STUDENTS’ INTEREST
AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS IN BIOLOGY IN ORUK ANAM LOCAL GOVERNMENT
AREA
Abstract
The study was undertaken to access
students’ interest and academic performance of students in Biology in Oruk Anam
Local Government Area. The study was drawn from five (5) public secondary
schools within the Local Government Area. The only instrument for data
collection was a questionnaire. A total sample size of one hundred (100)
respondents were selected using a sample and sampling technique. Two hypotheses
were formulated and tested using Pearson product moment correlation (r) at 0.05
level of significance. The results showed that there is a significant
correlation between female students’ interest and male students’ academic
performance in Biology. This means that students with a high level of interest in
Biology performed better than those with low or without interest in the
subject. Based on the findings, it was recommended that students should be
allowed to offer subjects of their interest so that it will motivate them to
learn and also qualified teachers should be employed to help, not only in
teaching but also encouraging students to develop an interest in Biology in Oruk
Anam Local Government Area. It has been concluded that students who are not
interested in Biology performed below average.
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Contents Pages
TITLE PAGE - - - - - - i
CERTIFICATION - - - - - - ii
DEDICATION - - - - - - iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS - - - - - - iv
ABSTRACT - - - - - - v
TABLE OF CONTENTS - - - - - - vi
CHAPTER
ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
to the Study - - - - - 1
1.2 Statement
of the Problem - - - - - 2
1.3 Purpose
of the Study - - - - - 4
1.4 Significance
of the Study - - - - - 4
1.5 Research
Hypotheses - - - - - 5
1.6 Limitation
of the Study - - - - - 5
1.7 Definition
of Terms - - - - - 6
CHAPTER
TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
2.1 Students’ Interest and Academic Performance
in Science 8
2.2 Female Students’ Interest and Academic Performance - 9
2.3 Male Students’ Interest and Academic
Performance - 11
2.4 Summary of Literature Review - - - - 13
CHAPTER
THREE: METHODOLOGY
3.1 Area
of the Study - - - - - 24
3.2 Research
Design - - - - - 15
3.3 Population
of the Study - - - - - 16
3.4 Sample
and Sampling Technique - - - - 16
3.5 Research
Instrument - - - - - 17
3.6 Validation
of Instrument - - - - - 18
3.7 Administration
of the Instrument - - - -
18
3.8 Method
of Data Analysis - - - - - 19
CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION
AND ANALYSIS
4.1 Data
Presentation - - - - - 20
4.2 Discussion
of Findings - - - - - 22
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, RECOMMENDATIONS AND
CONCLUSION
5.1 Summary - - - - - - 24
5.2 Recommendations - - - - - - 25
5.3 Conclusion - - - - - - 26
References
- - - - - - 28
Appendix - - - - - - 30
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
One
of the objectives of secondary education in Nigeria is to equip the student with a
desire for achievement of self-realization at both school and in the future (Nation
Policy on Education 2014). Evans (2005) state that interest relates to memory
which is the feeling that one has when he or she wants to learn more about
something. It is a sure way of determining success in academic performance in
most schools. If the person does not have the interest and readiness to acquire
proficiency in a field he or she is not likely to achieve any great success.
This is because the person will not have the necessary drive required to train
himself or herself.
According
to Shufele (2001) interest is a content specific motivation of characteristics
composed of intrinsic feeling-related and value-related initiatives with an
organized force. Shuffle has distinguished two conceptions of interest:
individual and situations interest.
Individual
interest is understood as a long-term direction of an individual towards a type
of object activity or area of knowledge while situational interest is an
external locus and it is defined as “an emotional state brought about by
situational stimuli” (Akinsanya, 2007).
Performance
is known to relate with interest and attitude of the student toward examination and
test scores in the school.
This
form the basis for this research undertaking, to investigate whether there is a
relationship between students’ interest and academic performance of students in
Biology in Oruk Anam Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
At present, the poor
performance of students in biology in a secondary school in Oruk Anam Local
Government Area, during the last SSCE 2014 examination was not encouraging. The
data shows that out of 14 public secondary schools in Oruk Anam Local Government
Area, five secondary schools were performed below average in biology. As a
result of the research carried out by other researchers found out that, the poor result in biology can be contributed to many factors including to the lack of
interest in the subject on the parts of the student, poor laboratory
facilities, the phobia of Biology as one of the science subject, wrongly
approach to biology teachers.
Based
on this, the researcher sought to find out the relationship between student
interest and academic performance in biology in Oruk Anam Local Government
Area, Akwa Ibom State.
1.3 Purpose of the Study:
The purpose of the study is
to examine the relationship between students’ interest and academic performance
of the student in Biology. Specifically, the study sought to find out.
1. The relationship between students’ interest and
academic performance of the student on biology.
2. To examine
the relationship between female students’ interest and academic performance in
Biology.
3. To examine
the relationship between male students’ interest and academic performance in
Biology.
1.4 Significance of the Study
This study
will help the students in the following ways:
1. On
completion of this study, it will contribute to the general knowledge about
students attitude towards science subjects especially Biology.
2. The findings
will be useful and valuable to planners in counseling their students and
directing their energies to an area where they have demonstrated interest.
3. It is
believed that the findings of this study could be pertinent for the wider-range
of educational circumstance especially science educational programs and
researchers on the performance in the science of its practical importance.
1.5 Research Hypotheses
(i) There is no significant relationship between students’ interest and academic performance in
Biology in Oruk Anam Local Government Area.
(ii) There is no significant relationship between female students’ and male students’ interest
and academic performance in Biology in Biology in Oruk Anam Local Government
Area.
1.6 Limitation of the Study
Due to the size of Local The government in relation to the epileptic system, possess time constraint on the
timely submission of this research work. Regardless, however, the research,
taking into consideration financial restriction, vast geographical as well as
other pressures both economically, socially and politically has been able to
present a well-represented study.
1.8 Definition of Terms
Interest:
This refers to the desire to learn or know more about Biology.
Academic
performance: This refers to students’ examination and
test scores in schools.
Biology:
This
refers to the study of life
This academic study is well done. And it's a good thing that the subjects were
ReplyDeleteAnam of Anam.