Comparative Study of Learning Outcomes Between Students With Learning Impairments, Attention Deficit Disorder, and Typically Developing Students
CHAPTER ONE
Research Objectives
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- The purpose of this study is to compare the learning outcomes of students with Learning Impairments (LI), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and Typically Developing (TD) students in Eti-Osa Local Government Area.
- Investigate the differences in learning outcomes, social skills, and emotional intelligence among these student groups.
- Identify the strengths and challenges of students with learning impairments and ADHD in inclusive educational settings.
- Examine the effectiveness of current teaching methods, interventions, and support services for students with learning impairments and ADHD.
- Investigate how Nigerian educational policies or teacher training programs address (or fail to address) these challenges.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Theoretical Framework
2.0 Introduction:
This chapter reviews related literature and presents the theoretical framework underpinning this comparative study of learning outcomes among students with Learning Impairments (LI), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and Typically Developing (TD) students in Eti-Osa Local Government Area.
2.1 Theoretical Framework
2.1.1 Social Constructivist Theory (Vygotsky, 1978)
The work of Lev Vygotsky (1934, 1978) has become the foundation for much research and theory in cognitive development over the past several decades, particularly what has become known as sociocultural theory. Vygotsky’s theory comprises concepts such as culture-specific tools, private speech and the zone of proximal development. Vygotsky believed cognitive development is influenced by cultural and social factors. He emphasized the role of social interaction in the development of mental abilities, for example, speech and reasoning in children.
Vygotsky strongly believed that community plays a central role in the process of “making meaning”. Cognitive development is a socially mediated process in which children acquire cultural values, beliefs and problem-solving strategies through collaborative dialogues with more knowledgeable members of society.
The More Knowledgeable Other (MKO) or member is someone who has a higher level of ability or greater understanding than the learner regarding a particular task, process or concept. The MKO can be a teacher, parent, coach or even a peer who provides guidance and modelling, to enable the child to learn skills within their zone of proximal development (the gap between what a child can do independently and what they can achieve with guidance).
The interactions with MKO significantly increase not only the quantity of information and the number of skills a child develops but also affect the development of higher-order mental functions such as formal reasoning. Vygotsky argued that higher mental abilities could only develop through interaction with more advanced others. According to Vygotsky, adults in society foster children’s cognitive development by engaging them in challenging and meaningful activities. Adults convey to children how their culture interprets and responds to the world.
They show the meaning they attach to objects, events and experiences. They provide the child with what to think (the knowledge) and how to think (the processes, the tools to think with).
Vygotsky’s theory encourages collaborative and cooperative learning between children and teachers or peers. Scaffolding and reciprocal teaching are effective educational strategies based on Vygotsky’s ideas. Scaffolding involves the teacher providing support structures, to help students master skills just beyond their current level. In reciprocal teaching, teachers and students take turns leading discussions using strategies like summarizing and clarifying. Both scaffolding and reciprocal teaching emphasize the shared construction of knowledge, in line with Vygotsky’s views.
Vygotsky highlighted the importance of language in cognitive development. Inner speech is used for mental reasoning, and external speech is used to converse with others. Initially, these operations occur separately. Indeed, before age two, a child employs words socially; they possess no internal language.
Once thought and language merge, the social language is internalized and assists the child with their reasoning. Thus, the social environment is ingrained within the child’s learning.
CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY
Research Design
The research design serves as the framework for conducting the study and defines the structure within which the research is executed. In this investigation, a cross-sectional survey research design was utilized. This design was chosen due to its effectiveness in gathering numerical data that can be statistically analyzed, thus allowing for comparisons among different student groups, specifically those with Learning Impairments (LI), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and typically developing (TD) students. Quantitative research is advantageous in educational research as it provides measurable data on academic performance, social skills, and emotional regulation (Bell, Bryman, & Harley, 2019). The structured questionnaires employed in this study enabled systematic data collection, facilitating the identification of patterns and relationships among the variables under consideration (Saunders, Lewis, & Thornhill, 2019).
Population of the Study
The target population for this study consisted of students from Eti-Osa Local Government Area in Lagos State, Nigeria, specifically focusing on those diagnosed with Learning Impairments (LI) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), alongside typically developing (TD) students. The estimated population was 1200 respondents, derived from local educational statistics that reflect the prevalence rates of LI and ADHD among school-aged children in Nigeria (Nigerian National Bureau of Statistics, 2020). This population was selected to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and outcomes experienced by students in this locality, thus enhancing the relevance and applicability of the research findings.
REFERENCES
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- Behrend, D.A., Rosengren, K.S., & Perlmutter, M. (1992). The relation between private speech and parental interactive style. In R.M. Diaz & L.E. Berk (Eds.), Private speech: From social interaction to self-regulation (pp. 85–100). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
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