ABSTRACT
Teaching is made up of several
components of different dimensions such as the teachers, the students, the
curriculum, the teaching method and instructional materials. Therefore, teacher
qualities are the different components involved in the teaching and learning
schools and other institutes of learning. This study focused on the impact of
teacher quality on the academic performance of Secondary schools Student in
Ilogbo Asowo Community High School in Ifo Local Government area of Ogun State.
Teacher quality here implies teacher qualification, teacher experience and
workshop, seminar and conferences attendance. Research questions and hypotheses
each was, raised and formulated. The study adopted qualitative research
approach. Two instruments were structural questionnaire and achievement test
administered for the teacher and students respectively. The finding of the
study revealed that, teacher experience, qualification, workshop, seminar and
conference attendance significantly affected students‟ performance in social
studies leading to the rejection of all the three null hypotheses. Based on the
finding, the study revealed that teacher‟s qualification significantly affected
students‟ academic performance. It is recommended that experience teacher with
requisite qualification and regular attendance of workshops, seminars and
conferences be given priority. The study recommended that workshops, seminars
be organized on regular basis to enable social studies teachers keep abreast
with contemporary happening in their areas of specialization. In addition,
in-service training should be provided for social studies teachers.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER
ONE
Introduction
Background to the Study
Statement of the
Problem
Objectives of the Study
Research Questions
Research Hypotheses
Significance of the Study
Limitation of the Study
Scope of the Study
Definitions of Terms
CHAPTER
TWO
Review of Related Literature
Introduction
Teachers’ Competencies
Mastery of Subject Matter
Teaching Skills
Classroom Management
Evaluation Skills
Learning Resources
Academic Performance
Teacher Experience and Students
Performance
Teacher Qualification and Students
Performance
Teacher Preparedness and Student
Performance
Teacher Communication Skills and Students
Performance
Summary
CHAPTER
THREE
Research Method
Research Design
Population
Sample and Sampling Techniques
Data Collection
Research Instrument
Data Collection Procedure
Data Analysis Procedure
CHAPTER FOUR
Data
Analysis and Interpretation
Students
Data
Hypotheses Test
CHAPTER
FIVE
Summary, Conclusion and Recommendation
Summary
Conclusion
Recommendations
Areas for Further Research
References
Appendix: Questionnaire
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Education
is a process through which knowledge, skills and experiences of individuals are
transferred from one
generation to the
next. It helps
in changing behavior of
individuals of the
society committed working
for uplifting economic development of the country. It is a
key for opening new venues for the economic development of the country
to face challenges of
modern era. Only educated and highly skilled teaching
force equipped with modern skills can benefit from exploiting the opportunities
created by globalization (GoP. 2013).
Sajjad (2007)
stated that teachers
play vital role
in uplifting of
education standard of the country. They hold central place to transfer
knowledge, skills, attitudes, behavior, cultures and traditions of one
generation to the next. It helps to achieve national objectives through the
process of education and no system of education can rise above the level of
teachers. Well-educated and highly
professionally qualified teachers can bring revolutionary changes in the
society. But this requires a systematic struggle to produce perspective
teachers, having fully command over their subject knowledge. This challenge can be met through a
disciplined systematic training of teachers.
Many
factors contribute to a student’s academic performance, including individual
characteristics, family and Neighbourhood experiences. But research has
suggests that among school related factors, teachers matter most. When it comes
to student performance on reading and general academic performance, a teacher
is estimated to have two or three times the impact of any other school factor,
including services, facilities and even leadership (Mohammed and Yusuf, 2015).
Effective
teachers are best identified by their performance not by their background or
experiences. Despite common perceptions, effective teacher cannot reliably be
identified based on where they went to school, whether they are registered or
how long they are taught. The best way to asses teachers’ effectiveness is to
look at their on the – job performance including what they do in the classroom and
how much progress their students make on achievement tests. Quality teachers
are considered to be those who bring about student learning. (Harris and Sass,
2006) Non school factors do influence student achievement but effective
teaching has the potential to help level the playing of such factors.
The
importance of good or quality teachers is no secret or it cannot be
overemphasized. Schools have always sought out the best teachers they could get
in the belief that their students’ success depends on it. If teachers are so
important to student learning, how can schools make sure all students receive
the benefit of good/quality teachers?
More
than two decades of research findings are unequivocal about the connection
between teacher quality and student learning. The report of the National
Commission on teaching and America’s future (1996) made teaching the core of
its three simple promises in its blueprint for reforming the nation’s schools.
They are: what teachers know and can do is the most important influence on what
students learn. Recruiting, preparing and retaining good teachers is the
central strategy for improving schools. School reform cannot succeed unless it
focuses on creating the conditions under which teachers can teach well.
A
highly effective teacher, therefore, is one whose students show the most gains
from one year to the next. By using this approach, researchers are able to
isolate the effect of the teacher from other factors related to student
performance such as students’ prior academic record or school they attended.
“The effect of teaching on student learning is greater than student ethnicity
or family income, school attended by student or class size. The effect is
stronger for poor and or minority students than for their more affluent peers,
although all groups benefit from effective teachers.
“Teacher
quality is widely recognised by policymakers, practitioners, and researchers
alike to be the most powerful school-related influence on a
child’s academic performance.”
(Motoko, Gerald, LeTendre & Scribner, 2007). In addition
Fenster (2014) maintains that a teacher who is highly effective
improves both students’
academic learning in
the short-term and
their long-term quality of life.
School is where people go to acquire knowledge, learn skills, and develop
values that will make them productive citizens and help them grow to their fullest potential as human
beings (Wong &Wong, 2009).
The quality of the teacher in any school setting, is claimed to be the most critical component
for improving student
achievement and closing
achievement gaps. Leigh
and Mead (2005), argue
that the knowledge
and skills of
teachers are the
most important factors influencing childrens’
learning. Therefore teacher‘
quality is considered
a means towards this
end.
Omo
(2011), notes that the dramatic effects
that teachers have on students’ achievement are largely undisputed. Goe
(2007), maintains that
teacher quality influences
student performance and highlights academic
qualification and experience
as some of
the qualities of
a teacher. A
highly effective teacher improves
both students’ academic
learning in the
short-term and their
long-term quality of life
(Goe & Stickler,
2008). The veracity
of this statement
has been supported by empirical information
but what has
not been clear
from these empirical
findings is the
exact characters or qualities that impact student performance. Several
studies that have been carried out on various factors affecting student
performance, offer deeper and insightul reflection on the topic. Irfan
& Shabana (2012)
have identified several
factors that impact
on student performance.
They include: communication, proper guidance, and learning facilities. Teachers are
the most important
resource that a school
should have to
achieve greater and
better Results.
The primary focus of this study is to
examine the impacts of teacher quality on academic performance of secondary school students
using a community school as a case study i.e. Ilogbo Asowo Community High
School.
The
issue of declining academic performance of students has generated much interest
among stakeholders in the educational sector in Nigeria. The quality of
education and performance of students depends on the teachers as reflected in
the discharge of their duties. Overtime, students’ academic performance in both
internal and external exams had been used to determine the effectiveness of
teachers and teaching. Poor academic performance of students in Nigeria has
been linked to poor teachers’ performance in terms of accomplishing the
teaching task, negative attitude to work and poor teaching habits which have
been attributed to poor motivation (Ofoegbu, 2004). It has also been observed
that conditions that would make for effective teaching such as resources
available to teachers, general conditions of infrastructure as well as instructional
materials in public secondary schools in Nigeria are poor (Oredein, 2000). This
has led to a high degree of failure to breed students that are worth their
certificates and is giving the country a serious cause for concern. Therefore the research
problem is an
analysis of the
effect of teacher
quality on academic
performance of secondary school students.
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The primary
aim of this
study was to
examine the effects
of teacher’s quality on
students’ academic performance.
This general aim is
expressed in the following specific objectives which are to:
1.
Assess teacher’s quality and competence in secondary school;
2.
Examine factors influencing teacher’s quality
3.
Investigate the student perceptions of teacher leadership style and how these
perceptions affect students’ academic performance
4. Examine the
impact of teaching
styles on students’
academic performance
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The
following research questions will be addressed by this study:
i.
To what
degree does teacher’s
competence / qualification affect students’ academic performance?
ii.
Is there any
significant relationship between
teacher’s experience and students’ academic
performance?
iii.
Is there
any significant relationship
between teaching style
and students’ academic performance?
RESEARCH HYPOTHESES
Based
on the above research questions, the researcher stated the following as the
research hypotheses:
Ho1:
There is no significant relationship between the teachers‟ academic
qualification and student’s academic performance.
Ho2:
There is no significance relationship between the teachers‟ teaching experience
and their students‟ academic performance.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
A
major concern in schools is to increase student achievement. One way to do this
is to focus on classroom environment with the teacher at the centre which will
influence student achievement and create the best environment in which to
facilitate learning and engage students. The study is therefore significant for
the following reasons:
• This
study will be
useful to both
teachers and students
who may want to know the factors
that could make or mar student’s academic performance.
• understanding the importance of teachers and
their impact on student performance will
help school administrators at secondary schools retrain teachers to make
their teachings student-centered.
LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The
following were the various limitation that hinders the flow of the research
work;
1. Time
Constraints: The time frame for the completion of the project was short because
academic lectures was on going and research work was also in motion, its was a
bit tasking managing the time of academic lectures with the research work
2. Financial
Constraints: Another major factors encounter in the cause if the study was also
financial constraints. Lots of money was spent in the cause of the research
work and this make it very tasking.
3. Unavailability
of materials: another major setback of the project is there was no enough
materials on the research topic.
SCOPE OF THE STUDY
This study
centers on the
impacts of teacher’s
quality on academic performance of
students in Ilogbo Asowo Community High School.
DEFINITIONS OF TERMS
Relative to
this study, definitions
to the following
terms are provided
in order to clarify each in the context of the topic:
1. Academic Achievement-:
Student performance on
state assessments (Cunnigham,
2003). However, for the purpose of the proposed study, overall class average
will be the measure
of academic achievement
used. This term
is used interchangeably with
student achievement.
2. Class
Size-: The
number of students in a
class, which varies considerably from day
to day; and
at different times
throughout the day
because of student mobility,
truancy, and absences.
3. Classroom Climate-: The classroom
environment involving the shared perceptions of the students and the
teachers.
4. School Climate-: The shared
beliefs, values, and
attitudes that shape interactions between
students, teachers, principals,
and set the
tone of acceptable behavior for
the school.
5. Student Achievement-: Student
performance on state
assessments. However, for the purpose of the proposed study, overall
class average will be the measure
of academic achievement
used. This term
is used interchangeably with
academic achievement.
6. Teacher’s Competence-:
For the purpose of the proposed study an effective teacher will be
defined as a
teacher who has a high
overall class average and a high number
of posted homework assignments.
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