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 viii 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 ix 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.
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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
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