Abstract
This
study investigated the relationship that exists between personality traits and
attitude of students towards learning. A total of five hypotheses were tested
in the study. The study adopted the co relational research design. The A total
of 384 students (192 males and 192 females) were recruited to participate in
the study but 372 finally participated. Questionnaire was used for data collection.
The questionnaire was adequately validated with a reliability index of 0.89 for
Personality Traits Rating Scale and 0.92 for Students' Attitude Towards
Learning Rating Scale. The Pearson's product moment correlation coefficient was
used to analyses the data. The hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of
significance. The result shows that the five personality traits of
extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticisms and openness to
experience had significant relationship with students' attitude towards
learning. The study recommended that personality assessment should be carried
out on students as part of their entry qualification.
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE - - - - - - - ii
DECLARATION - - - - - - - - iii
CERTIFICATION - - - - - - - - iv
DEDICATION - - - - - - - - v
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS - - - - - - vi
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
1.2 Statement of Problem
1.3 Objectives of the Study
1.4 Research Hypotheses
1.5 Justification of the Study
1.6 Significance of Study
1.7
Scope of the Study
1.8
Operational Definition of Terms
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW AND
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
2.1 Positive Psychology
2.2 Character
Strengths
2.3 Academic Performance
2.3.1 Factors
Contributing to Academic Performance
2.3.2 Student Factors
Which Contribute to Academic Performance
2.3.3
Teacher Factors Which Contribute to Academic Performance
2.3.4 Parent
Factors Which Contribute to Academic Performance
2.4 Character
Strength and Academic Performance
2.5 Summary of
Findings
CHAPTER
THREE
RESEARCH
METHODS
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Research Design
3.3 Population of the Study
3.4 Sample and
Sampling Techniques
3.5. Location of Study
3.6 Research
Instruments
3.6.1 Validity and Reliability of the Research instruments
3.7. Procedures and
Methods of Data collection
3.8. Method of Data
Analyses
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION
4.1 Description of the
Sample
4.2 Testing
of Research Hypotheses
4.3 List of Findings
CHAPTER
FIVE
DISCUSSION,
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION.
5.1 Discussions of
findings
5.2 Summary and
Conclusion
5.3 Theoretical
and Practical Implications
5.4 Limitations
and Recommendations for future studies
References
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the
Study
Character strength is a
psychological concept that indicates that people have positive characters which
is their strength to achieve positive result (Peterson & Seligman, 2004).
Character strength consist of 24 positive character that can be measure by
VIA-IS measurement. It is well known
that the experience in the
university life is
one where an individual
gets access to
diverse opportunities to
develop themselves and
their skills, knowledge,
attitude in better
ways. It is
a time when students get
an opportunity to apply and understand their own unique
talents and character
traits, to understand what they are
good at, rather than
lamenting on their
demerits. Students in
their university life get
an opportunity and
are bestowed with
the responsibility to
mold up their
personality and excel
in their academics.
Therefore, if given
a proper environment,
wherein the students are able
to express themselves
freely and get to
understand their unique
talents, this would lead
to an enhancement
of their personal wellbeing, which in turn might lead
to better academic performance. In
an educational setting,
academic performance has
been found to
be the most
important indicator of gauging the efforts of
the students. In
most of the
universities and other
educational institutions in Nigeria,
examination grades are
considered the most
important criteria of
determining the level
of academic performance.
Many a times,
the teachers overburdened
with the excessive
workload; parents overburdened
with the demands
of the society;
the schools and
colleges overburdened with
the status and
reputation requirement; end up assigning tasks and
responsibilities to their
students and children
which at times turn out to be beyond
their capacities and understanding. As a result, students
end up considering
examinations as simply
an obligation to accomplish,
without at times, trying
to understand the
main goal of
their education process.
Therefore it is utmost crucial,
for universities to provide an atmosphere, wherein
the students are
capable of undertaking the
responsibility for their
own actions, understand
the goals of
the tasks assigned to them, think creatively and
critically and make
full utilization of the strengths
of their character
(character strengths). In
this connection, it
is important to
take into consideration
that, building up
of character strengths,
which is one of
the critical goals of
positive psychology, should
be initiated in
colleges, so that
it would not
only lead to
acquiring higher grades
in the present
educational ventures, but
also making better
choices about their
career.
University students spend almost all
their time in the institution where they study. Therefore campus must be a
proactive place to help students improving themselves. Seligman et al (2009)
argued that most of the time university students spend and interact with their
university environment was correlated with their well-being. Experience in campus allowed students to get
various opportunities to develop their skills, knowledge and attitude
(Choudhury & Boorooah, 2017). The
appropriate learning environment
will encourage students
to improve their
personal wellbeing that will lead to better academic performance. Some
aspects of good character showed correlation with academic performance.
Students that follow intervention based on character strength showed changes of
satisfaction (Duan, Ho, Tang, Li, & Zhang, 2014). Number of characters
related to positive behavior in class and learning achievement such as
perspective, leadership and humor (Wagner & Runch, 2015). On university
students found that character of perseverance, love, gratitude, and hope will
predict academic achievement (Park & Peterson, 2009). Good character is a
well-developed trait. Character strengths consist of a series of characters,
every character is contributed to well-being (Park & Peterson, 2009).
1.2 Statement of Problem
In an academic setting, academic
performance is one of the most important indicator to know the result of
student learning. Academic performance of undergraduates can be seen in grade
point average (GPA). Viewed as the result of learning in university, grade point
average becomes one of the important requirements that students must have to
determine the steps to be taken after graduating from the institution. For
students who want to continue their education to Master degree in any
professional field, there are provisions for achieving a minimum GPA that
students must be able to achieve. The required GPA for any student in Delta
State University who desires to apply for the master’s degree after graduating
is a minimum of 2.5.
GPA is used as one of the considerations
when students will take amount of courses in the new semester. When doing
trusteeship, lecturer will usually ask questions about their last GPA before
agreeing to the proposed study plan. This is the way to prevent the decrease in
student GPA because as mentioned before, GPA will be related to the ability of
students to bear the burden of study in the next semester. Most universities in
Nigeria do not provide an atmosphere of learning that allows students to take
responsibility for their actions, understand their goal, think creatively and
critically and utilize their character strength. It is important to consider
that building character strength will help students achieve their desired
academic achievement and also make better choices related to their career.
Supported by the findings of previous
studies which stated that character strength has a positive and significant
correlation to academic performance (Lounsbury et al, 2009; Bjurberg, 2014;
Weber & Ruch, 2012).
The finding showed that character strength can help students achieve their GPA.
However, these studies were not held in Delta State, Nigeria. The differences
in values and culture that developed in social environment allow the other
findings. The development of character strength also influenced by learning and
experience that face of students of Delsu, who also have their own learning
design that have been prepared based on the needs, targets and expectation that
want to be achieved.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The broad objective of this study is to
investigate the effect of character strength on academic performance of
undergraduates in Delta State University.
From the above
objective, the specific objectives are to:
1. Examine how character
strengths of university students are related to the academic performance of
undergraduates in Delta State University.
2. Investigate the extent
to character strengths are related to the life satisfaction of undergraduates
in Delta State University.
3. Empirically determine
the extent to which persistence will highly correlate with life satisfaction
and academic performance of undergraduates in Delta State University.
1.4 Research Hypotheses
The following hypotheses
stated in alternate form will be tested in this study:
1. Character strength will
significantly and positively relate with academic performance of undergraduates
in Delta State University.
2. Character strength will
significantly and positively relate with life satisfaction of undergraduates in
Delta State University.
3. Character strength of
persistence will highly be correlated with academic performance and life
satisfaction of undergraduates in Delta State University.
1.5 Justification of the Study
Given the availability of measures,
there have been correlates and consequences of different components of good
character, especially in academic settings. Particular strengths of character-
persistence, hope, gratitude and love- are robustly associated with academic
performance across a range of students. For instance persistence has been
highlighted in sustaining the efforts of students in an environment threatened
with lots of challenges and pressure. Semester exams are upcoming and students
are already faced with the pressure of reading to get good grades, but hope can
trigger a person to overlook these challenges and believe in their success.
1.6 Significance of Study
Research on character
strength is very limited on the students at school level. University is a place
where individuals are faced with challenges and difficulties that may throw
them into confusion and troubles. This study would help in understanding the
strengths of students that needs to more be emphasized, as they can predict
the level of student's satisfaction. At the same time, teachers, schools or
educational institutes through this study would be able to provide intervention
programs or seminars to enhance the satisfaction of life, academic performance
and to motivate students as well as to avoid negative effects among students so
that students have the strength to face any stressful environment.
1.7 Scope of the Study
The
scope of this study is delimited to undergraduate students of Delta State
University, Abraka. Undergraduate students in psychology and sociology
department in the university are selected for this study.
1.8 Operational
Definition of Terms
The
following terms are defined as they are conceptualized and measured in this
study:
Ø Character Strengths:
this as conceptualized by the Values in Action Project (VIA; Peterson &
Seligman, 2004). These are traits that are positive and are reflected in our
thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. There are 24 character strengths classified
into six virtues.
Ø Academic Performance: This refers to the measurement of the
students’ achievement across various academic subjects.
This is measured by the
students GPA (Grade Point Average) which the score used to evaluate the
performance of the student at the end of the semester.
Ø Undergraduates:
This refers to an individual who is currently running a program for a
Bachelor’s Degree.
Ø Positive Psychology: This
can be said to be a discipline, which focuses on
what makes individuals,
and communities as a whole, thrive and live happily
Ø Life Satisfaction: This
is the expected satisfaction of the students’ life in school by the fulfillment
of his/her important academic goals or aspirations.
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