ABSTRACT: This study was carried out to assess the influence of students’ attitudes on students’ academic performance among secondary school students. It was a survey of public secondary schools in Ukanafun Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State. The literature review focused on Students’ Attitudes such as study habits, student lateness to school and truancy. Three research hypotheses were formulated to guide the study and t-test statistical tool was employed. Teachers in Government formed the population of the study. They indicated that students’ study habit, lateness to school and truancy led to decline academic performance in Government among secondary school students.
Influence Of Students’ Attitudes On Students’ Academic Performance Among Secondary School Students
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Researches in recent years have focused on identifying the key factors that promote academic success among students whose demographic attitudes and school circumstances place them at high risk of failure. In large part, these researches have addressed the attitudes of individual students that are optimal for success. Literature largely supports the positive role that students’ attitudes and behavior play in improving academic achievement. Several studies have consumed that engagement in school and perceived academic competence (that is, positive feelings about one’s ability to be successful academically), strongly predict improved reading and mathematics achievement (young, 2008). Similarly, literature supports the positive influence of factor in the school context- for example, the presence of high-quality, engaging instructional activities and supportive adult relationships – in improving students’ academic outcomes (class, 2004).
Attitudes mean a person’s disposition to something, ideas, objects, activity or discipline. It is based on one’s feeling, mood, opinion and belief about something. These dispositions are dependent on other intervening variables. It has been observed that one’s attitude towards a thing can be favorable or neutral as a result of a number of factors such as previous knowledge and misinformation about the thing. Other factors include decent or indirect interactions with the elements of the thing under consideration (July, 2002).
Students’ attitudes, according to Meador (2009) mauled those behavioral patterns that either foster or inhibit the students’ performance at school. He lists some of the positive students’ attitudes to include asking questions, hard work, regulating at classes, class participation, seizing opportunities, trustworthiness and being a problem solver.
Young (2008) identifies the attitudes of good students to include being attentive in the class, consulting with instructors promptly turning in assignment and making good use of extra credit hour opportunities. It is against this background that this study set out to examine whether study habits, students lateness to school and truancy influence academic performance in Government among secondary school students in Ukanafun Local Government Area.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Students’ attitudes have been found to exert a considerable influence on students’ academic performance (Basil, 2004; Jude, 2007). Accordingly the school system has put in place several rule and regulations to guide students’ attitude. Umoren and Ogbodo (2001) note that for smooth academic progress in school, students are expected to be law abiding, respectful of school authority and school staff as well as being regular and punctual to classes. Other conforming behavior expected students of the include, respect for one another, honesty, hard work, commitment to class tasks and attentiveness in class.
However, a report by Nwafot (2007) who conducted a survey of 1,647 students drawn from both public and private schools in Ebonyi State reverted that student performed poorly in their academic due to negative attitudes. He identified poor study habit, irregularity in class, truancy, fighting, disobedience, examination malpractices, lateness to school and general indiscipline as some of the attitudes common among the students who performed poorly in their text (Barney, 2006).
In most cases however poor academic performance among secondary school students is being blamed on the teacher’s non-commitment to duty and the government, poor funding of education sector. In this study therefore, the researcher would examined whether study habits, student lateness to school and truancy influence academic performance in Government among secondary school students with particular concern in Ukanafun Local Government Area.
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The main purpose of this study is to examine the influence of students’ attitudes on students’ academic performance in Government among secondary school students. The specific objectives include.
- To examine the influence of study habits and students’ academic performance in Government among secondary school students.
- To assess the influence of students lateness to school and academic performance in Government among secondary school students.
- To examine the influence of truancy and academic performance in Government among secondary school students.
Influence Of Students’ Attitudes On Students’ Academic Performance Among Secondary School Students
1.4 Research Hypotheses
The following research hypotheses were formulated to guide the study:
- There is no significant difference between study habit and academic performance in Government among secondary school students.
- There is no significant difference between lateness to school and academic performance in Government among secondary school students
- There is no significant difference between truancy and academic performance in Government among secondary school students.
1.5 Significance of the Study
This study will be useful in a number ways. The findings will provide an insight into students’ behavioral patterns as they affect the productivity of the school system. It will help the teachers in adopting classroom control measures that would minimize students’ disruptive behavior. The study will also benefit the Government and school administration in developing policies that would regulate students’ behavior.
Originally posted on October 12, 2021 @ 12:19 pm
