IMPACT OF ACADEMIC COMPETITIONS TO LEARNERS

RANIEL L. SANTOS

The learning experiences of the learners are not only confined in the classroom setting but also developed through various contests offered by the different learning areas. Academic competition is one of the most anticipated events every year among learners. Typically, this activity challenges students to prove their knowledge, skills as well as values in certain subjects or disciplines.

Academic contests occur in school annually leading to the national level. These contests aim to develop students’ expertise beyond the classroom setting. All the learning areas offer contests such as in Journalism, Mathematics, Filipino, English, Science, History, Values Education, Technology and Livelihood Education and even Sports.

These competitions help the learners to become more competitive as well as to push themselves on the things they want to do more. It brings positive outlook in life, self-initiatives, and learning independently on their chosen subject.

Studies showed that academic competitions surround the learning process of the learners. It can be a good thing to develop them by being enthusiastic, paying attention, and improving social skills in dealing with other learners as well as driving attention, physical and emotional effort, and learning.

Academic competitions bring healthy relationships to teachers, learners, parents, and community people. It prepares them for real-life situations, increases their confidence level, develops their new skills, increases enthusiasm and love for learning. Learners may also develop important skills like resilience, perseverance, and building selfconfidence. It also leads to increased participation of learners to get motivated and inspired to do more and excel more in their chosen field. It gives them the chance to become more inquisitive, research independently, and learn to work with others.

It also gives valuable experiences and skills to learners that they can use it soon in the workplace. It also improves learners’ awareness to be more competitive and foster creativity that may not have been seen within the traditional classroom set-up. It is important to instill in the minds of every learner the value of sportsmanship at the end of any competitions. It is a good avenue to display the special talents of learners. Learning engagement through academic competitions may bring cheerful outlook towards them.

On the other hand, competitions may bring anxiety to learners because of the effort and time they devote to finish the contests. It may lead to stress between the students and teachers. This stress may force them to push back others’ interests and have an unbalanced life, but learners are willing to learn and find more time to practice and review.

Finally, healthy competitions build and strengthen relationships within learners to develop their social skills among their co-learners. It plays a vital role in academic achievement of learners to pursue excellence and cultivates higher learning outcomes. It also brings excellence that leads to stimulating, fair, and relevant opportunities to students around the world. As the saying goes, when students are motivated to learn, they can achieve higher learning progress and success, and they are more likely to succeed in their chosen endeavor.

-oOoThe author is Teacher III of Tacasan Elementary School, Macabebe East District