ABSTRACT
The study found out the relationship
between class size and academic performance of geography students in secondary
school in Abeokuta – South Local Government Area
of Ogun State.
The study adopted random sampling
technique to select one hundred and twenty respondents in five secondary
schools in each ward of the Local Government. Pearson correlation was used to
test the hypothesis.
The results showed that male and
female teachers were similar in their opinion on the relationship between class
size and academic achievement of secondary school students in geography,
indicating that the performance of students in large classes were very low
compared to those in smaller classes.
It was recommended that policy makers
and government should recruit more geography teachers and ensure that more
classrooms are built and number of students in a class should not be > 30.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page i
Certification
ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgement
iv
Abstract v
Table of
Content vi
List of
Tables ix
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background
to the Study 1
Statement
of the Problem 3
Purpose of
the Study 3
Research
Questions 4
Research
Hypotheses 5
Scope of
the Study 5
Significance
of the Study 6
Definition
of Terms 7
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Overview of
Secondary School Population in Geography 9
Enrolment
in Secondary School Education in Geography 21
Effects of
Class Size on Academic Performance in Geography 27
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research
Design 34
Population 35
Instrumentation 35
Administration
of Instrument 36
Data
Analysis Technique 37
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION 38
Hypotheses
Testing 40
Summary of
the Findings 44
CHAPTER FIVE
DISCUSSION, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Discussion 47
Conclusion 50
Recommendation 51
REFERENCES 53
APPENDIX 55
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Distribution of Respondents by Sex 38
Table 2: Distribution of Respondents by
Educational
Qualification 39
Table 3: Distribution of Respondents based on
Years of
Experience 39
Table 4: Shows the relationship between students
academic
performance in geography and the opinion of male
and female teachers 40
Table 5: Shows the relationship between students
academic
performance and class size 41
Table 6: Shows academic performance and the effect of
teachers
and principals opinion 42
Table 7: Shows academic performance relationship with
students
score 43
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study
The
relationship between class size and academic performance of secondary school
students in geography has been a perplexing one for educators. Studies have
found that the physical environment, class overcrowding, teachers methods,
grade level, pupil characteristics and subject areas and other learning
interventions are the variables that affects students’ achievement (Molnar, et
al., 2000). Other factors that affect student achievement are school population
and class size (Gentry, 2000 and Swift 2000).
Since the attainment of independence
in 1960, Nigeria
has been experiencing unprecedented growth and expansion in secondary school
education. According to Fafunwa (1982) secondary school increase from 315 –
1240 between 1960 and 1965, the figure quadrupled in 1970 as a result of the
revenue generated from the oil boom in Nigeria. In all the states of the
federation there was a corresponding increase in students’ enrolment at both
primary and post-primary schools, the increase is evident as it cuts across all
the secondary school subjects including geography.
The core subjects are the basic
subjects which will enable a student to offer Arts or Science in higher
education, the classification of geography as a core subject therefore enhanced
the status of the subject in the secondary school education system the fact
that geography belong to social science, art and pure science also makes the
subject popular among the students, so also the inclusion of geography in the
same group with literature in English, History, Economics, and Political
Science also makes the subject popular among the students, and also gives them
a wider choice, literature is seen by most students as too wide, while history
is becoming a dead subject as a result of the teaching of government.
Geography has consequently attracted
more students in recent years which results in significant increase in the
total number of students enrolment which has created logistic, structural and
personal problems. While the large number of students studying geography does
not correspond with the stagnant facilities and the primitive resources
available in most schools.
Statement of the Problem
It is observed that the number of
geography students in Abeokuta-South Local Government Area of Ogun State is
increasing exponentially but there are little or no corresponding resources for
effective teaching and learning of geography, such as, classroom, laboratories,
charts, maps, and the number of teachers are not enough while the little
available resources are over laboured. For instance a geography class that
supposed to be 1:40 teacher – students ratio, according to the specification by
the National Policy on Education (1977 revised in 1981, 1998 and 2004) is now
1:80 teacher – students ratio or more.
Purpose of the Study
The general purpose of this study is
to find out the relationship between class size and secondary school student
academic achievement in geography using some selected secondary schools in Abeokuta – South Local
Government Area of Ogun State as case study. The specific objectives are to:
(i)
Examine both positive and negative effects of class
size on the academic performance of students in geography.
(ii)
Examine the relationship between class size and
academic performance of students in geography.
(iii)
Examine the relationship between school population and
academic performance of students in geography.
(iv)
Examine the relationship that exist between the
opinion of male teachers and female teachers on the effect of class size on
students academic performance in geography.
Research Questions
(i)
What is the relationship between class size and
academic performance on students’ comprehension of geography?
(ii)
Does class size influence project execution in geography?
(iii)
Does class size have effect on the level of attention
in geography class?
(iv)
What influence does class size has on students scores
in geography?
Research Hypothesis
H01: There is no significant
relationship between the opinion of male and female teachers on students
academic performance in geography.
H02: There is no significant
relationship between class size and students academic performance in geography.
H03: There is no significant
relationship between the opinion of teachers and principals on the effects of
class size on academic performance of geography students.
H04: There is no significant
relationship between class size and students score in academic performance in
geography.
Scope of
the Study
This
research work focuses on the relationship between class size and student
academic achievement in geography using some selected secondary schools in Abeokuta – South Local
Government Area of Ogun State as a case study. This research work covers all
public secondary schools in Abeokuta
– South Local Government Area of Ogun State. However, five public secondary
schools will be used as a case study.
Significance of the Study
This study is important for several
reasons.
Firstly, the researcher believes that
this study will expose and enlighten the school administrators and teachers on
the negative and positive effects of class size on students academic
performance in geography in secondary school in Abeokuta – South Local Government.
Secondly, the suggestions offered in
this study will assist the educational authority in planning and administration
of the school curriculum, most especially in the area of evaluation of students
academic performance in geography.
Thirdly, this research work will lead
to further in-depth study on the impact of class size and school population on
the academic performance of students in Nigeria.
Lastly, it will serve as a
contribution to knowledge in the subject area. In this regard, it will be
useful for other researchers who might want to carry out research in related
areas.
Definition of Terms
Effects: This is the positive or negative
effect of class size.
Class size: The total number of students in
the class
Positive: This means the maximum number of
students that should be in the classroom.
Negative: This means the students has
increased above the maximum estimate.
Abeokuta –South: This is one of the twenty Local
Government Area of Ogun State.
Core Subject: This is one of the main subjects
in secondary school.
Classification:
This means the grouping of geography into different categories such as
physical, human, and regional geography.
Academic achievement: Knowledge
attained or skills developed in school subjects by test scores.
Secondary School: (also “high school”) is a
term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of
schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specific
age takes place. It follows elementary or primary education, and may be
followed by university (tertiary) education.
Over-crowding: This is when the number of students
in a particular class exceeds the standard of students – teacher ratio, as
specific by National Policy on Education, that is 1:40 (One teacher for forty
students in a class).
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