Distracted Minds: Investigating the Influence of Smart Phone Addiction on Study Habits Among Secondary School Students (Published)

The study investigates the impact of smart phone addiction on the study habits of Secondary School Students focusing on whether significant differences exist between students with and without smart phone addiction with the Widespread use of smart phone among today’s youth, concerns have emerged regarding their potential influence on academic performance and study habits. By investigating the connection between smartphone addiction and Study habits among secondary school students, the study seeks to close this knowledge gap.  One hundred (100) sample of secondary school students were selected comprising both students with and without smart phone addiction. Validated measures were used to assess smart phone addiction levels and study habits. Additionally, data on time spent on phone and performance was collected. Statistical analyses including t-test was conducted to compare the study habits of students with or without smart phone addiction. The findings contributed to understanding the significance of smart phone addiction in shaping academic behaviors and informed interventions aimed at promoting   study habits among secondary school students in this digital age.

 

Keywords: : Academic Performance, Digital Age, secondary school students, smart phone addition, study habits

Influence of Irrational Belief on Academic Performance among Students in Some Federal Colleges of Education in the North-West Zone, Nigeria (Published)

The paper focused on the influence of irrational beliefs on academic performance of students in Federal Colleges of Education in the North-West Zone, Nigeria. The design employed for the study was descriptive survey. The sample made up of one thousand two hundred (1200) NCE III students. The sample was randomly selected using multistage random sampling technique. The instrument for data collection was a self-designed questionnaire which was validated by an expert each from Guidance and Counselling and Psychology Departments of Federal College of Education, Zaria. The instrument was pilot tested, using split half method the results of the two scores were subjected to PPMC analysis which yielded 0.73 as correlation coefficient. The data were analyzed using Frequency count and Mean Statistics to answer the research questions while the hypotheses were tested using ANOVA and t test statistics.  The findings of the study revealed that there is overall prevalence of irrational beliefs among the respondents, that irrational beliefs influence their academic performance and that different types of irrational beliefs held by students. The study further revealed that there were significant differences in the prevalence of irrational beliefs among students based on age, gender and marital status. The paper recommended that interventions to reduce the prevalence of irrational beliefs among students’ population should be developed by teachers, counsellors, mental health professionals and that there should be adequate counselling and orientation periodically by counsellors and other stakeholders to educate on the impacts of irrational beliefs on their academic performance among others.

Keywords: : Academic Performance, Federal Colleges of Education., irrational beliefs

Teachers Perception of Students with Dysgraphia and Academic Performance in Nigeria (Published)

The study aims to investigate teachers’ perception of students with dysgraphia and academic performance in secondary schools in Delta State. This study adopted the descriptive survey design. The population of this study include all the teachers in 245 secondary schools in three local government area of Delta state with a population of 4,750 teachers. The three local government areas are from the three senatorial districts of Delta state which are Osadenis High School, Asaba, (Delta North), Abraka Grammar School, Abraka (Delta Central) and St. Michaels College, Oleh (Delta South). The simple random sampling technique was used to select 25 secondary schools from where 350 (152 male and 198 female) secondary school teachers were also selected. Out of the 25 secondary schools, 17 are from the rural while 8 are the urban settings. 234 teachers are from the rural and 116 from urban settings. The instrument for this study was a researcher developed four-point Likert type scale instrument. The test-retest method was used to ascertain the reliability of the instrument and it has a Cronbach Alpha reliability index of 0.875. The One-Way Anova statistics method was used to test all research hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. Results revealed that dysgraphia has significant influence on the academic performance of students with the learning disorder (dysgraphia). In addition, it was found that there is significant difference in the academic performance of students with dysgraphia based on sex. Based on these findings, it was recommended that Teachers should refer students to counsellors for therapeutic attention; teachers should adopt teaching approaches that will encourage hand writing development; Such students should be allowed to use assistive technology in writing among others.

Citation: Agamugoro, P.A., John-Ekaba C.U., Apene, E. (2023) Teachers Perception of Students with Dysgraphia and Academic Performance in Nigeria, British Journal of Education, Vol.11, Issue 4, 96-105

Keywords: : Academic Performance, Students, Teachers’ Perception, dysgraphia

Self-Confidence as Correlate of Senior Secondary School Students’ Academic Performance in English Language (Published)

The study investigated self-confidence as correlates of senior secondary school students’ academic performance in English language in Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area. Descriptive survey research was used for this study. The population for this study consisted of three thousand and twenty-six senior secondary two students. The researcher used purposive sampling technique to select one hundred and twenty-four senior secondary school two students for the study. Self-confidence Inventory (SCI) and English Language Performance Test (ELPT) were used for data collection with reliability coefficient of 0.87 and 0.90 for SCI and ELPT respectively. Data collected were analyzed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation and t-test statistics. Findings of the study showed that there is significant relationship between no significant relationship between self-confidence and academic performance of senior secondary school students in English Language (r = .498^**, p ˂ 0.05) but there is no significant difference in the self-confidence (t = .661; df = 122; p > 0.05) and academic performance (t = -1.248; df = 122; p > 0.05) of senior secondary school students in Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area of Katsina State, Nigeria based on gender. It was recommended that secondary school management should encourage their students to prepare for the examinations in advance so that they will develop self-confidence which will improve their academic performance in English language.

Citation: Olutola, A.T., Adamu, D. R. and Okonkwo, C.O. (2023) Self-Confidence as Correlate of Senior Secondary School Students’ Academic Performance in English Language, British Journal of Education, Vol.11, Issue 3, 76-85

Keywords: : Academic Performance, English Language, Self-confidence, secondary school students

Contribution of College Principals’ Frequency of Classroom Observation on Certificate Student Teachers Academic Performance in Moshi District, Tanzania (Published)

This study was conducted to assess the contribution of college principals’ frequency of classroom observation to enhance certificate student teachers academic performance in Moshi District, Tanzania. The study was guided by clinical supervision model. The study employed convergent research design under mixed methods. The target population were 3 college principals, 112 college tutors and 642 certificate student teachers found in the 3 public teachers colleges in Moshi District. Stratified and Simple random sampling techniques were used to select 16 college tutors and 68 certificate student teachers who were involved in the study while 2 teachers college principals automatically included in the study to make a total sample that consist of 86 respondents. Questionnaires, document analysis schedule and interview guides were used to collect the required information. Quantitative data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics and presented in tables. The qualitative data were analyzed by developing themes from research questions and presented in narrative form and direct quotations. The study found that classroom observation strategy used by Public teachers College Principals do enhance certificate student teachers academic performance as always the college principal provide warning and reprimands to tutors who fail to attend class, often the college principal make follows-up on student teacher whenever they have problems on academic issues and sometimes the college principal visits learning sessions in classroom. The study concluded that college principals’ visitation in the classrooms has a contribution to student teachers academic performance. Aspects such as provision of warning and reprimands to tutors who fail to attend class as planed in the college general time table, making follows-up on student teacher whenever they have problems on academic issues are being done by college principal. The study recommends that colleges principals should continue to carry out regular classroom visits and discuss results with the tutors’ concerned as a strategy of improving tutors’ job performance as well as student teachers academic performance.

Citation: Aloyce Thomas; Evans Okendo Ogoti and Victorini Salema (2022) Contribution of College Principals’ Frequency of Classroom Observation on Certificate Student Teachers Academic Performance in Moshi District, Tanzania, British Journal of Education, Vol.10, Issue 12, pp.60-76

Keywords: : Academic Performance, Certificate Student Teachers, Colleges’ Principals, Supervisory Strategies, classroom observation

Parental Involvement in Monitoring Students’ Academic Performance (Published)

The present study was undertaken to determine the level of parental involvement in monitoring the academic performance of students at the senior high level within Kassena Nankana Municipality in the upper East Region of Ghana. Three research questions were formulated for the study. Purposive and random sampling technique were adopted for sampling the participants for the study. Participants of the study included 50 parents, 100 teachers and 100 students. Self-developed questionnaire was used for collecting data from the sampled parents, teachers and students. Cronbach alpha was used to determine the reliability of the items. Data collected from the participants were analyzed using descriptive statistics (percentage, mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (ANOVA). The results of the study proved that the level at which parents participate in monitoring the academic performance of students at the senior high school is very low within the municipality. The results of the study also indicated that poverty, low level of education, single parenting, work load of parents, negative attitude of teachers and parents toward each other and large family size are the major barriers of parental involvement in monitoring students’ academic performance. It was recommended that parents should spend enough time with children at home and discuss with them about their academic performance, Parents should communicate frequently with teachers in order to know the academic performance of their children, Management of senior high schools within the municipality should discuss with parents on the importance of parental involvement in education and Parents-Teachers Association meetings should be organized frequently at least once every semester since it is one of the best means through which teachers can get access to parents and interact with them.

Citation: Ezekiel Akotuko Ayimbila , Joshua Awuni , Philip Awine Azangeo  and Alexander Nii Moi Pappoe (2022) Parental Involvement in Monitoring Students’ Academic Performance, British Journal of Education, Vol.10, Issue 10, pp.83-103

Keywords: : Academic Performance, Monitoring, Parental Involvement

Key Factors Influencing Academic Performance of International Students’ In UK Universities: A Preliminary Investigation (Published)

This study examines the extent to which international students from selected countries were satisfied with their academic performance. The study aims to give an insight into international students’ learning experience by exploring factors influencing students’ academic performance. The study adopted qualitative method. More specifically, semi- structured interview was adopted with a total of 10 participants. The findings suggest that International students studying in the United Kingdom encounter certain challenges which tend to constrain their academic performance. The most significant of these barriers include the foreign language, which particularly concerns inadequate acquaintance with the English language; adjustment barriers, such as such as motivation, application, performance and satisfaction with the academic environment, as well as making friends, being part of social activities or being able to work in groups; academic issues, such as prior academic preparation, adjustment to foreign teaching methodology and pressure from performance expectations and work load issues, student teacher relationship, study skills, plagiarism and group work; and Culture. The major contribution of this study is the framework for understanding the critical factors influencing academic performance of international students in the UK, which shows the order in which these factors interact to constrain learning and ultimately the academic performance of international students.

Keywords: : Academic Performance, International Students, UK Universities

Effect of Blended Learning on Students’ Academic Performance in Physics in Federal Colleges of Education in South East, Nigeria (Published)

This study investigated the effect of blended learning on the academic performance   of Physics students in Federal Colleges of Education in South East, Nigeria.  Two   research objectives, two research questions as well as two research hypotheses guided the study. The population of the study comprised all the 287 Physics students in the three Federal Colleges of Education in South East, Nigeria.  A sample of 81 students were purposively selected for the study from two of the three colleges. The instrument for data collection was a -50 multiple choice   researcher-made test entitled Researcher Made Electromagnetic Theory Achievement Test (RMETAT). Test retest method was used to ensure the reliability of the instrument.  Reliability coefficients of temporal stability of 0.97 and that of internal consistency of 0.72 were determined for the instrument.  Mean, standard deviation and ANCOVA were the statistical tools used for data analysis.  The study found out that blended learning increased the performance of Physics students who participated in the study. It was also found out that the performances of students were not dependent on their gender. The researcher, therefore among other things recommended that  blended learning should be made a compulsory teaching strategy for Colleges of Education and similar institutions and that compulsory periodic training and retraining of teachers  in institutions of higher learning on 21st century teaching strategies  such as   blended learning be put in place.

 

Keywords: : Academic Performance, blended learning, physics

Effects of Guided Inquiry and Individualized Strategies on the Academic Performance of Senior Secondary School Economics Students in Imo State (Published)

This study examined the effect of guided inquiry and individualized strategies on the academic performance of senior secondary school economics students in Imo State. The study was carried out using quasi-experimental, non-randomized control group pretest posttest design, having two aims of the study, two research questions and hypotheses. A total of one hundred (100) senior secondary school two students (SSII) were drawn from two co-educational schools and two intact classes constituted the same size for the study. The schools were selected by purposive sampling likewise the intact classes, the researchers classified the students into 50 students per group (that is treatment group) fifty (50) while control group fifty (50). One instrument was used for collecting the data of the study. The instrument was: Economics Achievement Test (EAT). Research questions were answered using mean and standard deviation while analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The major finding was that male students performed better than the female students taught Economics with individualized teaching strategy and guided inquiry strategy respectively. Based on the findings of this study, it was recommended that individualized teaching strategy should be encouraged by teachers in the teaching of Economics to enhance the quality of performance in the subject.

Keywords: : Academic Performance, guided inquiry strategy, individual learning strategy

Community of Inquiry (Coi) On Undergraduates’ Performance in Computer in Education, University of Port Harcourt (Published)

This study investigated the effect of Community of Inquiry (CoI) on undergraduates’ performance in Computer in Education, University of Port Harcourt. Two objectives, two research questions, and two null hypotheses guided the study. Both conceptual and empirical studies were reviewed. The study adopted a quasi-experimental design with a total population of five hundred and thirty-two (532) male and female 400 level undergraduate students who are offering Computer in Education Course in Faculty of Education, and the sample comprised two hundred and eighty-nine (289) respondents purposefully selected from the entire population. The instrument used for data collection was a Computer Performance Test (CPT).The instrument was subjected to face and content validation with a reliability coefficient of 0.95. Mean, Standard deviation, z-test and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) were the statistical tools used in the study. The findings revealed that there is a significant difference in the effect of strategies (Community of Inquiry and discussion methods) on students’ performance in Computer in Education. Furthermore, there is no significant difference in the influence of gender on students’ performance in Computer in Education. Based on these findings, the study recommends that Lecturers in Faculty of Education should integrate Community of Inquiry (CoI) instructional approach as a purposeful and effective instructional technique and resource in teaching Computer in Education and other core courses so that students could produce better and dependable results.

Keywords: : Academic Performance, blended learning, community of inquiry (CoI)