ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to determine the extent social capital and self-control serve as predictors of academic achievement in Christian Religious Studies among secondary school students in Abia State. Eight research questions and eight null hypotheses guided the study. The study adopted a correlational research design. The sample for the study consisted of a total of 439 SS II students drawn through multistage sampling techniques from the entire population of 4392 senior secondary school class II students offering Christian Religious Studies in Abia State in 2022/2023 academic session. Three instruments titled “Social Capital Questionnaire (SCQ), Self-control questionnaire (SCQ) and Christian Religious Studies Achievement Test (CRSAT)” were developed by the researcher and were used for data collection. These instruments were subjected to face validation by three experts. The CRSAT was validated using the Content Validity which was derived using the Table of Specification. Cronbach Alpha was adopted to determine the internal consistency reliability of the instruments and reliability indices of 0.76 and 0.84 were obtained for the SCQ and SCQ respectively. The reliability of the Christian Religious Studies Achievement Test was determined using Kuder-Richardson (KR-21) which gave reliability coefficient of 0.89. The data generated for this study were analyzed using Pearson’s r, R2 (coefficient of determination) to answer the research questions while linear regressions and multiple regression analysis were used to test the null hypotheses at 0.05 levels of significance. Results revealed as follows: Joint components of social capital (networks, norms and sanctions) predicted the academic achievement in Christian Religious Studies among secondary school students to a very highly positive and significant extent. However, networks in social capital had the highest percentage contribution of 76.4%; followed by sanctions in social capital with 63%, and lastly norms in social capital which predicted 61.2% of academic achievement in Christian Religious Studies among secondary school students; joint components of self-control (self-awareness, self-monitoring and self-management) predicted the academic achievement in Christian Religious Studies among secondary school students to a very highly positive and significant extent. However, self-monitoring in self-control had the highest percentage contribution of 77.6%; followed by self-awareness in self-control with 71.2%, and lastly self-management in self-control which predicted 52.7% of academic achievement in Christian Religious Studies among secondary school students. It was thus recommended that parents or guardians, teachers, psychologists/counsellors should educate students on the importance of social capital and self-control in academic achievement.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page i
Declaration ii
Dedication iii
Certification iv
Acknowledgements v
Table of Contents vi
List of Tables xi
Abstract xii
CHAPTER 1:
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
to the Study 1
1.2 Statement
of the Problem 12
1.3 Purpose
of the Study 13
1.4 Significance
of the Study 14
1.5 Research
Questions 16
1.6 Hypotheses 17
1.7 Scope
of the Study 18
CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF
RELATED LITERATURE 19
2.1 Conceptual
Framework 19
2.1.1 Concept
of christian religious studies 19
2.1.2 Students’ academic achievement in christian
religious studies 22
2.1.3 Concept
of social capital 24
2.1.4 Social
capital and academic achievement 30
2.1.5 Concept
of networks 32
2.1.6 Networks
in social capital and academic achievement 34
2.1.7 Concept
of norms in social capital 36
2.1.8 Norms
in social capital and academic achievement 38
2.1.9 Concept
of sanctions in social capital 39
2.1.10 Sanctions in social capital and academic achievement 42
2.1.11 Concept of self-control 43
2.1.12 Self-Control
and academic achievement 47
2.1.13 Concept of self -awareness in self-control 49
2.1.14 Self-awareness in self-control and academic achievement 51
2.1.15 Concept of self-monitoring in
self-control 52
2.1.16 Self-monitoring in self-control and academic achievement 54
2.1.17 Concept of self-management in self-control 56
2.1.18 Self-management in self-control and academic achievement 58
2.2 Theoretical
Framework 59
2.2.1 Social
capital theory by pierre bourdieu (1986) 59
2.2.2 Self-control theory by T.
Hirschi (1969) and M. Gottfredson (1990) 61
2.3 Empirical
Studies 62
2.4 Summary
of Literature Reviewed 107
CHAPTER
3: METHODOLOGY
3.1 Design
of the Study 110
3.2 Area
of the Study 110
3.3 Population
of the Study 112
3.4 Sample
and Sampling techniques 112
3.5 Instruments
for Data Collection 113
3.6 Validation
of the Instrument 115
3.7 Reliability
of the Instruments 116
3.8 Method
of Data Collection 116
3.9 Method
of Data Analysis 117
CHAPTER
4: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
4.1 Results 119
4.2 Major
Findings of the Study 139
4.3 Discussion
of Findings of the Study 141
CHAPTER 5: SUMMARY,
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Summary 157
5.2 Conclusion 160
5.3 Educational
Implications of the Study 160
5.4 Recommendations 162
5.5 Limitations
of the Study 163
5.6 Suggestions
for Further Studies 164
REFERENCES 165
APPENDICES 175
LIST OF
TABLES
4.1: Correlation
Matrix of Networks in Social Capital and Academic
Achievement
of Secondary School Students in Christian
Religious
Studies 119
4.2: Simple
Linear Regression Analysis of Networks in Social Capital and
Academic
Achievement of Secondary School Students
in CRS 120
4.3: Correlation Matrix of Norms in Social Capital and
Academic
Achievement
of Secondary School Students in CRS 121
4.4: Linear Regression on Norms in Social Capital and Academic
Achievement
of Secondary School Students in CRS 122
4.5: Correlation Matrix of Sanctions in Social Capital and
Academic
Achievement
of Secondary School Students in CRS 123
4.6: Linear Regression on Sanctions in Social Capital and Academic
Achievement
of Secondary School Students in CRS 124
4.7: Correlation
Matrix of Joint Social Capital (Networks, Norms and Sanctions) and Academic
Achievement of Students
in CRS 125
4.8: Multiple Regression Analysis of Joint
Social Capital (Networks, Norms
and Sanctions) and Academic Achievement of Students in
CRS 127
4.9: Schaffer Test on
Relative Contribution of Joint Social Capital (Networks,
Norms and Sanctions) in Academic Achievement
of Students in CRS 128
4.10: Correlation
Matrix of Self-Awareness in Self-Control and
Academic Achievement
of Secondary School Students in CRS 129
4.11: Simple
Linear Regression Analysis of Self-awareness in Self-Control
and
Academic Achievement of
Secondary School Students in CRS 130
4.12: Correlation
Matrix of Self-Monitoring in Self-Control and Academic
Achievement
of Secondary School Students in CRS 131
4.13: Linear Regression on Self-monitoring in Self-Control and Academic
Achievement
of Secondary School Students in CRS 132
4.14: Correlation
Matrix of Self-Management in Self-Control and Academic
Achievement
of Secondary School Students in CRS 133
4.15: Linear Regression on Self-management in Self-Control and Academic
Achievement
of Secondary School Students in CRS
134
4.16: Correlation Matrix
of Joint Self-Control (Self-Awareness, Self-Monitoring
And Self-Management)
and Academic Achievement of Students in CRS 135
4.17: Multiple Regression Analysis of Joint
Self-control (Self-Awareness,
Self-Monitoring and
Self-management) and Academic Achievement
of Students in CRS 137
4.18: Schaffer Test on
Relative Contribution of Joint Self-Control
(Self-Awareness,
Self-Monitoring and Self-Management) in Academic Achievement of Students in CRS 138
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Christian Religious Education
restores human beings to the image of God in which they were created. This can
be achieved by inculcating moral values into students and using education to
build their character that might reflect the character of God (Abolarinl &
Toyin, 2020). Oluwakemi (2022) defined Christian Religious Studies (CRS) as an
inter-disciplinary academic discipline devoted to research into Christian
beliefs, behaviour and institutions. It describes, compares, interprets and
explains Christian Religion, emphasizing systematic, historical and
cross-cultural perspectives. Christian Religious Studies was based on a
thorough study of the Bible and reflects on the history of Christianity from
its origin to its present state by analyzing the literature of the earliest
Christian movements. Christian Religious Studies was defined by Obanya in Njoku
(2015) as a social science subject that teaches students good moral behaviour,
fear of God, knowledge and skills that will make them to contribute their quota
in socio-economic and moral development. In the context of this study,
Christian Religious Studies is the study of Christian values aimed at promoting
and sustaining our relationship with God and for peaceful co-existence with
fellow human beings. CRS as one of the religious subjects taught in secondary
schools in Nigeria is concerned with ensuring moral and spiritual wellbeing of
individuals in the society. This can be achieved by inculcating moral values
into students and using education to build their character that might reflect
the character of God.
Christian Religious
Studies is important in the moral, economic and technological development of
the nation; hence it plays crucial roles in equipping the individuals and
ensuring high level of morality. The objectives of CRS were clearly stated by
Universal Basic Education (UBE, 2013:34) to include;
providing
more opportunities for Nigerian youths to learn more about God and thereby
developing their faith in God and accept Christ as their Saviour, to help them
develop Christian attitude and moral values such as humility, respect, love and
justice among others; to instill in the youth the spirit of tolerance,
reconciliation, peaceful co-existence and non-violence as well as to develop
and foster in the youth the spirit of respect for all people and human life.
The
inclusion of CRS in secondary school education is of great importance because
it helps to raise a generation of people who can think for themselves; respect
the views, feelings and integrity of others, acknowledge and appreciate that
there is dignity in labour and develop those moral values aimed at making them
good citizens. According to Eluu (2017), Christian Religious Studies train the
students morally and instill in them the desire to be good and virtuous. Thus,
the aims and objectives of CRS in Nigeria are to educate the Nigerian child
both morally and intellectually, and instill in children the desire to be good
citizens. Akubue (2015) posited that CRS
as a subject is meant to prepare learners for useful living through the
inculcation of Christian attitudes and values. It offers students the
opportunity to reflect, think, evaluate, understand and appraise on issues of
reality, belief, devotion and moral values and to communicate their response.
This means that CRS affects every aspect of a nation including politics,
education, economy, morality and relationship. It is a system of education in
which religious tenets are incorporated into curriculum and ethos of an
educational institution.
Despite the relevance of
Christian Religious Studies in training the students morally and instilling in
them the desire to be good and virtuous, there has been increase in the cases
of armed robbery, kidnapping and banditry in the country which are evidences of
decline in religious principle of honesty, prudence, humility, integrity,
industry, frugality, punctuality, justice in business, which could create
freedom from fear of cheats and dupes and offers a peaceful state for
commercial progress. There have also been
persistent poor exhibition of interests and achievements in Christian
Religious Studies in the Senior Secondary
Certificate Examinations (SSCE) in Abia State. Okoye (2018) explained
interest as a kind of feeling which one has for something which is valuable and
beneficial. Interest is therefore a necessary ingredient before learning can
take place; for a child is bound to pay attention as a lesson goes on if such a
child is interested in the particular subject. However, studies carried out in
Nigeria have revealed high failure rate and relatively small proportion of
students’ interest in Christian Religious Studies (Altieri, 2020). It is
believed that the achievement of students in Christian Religious Studies could
improve if students develop interest in the subject (Uyehara, 2022).
However,
Nigeria as a nation is struggling to restore her past glory and virtues of
which integrity is prominent (Adelakun, 2018). In order to achieve this,
different efforts have been made such as establishing regulatory bodies and
government agents. Different organizations (religious and non-governmental)
have been used to educate young Nigerians like secondary school students in
understanding and imbibing integrity which could easily be imbibed through the
study of CRS. Despite all the efforts everything is still a mirage in the
country (Jeremiah, 2020). Okebukola (2015) revealed the level of dishonesty in
terms of examination malpractices among secondary school students in Nigeria to
be on the increase. He added that, the extent of dishonesty is intolerably high
and many students no longer engage in original thinking. Lack of moral observed
in many atrocities includes sales of examination questions, gratification and inducement
to manipulate award of marks/grades, writing examination by proxy, direct
cheating in examination and many more acts of dishonesty (Agbaje, 2019;
Omojuwa, 2019; Dada, 2017; Francis, 2015; Okebukola, 2015). This has led to
uncultured, unskilled and uneducated graduates - and this is a serious
paradoxical reality in the Nigeria school system (Omojuwa, 2019; Olatunji,
2018; Olukoju, 2014). These ills seem to stem from the fact that most of our
young ones especially secondary school students are no longer eager to study
CRS in schools where good virtues are inculcated in them and which is likely to
improve their academic achievement.
Achievement is a success in a task or undertaking
while academic achievement is a learning outcome of a child. Academic achievement was defined by Scott (2012) as how
well a student has accomplished his or her task or studies. Academic
achievement is a level of performance that is exhibited by an individual in a
learning task. This includes knowledge, skills and ideas acquired and trained
through the course of the study within and outside classroom situation. This
could be quantified by measurement of the child’s academic standing in relation
to those of other children of the child’s age. In the context of this study,
academic achievement in CRS refers to students’ performance and success in
studying the subject within an academic context. Thus, it could also be seen as
the level of performance that is exhibited by an individual in a Christian
Religious Studies learning task. In this study, low achieving students in
Christian Religious Studies may be taken as those students who consistently
perform below criterion referenced average. By this one means those who
consistently achieve below 50 percent. Their low performance may not be due to
any neuro-pathological cause but may be attributed to some environmental
factors such as school, family, social factors and the learners’ behaviour such
as passivity, withdrawal, limited initiative, low attention span and school
maladjustment (Adelakun, 2018). The low achievements in CRS have been confirmed
by the recent West African Examinations Councils’ (WAEC) Chief Examiners’
Reports for the years 2018 to 2022. These reports indicated that only 49.98%,
44.18%, 45.24%, 51.7% and 46.36% of the candidates who sat for the examinations
obtained credits in Christian Religious Studies (WAEC, 2018-2022). These
uninspiring interest and achievements in Christian Religious Studies in the
SSCE examinations are causes for concern. All these go to a large extent to
reveal that poor achievement in CRS is a major problem that should be addressed
through the study of CRS by young Nigerians such as secondary school students.
Literature reports tend to suggest that social capital
and self-control have the potentials for predicting the academic achievement of
students (Plagens in Mutawally, 2018; Drew, 2022). Social capital refers to the
network of relationships among people who live and work in a particular society
enabling that society to function effectively. It stems from social relations
and social norms that are as a result of relationships among individuals within
a network (Plagens in Mutawally, 2018).
Social networks and norms they produced are capable of facilitating
actions in people. It consists of connections which through accumulation of
exchanges along with obligations and shared identities provide actual or
possible support as well as access to valued resources (Yan & Lin in
Mutawally, 2022). Broadly speaking, Bhandai (2017) posited that social capital
has to do with a collective shared norm, values, beliefs, trust, networks,
social relations and institutions that facilitate cooperation and collective
action for mutual benefits. Kenton and James (2022) defined social capital as a
set of shared values or resources that allow individuals to work together in a
group to effectively achieve a common purpose. It allows a society or
organization, such as a corporation or a nonprofit organization to function
together as a whole through trust and shared identity, norms, values and mutual
relationships. In the context of this study, social capital is defined as the
value and benefits that individuals or groups derive from their social
networks, relationships and interactions within a community or society. Thus, it is the benefits and resources one can obtain
through their social networks and interpersonal connections. Simply put, social
capital is the value derived from positive connections between people.
David (2020)
identified three major components and levels of analysis of social capital to
be; networks, norms and sanctions. Networks refer to the interconnecting
relationships between people. It encompasses the web of social interactions,
including friendships, acquaintances, family ties, professional relationships
and other forms of social connections. In the context of this study, networks refer
to the connections and relationships that individuals or groups have with
others within a community or society. The size, diversity and quality of
networks may influence the access to resources, information and opportunities.
Some networks may be more tightly knit, characterized by strong social ties and
close relationships. Other networks may be more loosely connected, with weaker
ties and less frequent interaction. Social networks are the foundation of
social capital. They facilitate the flow of information, resources and support
among individuals or groups within a community. David (2020) argued that these
networks enable people to establish and maintain social ties, engage in social
interactions and access opportunities and resources that are embedded within
the networks. However, networks in social capital formed through relationships
and connections may predict academic achievement by providing access to resources
like study groups, mentorship and information sharing. Moreso, exposure to
diverse perspectives through social networks can stimulate critical thinking
and innovation, positively impacting performance.
Norms refer to the rules, values and
expectations that govern social interaction. Norms are an important aspect of
social capital because they powerfully influence the nature of human action. In
the context of this study, norms are defined as shared expectations, beliefs
and standards of behaviour that exist within a community or social networks.
They guide individuals’ actions and interactions, shaping their behaviour and
influencing the dynamics of social relationships. These norms are often
established and upheld through socialization processes and vary across
different cultures, groups and contexts. Norms in social capital can be
explicit and implicit rules and expectations. Explicit norms are formalized and
codified such as laws, regulations or written codes of conduct. Implicit norms
are more subtle and unwritten, often conveyed through social cues, traditions
and customs (https//:www.openai.com). David (2020) maintained that norms
promote cooperation, trust and reciprocity among individuals within a
community. Norms define what is
considered acceptable behaviour, as they foster social cohesion and provide a
sense of shared identity belonging. Norms therefore may predict academic
achievement by establishing benchmarks for typical performance levels. Norms
provide a comparative framework allowing educators to identify students who may
need additional support or who are excelling beyond expectations. However,
while norms offer valuable insights, individual circumstances and factors can
also influence academic outcomes.
Sanctions refer to the punishments and
rewards that enforce the norms (David, 2020). It is the deprivations which
accompany or follow behaviour which is disapproved. In the context of this
study, sanctions refer to the mechanisms or consequences that individuals or
groups face when they violate social norms or expectations within a community
or social network. These sanctions can be formal or informal and are designed
to regulate behaviour, maintain social order and enforce cooperation. David
(2020) insisted that sanctions play a crucial role in the maintenance and
development of social capital because they serve as deterrents against
behaviours that could undermine social order or harm the collective well-being.
By enforcing compliance with social norms, sanctions help sustain trust and
cooperation; thus strengthening social capital. However, sanctions in social
capital such as exclusion or disapproval from peer groups could potentially
impact students’ academic achievement by influencing their motivation,
self-esteem and access to resources. These three components tend to interact,
influence and reinforce each other. For instance, networks are shaped by norms
which are enforced by sanctions, which are expressed through networks.
In this regard, Coleman in Otieno
(2018) opined that, connectedness which is a product of social relationships
and social involvements, generates social capital which serves as a mechanism
for transmitting knowledge from one generation to the next. By treating social
relationships as a form of capital, proponents of the theory proposed that
social capital are resources that people can draw on to achieve their goals.
They also believed that our relationship with one another serves as mechanism
for transmitting knowledge. Social capital theory focuses on social relationships,
particularly those embedded in the family and community, and how they are
useful in assisting with the development of children’s cognitive as well as
social abilities (Alfred in Mutawally, 2018; Brisson & Usher, 2018). The
concept of social capital and its application highlight the role of social
relations in shaping human behaviours.
Scholars
have studied various aspects of social capital and suggested the need and
solution to continuous social problems in education. Various aspects of social
capital have been investigated in relation to students’ academic achievement by
researchers (Lin in Otieno, 2018). Evidence from researches tends to show that
families’ and communities’ social capital must be brought on board in order to
help young persons to be successful in school. Family social capital represents
the norms, social network and relationship between adults and children that are
valuable for children while they are growing up and it tends to have a positive
correlation with students’ academic achievement (Coleman in Otieno, 2018).
Another
factor that is suspected to predict the academic achievement of students is
self-control. Self-control has to do with the capacity to override impulsivity
and alter responses to meet pro-social standards and social expectations
(Baumeister, Scheichel & Vons in Song, 2018). Cherry (2022) defined self-control as the ability to regulate and
alter one’s responses to avoid undesirable behaviours, increase desirable ones
and achieve long-term goals. Self-control as an aspect of inhibitory
control is the ability to regulate one’s emotions, thoughts and behaviours in
the face of temptations and impulses (Delisi, 2014). As an executive function,
it is a cognitive process that is necessary for regulating one’s behaviour in order
to achieve specific goals (Diamond, 2015). Tangney, Boone and Baumeister
(2018) defined self-control as the ability to overcome your impulses and
immediate desires in favour of behaviour that is in line with your standards
and long-term goals. Thus, self-control is one’s
capability to change responses with regard to standards such as ideals, morals,
values and social expectations, in pursuing long term targets. In the context of this study, self-control can be
defined as one’s ability to manage his or her behaviour in order to achieve
goals, improve positive outcomes and avoid negative consequences.
However, self-control
has the following as its components namely,
self-awareness, self-monitoring and self-management. One wonders the extent
self-awareness, self- monitoring and self-management which are aspects of
self-control could predict academic achievement of students in CRS.
Self-awareness
refers to the capacity of an individual to recognize and understand his or own
thoughts, emotions and actions as well as their impact on such a person and
others. It involves having a conscious perception of one’s identity,
personality traits, desires, beliefs and motivations (Tang, 2020).
Self-awareness allows individuals to reflect on their experiences, evaluate their
behaviour and make judgments about themselves. In philosophy of self,
self-awareness is the experience of one’s own personality or individuality
(Wikipedia, 2018). Self-awareness could be defined as the ability to focus on oneself
and how one’s actions, thoughts or emotions do or do not align with one’s
standards. Thus being self-aware is all about having an understanding of one’s
own thoughts, feelings, values, beliefs and actions (Duval & Wicklund in
Betz, 2022). In the context of this study, self-awareness is defined as one’s
knowledge about himself, his ability, weakness and strength. Self-awareness could
be an essential element in understanding and enhancing academic achievement.
However, there are two primary components of self-awareness, namely: internal
or private self-awareness and public or external self-awareness. Internal or
private self-awareness involves introspection and reflection; where individuals
examine their thoughts, feelings and internal states. It involves recognizing
one’s emotions, values, strengths, weakness and beliefs. External or public
self-awareness relates to understanding how one is perceived by others and how
one’s actions and words impact the people around them and the environment in
which they exist. Moreover, students who possess a strong sense of
self-awareness are better equipped to identify their styles, strengths and
areas that need improvement. This understanding may allow them to tailor their
study techniques, manage their time effectively and seek support when necessary.
Self-monitoring
is a psychological concept that refers to individuals’ ability to observe and
regulate their own behaviour, thoughts and emotions in different social
situations. It involves paying close attention to one’s actions and the
reactions of others and adjusting one’s behaviour accordingly to align with
social norms and expectations (Margret, 2022). American Psychological
Association dictionary (2023) defined self-monitoring as a method used in
behavioural management in which individuals keep a record of their behaviour;
for instance, time spent, form and place of occurrence in connection with
efforts to change or control the self. However, people with high
self-monitoring abilities are skilled at adapting their behaviour to fit
various social contexts. They are sensitive to social cues, norms and
expectations and can modify their actions, speech and appearance to create favourable
impressions and achieve desired outcomes. They are good at reading social
situations and adjusting their behaviour to be more socially desirable or appropriate.
On the other hand, individuals with low self-monitoring are less concerned with
conforming to social expectations and are more likely to behave consistently
across different situations. James (2022) maintained that self-monitoring is a
skill that involves being attuned at one’s own behaviour and social context
enabling individuals to adjust and adapt their actions and expressions to meet
the demands of different situations. Knight (2016) defined self-monitoring as a
personality trait that refers to an ability to regulate behaviour to
accommodate social situations. In the context of this study, self-monitoring
refers to ability to monitor our emotions cognitively and adapt in a way that
it will suit the current situations. Thus,
self-monitoring may predict academic achievement in that, students who engage
in self-monitoring are more likely to set goals, track their progress and
adjust their study strategies as needed which could lead to improved academic
performance over time.
Self-management
refers to the ability of individuals to effectively regulate and control their
own thoughts, emotions, behaviours and actions. It involves taking
responsibility for one’s own actions, setting and working towards personal
goals, making informed decision and maintaining self-discipline. Alicia (2022)
defined self-management as one’s ability to regulate one’s behaviours, thoughts
in a productive way. This includes managing stress, controlling impulses,
motivating oneself and setting and working toward achieving personal and
academic goals. In the context of this study, self-management has to do with
the ability to regulate our sensory organs and remaining stable in the midst of
a challenge. Furthermore,
self-management may allow students to follow through on plans to complete
assignments, study for tests and stay focused in class. Self-management could
be a powerful indicator of academic success, decision making abilities and
competence in behaviour modification. By developing self-management skills,
students may optimize time, resources and energy leading to increased
productivity, improved study habits and enhanced academic performance. However,
the extent social capital and self-control could predict academic achievement
in Christian Religious Studies among secondary school students is yet to be
investigated. This study intends to find out the extent social capital and
self-control predicts academic achievement in Christian Religious Studies among
secondary school students in Abia state.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Christian Religious Studies (CRS) as
one of the subjects taught in Nigerian secondary schools take a central
position in ensuring moral and spiritual wellbeing of the students. Students
are supposed to imbibe the required discipline, values and harness the
available support systems in order to achieve more academically. However, the
high level of moral decadence among students in Abia State is an indication
that there could be poor religious teaching in our secondary schools. Different
efforts have been made by religious institutions, regulatory bodies and
government agents to reduce moral decadence among students. Yet there has been
increase in the cases of cultism, robbery, snatching, examination malpractice,
stealing, homo-sexuality, lesbianism, fighting, alcohol abuse, smoking of
illicit substances among others; which are evidences of decline in religious
principle of honesty, prudence, humility, integrity, industry, frugality,
punctuality, justice; which could otherwise create freedom from fear of cheats
and dupes and offers a peaceful state for academic progress in the state. There have also been persistent poor achievements
in Christian Religious Studies in the
Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations (SSCE) in Abia State. This may have
been attributed to lack of in-depth knowledge of CRS. Parents, teachers,
curriculum experts and evaluators are worried; especially when it is believed
that if the high level of moral decadence with poor achievement in CRS continues
to persist, it would affect the economic and technological development of the
nation.
Literature reports from western culture tend to
suggest that social capital and self-control have the potential for predicting
students’ academic achievement. However, the extent social capital and
self-control could predict the students’ academic achievement in Christian
Religious Studies in Abia State who operate in different socio-cultural
circumstances is yet to be determined. The problem of this study therefore, put
in a question form is: To what extent do social capital and self-control
predict students’ academic achievement in Christian Religious Studies in Abia
State?
1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The purpose of the study was to
explore the extent social capital and self-control serve as predictors of
academic achievement in Christian Religious Studies among secondary school
students in Abia State. Specifically the study sought to:
1. Ascertain the extent networks in social capital predict students’ academic achievement in
Christian Religious Studies in Abia State
2. Investigate the extent norms in social capital serve
as predictor of students’ academic achievement in Christian Religious Studies
3. Ascertain the extent sanctions in social capital predict
students’ academic achievement in Christian Religious Studies.
4. Determine the extent joint components of social
capital (networks, norms and sanctions) predict academic achievement of
students in Christian Religious studies.
5. Ascertain the extent
self-awareness in self-control serves as predictor of the students’ academic
achievement in Christian Religious Studies in Abia state.
6. Investigate the extent
self-monitoring in self-control serves as predictor of Students’ academic
achievement in Christian Religious Studies
7. Determine the extent self-management in self-control
predicts students’ academic achievement in Christian Religious Studies.
8. Find out the extent
joint components of self-control (self-awareness, self-monitoring and
self-management) predict students’ academic achievement in Christian Religious
Studies
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The findings of this study may have
both theoretical and practical significance. The social capital theory of
Bourdieu which proposes that social relationships and networks can provide
invaluable resources to the members involved and can lead to development; may
also help to explain the extent students’ relationship with
others especially their teachers, parents and peers serve as mechanism for
transmitting knowledge in Christian Religious Studies could be confirmed by the
findings of the study. The Self-control Theory by Travis Hirschi (1969) and
Micheal Gottfredson (1990) which explained how improved achievement in CRS
could serve as effective restraints (from self, friends, family, and social
institutions) that cause differences among people in crime and delinquency
rather than difference in motivations or incentives for crime could equally be
authenticated by the findings of the this study.
The results of the study when published may
be beneficial to students, teachers, parents, curriculum planners,
psychologist, school counsellors, educational administrators and future
researchers. To the students, the findings of the study could expose them to
the importance of social network in terms of relationship with one another;
thus they can easily share ideas thereby improving learning and transmitting
knowledge. The result can potentially create more
opportunities and means of support necessary for them to succeed.
The study may equally benefit teachers and educational
administrators as it could motivate them to organize seminars and workshop
aimed at educating them on the importance of appropriate relationship among
teacher-teachers, teacher-students and student-students in achieving a common goal
of high academic significance especially in CRS.
The findings of the study may also be beneficial to
curriculum planners and policy makers in the ministry of education, science and
technology as it could help them to reconsider focusing and directing efforts
and resources towards the development of social capital in schools besides
other forms of capital such as financial and human capital. This could be done
by formulating policies that would help develop social capital in public secondary
schools.
Psychologists and School counsellors could equally
benefit from the findings of the study as it may serve as guide or mechanism
for designing counselling programme that may aid them on ways of handling and
counselling students on the importance of team work. It could help psychologists in establishing
trust and norms in their network in order to develop social cohesion,
cooperative communities and community involvement.
The findings could be beneficial to parents, guardians
and caregivers, as they maybe better enlightened on the importance of social
capital and self-control in achieving their goals in all walks of life. The
findings of the study could equally enlighten the parents and teachers on the
importance of team work. Insights from this research through the findings may
aid the students and parents even educators to understand how successful one
with high sense of self-control can be.
The results of the study could be beneficial to other
researchers as they could serve as framework for future research in the area of
study. The literature from the study may also give the researchers more
knowledge in researching on the other areas of the study.
1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The following research
questions guided this study
1. To what extent do
networks in social capital predict the academic achievement of Secondary school
students in Christian Religious Studies in Abia State?
2. To what extent do
norms in social capital predict students’ academic achievement in Christian
Religious Studies?
3. To what extent do
sanctions in social capital predict students’ academic achievement in Christian
Religious Studies?
4. What is the extent to
which joint components of social capital (networks, norms and sanctions)
predict academic achievement of students in CRS?
5. What is the extent
self-awareness in self-control predicts academic achievement of Secondary
school students in CRS?
6. What is the extent
self-monitoring in self-control predicts academic achievement of Secondary
school students in CRS?
7. To what extent does
self-management in self-control predicts academic achievement among secondary
school students in Christian Religious Studies?
8. What is the extent to which joint components
of self-control (self-awareness, self-monitoring and self-management) predicts
academic achievement of Secondary school students in CRS?
1.6 HYPOTHESES
The
following hypotheses were tested at 0.05 levels of significance to further
guide this study.
HO1: Networks in social capital is not a
significant predictor of academic achievement in Christian Religious Studies
among secondary school students in Abia State.
HO2: Norms in social capital do not significantly
predict students’ academic achievement in Christian Religious Studies.
HO3: Sanctions
in social capital is not a significant predictor of academic achievement in
Christian Religious Studies among secondary school students in Abia State.
HO4: Joint components of Social capital (networks,
norms and sanctions) do not significantly predict academic achievement in Christian
Religious Studies among secondary school students.
HO5: Self-awareness in self-control does not
significantly predict students’ academic achievement in Christian Religious
Studies.
HO6: Self-monitoring in self-control is not a significant
predictor of academic achievement in Christian Religious Studies among
secondary school students.
HO7: Self-management in self-control does not
significantly predict students’ academic achievement in Christian Religious
Studies.
HO8: Joint components of Self-control
(self-awareness, self-monitoring and self-management) do not significantly
predict academic achievement in Christian Religious Studies among secondary
school students.
1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
This study was delimited
to senior secondary school class two (S.S.S.2) students offering CRS in Abia
State government secondary schools. The study focused on examining social
capital and self-control as predictors of academic achievement in Christian
Religious Studies among secondary school students in Abia State. However, the independent
variables social capital and its components which are; networks, norms and
sanctions; and self-control as well as its components like self-awareness, self-monitoring
and self-management and dependent variable of the study was academic
achievement in Christian Religious Studies.
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