sharing the child’s activities is affected by level of parent’s

education and income” (p.92). In the families with low socio-economic status, majority

of the illiterate parents do not have understanding of the requirements of their children’s

education. Some poor parents make some agreements for helping their children in studies

46

and to do their home assignments, while others rely on school for the education of their

children as they do not have enough resources to spend extra money on home tuitions,

etc. This results poor performance in academic achievement of their children. Chohan,

Khan 16 The findings of the study conducted by Okpala, Okpala, and Smith (2001) also

supports the view that economic circumstances are significantly correlated with academic

achievement.

Over the past several decades, scholars are concerned with the poor academic

performance of children. The research studies revealed that various factors are

responsible for scholastic failure of students, such as low socio-economic background,

student’s cognitive abilities, school related factors, environment of the home, or the

support given by the parents and other family members (Khan & Malik, 1999; Fan, 2001;

Gonzalez- Pineda, Nunez, Gonzalez- Pumariega, Alvarez, Roces and Garcia, 2002).

Generally, schools are considered as places which provide appropriate learning

environment for a child, but importance of parents and community cannot be ignored.

Parents, adult family members, and siblings contribute significantly to various

components of personality of the child particularly and in improving his/her academic

performance.

The pivotal role of parents still continues as it has been recognized by the teachers

and parents themselves that they are essential for complete development of the

personality and career of their children. Gonzalez- Pineda, et al.,(2002) indicated that

“without and children’s parental support, it is hard for teachers to devise academic

experiences to help students learn meaningful content” (p.281). In home settings, the

learning processes occurs explicitly or consciously, often in an informal way. Parents

teach and train children early in their lives, the fundamental skills, attitudes and values

necessary for day-to-day living (UNESCO, 1992). The unwritten knowledge being

conveyed by parents to children, is specific and to a certain degree, specialized, i.e, that

which would enable the children to cope successfully with the requirements of the

immediate confines of homes and the community.

47

Research studies indicated that the nature of the parental support change at

different age levels of children. Gonzalez-Pineda et al. (2002) have found that parental

support is likely to decrease as children move from primary to middle and then to high

school grades. Similarly, a research study by Fan, (2001) showed that children also

develop sense of responsibility and perform better as they grow older. The study

indicated that those students whose parents had higher expectations for their children’s

academic achievement performed better from the beginning of their academic career and

accelerated faster in their academic progress during the transition period of middle to

high grades.

The children also seek emotional support from parents when they face some

academic problems at school. Educated and sensible parents always encourage their

children and give proper guidance in school related matters, but illiterate and

economically deprived parents may act violently and thus upset their child more. A study

by Repetti,(1996) indicated that “children described themselves as more demanding and

difficult with their parents on days in which they had earlier perceived more problems

with peers, such as being teased by another child or feeling excluded by friends, or more

academic problems, such as receiving a poor grade or having difficult with schoolwork”,

(p.1477)

LOCAL LITERATURE

Sometimes we wonder whether all this exercise is reaaly worth the effort. On

busy days, we are tempted to put the workout on hold. We’ll get back to it tomorrow, or

the day after tomorrow, or maybe the day after that when things settle down (which they

never do). A couple of weeks go by, and now you are too embarrassed to show up for

exercise class. Don’t be! The benefits of exercise accrue only to those who make it a

lifelong commitment. Sometimes a reminder of the many health benefits offered by

exercise helps us reconfirm its importance and make exercise a lifelong priority.

Regular aerobic exercise helps prevent heart disease. It does this by slowing the

build-up of plaque in the arteries of the heart, Active people tend to have larger, cleaner

arteries. Aerobic exercise increases the level of the “good” HDL cholesterol in the

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bloodstream, which helps carry the cholesterol out of the arteries, while decreasing the

“bad” LDL cholesterol, which is associated with an increased risk of heart disease.

Aerobic exercise helps to prevent obstructive blood clots from forming in these arteries.

An additional cardiovascular benefit of aerobic exercise is that it helps to

normalize blood pressure, especially in people whose blood pressure is somewhat

elevated. Aerobic exercise makes the heart stronger and a more efficient pump. Resting

heart rate usually decreases after exercise training because the heart can pump more

blood per beat. Therefore, it needs to beat fewer times to circulate the amount of blood.

Exercise improves the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar, thus preventing type

2 diabetes.

Weight-bearing exercise prevents the loss of bone mineral that occurs as we age,

which can lead to a condition known as osteoporosis. Weight-bearing exercise includes

walking, jogging, aerobics, racquet sports – any activity that applies some force to the

bones.

Physical activity also strengthens the muscles and joints and other structures that

help hold the body together, like tendons and ligaments.

Exercise helps control body weight and is essential in any weight-loss program.

Exercise burns calories, and weight lost through a program of a low fat diet and exercise

is more likely to be fat loss, rather than water or muscle tissue loss. Weight loss is more

likely to be maintained if a person continues to exercise.

Since a history of repeated weight loss and weight gain can be harmful to your

health, slow but sure weight loss that stays off is the best way to go.

By preventing the loss of metabolically active muscle tissue (lean body mass),

exercise helps prevent the drop in metabolic rate that sometimes accompanies weight loss

and the gradual decline in metabolic rate that occurs as we age.

In many ways, exercise is the antithesis of aging. Exercise can slow the loss of

stamina, strength, flexibility, bone density, metabolic rate and general enthusiasm fore

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being active that seems to go with getting older. Exercise gives you the ability to

maintain an independent lifestyle and increases the likelihood that you’ll enjoy your post-

retirement years.

Maintaining flexibility in the muscles of the legs and lower back, and strength in

abdominal and back muscles, can help prevent the development of back problems that

can be debilitating and very painful.

Exercise makes life more fun! As fitness improves, activity becomes easier, and

you’re more likely to go out for a hike, or enjoy a day of skiing. Exercise increases your

stress resistance, helps you feel more relaxed and even helps you sleep better. An active

lifestyle also encourages other health-promoting habits, like avoiding tobacco and alcohol

and developing healthful eating habits.

The start of the year is the best time to get into a new healthy habit, and running is

perhaps one of the best, if not the cheapest, habit to put into practice. It is ideal to make

that new habit last for the long haul.

With no new skill to master and just a pair of running shoes, running is fast

becoming a very popular fad among Filipinos. “Fun runs” team relays and other running

competitions are being held all year around, not only in Metro Manila but also as high up

in Baguio and as down south Cebu.

Running has a lot of benefits. There are six ways to improves ones health, as

collated from websites of popular health magazines Runner’s world (“6 ways running

Improves Your Health”) And woman’s health (“6 reason to start running, “3/22/13)

Running makes people happier. Aside from the “runners high” – the rush of feel

good hormones known as endocannabinoids-Runner’s World cited a 2006 study in

Medicine and Science in Sport & Exercise which said that a single bout of exercise, like a

30 minute walk on a treadmill, could instantly lift the mood of someone suffering from

major depressive order. It added that “moderate exercise may help people cope with

anxiety and stress even after they’re done”.

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Women’s Health added that running is even recommended by mental health

experts to help treat clinical depression and other psychological disorders, such as drug

and alcohol addiction.

Running helps one to get thinner and stronger. Runner’s World cited studies

showing that regular exercise boosts “afterburn” or the number of calories burned after

exercise. Even after the exercise, the “burn” continues, it said.

According to Women’s Health, running gives people “a world-class work out”.

“[It] blasts the most calories; the faster you run, the harder your heart works and the

stronger it gets.”

Running strengthens knees and other joints and bones. It’s been a fact that

running increases bone mass, improves knee health and helps stem age related bone lose,

Runner’s World said.

Women’s Health, meanwhile, said that running booster one’s cartilage by

increasing oxygen flow and flushing out toxins, and by strengthening the ligaments

around the joints; and can prevent osteoporosis.

Running will keep minds sharper, even at old age. According to Runner’s World,

fitter older adults scored better in mental tests than their unfit peers. It added that regular

exercise helps defeat age-related mental decline, like task switching, selective attention

and working memory.

Running reduces the risk of disease. Runner’s World said that though running

doesn’t cure cancer, there’s plenty of proof that it helps prevents it, citing vast review of

170 epidemiological studies in the Journal of Nutrition, which showed “that regular

exercise is associated with lower risk of certain cancers”.

Meanwhile. Women’s Health said that jogger’s have a leg up against heart

disease, stroke and diabetes. Running has been shown to lower blood pressure, raise good

cholesterol and boost immunity to colds and other viruses.

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Running adds years to your life. Runner’s World said that even that minimum

amount physical activity- 30 minutes, five times per week- can do wonders in prolonging

one’s life.

Women’s Health, meanwhile, said that regular exercise could reduce both

disability and risk of death by increasing cardio fitness and bone mass, lowering

inflammation and improving response to vaccination.

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SYNTHESIS AND RELEVANCE OF THE REVIEWED LITERATURE AND

STUDIES

The gathered information on both Foreign studies and Local Literature have

identified Exercise, Sleep, Diet, Attitude, Study habit, In house review, and School

program/college program, as the potential variables which the researchers believe it is

somewhat related and important to the present study or topic entitled. “LEVEL OF

EEFECTIVENESS OF RADIOLOGIC TECHNOLOGY GRADUATE IN

PREPARATION TO THE LOCAL BOARD EXAMINATION”

Physical preparation consists of exercise, sleep and diet. Exercises have a positive

effect on cognition and brain function that may affect both thinking and emotion. There is

part of our brain called the hippocampus the brain’s memory center that be maintained

healthy by exercising. As David Bucci said this hippocampus is essential to remembering

particular things or object and whether they happen to be new in your experience. People

who are not often exercise have unhealthy perirhinal cortex that cause the brain not to

function well. Exercise also make our immune system strong, by exercising, the heart

pump more blood throughout the body, therefore the cell within the body will receive the

appropriate nourishment that makes them work properly to their assigned job, like attack

harmful living thing that enters within our body. Students who are regularly exercise have

the concentration and focus to learn efficiently because they are healthy and stay alert

often in facing the everyday activities in life.

A life of college student is very busy because of many lesson, homework, or

deadlines that it should past on time. Most student work overtime and sleep lately at

night, in order to finish all their work. According to Northern Illinois University

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Professor and Industrial Organizational psychologist Dr. Larissa Barber, sleep is the

single most important health behavior we engage in. The standard time to sleep is 8 hours

a day, studies shows that not having enough time of sleep can lead to major problems

such as stress, personality changes, depression, confusion and generally lower life

satisfaction. A students have a normal sleep can learn efficiently and have a sharp

memory than to a student works overtime and sleep lately at night. Therefore sleep is

very significant to students learning, in order to think and participate always in class that

may affect their performance and learning process.

Food is one of the vital things in life in order to live. Choosing a great food

especially to student is very essential to stay healthy and strong. Healthy eating has been

linked to higher grades, better memory, more alertness, faster information processing and

improved health leading to better school attendance, according to registered dietitian

Elisa Zied, author of “Feed Your Family Right.” Conversely, unhealthy eating habits can

negatively affect learning. Every morning before students go to school sometimes they

skip meal for breakfast, because they are wake up lately or maybe breakfast is not part of

their priorities. Skipping a breakfast have a major effect in our daily task and work

because breakfast is the most important part of the meal in order to refuel the body and

mind after an overnight fast in order to start the day running effectively. It is also

important to consider the quality and nutrients in every food to ensure that the body and

soul is well nourish and healthy. Students that eat a food with high in cholesterol, sugar,

and calories or have a poor diet may result to lower their cognitive function, makes them

ill always, stress, and lower their life satisfaction that makes them less likely to learn

well.

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Every student has a unique way to learn and study in particular subject or

specialization in school that makes them easily understand and study well. Study habit is

the way of setting up and taking action repeatedly and masters a subject matter or

specialization. Quality study habits is performed well to have a excellent academic

performance than to other student that have a poor study habits because student that have

a study habit have a high quality learn effectively. Ozmert (2005) emphasizes the

importance of environmental influence as a major factor in the development of students

studying habit. Therefore student have a quality parent or good parents that sustain and

discipline on their study may also reflect to student to have also a good study habit and

quality academic performance.

The above literatures and studies enabled the researcher to be guided in the

completion and formulation of the present study which is reviewed, enrich by the

researchers and give the valuable insights of the problem on hand.

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CHAPTER 3

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter covers the perspective to be employed by the researcher in

conducting this study. It includes research design, the respondent and data gathering,

research material, and statistical treatment of data.

Research methods used

The researchers used the descriptive method of research utilizing survey-

questionnaires as the main instrument for data gathering. This method employed

collection, measurement, classification, analysis and interpretation of data involving

statistical treatment to test significant of difference in the level of effectiveness of

Radiologic Technology graduate in preparation to local board examination.

Research Instrument

To come up with a worthy output, this study used several research tools and

instruments these include survey and test questionnaire served as the primary instrument

in the study. The questionnaire as main instrument used to gather paertinent information

needed in the study the questionnaire checklist was based on the specific question, which

the study attempted to answer questionnaire was divided in two parts. The first part

aimed to collect data on the profile of the respondents, while the second part aimed to

assess the significant difference between Radiologic Technology School in Quezon City

hospital area in terms of, Percentage of passing the board exam, preparation of the board

exam, and School Program.

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Significance of the Study

The study consistent of respondents who were practitioners in Tertiary Hospital of

Quezon City working at Radiology Department.

Data Gathering Procedure

The researcher used books, published thesis from the different libraries such as

are Arellano library to gather facts and information to substantiate this study. Internet was

utilized to gather foreign studies relevant to this research.

The administration of survey-questionnaires to the respondents was carried out by

the researcher during the first week of July, 2015.

Statistical Treatment of Data

To answer the specific question raised in the statement of the problem. The data

and information gathered for each respondent was tabulated according to the purpose of

the study and were treated statistically. This was done after tallying the date in order to

ensure a comprehensive interpretation.

Statistical treatment

To facilitate presentation and analysis of acquired data, the following statistical

approaches will be utilized to determine the reliability of the research. The research will

utilize the percentage, frequency, weighted mean, ranking and T-test.

1. Percentage distribution for the descriptive data. Percentage is used in determining

the demographic profile of the respondents in terms of Gender and Institution.

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Formula is:

P = ---------------- x 100N

Where:

P = Percentage

n = sample size

N = Total no. of population

2. Frequency. It is the actual response to a specific questions or item in the survey

instrument. Frequency distribution is used to determine the frequency of the respondents’

answers.

3. Weighted Mean is use:

The weighted mean is used to describe the preparation of senior intern in their

board exam in terms of Physical and Mental activity.

Formula is:

Σ xwWeighted mean = _______

Σ w

Where:

Σ xw = The summation of the product of the frequency and the weights.

Σ w = The total number of frequency.

4. Ranking. Once the weighted mean is computed, they are ranked according to the

magnitudes, from the highest to the lowest describing their positional importance.

5. T-test is used to solve the problem if there is a no significant difference in the

preparation of senior interns in the board examination.

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The formula is:

Where: t = the computed value

X1 = the mean of the first group

X2 = the mean of the second group

S11 = the variance of the first group

S22 = the variance of the second group

n = number of elements

The t-test a null hypotheses in the form:

Ho: P = 0

Against an alternative hypothesis in the form:

Ha: P ≠ 0

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Reference

How Does Physical Activity Affect Academic Performance?. Spark countering childhood

Obesity since 1989. Retrieved January 29, 2015 from http://www.sparkpe.org/blog/how-physical-activity-affects-academic-performance/

College students’ performance suffers from lack of sleep By tailYahalom. USA TODAY.

Retrieved February 14, 2015 from http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/health/2007-09-16-sleep deprivation_N.htm

Good diet and nutrition is important for high student performance. Retrieved February 14, 2015 from http://www. Publicschoolreview.com/blod/how-diet-and-nutrition-impact-a-childs-learning-ability

Reading Habits Among Students and its Effect on Academic Performance. Retrieved February 14, 2015 from http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2908&context=libphilprac

Filipino Children Less Physically Active. Retrieved February 14, 2015 from http://www.fnri.dost.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&i =562

Healthy lifestyle tips for students. By.Retrieved February 14,2015 from http://www.philstar.com/cebu-lifestyle/2014/07/28/1351225/healthy-lifestyle-tips-students

The science of sleep. Retrieved February 14, 2015 from http://www.philstar.com/health-and-family/602979/science-sleep

The Benefits of Reading. Retrieved February 14, 2015 from http://metrocebu.com.ph/2014/02/the-benefits-of-reading/

Self regulated learning and academic achievement. Retrieved February 17, 2015 from http://itari.in/categories/ability to learn/