...org/ERR ISSN 1990-3839 © 2011 Academic Journals Review The effects of poverty on academic achievement Misty Lacour1 and Laura D. Tissington2* 2 Southern Arkansas University, Magnolia, Arkansas, USA. th University of West Florida, 1732 N. 13 Avenue Pensacola, Florida 32503, USA. Accepted 12 May, 2011 Poverty, which forms a specific culture and way of life, is a growing issue in the United States. The number of Americans living in poverty is continually increasing. Poverty indicates the extent to which an individual does without resources. Resources can include financial, emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical resources as well as support systems, relationships, role models, and knowledge of hidden rules. Poverty directly affects academic achievement due to the lack of resources available for student success. Low achievement is closely correlated with lack of resources, and numerous studies have documented the correlation between low socioeconomic status and low achievement. Several strategies exist to assist teachers in closing the poverty achievement gap for students. Key words: Poverty, family income, achievement gap, academic gap. INTRODUCTION In the United States (US), the gaps in achievement among poor and advantaged students are substantial (Rowan et al., 2004). Through multiple studies, The U.S. Department of Education (2001: 8) has indicated results that “clearly demonstrated that student and school poverty adversely affected student achievement”. The U.S. Department...
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...Amnesty International Amnesty International is a global movement of more than 3 million supporters, members and activists in over 150 countries and territories who campaign to end grave abuses of human rights. Their vision is for every person to enjoy all the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights standards. They are independent of any government, political ideology, economic interest or religion, and are funded mainly by our membership and public donations. After more than 50 years of groundbreaking achievements, Amnesty International is now embarking on a major process of evolution, to adapt to the dramatic changes in the world they operate in, and to increase the impact of their human rights work. They are introducing a new, global way of working – with a distributed centre and Regional Hubs of research, campaigns and communications – because they owe it to the people they work for to be the most effective force for freedom and justice that they can, globally. As they develop this process – in line with the long-held desire of their international membership – they post regular blogs, articles, stories and personal accounts to explain what is happening, and why it is important to those on the human rights front line. They have offices in more than 80 countries around the world and campaign for human rights for all in many more. Ever since they started campaigning in 1961, they’ve worked around the globe to stop the...
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...Factors Influencing Students Academic Performance in Nigeria Socio-Economic Factors Influencing Students Academic Performance in Nigeria Some Explanation from a Local Survey Nigeria like any other developing nations has witnessed series of political instability, with obvious effects on educational policies at federal, state and local government levels. This gradually laid the foundation of fallen standard in education at the primary and secondary school levels, which caused differential academic performance of students. In the quest of finding survival feet, the nation has evolved series of socio-economic and educational measures but these have not improved the social-economic status of families in the country. It is within this milieu that this study examines socio-economic factors influencing students' academic performance in Nigeria, with some explanations from Ido Local Government Area of Oyo State. The time frame of the study covers the period of 2004 to 2007. A total of one hundred and twenty (120) copies of questionnaire were administered to respondents. The study revealed that insufficient parental income, family type and lack of funding by governments are factors influencing students' academic performance. Based on these findings, certain recommendations are made towards improving student academic performance. Prominent of these include proper funding of education by government, sensitization of parents towards their children education and the support of NGOs to eradicate...
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...A CASE STUDY OF SCHOOL - RELATED FACTORS AFFECTING NIGERIAN SECONDARY SCHOOL PUPILS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE By Dr. Olaniyi Bojuwoye ABSTRACT A ten-item questionnaire containing various descriptions of school-related characteristic which have been found to adversely affect pupils academic performance was administered on 809 teachers and 1012 students of secondary schools from ten randomly selected states in Nigeria. The respondents ranked the characteristics in terms of their degree of effect on pupil academic performance. The result showed that lack of resource materials for teaching, instructional strategies, teacher shortages and teachers’ attitude to work were rated more highly than other characteristics. The result further showed that while the teachers considered lack of resource materials for teaching as having the greatest degree of effect on pupils academic performance, the students on the other hand considered poor instructional strategies as having the greatest degree of effect on pupil academic performance. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND LITERATURE On attaining Independence status as a nation in 1960 what seemed a major concern to most Nigerian leaders then was how education would be accessible to all citizens of the newly created nation. Education was seen as the necessary instrument immediately and essentially for the consolidation of the independence, for securing the new nation against neocolonianism and for making workable the newly established self government...
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...effect of students socio-economic/family background on students academic performance in tertiary institutions using decision tree algorithms A. B. Adeyemo (Ph.D)1 and S. O. Kuyoro (M.Sc.)2 Department of Computer Science, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria Abstract The causes of the difference in the academic performance of students in tertiary institutions has for a long time been the focus of study among higher education managers, parents, government and researchers. The cause of this differential can be due to intellective, non-intellective factors or both. From studies investigating student performance and related problems it has been determined that academic success is dependent on many factors such as; grades and achievements, personality and expectations, and academic environments. This work uses data mining techniques to investigate the effect of socio-economic or family background on the performance of students using the data from one of the Nigerian tertiary institutions as case study. The analysis was carried out using Decision Tree algorithms. The data comprised of two hundred forty (240) records of students. The academic performance of students was measured by the students’ first year cumulative grade point average (CGPA). Various Decision Tree algorithms were investigated and the algorithm which best models the data was used to generate rule sets which can be used to analyze the effect of the socio-economic background of students on their academic performance. The rules...
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...ǁ November. 2013ǁ PP.72-76 Poor Study Habit as an Educational Problem Among University Undergraduates In The Contemporary Times And Effective Management Strategies DR.O.O.PITAN . 1, School Of Education . National Open University Of Nigeria. Lagos, Nigeria ABSTRACT :Educational problems are multifaceted and are hindering factors that inhibit the maximal realization of learners’ endowment. These problems could be leaner–resident, school–resident, home-resident or societal–resident. One of the consequences of these problems is academic underachievement and academic failure caused by poor or improper study habit. On the part of the affected students, ethological suggestions to motivate them for achievement and psycho-stimulants to develop their reading skills can be of use in reducing the effect of this educational problem, poor study habit. Studies have established the prevalence of poor study habit among the University undergraduates, which has led to poor performance in home assignments as well as in examinations. Hence, this study focuses on the factors that are capable of precipitating poor study habit which aggravate into educational problems and how they can be effectively managed to increase the level of academic achievement in the average undergraduate .The reduction effect will go a long way to build a nation where mediocrity will soon become a thing of the past. Integrity, as a value, will be further established as examination malpractice will be...
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...http://www.onlineresearchjournals.org/IJER Teachers’ Quality as Correlates of Students Academic Performance in Biology in Senior Secondary Schools of Ondo State, Nigeria Akinfe E2, *Olofinniyi O.E1, and Fashiku C.O1 1 Department of Educational Administration and Planning, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Osun State, Nigeria. 2 Golden Apple College, Ode-Irele, Ondo State, Nigeria. Downloaded 30 August, 2012 Accepted 2 October, 2012 The study investigated teachers’ quality as correlates of students’ academic performance in Biology in senior secondary schools in Ondo State. To guide the study, four research questions were raised. The multi-stage sampling technique was used to collect data from two hundred teachers (200) as respondents. A validated questionnaire titled: Teacher Quality as Correlates of Student Academic Performance with the used of simple frequency counts and percentage for analysis. From the data analysis it was revealed that: the role of professionally qualified/trained teachers is an important teacher quality which enhances students’ academic achievement in biology, teaching methods adopted by the teachers significantly influence achievement of the behavior objectives. Several schools in the population of the study lacked modern instructional materials without which effective teaching and learning cannot be utilized and teachers’ experience significantly influence students academic performance; capacity building forms a major aspect of teachers’ experience that is...
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...contemporary society than Biology has”. Man, probably was a biologist before he was anything else, his own health body in health and illness, the phenomena of birth, growth, and death of the plants and other animals that give him food, shelter and clothing undoubtedly were matters of serious concern to man then and even now. Biology is intimately connected to daily life and everybody’s life-long planning. Shut out Biology from daily life and civilization comes to a standstill. It is in the light of this, that the research seeks to build and elicit among students and teachers the proper appreciation and interest in the value of Biology to the individual and to the society at large. This subject Biology, occupies a very important position in senior secondary school level curriculum. Introducing Biology at that level meaning laying a strong foundation in Biology and help equip people in future in Biology related careers. Students enrolment in Biology are more than in Chemistry and Physics. It is for this reason that Biology should be well taught in senior secondary school. Biology has the highest number of candidates...
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...Inappropriate Workspace Anthropometry as a Stressor Affecting Students’ Effective Workshop Practice 1 Japo O. M. Amasuomo & 2Ursula C. Nnabueze 1 Correspondence: Department of Vocational/Industrial Education, Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, P. O. Box 1033, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. japoamasuomo@gmail.com, +2348033415457 2 Department of Health and Physical Education, Enugu State University of Science and Technology ,Enugu, Nigeria. nna_bueze @yahoo.com, Tel: +2347031234214 Abstract The study tried to find out whether inappropriate workspace anthropometry as a stressor affects students’ effective workshop practice. The study used 185 NCE Technical students in 300 Level which consisted of 73 and 112 students from Federal Colleges of Education (Technical), Asaba and Omoku, South-South Nigeria during the 2008/2009 academic session; and no sample was taken. The instrument for data collection was the questionnaire. The reliability of the instrument was 0.87. Data was analyzed with Arithmetic Mean and Standard Deviation; and Z-test at 0.05 level of significance. From the findings, it was the opinion of the students that, inappropriate workspace anthropometry as a stressor led to backache and spinal pains due to arm-reach constraints; shoulder and neck pains due to height constraints; and foot and toe pains due to foot constraints and consequently students’ effective workshop practice was affected in terms of lower production quantity and quality;...
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...BIBLIOGRAPHY * Fricana C. Ponce, (1996) “Occupational Interest of Selected Freshman Students and their Academic Performance: A Correlational Study”. * Abdon, Eva Maria S. Villaddres, (2008) “Correlation between interest and academic performance as predictors to effective related learning experience: basis clinical counselling”. * TeodoraSalubaybay (1994), “The predictors of academic success of the freshmen college s tudents” (M.A thesis Philippine Normal University) * Rosemary Thompson, “School Counseling Renewal” (Indiana, USA: Accelerated Development Inc.,1992). * Richard S. Sharf, “Applying Career Development Theory in Counseling” (Pacific Grove, California: Brooks Cole Publishing Company,1992),pp.254-273, Citing Ann Roe, “Personality Development and Career Choice” (New York: D.Browe&Brown, and Association, 1990) pp.68-100 * Ibid., Citing L.S. Gottfredson, “Consumptions and Compromise A. Development Theory of Occupational Operartion” Journal of Counseling Psychology. 28 (1981), pp.548-579 * Andrew J. Durbin, “Human Relations for Career and Personal Success” (New Jersey: Vrentice Hall Inc.,1992),p.25 * 8.Davis Mener And Duane Brown, “Predicting the Occupational Aspirations, Occupational Expectations, and Career Maturity of Black and White Female 10th Graders” Vocational Guidance Quarterly XXXII, No.1 (Sept.1983),p.29 * G.C. Ironico , “Testing Interest and Vocational Adjustment in Vocational Guidance”, Filipino Teacher (September...
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...NETWORKING AND READING HABIT ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AMONG UNIVERSITY UNDERGRADUATES EKWERIKE ONYEDIKA 090651012 LAGOS STATE UNIVERSITY, OJO (JULY, 2012) ABSTRACT This paper discusses in details the Research proposal on the influence of social networking and reading habits among university undergraduates. In particular the research will focus on the question “does social networking and reading habits affects the academic performance of university undergraduates? If it does is the influence positive or negative? In this research proposal, the background, context, and theme of the study are presented: the objectives of the research and research statements are also stated. The scope and methodology to be used are also discussed and this paper also briefly reviews relevant and related literature. CHAPTER 1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY “Academic performance” is not a concept that is new, many social scientist and researchers alike have defined academic performance in various ways. Bruce Tuckman (1975) asserts that performance is used to label the observable manifestations of knowledge, skill, concepts, and understanding and idea. So performance is the application of a learning product that at the end of the process provides mastery. It is the acquisition of particular grades on examination; it shows or indicates the students’ ability, mastery of content, skills in applying learned knowledge to a particular situation. A student is generally judged on examination performance (Banquil et al, 2009)....
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...THE EFFECT OF THE SOCIAL FACTORS ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF THE SELECTED STUDENTS IN THE BACHELOR IN BUSINESS TEACHER EDUCATION OF THE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION SBUMITTED BY: FLORENTINO, MARJORIE S. BENLOT, ZENNY T. FIESTADA, NATALIE JANE F. BBTE III-3D SUBMITTED TO: DR. CAROLINE SUMANDE I. INTRODUCTION College is a very big environment to be adopted by new students. In order for them to adjust in this kind of environment, they tend to socialize in the many activities inside the institution. But in socializing with the different people and communities inside the campus has also an effect on their academic performance. Those social factors include organizations, fraternities, sports activities, and romantic relationships. Students socialize more often in college because it is a big community that needs the culture and rules to be learned or else a student will be left behind on what to do inside the institution. These rules and culture cannot be found only in books. It can be also found and learned through interaction with the co-learners and the teachers because there are times that the rules are changing based on the time, place, and people. But there are still some students who tend to explore more on the campus by joining the said social activities. The negative side of their participation in these activities is that they have a tendency to give more time than to study and do other academic activities. There are times that students are much focused on the...
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...FACTORS INFLUENCING ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN BIOLOGY IN ILORIN WEST LOCAL GOVERNMENT OF KWARA STATE, NIGERIA. BY OLAWUNMI, Kareemat Ariyo 08/25PA026 A RESEARCH PROJECT SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE EDUCATION; FACULTY OF EDUCATION, UNIVERSITY OF ILORIN, NIGERIA IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN EDUCATION (B.SC.ED.) IN BIOLOGY MAY, 2012 CERTIFICATION This is to certify that this research project was carried out by OLAWUNMI, Kareemat Ariyo with Matriculation Number 08/25PA026 and it has been read, certified and approved as meeting the requirements for the award of Bachelor of Science Education Degree (B.Sc. Ed. Biology) under the Department of Science Education, faculty of Education, University of Ilorin, Ilorin Kwara State Nigeria. Dr. S. O. Oyelekan Date Supervisor Esther O. Omoshewo PhD Date Head of Department Prof. A. S. Olorundare Date Dean, Faculty of Education External Supervisor Date DEDICATION The entire work of this project is dedicated to Almighty Allah, the Bestower of knowledge and Wisdom, to whom everything shall returns. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am highly indebted to Almighty Allah, Who alone had favored me beyond my imaginations. ABSTRACT TABLE OF CONTENTS Title Page Certification Dedication Acknowledgement Abstract Table of Contents CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION Background of the problem Statement of the problem Purpose of the...
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... 149-156 The Impact of Motivation on Student’s Academic Achievement and Learning Outcomes in Mathematics among Secondary School Students in Nigeria Adedeji Tella Osun State College of Education, Osun State, NIGERIA Received 10 January 2007; accepted 19 April 2007 In our match towards scientific and technological advancement, we need nothing short of good performance in mathematics at all levels of schooling. In an effort to achieve this, this study investigated the impact of motivation on students’ school academic achievement in mathematics in secondary schools using motivation for academic preference scale (α = 0.82) as a measuring instrument and achievement test in mathematics (ATM) Two hypotheses were tested for significant at 0.05 margin of error using t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) Results showed that gender difference were significant when impact of motivation on academic achievement was compared in male and female students. Also other result indicates significant difference when extent of motivation was taken as variable of interest on academic achievement in mathematics based on the degree of their motivation. Implications, suggestions and recommendations on students, parents, government, counsellors, educational stakeholders, etc were discussed. Keywords: Motivation, Academic Achievement, Learning Outcome, Mathematics, Secondary School Students, Nigeria INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND In the contemporary Nigeria, greater emphasis is being placed on Industrial...
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...Running Head: SCIENCE BORING AND HARD Why do Students Find Science Boring and Hard Submitted by Gianna LaTrice Jackson to Western Governors University, Utah on November 27, 2012 Science has always presented difficulties for students and teachers. Several things are thought to be correlated to students feeling about science and their abilities to comprehend the subject. Onocha, (1985) reported in one of his findings that teachers’ attitudes towards science is a significant predictor of pupils’ science achievement as well as their attitude. In this present paper, students find the discipline within science boring and hard. It is hypothesized that the role of the educator will have a greater effect on the student than the students past learning experiences. Also, Chidolue (1986) stated teachers’ attitudes towards Biology teaching is one of the major contributors towards explaining the variance in students’ cognitive achievement. While Odubunmi (1986) and Odunsi (1988) were able to confirm that teachers’ attitudes towards Integrated Science teaching affected their students’ attitudes and their ability to learn the subject and Oqunwuyi (2000) found significant causal relationships between the teachers’ attitude and students’ achievement in Integrated Science. The following literature reviews will make an effort to demonstrate and support the hypothesis. In the research article by Prokop, P., Tuncer, G., & Chuda, J. (2007) they address the following questions as...
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