COMPREHENSIVE EXAM

Master of Arts in Education

NORTHEASTERN COLLEGE
JONAH J. AGUILAR
 Graduate School
Master of Arts in Education
PART I
1. Explain briefly the following School of Philosophy (25 %)

a. Naturalism

Naturalism is a concept that firmly believes that ultimate reality lies in the nature
of the matter. Matter is considered to be supreme and mind is the functioning of the brain
that is made up of matter. The whole universe is governed by laws of nature and they
are changeable.

Naturalism based on Metaphysics; a worldview which holds that there is nothing

but natural elements, principles, and relations of the kind studied by the natural sciences;
deals with existence; rejects the supernatural concepts and explanations.

Naturalism based on Epistemology; According to naturalism, reality and nature

are identical and beyond nature there is no reality. This leads us to the naturalist theory
of knowledge; by perception, sensory knowledge, observation.

Learner. Individual is to be given unrestricted freedom and only then his

harmonious development will take place. The checks on the child are also to be natural.
The naturalists advocate discipline by natural consequences. A danger that the child may
harm himself and cause worry to the parents.

Teacher. Extreme naturalists ignore teacher; because teacher will interfere with
the development of a child. If the teacher is to be there, let him design situations which
help in the inculcation of right type of habits in the children. As a director of activity, the
teacher should not overdo his role or overact his role.

Curriculum. Child centered according to the present and future needs of the child,
Curriculum divided under two stages. Earlier stage: Sensory training. Later stage : Subjects
are include in the curriculum through activities and occupations like physical sciences,
language, mathematics, manual work, trade, moral education,

b. Idealism

Idealism is the oldest system of philosophy known to man. Its origins go back to
ancient India in the East, and to Plato in the West. Its basic viewpoint stresses the
human spirit as the most important element in life. The universe is viewed as essentially
nonmaterial in its ultimate nature. Although Idealist philosophers vary enormously on
 many specifics, they agree on the following two points; the human spirit is the most
important element in life; and secondly the universe is essentially nonmaterial in its
ultimate nature. Idealism should not be confused with the notion of high aspirations
that is not what philosophers mean when they speak of Idealism. In the philosophic
sense, Idealism is a system that emphasizes the pre-eminent importance of mind, soul,
or spirit. It is possible to separate Idealism into different schools, but for our purposes
we shall be content to identify only the most general assumptions of the Idealists in
metaphysics, epistemology, and value theory, without regard to the idiosyncrasies of
the various schools.

c. Realism

Realism is the belief developed by Aristotle that there is an absolute reality, and
educational realism attempts to teach students how to find that reality through logical
processes. Study of the natural world, as well as the skill of inquiry, and the scientific
method, are all important parts of a realist classroom

d. Pragmatism

Pragmatism is an educational philosophy that says that education should be

about life and growth. That is, teachers should be teaching students things that are
practical for life and encourage them to grow into better people. Many famous
educators, including John Dewey, were pragmatists

e. Spiritualism

Spiritualism, in philosophy, a characteristic of any system of thought that affirms

the existence of immaterial reality imperceptible to the senses. So defined, spiritualism
embraces a vast array of highly diversified philosophical views. Most patently, it applies
to any philosophy accepting the notion of an infinite, personal God, the immortality of
the soul, or the immateriality of the intellect and will. Less obviously, it includes belief in
such ideas as finite cosmic forces or a universal mind, provided that they transcend the
limits of gross Materialistic interpretation. Spiritualism as such says nothing about
matter, the nature of a supreme being or a universal force, or the precise nature of
spiritual reality itself.
2. Explain briefly the following Psychological Approaches in education (20 %)

a. Stick- Carrot Approach

The "carrot and stick" approach (also "carrot or stick approach") is an idiom that
refers to a policy of offering a combination of reward and punishment to induce good
behavior. It is named in reference to a cart driver dangling a carrot in front of a mule
and holding a stick behind it.

b. Teaching means telling; Learning means being told

As Benjamin Franklin once said, "Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I

remember. Involve me and I learn."

The traditional context of teaching and learning back in the days involved the
notion that teaching involves the teacher giving out instructions, and learning involves
listening to the teacher. The classroom environment resembled some sort of
dictatorship, where the teacher of the classroom acts as the ruler or authority figure of
the classroom.

Nowadays, according to the modern classroom, this conception has been

challenged with many years of extensive research by dedicated and experienced
teachers into the pedagogy of teaching, which serves to be the science and art of
teaching. Good teachers not only give out information to students, but they also
encourage students to explore their own ideas and insights, engaging students and
guiding them to think deeper about their thoughts. They also have the ability stimulate
discussion based on students ideas, linking it back to the lesson topic or as they say, the
bigger picture. The importance of asking open-ended and probing questions during class
discussions is also highlighted in various research articles.

Effective teachers also know the role of quality learning for the students. They
do not believe that learning only occurs when listening to a teacher. Learning can occur
from various practical exercises such as group activities, assessments and reflection.
Group activities in particular are found to be effective as it- encourages team work and
collaboration among students, as well as the importance of leadership. The Think-Pair-
Share learning strategy is commonly implemented in classrooms, where students are
enabled to formulate their own individual ideas and share these ideas with their peers.

c. Jug-Mug Approach

This is the 'jug and mug' theory of learning where the teacher is the full jug and
the teachers job is to pour knowledge from the full jug to the empty mug. For others the
 aim is to do everything to keep alive those innate desire to learn - or to 'recover' it if it
has been subverted by prior experiences.

d. Didn’t your teacher teach you?

The teacher is making students figure out things for themselves. They are doing
the hard, messy work of learning. This is a style of teaching that promotes learning, but
that’s not how students see it. Based on experiences in lots of other classrooms, they
have come to believe that “good” teachers tell students what they need to know. If a
teacher makes the students come up with examples when she has a perfectly good list
she could be giving them, that teacher is not doing her job. My friend and colleague
Larry Spence wrote about this same issue in April, 2004 issue of The Teaching Professor
newsletter. “They expect a steady progression along a learning curve, which coincides
with the amount of time they spend in classes. … Everything else — their personal
struggles to master knowledge and skills in sports, software, games, or music they take
to be ‘teaching yourself’ and an inferior way of learning.”

In addition to violating expectations, students respond negatively to this style of

teaching because most of them want learning to be easy. When they have to come up
with examples, answers, or solutions, that’s more work than being told by the teacher,
and there’s the added stress of not knowing whether the examples are good, the
answers are right, or the solutions correct. When learning isn’t easy, a lot of students
question their intellectual wherewithal, but that’s not a problem they have to face if the
fault lies with the teacher.

Getting students to understand what we are doing and why starts by

recognizing that what’s obvious to us isn’t obvious to them. When I took an introductory
chemistry course with a group of beginning students, the instructor used an approach in
the lab that drove us nuts. He refused to answer questions. If you asked him a question,
he responded by asking you a question. The students (and me, for a while) thought he
was being obstinate, or trying something he thought was clever. Then one day when the
solution in our beaker changed color and started boiling like mad even though the
Bunsen burner was set as low as it would go, he cruised over, sniffed our solution and
asked us a question. Thinking the liquid might be about to explode, we shut down the
Bunsen burner and started talking about what we thought was happening. After some
discussion, we figured out what was going on with our experiment. It was then that
somebody pointed out that we had just answered the question the instructor asked us
15 minutes ago.
 The instructor’s technique was good, but he should have explained what he was
doing or asked us why we thought he wouldn’t answer questions during lab. Some lab
groups never figured it out. In the seminar section I taught that accompanied the course
we had a heated discussion about whether teachers were obligated to answer student
questions. Virtually all the students thought it was part of a teacher’s job.

If teachers are going to refuse to do something students expect, especially if

students think it’s something they believe makes the learning easier, how teachers
refuse to help is important. “I will help, but not until you’ve got some answers, part of
the solution, a few examples.” “I am not going to give you the answers, but I will give
you feedback on your answers. By the end of class, we’ll have a set of good answers.”

Weaning students from their dependence on teachers is a developmental

process. Rather making them do it all on their own, teachers can do some of the work,
provide part of the answer, or start with one example and ask them for others. The
balance of who’s doing the work gradually shifts, and that gives students a chance to
figure out what the teacher is doing and why.

It’s unsettling when students make comments about how we aren’t doing our
jobs. It’s easy to respond defensively or to think derisively about students. But those
responses don’t make students less confused about what it means to teach and what it
takes to learn.

3. Is there truth in the belief that all teachers are guidance counselors? Explain? (5%)

Yes, in the classroom situation if our pupils have conflict and misunderstanding right a way we
solve the problems, issues and concern. In the absence of trained counselor in our school, a teacher can
do the role of a lay counselor and seek help the students. The best teachers are often a combination of
the two. As the students spend half their growing years in school, teachers have significant role to play in
shaping the personality of the students. Our pupils see us more who can be trusted and shows empathy,
can support and guide them. It is not easy for our pupils to share their issues. It is more important to be
open-mined and willing to help. Building trust in the minds of students is essential if teacher wants to be
confident.

4. Explain exhaustively the following types of Research (15%)

a. Experimental

Experimental research is a study that strictly adheres to a scientific research

design. It includes a hypothesis, a variable that can be manipulated by the researcher, and
variables that can be measured, calculated and compared. Most importantly,
experimental research is completed in a controlled environment
 b. Historical

Historical research is a qualitative technique. Historical research studies the

meaning of past events in an attempt to interpret the facts and explain the cause of
events, and their effect in the present events

c. Quantitative Research

Quantitative research—“a method of research that relies on measuring variables

using a numerical system, analyzing these measurements using any of a variety of
statistical models, and reporting relationships and associations and associations among
the studied variables

5. What are the parts of Thesis? Explain (10%)

a. TITLE PAGE
The following information needs to be on the titlepage:
a. The title (and possibly the subtitle) of your thesis
b. First name and surname of the author(s)
c. Whether it is a ‘Bachelor’s thesis’ or a ‘Master’s thesis’
d. Faculty and department
e. Place and date of completion
b. APPROVAL SHEET
 This is to prove that the authors have passed the requirements needed for the thesis.
 This is signed by the thesis/FS adviser, panel and the Dean.
 This also states the grade obtained by the author/s.
c. ABSTRACT
a. An abstract presents a brief summary of your thesis.
b. The aim of the abstract is to briefly provide the reader with the most important
information from the entire text.
c. An abstract never contains new information.
d. This summary is no longer than 2 pages of A4.
d. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
a. This is a page focused on expressing gratitude to organizations, agencies or
individuals who, in one way or another, have aided the researchers in finishing
the thesis.
e. DEDICATION
a. This is the page for dedicating the thesis to certain people or groups who have
inspired the researchers while doing the thesis.
f. TABLE OF CONTENTS
a. The table of contents is essentially a topic outline of the thesis.
 b. It is compiled by listing the headings in the thesis down to whichever level you
choose.
g. LIST OF TABLES / LIST OF FIGURES
a. Include a list of figures (illustrations) and a list of tables if you have one or more
items in these categories.
b. Use a separate page for each list.
c. List the number, caption, and page number of every figure and table in the body
of the thesis.
h. TITLE OF CHAPTERS
a. Problem and Its Background
b. Review of Related Literature and Studies
c. Methodology of the Study
d. Presentation, Analysis and Interpretation of Data
e. Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations
i. CHAPTER I
a. Introduction
 The first chapter of your thesis is your introduction.
 This is where you provide an introduction to the topic of your thesis: you
give the context in terms of content of the research project.
b. Background of the Study
 The significance of the study will mainly focus on the question “Who will
benefit from the study?”.
 This section will state the contribution of your study and the usefulness
of your study in the society.
c. Statement of the Problem
 The problem must be reflected to your title or the readers must know
your problem by just simply reading your topic.
 The problem must not be answerable by yes or no and must be arranged
in the flow of your documentation or study.
d. Conceptual Framework
 A conceptual framework elaborates the research problem in relation to
relevant literature. This section may summarize the major (dependent
and independent) variables in your research. The framework may be
summarized in a schematic diagram that presents the major variables and
their hypothesized relationships. It should also cover the following:
 Existing research and its relevance for your topic
 Key ideas or constructs in your approach
 Identify and discuss the variables related to the problem.
 Conceptualized relationships between variables
  Independent variables (presumed cause)
 Dependent variables (presumed effect)
 Intervening variables (other variables that influence the effect of
the independent variable)
e. Scope and Delimitation
 The scope is mainly the coverage of your study and the Delimitation is
the limitation of your study or topic.
f. Definition of Terms
 The definition of terms must be arranged in alphabetically. It must be also
stated if you used your definition of terms in technically or operationally.
j. CHAPTER II
a. Review of Related Literature and Studies
 In this part you must get your data and information from any books,
magazines, and newspapers. You must label your published material with
local or foreign.
a. This should be organized to cover the specific problems.
b. You must take note all of the evidences that the previous
researcher came up.
c. The unpublished material should not be older than 5 years if
possible.
d. It must be related to your topic. If not, do not get it.
e. On the last part of this part you must have a statement how this
old unpublished material helps the researcher in their current
study and relate it to your study.
k. CHAPTER III
a. Methodology of the Study
 Research Design- The appropriate research design should be specified
and described.
 Population and Samples- Describe the population of interest and the
sampling of subjects used in the study.
 Research Instrument- Describe the instrument and what it will measure.
State qualifications of informants if used in the study.
 Validation Procedure- Discuss how the validity and the reliability will be
established. Specify the level of reliability (probability).
 Data Gathering Procedure- Describe how instrument will be
administered.
 Data Processing Procedure and Statistical Treatment of Data- Describe
the processing and treatment of data
l. CHAPTER IV
 a. Presentation of Data
 Present the findings of the study in the order of the specific problem as
stated in the statement of the Problem.
 Present the data in these forms:
a. Tabular
b. Textual
c. Graphical (optional)
b. Analysis of Data
 Data may be analyzed quantitatively or qualitatively depending on the
level of measurement and the number of dimensions and variables of the
study.
 Analyze in depth to give meaning to the data presented in the data
presented in the table. Avoid table reading.
 State statistical descriptions in declarative sentences, e.g. in the studies
involving.
c. Interpretation of Data
 Establish interconnection between and among data
 Check for indicators whether hypothesis/es is/are supported or not by
findings.
 Link the present findings with the previous literature.
 Use parallel observations with contemporary events to give credence
presented in the introduction.
m. CHAPTER V
a. Summary of Findings
 This describes the problem, research design, and the findings (answer to
the questions raised). The recommended format is the paragraph form
instead of the enumeration form.
 For each of the problems, present:
a. The salient findings,
b. The results of the hypothesis tested
b. Conclusions
 These are brief, generalized statements in answer to the general and
each of the specific sub-problems.
 These contain generalized in relation to the population. These are general
inferences applicable to a wider and similar population.
 Flexibility is considered in making of conclusions. It is not a must to state
conclusions on a one-to-one correspondence with the problems and the
findings as all variables can be subsume in one paragraph.
  Conclusions may be used as generalizations from a micro to a macro-level
or vice versa (ZOOM LENS approach).
c. Recommendations
 They should be based on the findings and conclusion of the study.
 Recommendations may be specific or general or both. They may include
suggestions for further studies.
 They should be in non-technical language.
 They should be feasible, workable, flexible, doable, adaptable.
 Graduate School

Master of Arts in Education

PART II
1. Considering the Content of Old and New Elementary and Secondary Curricula, which do you more
effective? Why (5%)

Since we have new curriculum, I think it is more effective than the old curriculum because it
uses holistic approach and I think the Department of Education have undergone many research and due
process before there is changes in our curriculum.

2. If you were the Secretary of Education, what changes in the curriculum would you make to ensure
quality education? (5%)

If I am the secretary of education I would like to make some changes in the curriculum to ensure
the quality of education. I will lessen the subjects in the primary especially in Grade I. I would like to
implement into department the teaching learning system in Grade I primary that focuses in Reading
(English & Filipino), Writing and Arithmetic. As I believed that young learners must be taught early the
said skills as they can easy learn new things. No Grade I learners in public schools are being compared to
learners in private schools, and numbered of parents prefer to enroll their children in private schools over
public schools because they learned that teaching process in private were more advanced than in public
schools. For instance, in public schools they taught Mathematics in Grade I in Mother Tongue medium of
instruction while in private it was taught in English, so in terms of competition like MTAP some public
schools were left behind because the learners can’t comprehend the question which is in English medium
of instruction, and they were taught in public schools in Mother Tongue Based. It is one of the existing
dilemmas of teaching primary grades in public schools.

3. Do you find similarity between our educational ladder and that of United States of America? What
is it? Why? ( 5%)

Yes in some ways, because the Philippines education curriculum is K-12 and the educational
system in United States of America is also a K-12 curriculum which means they are similar in educational
ladder both are undergone in kindergarten when a child was 5 years old, and 6 years in elementary, 4
years in junior high school and 2 years in senior high school before they come college. Both of the said
country offers to the students’ different vocational courses in high school to prepare the pupils to be more
equipped and prepared for their employment in the future.
4. Do you favor teachers holding placards in the street? Why? (5%)

Yes, If it is the last option. We have human rights. I do believe that we teachers have also right to
hold placards in the street in smooth, silently way and descent not to make arguments and troubles in
government but to voice out our needs and benefits as a teacher as long as our contact hours in our pupils
and reputation as a teacher may not be affected . As a teacher too, I support them because they feel the
future of their professions. Teachers are some of the hardest working people in any profession under
some of the most difficult conditions. They have every right to strike if it will improve their working
conditions and pay. Otherwise we end up with dissatisfied teachers, and a high turnover among teachers.
The children will ultimately suffer if teachers are not respected and treated justly. All of us want to pay
better and fight for what we deserve.

5. What do you understand by a good leader? (5%)

A good leader is a good follower. For me being a good leader is setting an example for everyone
in your school. Someone that your school head can trust in behalf of him and can take charges while his
not around or available. You are also a good influencer and good in decision making and listen to the other
voices and suggestion of co-teachers to meet the standards and to succeed. A good leader supports and
help each others to build up and strengthens a team. In school one of the most responsibility of a good
leader is to creating healthy environment to ensure that people he leads are responding to the best
possible environment that leader can create.

A good leader is willing to serve and do what needs to be done to get the job done while
delegating, empowering and trusting the people whom the leader works. A leader isn’t always right about
everything, but always doing his or her best to the right solution or find best person with the skills or
strengthen to meet the goals. A leader focuses on the people around him or serves and encourages the
people with whom he comes in contact, and takes responsibility. A good leader helps those who follow to
resolve conflicts, understand themselves, and understand people around them. A leader isn’t perfect, but
is approachable, teachable and willing to work.