PROJECT PROPOSAL ON
COMPARISON
OF THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS IN BIOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY IN SECONDARY
SCHOOL IN ITU LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Academic performance
has been described as the scholastic standing of a student at a given moment.
This scholastic standing could be explained in terms of the grades obtained in
a course or groups of course (Daniels and Shoolen; 2002). Sinkins (2011) commented
on this scholastics standing and argued that performance is a measure of output
and that the main output in education are expressed in terms of learning (i.e.)
that is the change in knowledge, skills, and attitudes of individuals as a result of
their experiences with the school's system. STAN supported this argument and
reported that performance is the level of attainment of a person in the examination that is how an individual is able to demonstrate his or her
abilities in an examination.
As people think about
teaching and learning of Biology and Chemistry in the schools the picture of
the state of science subject in a country like Nigeria becomes glaring. This
was expressed in the annual conference proceedings of Science Teachers
Association of Nigeria (STAN) in 2003 on the theme winning more students for
science. This theme came as a result of poor performance by students in the
scientific examination. This poor performance often resulted in poor enrolment of
students in science at the secondary and tertiary institutions.
The natural science
(Biology and Chemistry) have two components the theory and the practical
aspects which make the teaching and learning of science real. Over the years
reports show that the students do not perform well in the practical aspects.
The poor performance especially in practical aspects of chemistry and Biology
to their non-familiarity with the use of simple laboratory equipment, imprecise the statement, spelling errors, inadequate exposure to laboratory techniques, level
of observational skills, inability to determine mole ratio from
stoichiometric equation, the omission of units in calculated value, inability to
write symbols properly and assign correct charges to Ions, among others and
other factors that affect student performance in chemistry and Biology.
The primary index used
for assessing scientific advancement through education is the performance of
the students. (Obemeata, 2000) asserted that the achievement of technological
development through education depends mostly on the performance of the secondary school
students in Biology and chemistry.
Olotoye (2002) opined
that Biology and Chemistry education lays a foundation for work in science
related fields by acquainting learning with specific knowledge skills and
attitudes. Ogbonna (2007) observed that there has been a worldwide recognition
of biology and chemistry and thereby science education has found a central
place in the curricula schools at all levels.
However,
in the study of comparing the students’ academic performance in biology and
chemistry, the observation shows that there have been low performance in
Biology and chemistry at the “0” level senior secondary schools certificate
examination (SSCE). This observation has vision problems which captivated a lot
of attention from many individuals and organizations. These problems are viewed
in various perspective and blames are showed in various portions among
students, teachers and the examination body, the curriculum planners and even
the state and the federal government.
Biology and Chemistry
is one of the main core science subjects which some students considered
difficult. This may be improper or lack of utilization of materials or
apparatus for effective teaching and clarity. And it observed that biology is
easy to teach and to understand and most of the biology concept is relevance to
the environment, while in chemistry the concept of chemistry is abstract and in
some schools there is no much equipment for the practice to be done
effectively so as such students find it difficult to understand the concept of
chemistry. Science education is developed to guide the world towards a
scientifically literate society. It is essential for an understanding of
science as it offers personal fulfillment and excitement. The world is
confronted daily with the issues that require a scientific way of thinking for
informed discussion, management, and sharing of resources (Ellis, 2010).
Science in secondary schools is taught through
two main categories; as Basic Science at the Basic secondary and the separate
science subjects as Chemistry, Physics, and Biology at the Senior Secondary. It
is however worrisome to note that research studies and findings had pointed out
that there is low performance in secondary school science (Onwuakpa and Nweke,
2000). Biology as the science of life is offered in all Senior Secondary
Schools in Nigeria which attracts the greatest patronage of both Science
oriented and Arts-based students (Nwosu, 2006). Urevbu (2009) pointed out that
the teaching of Biology is important because it equips the students to
comprehend the world around them and equip them with the necessary skills to
build a progressive society.
Similarly, Nwosu (2005) observed that Biology
provides a platform for teaching students to develop the ability to apply
science concepts and principles in solving everyday life problems. With
knowledge explosion all over the world via the Internet, biological knowledge
has also expanded. There are advances recorded in fields such as Biochemistry,
Physiology, Ecology, Genetics and Molecular biology that have made the subject
a central focus in most human activities including problems like food scarcity,
pollution, population, radiation, disease, health, hygiene, family life,
management and conservation of natural resources as well as Biotechnology and
Ethics.
COMPARISON OF THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS IN BIOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY IN SECONDARY SCHOOL IN ITU LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA
Dike and Garba
(2017) observe that predictive validity of different examinations on a
future academic achievement facilitates admission decisions and enhances
educational services at educational institutions across the globe. These
include the predictive validity of primary school examinations used on future
academic performance in post-primary schools; predictive validity of junior
secondary school examinations on performance in senior secondary school and
predictive value of senior secondary school examinations or university
matriculation examinations (UME) on the performance at the tertiary level. Thus
the relationship between the performance of students in Biology and Chemistry at
the senior secondary should provide information for the guidance of students
from the junior secondary school as the move higher.
Also, Read:
STRATEGIES AND TEACHING/LEARNING OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS
1.2
Statement of the Problems
Education is an indispensable instrument for the development of any nation. Teachers are the
implementers of the educational program and they are responsible for the
translation of educational theories into practice. For teaching to be
effective, it has to be rooted in an understanding of how students learn.
Several researchers have conducted research with a view to finding better ways
of teaching and learning Biology.
Results indicated that
performance in public examination in Biology still remains poor. Not much effort
seems to have been made towards finding out the difficulties students encounter
in learning some of the concepts in Biology. Although, many factors may account
for students’ poor performance in Biology, it is evident that most students have
difficulties in learning some concepts. It is for this purpose of redressing
this trend that this study is being carried out to compare students’ academic
performance in Biology and chemistry in some selected secondary schools in Itu
Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. The statement of the problem
therefore is: Will students’ performance of identified difficult concepts
generate interesting results for solving the problem of persistent poor
performance in Biology and Chemistry at the Senior School Certificate
Examination?
1.3 Purpose
of the Study
The main purpose of the study is to compare the academic performance of students in the core science
subject (Biology and Chemistry) in senior secondary schools in Itu Local
Government Area.
Specifically, the study seeks:
i.
To compare the academic performance of
male and female students in Biology in secondary schools in Itu local
government area.
ii. To
compare the academic performance of male and female students in chemistry
Biology in secondary schools in Itu local government area.
Read:
SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS IN GOVERNMENT IN SECONDARY SCHOOL
1.4 Significance of the Study
Nigeria as a developing country places much emphasis on the advancement of science and technology. In
order to attain a remarkable height in those areas, appropriate attention must
be given to Biology and Chemistry which will contribute to the advancement of
science and technology.
The findings of this study would significantly form the basis to explain some basic truth to the state
government and officials of the ministry of education in taking the right decision
on the provision of infrastructural facilities to aids teaching and learning a process which will help improve the academic performance of senior secondary
school students.
This research would
also, help the parent to give much attention and supervision to the students work
and hence result in improving students’ performance.
It would also help
curriculum planners to know some of the factors that contribute to the low or poor
performance of students in Biology, especially chemistry. This will enable them
to include the most relevant resources when planning a curriculum.
The findings of this
research would help future teachers to consider some of the factors that yield the poor performance of students.
As such teachers will
be able to make necessary preparation for it. Finally, the findings of this
study will serve as a foundation for future researchers to build their studies,
and thus, it will add more information to the existing literature.
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