Factors Affecting Teachers Academic Self Concept as a Correlates of Integrated Science Students Achievement in Agbani Education Zone
Chapter One
Research Objectives
The main objective of the study is to examine the factors affecting Teachers academic self concept as a correlates of integrated science students achievement in Agbani education zone, the specific objectives are:
- To identify the factors that influence teachers’ academic self-concept in integrated science in Agbani education zone.
- To assess the correlation between teachers’ academic self-concept in integrated science and students’ achievement in the subject in Agbani education zone.
- To examine the relationship between teachers’ perceptions of professional support and their academic self-concept in integrated science in Agbani education zone.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Conceptual review
Concept of Academic Self-Concept
School is considered as a miniature society for the students and it helps students to reflect their own self-worth and self-image. In school, self-concept of student is gradually develops through his own action. Academic self-concept refers to the extent in which self-knowledge related to academic prospectus is defined by the students (Watson, 2012). It can also be defined as self-evaluation of student to his academic abilities and skills. Every student possesses two distinct types of academic self-concept i.e. global domain academic self-concept and specific domain academic self-concept (Watson, 2012).
Global domain academic self-concept defined as the belief of students in their general ability in school environment. But academic self-concept is multidimensional. Researcher argued that students’ academic self-concept varies across prescribed subject matter (Watt, 2012). Therefore, specific academic self-concept refers to collective perception of students in specific academic prospectus like mathematical self-concept (when a student belief that he can perform well in solving mathematical problems), literacy self-concept (belief of student that he or she can read and write well in language art). Many researchers have also found reciprocal link between academic self-concept and academic achievement.
It worth to note that Gross (2005), maintain that self and self- concept are used interchangeably to refer to individual’s overall awareness. According to Morphy (1947) in Gross (2005),’the self is the individual as known to the individual,’ and Burns (1980) conceives it as a set of attitudes a person holds towards himself. Baumeister (1999) provides that self-concept is the individual’s belief about himself including the person’s attributes and who and what the self is. Purkey as cited, in Mukherjee (2002) offers his views in his search for self and states that the self is organized, the self is dynamic, and the self is learned.
The self is organized: In the sense that it consists of a complex system of organized and incorporated beliefs, values, and cognition of the individual’s ability and attitudes. For example, an organized self-concept of a child may continually remind the individual child that he is more intelligent than the average person, that he is an athlete of some average competence, that he has social competence in his interactions with other members of his society or group and that he is able to achieve success in his academic engagements.
If the child really deserves the above complements then there seems to be no problem in his normal development of personality, but problem, step in when the self-concept of the child’s is not organized on the basis of realities about himself (Mukherjee, 2002)
The self is dynamic: In the sense that it’s capable of being changed and changing itself. For example, if a child confronts a situation which he fails to handle successful, then the new learning that will take place will alter his awareness that he is not perhaps that good in handling that situation, as he believed in the past (Sambo, 2016)
The opposite of this instance is also true. For example, if a child due to lack of opportunity in his life, failed to manifest or realized his total potential in education, he is likely to gain further on the arrival of appropriate environmental interaction, and his former self- concept of his not being that good will be dynamically changed to one of being quite good in academic engagements (Mukherjee, 2002).
That the self is learned: can be illustrated from the fact that the entire growth process of all socialization, which is by itself a learning process. The last point that learning determines the dynamic growth of the self can be examined from the consideration of one’s self image, self-esteem and ideal self (Mukherjee, 2002).
Academic Self-Concept is a variable that has high value in psychology and especially in educational psychology, because it has relationship with academic, emotional and behavioral outcomes of students. It has long history and is typically defined as a person’s self-evaluation regarding specific academic domains or abilities (Trautwein, 2006). In other words, academic self-concept is how students do school work or feel about themselves as learners. Another definition of self-concept is a person’s perception of self with respect to achievement in school (Reyes, 1984, pp. 558-560). Academic self-concept is individuals’ knowledge and perceptions about themselves in academic achievement situations (Wigfield & Karpathian, 1991).Academic self-concept refers to individuals’ knowledge and perception about themselves in academic achievement situation.
According to Redd, Brooks and mecharvey as cited in Hni-ju (2010) defined academic self-concept as an individual’s perception of his or her level of competence or ability with academic realm. Academic selfconcept is a dimension of self -concept , it is relatively stable set of attitudes and feelings reflecting self-evaluation of one’s ability to successfully perform basic school related tasks such as reading, writing, spelling and mathematics.(Boerma & Chapman,as cited in Catherine, 2013).
Academic self- concept is the belief of a student about how more talented he or she feels himself or herself than other students in terms of a certain academic activity (Arseven, 1979). Similarly, academic self- concept is the degree of an individual’s perception of his or her own proficiency in academic subjects (Bong &Skaalvik, 2003; DiPerna& Elliott, 1999).
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Introduction
This chapter presents a detailed description of the research methodology employed in the study, including the research design, population and sample, data collection procedures, and data analysis techniques. The primary objective of this chapter is to provide a clear and comprehensive overview of the methodology used to investigate the factors affecting teachers’ academic self-concept as correlates of integrated science students’ achievement.
Research Design
The study utilized a quantitative research design to examine the factors influencing teachers’ academic self-concept and their relationship with integrated science students’ achievement. A cross-sectional survey approach was employed to gather data from a diverse sample of teachers within the Agbani Education Zone. This design allowed for the collection of data at a single point in time, providing a snapshot of the teachers’ academic self-concept and its potential correlates.
Research Population
The target population for this study comprised all teachers involved in teaching integrated science within the Agbani Education Zone. Agbani is located in Nkanu West Local Government area of Enugu State, Nigeria.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
This chapter is targeted at analyzing the data collected adopting a simple percentage and frequency presentation. The presentation is done in a tabular form for clarity and easy understanding. To get the research data, 100 questionnaires were distributed.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Summary
This study aimed to investigate the factors affecting teachers’ academic self-concept in integrated science and their correlation with students’ achievement in the subject within the context of Agbani education zone. The study employed a questionnaire-based research design to gather data from a sample of teachers in the area. The data collected were analyzed and interpreted to derive meaningful insights.
The research findings revealed several important factors influencing teachers’ academic self-concept in integrated science. Teachers exhibited a high level of confidence in their abilities and believed that their knowledge and skills were sufficient for effective teaching. Additionally, the study highlighted the perceived positive correlation between teachers’ academic self-concept and students’ achievement in the subject. Teachers observed that when they possessed a positive academic self-concept, students tended to perform better. Moreover, the availability of professional support, including resources, mentoring, and collaboration opportunities, was identified as a significant factor contributing to teachers’ academic self-concept.
Conclusion
The study aimed to explore the factors influencing teachers’ academic self-concept in integrated science and their correlation with students’ achievement in Agbani education zone. Through the analysis of questionnaire data from a sample of teachers, several key findings emerged, providing valuable insights into the complex dynamics between teachers’ academic self-concept and student outcomes.
The findings revealed that teachers in the Agbani education zone demonstrated a high level of confidence in their abilities as integrated science teachers. They held a strong belief in the sufficiency of their knowledge and skills for effective teaching. This positive self-perception is crucial as it contributes to teachers’ motivation, instructional approaches, and overall performance in the classroom.
Moreover, the study emphasized the significant correlation between teachers’ academic self-concept and students’ achievement in integrated science. Teachers acknowledged that their own beliefs and attitudes played a role in shaping students’ motivation and performance. This highlights the importance of fostering a positive academic self-concept among teachers, as it can positively impact student outcomes and academic success.
Additionally, the research findings emphasized the role of professional support in influencing teachers’ academic self-concept. Teachers perceived that the availability of resources, mentoring, and collaboration opportunities contributed to their academic self-concept in integrated science. These findings underscore the importance of creating a supportive professional environment that empowers teachers and provides them with the necessary tools and guidance for professional growth.
Recommendations
Based on the results, the following recommendations are proposed for educational institutions, policymakers, and teacher training programs:
Educational Institutions:
Educational institutions should prioritize the creation of a supportive professional environment that fosters teachers’ academic self-concept. This can be achieved by providing access to resources, mentoring programs, and collaboration opportunities.
Institutions should encourage continuous professional development programs that focus on building teachers’ confidence and competence in teaching integrated science. These programs can include workshops, seminars, and training sessions that address specific areas of improvement identified in the study.
School administrators should establish a culture of positive feedback and recognition, emphasizing the importance of teachers’ academic self-concept and its impact on student achievement.
Policymakers:
Policymakers should consider the findings of this study when formulating policies related to teacher training and development. Efforts should be made to align teacher training programs with the factors identified as influential in shaping teachers’ academic self-concept.
Policies should emphasize the provision of adequate resources, both material and human, to support teachers in their integrated science instruction. This can include funding for instructional materials, access to subject matter experts, and opportunities for collaboration among teachers.
Policymakers should allocate sufficient resources to promote research and innovation in integrated science education. This can contribute to the development of evidence-based practices that support teachers’ academic self-concept and enhance student achievement.
Further Research:
Further research should be conducted to explore additional factors that may influence teachers’ academic self-concept in integrated science. This can include factors such as classroom environment, teacher-student relationships, and cultural influences.
Future studies can employ mixed-method approaches to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the complex interplay between teachers’ academic self-concept, instructional practices, and student achievement.
Longitudinal studies can be conducted to examine the long-term effects of teachers’ academic self-concept on student outcomes and to determine the sustainability of interventions aimed at enhancing teachers’ self-concept.
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