Journal of Educational Research in Developing Areas
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Substance abuse and maladaptive behaviours on academic performance of adolescent secondary school students in Oyo metropolis, Nigeria
Get PDFIntroduction: Substance abuse and maladaptive behaviour is believed to be on the increase in many parts of the world and stakeholders have expressed their concerns on how this can adversely affect the users.
Purpose: This study investigates the influence of substance abuse and maladaptive behaviour on academic performance of adolescent secondary school students.
Methodology: The study adopted correlation research design. Population of the study comprised 10500 adolescent students in Oyo Metropolis. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 1050 respondents. Drug Habit Inventory (DHI, Fayombo, 1998) which is a validated instrument was used to collect relevant data on substance abuse, Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised Scale (PCL-RS) was used to gather information on students’ maladaptive behaviour while objective tests on English Language and Mathematics were used to test academic performance of these students. The instrument was structured based on a Four Point Likert Scale and was validated by three research experts while its internal consistency was obtained through Cronbach-Alpha which yielded a co-efficient of 0.74. Quantitative data were processed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 24 while inferential data analysis was done using Pearson correlation coefficient and regression analysis.
Results: The findings show a significant relationship between substance abuse and maladaptive behaviour and students’ academic performance.
Conclusion: Based on the findings, it was concluded that maladaptive behaviour and poor academic performance are consequent of substance abuse.
Recommendations: The study recommends that government should put in place laws that clearly stipulate penalties for substance abuse and such laws should be adequately enforced
Implementation of secondary school Chemistry curriculum in Nsukka education zone of Enugu state, Nigeria
Get PDFIntroduction: The study investigated the level of implementation of chemistry curriculum by teachers and the available material resources necessary for the implementation of the curriculum in Nsukka Education zone of Enugu State, Nigeria.
Methodology: The study adopted a descriptive survey design. Two research questions guided the study. The population for the study consisted of 69 chemistry teachers in public senior secondary schools within Nsukka Education Zone. All the 69 chemistry teachers in the 61 public senior secondary schools in Nsukka Education Zone were used because the population size was manageable. A 10-item structured questionnaire designed by the researchers was used for data collection. The instrument was face-validated by two experts from Science Education Department and one expert in Measurement and Evaluation from Mathematics and Computer Education all from Enugu state University of science and Technology. The data collected was analyzed using frequency counts and mean.
Results: Results indicated that Chemistry curriculum implemented in senior secondary schools in Nsukka Education Zone of Enugu State fell short of the recommended standard as documented in National Chemistry curriculum issued by the Federal Government of Nigeria. In order words, Senior Secondary School Chemistry Curriculum in Nsukka Education Zone was at low extent implemented. As an outcome of the investigation, it was found that: human instructional resources for effective Chemistry teaching in secondary schools in Nsukka Education Zone were at low extent available.
Conclusion and Recommendations: Government should ensure the availability of both human and non-human instructional resources for effective teaching and learning of Chemistry in Nsukka Education Zone of Enugu State.
Assessment of Mathematics multiple-choice items using item response theory model of junior secondary school three students in Akwa Ibom state, Nigeria
Get PDFIntroduction: Assessment has been considered to be an integral part of the educational system, be it in primary, secondary or tertiary level of education. The quality of each of the items making up a test, the testing procedures and other psychometric attributes of the test are of great importance in the entire testing process to measure and ascertain learning outcomes.
Purpose: The study assessed the Mathematics Multiple choice items using Item Response Theory Model of junior secondary three students in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.
Methodology: The study adopted a survey research design, a multi-stage stage sampling technique was employed to select the scripts of the students utilizing systematic, stratified random sampling and purposive sampling techniques. Two objective and research questions were posed. The instrument used was the 2021 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) Mathematics answer scripts of 3,456 JSS3 examinees obtained from 18 Local Government Areas in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The students' responses from the answer scripts were analyzed using Bilog-MG3 statistical software to examine the Item Difficulty and Discrimination estimates of the 60 BECE Mathematics test items.
Results: The findings revealed that 48 items, representing 80%, were classified as easy items, 7 items, representing 11.7%, were classified as average items, while only 5 items, representing 8.3%, were identified as difficult items. Additionally, only seven (7) items, representing 11.7%, were able to provide a perfect discriminating index among the high, average, and low-test takers.
Conclusion and Recommendations: The 2021 Basic Education Certificate Examination Mathematics test items difficulty were adjudged inappropriate, and it failed to accurately differentiate among test-takers' abilities. It was recommended that examination bodies, test developers, and teachers should utilize modern procedures in the item development and selection process
Gender related differential item functioning on basic general mathematics examination of Kano state college of education and preliminary studies, Kano, Nigeria
Get PDFIntroduction: Testing has been accepted in our society as a method of decision making in formal places such as schools, recruitments, promotions, job placement, researches and guidance purposes. Therefore, quality of assessment instruments is essentials in determining the achievement of the students.
Purpose: The study aimed to determine effect size and direction of bias items in Basic General Mathematics Examination.
Methodology: An ex-post facto research design was employed to conduct the study and a sample of 665 NCE II students were purposively selected from KASCEPS. The data obtained were analysed using logistic regression and IRT based analysis.
Result: The findings of the study revealed that 2 items (16 - 17) were found to have magnitude level of DIF pattern in relation to gender and they all favoured female students. The study concluded that GSE Basic Mathematics examination developed by the College examination team is fair to be used for large population.
Recommendation: Based on the findings of this study its recommended that Basic General Mathematics examination items developers should improve their effort in selecting best items with appropriate words and or symbols so as to measure the target knowledge and skills under the study. Basic general Mathematics test developers should ensure that sufficient and balanced content sampling is followed when developing GSE examination. This will go a long way in establishing better sampling and test-taking objectivity
Development and validation of a scale to measure undergraduate students’ Physics identity
Get PDFIntroduction: Through physics education students are helped to realize the relevance of physics and technology to their lives, and this will encourage them to willingly continue their physics study in or beyond school. So, it is very important to have instrument with validity evidence that can be used to investigate physics identity effectively and efficiently.
Purpose: This study made use of information from prior research to adapt, test and validate items for a physics identity instrument to be used with undergraduate students offering physics in their first year.
Methodology: This is a survey study using an ex-post facto approach. A total of 400 participants were selected using the simple random sampling technique. The reliability, content validity, face validity, and construct validity of adapted scale were computed. SPSS AMOS version 23 was used for performing exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses.
Result: The new scale “SPIQ” consists of 15 items under three sub factors: interest, recognition and self-efficacy. The model with 15 items of SPIQ scale was validated by confirmatory factor analysis and showed a good fit. The Cronbach’s α for the overall scale was 0.87, and 0.80, 0.88, and 0.89, respectively for scale under interest, recognition and self-efficacy respectively.
Conclusion: The “SPIQ” is a valid, reliable scale to assess the ‘physics person’ of undergraduate students.
Recommendation: Given the role physics identity play in students continued interest, engagement and participation in physics, it is important for educators, researchers and policy makers to explore students’ physics identity
Learning styles as predictors of English Literature performance among secondary school students in Ibadan, Oyo state, Nigeria
Get PDFIntroduction: Learning occurs most effectively when students recognise the relevance and usefulness of the material covered in class. Students might not learn the content if they are not engaged in it. Utilizing a variety of teaching strategies and creating an engaging and interactive classroom atmosphere are crucial for achieving the ultimate aim of student learning.
Purpose: The aim of this study is to raise some secondary school students' awareness and comprehension of the impact of learning styles on the teaching of English literature.
Methodology: The study used a quantitative research design. The study examines how secondary school students in Ibadan's made use of auditory, visual, and kinesthetic learning styles in relation to their academic achievement in English literature. In order to identify if they are kinesthetic, visual, or auditory learners, 150 pupils answered a questionnaire. Learning styles questionnaires were used to gather participant responses, and face validity was applied to the surveys. The results demonstrated that secondary school students favoured visual learning methods.
Results: Thirty students from each of the four schools' in SS II classes who study literature in English were chosen using a purposeful selection technique. A total of 150 individuals were chosen to participate in the research. Thirty (20.0%) respondents, equally distributed across five secondary schools, were chosen. Students learn in a variety of ways, and the term "learning style" is typically used to describe an individual's innate or habitual pattern of information acquisition and processing in learning contexts. While some students learn best visually, others learn best audibly or viscerally. The majority of participants were visual learners, according to the results.
Conclusion and Suggestion: Among secondary school students in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria, the study determined the link between independent factors (visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning styles) and the dependent variable (academic performance in Literature-in-English). When the profile of learning styles varies from subject to subject, students can adapt their learning strategies by being aware of the overall learning styles profile of the subject. It was suggested that educators integrate learning styles into their lessons by determining each student's preferred method of learning, matching the teaching approach to challenging assignments, and bolstering the learning types with drills and simpler work
Perceived influence of students’ performance on chemistry continuous assessment in public secondary schools, Kilifi north sub-county, Kilifi, Kenya
Get PDFIntroduction: The role of continuous assessment practices is to give knowledge and understanding to students in order to motivate and prepare them to achieve good academic performance in chemistry.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of chemistry continuous assessment practices (CCAP) on chemistry performance in public secondary school in Kilifi North Sub-County.
Methodology: A descriptive survey research design was used. Questionnaire instruments were utilized during data collection. Data on chemistry performance was collected `through document analysis. Findings were presented in frequencies, percentages and bar graphs. Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (PPMCC) was used to calculate the correlation between chemistry continuous tests and student’s chemistry performance.
Results: Current efforts to improve chemistry performance by the Head of Department (HOD’s) and chemistry teachers is by administering class exercise, assignment, end term and unannounced exams to students as part of chemistry continuous assessment practices. Board of Management (BoM), Parent Teachers Association (PTA) committee and other educational stakeholders have been committed to provide enough incentives to buy examination assessment materials to be used in teaching and learning process to improve performance.
Conclusion: Based on the types of chemistry continuous assessment tests, female students had highest mean performance compared with male students. Chemistry Continuous Assessment Practices had a positive impact on students’ performance at KCSE examination.
Recommendation: Efforts should be done by all educational stakeholders to focus on effecting types of chemistry continuous assessment practices in all public secondary schools in Kilifi North Sub-County to improve academic performance
Student’s perception on effects of social stratification on academic performance of senior secondary schools in Zamfara, Nigeria
Get PDFIntroduction: Social stratification has been a persistent challenge to the academic performance of students with lower socioeconomic status in senior secondary schools. To address this issue, learning materials has been identified as the best predictor for academic performance of students.
Purpose: This study investigated the students’ perception on effects of social stratification on academic performance of senior secondary schools.
Methodology: The study employed descriptive survey design. A total respondent of 370 senior secondary schools students across Zamfara state senior secondary schools were selected, stratified sampling was adopted, the questionnaire was used to sample the opinion of students on effects of social stratification on academic performance. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistic, frequencies, percentages, mean and standard deviation as well as inferential statistic with SSPSS.
Findings: Social stratification had effects on students’ academic performance. It also indicated that learning materials is the best predictor of academic performance of students followed by private study time and feeding, family pressure has no effect on academic performance.
Conclusion: social stratification had effects on students academic performance, among the social stratification factors, learning materials is the best predictor of academic performance of students followed by private study time and feeding, family pressure has no effect on academic performance.
Recommendation: Public schools should be equipped to compete favorably with the private schools. Students from poor background should be given extra lessons free of charge. Parents should be enlightened to stop using their children for hawking during school hours
Health education and perceived health status of University of Calabar students in Calabar, Nigeria
Get PDFIntroduction: Maintaining optimum health today is faced with so many challenges which requires a prompt attention, most of the health issues or challenges many people face today in the society are issues that can be prevented or remedied if maximum attention is been given to health education. More attention are been given to curative measures of disease while neglecting the preventing measure of illness that are even less expensive through proper health education.
Purpose: This study examined health education and perceived health status of University of Calabar students, Calabar, Cross rivers state Nigeria.
Methodology: A correlational design was used in the study. Systematic random sampling technique was used to select 355 respondents from eight faculties of the University of Calabar, Cross River State. A self-developed questionnaire was the instrument used for data collection. The instrument was appropriately validated. It was also tested for reliability using Cronbach alpha method with estimate of 72 to .80. Pearson product moment correlation statistical tool was utilized for data analysis.
Results: The result obtained from analysis of data and testing of hypotheses in the study revealed that there was a significant relationship that exists between health education physical health, mental and emotional health of University of Calabar students.
Recommendations: Based on the findings of the study it was partly recommended health education should be introduced into the General Studies programme of the University in order to provide an avenue for more students to benefit from its contents and improve their physical health
Level of awareness among parents and guardians about usher syndrome and deaf-blindness in Lagos state, Nigeria
Get PDFIntroduction: Researches have shown that usher syndrome is the leading genetic etiology of congenital deafness combined with progressive vision loss (Deaf-blindness), most parents and guardians of learners with this condition in Nigeria are not of aware that this.
Purpose: This study investigates parents’ level of aware of usher syndrome and Deaf-blindness in Lagos State, Nigeria.
Methodology: The study adopted a survey research design of the ex-post facto type. A total of twenty (28) parents/guidance of leaners with deaf-blindness in the 20 Local Government Areas of the State participated in the survey. A self-structured research instrument titled Parents Awareness About Usher Syndrome Scale (PAUSS) was used for data collection. Two (2) research questions were raised to guide the study. Data were analysed using frequency count/percentage and Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient.
Results: Parents and guardians of leaners with Deaf-blindness are not aware of Usher Syndrome as a cause of deaf-blindness 23(82.1%). Also, parents and guardians of learners with Deaf-blindness have low awareness of genetic testing/counseling 21(75.0%).
Conclusion: This study has been able to establish that parents and guardians of learners with deaf-blindness in Lagos state are not aware of the term usher syndrome let alone aware that usher syndrome is the leading cause of Deaf-blindness.
Recommendation: It was recommended among other that parents and guardians of persons with Deaf-blindness should be educated on the causes and prevention of Usher Syndrome and other causes of Deaf-blindness with a view to reducing the incidence of the dual disability in Lagos state and the nation as a whole and that there should be intensive training workshops to equip parents/guidance, other stakeholders and the general public with the knowledge of genetic counseling for the prevention of usher syndrome and Deaf-blindness