Education

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Browsing Education by Subject "Academic achievement -- Lusaka"

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    The relationship between extraversion-introversion and academic achievement in grade twelve pupils of selected schools in Lusaka
    (2011-06-30) Simukonda, Chendela Prisca
    Exploration of personality is important because academic achievement of the child cannot be understood from cognitive processes alone. Extraversion and introversion are important aspects of personality. Research studies (Riding, 1979; Open, 1976; Anthony, 1982; Elliot, 1972 and Finlayson, 1970) have indicated a relationship between extraversion-introversion and academic achievement. However in Zambia no studies have been done on the relationship between extraversion-introversion and academic achievement. It is in view of this, that this study investigated the relationship between extraversion introversion and academic achievement.The present method of assessment of pupils' academic achievement is based on pupils' perceptual and cognitive functioning that often ignore non-intellectual factors like extraversion and introversion. This has greatly contributed to poor assessment of pupils' academic achievement. This study therefore investigated the relationship between extraversion-introversion and academic achievement among grade twelve pupils of selected schools in Lusaka.The study objectives were to determine whether introverts performed academically better than extraverts in secondary schools in Lusaka region, to determine the relationship between extraversion-introversion and academic achievement and to ascertain the extent to which the relationship between in extraversion-introversion and academic achievement established in America,Britain and South Africa is the same as that found in Zambia. The three hypotheses of the study were that; introverts do not perform better than extraverts in selected secondary schools in Lusaka region, there is no significant relationship between extraversion-introversion and academic achievement and that, the relationship between extraversion-introversion and academic achievement in Zambia is the same as that found elsewhere.The sample consisted of 154 grade 12 boys and girls drawn from the four selected schools in Lusaka region. Two types of questionnaire were administered; one a self report measure on the seven factors of the extraversion trait and the other type for the teachers, which rated the same pupils on the same seven factors of the extraversion trait. Analysis of data using a prepared scoring guide identified introverts and extraverts. The academic achievement of the pupils was obtained from the average of the test results in English, Mathematics and Biology. Data were further analysed using a Statistical Computer Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Cross tabulations and the Person Chi-square test were used.Results showed that introverts were better academic achievers than extraverts.A relationship was found to exist between the personality trait of extraversionintroversion and academic achievement. This relationship agreed with the results of the researchers done elsewhere which indicated that introverts were better performers academically than extraverts. Lastly, among the recommendations made for both teachers and policy makers includes training classroom teachers in a manner that would enable them gain skill to identify introverts and extraverts so as to be more effective and that curriculum planners should take into consideration the individual differences of the pupils in a class as they design the teaching styles.
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    The role of self-concept in academic performance among Grade Eleven pupils
    (2011-06-13) Suliman, Safiye
    The purpose of this study was to explore the role of self-concept in academic performance among Zambian grade eleven pupils. The primary objective was to examine self-concept and academic performance in order to show how they contribute to the academic success and healthy personality development of students in Zambia. By means of purposive sampling, four schools were selected from Lusaka city. From each school, grade eleven pupils constituted the sample for the study. The sample consisted of 147 males and 106 females, yielding a total of 253 participants in the study. Data collection primarily involved the use of questionnaires and school records. The instrument used to measure self-concept was a modified version of the Canadian Self- Esteem Inventory. The inventory was answered using the 1-to 6 Likert-type scale, which also formed the basis for scoring. Pupils' academic performance was gauged from their performance in the grade ten final examinations. The school subjects of interest in this study were English, Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. In addition, a test of Raven's non-verbal cognitive ability was administered to two classes. Through statistical analyses, the following findings were revealed: (1) Boys were found to have a higher self-concept than girls, (2) Self-concept seems to be stronger related to academic performance more among girls than among boys, and (3) Raven's non-verbal cognitive ability revealed no statistically significant correlations with either self-concept or academic ability. In view of the above findings, the following recommendations were made: a. Teachers should emphasize fostering a positive self-concept in students from the onset of their academic years. The curriculum for teacher training in Zambia could include courses whereby teachers are taught how to instill positive attitudes in their students. It might be advisable that the curriculum for students includes "lifestyle education" whereby students are emotionally prepared for the Vlll challenges that they will encounter in the course of their development, with particular emphasis on adolescence. b. Educators should move away from promoting traditional stereotypes wherein males are encouraged to pursue academic goals and females are encouraged to pursue domestic goals. Teachers should engage in equal student interaction between boys and girls. c. Parents should complement teachers' efforts in eradicating the negative attitudes that girls have towards themselves. Since the self-concept of an individual begins to develop as soon as the individual interacts in society, parents should treat boys and girls equally. Girls should be encouraged as much as boys to excel academically, in an effort to produce positive role models for female students