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THE EFFECT OF LEARNING
ENVIRONMENT ON STUDENT PERFORMANCE
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Education is the most important component of human resources
development and is accorded a pride of place in many countries‟ developmental
activities. There is no doubt that the importance of education cannot be
underscored because there is no country that has succeeded without educating
its people. Education according to Osokoya (2009) helps to improve security,
health, prosperity and ecological balance in the world. It encourages social,
economic and cultural progress, tolerance, national and international
cooperation. Akomolafe (2009) describes education as a single most effective
means of curbing population growth, reducing child mortality, eradicating
poverty and ensuring democracy, peace and sustainable development.
Education is an instrument for the acquisition of appropriate
skills, ability and competence both mental and physical also as equipment for
individual to live and contribute to the development of his/her society (Lawal,
2003). Also, in the views of Usha (2007) it is the process of teaching and
training of the child which has to do with imparting and acquisition of skills
for a particular trade or profession in which applicable methods are used.
From what has been viewed as education by different
authorities based on their own perceptions, we can say that education is a
process by which an individual acquires physical and social capabilities
demanded by the society in which he/she is born into in order to be useful to
him/her and contribute to the development of the society at large.
The primary purpose of teaching and learning process is to
bring about in the learner desirable change in behaviour through critical
thinking. This process however, does not take place in vacuum but in an
environment structured to facilitate learning. OECD (Organization for Economic
Co-operation and Development) (2009) described learning environment as a
physical space that supports multiple and diverse teaching learning programmes
including current technologies, one that demonstrates optimal, promotes
effective performance and operation over time; one that respects and is in
harmony with the environment; and one that encourages social participation,
provide a healthy, comfortable, safe, secure and stimulating setting for its
occupants.
Thus, learning environment has also been emphasized as an
essential requirement for smooth teaching and learning process to take place
(National Teachers‟ Institute, NTI 2008). This is because students‟ study
habits are to a large extent tied to it. A good learning environment presents
learning as a lifelong enterprise and enables students to discover appropriate
value system that can be their compass for self-awareness and national
consciousness. The study conducted by Akhtar (2010) on public school in Islamabad
Pakistan revealed that teaching through technology based learning environment
enhanced the achievement level of the students.
However, the societal expectation of quality outputs from the
training institution makes students the primary focus of attention in any
instructional programme, and the better the learning environment (school), the
better it can meet the goals of education and the society in general. Such
goals include equipping students with desirable skills, knowledge and attitudes
that will enable them to work and live in the society of knowledge (National
Policy on Education, 2004). Teachers are expected to make teaching the
learners‟ cantered and create enabling environment for students to interact
with learning materials in order to concretize their knowledge and skills so
that they can become self-confident and self-reliant, and contribute
meaningfully to the socio-economic development of the society.
There is a general believe that the condition of school‟s
learning environment including infrastructure has an important impact on
teachers‟ effectiveness and students‟ academic performance. The facilities that
are needed to facilitate effective teaching and learning in an educational
institution include the classrooms, offices, laboratories, conveniences and
other buildings as well as furniture items and sporting equipment. Comfortable
classroom temperature and
smaller classes enhance teachers‟ effectiveness and provide
opportunities for students to receive more individual attention, ask more
questions, participate more fully in discussions, reduce discipline problems
and perform better than students in schools with substandard buildings by
several percentage points (Earthen, 2002). According to Mitchell (2008) the
environment in which you study can have a big effect on how efficient your
study time is. He identified noise, interruptions, lighting, temperature,
neatness, comfort, instructional materials, facilities such buildings and
equipment to have potential effect on study habits.
However, to determine performance of students in any of the
subjects offered in junior secondary schools, a performance test is to be
conducted. Singer (2001) described performance test as the type of mental test
in which the subject is asked to do something rather than to say something.
Again, Drever (2002) mentioned that performance test is the type of test which
throws light on the ability to deal with things rather than symbols. Then, for
academic performance of students, it can be regarded as the observable and
measurable behaviour of a student in a particular situation. For example, the
academic performance of a student in social studies includes observable and
measurable behaviour of student at any point in time during a course. In social
studies academic performance consists of individual scores at any particular
time obtained from either a teacher- made test or a standardized test. This
statement is synonymous to the views of Simpson
and Weiner (2009)
who described academic
performance as the
observable and measureable behaviour of a person and animal
in a particular situation usually experimental situation. According to Bruce
and Neville (2005) academic performance measures the aspect of behaviour that
can be observed at a specific period. This can be obtained with the use of
either teacher-made test or standardized achievement test developed for school
subjects.
Social studies as one of the core subjects in junior
secondary school curriculum in Nigeria represents one of the modern curricular
arrangements which focuses on interdisciplinary study that seeks to solve the
complex problems of man in totality. The idea of introducing social studies as
a subject in Nigeria came up before the civil war, when the social development
of Nigerians could no longer cope with the level of colonial destructions. This
situation led to indiscipline among youths and adults.
To minimize this and socialize the citizens in such a way as
to build a strong, united and discipline Nigeria, the type of education that
will help the citizens to know more about the society became very important.
Social studies sees the need for students to be given the necessary information
for enlightenment, to be taught to have respect for law and order, to
appreciate the need to be honest and diligent and to cooperate in their
community. NERDC (Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council) (2009)
has identified the following as objectives of social studies as to help
individuals understand their
environment, find out its problems and be able to solve the
problems; to help individuals to understand the importance of hard work and
honesty within the society; to acquaint individuals with the knowledge to
understand the laws of our country and be able to obey them; to help citizens
understand the importance of cooperating with our family, peer group and
leaders; to help individuals understand the needs of our nation and think of
ways in which they can carefully contribute to its growth and development; to
help individuals understand the wealth of their culture and find ways in which
they can use the past and present experience to plan and improve the quality of
lives; to help individuals understand the usefulness of being good citizens in
our country (Nigeria); to help individuals learn, acquire useful skills, habits
and attitudes towards each other and the nation; to make individuals appreciate
and understand the role of races, religions and cultures of the world; to
enable individuals acquire desirable skills in order to solve our environmental
problems and to train citizens to understand one another, tolerate one another
despite their differences.
In a different opinion of Davis (2002), one important purpose
of social studies is helping young people to develop the ability to make
informed and reasoned decisions for the public good as citizen of culturally
diverse democratic society in an independent world. Okonkwo (2000:p.12-13) has
identified general objectives of social studies education as creation of
awareness in the learners about their immediate surroundings; development of
specific fundamental dispositions such
as attitudes, values and norms of the society; promotion of
effective and active citizens; promotion of understanding of social problems of
the locality and finding possible solutions to them; helping the learners to
develop the right attitudes towards people in position of authority; creation
of understanding of individual roles during election especially on how to
discharge his/her duties efficiently; and demonstration of flexibility and
willingness to accept necessary changes within a system for the common good of
all.
From the above stated objectives of social studies education,
it can be said without missing words that the subject can enable learners to
become nationally conscious, better informed and effective citizens. It can
inculcate national unity; imbibe the right type values and attitudes for self
and national survival and the acquisition of necessary skills, abilities and
competencies which individuals need in order to be able to contribute to
national development.
Meanwhile, social studies is one of the core subjects in
Nigerian junior secondary schools education. Thus, secondary education is the
pivot around which the development of the nations‟ economy revolves. It is the
engine room that provides the input resources into the nations‟ economy and
higher (tertiary) education production system. Thus, National Policy on
Education (2004) described secondary education as the education children
receive after primary education and before the tertiary stage; the broad goals
of secondary education
shall be to prepare the individual for: a useful living
within the society, a higher education.
However, it went further and stated in specific term that,
secondary education shall provide all primary leavers with the opportunity for
education of higher level irrespective of sex, social status, religious or
ethnic background; offer diversified curriculum to cater for the differences in
talents, opportunity and further roles; provide trained manpower in the applied
science, technology and commerce at sub-professional grades; develop and
promote Nigerian languages, arts and cultural heritage; inspire its students
with a desire for self- improvement and achievement of excellence; foster
national unity with an emphasis on the common ties that unite us in our
diversity; rise a generation of people who can think for themselves, respect
the views and feelings of others, respect the dignity of labour, appreciate
those values specified under our broad national goals and live as god citizens
and provide technical knowledge and vocational skills necessary for
agriculture, industrial, commercial and economic development.
Finally, it is obvious that secondary education is important
and necessary for the survival of individuals and the society at large. Broadly
speaking, secondary education prepares individuals for useful living within the
society and prepares the individuals for higher education.
Therefore, the researcher being a teacher, has been motivated
to conduct this research on learning environment because of what is considered
as deplorable conditions of the learning environment especially the physical
aspects in spite of its unquantifiable roles in facilitating teachers‟
instructional delivery and students‟ academic performance. Thus, this study
closely looked at the learning environment especially the physical facilities
in Lagos State and seen its impact on
the performance of students in social studies in junior secondary schools.
However, for the purpose of this study, only the physical learning environment
was considered.
1.2 Statement of the
Problem
It has been observed in the recent past that secondary
schools in Nigeria are not living up to expectation in delivering quality
education expected of the system. A lot of problems seem to be bedevilling the
secondary school system ranging from inadequate facilities, old and dilapidated
structures, inadequate instructional materials and unqualified teachers there
by making the system ineffective (Wanjobi, 2011). Schools need to be effective
so as to be able to deliver the good things expected of them at every point in
time. School effectiveness in this context refers to the extent to which
schools are able to accomplish their pre-determined objectives. School
effectiveness transcends beyond students passing examinations. It also
encompasses students‟ attainment
in other domains of learning (the affective and the
psychomotor domains) (Bandele, 2002). He further stated that, these other
domains, apart from having influence on the cognitive achievement, also make
the beneficiaries of the education system live a fulfilled life and contribute
meaningfully to the development of the society.
However, it has indeed, been observed today that there is
persistent poor performance of students in both internal and external
examinations. Researchers such as Yusuf (2002) and Adeyemi (2008) have all
shown in their various studies that the extent of poor performance of students
in public examination has no doubt made parents lost confidence in the ability
of the public schools to produce good products.
Experience has shown that there is a high rate of
indiscipline in secondary schools. It has also been observed that lateness to
school, absence from school, noise-making, quarrelling, rudeness to school
authority, deliberate physical harm to others, forgery, cheating in examination
and a host of others, are daily happenings in our secondary Schools. All these
tend to make the schools ineffective. According to Oladele (2003) the evidence
of students‟ moral paucity are more conspicuously seen as high crime in the
society and that of the institutions of learning. He further posited that the
root cause of these moral laxities translating in higher crime waves is
traceable to the non-teaching of ethics, when the students are at the primary
schools.
Adewuyi (2002) submitted that conducive learning environment
can have effect on both the attitudes and achievement of students. He further
added that a positive learning environment is found to be a very important
factor of school effectiveness. Therefore, it is against this background
information that the researcher examined the Impact of Learning Environment on
the Performance of Students in Social Studies in Junior Secondary Schools in
Lagos State
1.3 Objectives of the
Study
The following are the objectives of the study:
1. determine the
impact of classroom
building on the
performance of students in junior
secondary schools in Lagos State.
2. determine the
impact of adequate class furniture on the performance of students in junior
secondary schools in Lagos State.
3. ascertain the
impact of small
class population on
the performance of students in junior secondary schools in
Lagos Stata.
4. ascertain the
impact of the use of
instructional materials on the
performance of students in junior secondary schools in Lagos State.
1.4 Research
Questions
The following questions are raised with regard to this
research:
1. what is the
impact of classroom building on the performance of students in junior secondary
schools in Lagos State?
2. what is the
impact of the provision of adequate class furniture on the performance of
students in junior secondary schools in Lagos
State?
3. what is
the impact of
small class population
on the performance
of students in junior secondary schools in Lagos State?
4. what is the
impact of the use of instructional materials on the performance of students in
junior secondary schools in Lagos State?
1.5 Research
Hypotheses
The following are the research hypotheses:
1. There is no
significant difference in the performances of students taught social studies in
classroom buildings and those in dilapidated buildings in Lagos State.
2. There is no
significant difference in the performances of students taught social studies in
class with adequate furniture and those without furniture in Lagos State.
3. There is no
significant difference in the performances of students taught social studies in
a small class population and those in a large class population in Lagos State.
4. there is no
significant difference in the performances of students taught social studies
using instructional materials and those taught without instructional materials
in Lagos State.
1.6 Basic Assumptions
The following assumptions are raised with regard to this
research:
1. classroom
building can stimulate and facilitate effective learning and help to improve
students‟ performance.
2. classroom with
adequate furniture can create a conducive condition for students to learn and
can positively influence their performance.
3. classroom with
small population creates undistracted and noise free environment that allows
effective learning to take place which in turn can improve students‟
performance.
4. use of
instructional materials such as picture, map, chart and so on can positively
affect students‟ performance.
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