Learning Strategies And Students Academic Performance In Secondary Schools

ABSTRACT: This study examined Learning Strategies and Students Academic Performance in Secondary Schools in Obot Akara Local Government Area. Two research questions and two null hypotheses were formulated in line with the specific objectives of the study to guide the study. The target population was 522  with senior secondary school (SS1). A sample size of One Hundred and twenty (120) students was chosen for this study through simple random sampling technique. The instrument used for data collection was “Economics Achievement Test (EAT)”. The data generated for the study were analyzed using independent t-test. The results showed that students who adopted cooperative learning strategy performed significantly better than those who adopted individual learning strategy.

In addition, it was found that male students performed better than female students in their academics work. It was concluded that Cooperative Learning Strategy has a significant positive effect on students’ academic performance in Economics. consequently, it was recommended that cooperative learning  strategy should be adopted in the learning of Economics by students so as to improve their academic performances, encourage group activities that increased learning, improve race relations and increase personal and social development.

Learning Strategies And Students Academic Performance In Secondary Schools

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Educational psychologists have always been interested in learning. They attempt to identify which processes assist learning Flavell,(2010).. Since learning has a rich and various heritages, there are many learning theories. For example, in 1930’s learning was considered as a connection between stimulus and response Delisi, (2002).. Nowadays, cognitive process is more emphasized. One of the cognitive views is information processing approach. In this view, learning is any act that facilitates information processing and plans which were invented by psychologists of information processing named learning strategies or in more technical term cognitive and meta-cognitive strategies.

Glover (2009) maintains that cognition is all of the mind attractive functions such as recognition, recall, self awareness, thinking, reading, writing, problem solving and creativity. Meta-cognition is often simply defined as “thinking about thinking ”or “knowing about knowing ”.It can take many forms; including knowledge about when and where to use particular strategies for learning or for problem solving (Santrock,2008).  Levingstone (2008) cited that while there are several approaches to meta-cognitive instruction, the most effective involves providing the learner with both knowledge of cognitive processes and strategies (to be used as meta-cognitive knowledge) and experience in using both cognitive and meta-cognitive strategies and evaluating the outcomes or their efforts (develops meta-cognitive regulation). According to above theories, the role of cognition in learning has been investigated.

Learning strategies/styles are the ways a person processes, internalizes and studies new and challenging matters. Students’ achievement may be related to learning preferences or styles as learners. In many cases, neither students nor lecturers are aware that difficulty in learning may not rest solely in the materials itself. Meanwhile, Domino (2012) found that Economics students taught in their preferred learning strategies scored higher on tests, facts, knowledge, attitude and efficiency than those taught with instructional strategies different from their preferred strategies.  Learning strategies/ styles is defined as the manner and the conditions under which learner most efficiently and effectively perceive process, store and recall that which they are attempting to learn (Zhou, 2011). The different ways of learning are referred to as learning strategies.

To address this concern, teachers should understand their students’ learning strategies preferences and be interested in developing teaching approaches or methods which according to Ibe  (2013)  will  help  to make the class session more effective mere memorization of the basics. It requires total determination, sound theoretical knowledge and intensive practice in application. One begins to wonder if other factors could be responsible for the large number of failures in Economics other than the ones already identified. It is against this background that this study examines Learning Strategies and Students Academic Performance in Economics in Secondary Schools in Obot Akara Local Government Area.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

There have been public concerns on the declining state of student’s academic performance in both school and public examinations over the years, especially at the secondary school level. The academic performance of students in school is keeping tasking the already inadequate human and material resources in our educational system. This menace has added weight and continues to militate against the realization of the objectives of the teaching – learning process. This ugly development is becoming increasingly worrisome. Worrisome by the incidence of poor academic performance among students in schools, parent have pointed accusing fingers on teachers in respect to their teaching effectiveness regarding methods and techniques while teachers in turn put the blame on the inability of the government to provide basic educational materials to schools (Hewitt, 2006).   Accordingly, several research reports indicate that student’s achieve poorly in secondary school social science subjects especially Economics (Nwagbo,2011).

A number of factors were identified as imitating against students attainment of the objectives of science instruction. The isolated factors among research are the inappropriate and uninspiring teaching approaches adopted by Economics teachers shy away from activity oriented teaching approaches which are known to be more effective. They rely mostly on teaching approaches that are easy but most times inadequate and inappropriate.

However, of all  strategies have been employed in teaching Economics for over two decades. Not much effort seems to have been made towards finding out the effectiveness of the instructional methods used by Economics teachers and the learning approaches adopted by the students. A lot of innovative instructional methods including learning Strategies /styles have been suggested for teaching but records shows that there is a trend of poor academic performances in secondary school students in Economics. This has been a subject of concern to the researcher, thereby necessitated this study ”Learning Strategies and Students Academic Performance in Economics in Secondary Schools in Obot Akara Local Government Area.”

Learning Strategies And Students Academic Performance In Secondary Schools

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The main objectives of this study is to examine Learning Strategies and Students Academic Performance in Economics in Secondary Schools in Obot Akara Local Government Area. In specific terms, the study shall accomplish  the following objectives:

1. To examine academic performance of students who adopt cooperative learning strategy and those who adopt individual learning strategy in Economics in Obot Akara Local Government Area.
2. To compare academic performance of male and female students who adopted Kinaesthetic  learning strategies in Economics in Obot Akara Local Government Area.

1.4       Significance of the Study.

It is anticipated that the findings of this study will be of a huge significant to teachers, students, researcher, educational planners, and policy makers as well as other stakeholders in education the following ways:

1. The findings will help the government or the policy makers in formulating effective planning and implementation policies and programmes for improved school academic activities. ii. It will highlight the benefit of learning strategies when using cooperative learning strategy and individualistic methods..
2. It will reveal learning technique which will bring about much desire improvement in students’ academic performance in Economics.
3. The research findings will add to the existing information and bulk of literature in learning strategy.
4. Finding, this study will serve as a reference material to students’ academic performance not only in Economics but other science subjects.

1.5 Research questions 

Based on the above stated objectives, the following questions were formulated to guide the study.

1. To what extent is the difference in the academic performance of students who adopt cooperative learning strategy and those who adopt individualistic  learning strategy  in Economics in Obot Akara Local Government Area.?
2. To What extent is does academic performance of male students who adopt cooperative  learning strategies different from their female students  in Economics in Obot Akara Local Government Area?

1.6  Hypotheses of the Study

The following null hypotheses were formulated in line with specific objective of the study and the research questions to give directions to the study.

1. There is no significant difference in the academic performance of students who adopt cooperative learning strategy and those who adopt individual learning strategy in Economics in Obot Akara Local Government Area.
2. There is no significant difference in the academic performance of male and female students who adopt cooperative learning strategies in Economics in Obot Akara Local Government Area.

1.7      Delimitation of the study

This study is delimited to Learning Strategies and Students Academic Performance in Economics in Secondary Schools in Obot Akara Local Government Area. Focus  was on senior secondary two (SS2) students.

1.8 Limitation of the study

The researcher was faced with some challenges at  the course of conducting this study. The major factors that mindt the generalization of this study are:-

1. insufficient fund: the was no enough money to cover all the schools selected.
2. Time frame for the research: the period given for the completion of the research work was not enough.
3. unpredicted school strike; Due to nonpayment of lecturers salary and other wages delayed the timely completion of study
4. Researcher’s academic work-local. Due to other academic activities in the college the researcher could not cover the entire schools selected.

1.9 Definition of Terms

The following term used in this study were conceptualized by the researcher as explained below:

Learning: A permanent change in the behavior of a learner as a result of instruction.

Cooperative learning: Group learning, learning. A learning technique where students are assigned into groups to promote interaction and cross fertilization of ideas.

Individualistic learning strategies: This is a learning method whereby individual’s learner learns at their own pace without belonging or assigning a group for the achievement of a given learning task.

Academic performance: The performance of students in school as examine through administration of tests and examinations in a particular subject area.

Learning Strategies:  The Learning strategies are conceptualized in terms of the levels at which learners tend to reinforce the natural information-processing activities, namely by using the deep approach or the surface approach, or as processes that occur in stages in certain parts of the brain.

Originally posted on May 26, 2021 @ 11:22 am