Influence of Single Parenthood Family Structure On Pupils Academic Achievement in Primary School in Egbeda Local Government, Oyo State (Published)
The purpose of this research was to assess how the family structure, specifically single parenthood, impairs the performance of primary school age children in the area of Egbeda Local Government in the Oyo State. The study was a descriptive survey which assisted in the collection of data from 200 students drawn randomly from each of four schools. The study compiled all gathered data from both sets of materials – structured questionnaire and schools’ files – and appropriate statistical treatments in terms of analysis were conducted. Results revealed that academic achievement of majority of pupils could be classified as moderate level of performance and mean girls’ performance was better than boys. Hence, the study demonstrated that academic performance of pupils whose parents lived separately was less than that of the students from nuclear families. However, an analysis of some pupils from reconstituted family revealed that they scored very high in their performance inclusive of the aspects like poverty, resilience, parental involvement, and school inclination. It is thus the case that the learning culture of single paternity has adversely affected the learners’ scholastic achievement. Part of the recommendations that can be made therefore is to suggest strategies that inherently exist within school teaching programs, which are focused on the child. They can be as ways of solving the problem – first, strategies that place the welfare of the child and issues of gender in particular, in the course of why children go to school, second, strategies that actively involves parents in the learning experiences of their child, third, and pushing for better legislation and/or working policies that support singlehanded families. This study aims at advancing knowledge in the field of the topic of family pattern as a contributor to the grade of attainment in education in Nigeria, more specifically, in primary school therefore calling the educationist and all the stakeholders as one.
Keywords: Academic Achievement, Gender differences, Single Parenthood, educational support, primary school pupils
Effect of Assessment for Learning (AFL) On Biology Academic Achievement of Senior Secondary Students in Rivers State (Published)
The study investigated Effect of Assessment for Learning (AFL) on Biology Academic Achievement of Senior Secondary Students in Rivers State. The researchers adopted a non-randomized pretest-posttest control group quasi-experimental research design. The population of the study consists of 34,825, Senior Secondary Two (SS2) students duly registered in public secondary schools (2013/2014 Session) in the 23 Local Government Areas of Rivers State, Nigeria. A total of 400 Senior Secondary Two (SS2) students’ (200 males and females respectively) were sampled through multistage sampling technique in Ikwerre, Obio/Akpor, Ogu/Bolo, Okrika and Port Harcourt Local Government Areas. Students’ in intact classes were assigned to four experimental groups and one control group. Students’ in the experimental groups were subjected to the following Assessment For Learning strategies: use of questioning, comment only marking, self/peer assessment and formative use of summative assessment, while students’ in the control group were subjected to the traditional assessment method. Two research questions and two hypotheses were postulated for the study. A 40 item instrument titled: “Assessment For Learning Biology Achievement Test” (AFLBAT) developed by the researchers was used for data collection. The instrument was duly validated by three subject specialists and two experts in educational measurement and evaluation. An internal consistency coefficient of 0.71 was obtained using Rulon formula. Data for the study were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean, and standard deviation), analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and paired sample t-test. The analysis of data was done using SPSS software. The result of the study revealed that: Assessment For Learning strategies effectively improved biology achievement of students’; biology academic achievement of students was enhanced by the following AFL strategies: use of questioning, comment only marking and self/peer assessment but the most effective is comment only marking; AFL has a significant effect on biology academic achievement of students. Based on the results of the study, the following recommendation among others was made by the researchers: a critical review of classroom assessment methods is advocated, especially in the aspect of comments made by teachers concerning learning outcome of students’.
Keywords: Academic Achievement, Assessment for Learning, Biology, Formative assessment, Summative Assessment