ABSTRACT: This study investigated Family Variables and Science Learning Among Students in Secondary Schools. Three research questions and three research hypotheses were postulated to guide the study. The researcher employed survey research design in carrying out the study. The population of the study consisted of all the senior secondary two students studying sciences from five selected public secondary schools in the study area. The sample size for the study was one hundred (100) students drawn from five selected schools.
Family Variables and Science Learning Among Students in Secondary Schools
The instrument used in collecting the needed data was researcher’s made questionnaire called “Family Variables and Learning of Science Questionnaire (FVLSQ). The data collected was analyzed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (PPMCC) Statistical method. Based on the result of the finding it was recommended among others that, parent should yean towards acquiring higher educational qualification that will provide them with a good occupational work which will in turn give them good wages.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
The family has often been regarded as the corner stone of the society in pre-modern and modern times; it has been seen as the most basic unit of social organization, and one which carries out vital tasks such as socialization, affectionate function, economic function, status transmission and enhancement (Whitecomb, 2009). When a child’s foundation is built on sound moral values received from the family, the effect of bad influence when the child begins to interact with the outside world is reduced.
In the recent past, there has been a lot of concern about family variables in Nigeria. Agbe (2010) stressed the need for family factors in the changing Nigeria society. Each family has values which do not only determine the focus and behaviour of the family, but plays important role in the stability of the home and improve teaching and learning of science among students in schools. Every human being belongs to a family that has a set of values that he or she carries along and which influences his or her thought, actions and feelings.
These values involve things that are important to us. Therefore, Okon (2012) stated that our families attach values to all sort of things like education, religion, financial, sex, behaviour and social life. However, families’ variables differ significantly and vary from family to family, urban to rural, young to old.
Cultural variables, influence of peer pressures, religion, marriage and economic variables play significant roles in the present day family factors in Nigeria and perhaps are responsible for changes in the variable may have great influence on the science learning in secondary and Nigeria family at large.
However, as noted by Okpeh (2011), the principles of right and wrong, acceptable and unacceptable, good and bad still remains the yardstick for deciding on positive and negative family influence on a child life and towards his or her academic achievement in school.
Psychologists and sociologists have long been aware of the importance of family variables in child development and his or her learning in school. Gray (2010) defined family as a kinship groups linked by blood and marriage and occupying a common household. It is the basis of all human societies; as such it assumes certain common and broadly social, economic and psychological obligations towards its members. Family variable influence on a child learning of science is significant especially when the major part of his or her life is spent in the home with parent and other members of the family.
Nwosu (2008) observed that the amount of time one spends with a person is one of the main determinants of how significant that persons is in his attitude, values and behaviour will have on one’s behaviour and on his/her attitude towards self. In our society, one experience that a harmonious and properly oriented family background contributes to the positive achievement in school, on the other hand, a disorganized family background might produce a crisis child (Igbo, 2009).
When parent are warm, loving, their children tend to become extroverted, warm, conscientious, composed and happy. This helps the child to form a positive attitude toward his or her academic work. But when they are neglectful, the children become over serious, retiring, aloof and anxious, leading to a negative life style and poor academic performance in science learning is school (Adamu, 2013).
Odeemelam and Okafor (2012) asserted that it is the duty of the family to inculcate the expected values and attitudes into the child. It is against between family variables and science learning among students in secondary schools.
Family Variables and Science Learning Among Students in Secondary Schools
1.2 Statement of the Problem
The quality of any society depends on the nature of personality by the family through family variables. These variables keep changing from time to time due to socio-economic, parental educational attainment, marital status, parenting styles and technological changes. Nwosu (2011) noted that the complexities of modern society have created confusion in the Nigeria family system such that even glaringly unacceptable conducts (cheating, indecent dressing, unruly behaviour in children etc) are being tolerated or in appropriately handled to stem the web. This is contributing to the fast decay in our educational system and societal value system.
Therefore, it is necessary to examine the perceived family variables in relationship with the learning of science in secondary school in the present day. This will have implication for education, socialization, and harmonious living among the different families in Nigeria at large. It is on this basis that this study examines the family variables and the learning of science among students in secondary schools.