Predictors of gains in the English component of the Assessment for College Potential (ACP)

Abstract

This research conducted during the 2nd semester of SY 2016-2017 ascertained the predictors of gains in the English component of the Assessment for College Potential (ACP) of the marine engineering students at PHINMA - University of Iloilo. The respondents of the study were the 238 marine engineering students who completed ENG 105 on the second semester of SY 2013-2014, and have taken the ACP achievement tests during the SY 2013-2014 and 2014-2015. The class standing records in ENG 105 and the ACP achievement test scores were used as the instruments for this study. For descriptive statistics, the mean and the standard deviation were used. For the inferential statistics, One-Way ANOVA, Pearson r, and the multiple regression analysis were employed. The 0.05 alpha level was used as the criterion for the acceptance or rejection of the null hypothesis. Results showed that the mean score of the participants in the ACP post-test increased by 1.19 points from 73.09 in the school year 2013-2014 to 74.28 in 2014-2015. Statistical analysis also revealed that no grading component in ENG 105 was found to predict score gains in the English component of the ACP. This was attributed to the lack of objective numerical data for student's scores in the two grading components. Thus, it was recommended that PHINMA-UI consider revising policies and guidelines for SCLP that includes giving weight to students' attendance and devising objective scoring rubrics for computing points earned in the SPA Record Books and the comprehensive student portfolios.