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Agriculture Project Topics

The Influence of Home Background on Academic Achievement in Agricultural Science of Senior Secondary School Students in Agricultural Science in Markurdi Local Government

The Influence of Home Background on Academic Achievement in Agricultural Science of Senior Secondary School Students in Agricultural Science in Markurdi Local Government

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The Influence of Home Background on Academic Achievement in Agricultural Science of Senior Secondary School Students in Agricultural Science in Markurdi Local Government

Chapter One

ย Purposeย ofย theย Study

Generally, the purpose of the study was to find out the influence of home backgroundย on studentsโ€™ academic achievement in Agricultural Science among senior secondary school students in Markurdi local government.

Specifically,ย theย purposeย ofย theย studyย isย toย findย out:

  1. The influence of parental level of education on academic achievement in Agricultural Science of senior secondary school
  2. The influence of parental occupation on studentsโ€™ academic achievement in Agricultural Science.
  3. The influence of parental income on studentsโ€™ academic achievement in Agricultural Science.
  4. The influence of family size on studentsโ€™ academic achievement in Agricultural Science.
  5. The influence of parental motivation on studentsโ€™ academic achievement in Agricultural Science.

CHAPTERย TWOย 

REVIEWย OFย LITERATURE

ย Conceptual Frameworkย Conceptย ofย Family

Family has been described at the smallest, most personal and not intimate of socialย groups. It is the most important primary group and the smallest social unit in the society.ย Odo (1990:10) defined family as โ€œa social group sharing a common residence and co-ย operatingย economicallyโ€.ย Theย authorย wentย furtherย toย assertย thatย the institutionsย of theย family is usually based on the marriage of one or more sexually co-habiting couples andย usuallyย thereย isย theย expectationย ofย havingย childrenย forย whomย theย adultsย ofย theย familyย acceptย responsibility.ย Alioย (1995)ย observedย thatย theย familyย isย alsoย theย mostย personalย social organization, for nothing is more personal than the interaction and relationship betweenย members of a family.ย He furtherย said that married couple without children, though boundย by the strongest personal ties do not constitute a family for such ties can conceivably existย amongย couplesย whoย areย notย married.ย Forย him,ย whatย givesย aย familyย itsย characterย areย children,ย forย onlyย inย suchย aย familyย canย thatย intimate,ย personalย relationshipย beย establishedย by which the family can perform its functionsย of rearing, protecting and educating theย children,ย transmittingย toย themย theย socialย valuesย itย hasย inheritedย andย aย specialย bondย between all the members. This kind of family setting is similar to the Nigerian traditionalย idea of family. Traditionally, it is believed that it is the children that cement the union of aย man and a woman together and makes it a lasting and a intimate one. The primary aim ofย thisย unionย isย procreation.

Family can be classified into nuclear and extended form. Nuclear family is basicย form of family organization. It is made up of the father (husband), mother (wife) andย children. The children may be the biological offspring; of the couple or/and the adoptedย members of theย family.ย According to Okaforย (1992),ย theย adoptionย of aย child into theย family is aย commonย cultureย inย theย Britishย society,ย butย less soย inย Nigerianย society.ย Heย addedย thatย nuclearย familyย isย foundย commonย amongย theย urbanย cityย elitesย inย Nigerianย society or as a component inย bothย extended,ย nuclearย andย compoundย family inย Nigerianย ruralย areas.ย The author maintainedย thatย one of the characteristics ofย theย nuclearย family isย that is tends to break up when the children marry, when the parents die or at any point inย humanย cycle.ย Accordingย toย him,ย theย maleย raisedย inย aย nuclearย familyย usuallyย beginsย hisย lifeย inย houseย holdย headedย byย hisย parentsย andย concludedย hisย lifeย inย aย familyย thatย heย himselfย heads.

Extended family is the type of family that comprises of theย fatherย (husband)ย hisย wifeย (mother),ย theirย children,ย theย husbandsย andย theย wifeโ€™sย relationsย etc.ย Alioย (1995)ย pointed out that the extended system is a dispersal version of the jointย family and theย members of the constituent groups do not all live together in one dwelling. To him, theย extendedย kin-groupย includesย aย spanย ofย threeย orย fourย generationsย withinย theย totalย householdย orย closelyย adjacentย households.ย Theย extendedย familyย systemย isย commonlyย aย characteristics of most African society. Many Nigerian societies do not believe in nuclearย familyย butย inย modernย times,ย urbanizationย andย economicย pressuresย areย discouragingย extended family ties. However, extended family system is the popular and most commonย typeย of family arrangementย inย theย Nigerianย society.ย Anybodyย whoย failsย toย practiceย orย showย interestย inย theย extendedย relationsย isย regardedย asย aย wickedย andย hopelessย humanย beingย byย membersย ofย theย society.

Conceptย ofย Home background

Home backgroundย playsย aย very bigย roleย onย aย childโ€™s life.ย Home backgroundย refers to all the objects, forces and conditions in the family which influence the childย physically, intellectually and emotionally (Muola 2010). Children coming from differentย home backgroundsย areย affectedย differentlyย byย suchย variationsย andย thatย isย whyย someย children have good home background while the home background of others are poor.ย Citing Fleege, Eke (1999) noted that with some families, the background may vary fromย time to time for theย same individuals.ย The author further statedย thatย because it is parentsย who are primarily responsible for establishing the family and exercise control over it, theyย are responsible for the type of home background that exists. This means that parentalย attitudesย areย veryย importantย inย promotingย healthyย home background,ย andย healthyย family backgroundย isย possibleย whenย parentsย adaptย toย theย culturallyย definedย rolesย ofย parentsย toย theย needsย ofย theย changingย youngย generation.

Conceptย of Achievement

Achievementย couldย beย seenย asย somethingย whichย wasย carriedย outย successfully.ย Itย isย a product of effort or series of efforts. Achievement is usually good but in most casesย difficult. Eze (2009) described achievement as something which has been accomplishedย successfully,ย especiallyย by meansย ofย exertion,ย skillย practiceย orย perseverance.ย Sheย seesย achievement as a test for the measurement and comparison of skills in various fields ofย academicย study.ย Ifeakoย (1999.30)ย regardsย achievementย asย aย changeย inย behaviourย exhibitedย at the end of a given period of time or within a given time range. Nwagu 1992:71) cited inย Ezeย (2009)ย definedย achievementย asย โ€œaย systematicย andย purposefulย quantificationย ofย learningย outcomesโ€.ย Heย explainedย thatย achievementย involvesย theย determinationย ofย theย degreeย ofย attainmentย onย individualsย inย tasks,ย coursesย orย programmesย ofย whichย theย individualsย wereย sufficientlyย exposed.

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Achievementย testsย resultย inย academicsย haveย manyย functionsย whichย include:ย toย enable us determine the relative position or rank of individual student with respect to theirย test performance. It also enables us to obtain information on the extent to which a studentย hasย attainedย theย criterionย performance.

Students, teachers, parents and the entire society are much concerned about theย academicย achievementย ofย students.

 

CHAPTERย THREEย 

RESEARCHย METHOD

This chapter discusses the procedure that is adopted in carrying out this study. Itย focuses on the research design, area of the study, population of the study, sample andย samplingย technique,ย instrumentย forย dataย collection,ย validationย ofย theย instrument,ย reliabilityย ofย theย instrument,ย methodย ofย dataย collectionย andย methodย of dataย analysis.

ย Researchย Design

The study was carriedย out using ex-post factoย method inย examiningย the influenceย of home background on studentโ€™s academic achievement in senior secondary schools inย Markurdi local government.ย Ex-postย factoย researchย designย accordingย Ngwaguย (2005)ย isย aย systematicย empiricalย inquiryย inย whichย theย researcherย doesย notย haveย directย controlย onย independent variables because they are inherently not easy to manipulate. The purpose ofย ex-post facto research design is to find out factors that seem to be closely associated withย certainย behaviours,ย occurrences,ย prevalenceย orย conditions.ย Ex-postย factoย designย isย considered suitable for this study because it is practical and versatile.ย The design enablesย the researcher to collect original data from the respondents themselves and describes theย presentย conditionsย asย theyย existย inย theirย naturalย familyย settings.

ย Populationย ofย theย Study

Theย populationย ofย theย studyย consistsย ofย allย theย seniorย secondaryย classย twoย (SSย 2)ย studentsย inย fiftyย threeย publicย secondaryย schoolsย inย Markurdi local government.ย Theseย fiftyย threeย schools have a population of seven thousand, Nine hundred and forthy five (7945) ss2ย students.ย theseย schoolsย areย distributedย across three Local Government according to the statistical records available in the Postย Primaryย Schoolsย Managementย Boardย (PPSMB)ย Markurdiย Zoneย –ย seeย appendixย forย details.

CHAPTERย FOURย 

DATA ANALYSIS AND RESULTS

Inย thisย chapter,ย dataย wereย presentedย onย theย basisย ofย theย researchย questionsย andย hypothesesย thatย guidedย theย study.

 

CHAPTERย FIVE

DISCUSSIONย ANDย INTERPRETATIONย OFย RESULT

ย Discussionย ofย theย Findings

The findings of this study are discussed and compared with empirical studies doneย previously by other researchers. These discussions are carried out based on the issuesย relevantย withย theย researchย questionย andย nullย hypothesesย thatย guidedย theย study.

Influenceย ofย parentalย levelย ofย educationย on studentsโ€™ academic achievement in Agricultural Science.

The focus of this research questionย was toย establish the influenceย of parental levelย ofย educationย on studentsโ€™ academic achievement in Agricultural Science.ย Theย resultย ofย theseย findingsย asย summarizedย inย tableย 1 (one)ย showedย thatย studentsย (respondents)ย overwhelminglyย agreeย thatย parentalย levelย ofย educationย isย aย contributoryย factorย inย studentsโ€™ย academicย achievement.ย The findings of this study tendย toย agreeย withย the opinions expressedย byย Onochie and Okpalla (1985) that educational level of parents which is an indicator ofย socio-economicย status has directย influence on childโ€™s value andย academicย achievement inย the school. The scholars further maintained that children from illiterate families may learnย littleย orย nothingย fromย homeย thatย canย helpย themย toย developย interestย inย academics.

Theย resultย ofย theย studyย alsoย indicatesย thatย educatedย parentsย provideย conduciveย atmosphereย forย studiesย atย home.ย Thisย isย inย lineย withย Qecaย (1980)ย whoย assertedย thatย childrenย fromย literateย familiesย whereย parentsย provideย atmosphereย conduciveย forย theย formationย ofย goodย studyย habitย areย inย betterย chanceย ofย performingย wellย inย schools.ย Again theย resultย alsoย agreesย withย Izunduย (2005)ย whoย assertedย thatย thereย isย significantย relationship between the level of parentsโ€™ education and the academic achievement of theย students. Again, Gary (2001) said that the importance of parental level of education toย academic achievement of students cannot be over emphasized. Accordingly the scholar,ย studentsย fromย professionalย andย toย aย lessย extentย managerialย occupationalย backgroundsย exhibitย higherย academicย performance.

Educationalย Implicationย ofย theย Findingsย ofย theย STUDY

The findings of this study have some implications for the parents, students and theย teachers.

The first hypothesis revealed that students from educated parents perform better inย academicsย thanย studentsย fromย uneducatedย parents.ย Thisย phenomenonย isย asย aย resultย ofย intellectualย stimulationย andย directย involvementย ofย educatedย parentsย inย theirย childrenโ€™sย education.ย Thisย helpsย studentsย fromย suchย backgroundย performย betterย thanย thoseย fromย uneducatedย parents.

Thisย phenomenonย canย beย correctedย byย stimulatingย schoolย environmentย andย teachersโ€™ positive reinforcement strategy which can compensate for non stimulating andย negativeย reinforcementย prevalentย inย anย uneducatedย families.ย Forย studentsย fromย uneducatedย families,ย thisย schoolย situationย aidsย toย maintainย theย sameย homeย conduciveย atmosphereย forย academicย careerย andย facilitatesย learningย andย academicย achievement.

Another major finding revealed that students from parents of high income statusย posses mostย of the necessary materials forย theirย learning,ย unlikeย students from parents ofย lowย incomeย status.ย Thisย isย anย indicationย thatย childrenย comeย toย schoolย fromย differentย backgroundย andย theseย backgroundsย presentsย theirย ownย problemsย forย theย children.ย Theย teacherย havingย realizedย thisย conditionย shouldย beย consciousย whenย dealingย withย theย students. Students who came from low income class parents should not be mocked orย compared with their counterpart from high income status parents when they failed to meetย upย inย providingย mostย ofย theย materialsย neededย forย theirย studies.ย Ifย suchย comparisonย occursย the students from low income status parents would feel inferior and that will affect theirย academicย performanceย theย more,ย andย mayย evenย leadย toย theย exhibitionย ofย abnormalย behaviourย trait.

Allย theย aboveย factsย notย withstanding,ย moreย effortsย areย stillย requiredย fromย theย parents, especially fromย the lowย incomeย group in ensuring thatย adequate facilities areย providedย forย theย students.ย Studentsย fromย lowย incomeย parentsย requiresย virtuesย like dedication,ย honesty,ย determination,ย integrityย andย toleranceย toย pursueย theirย careerย byย making use of school facilities during and after school hours to enable them attain highย academicย performance.

Findings of the study also revealed that parental motivation is one of the majorย determinants of studentsโ€™ academic achievement. Therefore, the need for parents to learnย how to encourage their children cannot be overemphasized. There is equally the need forย parents to be involved in the teaching-learning process of their children, particularly thisย periodย whereย mostย ofย theย studentsย comeย toย schoolย fromย theirย respectiveย homes.

Thereย isย alsoย theย needย forย teachersย toย beย moreย motivationalย inย theirย teaching.ย Thisย is possibleย whenย they vary their method of teaching and teaching aids to takeย cognizanceย ofย theย individualย differencesย inherentย inย theย studentsย fromย theirย differentย home backgrounds. Teachers can ameliorate through filling the parental motivational needs byย individualizing instruction and taking special interest in the slow learners who suffer fromย deficientย parentalย motivationalย pattern.

Another vitalย implication fromย this study is thatย schoolย authoritiesย should try toย avoidย groupingย orย streamingย theย schoolย childrenย especiallyย accordingย toย abilityย andย intelligence.ย Sinceย theย studentย comeย fromย differentย home background,ย thereย isย everyย tendency that they differ in many respects. To have balanced and competitive class, theย students should be randomly distributed, avoiding grouping intelligent ones one side andย dullย onesย theย otherย side.

Thisย studyย equallyย impliesย thatย thereย isย aย greaterย needย forย moreย literacyย andย awarenessย campaignย thanย beforeย toย awakenย illiterateย parentsย andย instillย awarenessย inย literate parents who seem to attach much importance to education. The programme shouldย beย extendedย toย ruralย areasย whereย itย isย neededย most.

ย Recommendations

Education is an important instrument of change in modern societies. Provision ofย adequate and relevant education is the best thing a nationย can doย for its citizens. This isย more so, because education is a virile weapon against ignorance, disease, poverty and as aย meansย ofย producingย enlightened,ย responsibleย andย industriousย citizenryย andย prosperousย nation.

Basedย onย thisย background,ย theย researcherย makesย theย followingย recommendations:

  • One of the major findings of this study is that parental income level has a greatinfluenceย on studentsโ€™ academic achievement in Agricultural Science.ย Forย example,ย mostย cases,ย parentalย income is proportional to students finding which also determine to a large extent, theย levelย ofย academicย achievementย ofย ย Inย thisย case,ย itย isย recommendedย thatย parents as a matter of importanceย shouldย diversify theirย sourcesย of income soย thatย theyย canย beย ableย toย provideย fundย theirย childrenย inย schoolย forย betterย academicย achievement.
  • Parents should be made to realize the importance of motivation in determining theirchildren academic achievement in schools, especially the realization that most of theย maleย studentsย areย abandoningย schoolย forย ย Parentsย shouldย beย activelyย involved in encouraging students to learn and also in supervising students academicย workย atย home
  • Studentsโ€™shouldย giveย seriousย attentionย toย studiesย atย home,ย inย additionย toย otherย variousย worksย done,ย sinceย theย amountย of effortย they putย inย their studies influenceย theirย academic
  • Teachers should understand that teaching is a job of conscience. Teachers shouldhandleย theย studentsย asย theirย ownย children;ย tryย byย allย meansย toย meetย theย studentsโ€™ academicย socialย andย psychologicalย ย Theyย shouldย beย motivationalย inย theirย teaching and use different teaching methods so as to go along with all categories ofย students.ย Thisย willย helpย bridgeย deficienciesย fromย negativeย home background.
  • Thestateย andย Federalย Governmentsย shouldย legislateย againstย examinationย ย Suchย situationย willย forceย studentsย toย sitย upย andย takeย theirย studiesย serious. Again, the various governments should create employment opportunities forย theย graduate ofย variousย institutionsย ofย higherย learning.ย Lackย of jobย opportunitiesย contributes to the loss of interest and zeal for education by students. The currentย situationย inย Nigeriaย where graduates are left withย little or noย hope of employmentย givesย noย encouragementย toย theย secondaryย schoolย studentsย forย furtherย education.ย Rather,ย theย studentsย seeย goingย toย schoolย isย aย wasteย ofย time.

REFERENCES

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