CORRELATES OF ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF SOCIAL STUDIES STUDENTS

ABSTRACT

The   study   was prompted  by   the   assumption  that  a   child’s   performance   in  school   subjects  iscorrelated   by   the   variables   of   socioeconomic   status,   family   size   and   family   type.   How   thesevariables correlate students’ achievement test scores in Social Studies was the main objective ofthis study. The study is fashioned in the context of family life education, which is a component ofSocial Studies curriculum. Socioeconomic status is examined in this study to mean an individual’sstanding in  society in terms   of income, occupation and  educational qualification. In  order toinvestigate these identified problems, seven null hypotheses were formulated. The hypotheses wereused to provide a tentative answer to the seven research questions stated to guide the study. Theinvestigation involved Social Studies students in Upper Basic Secondary Schools in South-South,Nigeria. South-South Nigeria refers to  one  of the geo-political   zones consisting the BRACEDstates of Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa-Ibom, Cross River, Edo and Delta respectively. Parents as well asstudents will benefit from the outcome of the study. Parents will gain the necessary informationabout the essential  support children need to  achieve  better   test  score in Social Studies  whenstudents are exposed to examination. Students will gain the knowledge that could equip them tomake the right choice in the size and type of family to have when they enter their own family life.Review of  related literature   was hinged on the  conceptual framework of human  ecology.  Theconcept indicates that available resources determine the well being, education and quality of lifeof the family. The subject matter in literature was studied as single variable correlating students’performance. Hence,   a  combination of these   variables   was investigated to   find   out how  theycorrelate students’ academic achievement test scores in Social Studies. The study adopted a surveydesign involving an ex-post facto approach. It was used to generate data from a sample of 589,being  10% of the target population of 5,891. A validated questionnaire titled: SocioeconomicStatus,   Family   Size   and   Family   Type   of   Students   Academic   Performance   Questionnaire(SESFSFTSAPQ) was the main instrument. The instrument obtained a reliability coefficient resultof 0.63. Data collected were subjected to regression statistics. The analysis was performed at 0.05level   of   significance.   Tables   of  regression   analysis   were  used   in   the   presentation   of   results.Findings   indicated   that   each   of   the   variables   alone   does   not   determine   a   child’s   academicachievement test scores. Rather, it is when the combined variables of socioeconomic, family sizeand family type are at work simultaneously against the child’s learning ability, that his scorescould be significantly correlated. Based on this conclusion, it was recommended among othersthat, students’ academic performance should not be measured alone on the basis of socioeconomicstatus of the child’s family. The study revealed that academic performance is predicted by thecombination   of  factors   such as   students’  family   size, family  type,  interest,  maturity  and  peerinfluence. Also, correlating students performance does not depend on a single variable measured.Finally, students are equipped to make the right choice in the size and type of family to raise whenthey eventually enter their own family life

TABLE OF CONTENT

COVER PAGE - - - - - - - - I

TITLE PAGE -- - - - - - - - - II

CERTIFICATION - - - - - - - - III

DEDICATION - - - - - - - - IV

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS - - - - - - - V

LIST OF TABLES  - - - - - - - - X

LIST OF FIGURES - - - - - - - - XI 

ABSTRACT - - - - - - - - - XII

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

Background to the study - - - - - - - 1

The statement of problem - - - - - - - 6

Research questions - - - - - - - - 8

Hypotheses - - - - - - - - - 8

Purpose of the study - - - - - - - - 9

Significance of the study - - - - - - - 10

Scope and delimitation of the study - - - -- - - 11

Limitations of the study - - - - - - - 11

The operational definition of terms - - - - - - 12

CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Conceptual framework of the study - - - - - -- 13

Concept of socioeconomic status - - - - -- - 21

Impact of Social Studies Education on family size and family type- - 35

Students academic performance - - - - - - 59

Gender differences on academic performance - - - - 66

School location and academic performance - - - - - 67

Empirical studies - - - - - - -- - 70

Appraisal of review - - - - - - - - 85146

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHOD AND PROCEDURES

Research design - - - - - - - - 89

Population of the study - - - - - -- - 90

Sample and sampling techniques - - - - - - 90

Research instrument - - - - - - - - 91

Validity of the instrument - - - - - - - 93

Reliability of the instrument - - - - - - - 93

Method of data collection - - - - - - - - 93

Method of data analysis  - - - - - - - 94

CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF RESULTS Summary of findings - - - - - - - - 102

Discussion of results - - - - - - - - 103

CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 

Summary of the study - - - - - - - - 109

Findings - - - - - - - - - 111

Conclusion - - - - - - - - - 112

Recommendations - - - - - - - - 113

Implication of the study for Education - - - - - 113

Contribution to knowledge - - - - - - - 114

Suggestions for further study - - - - - - - 114

REFERENCES - - - - - - - - 115

APPENDIXES - - - - - - - - - 129

LIST OF TABLES

Table 3.1: Showing population of the study - - - - - - 90

Table 3.2:  Sample of the study- - - - - - - - 91

Table 4.1: Regression analysis of socio-economic indices of student as correlatesof academic achievement - - - - - - - 95

Table 4.2: Regression analysis of family size of students as correlates of academicachievement - - - - - - - - - - 96

Table 4.3: Regression analysis of family type of students as correlates of academic achievement - - - - - - - - - - 97

Table 4.4: Regression analysis of parent’s qualification as correlates of academicachievement - - - - - - - - - 98

Table 4.5:  Regression analysis of location as correlates of academic achievement - 99

Table 4.6: Regression analysis of gender as correlates of academic achievement  - 100

Table 4.7: Regression analysis of overall variables as correlates of academic achievement - - - - - - - - - - 101

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 2.1: Showing theoretical model of the study - - - - - 19

Figure 2.2: Showing illustration of socio-economic status in Nigeria - - 28

Figure 3: Showing  graphic of rotation component matrix - - - - 133