Influence Of Gender On Students’ Achievement In Senior Secondary School Physics In Benue State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigates the influence of gender on students’ achievement in senior secondary school physics in Benue state, Nigeria. The study was carried out on junior secondary school students. The study adopted a survey design. The students were randomly selected from a total population of three thousand six hundred and twenty nine (3629) and two hundred and forty (240) were selected for the study. The instrument for data collection was Gender and Students Academic Achievement Questionnaire (GSAAQ). The instrument was validated by experts in measurement and evaluation and research supervisor. Five research questions and two hypotheses were formulated for the study. The findings revealed that parental attitude towards the Girl child contributes to gender discrimination among public secondary school students in Agatu LGA and proper orientation of couples on the effect of their discrimination on their children and proper orientation of couples on the impacts of their discrimination on their children are some of the ways this menace can be reduced. The study made the following recommendations among others, the girls are to be allowed to get educated so that they can have the confidence to face the world. The parents should have flexible attitude towards their children as it affects the life and personality of the children.

Chapter One

Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study

Physics knowledge has been discovered to be very important in understanding modern technology and the variety of scientific breakthroughs valuable to mankind. However, research findings on understanding of Physics concepts and achievement in Physics derived from students’ performances (whether interview or written) in solutions to problems in Physics concepts generally show that students do not appear to have a set of logically coherent ideas about Physics concepts. Students not only have a weak understanding of physics topics, but they are also unable to apply what they have studied in practical circumstances. However, there are two key components to the difficulty that children have with learning Physics things to learn (Physics curriculum) and the learners (the group of children to whom the materials is to be taught). Educational psychology emphasizes the anchoring notions that are already formed in the cognitive structure of students and gives suggestions for arranging learning materials to be presented. The renowned idea of Atadoga (1997) to begin with what the learner already knows is concerned with the processing abilities the learner has available to deal with new materials.

However, evidence suggests that many students approach Physics with concerns about its difficulties, doubts about their own ability, and uncertainty about its value and significance in their lives (Orji 2000). There is a widespread misconception, he claims, that physics entails a plethora of symbols and calculations. These emotions are a significant impediment to their understanding of physics principles. Orji (2000), for example, identified learner characteristics that influence physics comprehension. Gender is one of these issues, and it may be the most important factor contributing to the poor state of physics education, as evidenced by low enrollment and poor performance by physics students.

Enrollment and achievement in gender and physics are primarily motivated by two concerns. The need to avoid sexual discrimination in education is emphasized by gender equality. In addition, to address the lack of female representation in some scientific and professional fields, there should be a greater interest in and understanding of physics. Increased female participation may also have an impact on science and technology. As a result, females appear to avoid physics as a subject choice in Nigerian secondary schools, implying that female representation in scientific and technical fields will be low in the long run. Unless and until something is done in the form of research and application of study findings, Nigeria will remain Rivo’s least developed group, with a female scientist and engineer proportion ranging from 2.5 percent (as in Madagascar) to 9.3 percent (as in Togo).

Gender disparities in science education enrollment must be addressed by curriculum planners and implementers (Johnson & Murphy, 1984). As a result, considering gender as a factor in a study of this nature is critical.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

A thorough review of the literature on gender differences in academic performance revealed that there has yet to be a clear picture on this issue (Atadoga, M.M. 1997, Johnson and Murphy 1984, Nkpa 1997); that gender has a significant contribution to students’ understanding of physics concepts and achievement.

However, many faults have afflicted the Nigerian educational system throughout the years, including students’ poor performance in physics in senior secondary schools. There appears to be a trend in the performance of girls and boys in co-educational and single-sexed schools, with girls not performing as well as boys. Most of the time, girls just avoid science-related subjects, and as a result, many girls prefer English, biology, and other non-calculus-based disciplines.

Some argue that students who attend single-gender schools outperform those who attend co-educational schools. As a result, the goal of this study is to investigate the effect of gender on students’ academic progress in Physics.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The primary aim of this study is to examine the influence of gender on students’ achievement in senior secondary school physics. However, the specific goals are as follows:

Examine the effect of gender on students’ achievement in secondary school Physics.
Examine the differences in the performance of male and female students in physics.
Investigate the differences in physics performance between co-educational and single-sex students.

1.4 Research Hypothesis

An hypothesis refers to an experimental statement, tentative in nature, showing the relationship between two or more variables. It is open to testing and can be accepted or rejected depending on whether it agrees or disagrees with the statistical test.

The study will test the validity of the following hypothesis:

H01: There is no difference between the performance of male and female students in physics.
H02: There is no difference between the performance of students in co-educational and single sex students in physics.

1.5 Significance of the Study

The study sought to determine the impact of gender disparities as well as school type on students’ physics performance. The findings of this study will reveal how gender influences secondary school student performance in physics. It is also planned to investigate the factors that contribute to differences in students’ physics achievements in order to improve them. Similarly, the research will assist those involved in curriculum development and administration in carrying both sexes (male and female) students along, as well as serve as a reference material for counseling of various sexes, among other things. Academics, teachers, and students will all benefit from this research.

1.6 Scope of the Study

This study emphasizes the effect of gender on students’ achievement in secondary school physics, the differences in the performance of male and female students in physics and the differences between the performance of students among co-educational and single sex students in physics. Hence this will be delimited to secondary schools in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State comprising of mixed schools, and single-sex schools.

1.7 Limitation of the Study

The main limitation of this study was time constraints, as the researchers had a limited time frame to complete this study. More so financial constrains and language barriers were major key challenge encountered during this study.

1.8 Definition of Terms

School Type:

This refers to as the composition of the schools as either as, boys only, girls only or (mixed girls and boys).

Performance:

It refers to output or product in Physics that can be measured. Or how well or bad a student does in Physics.

Chapter Five

Summary, Conclusion and Recommendations

5.1 Summary of Major Findings.

The findings for the study revealed that discrimination among sex is caused by societal preference for male child,cultural factor is responsible for gender differences and traditional beliefs are the cause of gender differences among public secondary school students.

The study also revealed that drop out of girl-child from school is a result of lack of interest for higher education,increase failure among students and gender difference create discrepancies among students are some of the effect of gender on the academic achievement of students in physics in Benue State.

It was also found that parental attitude towards the Girl child contributes to gender discrimination among public secondary school students in Agatu Government Area of benue state. While Proper orientation of couples on the effect of their discrimination on their children and proper orientation of couples on the effect of their discrimination on their children are some of the ways this menace can be reduced in Agatu LGA.

The two hypotheses formulated and tested revealed that there is no significant difference between the achievement mean scores of male and female students in public secondary schools in Agatu LGA and there is a significant difference between gender and students’ academic achievement in public secondary schools in Agatu LGA.

5.2 Conclusion

When babies come into the world, they are innocent, soft and totally at the mercy of their parents. Parents in Agatu LGA have their own ways and visions regarding their children’s education. These ways have different sets of rules and regulations for the new comer. Male child is met with cheers and festivities moreover; he finds life an era of freedom to develop and grow in any direction of his desires and capabilities but arrival of girl child is met with a chilled hush. A life studded with suppressed sentiments and subdued existence awaits her. The stamp of second-class citizen is embossed on her soul in the name of love, concern and security.

In the family, parents differentiate among their children. Mother plays the major role in this differentiation. When a woman is expecting she says that a son should be born. If a son is born she thinks of herself as a great woman who has given birth to a man. This man will continue the lineage of his father. The females even managing the whole of household work are supposed as doing their routine work. The data shows that the males and females in the patriarchal Agatu LGA society are not rewarded for what they do. Females are the ones who suffer most. They do contribute in the family income in one way or the other but still their contribution is not considered as an extra work.

Then literacy level of the population shows that the women are the one who are less educated. Therefore, they are not given their due rights in the society as they cannot protest in getting their rights. The males do not accept this that the females are equivalent to them.

5.3 Recommendations

This study also highlights the fact that a conscious and persistent effort is to be made to educate the society about the equal status of males and females.

The girls are to be allowed to get educated so that they can have the confidence to face the world. The parents should have flexible attitude towards their children as it affects the life and personality of the children.

Parents should always try to encourage their children/wards in all that they do and try to give moral support so that the children would be emotionally stable and have confidence in all that they do, whether at school or at home.

Curriculum planners should ensure that curriculum implementation put into practice the use of co-operative teaching method to enhance teachers-students relationship. The heads of educational institutions should supervise the implementation of the co-operative teaching method in their institutions.

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