ABSTRACT
This study investigated the relationship among of gender, attitude and study habits on mathematics achievement of senior secondary school students in Umuahia Education Zone, Abia State. It adopted correlational research design. A sample size of two hundred (94 males and106 females) students was drawn from the selected public secondary schools in Umuahia education zone. The instruments used for data collection were questionnaire titled “Questionnaire on Gender, Attitude and Study Habits” (QGASH) and students achievement test title “mathematics achievement tests” (MAT). The questionnaire and achievements test comprised of 20 items each. Five research questions and five hypotheses guided the study. The validity of instrument was established by three experts, two from mathematics education and one from measurement and evaluation unit of science education of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike. Test-retest and Pearson Product Moment Correlation were used for reliability of the instruments. The data was captured and arranged with the used of statistical package for social sciences (SPSS). Mean and standard deviation were used in answering the research questions while Pearson product-moment correlation was used in testing null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The results revealed that male students performed significantly higher in mathematics achievement than the female students. There was a strong positive correlation between students’ study habit and achievement in mathematics which was statistically significant. A moderate positive correlation exists between attitude and achievement in mathematics which was statistically significant. There is no significant relationship between students’ study habit and achievement based on gender. Based on the implications, it was recommended that students should be encouraged to approach mathematics as any other subject, parents are encouraged to provide the right education they can afford for their children irrespective of gender. Group guidance should be organized in schools by professional counselors in order to create awareness on how students can develop effective study habits which could lead to good academic achievement in mathematics, teachers and parents should try and build self-confidence in their student and wards respectively as it could improve their attitude towards mathematics.
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Page
Title page i
Declaration ii
Certification iii
Dedication iv
Acknowledgements v
Table of contents vi
List of figure vii
List of tables viii
Abstract xi
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1
Background to the Study 1
1.2
Statement of problem 6
1.3
Purpose of the study 7
1.4
Research questions 7
1.5
Hypothesis 8
1.6
Significant of the study 8
1.7
The scope of the study 10
CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF THE RELATED
LITERATURE
2.1 Conceptual
framework 11
2.2 Students
achievement 15
2.2.1 Poor
academic achievement among secondary students 16
2.2.2 Gender
and achievement in mathematics 18
2.23 Attitude
of students towards schooling 20
2.2.4 Attitude
and their formation 25
2.2.5 Factors
influencing students’ attitude towards mathematics 26
2.2.6 Prior
performance and ranking in mathematics 27
2.2.7 Students
perceptions and beliefs 28
2.2.8 Learners
ability and competence 30
2.4 Attitude
change towards mathematics 30
2.4.1 Study habit
and achievement in mathematics 31
2.4.2 Study
habits and attitudes in relation to academic achievement 34
2.5 Theoretical
Framework 36
2.7 Empirical
studies 41
2.8 Summary
of literature review 44
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY Page
3.1 Research design 47
3.2 Area of study 47
3.3 Population of the study 48
3.4 Sampling technique 48
3.5 Instrument for data collection 49
3.6 Validation of instrument 49
3.7 Reliability of the instrument 50
3.8 Procedure for data collection 50
3.9 Method of data analysis 50
CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
4.1 Results 52
4.2 Discussion of findings 63
4.2.1 Relationship between Students’ Gender and
Achievement in mathematics 63
4.2.2 Relationship between students’ study habits
and achievement in mathematic 63
4.2.3 Relationship between Students’ Attitudes and
Achievement in mathematic 64
4.3.4 Discussion of findings 65
CHAPTER 5: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Summary 66
5.2 Conclusion
67
5.3 Recommendation 68
5.4 Educational implication of study 68
5.5 Suggestions for further research 69
5.5.1
Limitations
of the study 69
References 70
Appendices 80
LIST
OF FIGURE
Figure 1: Research
paradigm 36
LIST
OF TABLES
Table
4:1:
Mean and standard deviation of gender and achievement in
mathematics 52
4.2: Mean and standard deviation of study
habit on achievement in
mathematics 53
4.3:
Mean and standard deviation of students’ attitude on achievement in Mathematics 54
4.4: Mean and standard deviation of
study habit based on gender on achievement in mathematics 55
4:5:
Mean and standard deviation of students’ attitudes based on gender on Achievement in mathematics 57
4.6 Pearson correlation on relationship
between gender and achievement 58
4.7:
Correlation of students’ study habits and achievement in mathematics. 59
4.8:
Correlation of students’ attitude and achievement in mathematics. 60
4.9 Pearson correlation on relationship
between students’ study habits based on gender 61
4.10:
Pearson correlation on relationship between students’ attitude and
achievement in mathematics based on gender 62
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND
TO THE STUDY
The progress of any nation depends upon her
scientific and technological advancement which can only be built on a sound
mathematical education capable of making the citizens effectively functional in
the natural and applied sciences. Mathematics is a body of knowledge that opens
up the mind of logical reasoning, analytical thinking and the ability for
creative thinking, deep focusing and clarity of thought and precision (Soyemi,
2001).
Mathematics
is the science that deals with the logic of shape, quantity and arrangement.
Mathematics is all around us, in everything we do.
Mathematics is a methodical application of matter. It is
so said because the subject makes a man methodical or systematic. Mathematics
makes our life orderly and prevents chaos. Certain qualities that are nurtured
by mathematics are power of reasoning, critical thinking, problem solving
ability and even effective communication skills (Muraina, 2013).
Mathematics
is the cradle of all creations, without which the world cannot move an inch.
There are countless examples of mathematical patterns in nature’s fabric.
Anyone can be a mathematician if one is given proper guidance and training in
the formative period of one’s life. A good curriculum of mathematics is helpful
in effective teaching and learning of the subject (Abba, 2007). Observed that
mathematics puzzles and riddles encourage and attract an alert and open-minded
attitude among youngsters and help them develop clarity in their thinking.
However,
emphasis should be laid on development of clear concept in mathematics in a
child, right from the primary classes. Another very effective means of
spreading the knowledge of mathematics among children is through peer-teaching
and encouraging a good study habit among students. Once a child has learned a
concept from his teacher, the latter should ask him to explain the same to
fellow students. Study habits are the behaviours used when learning academic
material.
The
problems associated with study habits might have a major effect on a student’s
academic performances. It is believed that everyone has a different study habit
and it is important to find out the best personal way to study. This is why
Aremu (2001) opined that the more mathematical people are in their approach,
the more successful they will be. Abba (2007) posted that students should
realize and appreciate the beauty of the subject and embrace it with all their
hearts to enhance academic achievement.
The report of West African Examination Council (WAEC) on
the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE, 2018) reveals that
Mathematics is among the poorly performed subject which also is the case in
most schools in the country. The low understanding level in Mathematics has
become great concern for our nation, parents, educationalists and government. The
researchers and educationists have made frantic efforts to find out the causes
of low achievement in the subject (Muraina, 2013). In spite of all these
efforts the problems still persist.
According to Hills and Ballow (2000), the study habits of
students play a vital role in reflecting the standard of education and the students’
academic achievement in Mathematics. The students cannot be expected to learn
everything needed about the subject from their teachers in the classroom alone.
It is the combination of both the classroom learning and out of classroom
learning that make up students’ study habits. The need for effective counseling
services among students cannot be overemphasized in order to acquire good
academic achievement.
Academic
achievement has long been recognized as one of the important goals of education
the world over. Academic achievement refers to the average marks obtained by an
individual in the final examination. It has long been recognized as one of the
important goals of education.
Broadly
speaking, the factors which influence academic achievement can be categorized
into three types namely: intellectual, emotional and environmental. Of these
types of factors, it has now been fairly established that the emotional factors
most particularly the anxiety and environmental factors like self-concept and
levels of aspiration largely determines one’s academic achievement. Academic
achievement is an important indicator of immigrant adolescent adjustment for a
number of reasons. First, immigrant students with higher levels of achievement
during adolescent are more likely to complete high school and to attend and
complete college than their peers with lower levels of achievement (Schnepf,
2006).
Secondly,
high school test scores predict later success in the job market in terms of
higher wages (Joppke and Morawska, 2003). Finally, lower levels of education
and skills are associated with lower levels of economic success, including a
greater likelihood of living in poverty and receiving government assistance
(Eurydice, 2004). In short, immigrant adolescents’ academic achievement is
important because it promotes their later success in life. Since students
academic achievement depends on a number of variables, it could be enhanced
through identifying and manipulating these variables such as gender.
Gender
is a cultural construct that distinguishes the roles, behaviour, mental and
emotional characteristics between females and males developed by a society.
Umoh (2003) defined gender as a psychological term used in describing
behaviours and attributes expected of individuals on the basis of being born as
either male or female.
According to Okeke (2003), the study of gender is not
just mere identification of male and female sexes. Scholars have gone further
to identify responsibilities assigned to opposite sexes and to analyze the
conditions under which those responsibilities are assigned. Furthermore, Okeke
(2003) specifically noted that the study of gender means the analysis of the
relationship of men and women including the division of labour, access to
resources and other factors which are determined by society as opposed to being
determined by sex.
Gender further
involves the study of socio-cultural environment under which responsibilities
are assigned and the relationship emanating from it. Thus, gender equally
projects the properties that distinguish and classify organisms on the basis of
their reproductive and cultural expected roles. It relates to the cultural and
psychological attributes of men and women through their social-economic
contributions, expectations and limitations. Gender education according to Kano
(2004) refers to instructional sensitization practices devoid of cultural bias
and prejudice and as a process, it employs equity in the specification of
subject matter, methodology, strategy and evaluation as regards the students
irrespective of their sex. Gender education is free from sex stereotyping, sex
inequalities, sex discrimination and sex-role inequalities. It is a pivot
through which the curriculum planners and implementers revolve for maximum
success in the school since it endorse a more comprehensive and challenging
gender sensitive curriculum. Therefore the nation should also show concern on
attitude of students towards learning.
Attitude
could be defined as a consistent tendency to react in a particular way often
positively or negatively toward a given matter or social object. Everyone has
an attitude towards learning, but not everyone has the same attitude towards
it. Some individuals’ attitude propel them along, helping them to deal with
challenges, overcoming obstacles and accomplishing their learning objectives.
Others have attitude that are anchors, slowing them down or stopping them
altogether from learning (Harrell, 2005).
Some
authors regard attitude towards mathematics as just a like or dislike for
mathematics, while others extend the meaning to embrace beliefs, ability and
usefulness of mathematics. For Zan and Martino (2007), attitudes towards
mathematics is just a positive or negative emotional disposition towards
mathematics. Attitude towards mathematics has cognitive, affective and
behavioural components. A student can develop positive attitude towards
mathematics because he or she learns to associate positive experiences or
events with it. Also, positive reinforcement creates room for the formation of
positive attitude for mathematics. Attitude can also be gender related. There
are many who hold the view that boys do better in Mathematics than girls. This
belief tends to affect the attitude of girls towards mathematics.
The academic
achievement of students may partly depend on the kind of attitude they put up
towards school and the level of success they wish to attain. It is for this
reason that this investigation is necessarily embarked on to critically
investigate the relationship and the extent to which students’ attitude towards
school can predict their academic achievement. Students’ attitude towards
mathematics can also determine their study habits.
Study
habit is the behaviour used by a student when preparing for a test or learning
academic material (Crede and Kuncel, 2008). A habit is an automatic learned
behaviour pattern that enables an individual to handle specific type of
environment situations. The student, who has acquired good study habits, has
developed a behaviour pattern, which enables him or her to sit down and begin
working on his/her assignment with a minimum concentration. Individual study
habit plays a vital role in determining a student’s academic achievement.
Adeyemo
(2005) and Gbore (2006) argued that study habits have strong relationship with
the academic achievement of students. A student who cultivate certain study
habit will perform differently from a student who has another set of study
habit. It is believed that a student who lacks effective and efficient means of
studying would be building on faulty foundation. It has been observed that
studies on the relationship between study habit and students’ academic
achievement in Nigeria cannot be said to be exhaustive (Ugodulunwa, 2007),
hence the need for the study.
1.2 STATEMENT
OF THE PROBLEM
The
level of academic achievement of students is dependent upon or associated with
a number of psychological, sociological and environmental factors. The
psychological factors could include attitude of students towards schooling,
interest in learning, study habit, gender, and self intelligence. In this
investigation traits that serve as predictor variables are gender, attitude and
study habit.
There
is public outcry on the standard of education system, and poor academic
achievement of students in Umuahia Educational Zone, Abia State. This is
manifested in external examination like West African Examination Council (WAEC)
and University Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). This has drawn the
interest of educationists and they tend to shift the blame on the teaching and
lack of fund from the government to provide quality text books. Gender,
attitude and poor study habit among students contribute to the massive failure
recorded in just concluded senior school certificate examination (2017/18).
Thus, there is a need for all hands to be on deck to ensure that mathematics
achievement improves together with maintaining gender equity, good study habit
and attitude at all levels of Nigerian education system. Therefore, this study
tends to examine the relationship among gender, attitude, study habit and
academic achievement of students in mathematics in Umuahia Educational Zone,
Abia State.
1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The study investigate the relationship between
gender, attitude and study habits on mathematics achievement of senior
secondary school students in Umuahia Educational Zone, Abia State.
Specifically, the study was designed to:
1.
examine the extent to which gender is a correlate of mathematics achievement
on secondary school students.
2.
determine the extent to which study
habit is a correlate of mathematics achievements
3.
find out the extent attitude is a correlate of mathematics achievement
of senior secondary school students.
4.
examine the extent to which gender based on study habits is a correlate
of mathematics achievement on secondary school students.
5.
Examine the extent to which attitude based on gender is a correlate of
mathematics achievement on secondary school students.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The
following research questions guided the study;
1.
To what extent does gender correlate with students achievement in
mathematics?
2.
To what extent does study habits correlate with students achievement in
mathematics?
3.
To what extent do students’ attitudes correlate with students
achievement in mathematics?
4.
To what extent do study habits correlate with students’ achievement
based on gender?
5.
To what extent do students’ attitudes correlate with students
achievement based on gender?
1.5 HYPOTHESES
The
following hypotheses were formulated to guide the study at 0.5 level of
significance.
1.
There is no significant relationship between students’ gender and
achievement in mathematics as measured by mathematics achievement test.
2.
There is no significant relationship between students’ study habits and
achievement in mathematics as measured by study habit inventory and mathematics
achievement test.
3.
There is no significant relationship between students’ attitude and
achievement in mathematics as measured by attitude scale and mathematics
achievement test.
4.
There is no significant relationship between students’ study habits and
achievement in mathematics based on gender as measured by study habit inventory
and mathematics achievement test.
5.
There is no significant relationship between students’ attitudes and
achievement in mathematics based on gender as measured by attitude scale and
mathematics achievement test.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The
study when completed the findings would benefit the following; students,
teachers, government, parents, ministry of education and the general public.
The result or the finding would enable students to develop good study habits
which could lead to good academic achievement in mathematics. The study might
expose students to rightful attitudes towards learning and this would enable
them to develop good strategies which could lead to improve academic
achievement in mathematics. It would enable the students to realize the
importance of guidance and counseling in our Secondary Schools so as to
encourage boys and girls to choose Mathematics related subjects on the basis of
their ability and with the sole aim of contributing towards the development of
the nations.
The
findings might also encourage competition among students and arouse the
interest of boys and girls in the study and appreciation of Mathematics and
other related subjects. The result of the study might enable the students to
work as a group, not minding their gender differences. This group or team work
may go a long way in reducing the frustration in the students. Furthermore, the
students should be made to adjust and help themselves by studying hard in other
to improve in their study habits.
The result or the findings might help sensitize parents on
how to encourage their children to develop effective study habit and attitudes
through the information that would be provided in the study. Parents would
realize the importance to inculcate good study habits to their wards at early
stage so as to influence their academic achievement. They should equally
acknowledge the importance of positive motivation, encourage and provide some
by making the family environment more conducive for their children.
The findings of this study would help remind the teacher
the need to developed proper attitude towards effective teaching so as to build
the confidence of students in the subject for greater achievement not only in
the examination also in their chosen professional careers. The teacher to study
the learners better so as to capture their attention and change their
perceptions and attitude towards the subject.
The finding of the study would enable the ministry of
education to initiate programmes that would facilitate effective study
attitudes and habits among students in the school. The study would enable
educational administrators to formulate policy that would regulate equal
educational opportunities for all students irrespective of their family
background.
Theoretically, the findings of this study are considered
significant because it can help in providing empirical information to other
research work.
Finally, the result of this study would encourage members
of the public to motivate their wards to see their education as very serious
and discourage laziness, examination malpractice and other anti-social vices
among students in their communities.
1.7 THE SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The
study was limited to twenty secondary schools in Umuahia Education Zone, Abia
State. Umuahia Education zone is made up of four (4) Local Government Areas
(LGA). These are Ikwuano, Umuahia North, Umuahia South and Umunneochi LGA. The
study was restricted to SSII students.
The content scope is to investigate the relationship
among of gender, attitude, study habits and academic achievement of students in
mathematics in Umuahia education zone, Abia State.
Geographically,
the study was carried out in some selected secondary schools in Umuahia Education
Zone, Abia State.
Click “DOWNLOAD NOW” below to get the complete Projects
FOR QUICK HELP CHAT WITH US NOW!
+(234) 0814 780 1594
Login To Comment