Influence of Laboratory Facilities and Teachers’ Work Attitude on Performance of Secondary School Students in Physics in Ekiti State (Published)
This study examined the impact of laboratory facilities and teachers’ work attitude on the academic performance of secondary school physics students in Ekiti State. A combination of descriptive survey and ex-post-facto research designs was adopted. The sample included 30 physics teachers and the WASSCE results of 1600 students, selected through multistage sampling from 30 schools. Three instruments were utilised: the Physics Laboratory Facilities and Work Attitude Questionnaire for Teachers (PLFWAQT), Physics Laboratory Facilities and Teachers’ Work Attitude Questionnaire for Students (PLFTWAQS), and A Year Examination Result Template (AYERT). The instruments were validated by science education experts, while test-retest reliability produced coefficients of 0.79 and 0.81 for the questionnaires. Data were analysed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation and regression analysis at a 0.05 significance level. Findings revealed that laboratory facilities significantly correlated with students’ academic performance in physics, while teachers’ work attitude showed no significant relationship. However, both laboratory facilities and teachers’ work attitude jointly contributed to students’ academic performance. The study concluded that laboratory facilities and positive teacher attitudes are vital for improved physics performance. It recommended training workshops for teachers on modern laboratory usage, fostering positive work attitudes, and ensuring the provision of adequate laboratory facilities by stakeholders to enhance students’ performance
Keywords: : Academic Performance, laboratory facilities, physics, teacher work attitude
Influence of Effective Usage of Instructional Materials on Primary School Pupils’ Academic Performance in Mathematics in Niger State (Published)
The study examined the roles of provision and effective usage of instructional materials in teaching and learning of mathematics in primary schools in the Senatorial Zone C of Niger state of Nigeria. Instructional materials (teaching aids) serve as an important channel in delivering instruction between the teachers and learners. It is a tool that connects teachers, instruction (subject content) and the learners. The population of the study was the teachers and the students in primary schools in the senatorial zone C of Niger state. The sample of this research consisted of one hundred and thirty (130) students and one hundred and thirty –four (134) teachers as respondents for the designed questionnaires. Also, thirty- nine (35) students were used for both experimental and control groups. The data collection for this research study was through the researcher developed test titled ‘Fractional Mathematics Test’ (FMT) on fractions which consisted of a ten- item objective questions. Also, the questionnaire was administered by the researchers to both the teachers and the pupils. The findings revealed that school management and teachers provided instructional materials for effective teaching and learning of mathematics in primary schools. Also, the result shows that instructional materials enhances students’ academic performance in mathematics. Therefore, it recommended that teachers should endaviour to use instructional materials to complement their teaching. Also, the educational stakeholders should intensify effort in the provision of more instructional materials to primary schools in the state.
Keywords: : Academic Performance, Mathematics, Pupils., Teachers, instruction materials
Assessing the Impact of Academic Camps on the Academic Performance of Ordinary Level Secondary School Students: A Comparative Study (Published)
This study investigates the impact of academic camps on the academic performance of ordinary-level secondary school students by comparing the outcomes of those who attended such camps with those who did not. The objective was to assess whether participation in academic camps contributes to measurable improvements in academic achievement. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining quantitative analysis of academic performance data with qualitative insights gathered from students, teachers, and administrators. The study involved collecting pre- and post-camp academic records, as well as conducting focus group discussions and interviews to understand the perceived benefits and challenges of academic camps. The results revealed a statistically significant improvement in the academic performance of students who participated in academic camps, particularly in core subjects such as mathematics and science. The findings also highlighted key factors contributing to this improvement, including the camp’s curriculum design, interactive teaching methodologies, and the integration of extracurricular activities that reinforced academic concepts. In contrast, students who did not attend the camps showed comparatively lower progress in their academic performance. The study concludes that academic camps serve as an effective supplementary educational tool that enhances student learning and engagement. It recommends the broader implementation of such camps within the education system, with a focus on optimizing curriculum content and extending the duration of camps to maximize their impact on student outcomes. This research provides valuable insights for educators, policymakers, and stakeholders interested in enhancing student achievement through targeted interventions like academic camps.
Keywords: : Academic Performance, Curriculum Design, Teaching Methodologies, academic camps, educational interventions, extracurricular activities
Examination of the Impact of Learning Management System on University Undergraduate Students’ Academic Performance (Published)
The study examined the impact of Learning Management System (LMS) on university undergraduate student’s academic performance. The study adopted quasi-experimental design, the data for the study were collected through the use of online questionnaire and students’ academic achievement scores in Test and Measurement. The study sample comprised one hundred and four (104) university undergraduate students of Ajayi Crowther University Oyo. The result of the study revealed that there was positive relationship between the use of LMS and students’ academic performance. The findings of the study also revealed that there was significant difference in academic performance of both male and female university undergraduate students taught with LMS and those that were taught with traditional method. The study further revealed that the usage of LMS is hindered with some factors among which are low levels of commitment of the lecturers to the use of LMS, lack of ICT based learning strategy as well as inability of lecturers to provide the needed technical support. The study equally revealed that effective usage of LMS can be recorded by organizing ICT training for both the lecturers and students and improvement of infrastructural facilities will go a long way in improving the effective usage of LMS for teaching and learning process. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended that the use of LMS should be encouraged in Nigeria tertiary institutions, lecturers and students should be encouraged to improve their computer literacy skills for effective usage of LMS, government and curriculum development agencies should incorporate learning management system usage into tertiary institutions’ curriculum as one of the modes of instructional delivery and that learning management system facilities should be adequately provided in Nigeria tertiary institutions.
Keywords: : Academic Performance, Impact, Learning Management System, test and measurement, university undergraduate students
Effects of Environmental Variables on Students’ Academic Performance in Basic Science in Ekiti State (Published)
This study investigates the effect of environmental variables on students’ academic performance in basic science in junior Secondary School in three Senatorial district of Ekiti state Nigeria. This is a descriptive study of a survey type. A Sample of 600 students was randomly selected, in which 200 students were selected from each senatorial district, while 10 schools were purposely selected from each senatorial district with 20 students per school which implied that the total 600 schools were selected from all the schools in the state for the study, therefore the target population comprises 141 junior secondary school in Ekiti state. The researcher distinctly designed 20 item questionnaires as an instrument for the study in which it was used to elicit response from the students to gather information to answer general question and hypothesis, while t-test statistic and, analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to test the hypothesis at 0.5 level of significant. The result of the analysis show that: there were no significant differences existed between: the impact of school environment on academic performance of male and female student, between the impact of school location on academic performance in basic science, between the impact of school facilities on academic performance of student in basic sciences of different age group, therefore all the six (6) hypothesis are upheld at 0.5 level of significant. Hence the study recommends that the government and the private proprietors of schools should create enabling environment for the effectively academic activities in the junior secondary school to enhance better performance in basic science.
Keywords: : Academic Performance, Basic Science, Students, environmental variables
Effects of Microscopes and Microbes Simulation Kits on Biology Students’ Academic Performance in Uruan Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria (Published)
This study investigated the effect of microscope and microbes simulation kit on students’ academic performance in Biology in Uruan Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Three research questions were raised and three null hypotheses were stated to guide the study. Quasi experimental research design was adopted in the study. Specifically, pre-test, posttest nonequivalent control group design consisting of two experimental groups and one control group was used. The study was conducted in six co-educational public schools in Uruan Local Government Area. A sample of 264 Senior Secondary I Biology students in their intact classes from a population of 3074 students. The intact classes were randomly assigned into two experimental groups and one control group respectively based on location of school. Students in experimental group 1 were taught the concept of microorganism using microscope; students in experimental group 2 were taught using microbes simulation kit while students in control group were taught without instructional material. A researcher-made instrument titled Biology Test on Microorganism with reliability coefficient of 0.87 was used for data collection. Data collected were analyzed using mean, standard deviation and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Mean and standard Deviation were used to answer research questions while ANCOVA was used to test hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. Findings showed that students taught microorganisms using microscope as well as microbes simulation kit had higher mean performance scores than those taught without instructional material. Gender was not a significant factor in determining Biology students’ performance and retention. Furthermore, there was a significant interaction effect of gender and instructional material on students’ performance. Based on the findings, it was concluded that although students taught using microscope performed slightly higher than those taught using microscopes simulation kit; both microscope and microbes simulation kit were effective in enhancing students’ performance in the concept of microorganisms in Biology irrespective of gender.
Keywords: : Academic Performance, Microbes Simulation Kit, Microscope
Factors Affecting Academic Performance in Social Studies Among Students in Selected Public Junior High Schools in Hohoe Municipality, Ghana (Published)
The study sought to investigate the factors affecting academic performance in Social Studies among public junior high school students in Hohoe Municipality in the Volta Region of Ghana. It adopted Ecological systems theory by Urie Bronferbrenner (1979). A quantitative (positivist) methodology with a descriptive cross-sectional survey design was used for the study. The three public junior high schools were obtained through the use of a purposeful sampling approach. Additionally, a random sampling procedure was employed to select 180 students from the three chosen schools. Structured questionnaires were used as instrument for data collection. With the aid of the version 25 of the Statistical Product for Service Solution (SPSS), descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) were used to analyse the data. The findings of the study revealed that students’ home characteristics including parents’ great interest in their children’s education and involvement in household tasks had had an impact on their academic performance in Social Studies. Academic performance was also found to be influenced by criteria related to the teachers, such as their professional training, teaching experience, subject-matter expertise, positive relationships with their students, and completion of the Social Studies curriculum. It was recommended that the Ministry of Education and Ghana Education Service provide guidance and counselling systems in the public junior high schools in the Municipality as well as schedule regular and thorough in-service training and workshops for the headteachers and teachers to enable them advance their knowledge, skills, and experiences in instructional pedagogies.
Keywords: : Academic Performance, Social Studies, home factors, public junior high schools, teacher factors
Facilitating Academic Gains with Artifacts of Learning: Effect Concept Mapping on Performance in Cellular Respiration (Published)
Biological concepts like cellular respiration are abstract concepts that students struggle to understand in Ghana and worldwide. Biological concepts like cellular respiration are abstract concepts that students struggle to understand in Ghana and worldwide. Research suggests that positive gains in student understanding can be achieved through interactive and visual learning tools like concept maps. With that in mind, this study explored the effect concept map formation on students’ academic performance at the Ghanaian senior high school level in the concept of cellular respiration. A sample size of 100 students were used for the study. Pre-test, post-test non-equivalent control group design was adopted for the study. Two intact classes were used in this study, one designated as control, receiving standard lecture-based instruction, and the other utilizing concept maps. After the intervention, post-test scores of the students revealed a statistically significant difference between the experimental and control groups. Specifically, the group that used concept maps performed significantly better than the control group, with a large difference in their scores. Furthermore, after the intervention, the concept maps allowed for specific analyses and tracking of the students’ understanding, proving its value as a formative assessment tool. The results suggest that concept mapping can be a useful tool in improving students’ performance and track learners understanding, gaps and misconceptions in biology topics like cellular respiration.
Keywords: : Academic Performance, Concept Mapping, conventional method, respiration
The Role of Staff in Shaping Undergraduate Students Behavior for Sustainable Academic Performance at The Catholic University of Eastern Africa (Published)
Shaping student behaviour has become a major focus of education worldwide. As educational institutions seek to prepare students for success in an increasingly competitive and complex world, they recognize the need to not only teach academic content, but also to develop students’ socio-emotional skills, character and values such as ethics and integrity, honesty and truthfulness. In universities, there have been cases of students involved in exam malpractices, such as copying, doing exams for others, poor study practices, and weak adherence to ethical conduct and integrity. Besides, a notable proportion of the undergraduate students tends to deviate from positive behaviours upon entering campus life which affects their academic performance. This study, by using quantitative and qualitative research methods, descriptive design, and purposive sampling of 80 students and 40 teaching and non-teaching staff, examined the role of staff in shaping the behaviour of undergraduate students at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa, main campus, Nairobi, for sustainable academic performance. Questionnaires were administered by the researchers to collect data from respondents. The results showed that the participants strongly agreed with the notion that efficient classroom management plays a crucial role in creating a conducive learning environment and enhancing student behaviour. It was also found that role modelling has an influence on the students’ behaviour for sustainable academic performance. Moreover, respondents strongly agreed that students’ guidance and counselling played a significant role in shaping their behaviour. Besides, the results showed that the attitudes of students have a considerable influence on their behaviour, making it essential to address negative attitudes to encourage desirable conduct. The study recommends that the institution should implement regular classroom observations and provide constructive feedback. The University should identify individuals with a track record of academic and personal success to serve as positive role models for the students. Staff training initiatives that prioritise the development of effective communication skills should be implemented. Involving students in developing and implementing initiatives related to behaviour change for sustainable academic performance is highly recommended.
Keywords: : Academic Performance, Attitudes, Behaviour, Environment, role modelling
Locus of Control, Achievement Motivation and Academic Self Efficacy as Determinants of Secondary School Students’ Academic Performance in Ondo State, Nigeria (Published)
This study examined locus of control, achievement motivation and academic self-efficiency as determinants of secondary school students’ academic performance in Ondo State. The study adopted ex-post facto and descriptive research of survey type designs. The population of the study comprises all secondary school students in three Senatorial Districts of Ondo State. Multi-state sampling procedure was used to select 900 sample respondents for the study. Instrument used for data collection were Questionnaire on Locus of Control, Achievement Motivation, Self-Efficacy and Students Academic Performance Questionnaire (LCAMSESPQ) and Academic Performance Proforma. The validity of the instruments was done by expert in Tests and Measurement. The reliability of the questionnaire was determined through test re-test method. Data collected were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. All the hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The result showed that there was significant relationship among locus of control, achievement motivation, academic self-efficacy and academic performance of secondary school students (R= 0.456, P< 0.05). Locus of control, achievement motivation and academic self-efficacy jointly accounted for 20.8% of the total variables in academic performance (R2 = 0.208, F (3,899) = 78.226, p<0.05). Locus of control which was the best predictor of academic performance accounted for 55.6% (β= 0.556, p<0.05) of academic performance and closely followed by achievement motivation with (β= 0.463, p<0.05), Academic Self-efficacy was the least predictor, with β= 0.233, p<0.05. Based on the findings, it was concluded that Locus of Control, Achievement Motivation and Academic Self-Efficacy are influential to students’ academic performance. It was recommended among others that teachers should endeavour to create adequate time to develop strong internal locus of control in students by encouraging good study habits, lower academic procrastination, low test anxiety both at home and in school in order to boost their locus of control and consequently enhance their academic performance.
Keywords: : Academic Performance, Academic Self-Efficacy, Achievement Motivation., locus of control