INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LATEST TECHNOLOGY IN ENGINEERING,  
MANAGEMENT & APPLIED SCIENCE (IJLTEMAS)  
ISSN 2278-2540 | DOI: 10.51583/IJLTEMAS | Volume XIV, Issue XII, December 2025  
Sustainability Awareness, Facilities, and Laboratory Environment:  
Influence on Students’ Cooking Performance  
Praise Marie L. Chiang, Raquel A. Saab  
Lourdes College, Inc. Gen. Capistrano St. Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines  
DOI : https://doi.org/10.51583/IJLTEMAS.2025.1412000038  
Received: 16 December 2025; Accepted: 23 December 2025; Published: 01 January 2026  
ABSTRACT  
Cooking education in junior high school relies heavily on the quality of resources and environments that support  
hands-on learning. This study examined the effects of cooking facilities, laboratory environment, teacher  
supervision, and sustainability awareness on the cooking performance of Grade 9 students enrolled in the TLE–  
Cookery specialization. Using a descriptive-correlational design, data were gathered from 200 students in two  
national high schools in District 2, Bukidnon through a validated and reliable questionnaire and an actual  
performance rubric anchored on the TLE Cookery curriculum. Ethical approval, administrative permission,  
parental consent, and student assent were secured before administering the instruments. Findings showed that  
cooking facilities were rated low, while the laboratory environment, teacher supervision, and sustainability  
awareness were rated moderate. Students’ actual cooking performance was likewise low in preparation,  
production, and presentation. Multiple regression analysis revealed that cooking facilities significantly predicted  
cooking performance, while laboratory environment and sustainability awareness did not emerge as significant  
predictors. These results emphasize that functional, sufficient, and well-maintained kitchen equipment is  
foundational to effective experiential learning, consistent with Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory and Moos’  
Environmental Theory. Overall, the study underscores the need for improved facilities, stronger guided practice,  
and deeper integration of sustainability concepts in laboratory tasks to enhance students’ technical competence  
and engagement in cookery classes.  
Keywords: TLE Cookery, cooking performance, learning environment, cooking facilities, experiential learning,  
sustainability awareness.  
INTRODUCTION  
Cooking is not merely a household chore but a vital life skill that plays a significant role in education, nutrition,  
and cultural identity. Under the Philippine secondary education curriculum, cooking is institutionalized through  
Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE), which equips learners with practical skills relevant to higher  
education and future employment. The TLE Cookery component allows students to apply theoretical knowledge  
through hands-on activities, fostering self-reliance, confidence, teamwork, and creativity—skills essential for  
lifelong learning and employability.  
The growing global recognition of technical-vocational education and training (TVET), as emphasized by  
organizations such as UNESCO, highlights its role in promoting workforce readiness and sustainable  
development. This perspective aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 4, which underscores the importance  
of technical and vocational skills in providing inclusive and equitable quality education. In the Philippine  
context, strengthening TLE cookery programs is particularly important, as these programs provide practical  
pathways for youth development amid resource constraints in public schools.  
Despite the recognized importance of TLE Cookery, many public secondary schools in the Philippines face  
persistent challenges in program implementation. These include outdated or insufficient cooking facilities,  
limited laboratory space, inadequate sanitation measures, and lack of modern equipment. Such conditions  
negatively affect instructional quality and restrict students’ opportunities for authentic hands-on learning,  
ultimately weakening their confidence and competence in essential culinary skills.  
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INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LATEST TECHNOLOGY IN ENGINEERING,  
MANAGEMENT & APPLIED SCIENCE (IJLTEMAS)  
ISSN 2278-2540 | DOI: 10.51583/IJLTEMAS | Volume XIV, Issue XII, December 2025  
While laboratory learning has been widely studied in science education, there remains a limited body of research  
focused on cookery laboratories in Philippine public schools. Unlike science laboratories, cookery laboratories  
require specialized equipment, strict sanitation standards, and task-based demonstrations that simulate real  
kitchen environments. In addition, sustainability practices such as food waste management, energy conservation,  
and responsible ingredient sourcing are increasingly emphasized in culinary education but remain underexplored  
at the junior high school level, particularly in terms of their influence on actual cooking performance.  
This study addresses these gaps by examining the influence of cooking facilities, laboratory environment, teacher  
supervision, and sustainability awareness on the cooking skills performance of Grade 9 students in selected  
public high schools in Bukidnon. By focusing on preparation, production, and presentation, the study aims to  
provide empirical evidence to inform teachers, school administrators, and policymakers in strengthening TLE  
cookery instruction, facility planning, and sustainability integration.  
Research Objectives  
This study aims to investigate the influence of cooking facilities, laboratory environment, teacher supervision,  
and sustainability awareness on the cooking skills performance of Grade 9 students.  
METHODOLOGY  
This study employed a quantitative research approach using a descriptive–correlational design to examine the  
influence of cooking facilities, laboratory environment, teacher supervision, and sustainability awareness on the  
cooking skills performance of Grade 9 students. This design allowed the researcher to describe the existing  
conditions of the independent variables and determine their relationships with students’ cooking performance  
without manipulating the natural school setting.  
The descriptive–correlational design was deemed appropriate as it enables the systematic measurement of  
variables and the identification of relationships among them in an actual educational context. This approach  
provides a realistic understanding of how school facilities, learning environment, and sustainability practices are  
associated with students’ performance in cookery.  
The participants of the study were Grade 9 students enrolled in the Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE)  
Cookery specialization from two public national high schools in District 2, Bukidnon. Students who were not  
enrolled in the cookery program or were absent during data collection were excluded. A total of 200 students  
were selected using the Taro Yamane formula to ensure adequate representation of the population.  
Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and a performance-based rubric. The questionnaire  
measured cooking facilities, laboratory environment, teacher supervision, and sustainability awareness, while  
the rubric assessed students’ cooking skills performance in terms of preparation, production, and presentation.  
The instruments were developed based on relevant theories and related studies in technical-vocational education.  
The research instruments were subjected to content validation by experts in Home Economics, educational  
research, and educational measurement. Pilot testing was conducted among Grade 9 students from a comparable  
school. Reliability analysis using Cronbach’s alpha yielded coefficients ranging from 0.799 to 0.927, indicating  
high internal consistency. Inter-rater reliability of the performance rubric was also established using  
Krippendorff’s alpha.  
Prior to data collection, approval was obtained from school administrators and ethical clearance was secured.  
Parental consent and student assent were obtained to ensure voluntary participation. Confidentiality and  
anonymity of responses were strictly maintained throughout the research process.  
Descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation were used to summarize the  
data. Multiple regression analysis was employed to determine the predictive influence of cooking facilities,  
laboratory environment, teacher supervision, and sustainability awareness on students’ cooking skills  
performance after satisfying the assumptions of normality.  
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INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LATEST TECHNOLOGY IN ENGINEERING,  
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ISSN 2278-2540 | DOI: 10.51583/IJLTEMAS | Volume XIV, Issue XII, December 2025  
This research aims to explore the association between cooking facilities, laboratory environment, sustainability  
awareness, and the cooking skills performance of Grade 9 students, as shown in the schematic diagram.  
Cooking Facilities  
Availability and Functionality of  
Equipment  
Safety and Sanitation Features  
Students’ Skills  
Performance  
Laboratory Environment  
Lighting and Ventilation  
Space and Layout  
Temperature Control  
Preparation  
Production  
Presentation  
Sustainability Awareness  
Food waste management  
Energy conservation  
Ingredient sourcing  
Figure 1: Schematic Presentation of the Variables in the Study  
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION  
Problem 1.  
What is the participants’ assessment of the cooking facilities in their school in terms of:  
1.1  
1.2  
Availability and functionality of equipment; and  
Safety and sanitation features?  
Table 1. Summary Table of Cooking Facilities  
Dimensions of Cooking Facilities  
Availability and functionality of equipment  
Safety and sanitation  
Mean  
2.47  
2.92  
2.70  
Interpretation  
Low  
SD  
0.18  
Moderate  
Moderate  
0.14  
Overall Cooking Facilities  
0.12  
The moderate assessment of cooking facilities indicates that while basic safety and sanitation measures are  
present, limitations in equipment availability and functionality restrict students’ opportunities for hands-on  
practice. In a skills-based subject such as TLE Cookery, insufficient or shared tools can disrupt workflow, reduce  
practice time, and hinder the development of technical competence. Although safety features may create an  
organized learning environment, they do not compensate for the lack of functional instructional resources  
necessary for experiential learning. These findings suggest that improving the quality and accessibility of  
cooking equipment is essential to support effective skill acquisition and meaningful laboratory engagement.  
Problem 2.  
What is the participants’ assessment of the laboratory environment, considering:  
Lighting and temperature control;  
2.1  
2.2  
2.3  
Space and layout; and,  
Teacher’s supervision?  
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INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LATEST TECHNOLOGY IN ENGINEERING,  
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ISSN 2278-2540 | DOI: 10.51583/IJLTEMAS | Volume XIV, Issue XII, December 2025  
Table 2. Summary Table of Laboratory Environment  
Dimensions  
Mean  
3.00  
3.07  
3.17  
3.08  
Interpretation  
Moderate  
SD  
Lighting and temperature control  
Space and layout  
0.15  
0.14  
0.15  
0.09  
Moderate  
Teacher’s supervision  
Overall Laboratory Environment  
Moderate  
Moderate  
The moderate assessment of the laboratory environment indicates that lighting, temperature, space, and teacher  
supervision meet basic instructional requirements but do not substantially enhance students’ cooking  
performance. While an organized and adequately supervised environment supports safety and order, these  
conditions alone may be insufficient to improve technical skill execution in cookery tasks. Cooking performance  
relies more heavily on direct access to functional equipment and opportunities for repeated practice than on  
general environmental comfort. This may explain why the laboratory environment did not emerge as a significant  
predictor of performance, as acceptable physical conditions and supervision do not automatically translate into  
improved hands-on competence without adequate instructional resources.  
Problem 3.  
What are the participants’ self-report of their sustainability awareness in terms of:  
3.1  
3.2  
3.3  
Food waste management;  
Energy conservation; and  
Ingredient sourcing?  
Table 3. Summary Table of Sustainability Awareness  
Dimensions  
Mean  
3.28  
3.39  
3.50  
3.39  
Interpretation  
Moderate  
SD  
Food waste management  
Energy conservation  
Ingredient sourcing  
0.15  
0.17  
0.15  
0.09  
Moderate  
Moderate  
Overall Sustainability Awareness  
Moderate  
The moderate level of sustainability awareness suggests that students possess basic knowledge of food waste  
management, energy conservation, and responsible ingredient sourcing; however, this awareness did not  
significantly influence their cooking performance. This may be attributed to the largely conceptual treatment of  
sustainability within cookery instruction, where knowledge is introduced theoretically but not consistently  
embedded in performance-based tasks or assessment criteria. As a result, students’ sustainability awareness may  
remain declarative rather than procedural, limiting its impact on observable cooking skills. These findings  
indicate that sustainability concepts need to be more deliberately integrated into hands-on laboratory activities  
to meaningfully influence students’ practical performance.  
Problem 4.  
of:  
What is the level of the participants’ cooking skills considering their performance in terms  
4.1  
Preparation;  
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INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LATEST TECHNOLOGY IN ENGINEERING,  
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ISSN 2278-2540 | DOI: 10.51583/IJLTEMAS | Volume XIV, Issue XII, December 2025  
4.2  
4.3  
Production; and  
Presentation?  
Table 4. Summary Table of Cooking Skills  
Range  
Interpretation  
Very High  
High  
Frequency  
Percentage  
0.0  
5
4
3
2
1
0
0
0.0  
Moderate  
Low  
28  
14.0  
84.5  
1.5  
169  
3
Very Low  
Total  
200  
2.37  
Low  
0.35  
100  
Overall Mean  
Interpretation  
SD  
The low level of cooking skills performance indicates that most students have trouble across preparation,  
production, and presentation stages of cooking tasks. Weak preparation skills suggest challenges in organizing  
ingredients, following procedures, and maintaining proper hygiene, which negatively affect efficiency during  
laboratory activities. Similarly, low production performance reflects limited technical proficiency, time  
management difficulties, and inconsistent application of cooking techniques. Although presentation obtained  
slightly higher ratings, it remained within the low category, indicating insufficient creativity and confidence in  
plating and food aesthetics. These findings imply that students’ limited hands-on exposure, restricted access to  
functional equipment, and insufficient guided practice may collectively hinder the development of  
comprehensive cooking competence. Overall, the results emphasize the need for more structured, practice-  
oriented instruction to strengthen students’ technical skills and performance consistency.  
Problem 5. Do the participants’ assessment of the cooking facilities, laboratory environment, and  
sustainability awareness significantly influence their cooking performance in TLE?  
Ho1. The participants’ assessment of the cooking facilities, laboratory environment, and sustainability awareness  
do not significantly influence their cooking performance in TLE  
Table 5. Regression Analysis of Cooking Facilities, Laboratory Equipment and Sustainability Awareness  
Predictor  
Unstandardized  
Coefficients  
β
95% CI  
t
P
B
SE  
Lower  
Upper  
Constant  
2.79  
.760  
1.29  
4.29  
3.67  
.000  
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ISSN 2278-2540 | DOI: 10.51583/IJLTEMAS | Volume XIV, Issue XII, December 2025  
Assessment  
Cooking Facilities  
of .278  
-.095  
.118  
.164  
.150  
.165  
.046  
.510  
.228  
.058  
2.36*  
-.580  
-1.59  
.019  
.563  
.114  
Laboratory  
Environment  
-.041  
-.111  
-.417  
-.535  
Sustainability  
Awareness  
-.238  
Model Summary  
R = 0.205  
R2 = 0.042  
Adjusted R2 = 0.027  
F(3,196) = 2.86*  
p=.038  
Note. B = unstandardized beta coefficient, SE = standard error, β = standardized beta coefficient, 95% CI =  
95% confidence interval, t = t statistic, p = probability value. *Significant at 0.05 two-tailed alpha level.  
The regression analysis revealed that cooking facilities significantly influenced students’ cooking performance,  
while laboratory environment and sustainability awareness did not emerge as significant predictors. This finding  
highlights the central role of functional and accessible equipment in enabling students to perform hands-on  
cooking tasks effectively. In contrast, acceptable laboratory conditions and sustainability awareness alone may  
be insufficient to directly enhance performance without adequate opportunities for skill practice and execution.  
Despite the significance of cooking facilities, the model explained only a small proportion of the variance in  
cooking performance (Adjusted R² = 0.027), indicating that performance in TLE Cookery is influenced by  
additional factors not included in the model. These may include students’ prior cooking experience, motivation,  
instructional time, class size, availability of consumable materials, and the extent of guided practice. The low  
explanatory power reflects the complex and multifaceted nature of skill development in vocational education,  
where performance outcomes are shaped by both instructional and contextual variables. Thus, while cooking  
facilities play a crucial role, improving student performance requires a more holistic approach that considers  
multiple interacting factors within the learning environment.  
CONCLUSION  
This study examined the influence of cooking facilities, laboratory environment, teacher supervision, and  
sustainability awareness on the cooking skills performance of Grade 9 students in TLE Cookery. The findings  
revealed that students generally demonstrated low levels of cooking performance across preparation, production,  
and presentation, indicating challenges in developing essential culinary skills. Among the variables examined,  
cooking facilities emerged as the only significant predictor of performance, underscoring the importance of  
functional and accessible equipment in skills-based instruction.  
While the laboratory environment and sustainability awareness were rated at acceptable levels, they did not  
significantly influence cooking performance. This suggests that favorable environmental conditions and  
conceptual awareness alone are insufficient to improve practical skill execution without adequate opportunities  
for repeated, hands-on practice. The low explanatory power of the regression model further indicates that  
cooking performance is shaped by multiple interacting factors beyond those included in the study, such as  
instructional time, guided practice, and students’ prior experiences.  
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INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LATEST TECHNOLOGY IN ENGINEERING,  
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ISSN 2278-2540 | DOI: 10.51583/IJLTEMAS | Volume XIV, Issue XII, December 2025  
From an experiential learning perspective, the findings highlight that meaningful skill development depends on  
students’ direct engagement with tasks supported by appropriate resources. Similarly, environmental learning  
principles suggest that while supportive conditions facilitate learning, their impact is limited when instructional  
resources are constrained. Overall, the study emphasizes that improving students’ cooking performance in TLE  
requires prioritizing functional facilities and structured practice while integrating sustainability and  
environmental considerations more effectively into performance-based activities.  
RECOMMENDATIONS  
On the basis of the findings, the recommendations are offered as follows:  
1. For School Administrators  
Priority should be given to upgrading, maintaining, and completing cooking laboratory facilities. Since cooking  
facilities emerged as the only significant predictor of students’ cooking performance, ensuring the availability  
of functional, safe, and adequate equipment is essential to support effective hands-on learning and skill  
development in TLE Cookery.  
2. For Teachers  
Teachers should strengthen guided and performance-based laboratory instruction by increasing opportunities for  
structured practice, close supervision, and timely feedback during cooking activities. Emphasis should be placed  
on improving students’ preparation, production, and presentation skills, which were found to be generally low.  
3. For Curriculum Planners and Program Implementers  
Sustainability concepts should be more deliberately integrated into practical cooking tasks rather than taught  
primarily at the conceptual level. Embedding food waste management, energy conservation, and responsible  
ingredient sourcing into performance criteria may help translate sustainability awareness into observable cooking  
skills.  
4. For Future Researchers  
Future studies may include additional variables such as students’ prior cooking experience, motivation,  
instructional time, and availability of consumable materials to better explain variations in cooking performance,  
given the low explanatory power of the current regression model.  
Compliance with Ethical Standards  
The research underwent an in-depth review and approval by an institutional research and ethics committee. Once  
ethical approval was obtained, the researcher proceeded to secure permission from the School Principal of the  
selected schools that offer Cookery as part of the Grade 8 curriculum. This was done by submitting a formal  
letter requesting permission to administer the questionnaire as the primary data collection tool. Prior to the  
questionnaire administration, a letter of assent and consent was presented to the participants. The researcher  
personally administered the questionnaire to Grade 8 students and collected their responses. To mitigate the risk  
of participants completing the questionnaire solely for compliance purposes, the researcher provided necessary  
assistance during the process.  
After floating the survey questionnaire, the students cooked three (3) different dishes to measure the cookery  
performance guided with the rubrics as basis for grading. Students were oriented and guided by the teachers  
during the cooking process to eliminate the risk during the laboratory. The students also assessed their dishes  
through a self-assessment as well as the teacher and the researcher. Thirty percent (30%) of the performance was  
from the self-assessment done by the students while the 70% of the performance level was from the average  
points coming from the teacher and the researcher.  
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