CLASSROOM VARIABLES AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN BIOLOGY

CLASSROOM VARIABLES AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN BIOLOGY

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page

Certification

Dedication

Acknowledgements

Abstract

Table of Contents

CHAPTER ONE – INTRODUCTION

1.1     Background to the Study

1.2     Statement of the Problem

1.3     Purpose of the Study

1.4     Significance of the Study

1.5     Research Questions

1.6     Research Hypotheses

1.7    Limitation of the Study

1.8    Delimitation of the Study

1.9   Definition of Terms

CHAPTER TWO – REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

CHAPTER THREE – RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1     Research Design

3.2     Area of the Study

3.3     Population for the study

3.4     Sample and Sampling Technique

3.5     Instrumentation

3.6     Validation of Instrument

3.7     Administration of the Instrument

3.8     Method of Data Analysis

CHAPTER FOUR – DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS

4.1     Data presentation and Analysis

4.2     Discussion of Findings

CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY, RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION

5.1     Summary

5.2     Recommendations

5.3     Conclusion

5.4     Suggestion for Further Studies

References

Appendix

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     Background to the Study

The word “class” in an educational setting simple means a group of learners that are sometime of the same ages, same intellectual ability and so on. Specifically, in the school, a class can be seen as a group of learners that are kept in the room as a group and thought. According to National Policy on Education (2014) there are various stipulated class-sizes for various levels of education for the pre-primary the ratio is 1:25, 1:35 for the primary and 1:40 for the secondary school students.

Presently, because of the free and compulsory education in the state, class size had increased, thus making it consideration include, lager normal and small class sizes.  In contrast, other variable in the classroom according to Akimade (2016) include, lighting, ventilation, spacing and the arrangement of desks. Thus, each of these has a specific effect on the interaction process in the classroom.

However, in a mixed school, the separation of male from female students may create a disadvantage on how they will share their ideas. According to (Fullon 2011), the classroom still remains the main learning environment in the school although learning can still take place in other Venus.

On this perspective, it is imperative that educator strive to make the classroom the best venue for students to attain their full potential in academic performance. Lucas (2017) noted that, the physical structure of a classroom is a crucial variable in affecting moral and learning. Students motivation and involvement in the process of creating their environment can empower them develop and increase motivation of learning.

CLASSROOM VARIABLES AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN BIOLOGY

Creating a safe, positive classroom variable is the key to effective teaching and learning in the school. The classroom environment and variables interactions and the instructional approach. However, with the classroom being such an important place in the growth of a child. It is pertinent to understand the ways in which it affects this environment in order to receive maximum effectiveness instruction.

According to Okoro (2012), he noted that, a better quality learning will occur in schools where suitable audio-visual materials, adequate and well equipped classrooms, laboratories, and libraries are available than in school where such facilities are either lacking or inadequate. Classroom variables and academic performance of secondary school students in Biology.

Simon (2020) asserted that, in a class where the teacher cannot co-ordinate, plan and he will not be able to supervise teaching learning activities. The implication is that, the student in such a class resort to cheating in order to make up for the ineffective academic programmed. In fact, it is importance for a teacher to understand how to organize his classroom to create a better learning environment. Therefore, this study sought to find out the influence of classroom variables and Academic Performance of secondary school students in Biology

1.2     Statement of the Problem

It has been observed that classroom variables are major problems that affect academic performance of secondary school students. These classroom variables include, class size, classroom structures, classroom organization arrangement of desk, ventilation, spacing etc.

It has also been observed that most public secondary schools are densely populated, while classroom seem to be over-congested, because of the declaration of free and compulsory education from primary to secondary schools levels by the government of Akwa Ibom State. As a result of this the teacher lacks classroom control which in turn affects the academic performance of students.

Biology which is taught in both practically and theoretically also requires a well equipped laboratory which is also part of the classroom. The effectiveness of this teaching and learning process here depends so much on the size of the class. Presently on this context would be on the large and small class size and also the performance of male and female students with respect to Biology had been considered over the years. The study having known that, there exists a difference in the performance of students in small and large class size as reported in literature  had raised concern in the researcher to examine the extent to which classroom variables had influenced the academic performance of students in Biology in secondary schools.

1.3     Purpose of the Study.

The study sought to find out the influence of classroom variables and Academic Performance of secondary school students in Biology. Specifically, the study seeks to examine:

1. The difference in the mean achievement scores of student taught in large class size and those taught in small class size.
2. The difference in the mean achievement score of male and female students taught in small class size

1.4     Significance of the Study

The significance and findings of this study are of benefits to the following:

• The teachers to learn the different managerial strategies for effective management of classroom in order to promote effective teaching and leaning among students.
• Secondly, Education policy planners, Educationist, Ministry of education authorities’ stakeholders, schools administrators and management in senior schools towards helping students to improve the quality of facilities in the educational system.
• The governments to supply adequate facilities to various schools as well as deploying more qualified teachers to ensure that public secondary schools are well staffed to meet the recommended National Policy on Education students/teachers ratio of 1.25 for effective teaching and learning to take place.
• In addition, the work will serve as a reference material for other researchers who may like to carry out research work on a similar topic.

1.5     Research Questions

In addressing this situation, the following research questions were postulated to guide the study:

1. What is the difference in the mean achievement scores of students taught in large class size and those taught in small class size?
2. What is the difference in the mean achievement scores of male and female students taught in small class size?

1.6      Research Hypotheses

          The following research hypotheses were postulated to guide study.

1. There is no significant difference between the mean achievement scores of students taught in large class size and those taught in small class size.
2. There is no significant difference between the mean achievement scores of male and female students taught in small class size.

Definition of Terms

The following concepts as used in the study were defined operationally:

Classroom variables: These are factors or characteristics that describe and influence the behavior of students in the classroom. Classroom variables and academic performance of secondary school students in Biology.

Academic Performance: It is the extent to which a student, teacher or institution has achieve their short or long-term educational goal.

Biology: It is the branch of science concerned with the study of living organisms, including their structure, functions, growth, origin, evolution etc. It can also be seen as the scientific study of living and non-ling things.

Conclusion

The process of meaningful learning is governed by the ability to understand, this is express by positive changes in behaviour of the individuals. This is affected by the classroom variables of the learners. Thus, the influence of classroom variables on the academic performance of students cannot be over emphasized because poor or good classroom variables can enhance the learning potentials of the learners. Classroom variables and academic performance of secondary school students in Biology.

Therefore, from the findings of the study, it was concluded that classroom size have a significant difference on the academic performance of students in Biology. Also there is no significant difference in academic performance of male and female students taught Biology in small class size.

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