SCHOOLS DIVISION OFFICE

City of Muntinlupa
District of Muntinlupa II
CUPANG ELEMENTARY SCHOOL-ANNEX

CLASSROOM ACTION RESEARCH

SY 2017-2018

THE IMPACT OF PROVIDING ENHANCEMENT

ACTIVITIES TO THE DRESSMAKING PUPILS IN
IMPROVING THEIR ATTITUDES TOWARDS SKILLS-
LEARNING BY EVALUATING THEIR ACADEMIC
PERFORMANCE

Annaliza C. Damasco
Teacher I, Cupang Elementary School – Annex
Cupang, Muntinlupa City
lizadamasco@yahoo.com
 ABSTRACT

The type and amount of clothing and textiles instruction being

offered in secondary classrooms is an important issue in the re-
evaluation of home economics curriculum. This is not a new concern.
However, in recent years, persons both within and outside the
educational community have questioned the value of clothing
construction education. The study of clothing and textiles has
traditionally been an important part of the home economics
curriculum. The majority of the classroom time devoted to clothing
has generally been spent on the other areas of the Technology and
Home Economics program.
As a TLE teacher of many years, it has always been the goal
of the researcher to impart practical knowledge to her students that
can be actually used in their everyday lives. However, teaching the
skills to students who are reluctant to learn is an everyday challenge
that the proponent has to overcome. The somewhat “instant”
mentality and the ever changing needs and attitudes of the students
contribute to the difficulty of teaching practical skills.
In light of this and the need to put the K to 12 program one
step higher, the researcher wants to explore the impact of providing
enhancement activities to the dressmaking pupils of Cupang
Elementary School Annex in order to improve their attitudes towards
skills-learning by evaluating their academic performance. The
academic performance is evaluated by determining if there is a
significant difference in their 3rd and 4th Grading scores.

Introduction

Sewing is a tradition within home economics education. A

century ago, sewing became part of home economics program

developing sewing skills, whether they were for fancy work or

utilitarian purposes, was viewed as important to assuming domestic

roles. By the 1960s, learning clothing construction skills was an

important part of preparing young women for occupations related to

clothing as well as for homemaking roles. In the 21st century, an

emphasis on sewing skills has continued within exploratory or

introductory courses at middle and high schools, and in advanced or

career development courses at the high school level.

Families and society have changed. However, this change

calls into question the need to learn sewing skills. For example,

although women once made much of the family’s clothing, now

ready-made apparel is available and accessible in neighbourhood

stores and from catalogues and internet-based retailers. Most

individuals and families can obtain clothing and textiles to meet their

needs without knowing how to sew.

In addition, financial and human resources are limited both

within families and society. Individual students, families, or schools

may or may not be able to purchase the sewing supplies, kits, or

equipment needed for sewing to be cost-effective. Public schools, as

well as colleges and universities, are experiencing a reduction of

financial resources. Human resources are limited as well. In many

areas of the Philippines, home economics teachers are in short

supply. Due to limited resources, families, public schools, including

colleges and universities, are forced to make difficult decisions

regarding educational priorities.

 Although families and society have changed, and despite the

desire of the profession to eliminate the stereotypical image of

“cooking and sewing,” sewing, from a technical perspective,

continues to be a predominant part of home economics classrooms.

It is essential, therefore, to reflect upon how learning experiences

such as sewing support educational goals and the enduring

understanding of concepts important to individual, family, and

community life.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

In view of the above observations, the proponents posited

the following questions which this action research tried to answer.

What is the academic performance of the pupils in dressmaking

before the enhancement activities were introduced in the

dressmaking class?

What is the academic performance of the pupils after the

enhancement activities?

Is there a significant difference between the academic performance

of the pupils in the 3rd and 4th grading period?

METHOD

One method of data gathering, applicable to this action

research, can be an analysis of the academic performance of the

pupils when Dressmaking was introduced in the 3rd grading period.

The proponent of the study found disinterest of the pupils in the

subject matter as compared to the other components of TLE like in

ICT.Based on the observation of the researcher, the students found

the subject matter boring and not worth learning. As evidenced by

the literature posited above, pupils see dressmaking/sewing such a

mundane task not worth learning. Why study dressmaking when you

can buy a whole wardrobe in the mall? Or better yet, anybody can

just order online and have it delivered at their doorsteps?

To engage pupils in the dressmaking class and to address the

problems of non-interest that probably affects the academic

performance in dressmaking, the proponent of the study adopted the

following strategies:

Community Engagement

The proponent of the study invited several dressmakers in

the community to help the pupils appreciate the contribution of the

dressmaking industry in the society. Furthermore, pupils were given

the glimpse to what it is like to be in the clothing industry and that it

is a worthwhile profession.

The professional dressmakers were invited at the beginning of the

fourth grading to talk in front of the pupils and shared their

experiences regarding their profession. The dressmakers talked

about how and why they got involved in the dressmaking industry and

the benefits it brought to their families. Furthermore, the

dressmakers showed the students the basic knowledge in

dressmaking and encouraged them that dressmaking has the

potential to improve their creativity and improve their family income.

Peer Mentoring

Peer mentoring was used by the proponent in order to

further encourage the pupils to do well in dressmaking. Pupils who

showed interest and did well in the introductory exercises were

paired with pupils who are having difficulty in the subject. Peer

mentoring emphasized that if other pupils can do it, the class as a

whole can do it better. Pupils who were doing well in the dressmaking

class taught their other classmates their skills and

Power Partnership

Power partnership involves partnering a male and female

pupil to create a design that can present the two gender’s perspective

in dressmaking. This way, the researcher was able to eliminate gender

bias and stressed that dressmaking is not only for the girls but for the

boys as well.

Fashion Design Competition

Fashion design competition is for the power partnership

activity to display their design and encourage the competitive spirit.

The entries were judged according to the different elements of

dressmaking with originality receiving the highest point. The judges

were the dressmakers in the community who participated in the

community engagement activity.

Mock Fashion Show

The mock fashion show is the culmination of the last grading

period’s activities. The pupils get to walk on the improvised catwalk

and displayed their creations. This way the pupils’ interests and

creativity were tapped to the highest level and therefore achieve the

learning competencies of the K to 12 Curriculum

PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

Academic performance of the pupils before the interventions

Table 1 presents the academic performance of the pupils as reflected

in their third grading period grades.

Table 1

Pre-Intervention Grading Results n=57

GRADE FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE INTERPRETATION

RANGE (%)
80-85 12 21 Approaching Proficient
86-90 42 73.7 Proficient
91-95 3 5.3 Advanced
96-100 0 0 Outstanding
TOTAL 57 100%

It can be gleaned from the table that 73.7 percent or 42 out

of 57 of the pupils are in the proficient level. This is followed by 12

students or 21 percent of the students who are in the approaching

proficient level. In addition, 3 students or 5.3 percent of the total

population are in the advanced level receiving grades within the

grade range of 91-95. However, no students are in the outstanding

level.
 SCORE FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE INTERPRETATION
RANGE (%)
80-85 1 1.8 Approaching Proficient
86-90 7 12.2 Proficient
91-95 49 86 Advanced
96-100 0 0 Outstanding
TOTAL 57 100%

After a thorough analysis the table reveals that while the

academic performance of the pupils can be considered okay, this is

not the learning proficiency aim of the K to 12 program. It is also

important to consider that the pupils have dressmaking or sewing

skills during their elementary years, therefore, they should have all

been in advanced level already.

2. Academic Performance of the Students in the Fourth Grading

after the Interventions were implemented

Table 2 presents the academic performance of the students

in the 4th grading period or after the interventions were used.

Table 2

Grade Distribution after the Intervention n=57

It can be gleaned from the table that 49 students or 86

percent of the total population sample are in the advanced level. This

is followed by the respondents in the proficient level at 12.2 percent

or 7 pupils. Only 1 pupil is in the approaching proficient level at 1.8

percent.

The table presents an increase in the academic performance

of the pupils after interventions were made by the proponent. This

means that the researcher was able to awaken the interest of not only

the female students in dressmaking but the whole class as well. This

translates to a very well accepted K to 12 TLE program by the

students, thus there is a very high probability of motivated pupils

displaying creativity and skills.

3. Difference between the academic performance of the Pupils

before and after the Intervention activities in Dressmaking

Table 3 presents the significant difference between the

academic performance of the Pupils before and after the Intervention

activities in dressmaking or sewing

 Table 3

Summary Table for Hypothesis Testing

Paired Differences t df Sig. (2-

tailed)
Mean Std. Std. Error 95% Confidence
Deviati Mean Interval of the
on Difference

Lower Upper

THIRD GRADING
PERIOD &
Pair 1 -1.00000 .50000 .06623 -1.13267 -.86733 -15.100 56 .000
FOURTH
GRADING PERIOD

Based on the computed two-tail value at 0.05 level of confidence and

p-value of 0.000 which is less than 0.05, there is significant difference

between the academic performance of the pupils in the before and

after the proponent of the study used the intervention strategies.

Therefore, the null hypothesis was rejected.

FINDINGS

The findings also reveal that pupils start to become engaged

and interested in learning. This results prove what Illeris (2003)

indicated that learning was desire-based. Kyle et al. (2007) also

observed that a motivational state, when aroused, would often

motivate behavior such as participation. In this case, the intervention

activities used by the researcher were able to tap on the desire of the

students to learn dressmaking and accept sewing as an important

aspect of life.

In a similar fashion, Gordon (2004) explored home sewing not

just as “gendered labor” but “also as an escape from drudgery and a

tool for self-definition”. She noted that the garments men and

women created were admired outside of the household, thus they

were a cause for pride and satisfaction as well as a reinforcement of

the value of thrift. Nonetheless, clothing manufacture was not solely

within the domain of the women of a household, especially as people

increasingly became consumers of mass-produced fashion.

In addition, the intervention strategies were able to use

arouse the affective domain of the pupils. Graham (2003) explained

that educating students in human service areas requires teaching and

learning in the affective domain. The different dimensions of the

affective domain Graham included were motivational, aesthetic,

emotional, spiritual, and moral development. Consequently, "the

more a value or attitude is internalized, the more it affects

behaviour". Burgi-Golub (2007) explored emotion as a dimension of

ethical and moral motivation. Home economics education also

showed benefits of learning in the affective domain, as motivation to

be a good steward for the environment was based upon the same

moral behaviour to act responsibly and care for others (Littledyke,

2008; Shephard, 2008).

The result of the research strongly suggests that dressmaking

is not just a source of income for the family but an outlet for the

creativity of the students as well.

Recommendations and Suggestions

Hands-on learning experiences should be emphasized as

students apply the skills or techniques to make sewing samples or

textile projects. Activities also may support the achievement of

academic standards or personal outcomes (e.g., increasing one’s self

esteem or creativity). Learning sewing construction skills is viewed as

important to job preparation in the textiles and apparel industry

However, curricula based on sewing skills only, without any focus on

the family or related concepts, is unlikely to prepare adolescents for

their current and future roles within the family and society.

Finally, teachers are considered sewing experts who transmit

knowledge to students and help resolve sewing construction

problems as well as technical difficulties with the sewing machines.

Alternative instructional approaches may better facilitate students’

understanding of concepts rather than skills alone.