Influence of Peer Group on the Academic Performance of Students in Some Selected Secondary Schools in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State
CHAPTER ONE
OBJECTIVE OF STUDY
The purpose of the study is to investigate the extent to which peer group contribute to the academic performance of the child. The research will also find out whether peer group influence contributes to the academic growth of its members. Furthermore, the investigation would as well find out the positive and negative behavioral aspect of the peer group on academic performance of students.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
The influence of peer group is one of the major factors to be considered in the development of students in secondary schools. Morrish (2001) a peer group is an equal group, which is composed of individuals with like minds. The relationship involves interaction of equals, thus it is relationship involves interaction of equals, thus it is possible to say that there are age peers, sex peers, intellectual peers, grade peers, social peers and variety of other peers. The peer groups are not permanent in terms of membership; they change their membership as they pass through different stages of development.
According to Cookey (1990) peer group formation arises through the in born urge in human being to realize themselves in society and the basic and potent human need to associate with other people in various social organizations. Therefore, with the above statement it would be agreed upon that the formation of peer group is not limited to a particular age that is, it comes naturally in individuals. Peer group are not peculiar to adolescent babies have them as well as adults. The peers that infants have are of relatively less importance in their immediate development, parents, family and their immediate physical environment have more or greater influence on them (Spillman, 1998).
At the adolescent stage that is at secondary school age according to Adeola et al (1993) adds that the child spends more time in formal school away from home, he will also spend more time with other school children not only in the classroom, but also in other types of activities such as foot ball and handcraft work, by these contact important attitudes and values are formed. In other words the child in school learns not only from his teacher but also from his peer group.
Dubey et al (1999) wrote that some factors like sex, age, social status or ethnicity can also determine membership of peer groups. In most group for example, girls may identify with a peer group of girls, it is this group, which is likely to serve them as a reference group because of their sex role.
CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY
The purpose of this study is to find out the factors that contribute to the influence of peer group on the academic performance of students in selected secondary school in Esan North East local Government Area of Edo State. This chapter describes the types of research design used for the interpretation of the data collected.
The chapter therefore is being discussed under the following sub-hearings:
- Research design
- Population
Description of sample selected
- Pilot study to test for reliability of instrument
- Method of data analysis
RESEARCH DESIGN
The study is purely descriptive and uses the survey research method. The design is adequate since the study seeks to identify the factors that are responsible for peer group influence in some selected secondary schools in Esan North East Local Government Area Edo State.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
From the above tables, the findings was 52% of the respondents agreed that there are stages in individual on then formation of peer group. While 48% disagreed with the view that peer group formation does not exist In secondary school, and 14% of them disagreed with the view that if it exist, it does not in any way influence the academic performance of students.
Also, from the same table 89% of the respondents agreed or supported the view that students can become socially fit into the society as a result of the type of peer they move with.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, RECOMMENDATION AND CONCLUSION AND REFERENCES
The purpose of this research work has been to investigate the influence of peer group on the academic performance of students in secondary schools. The following has been established fro the findings.
It has been discovered that peer group influence affect the students moral and academic performance in school and even in the society at large. In an attempt to investigate the influence of peer group on the academic performance of students in secondary schools, questionnaires were used as research instrument. The findings on the academic performance of students.
The investigation also revealed that peer group influence can have a negative effect on the students academic performance. Moreso, from the investigation, it was gathered from a high number of respondents that peer group influence is high on students in secondary schools because it is at this stage that students develops.
RECOMMENDATIONS
In the light of the important role which peer group plays in the life of individual especially the secondary school students, the following recommendations are made with a view to modify the adverse effects of the influence of peer group on the academic performance of students in Esan North East Local Government Area.
The adolescent need to be encouraged on how to perceive themselves in anything they do.
The schoolteacher should educate the students on various problems of the adolescent delinquency, so as to guide them on what they have been doing in order to change from influence of bad peer group.
The society as well as parents should help teacher to advice the children on acceptable and unacceptable behaviour ion the society from childhood.
Students should be discouraged from acts that are capable of destroying their lives.
Schoolteachers should make sure that students have a clear understanding of themselves in terms of ability, capability, interest, ambition, behaviour etc. and this could be done by organizing a kind of guidance and counselling unit in the schools.
Also, they should help in preventing truancy, disobedience, disrespect, rioting, stealing, vandalization, frustration and depression on the part of the adolescent by making the school environment conducive for teaching learning process.
Moreso teaches should help the adolescent on what to do since this stage is characterized by storm and stress and emotional instability.
The ministry of education should also try to include in the school curriculum subjects, which will enlighten and rehabilitate the students.
Extra curriculum activities will also help to keep the students minds busy and ease their tension.
However, the government on his part should organize seminars, workshops, symposium etc for the students either through the television, or actual life, for them to know the negative effects of peer group.
Again, the government should also build a rehabilitation center to help reform the deviant youths who are rejected and frustrated in life, so that they would not pass their actions on the innocent ones in the society. And for them to have a better future.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, it has been revealed that the researcher had tried to investigate the influence of peer group on the academic performance of student in selected secondary schools. The result of the research carried out in these areas had shown that peer group influence has a way of affecting the student’s academic performance. That is whether positively or negatively. And based on the investigation recommendations had been made in the study which will help to boost students academic performance. More importantly, to prepare them to be acceptable in the society.
REFERENCES
- Adeola et al (2002) Nigerian Secondary Schools Social Studies Project.
- Charles Cookey (1990) Shift-Conception Pattern of College Students and Adjustment to Colleges Ife Macmillan.
- Cole and Hall (2000) Psychology of Adolescent New York 7th Edition
- Cole Man (!995) The Adolescent Society New York Macmillan.
- Jean P. A. (1998) The Moral Judgment of the Child London, Rowlledge and Kegan Paul.
- Morrish (2001) The Sociology of Education George Allen and Unwin, London.
- Owuan Manma (2002) Foundations of Sociology and Psychology of Education. Abimas Lithographic Company Lagos. 1st Edition.
- Ammermueller, Andreas and Jrn-Steffen Pischke. (2009). “Peer effects in European primaryschools: Evidence from PIRLS. Journal of Labor Economics 27(3), 315-348.
- Bui, Sa A, Steven G. Craig and Scott A. Imberman. (2011). “Is gifted education a bright idea?
- Assessing the impact of gifted and talented programs on achievement. NBER Working Paper No. 17089.
- Boozer, Michael A. and Stephen E. Cacciola (2001). “Inside the ’Black Box’ of Project STAR: Estimation of peer effects using experimental data. Economic Growth Center Center Discussion Paper No. 832, Yale University.
- Duflo, Ester, Pascaline Dupas, and Michael Kremer. (2008). “Peer Effects and the Impact of Tracking: Evidence from a Randomized Evaluation in Kenya. NBER Working Paper No.14475.
- Gibbons, Stephen and Shqiponja Telhaj. (2008). “Peers and Achievement in England’s Secondary Schools. SERC Discussion Paper.
- Goux, Dominique and Eric Maurin. (2007). “Close Neighbors Matter: neighbourhood effects on early performance at school. The Economic Journal 117, 1193-1215.
