ABSTRACT
This research work centered on the influence of
learning environment on the academic performance of students in public junior
secondary school in Ojo local government area. This study was aimed at finding
how learning environment has an impact on academic performance on students. The
researcher made effort to review books, journals and other materials relating
to the different headings incorporated in the literature review. The study
population for this study composed of 80 students in four public secondary
schools in ojo local government area, Lagos state. The instrument used to
collect data for this study was questionnaire. Te data was analyzed through
SPSS computer package. The result obtained indicate that a significant
relationship exist between learning environment and academic performance.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CONTENTS PAGES
Title page i
Certification ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgement iv
Abstract v
Table of Content vi
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem 4
1.3 Purpose of the Study 5
1.4 Research Questions 5
1.5 Research Hypotheses 6
1.6 Significance of the Study 6
1.7 Scope of the Study 7
1.8 Limitation of the Study 7
1.9 Definition of Term 8
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Introduction 10
2.1.1 Learning 10
2.1.2 The Learning Environment, Learning Processes 13
and
Learning Outcomes (LEPO) 18
2.2 Learning Environment And Students Academic
Performance 24
2.3 Learning
Environment And Gender 36
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH
METHODOLOGY
3.0 Introduction 37
3.1 The Research Design 37
3.2 Population of the Study 38
3.3 Sample and Sampling Technique 39
3.4 Research Instrument 39
3.5 Validity of the Instrument 40
3.6 Reliability of the Instrument 40
3.7 Method of Data Collection 40
3.8 Method of Data Analysis 41
CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION,
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
4.1 Introduction 42
4.2 Analysis of Respondents’ Bio data 42
4.3 Analysis of the Questionnaire 43
4.4 Hypotheses Testing 51
4.5 Findings 54
4.6 Discussion of Findings 54
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION
AND RECOMMENDATION
5.1 Summary 56
5.2 Conclusion 57
5.3 Recommendation 57
References
Questionnaires
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
The learning
environment, which include the classrooms, libraries, technical workshops,
laboratories, teachers’ quality, school management, teaching methods, peers,
etc are variables that affect students’ academic achievement (Ajayi, 2001 and
Oluchukwu, 2000). Hence, the learning environment remains an important area
that should be studied and well managed to enhance students’ academic
performance.
The issue of poor academic performance of students in Nigeria
has been of much concern to the government, parents, teachers and even student
themselves. The quality of education not only depends on the teachers as
reflected in the performance of their duties, but also in the effective
coordination of the learning environment (Ajao 2001) learning environment which
include instructional spaces planning, administrative places planning,
circulation spaces planning, spaces for conveniences planning, accessories
planning, the teachers as well as the students themselves are essential in
teaching-learning process. The extent to which student learning could be
enhanced depends on their location within the school compound, the structure of
their classroom, availability of instructional facilities and accessories. It
is believed that a well planned school will gear up expected outcomes of
education that will facilitate good social, political and economic
emancipation, effective teaching and learning process and academic performance
of the students.
Relating this study to international occurrences are the
assertions of Williams, Persaud, and Turner (2008), quoting Marsden (2005),
which reported that safe and orderly classroom environment (aspect of
instructional space), School facilities (accessories) were significantly
related to students’ academic performance in schools. The three researchers,
also quoted Glassman (1994), asserting that a comfortable and caring
environment among other treatments helped to contribute to students` academic
performance.
The physical characteristics of the school have a variety of
effects on teachers, students, and the learning process. Poor lighting, noise,
high levels of carbon dioxide in classrooms, and inconsistent temperatures make
teaching and learning difficult. Poor maintenance and ineffective ventilation
systems lead to poor health among students as well as teachers, which leads to
poor performance and higher absentee rates (Frazier, 2002)
Lyons, 2001; and Ostendorf, 2001). These factors can adversely
affect student behavior and lead to higher levels of frustration among
teachers, and poor learning attitude among student. Beyond the direct effects
that poor facilities have on students’ ability to learn, the combination of
poor facilities, which create an uncomfortable and uninviting workplace for
teachers, combined with frustrating behavior by students including poor
concentration and hyperactivity, lethargy, or apathy, creates a stressful set
of working conditions for teachers. Because stress and job dissatisfaction are
common pre-cursors to lowered teacher enthusiasm, it is possible that the
aforementioned characteristics of school facilities have an effect upon the
academic performance of students.
Previous studies have investigated the relationship of poor learning
environment including problems with student-teacher ratio, school location,
school population, classroom ventilation, poor lighting in classrooms, and
inconsistent temperatures in the classroom with student health problems,
student behavior, and student achievement (Crandell & Smaldino, 2000;
Davis, 2001; Johnson, 2001; Lyons, 2001;Moore, 2002;
Stricherz, 2000; Tanner, 2000). To complement these studies,
the present research is to examine the aforementioned areas of learning environment
as it affects student’s performance in Nigerian schools.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
A
student faces a lot of problem in the course of his educational pursuit. These
problems are multifaceted. The research is concerned with the influence of the
learning environment with special reference to student’s academic attainment
and possible solution to the problem. The alarming poor performance in
examination is definitely of great concern to the researcher who sees the study
as inevitable.
It
is noted that students’ performance at junior secondary school level at private
and public schools differs due to environmental constraints.
The
high levels of students’ academic performance may not be guaranteed where
instructional space such as classrooms, libraries, technical workshops and
laboratories are structurally defective. However, little is known on the impact
of learning environment on students’ academic performance in junior secondary
school in Ojo Local government area of Lagos State.
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The
purpose of this study is to:
1. Find out
the effect of the learning environment on the students’ academic performance
2. Examine the reasons for students’ poor
performance.
3. Find out
the effect of the learning environment of student on the academic performance
of junior secondary school students.
1.4 Research Questions
This
research work would also investigate to know the possible solution to the
problem. The research would equally pay attention to the family’s financial
status. Consequently, the following questions is asked.
1. Is there any relationship between school environment and the
student
academic performance?
2. To what extent do
school facilities affect students’ academic performance in secondary school?
3. What effect does
class size has on the academic performance of students in secondary school?
4. To what extent does school location has on
the achievement of
secondary school students?
1.5 Research Hypotheses
The
following hypothesis is stated for work.
H1:
There is no significant difference between school environment and the students’
academic performance
H2: There is no significant difference between
school facilities and academic performance of students
H3:
There is no significant difference between class size and academic performance
of students
H4:
There is no significant difference between school location and academic
performance of students
1.6 Significance of the Study
It is
hoped that this study would provide information for parents, educators and
school administrators to reflect upon various factors that help students in
achieving their academic goals. In so doing, they can investigate the
possibility of introducing those factors to their school, which may
consequently lead to enhancing students’ educational outcomes in school. In
addition, the fact that this study is conducted in public schools, it shares quite
a lot of similarities with many other counterparts.
In
this connection, this study provides a valuable reference for other schools to
reflect upon the school environment as it affect the academic performance of
student in secondary school.
Also,
this work would serve as a stepping stone to other researchers, who are looking
for better ways to solve the problem of learning environment and students’
academic performance in junior secondary school in business study, a case study
of selected Junior Secondary schools in Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos
State.
1.7 Scope of the Study
The
scope of this work is to cover four selected schools under Ojo Local Government
Area.
They
are:
1.
Awori College, Ojo
2.
Ajangbadi High School, Ajangbadi
3.
Lagos model college, Ojo.
4.
Ojo Community High School, ojo
The
subjects of this study are junior school.
It
is hoped that the findings made in these areas would serve as a useful pointer
to what occurs in other areas of the state and in other part of the federation
knowing fully well that students encounter different environmental constraint.
1.8 Limitation of the Study
This
study is limited to four junior secondary schools within Ojo Local Government
due to the following factors:
i.
Inadequate finance.
ii.
Time constraint.
iii.
Administrative convenience of the
schools.
iv.
The risk of transportation.
1.9 Definition of Term
ACADEMY:
A school or college for
special training.
STUDENT: The
word “Student” means any person who is ready to learn and engage in learning
activities.
ENVIRONMENT: Environment can be seen as the totality of the natural and
artificial (man made) phenomenon having direct and
LEARNING: Learning is basically a process of adapting to and
improving the environment. What is learned can be measured either by those
things that we observe in the behaviour of the individual.
PERFORMANCE: Is the act of performing a play, concert or some other form of
entertainment.
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