A Quasi-Experimental Study on the Effects of the Kumon Strategy on Statistics and Probability Competencies of Grade 11 STEM Students

This study investigates the effectiveness of the Kumon Strategy in enhancing the competencies of Grade 11 STEM students in Statistics and Probability at the University of the Visayas-Dalaguete Campus. In an increasingly data-oriented society, developing students’ competencies in Statistics and Probability has become essential. This study aims to investigate new strategies that enhance both students' understanding and active participation, especially in response to persistent difficulties in teaching mathematics. This research employed a quasi-experimental design to evaluate the effectiveness of two instructional approaches by analyzing the pre-test and post-test results of two student groups: one taught using the Kumon Strategy and the other through the conventional method. The research focused on four key competencies: illustrating a normal random variable and its characteristics, constructing a normal curve, identifying regions under the normal curve corresponding to different standard normal values, and converting a normal random variable to a standard normal variable and vice versa. Findings revealed significant improvements in the experimental group’s ability to construct a normal curve, demonstrating the Kumon Strategy’s effectiveness in fostering incremental learning and mastery of foundational concepts. However, other competencies showed limited statistically significant gains, suggesting the need for supplementary instructional support for more complex topics. Comparatively, the conventional teaching strategy yielded a higher mean gain, highlighting its effectiveness in concept formation. This research underscores the potential of combining self-paced strategies like Kumon with conventional strategies to address diverse learning needs. It provides a basis for proposing a tailored learning guide aimed at enhancing student performance in Statistics and Probability.