Influence of Teacher Motivation on Students Performance

Influence of Teacher Motivation on Students Performance

CHAPTER ONE

Purpose of the Study

This study sets out to investigate the influence of teachers’ motivation on the academic performance of Economics students in Uyo Local Government Area of Akwa-Ibom state. In order to accomplish this purpose, the researcher sets out the following objectives.

To determine how irregular payment of teacher’s salaries and allowances hinder their dedication to duties.
To find out whether non-implementation of teachers’ promotions as they usually complain, affect their morale in teaching.
To determine how poor salaries received by teachers affect their performance in the classroom.
To find out whether the environment at which teachers work reduce their interest and output in teaching

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

This chapter deals with the review of related literature. This review is presented under the underlisted below:

Conceptual Framework

Theoretical Framework

Empirical Review

Summary of Literature Review

Conceptual Framework

Motivation is defined as the process that initiates, guides and maintains goal-oriented behaviors. Motivation is what causes us to act, whether it is getting a glass of water to reduce thirst or reading a book to gain knowledge. There are three major components to motivation: activation, persistence and intensity. Activation involves the decision to initiate a behavior, such as enrolling in an education class. Persistence is the continued effort toward a goal even though obstacles may exist, such as taking more education courses in order to earn a degree although it requires a significant investment of time, energy and resources.

Finally, intensity can be seen in the concentration and vigor that goes into pursuing a goal. For example, one student might coast by without much effort, while another student will study regularly, participate in discussions and take advantage of research opportunities outside of class. The same can be said of teachers in day secondary schools. Different types of motivation are frequently described as being either extrinsic or intrinsic.

Extrinsic motivations are those that arise from outside of the individual and often involve rewards such as trophies, money, social recognition or praise. Intrinsic motivations are those that arise from within the individual, such as doing a complicated cross-word puzzle purely for the personal gratification of solving a problem. Implications for Management is that; if the motivation-hygiene theory holds, management not only must provide hygiene factors to avoid employee dissatisfaction, but also must provide factors intrinsic to the work itself in order for employees to be satisfied with their jobs.

Some of the things that caused low teacher motivation include; Student –related problems where, poor discipline, laziness, lack of work ethics, disrespect of teachers and school rules, late-coming, high absenteeism and absconding. Others include; Academic Instruction and curriculum, where the teachers complained that the focus is mainly academic and not holistic; maintenance of records and assessment tasks is time-consuming; deteriorating numeracy and literacy skills impedes progress; drop in pass requirements lowers standards; lack of professional development and collaboration at school level reduces teacher confidence; they needed to be consulted for input in syllabus changes. This was according to a study by Magendri Perumal (2011).

CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter deals with research method used by the researcher. It deals with the design of the study, the population of the study, sample and sampling procedure, instrument of data collection, validation of instruments, reliability of instrument, administration of questionnaire, method of data analysis and limitation of the study.

Research Design

In this study, a descriptive survey design was used. The research design discussed the motivational strategies and how they affect teachers’ performance in Uyo Government Secondary Schools. A survey study is a type of study in which group of people, objects, events, items etc. are investigated upon by collecting and analyzing data from only a few of them considered to be representative of the entire group.

Questionnaires were the research instrument used to gather data required for analysis. The results helped the researcher to describe the state of affairs as they are, based on the teacher‘s motivation and students’ academic performance of Economic Students. The results were analyzed using statistical methods and the findings reported in a research report.

CHAPTER FOUR

DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS

In this chapter, data collected from the distributed questionnaire was presented and analyzed adequately using frequency distribution table (approximately numbered for references) and percentages for comparison of the data and easy interpretation of findings.

CHAPTER FIVE

DISCUSSION, CONCLUSIONS, IMPLICATIONS OF THE STUDY, AND RECOMMENDATION

In this chapter, the result of the data analyzed in chapter four are interpreted and discussed. Also, the educational implications of the findings, recommendations, suggestions for further study, summary and conclusion were made.

Discussion of Findings

Research Question 1

Does irregular payment of salaries and allowances hinder teachers’ dedication to duty?

The result of the research as shown in table 4.3 indicates that teachers in Uyo Local Government Area do not received regular payment of salaries and allowances. 61 representing 55.45% respondents agreed that teachers are not regularly paid and also 62 representing 56.36% respondents agreed that allowances do not come often.

From the above, it can be concluded that irregular payment of salaries and allowances hinder teachers’ dedication to duty. This view is upheld by Eliogu and Harries (1997) saying that lack of motivation of teachers has contributed to teachers’ poor performance which, as well affects students’ (economics students inclusive) performance adversely. To them, a teacher performs better when motivated than when not promoted.

Research Question 2

Do poor salaries reduce teachers’ performance in the classroom? As shown in table 4.4, the result indicates that teachers in Uyo Local Government Area receive poor salaries as 65 representing 59.09% respondents agreed to that. It was also observed that the situation affects the performance of teachers in the classroom.

From the result above, poor salaries reduce the teachers’ performance in the classroom. Following the result, Equity theory of motivation suggests that an individual’s motivation, performance and job satisfaction depends on the individual’s comparism of his or her contribution and rewards with those of others in similar situation. However, since teachers in Uyofia Local Government Area receive poor salaries which when compared with others in similar situation is nothing to write home about, their performances are affected adversely.

Research Question 3

Does non-implementation of teachers’ promotion reduce the morals of teachers?

The result of the research as shown in table 4.5 indicates that teachers in Uyo Local Government Area do not receive or are not promoted as at when due. This was confirmed by 60 representing 54.55% respondents who agreed. However, it can be seen that non implementation of teachers’ promotions reduce the moral of teachers. In view of this, promotion which is one of the incentives that encourage growth on the job, when it is lacking, teachers’ morale on the job get reduced or affected.

Research Question 4

Does the working environment under which teachers teach affect their interest in the job as well as their output in teaching and learning?

The result of the research as shown in table 4.6 indicates that teachers’ interest in the job and their output in teaching and learning are affected due to unconducive working environment. In a school where nature of the classroom, laboratory facilities and library are all in discouraging state, the interest of teachers as well as the output would be hampered in the course of discharging their duties. To this end, 63 representing 57.27%, 64 representing 58.18% and 73 representing 66.36% respondents attested.

Bernes (2014) upheld the findings of the study by asserting that the motivational elements are incentives granted to an individual to enhance his or her performance.

These rewards and incentives contribute to strategy for effective implementation of descried goals and shaping of individual’s or group’s behaviour. When teachers are motivated their performances would be directed towards achieving educational goals.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this study has shown that with adequate motivational elements such as regular and prompt payment of salaries and allowances, upward review of salaries, implementation of promotions, provision of conducive working environments, availability of teaching aids/instructional materials etc. would help to improve the job performance of teachers and the standard of education.

Recommendations

Based on the findings of this study, the following recommendations were made.

Regular and prompt payment of salaries and allowances should be made available to teachers in Uyo Local Government Area, in order to enhance their dedication to duties.
Government of Uyolocal government council and Akwa-Ibom state government should look into the allocation or monthly salaries and allowances of teacher with a view to reviewing and increasing it, since the economic situation in the country is not static and favourable. This will help to increase the job performance of the teachers.
Promotion exercise should always be conducted annually and as at when due and subsequently implemented without delay so as to reflect on their salaries.
The working environment under which teachers perform their duties should be made conducive enough to boost there interest in the teaching and learning process.
Adequate teaching aids and materials should be made available for effective teaching and learning.

Limitation of the Study

Each research work is subject to one form of limitation or the other and this research is not an exception. However, the research was aimed at sampling the entire secondary schools in the area of the study, but owing to the distance at which each school was from another and considering the transportation cost, only ten (10) schools were sampled. Consequently, respondents were found to be reluctant in supplying the needed information as they often entertain fear of indictment even with the use of the questionnaire method insisting that the name of the school could indict them. Nevertheless, efforts were made to ensure the objectivity of the study.

Summary of the Study

This study focused on the influence of teachers’ motivation on the academic performance of Economics student in Uyo Local Government Area of Akwa-Ibom state. In order to achieve the purpose of the study, ten (10) schools where selected out of twenty (20) secondary schools in the local government area. Questionnaire were designed distributed administered, collected, analyzed and findings or results interpreted.

In the light of the results, the educational implications of the study where pointed out based on the findings. Furthermore, some recommendations were also made and if adequately followed and implemented, would go a long way in ensuring greater job performance of teachers both in Uyo Local Government Area and other local government areas in Nigeria.

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