THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DIMENSIONS OF STUDENTS' MOTIVATION AND SCIENCE ACHIEVEMENT IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS OF ABIA STATE, NIGERIA
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DIMENSIONS OF STUDENTS' MOTIVATION AND SCIENCE ACHIEVEMENT IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS OF ABIA STATE, NIGERIA
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Date
1998-03
Authors
IROEGBU, NWAEZE
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Abstract
This study was undertaken to find out the relationship
between students' achievement in science and the dimensions of
students' motivation in Abia State of Nigeria.
The respondents of the study consisted of SS 3 students
from 16 senior secondary schools in Abia State. The
population of the study comprised 155 Senior Secondary Schools
of Abia State, Nigeria. The data for the study was collected
using questionnaire with reliability cofficient of 0.65.
The Pearson's Product-Moment correlation coefficient was
used to test the relationship between the dimensions of
students' motivation and their Science achievements. It was
also used to test the hypotheses formulated for the study,
alongside the t-test distribution. All these were tested at
0.05 level of significance.
The findings of the study were as follows:
1) There was significant relationship between parental
support and the students' achievement in science.
2) There was significant relationship between teachers'
support and the students' achievement in science.
3) There was significant relationship between peer-group
influence and the students' physics achievement. Biology
and chemistry achievements were related to peer-group
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influence but not significantly.
4) There was significant relationship between availability
of resource materials and the students achievement in
science.
5) There was no significant relationship between
availability of career guidance services and the students
science achievements.
6) There was significant relationship between test anxiety
and the students' achievement in science.
7) There was significant relationship between incentive and
the students' chemistry achievement. Biology and Physics
achievements of the students related to incentive but not
significantly.
For chemistry and physics achievements five of the null
hypotheses were rejected while two were retained. On the part
of biology achievement four out of the seven null hypotheses
were rejected while three were retained.
In the light of the findings from this study, some of the
recommendations are that:
1. parents, teachers and administrators of education should
provide structure autonomy and involvement to the
students. This recommendation is made because the study
revealed that parental and teachers support correlated
positively with science achievement. These play
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facilitative roles in science achievements. Their
absence led to poor performance of students.
2. the Abia State School system should employ more science
teachers. Good qualified science teachers will assist
the students regain confidence in themselves. This
confidence will help them consider themselves competent
and therefore strive for excellence.
3. science teachers with their laboratory assistants should
organise science practicals constantly in all the basic
sciences. This will help to keep the anxiety of the
students at normal level.
Description
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT FOR THE WARD OF
MASTER'S DEGREE IN SCIENCE EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY
ZARIA, NIGERIA
MARCH, 1998
Keywords
RELATIONSHIP,, DIMENSIONS,, STUDENTS',, MOTIVATION,, SCIENCE,, ACHIEVEMENT,, SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS,, ABIA STATE,, NIGERIA