TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND
TO THE STUDY
1.2 STATEMENT OFPROBLEM
1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
1.4
RESEARCH
QUESTIONS
1.5 SCOPE OF LIMITATION
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
1.7 OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
2.1 Conceptual
framework of biology class room environment
2.2 Studies
on Students’ perception of study habit and their involvement.
2.3 Studies on the psychological
environment
2.4 Studies
based on assess to instructional materials
2.5 Student perceptions regarding classroom environments for
learning
2.6 Factors
influencing students’ learning in biology class room environment
2.7 Studies
on teachers’
support and their roles towards classroom environment
2.8 Studies on classroom disciplinary climate
Summary of the reviewed literature.
CHAPTER
3
RESEARCH
METHODOLOGY
3.1 RESEARCH
DESIGN
3.2 POPULATION
OF THE STUDY
3.3 SAMPLE AND SAMPLING TECHNIQUE
3.4 RESEARCH
INSTRUMENTS
3.5 VALIDITY
AND RELIABILITY OF INSTRUMENTS
3.6 ADMINISTRATION
OF INSTRUMENTS
3.7 METHOD
OF DATA ANALYSIS
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA INTRODUCTION
4.1 PRESENTATION OF DATA
4.2 DATA
ANALYSIS
CHAPTER
FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
INTRODUCTION
5.1 SUMMARY
5.2 CONCLUSION
5.3 RECOMMENDATIONS
5.4 IMPLICATIONS OF THE STUDY
5.5 SUGGESTIONS
FOR FURTHER STUDIES
REFERENCES
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND
TO THE STUDY
The senior secondary which is also three years of
training, involves development of the scientific skills learnt in the JSS
(junior Secondary School) level, while the four years of university education
relate to the adaptation of the skills learnt. It is these skills that the
individual applies in his daily life to enable him fit into the society.
The new biology education with the new curriculum
was started to be implemented from 1998-1999 education year. The goals and
objectives of the new biology curriculum were identified in the way that would
give rise to learning far from memorization and students would not only grasp
the subject in the best pattern but also use the knowledge in daily life. New
curriculum aimed at getting students to gain consciousness of health care, thus
topics are made linked to human health. Teaching learning strategies of each
topic were explained in detail and supported with different kinds of examples
and questions. (Chalin&Manske, 2005). Education is the most important
instrument of change in the society and that any fundamental change in the
intellectual and social outlook of any society. The perception of both the
teachers and the students in biology classroom learning environment influence
the achievement of students in biology education.
The fact that a lot of factors are responsible for
students’ under achievement in biology is not new to researchers but amongst
those factors could be students’ perception of biology classroom learning
environment. Recent studies indicate that there is a substantial impact of the
classroom learning environment on students’ achievement in biology learning.
Arguaye (2001), have strongly argued that students
perception of the learning environment are very important on the achievement of
students in biology and that the knowing the students' perception will help the
teacher in shaping their students’ class perception and relatively their
achievement in biology. Over the years, a number of research projects on
classroom learning environment have been carried outby some researchers for
examples; (Ben Ari, 2003; Carnegie1989; Jackson & Davis, 2000; Kaplan &Middleton,
2002; Manning, 2000; McCombs &Whisler, 2000; National Middle School
Association, 1995; Payne, Conroy, & Racine, 1998; Stipek, 2002).
The interest in the study of learning environment
has become more prominent since it has been evident that learning outcomes and
students’ attitude towards learning were closely linked to the classroom environment
refers to a setting of space where teachers and learners interact with each
other and use variety of tools and information resources in their pursuit of
learning activities (Wilson 2002).
The classroom has become an important place for
educational research because most learning takes place there. The importance of
the classroom learning environment has been increasingly recognized
internationally over the past 30 years.
According to Wilson (2002), classroom learning
environment is a place where learners and teachers interact with each other and
use a variety of tools and information resources in their pursuit of learning
activities. Research in education that focuses on classroom and school-level
learning environments has produced promising findings leading to an enhancement
of the teaching and learning process.Classroom learning environment consist of
factors which are teachers’ support, instructional materials, task orientation,
study habit, classroom disciplinary climate and locate of adequate laboratory
facilities, teacher-studentinteraction, equality, method of teaching and
qualification of the teachers.
Perception refers the way one think about something
and ones’ idea of what it is like also it is an ability to understand the true
nature of a subject especially as it affects our environment. However, students
perception of biology classroom learning environment determines the students’
learning progress, hence, learning is a process which produces series of
changes in behaviour or it is more or less a change in behaviour that result
from activities, training or observation. It is a change in behaviour that
confirms learning. According to Ajayi (2000) learning is a process which
produces progressive series of changes in behaviour or it is more or less a
change in behaviour that results from activity and these activities takes place
in the classroom environments.
Fraser (1986) argues that perceptions of the
students are very important when investigating the learning environment
(Wubbels&Brekelmans, 2004). The role ofstudents’ perceptions of the
classroom environment in influencing cognitive and affective outcomes has been
addressed in many learningenvironment studies and strong relations between
student outcomes and their perceptions about their learning environment have
been shown by many researchers (Fraser & Fisher, 2000; Wubbels,
&Brekelmans, 2002; den Brok, Brekelmans, &Wubbels, 2004). Fraser (2001)
emphasized that relations between outcome measures and classroom environment
perceptions have been replicated for a variety of cognitive and affective
outcomes, with a variety of instruments, across different countries and grade
levels. Learning environment research has studied these associations in
different types of classroom environments (Fraser, 2002), for instance science
laboratory classroom environments, constructivist classroom environments and
cross-national studies of science classroom environments.
However, there has been a wide range of problems
with the available classroom learning environment in senior secondary schools
in Nigeria which prevent effective learning to take place. Some of the problems
associated with class room arrangement which includes the tall students
obstructing the short students at the back to see the chalk board inadequate
chairs and tables which can cause discomfort to students. Another problem is
poor classroom with little or no cross ventilation, poor interaction between
the students and the teachers, lack of teaching materials, poor study habit
etc.
1.2 STATEMENT OFPROBLEM
The classroom is the basic unit of organization of
the educational system. By continuing to increase the knowledge of the interactions
that occur within the classroom, the quality of science education can be
improved with understanding of students’ development, their perception about
learning environment.
Fraser (1989) mentioned that the classroom
environment is such a potent determinant of students’ outcomes that it should
not be ignored by those wishing to improve the effectiveness of schools. He emphasizes
that students spend a great amount of time (more than 15,000 hours) in the
classroom environment. Therefore the quality of the environment of these classrooms
has a significant impact on students’ learning (Fraser, 1989).
Over the years, the problem of under achievement of
science students in biology has been a general problem, for example many
researchers in Nigeria have conducted series of researcheson classroom learning
environment to actually find out what could be responsible for the problem of
poor performances of students in science subjects such as biology, physics and
chemistry. Factors such as locate of adequate laboratory facilities, teaching
aids, ineffectiveness and lack of teaching proficiency of teachers and teaching
methodshad been identified as causes of poor classroom environment thereby
resulting to students’ under achievement in science subjects.
Despite all these efforts, the poor performances of
students still exist. However, little emphasis has been made in the student’s
perception of biology classroom learning environment therefore in order to
improve students’ performance in biology there is need to place more emphasis
on this topic so as todetermine some factors of the classroom learning environment.
Hence, this calls for the need for the study of the students’ perception of
biology classroom learning environment on their academic achievement in senior
secondary schools.
1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The main purpose of this study is to investigate
students’ perception of effect of biology classroom environment on their
academic achievement.
The objectives of the study include;
2.
To determine the students’ perception ofteachers’
support in the classroom
3.
To determine the students’ perception
based on thelevel of availability of instructional materials.
4.
To determine the students’ perception
based on their study habit?
5.
To determine the students’ level of
involvement in the classroom.
6.
To determine the students’ perception
based on the classroom disciplinary climate of the class room.
1.5
RESEARCH
QUESTIONS
1.
What is the students’ perception on
teachers’ support in a biology classroom?
2.
What is the students’ perception based
on the level of availability of instructional materials?
3.
What is the students’ perception based
on the study habit?
4.
What is the students’ level of
involvement in the classroom?
5.
What is the students’ perception based
on the classroom disciplinary climate of the class room?
1.5 SCOPE OF LIMITATION
The study will be carried out in Lagos state in Shomolu
Local Government Area in four different secondary schools for students in SS 1
and SS 2and it will look into the variables of:
·
Students perception on Teachers’ support
in a biology classroom,
·
Students’ perception based on the level
of availability of instructional materials,
·
Students’ perception based on students’
habit
·
Students’ level of involvement in the
classroom and
·
Students’ perception based on the
classroom disciplinary climate of biology class room.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study would be of importance towards improving
the perception of students towards the learning of biology study at the
secondary school level.
The study also lies in its contribution to the
pedagogical body of knowledge. It’s value to teacher effectiveness, academic
development and performance of the students. It is also important in investigating
student perception of biology class room learning environment to enhance development
of positive approach towards biology and to understand the way students
perceive their biology learning environment because of its effect and
achievement on the subject and its influence on students’ learning.
Understanding students’ perceptions of their
classroom learning environments and the factors associated with their
perceptions may help teachers and educational researchers to find out some
alternative ways that enhance the student’s learning.
This study provides information and moreover helps
to discover the weakness of some classroom determinants such as students’
habit, teachers’ support, classroom climate, availability of instructional
material, students’ involvement which when sort out will improve the perception
of students towards their classroom learning environment.
The study will enhance the active participation of
students in the class and also help teachers to be aware of suitable and
required teaching methods that will promote teacher-students interaction in the
class room environment and also help to give teachers the reason to place more
emphases on giving the students tasks in the classroom setting.In student
centered learning environment learners are given actual control and self-direction
of academic tasks through task and assessment design by enhancing classroom
learning environment.
As teachers and students actively participate in the
teaching and learning process with the aim of resolving the challenges unveiled,
there will thus, be an enhancement in the academic achievement of students
thereby improving the learning of biology and preparing the students for the
future.
1.7 OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS:
SCHOOL
LEARNING ENVIRONMENT:School learning environment is the
perception of the student and is a summatedscore measured by a
self-administered rating scale on parameters such as teachers’ support,study
habits, students’ involvement, instructional materials, and laboratory facilities
in the school,
ACADEMIC
ACHIEVEMENT:Average of the previous and current
years’ marks is the academic achievement.
ACADEMIC:It
pertains to school subjects or to fields of liberal arts or to the sphere of ideas
and abstraction (Chaudary, 2004).
ACHIEVEMENT:
It was denoted by knowledge attained or skills developed by pupilsusually in
the schools, measured by test scores or by marks assigned by teachers (Chaudhary,
2004).
BSPQ:Biology
Students’ Perception Questionnaire
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