Psychosocial Factors as Determinants of Students’ Achievement in Senior Secondary School Mathematics
PSYCHOSOCIAL FACTORS AS DETERMINANTS OF STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENT IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL MATHEMATICS
BY
Adekoya Emmanuel Olusegun
Abstract
This study investigated the influence of psychosocial factors on the achievement secondary school students in mathematics. The variables that were addressed include test anxiety, locus of control, self concept, motivation, study habit and peer influence.
The population for the study included all Senior Secondary School 2 (SSS 2) students in Ogun State. Two hundred (200) SS 2 students were randomly selected from four administrative zones in Ogun State. Seven instruments namely: Test Anxiety Questionnaire (TAQ), Self Concept Questionnaire (SCQ), Motivation for Achievement Questionnaire (MAQ), Peer Influence Questionnaire (PIQ), Locus of Control Questionnaire (LCQ) Study Habits Inventory (SHI) and Mathematics Achievement Test (MAT) were administered on 200 respondents and their responses were subjected to descriptive and analytic tests using multiple regression analysis, Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) and t-test statistical tools at 0.05 levels of significance.
It was found that psychosocial factors significantly influence the students’ achievement in mathematics. All the psychosocial factors taken together account for 35.1% of the total variance in student achievement in mathematics (R-square = 0.351, p < 0.05 F-test = 17.8 p = 0.000).
Since a relationship has been found to exist between psychosocial factors and student achievement in mathematics, recommendations were made to parents; teachers and policy makers to engage students in activities that will help build their self esteem, locus of control and motivate them to greater achievements in mathematics.
Key Words: (1) Psychosocial factors (2) Determinants (3) Achievements (4) Secondary School Students (5) Mathematics.
Table of Content Abstract iv Table of Content v CHAPTER ONE
BY
Adekoya Emmanuel Olusegun
Abstract
This study investigated the influence of psychosocial factors on the achievement secondary school students in mathematics. The variables that were addressed include test anxiety, locus of control, self concept, motivation, study habit and peer influence.
The population for the study included all Senior Secondary School 2 (SSS 2) students in Ogun State. Two hundred (200) SS 2 students were randomly selected from four administrative zones in Ogun State. Seven instruments namely: Test Anxiety Questionnaire (TAQ), Self Concept Questionnaire (SCQ), Motivation for Achievement Questionnaire (MAQ), Peer Influence Questionnaire (PIQ), Locus of Control Questionnaire (LCQ) Study Habits Inventory (SHI) and Mathematics Achievement Test (MAT) were administered on 200 respondents and their responses were subjected to descriptive and analytic tests using multiple regression analysis, Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) and t-test statistical tools at 0.05 levels of significance.
It was found that psychosocial factors significantly influence the students’ achievement in mathematics. All the psychosocial factors taken together account for 35.1% of the total variance in student achievement in mathematics (R-square = 0.351, p < 0.05 F-test = 17.8 p = 0.000).
Since a relationship has been found to exist between psychosocial factors and student achievement in mathematics, recommendations were made to parents; teachers and policy makers to engage students in activities that will help build their self esteem, locus of control and motivate them to greater achievements in mathematics.
Key Words: (1) Psychosocial factors (2) Determinants (3) Achievements (4) Secondary School Students (5) Mathematics.
Table of Content Abstract iv Table of Content v CHAPTER ONE
References: 1.1 Background to the Study Many empirical researches in Nigeria and abroad have focused on the problem of students’ underachievement in mathematics, especially at the senior secondary school level (Ribadu, 2004; Okpala, 2001) History of self-concept Okoye (2000) narrated that a milestone in human reflection about the non-physical inner self came in 1644, when Ren Descartes wrote principles of Philosophy