TEACHERS’ MOTIVATIONAL STRATEGIES AND STUDENT’S ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS

TEACHERS’ MOTIVATIONAL STRATEGIES AND STUDENT’S ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1            Background to the Study

Education has been recognized worldwide as the fundamental basic tool on which any nation could function effectively for a sustainable development politically, economically, socially. The viability of any society depends solely on the good and qualitative education given to its citizen. To this end, one of the input systems which are the teachers needed to be well equipped with all the necessary material that would motivate them to perform the task effectively. This is because motivation is the key to effective performance and improvement. Vandiver,(2002).

Motivational strategies in education are those strategies apply by government, parent, teachers to bring the best out from the learners. These strategies are praise, punishment, reward, and encouragement etc.   

 It is obvious that a teacher cannot bring the students in his class in a high academic performance without knowing what motivates the students. The importance of operating an efficient classroom system during the teaching-learning situation, maintaining their roles must be built on knowledge of motivation. James (2000); class climate is very important, and it does depend on the teacher. If a teacher, experience the classroom as a safe, healthy happy place with supportive resources and facilities for teaching, for optional learning, he/she tends to participate more than expected in the force of management administration and the overall improvement of the school. The teacher is one who improves classroom image through orderliness discipline and control. He makes a diagnosis of student’s feelings and attitude inferred by their behavior and response in the classroom environment. Thus lash and Kirkpatrick (1990) concluded that in the absence of school programmes that major responsibility of working with children in the classroom rest with teachers. Likewise, Machr and Midgleg (1991) affirm that what takes place in the classroom, even though the classroom itself is not an island is critical, therefore, depending on the degree of congruence with classroom practices, and school environment, teacher teaching activities may dilute or enhance students’ performance.

 

Motivation on education is group into intrinsic and extrinsic which is both applicable to teaching and learning processes. Oneil (1995) explain that teacher have both intrinsic and extrinsic needs

The teaching/learning system requires the effort of government, parents, a teacher before any success could be accomplished and these can be accomplished through the application of different motivational strategies. The government, parent, teachers are directly in the aid effort that would bring about the accomplished goals. 

From the above explanation, it could be concluded that, in the teaching/ learning process, motivation is necessary for effective teaching to take place which will on turn necessitate effective learning. Hence this study is designed to investigate teacher’s motivational strategies and students’ academic performance in Economics in Secondary Schools in Nsit Ubium Local Government Area.

1.2            Statement of the Problem

The general performance of the student in many subjects including Economics has been observed to be very poor. These underlying problems are blamed on so many factors such as teachers’ motivational strategies, classroom size, teachers’ characteristic, school environment, resource utilization, and others. Adedji,(2009).

The demands of learners nowadays are more complex than the last one. Before, a teacher was expected to be master with books so that he can impact the same to his students. The teacher which act as an input system should be able not to manage only his students but to used different motivational strategies (such as tangible reward, encouragement, praises, punishment) in his/her teaching.  

Lack of necessary teaching aids to facilitate the teaching and learning process. Hence this problem fall back at students and educational system in general in which the teachers are the anchor: this study is therefore aimed at investigating teachers’ motivational strategies and students’ academic performance in Economics in a secondary school in Nsit Ubium Local Government Area (L. G. A.)

1.3            Objective of the Study  

The general aim of this study is to examine Teachers’ motivational strategies and students’ academic performance in economics in secondary schools in Nsit Ubium Local Government Area.

1.        To examine whether there is a significant difference in the Academic performance of students’ taught Economics with the use of reward and those taught without the use of reward.

2.        To examine whether there is a significant difference in the Academic performance of students’ taught Economics with the use of praise and those taught Economics without the use of praises.

1.4            Significant of the Study

          Significantly, this study will be of benefit to the teachers’, school administrations and government as it would reveal the need for using variable motivational strategies (reward, praise, encourage).

          The study was significant because of the following reasons:

Ensure teachers meaningful engagement in enduring effective and productive performance; inform government on the need for on-time releases of salaries and other connectives so as to motivate teachers to teach.

Help to promote the interest of students in the study economics.

It will help the school administrators to create a conducive learning atmosphere for students.

Finally, it would also add to the body of knowledge or make way for further research.

1.5            Research Question

1.     What extent does the use of reward significantly influence the Academic performance of students in Economics?  

2.     What extent does the use of praise significantly influence the Academic performance of students in Economics?

1.6            Research Hypothesis 

The following hypotheses were formulated to guide the study and were formulated in null forms.

1.              There is no significant difference in the academic performance of students taught Economics with the use of tangible reward and those taught without the use of tangible reward.

2.              There is no significant difference in the Academic performance of students taught Economics with the use of praise and those taught without the use of praise.

The local Government is blessed mutually with fertile soil, raffia trees, and evergreen vegetation. The Local Government has twelve (12) public secondary schools making the Nsit Ubium Local Education Committee.  

1.7            Limitation of the Study

The limitations of this study come as a result of the following problem.

Time: The time allocated for the completion of the work of this nature is very inadequate.

  Authentication: The work of this nature requires enough time and materials in order to widen the scope. However, the authenticity of this work is limited because, at the time of the study, the researcher was still undergoing her final programme these by dividing the time and the attention of the research.

Transportation: The researcher was faced with the problem of transporting from one sampling school to another.

The scope of this study is only limited to the teachers’ motivational strategies and students’ Academic performance in Economics in a secondary school in Nsit Ubium Local Government Area.

1.8            Delimitation of the Study

The study is delimitated to teachers’ motivational strategies, and students’ academic performance in Economics in a secondary school in Nsit Ubium Local Government Area.

1.9            Definition of Terms

To show a clear perception of the study, the following terms are defined:

Teachers’ motivational strategies refer to a plan of variable actions intended to use by the teachers to accomplish a specific educational set- goal.

 Academic performance: This refers to the mark or score that student obtained in a test or examination that reflect their achievement in a particular subject (Economics).

Reward: this means to recompense a person for a job well done, for a service he rendered or for his own merit. 

Praise: refers to positive evaluations made by a person of another’s products, attributes, or performances, where the evaluator presumes the validity of the standards on which the evaluation is based.