Assessment of Guidance Services in Senior High Schools in Upper Denkyira East Municipality (Published)
The purpose of the study was to assess guidance services rendered in the Senior High Schools(SHS) in the Upper Denkyira East Municipality. To accomplish this, descriptive survey research design procedure with a quantitative approach was adopted. The study employed a multistage sampling procedure where sample size of 474 respondents were used. There were 133 staff (teachers, counsellors and headmasters) and 341 SHS students. Questionnaires were used to obtain data from the respondents. The quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages, means and standard deviations) and inferential statistics (independent t-test and MANOVA). The study revealed that generally both students and staff have positive views about the nature of guidance services provided in Senior High Schools within Upper Denkyira East Municipality. Again, it was confirmed that most staff and students agreed that guidance resources and materials are unavailable or inadequate in the schools for effective implementation of guidance services. The findings prove that there was statistically significant difference between the staff and students in their perception towards the nature of guidance services provided. It was therefore recommended that the Ghana Education Service implement fully its policy of assigning guidance and counselling coordinators to each Senior High Schools to allow for constant and fulltime access of the students to guidance and counselling.
Keywords: Counselling, Guidance Services, Senior High Schools, Students
Correlation between Instructional Leadership and Students’ Academic Achievement in Public Secondary Schools in Baringo County, Kenya (Published)
The significance of instructional leadership as it relates to students academic performance has assumed greater importance in education today as stakeholders demand for greater accountability. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between instructional leadership and student achievement, considering the dismal academic performances of students in public secondary schools in Baringo County. The study adopted the cross sectional survey research design. The target population of the study was 1070 secondary school teachers from 122 public secondary schools. A sample size of 291 teachers was selected using stratified and simple random sampling techniques. Data was collected by use of questionnaire and Document analysis. Frequencies and percentages were used to summarize and describe data whereas the Spearman correlation analysis was used to establish relationship of the variables in the study.
Keywords: : Academic Performance, Instructional Leadership, Secondary Schools, Students, Teachers
Influence of School Location on Students Attitude towards Mathematics and Basic Science (Published)
The study investigated “influence of school location on student’s attitude towards mathematics and basic science”. It adopted survey design. One research question and one hypothesis was formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance. One hundred and sixty six (166) students formed the sample of this study, two (2) validated and reliable instruments namely Mathematics and Basic Science Achievement Test (MBSAT) and Students Location Test (SLT) were used to collect data for this study. Analysis of the data results showed that; there was no significant difference in the mean performance scores between urban and rural school students with positive attitude towards mathematics and basic science using the independent t-test analysis. Based on these findings, some suggestions and recommendations were made on the need for students to develop positive attitude towards the study of mathematics and basic science despites a student location. This is because attitude is a good predictor of academic performance particularly in mathematics and basic science.
Keywords: Basic Science, MBSAT, Mathematics, School Location, Students, attitude
Evaluation of the Impact of Science, Technology and Modernisation in Social Studies Curriculum on University Students (Published)
This study was designed to evaluate the impact of Social Studies course – “Science, Technology and Modernisation”, how it can be best delivered and learnt by university students. The novelty research was devised to ascertain how effective out-of-door activities and classroom interactive teaching and learning will have on students learning performance. The course is meant to develop in learners an attitude of re-examining society from the point of view of developments in science, technology and modernity. Four hundred students were involved in the study. Students were asked to answer pre-instructional, instructional and post instructional course questions. Unstructured interviews were also used for clarification of issues raised by students. The pre-instructional course questions were: (1) what do you know about “Science”, “Technology” and “Modernisation”?; and (2) what are the ideal teaching and learning techniques you will wished to be adopted in the classroom? The instructional course questions were: (1) what are your prospects for the course of study; and (1) what are the challenges you encountered during teaching and learning?. The post instructional course questions were: (1) what are the strengths of the teacher and the learners?; and (2) what are the achievements from the course of study?. These processes were employed to elicit responses from the students. Interpretative analytical approach was adopted to analyse the data collected. It was concluded that there was a strong consensus among students that the ideal participatory teaching and learning method, techniques and strategies they suggested to be used were later precluded by them. It was also revealed that majority of students were not in tune with the purely interactive and participatory lesson delivery approach. Based on the findings, the study recommended that favourable classroom atmosphere must be created, coupled with enforced cooperative teaching and learning techniques to enhance participation of students. Also, in order to ensure effective retention of concepts taught, students must be exposed to concrete and technological materials to practicalised the teaching of Social Studies. Educational / field trip should be incorporated in the teaching of Social Studies, especially when teaching the concepts “Science and Technology”. This will help students probe into issues concerning science and technology by using their observational, manipulative and investigative skills.
Keywords: Curriculum, Evaluation, Modernisation, Science, Social Studies, Students, Technology, University
Correlates of Dyscalculia and Learning Outcome in Mathematics among SSII Students in Obudu, Cross River State-Nigeria (Published)
Dyscalculia brings about different types of learning disorder which affects individuals (students) at various levels of learning. It enables the students, educators and guidance to determine inabilities, phobia, anxiety and develop compensatory mechanism for under developed areas. This paper deals with correlates of dyscalculia and learning outcome in Mathematics among SSII students in Obudu, C.R.S- Nigeria. Types of dyscalculia like; sequential, verbal, practognostic and operational dyscalculia are discussed. Tips on how to reduce dyscalculia are listed in the work. The survey research design was adopted for the study. A sample of 200 students was randomly drawn for the study. Data generated were subjected to statistical analysis using Pearson product moment correlation analysis at 0.05 level of significant. Results obtained show among others that dyscalculia significantly correlates with students learning in mathematics. Based on this it was recommended among others that students should engage in practice, extra-time, graphicalized their work and evaluate their work.
Keywords: Dyscalculia, Education, Learning, Mathematics, Nigeria, Students
Impact of University Motivated Environment on Students Learning (Published)
Purpose: This research paper aims to examine the Impact of University Motivated Environment on Students Learning. Design/Methodology/Approach: Keeping in view the objectives the University Motivated Environment factors has been taken. The study sample of 300 students randomly selected from different departments of Albaha university. The use of the likert scale and a questionnaire containing 35 items related to the university motivated factors were used to measure the impact. Popular statistical T-test ANOVA was applied by using SPSS software highlighting more detailed findings of the study. Findings: The results shows that students are not satisfied with the university motivated learning environment because the services and support provided by the university related to Library, Computer, Parking, Cafeteria, Bus, Air Conditioning, Sports, Lab equipments, Cleanliness, Light, Guidelines, Track Complaints, Website, Internet Wi Fi environment, Training and placement, Update curriculum according to need of Industry, Scholarships, Sufficient number of staff to serve students, Recruiting staff according to the need of students, etc are not proper or given which affect students learning environment. Statistical analysis shows that Hypotheses is accepted in all cases. Originality/value – The value of this research is that the university will improve the services from which students are not satisfied.
Keywords: Environment, Impact, Learning, Motivation, Students, University
The Impact of Learning Motivation Strategy on the Academic Achievement of the Southern Ghor District Students in English Language (Published)
This study aims at identifying the impact of learning motivation strategy on the academic achievement of the Southern Ghor District students in English language as well as the response of the Southern Ghor students to new and unfamiliar learning strategies and the identification of the Southern Ghor district teachers use of modern learning strategies. The population of the study was represented by the secondary stage students of the Southern Ghor district where a random sample of (50) students was chosen from that population. Of the most important results produced by the study was the existence of statistically significant effect of using learning motivation strategies on the academic achievement of the students. The study presented several recommendations most importantly holding educational training courses for the secondary stage teachers explaining the significance of learning motivation and ways of stimulating their students for learning through the available strategies which fit in the surrounding environment of their schools
Keywords: Academic Achievement, English Language, Learning, Motivation Strategy, Southern Ghor District, Students
An Approach to Understand the Internal Enrollment Criteria of Students’ For Higher Education in Private Universities of Bangladesh (Published)
The main objective of this research is to identify the internal enrollment criteria of students for higher education at private universities in Bangladesh. A structured questionnaire was used to survey the opinions of 1,000 students who are enrolled at various private universities in Bangladesh. The researchers conducted various statistical analyses such as descriptive statistics, chi-square test and multiple regression to analyze the survey responses and identified a number of key findings pertinent to the internal enrollment criteria of students at private universities. The study reveals that the common factors of students’ enrollment are teaching quality, instruction medium, campus size, campus location, resident facilities, transport facilities, canteen facilities, and separate common room facilities and so on for students.
Keywords: Enrollment Criteria, Higher Education and Private University., Students
Plagiarism Is A Crime: Towards Academic Integrity in Higher Educational Institutions in Ghana (Published)
Admittedly, students’ academic plagiarism comes in different forms. Surprisingly, little is known about the most common form of student’s plagiarism due to inadequate research. This study was aimed to fill this knowledge gap by empirically examined the most common forms of students’ academic plagiarism in the Wa municipality of Ghana. The choice of the study sitting was influenced by the increasing educational activities in the area. The population of the study comprised of all tertiary students in the municipality. The positivist (quantitative) research design was deployed. Convenience sampling technique was used to select 200 respondents. Data for the study were elicited from both primary and secondary sources. Questionnaires were the main interment used in gathering primary data. The constructs for the questionnaires were adopted from Sentleng and King (2012) which was modified to address the objectives of the study. The data were analyzed with the aid of Predictive Analytics Software (PASW). The results were presented using Means (M), Standard Deviations (SD), Relative Important Index (RII) and Chi-square Test. The study revealed the most frequent forms of students plagiarism as follows: Invented or altered data (M=4.16, SD= 0.9), Writing an assignment for your friend (M=4.10, SD=0.9),Copy a text without acknowledgement (M=4.05, SD=1.3), Submitted someone’s work without their permission (M=3.41, SD=1.4), Paraphrased without acknowledging the source (M=2.41, SD=1.7), Summarizing a text without acknowledgement (M=2.73, SD=1.4).Chi-square Test revealed that there is a significant difference between Gender and age of students (χ2 -value = 17.98, df =3, p-value<0.05). Moreover, there is significant difference between religion and age (χ2 -value = 6.55, df =3, p-value=0.05). It is concluded that the most common forms of plagiarism among the students were paraphrased without acknowledging the source (Patchworks), Copy a text without acknowledgement, Invented or altered data (Sham),imitating friends work (Pastiches) and. Training on academic writings need to be intensified.
Keywords: Forms, Ghana, Plagiarism, Prevalence, Students, Wa-municipality
Body Image and Self- Esteem Among Isra’ University Students (Published)
The study aimed to explore the students’ body image and its relation with self-esteem. The study sample consisted of 300 students (148 males and 152 females). In order to collect data, two instruments were used: Body image scale (28 items) and Rosenberg’s self-esteem scale (10 items). SPSS was used to analyze the data; means, standard derivations, and t-test were used. The results indicated that the Body Image and Self-Esteem of Isra’ University students were low; there was a positive relationship between body image and self-esteem; females were found to be less satisfied with their body image, and there was a significant statistical difference in the relationship between body image and self-esteem, in favour of males.
Keywords: Adolescence, Body Image, Maturity, Students, self-esteem