factors affecting academic achievement, forget tsamwisi pdf

By FORGET TSAMWISI

FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO LOW ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN

CHEMISTRY: A CASE STUDY OF ‘O’ LEVEL KUWADZANA 1 AND 2

HIGH SCHOOLS.

Chapter 1: INTRODUCTIONChemistry is one of most essential subjects in every society as it influences the pace of the development in the country. The Ministry of Education encourages the teaching and learning of Chemistry subject in the country among other subjects. Though it cannot be denied that instructional pedagogical skills have their significance, the researcher believes that it is not satisfactory to blame the pedagogy for poor academic achievements and low enrolment of Chemistry students whom are willing to do the subject. The uptake of science learning in schools especially Chemistry and Physics has divided over years.

Background of the studyThis research sought to find out the factors that contributed to low academic achievement in Chemistry at two selected high schools namely Kuwadzana 1 and 2 HighSchool in Harare Metropolitan Province.

Attainment in science subjects has been low in Zimbabwe. Walberg (1995) pointed out that millennium and competitive world, technology has deeply brought some changes in the curricula. Many students are looking for various ways of improving their lives. Such concerns brought attention on whether pupils are taking advantage of the literacy world to improve their performance in Chemistry.Beside this background it is also important to analyse the influence of some of

pupils are taking advantage of the literacy world to improve their performance in Chemistry.Beside this background it is also important to analyse the influence of some of Chemistry.

Statement of the problemLow academic achievement in Chemistry subject has not been well explored nationwide in the whole country due to there is a death of information on why very few students proceed to study and urged in Science especially at tertiary institutions. Pass rate in Chemistry has been extremely lowthis shows that some pupils dropped out. This is despite the fact that Chemistry is of the most important subject on which a country’s development depends. This research, answers the questions why there is poor passrate in school in this subject and why the enrolment is small in Chemistry subject in respective schools.

Research questions1.What factor hinder “O” level academic improvement in Chemistry?

2.What is the pupils’ perception towards learning of Chemistry at “O” level?

3. What is the teacher’s perception towards learning Chemistry “O” level?

4. Does the school have enough laboratories and equipment?

Importance of the studyThe study is very important in the sense that, it would help teachers with the information about factors that contribute to low the pass rate of Chemistry so as to improve the subject.Carrying out this investigation also clarifies many issues, solves problems and answers the question that in the past made the progress theintegration in the schools uncertain. Furthermore, the results from this study will pave way for further research, for example one may want to investigate the importance of Chemistry subject in the nation.

AssumptionsThe following were assumptions of the study:The school heads, teachers and pupils will be willing to participate.

The schools have the laboratories, materials, chemicals and qualified Chemistry teachers.

The participated respondents will provide accurate responses without fear.

Delimitation of the studyThe study was done at two schools in Harare Urban Warren Marbelreign District namely Kuwadzana 1 and 2because they were the only schools in Harare that offered Chemistry.

Limitation of the study

Financial resources limited the copies of questionnaires to be printed and distributed to the respondents making the pool for information narrow.The researcher is a fulltime student at Bindura University Of Science Education and this limits the time allocation for visits to the two the research centres, that are Kuwadzana 1and 2 High Schools

Definition of key terms The following key terms are defined in this research were:Academic – means pertaining to the development of the mind and anything that occurs in a school www.dictionary.reference.com/../academic.

Achievement- refers to something accomplished successfully especially by means of exertion, skill, practice or perseverance www.A>Society>Social Sciences.

Questionnaire-is a way of getting information about a person by asking him/ her rather than watching his or her behaviour Haralamboos (1995).

B.U.S.E – stands for Bindura University of Science Education.UNICEF- United Nation International Children Education FundCurriculum – refers to the activities that a child experiences under the guidance of the teacher www.eduationscotland.gov.uk/thecur.

A pupil is a learner who is enrolled into an education programme www.sciencedaily.com/../pupil.htm.

SummaryThis chapter explains the statement of the problem, research questions and the importance of the study, delimitation and limitation of the study, definitions of terms and the assumptions.

Chapter 2: REVIEW OF LITERATUREThis chapter provides the literature review on low achievement of high schools learners in Chemistry. The purpose of this literature review is to outline the factors that contribute towards the poor academic achievement of Chemistry.

What is Chemistry?Chemistry is the science that deals with the composition and properties of substance and various elements of matter. This is the branch of science, which treats the composition of substance and of changes, which they undergo in consequence of alteration in the molecules, which depend upon variations of the numbers kind, or mode of arrangement of the constituent atoms. These atoms are not assumed indivisible, but merely the finest grade of subdivision hitherto attained Chemistry deals with the charges in the composition and constitution of molecules.( Byrne and Johnston, 1987)

Method of teaching ChemistryThe objective of this literature review is to show how the research has gone hand in hand with the development to produce materials for teaching and well above the level of alogarethemic manipulation and into the realm of creativity. Teaching chemistry include the following methods for the efficiency of the subject.

Pair of workThis involves pupils getting into groups of two to carry out an experiment. This method helps student to build up what they familiar

Demonstration This involves the teacher presenting the work on the chalkboard or carrying out an experiment showing the student how to deal with familiar problems.Demonstration experiment is an experiment or a teaching method that is done to show how something run, work or operates. With reference to http://en.wikipedia.org accessed 15 January 2014 at 2122 hours demonstration means to clearly show. It shows pupils how to test something or how something operates by scientific experiments. According to Gwarinda (1993) demonstration is a means of presenting materials visually and audibly to a class. Farrant (1988) also agrees that a more practical way of learning by imitation comes in the use of demonstration. Showing how it is done is a more effective way of teaching than describing how it is done. This is because the average student is more impressed by seeing rather than learning. However if demonstration is combined well with theory the presentations make a lasting impression and creates desire in learners.

 Demonstration involves showing by reason or proof, explaining or making clear by use of examples or experiments. In teaching through demonstration, students are set up to potentially conceptualize class material more effectively. Mwamwenda (1989;139) stated that “ according to the laws of exercise, the more a skill or body of information is practised, the more it will be mastered, applied and retained in memory ,” This implies that hands-on experience must be given to pupils so as to develop perfectly their psychomotor skills. Teachers not only demonstrate specific learning concepts within the classroom, they can also participate in demonstration classrooms to help improve their own teaching strategies, which may or may not be demonstrative in nature. Although theliterature is limited, studies show that the effects of demonstration classroom teachers includes a perspective in relating to students, more reflection in the teachers’ own classroom strategies, and more personal responsibility for student learning.

 Demonstration experiment is a type of policy or procedure based loosely on the experimental research design in schools or factories. It is carried out to demonstrate scientific principles usually in a surprising or entertaining way, thus motivating pupils so that they want to learn more and have a better understanding of the concepts taught. Many demonstration experiments are chosen for their combination of educational merit and entertainment value, which is often provided by dramatic phenomena such as explosion. Types are silent, guest, Teacher – pupil demonstration, Pupil – class demonstration.

Experiment This involves the teacher first demonstrating how the experiment carried out and asking student to repeat the same experiment.

Group workThis involves putting pupils in groups so that they can perform given a task which enables them to bring new ideas.

Explanations This involves the teacher emphasising on concept which student find difficult to understand.

Question and answersThis involves the teacher giving question or pupils asking question and both the teacher and pupils giving solutions to the question

Individuals workThis involves pupils tackling assigned tasks alone for examples all revision test, so that the teacher or rate each student performance.

Byrne and Johnstone, (1987) said that the role of science teacher is to teach pupils what science is, science do not need to take much account of pupils diversity in their classroom, because all pupils of a certain age and ability come to science lessons were much the same knowledge and understanding of interest in perceptions of and expectations of science.

Whenever science is taught, Philosophy, to some degree is also taught. Minimally, the teacher’s own epistemology or conception of science is conveyed in class. It will be argued that by making philosophy more explicit the goals of good technical science education can be advanced. Children will understand the subject better, and at the same time something of the greater cultural and epistemological dimension of science can be conveyed.

Chemistry syllabusIn 1962, a document containing the so-called alternative Chemistry syllabus for its use in Scottish schools was published, covering ‘O’ level. Alex Johnstone had made a major contribution to the development of this syllabus, which are alternatives in the sense that teachers could adopt them or remain with the traditional syllabus and examinations, if they wished. However, they caught the mood of the moment and most schools adopted quickly, allowing the traditional syllabus to be phased out.

A series of teaching units was developed by Reid for schools pupils described in Johnstone and Reid, (1979,1981b). Some of these were in problem format while involved the use of small groups. They were designed, among other things to take chemistry out of the classroom in a realistic way, and to developing of positive attitudes to Chemistry require critical thinking and risk taking (Johnstoneand Reid 1981).

 The traditional emphasis on context from examination perhaps can mean that pupils tend to see science as an impersonal body of knowledge to be learned rather than as co-operative activities when their knowledge, their skills and value judgement are important are relevant. Chemistry subject need discussion because it engaged in discussion with other develops critical thinking, Byrne and Johnstone (1986, 1987).

THEORETICAL FACTORS FOR THE FAILLING OF CHEMISTRY.Chemistry teaching can only be result oriented when students are willing and the teachers are favourably disposed suing the appropriate methods. Resource in teaching the pupils, with the current increase in scientific knowledge the world over, much demand is placed and emphasis is laid on teacher, the pupils, the curriculum and the environment in the whole process of teaching and learning of Chemistry.

“Among other factors that have been identified outcomes in Chemistry are poor method of instruction (Osuafor, 1999) teachers’ attitude (Aghaduno, 1992) laboratory an adequacy and the poor science background”( Adesoji,1999).

The effective behaviour on the classroom and strongly related to achievement and science attitude are learned, (George and Kaplan, 1998) the teacher plays a very important role during learning and they can directly or indirectly influence the student’s attitude towards science which in consequence can influence student’s achievement.

Student’s attitude towards learning Chemistry is a factor that has long attracted researcher .(Adesokan,2002) asserted that in spite of realisation of the recognition given to Chemistry among the science subject, it is evident that pupils still show negative attitude toward the Chemistry subject, thereby, leading to poor achievement and low enrolment.

The achievement of pupils in Chemistry is also reported to be casually influenced by the previous experience of the pupil in integrated science.A pupil cannot learn Chemistry effectively without giving through some experience an integrated science, ( Adesokan, 2002).

Other factors that may have casual’s relationship with pupil academic achievement in science articulacy, Chemistry includes teacher’s attitude at Chemistry workshop, laboratory adequacy, class size and school location. The fundamental problem that science teaching faces today is the question of how current, the professional teachers are. The majority of the teachers who have been employed in the past decades have been doing the same thing using the same strategies, and the same art of pedagogy. They have no knowledge of the current ideas and innovation that have taken place in the educational field since the recent past. What accounts for this is that teachers have not been given the opportunity for re-training, (Ogunbiyi, 2004). Teachers should be encouraged to go for workshop training in their area of specialization.             

Chapter 3METHODOLOGYThis chapter looks at how the research would be conducted, that is the research design, population and sample size, research instruments, data collection and analysis procedures. The use of questionnaires and interviews would be justified by looking at advantage and disadvantage of each.

Research designA research design could be defined as a ‘plan, blueprint or guide for data collection and interpretation, set of rules that enable to conceptualise and observe the problem under study’’ (Adams .1985:103). According to Cooper and Schindler (2003), ‘Research design is a plan and structure of investigations so conceived so as to obtain answers to research questions. Stubbs (2006) states that a research design is a plan, structure or strategy of investigation so as to obtain answers of the research questions. He further emphasised that a good research design should satisfy objectivity, relativity, reliability, validity and generalisation of findings.

 The research design is a compressive master plan of the research studies undertaken, giving a general statement of methods to be used. The function of a research design is to ensure that requisite data is in accordance with the problem at hand is collected accurately and economically. Simply stated, it is the framework, a blueprint for research study which guides the collection and analysis of data.

An investigation would undertake by assessing the problems both teachers and pupils encounter in the teaching and learning of Chemistry. The study would involve obtaining information on factors that contribute to academic achievement in Chemistry. The research would employ the qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis. The questionnaires will be administered for pupil to fill.

Population and sample sizeThe population used in this study was more about 120 pupils from these two schools. Kuwadzana 1&2 High Schools selected from samples size of 200 pupils.

Sampling procedure

The sample size consists 120 pupil from ‘O’ level in the of education. The research used the stratified sampling technique to select the sample size. The population was divided in three different strata based on the level of education

Questionnaire methodFor data collection questionnaires were used. According to Haralambos, (1995) a questionnaire is a way or method of getting information about a person by asking him rather than watching his behaviour. In this research 2sets of questionnaire were used, one for the teacher and the other one for the pupils. The questionnaire techniques are often used in many educational researchers because it’s usefulness in collecting both open and closed ended questions or information from a wide spread sample. Walberg, (1995) identified other merits of questionnaire that are; the same questionnaire could be used for a large number of pupil. When the pupils fill the questionnaire, the researcher will give them the chance to work on their own pace at their convenience.

The use of the questionnaire as a research instrument has been justified for the following advantages. Respondents can comfortably express their own views and feelings. This is because the questionnaire affords the chance of respondents would remain anonymous since the names of the respondents were not been given. On the questionnaire, the open-ended questions permitted free response. The respondent gave a wide range of responses.

TSAMWISI FORGET

The Yes/No student questionnaireThe questionnaire asked students to put yes/no to a given problem. The questionnaire provides information on sex, age, level of education and total number of lessons per week. Students were asked to mention any problem experienced in learning Chemistry.

Research instrumentThe researcher used one instrument during the research which was the questionnaire.The teachers’ questionnaireThe teacher’s questionnaire sought information about sex, teaching experience, highest qualification and teacher’s load per week. It was also similar to the pupil’s questionnaires asks the respondents to write yes/ no to a given problem.

At last, there would give possible solutions to improve the academic achievements in Chemistry.

Validation of questionnaireThis was done through administering the questionnaire to six students at Kuwadzana 1 high school to test how long it takes to complete the questionnaire and to check that all questionnaires are clear and the research to move the items, which do not yield usable data. The researcher revised and corrects the questionnaire then printed the final copy and submitted it to the respondent.

Data collectionThe research made some pre-contents with the head and the teacher a week before to explain the purpose and the importance of the study. The researcher also agreed with the school head that the information would not be made available to anyone else. After the agreement with the head, the questionnaire was distributed to the pupils with the help of teachers. The researcher made the following opinion for the questionnaire after an hour and then data was analysed.

Data presentation and analysis procedureData analysis is a process of organising and scrutinising data in such a way that the research question could be answered. The data gathered was structured to produce knowledge. The data obtained using questionnaire and combined to come up with an extensive explanation of the facts on the field. The teacher’s ideas were merging with those of pupils to come up with an analysis of the problem statement.

The data was presented by using appropriate data presentation methods of tables and graphs, after that, the data become easier to manipulate and explain. The factors that contribute to a poor academic achievement in Chemistry and the enrolment were also determined using frequency tables with percentages.

TSAMWISI FORGET

SUMMARYThis chapter explained the research design and pointed out the research instruments used, citing the advantage in this research. Data collection and analysis methods wereoutlined.

REFERENCESAdesokan, C.O. (2002). Student attitude and gender as determinants of performance in Jss integrated science. Project of chemistry of Nigeria.Adeyegbe,S.O. (2005).In search of indices for measuring the standard of education: a need for a shift in paradigm a special seminar by West Africa Examination Council. Lagos

A.O. Aremu, & D.A. Oluwole, Gender and birth order as predictors of normal pupil’s anxiety pattern in examination. Ibadan Journal of Educational Studies, 1, (1), 2001, 1-

 Byrne, M.S and Johnstone A.H. (1987), Can critical mindedness be taught? ,Education in chemistry 24,75-77Faroubi, M. (1998) .Resource concentration, utilisation and management correlates of student?Learning outcomes: A study in school quality of Oyo State. Thesis University of Ibadan

 Federal Republic of Nigeria National Policy on Education.(Revised Edition). Lagos: Federal Ministry of Education. 2004. Morakinyo, Relative efficacy of systematic desensitization, self statement monitoring and flooding on subjects test anxiety. Unpublished PhD. Thesis.University of Ibadan. 2003

 George, R .and Kaplan,M.D.(1998).A structural model of parent and teacher influence on student’s attitude of chemistry subject . Evidence from NELS: 88 Science 82(1) 93-109

Greenbaum, T.L. (1993) the handbook for Focus Group Research.Newyork: Lexington books.Haralambos .M. and Holborn.M.(1995). Sociology, themes and persepective, fourth edition, London, Collins Educational.Kotler,C.R 1985. Research Methodology-Methods and Techniques,NewDelhi,WileyEasten LimitedKumar and Ranjit, 2005 Research Methodology- a Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners, second edition.Singapore, Pearson Education.Oguibiyi, O.(2004). New challenges in the methodologies of teaching, a case of in –science programme for school teachers in Elaturoti, F and Babarinde K (eds) teachers mandate on education and social development in Nigeria.

Osuafor ,A.M . (1999).Extent of research finding on structural strategies in science education. Journal of science teachers association of Nigeria’s:34 (1 and 3) 102-112

O. AAremu, & B. O. Sokan, A multi-causal evaluation of academic performance of Nigerian learners: issues and implications for national development. Department of Guidance and Counseling, University of Ibadan, Ibadan. 2003.

 P. O. Adesemowo, Premium on affective education: panacea for scholastic malfunctioning and aberration. 34th Inaugural Lecture, OlabisiOnabanjo University. Ago-Iwoye: OlabisiOnabanjo University Press. 2005

 Raimi, S.M. (2002): Problem-solving techniques and laboratory skills as supplement to laboratory teaching in senior secondary school student’s learning of volumetric analysis. Thesis University of Ibadan, Lagos

Slavin,R.E (1986), Educational Psychology, England Educational Research Open University.Welberg,H, and Fraizer,B. (1995) Improving Science Educational.Chicago,N,S.S.

Chapter 4: Data analysis and interpretation  Introduction A total of 50 questionnaires were distributed amongst Chemistry students at two high schools in Harare Urban in Harare Metropolitan Province. The questionnaires were also supplied to teachers. Each school was assigned a letter of the alphabet for easy handling of data. Kuwadzana 1 and 2 were corded Y and Z respectively. Frequency tables and bar charts were used to present the data. Descriptions of collected data on factors faced by both students and teachers in teaching and learning of Chemistry are shown on the table.

The below tables shows the percentage pass rate of Chemistry in two schools namely Z and YFig 1.1

The below tables shows the percentage pass rate of Chemistry in two schools namely Z and YFig 1.1

SCHOOL YEAR PERCENTAGE PASS

Z   2007 0

  2008 0

  2009 0

  2010 0

  2011 0

    2012 0

    0

Y 2007 3

  2008 0

  2009 0

  2010 18

  2011 0

  2012 0

The below tables shows the percentage pass rate of Chemistry in two schools namely Z and YFig 1.1