The Use of Filipino and English as Mediums of Instruction in the Teaching of Engineering Courses at the Tertiary Level

Abstract

This quasi-experimental research aimed to determine which language is more effective in teaching engineering courses at the tertiary level in selected universities. The research compared the performance of the experimental and control groups by utilizing a different language as the means of instruction. The Controlled Groups utilized the English language and the Filipino language for the Experimental The majority of the participants consisted of 135 Engineering students from four universities in Manila; 65 for the Controlled Group and 70 for the Experimental Group preferred English as their medium of instruction. Despite a strong preference for English, the Filipino language is still used as a strategic competence, especially when seeking clarifications. When it comes to concepts taught in English, the language barrier becomes an issue, and the Filipino language becomes the most accessible option when direct guidance and clarification are needed. Moreover, the two groups achieved a notable improvement in the pretest-posttest, in favor of the Experimental Group. On the other hand, the t-test revealed no significant difference in the performance of the two groups; the result shows that anything before and after the intervention had little effect on students’ comprehension including the motivation and the ability to achieve their desired goals. The research, however, was limited to engineering education, with implications for other disciplines. Similar studies may be conducted on a broader range of topics and at different educational levels. Revisiting the curriculum to evaluate the inclusion of language and skill development would be essential.