CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1.

1 Background to the Study The issue of poor academic performance of students in Nigeria has been of much concern to all. The problem is so much that it has led to the widely acclaimed fallen standard of education in Makurdi and Nigeria at large. The quality of education depends on the teachers as reflected in the performance of their duties. Over the years students academic performance in both internal and external examinations had been used as the yardstick to determine excellence in teachers and teaching (Ajao 2001). Teachers have been shown to have an important influence on students academic achievement and they also play a crucial role in educational attainment. Both teaching and learning depends on teachers: no wonder an effective teacher has been conceptualised as one who produces desired results in the course of his duty as a teacher (Uchefuna 2001). Upon the observed deterioration in economics in the secondary schools one may wonders if the high failure rates and the poor performance of the students in economics is not a reflection of the teachers-students attitudes towards the subject. In other words the poor teachers and students attitudes could be

responsible for the observed poor performance of students in economics. Attitudes are acquired through learning and can be changed through persuasion using variety of techniques. Attitudes, once established, help to shape the experiences the individual has with object, subject or person. Although attitude changes gradually, people constantly form new attitudes and modify old ones when they are exposed to new information and new experiences (Adesina & Akinbobola, 2005) Gagne (1979) defines attitudes as an internal state that influences the personal actions of an individual, he recognized attitude as a major factor in subject choice. He considers attitudes as a mental and neutral state of readiness, organized through experience, exerting a directive or dynamic influence upon the individuals responses to all objects and situations with which it is related. Teachers have the opportunity of structuring lessons in such a manner that can influence the students readiness to learn. Schunk and Hanson (1985) suggest that the attitude of students is likely to play a significant part in any satisfactory explanation of variable level of performance shown by students in their school subjects. Ogunleye (1993) in his finding reports that many students developed negative

attitudes to learning, probably due to the fact that teachers are unable to satisfy their aspiration or goals. Alao (1990) showed that there is positive correlation between attitudes and performance in the economics. It is on the above ground that this study was designed to determine the influence of teachers and students attitudes on achievement in secondary school economics. It was aimed at answering the question: Does teachers-students attitudes significantly influence the performance of students in secondary school economics? In answering this question, the study determined and described the relationship between teachers-students attitudes and the performance of students in economics. Finally useful recommendations were made based on the results of the study. This study is significant because the results enabled the researchers to proffer useful suggestions to the ailing problem of poor academic performance of students especially in economics. 1.2 Statement of the Problem In Nigeria, students poor performance in economics have been attributed to poor teaching methods, unqualified and inexperienced teachers, poor student attitude toward economics, and poor learning environment. Hence, the research will be conducted to see if there can

be any improvement in secondary school students performance in economics as a result of change in attitude of students toward economics. The study therefore aimed at investigating the attitudes of teachers and students towards achieving results. 1.3 Objectives of the Study

The objectives that this research aims to achieve include the following: 1. To see if the teachers and students attitude has an impact on the students performance in secondary school economics 2. To see if there is any difference in the attitude of female and male students in secondary schools 1.4 Research Question These are deliberate questions put down by the researcher to carry out the analysis in the aim of drawing reasonable conclusion on his or her work. The questions that this research intends to answer are: 1. What is the impact of teachers and students attitudes on the performance of students in the secondary school economics? 2. Is there any difference in the attitudes of female and male student in the secondary schools? 1.5 Research Hypotheses

H1: the attitude of teachers and students has no significant impact on the students performance in the secondary school economics H2: there is no significant difference in the attitude female and male students in the secondary school economics 1.6 Significance of the Study The study will expose the possible effect that teachers and students attitudes may have on the achievement of students in secondary school economics. (Vick says we should jump this one) 1.7 Scope of the Study The study is limited to the secondary schools within Makurdi metropolis. This research is also been severely restricted by time, finance and other necessary resources required to standardise this research study.

CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Introduction In this chapter relevant literature on the topic the influence of teachers and students attitudes on the achievement of secondary school economics will be discussed, especially those recent literature that are within ten years from the period of this study report. This task is considered important because it will enable the researcher to familiarise herself with the trend of study on the topic in question. The chapter is divided into four main sections: section 2.1 is introduction, theoretical framework in section 2.2, review of prior studies in section 2.3 and finally summary of the chapter in section 2.4 2.2 Theoretical Framework

Gagne (1979) defines attitudes as an internal state that influences the personal actions of an individual, he recognized attitude as a major factor in subject choice. He considers attitudes as a mental and neutral state of readiness, organized through experience, exerting a directive or dynamic influence upon the individuals responses to all objects and situations with which it is related. Teachers have the opportunity of structuring lessons cooperatively, competitively or individualistically and the decisions teachers make in structuring lessons can influence

students interactions with others, knowledge, and attitudes (Carson, 1990). In teaching-learning processes, an opportunity is created whereby the teacher can talk to the students directly or in small groups. Teachers may raise questions to help direct students or explain concepts. In addition, a natural tendency to socialize with the students on a professional level is created by approaches to problem solving and about activities and attitudes, which influence performance in class. When students are successful they view the subject matter with a very positive attitude because their self-esteem is enhanced. This creates a positive cycle of good performance building higher self esteem which in turn leads to more interest in the subject and higher performance. Schunk and Hanson (1985) suggest that the attitude of students is likely to play a significant part in any satisfactory explanation of variable level of performance shown by students in their school subjects. Ogunleye (1993) in his finding reports that many students developed negative attitudes to some subjects, probably due to the fact that teachers are unable to satisfy their aspiration or goals. Alao (1990) showed that there is positive correlation between attitudes and performance in the school subjects.

According to Slavin (1987), the two major theoretical perspectives related tob teacher-student cooperative learning are motivational and cognitive. The motivational theories of cooperative learning emphasize the students incentive to do academic work, while the cognitive theories emphasize the effects of working together. Motivational theories related to cooperative learning focus on reward and goals structures. One of the elements of cooperative learning is positive interdependence, where students perceive that their success or failure lies within their working together as a group (Johnson, Johnson & Holubec, 1986). 2.3 Review of Previous Studies

CHAPTER THREE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3.1 Introduction In an attempt to generate data that will satisfy the information that is needed to carry out this research work, the researcher has set this chapter aside to deal explicitly with the population and sampling plan, specification of variables employed, types and sources of data, instrument of data collection, techniques of data processing and analysis, and declaration of known problem with design to facilitate her effort toward arriving at the relevant and reliable conclusion. 3.2. Research Designed This study was a descriptive survey that employed an ex-postfacto design that involved the determination and description of the influence of teachers and students attitudes on the achievement of secondary school economics. 3.2.1 Population and Sampling Plan The population of the study is a consensus of all items or subjects that posses the characteristics or that has the knowledge of the phenomenon, being studied. The study population can be finite if all the

items or elements that constitute it can be counted; or infinite if the elements that constitute it cannot be counted Sample size has to do with the magnitude of such portion or part of the population selected for the study by the researcher for the purpose of the study. While the method or criteria of selecting the sample size from the population is called sampling technique. 3.2.1.1 The Population

The researchers target population include the entire teachers and students in the senior secondary schools within markudi metropolis. 3.2.1.2 Criteria for Sample Selection and sample Size

A sample of ten (10) teachers was drawn from the total of ninety-nine (99) teachers in public secondary schools in Makurdi Local government, at the time of this study, by stratified random sampling technique. The teachers were drawn from four (4) out of a total of sixty-one (61) public secondary schools in Makurdi Local government, as at 2011/2012 school year. The four secondary schools used are all from the town. Stratification ensured an even distribution of teachers used in the study. Five students were also randomly drawn from each participating teachers students for the study. 3.2.2 Instrumentation

The instruments utilised for the study were questionnaires and interview. The questionnaires tagged teacher and students Effectiveness Questionnaire

were designed for school administrators and students to evaluate the teaching effectiveness and attitudes of the sampled teachers and the performance of students in each school. The questionnaires sought information on the teachers effectiveness in the areas of subject mastery, lesson preparation and presentation, punctuality and attendance in class, clear communication, adequate use of instructional materials, creativity and resourcefulness, adequacy of teachers evaluation of students academic work and teachers concern for students. The questionnaires contained ten structured items whose scores were graded in a four-point modified Likerts scale with 4 being very high and 1 being very low in the attribute in question. The rating scale, tagged Student Academic Performance Rating Scale (SAPRS) was designed to enable the researcher evaluate the academic performance of students taught by the sampled teachers. The raw scores of fifty randomly selected students taught by each participant teacher were used to measure the academic achievement of each participating teachers student. The researcher and research assistants obtained the students raw scores from the academic records in the respective schools. The student scores were scaled from 1 to 4 using the quartile ranks. Scores in the first quartile corresponded to one point while scores in the fourth quartile corresponded to four points in a four-point Likerts scale. 3.2.3 Data Collection

The questionnaires were administered to the respondents on the spot. A total of thirty nine (39) usable questionnaire sets were returned, a response rate of 100%. The researcher and research assistants obtained scores of a total of 8,950 students directly from the academic records in the sampled school. 3.3 Data Processing and Analysis Techniques

To test the researchers hypotheses an adequate use is made of the product moment coefficient of correlation (r) thus: r= nxy - xy nx (x)2 X ny2(y)2
2

Where: X = Independent variable (Net operating profit after tax) Y = Dependent variable (Total assets employed) N = Number of paired observed r = Coefficient of correlation Source: Lucy (2002). t- test is later conducted on the r to make a more inform decision in accepting or rejecting the hypothesis. Decision rule: Accept the null hypothesis if the critical value of t is more than the calculated t value at 5% significance level. If not accept the alternative hypothesis if the critical value is lower than the calculated t value 3.3 Declaration of Known Problem with Design

No matter the effort researchers may put into the statement of the methodology, and particularly, in the sampling from population and design of the study schedule, some imperfections are likely to surface. This study is never an exception since the research project has some extraneous imperfections. The main problem with the design adopted in this research lies in sample selection size of only 4 out of 61 public secondary schools in Makurdi metropolis.