Investigating the link between Self-Concept and Job Performance of Agricultural Science Teachers in selected Secondary Schools in Namibia’s Zambezi Region (Published)

A teacher’s job performance is impacted by diverse components including, among others, the individual self-concept in teaching a particular school subject. The teacher’s self-concept is the perception or belief that he/she has about his/her psychological well-being and occupational satisfaction. The study investigated the job performance self-concept of Agricultural Science teachers in selected secondary schools in Zambezi Region of Namibia. A qualitative research design involving an individual face-to-face interview was used to collect data on teachers’ job performance self-concept from a sample of 12 participants. The study used purposive sampling to select the 12 participants made up of 6 male and 6 female Agricultural science teachers currently teaching in the study area. The results of the study revealed that the majority of the participants were proficient in both theory and practical skills, while a handful further indicated that they could identify the needs of the syllabus and that of the learners. These components were considered essential in nurturing learners’ achievement in Agricultural Science. The study further revealed that gender plays no significant role concerning teacher’s competencies in teaching Agricultural Science in the Zambezi region. However, it was found that the participants who had more years of Agricultural Science teaching experience were better equipped with subject content knowledge than their less experienced counterparts. 

Keywords: Agricultural Science, Competencies, Experience, Gender, Job Performance, Self-Concept

Selected Variables Influencing Undergraduate Students’ Attitude toward Educational Research Writing In University Of Port Hacourt, Rivers State, Nigeria (Published)

The study investigated selected variables influencing undergraduate students’ attitude toward educational research writing in Faculty of Education, University of Port Harcourt. Four research questions and three hypotheses tested at 0.05 alpha level guided the study. The study adopted an ex-post facto research design. A sample of 561 final year undergraduate students was drawn from the population through stratified random sampling technique based on the six departments of the Faculty. The four instruments used for data collection were Research self-concept Scale (RSS); Research Anxiety Scale (RAS), Research Achievement Motivation Scale (RAMS) and Research Attitude Questionnaire (RAQ). These were validated by experts in Educational Psychology, measurement and evaluation. The reliability coefficients of RSS, RAS, RAMS and RAQ were 0.72, 0.69, 0.81 and 0.76 respectively which were determined through Cronbach Alpha technique for internal consistency of the instruments. Data collected were analyzed using mean, standard deviation and t-test of independent sample means. The results revealed that self-concept, research anxiety and achievement motivation significantly influence attitude of undergraduate students toward educational research writing. Based on these results, recommendations were made including that school guidance counselors should endeavour to counsel students with low self-concept, low achievement motivation and high anxiety pertaining their academic progress especially in educational research writing.

Keywords: Achievement Motivation., Anxiety, Education, Research Writing, Self-Concept, attitude

Predictors of Students’ Attitude towards Mathematics In Obio-Akpor Local Government Area Of Rivers State, Nigeria (Published)

The study investigated predictors of students’ attitude towards mathematics in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State Nigeria. Three research questions and three hypotheses guided the study. The study adopted a correlational design. A sample of 350 senior secondary students was drawn from the population through stratified proportionate random sampling technique. The four instruments used for data collection were Mathematics Self-concept Questionnaire (MSCQ), Mathematics Self-Efficacy Scale (MSES), Teachers Competency Questionnaire (TCQ) and Attitude Towards Mathematics Inventory (ATMI) which were validated by experts in measurement and evaluation. The reliability coefficients of MSCQ, MSES, TCQ and ATMI were 0.75, 0.87, 0.80 and 0.85 respectively which were determined through Cronbach alpha technique for internal consistency of the instruments. Linear regression analysis was used to answer the research question while the t-test associated with the regression analysis was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 alpha level. The results revealed that mathematics self-concept, mathematics self-efficacy and teachers’ competency significantly predicted students’ attitude towards mathematics. These results and their implications were discussed. Among other things, it was recommended that teachers and counsellors should enlighten the students more on mathematics self-concept and self-efficacy which will guide them in having positive attitude towards mathematics. Also mathematics teachers should continue to practice the use of different approaches and techniques in the teaching of mathematics concepts and principles

Keywords: Self-Concept, Self-Efficacy, Students’ attitude, teachers’ competencies and Mathematics