students’ self-concept and academic performance

students’ self-concept and academic performance among Students in Calabar Municipality of Cross River State

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1        Background of the Study

Over the years, the investigations of the factors that influence academic performance of students have attracted the interest and concern of teachers, counselors, Sogbetun, 2003). This is because of public outcries concerning the low standard of education in the country (Imoge, 2002). The declining quality of education in the country and production of graduates with little technical know-how has resulted in serious set backs to the industrial development of the nation. There is therefore, need for a continual search for means and strategies for improving performance and learning among students. For this to be achieved, there is need to identify the factors that account for poor students’ academic performance so that those factors may be harnessed to maximize student progress and performance.

Akpan (2006), Usoro (2007) and Essien (2004) as well as other reviewed literatures mainly focused at the secondary and basic (primary) levels of education; though these studies provided evidence on the role the home and school environment, as well as self-concept plays on students’ academic performance. However, very little is known about how these variables affect students’ performance at the secondary schools level of education. This missing gap is what drew the researcher’s attention to the topic under study (Self-concept and Students’ academic performance among Students in Calabar Municipality. The researcher also believes that providing data on the extent to which these variables impact on students’ academic performance in the English Language, could be useful as a starting point to addressing some basic problems that the students are faced with in the school.

Education is a life-wire and asset to any nation. It is one of the focal reasons why Nigeria in particular invests in education. It is stated in the Nigerian National Policy on Education that “The Federal Government of Nigeria has concluded that every Nigerian child shall have a right to equal educational opportunities irrespective of any real or imagined disabilities each according to his or her ability; education shall continue to be highly rated in the National Development Plans because education is the most important instrument of change; any fundamental change in the intellectual and social outlook of any society has be preceded by an educational revolution (FGN, 2004). Therefore, if a good education is necessary for the attainment of developmental strides in Nigeria, then there is need to search for variables which can make a difference in learning and generally improved academic performance.

Different variables or factors are capable of influencing the academic performance of University students in general and the freshmen in particular. Such factors as social environments home and school environment and the students’ self-concept. Such factors may be the students internal state (intelligence, state of health, motivation, anxiety) and their school environment (availability of suitable learning environment, adequacy of educational infrastructure like textbooks and well-equipped laboratories). Investigation of these factors has produced several finding for example Essien (2004) and Usoro (2007) have attributed the cause of poor academic performance to a combination of personal and institutional factors. Personal factors relate to the individual’s intelligence, knowledge and ability. While institutional factors are family or parental influences, societal influences, institutional influences and school related factors-students/lecturer rapport, teacher related factors, accommodation and living conditions.

There is an awareness of the importance of the home environment or family on student’s academic performance. The home has a great influence on the student’s psychological, emotional, social and economic state. In the view of Woolfolk (2002), the state of the home affects the individual since the parents are the first socializing agents in an individual’s life. This is because the family background and context of a child affect his reaction to life situations and his level of performance. Although, the school is responsible for the experiences that make up the individual’s life during school periods, yet parents and individual experiences at home play tremendous roles in building the personality of the child and making the child what he or she is. Thus, Akpan (2006) asserts that the environment in which the student comes from can greatly influence his performance in school.

1.2       Theoretical Background of the Study

The following theories provide the theoretical base for this study.

i.             The self-theory of Carl Ramson Rogers (1959)

ii.            The social learning theory of Bandura and Walters (1977)

1.2.1 The self-theory of Carl Ramson Rogers (1959)

The self theory was propounded by Carl Ramson Rogers in the year 1959. Carl Rogers originated a popular approach to psychotherapy known initially as nondirective or client-centered therapy and later as person-centered therapy. Roger’s personality theory, like Maslow’s, is rooted in humanistic psychology which Rogers made his framework for the patient-therapist relationship. He developed his theory not from experimental laboratory research but from his experiences working with clients. Thus his formulations on the structure and dynamics of personality derive from his therapeutic approach.

Roger’s view of the therapeutic situation tells much about his view of human nature. Consider the phrase person-centered therapy. It suggests that the ability to change and improve personality is centered therapy. It suggests that the ability to change and improve personality is centered with in the person. In other words, it is the person and not the therapist who directs such change. The therapist’s role is to assist or facilitate the change.

From the preceding theories, it is assumed that environment and self-concept have serious effect on the behaviour of students particularly the freshmen when faced with performance evaluation (examination) especially in English Language. It is also believed that many students (the freshmen) fear examination and thereby creating unwarranted anxiety towards it; especially in English Language. The forces of environment, the picture the child has about himself will also add to a child changing his behaviour as what to do when faced with performance evaluation (examination). In all, accommodating environment will enhance positive self-concept in a student which shall hopefully result in positive academic performance.

1.2.2 Social learning theory

          The social learning theory propounded by Bandura and Walters (1977) says that learning occurs through observing other people, things and events in the environment. Bandura (1986) believes that learning takes place in a social context; that is through interaction, children learn about somebody or something or from somebody or something (Akinade, 1996). Thus, this theory is commonly referred to as, observational or Imitation theory.

        The implication of this theory to the study is that student learn how to use different study techniques. Student imbibe positive attitude towards studies as they watch their significant often use different environments and get rewarded with good results. The consequences which follow the study behaviour of their significant others now serve as reinforcement in bringing about some attitude in student.

1.3       Statement of the problem

Students’ academic performance has been a thing of concern to many scholars, parents, teachers, counselors, psychologist, school administrator and policy makers. It is a common knowledge that output of secondary schools students in terms of result from public examinations is poor and need more attention.

Government effort at bring quality to bear in teaching and learning through the inspectorate division of the ministry of education which is charged with the responsibility of ensuring minimum standard of education has proved abortive.

Different reasons have been given for students under achievement or poor academic performance in schools. While some people attribute these to ineffective and poor planning on the part of the students, others attribute it to lack of basic school facilities and so on.

Students under achievement or poor performance has also been blamed on students activities. Students more often than not engage themselves with activities that add little or no value to their academic development. When students spend little or no time on their studies, it is bound to affect their academic performance.

Poor academic performance of Students in English Language is on the increase. Previous literatures at the secondary and basic (primary) levels of education has provided evidence on the role of self-concept plays on students’ academic performance. However, very little is known about how these variables affect performance at the secondary school level of education. Providing data on the extent to which these variables impact on students’ academic performance in the English Language could be useful as a starting point to addressing some basic problems that freshmen are faced with in the school. Hence, the factors could be adequately harnessed to maximize performance and learning among Students.

Therefore, the aim of this study is to examine the relationship between Self-concept and students’ academic performance among Students in the Calabar Municipality of Nigeria. The research is primarily concerned about how students’ self-concept relate with the Students’ academic performance. This is the focus of the study.

1.4       Purpose of the study

The main purpose of the study is to investigate students’ self-concept and academic performance among Students in Calabar Municipality of Cross River State, Nigeria; with a view to:

1.           Determine the influence of academic self-concept on Students’ academic performance

2.           Ascertain whether social self-concept have any relationship with Students’ academic performance

3.           Ascertain whether physical self-concept have any influence on Students’ academic performance

1.5       Research Questions

The under-listed research questions were generated to guide the study.

1.           To what extent does academic self-concept influence Students’ academic performance?

2.           How does social self-concept relate with Students’ academic performance?

3.           To what extent does physical self-concept influence Students’ academic performance?

1.6       Statement of Hypotheses

The following hypotheses are formulated to guide and direct the study.

1.           There is no significant relationship between academic self-concept and Students’ academic performance.

2.           There is no significant relationship between social self-concept and Students’ academic performance.

3.           There is no significant relationship between physical self-concept and Students’ academic performance.

1.7       Significance of the study

The result generated from this study may help our educational planners; principals, teachers’ counselors, and parents’ in refocusing on the students’ healthy study habits for positive academic performance. Since most of the methods use have all failed, there is need to look at the psychological make up of the person with a view to altering that which is defective.

1.   The result generating from this study will contribute to knowledge by providing empirical data on the social environmental factors that influence the Students academic performance.

2.   It will provide data for effective counseling of students by parents and particularly guidance counselors to recognize the need for individual differences in students and deal with them accordingly. This can be done by counselors providing the necessary assistance and psychological support for students to help them build-up a positive or high self-concept of their personality or self.

3.   It will form the basis for educational planner to formulate or make professional course contents to reflect our national requirements.

1.8       Assumptions of the study

In order to guide the study the following assumptions were made:

(a)        The variables under consideration are measurable constructs, but their manifestation differs from one student to another.

(b)        The groups were independent in distribution.

(c)         The subjects for this study understood the test instructions administered to them and the information supplied is reflective of their true ability and that the information is genuine and unbiased.

1.9       Scope of the study

The scope of the study is geographically restricted to Calabar Municipality of Nigeria.  In terms of population, the scope encompassed only the students in the     Factors such as moral self-concept, physical self-concept, emotional self-concept and social self-concept variables form the scope.

1.10   Limitations of the study

Every empirical research carried out has its weakness and short comings, which are beyond the control of the researchers. In this study, they include:

1.           Scarcity of relevant local literature.

2.           Problem of human nature hinders the study as most of them were not willing to respond to the questionnaire items.

3.     Considering the nature of information needed, there could be some element of faking.

4.     There could be a hypocritical presentation of self in responding to the questionnaire but this may not have been much since there was nothing in the questionnaire to attach any response to a particular respondent. 

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