students’ behavioural pattern and the learning of Economics in selected secondary schools

Students’ behavioural pattern and the learning of Economics in selected secondary schools

 

Abstract

This study was undertaken to determine the students’ behavioural pattern and the learning of Economics in selected secondary schools in Uruan Local Government Area. The population of this study consists of all the Nine (9) public Secondary Schools with total a number of three thousand, seven hundred and fifty four (3,754) students offering Economics in Uruan Local Government Area, 350 students were randomly sampled out from the five selected schools in the studied area. This represents the population of the study. The instrument used for data collection was through the administration of three hundred and fifty (350) copies of questionnaires to students. The data were analyzed using a simple percentage statistical technique. Two research questions were formulated to guide the study.

The result of the findings revealed that behavioural pattern exerted a lot of influence on the learning of Economics. And that home background also poses some problems in the learning of Economics among students in secondary schools. Recommendations were made to promote positive changes on students’ behavioural pattern on the learning of Economics in secondary schools such that: That parent should ensure proper upbringing of their children through proper home training and discipline; That parents should monitor the group their children belongs or associates to avoid joining a bad company; Teachers should monitor peer behavioural pattern avoid hostility among peer groups and Government should provide enabling environment in the secondary schools with necessary facilities that enhance social and learning process.

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page – – – – – – – – – i

Certification – – – – – – – – ii

Dedication – – – – – – – – – iii

Acknowledgements – – – – – – – iv

Abstract – – – – – – – – – vi

Table of Contents – – – – – — – viii

CHAPTER ONE – INTRODUCTION

Background to the Study – – – – – 1

Statement of Problem – – – – – – 4

Purpose of the study – – – – – – 5

Significance of study – – – – – – 6

Research Questions – – – – – – 6

Delimitation of the Study – – – – – 7

Limitation of the Study – – – – – – 7

Definition of Terms – – – – – – 7

 

CHAPTER TWO – REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Students’ Cognitive Abilities and Learning – – 9

Students’ Personal Interest and Learning of Economics 12

Students’ Perception and Learning – – – – 14

Emotional Characteristics and Learning – – – 16

CHAPTER THREE – RESEARCH METHODS

3.1 Area of the Study – – – – – – 18

3.2 Research Design – – – – – – – 19

3.3 Population of the study – – – – – 19

3.4 Sample and Sampling Technique – – – – 19

3.5 Instrumentation – – – – – – – 20

3.6 Procedure for Data Collection – – – – 20

3.7 Method of Data Analysis – – – – – 20

CHAPTER FOUR – DATA ANALYSES AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS

4.1 Presentation of the Result – – – – – 21

4.2 Discussion of Findings – – – – – – 24

 

CHAPTER FIVE – SUMMARY, RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION

Summary – – – – – – – – 26

Recommendations – – – – – – 27

Conclusion – – – – – – – 28

References – – – – – – – 30

Appendix – – – – – – – – 31

Students’ behavioural pattern and the learning of Economics in selected secondary schools

 

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

A student is the most important element in the teaching/learning setting because he is the one who learns. He is a free agent who thinks, observes, measures and reacts to issues in his own world. Day by day, he sets his own goals, cultivates new values and learn to orientate himself to the existing social standard. The learner is not a passive entity. He enquires, explores experiments and searches for truths.

Depending on the strength of his curiosity, he undertakes, self-analysis, examines the beliefs of the strength of his curiosity of his society d reaches out beyond the orthodox of his time. He has enormous energy that drives him toward set goals. Sometimes, his drive to inquire, explore or experiment is restricted by social pressure to conform to the societal norms and values.

Student’s learning has a lot to do with others attitude. Students enjoy learning Economics and can learn it very fast if their parents at home assist them to succeed. The behavioural pattern of the student includes his trait as a biological entity, his actions and behaviour as a social being and his psychological properties as an intrapsychic being.

The learner is viewed from the background of self-conscious biosocial entity, which has his own behaviour and ways of responding to self and environment. The extent of learning readiness is predicted upon the quality of the behavior and the appropriateness of his responses, reflecting on Blooms taxonomy of knowledge, this behaviour are examined in point of views of the cognitive, affective and the psychomotor.

In a study that has become classic in developmental psychology, Morgan (2013) observed the activities of students and classified their social participation into three forms:- the parallel activity, association activity and organized supplementary activity. He said that parallel activity describes situations in which a student plays beside other students, but not with them. He does not openly influence them nor do they try to influence him.

In associative activity, the student is more actively involved in the activity and play of other students. The students are engaged in activities that are identical of similar. Thus, it may affect the learning habits of other students.

There exist several predetermined activities noted and are observed on daily basis exhibited among students of the same age bracket or ‘class’ which may influence or that are responsible for any given behaviour that is acquired by students.

Crandall (2016) maintains that most of these behaviors are the students’ self discovery innovation, observation of what other students or peers are doing and imitating. He describe these behaviour as such which influence, decide, regulate and monitor student behaviour as inevitable influences. This behaviour predetermine to a large extent the ways in which students develop their abilities in their studies.

Most students hardly differentiate their behaviour and the real study situation. Some do not really understand how to study , read look practice what is taught in school or use instructional materials or models during the learning process.

Cartel (2013) stressed that majority of students do not possess personal behaviour because playing and other activities have over whelmed their thinking.

In other words, the learning process of a child is influenced by their activities outside academic work. This clearly shows that the influence of peer groups on the academic performance of a student is linked to how the student associates himself with peers that have educational activities and studies.

It is against this background that the researcher attempts to examine the student’s behavioural pattern on the learning of Economics in Secondary Schools in Uruan Local Government Area.

 

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Students behavioural pattern are observed to be different among students. No two students are the same and not even twins. This difference in students can be attributed to any one or more of the following: intellectual differences, temperamental differences, home background differences, environmental and social differences. This will variably determine the foundation of knowledge on which further knowledge would be built.

The researcher has also discovered the following problems: societal ill and lack of motivation on students by teachers, hostility and poor attitude to learning among peer groups, lack of proper upbringing of a child in the early group, lack of qualified teachers to handle learning behaviour and focus on academic work, as well as lack of constant academic competition among students in secondary schools.

This might be because of lack of learning facilities such as instructional materials, conducive learning environment as well as qualify and experience teachers in Economics, as such, their interest in learning might be too low perhaps leads to poor academic performance.

Also, incessant behaviour by peer groups such as truancy, bad gang is found to contribute to the low academic performance among students. Most low achievers also are from poor families.

It is for the above reasons, that the researcher is motivated to understudy Students’ behavioural pattern and their learning of Economics with a view to determine how their behavioural pattern in the subject is influenced by their learning process.

 

1.3 Purpose of the Study

The main purpose of this study is to investigate the students’ behavioural pattern on their learning of Economics in secondary schools. Specifically, the study also aimed at the following:-

To discuss the cognitive abilities and students learning process.

To examine the students’ personal interest and academic performance.

To analyze the various techniques in study habits and academic performance.

 

1.4  Significance of the Study

It has been observed that behavioural pattern plays a vital role in academic performance of students in secondary schools. Therefore the result of the findings will be significance as follows:

i It would guide and direct students to participate in things that are necessary for academic purpose.

ii It would re-direct the teacher to be aware of their responsibilities and adjust properly in their relationship with students to enable them develop interest in learning process.

iii The study will be a benefit to the parent as it will keep them abreast with acceptable study habit of their children.

iv It would help to encourage a student to work hard and think to a better career.

v It would help the career advisers in guiding students on realistic and meaningful academic matter.

Impact of Students’ behavioural pattern on the learning of Economics 

1.5  Research Questions

For the purpose of analyses the following research questions are formulated by the researcher to direct the study:-

To what extent does students’ cognitive ability affect their learning of Economics?

Does students’ personal interest affect their learning of Economics?

 

1.6  Delimitation of the Study

This study is limited to students’ behavioural pattern on the learning of Economics in secondary schools whereas in an ideal situation, the research would have covered all secondary schools in Uruan Local Government Area, but the study is limited to some selected secondary schools in Uruan Local Government Area.

 

1.7 Limitation of the Study

The shortage of time and limited period by which the study is scheduled to be carried out coupled with financial constraint of the researcher on indebt and penetrating study could be carried out.

 

1.8 Definition of Terms

For clarity of the study, the following terms are defined as they are used in the research study:-

Academic Performance: This is a process connected with education, especially class work, text and examination to bring out good or bad result.

Learning Process: This is defined as the sequence of study arrangement that aid understanding of any subject.

Study Habits: This refers to as those behaviour and procedures; be it persistent, permanent or temporary that a learner engages while in the course of acquiring knowledge.

Behavioural Pattern: This is the biological inbuilt of a person or adopted by the society to be socially acceptable among the age bracket.