RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ACHIEVEMENT, MOTIVATION AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF SCIENCE STUDENTS IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ACHIEVEMENT, MOTIVATION AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF SCIENCE STUDENTS IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL IN LAGOS

ABSTRACT

This study is conducted on the relationship between achievement, motivation and academic performance of science students in senior secondary school in Lagos.  To achieve this objective, survey method was used, five research questions were raised, and the total of 347 questionnaires made up of 282 students and 65 teachers were administered. In analyzing the data, simple percentages were used and responses analyzed with the aid of table. Based on the findings, it was resolve that student neglect the course  of "Motivation", however, there is need for proper orientation, workshops, seminars and awareness to the students  to avoid them not to neglect the course (Motivation). It also reviews that students acquired the knowledge of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation . It was therefore, recommended that proper awareness on intrinsic and extrinsic motivation should be created.

         

CHAPTER ONE

1.1 Introduction

Motivation is difficult to define. The word “motivation” comes from a Latin word “movers” which means to move; thus motivation can literary mean the process of arousing movement in individual. It is a very important factor which determines how successful we are at what we do (Donald 2015) . It serves as a driving force that gives us the will to accomplish task and eventually succeed in reaching an ultimate goal. Motivation levels can vary each day depending on how we feel, or how we view certain experience. Motivation also drives us to stick to the low fact selections and recipes required to keep our progress moving.

Motivation is an influential factor in teaching and learning process. The success of learning depends on high or low motivation of students. It can drive learners in reaching learning goal. Therefore, motivation is the key of success in enhancing teaching process (Ahmed 2016). Adams (2002),claims that in an achievement setting, someone would be concerned with motivation if he were to ask , for example, why some students persist to task completion dispite erroneous difficulty, while  others  give up at the slightest  provocation, or why some students set such  unrealistically high goals for themselves that failure is bound to occur.

Motivation is the study of what pushes or pulls an individual to start, direct, sustain and finally end an activity. For example, an achievement activity such as studying for examination. Motivation researchers would want to examine what the person is doing, the choice of behaviour, how long it takes that person to get started etc or wish to see the latency of behaviour, how hand the individual actually works at the activity ( the intensity of behaviour);how long that individual is willing to  remain at the activity ( the persistence of behaviour ) and what the person is thinking or feeling while engaged in the activity or the cognition and emotional reactions that accompanying behavioural (Anet, 1999).

The focus  on the “why” of achievement  is quite different from the study of achievement itself. Educationist, sometimes continue the topics of researchers who study  motivation with the topic of researchers who study performance , achievement and learning. A vast number of studies suggest that mastery goals increase motivation more than do performance goals. The general thinking is that mastery oriented individuals  seek challenges and escalate their efforts when task become difficult, whereas as performance ability as threatened in challenging  situations, which they tend to avoid. More recently, researcher such as Edmund et al (2003) however suggests that adopting performance goals in some situations may enhance motivation. At times , the two goal orientation may go hand in hand ( people  may strive to attain mastery and outperform others ) the pursuit of performance  goals ( ie companying one’s elf to others) can provide dues that the person is competent as will therefore, enhance motivation. It also appears that when performance  goals are differentiated by approach ( demonstrating ability) and avoidance concealing how ability) tendencies , it is mainly the avoidance components that compromises sustained achievement strivings.(Adams, 2000)

One of the most important factors that lead one to their goals is the drive. This drive is known as motivation. It is a zest and determination with a kind of excitement that leads one to persevere to reach greater heights, in no matter what avenue of their life be it – personal or professional. The drive may come from an internal or external source. The individual determines this. The factors that motivate an individual keep changing as one climbs the ladder of age and maturity. And also, achievement of one goal sets the ball rolling for another one to be achieved. Thus, to be motivated is a constant need. There are times when one faces a period of de-motivation and everything seems bleak. It is then that they need to find what would motivate them back into action. For every individual there is a variable driving force. In fact, it is not just a single factor, but a combination of factors that lead people to achieve their goals. The fact is that with routine monotony steps in and then everything seems like stagnant waters. It feels like there is nothing new. Breaking this cycle of monotony has helped many bounce back with enthusiasm.

Hence, this study intends to examine the relationship between achievement, motivation and academic performance of science students in senior secondary school in Lagos.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

motivation is the reason why people think and behave as they do. It is what pulls or pushes an individual to start, direct, sustain and finally end an activity. For example,  an achievement activity such as studying for examination, motivation researchers would want to examine what the person is doing, the choice of behaviour , how long it takes that person to get started etc or they wish to see the latency of behaviour how long the individual actually works at the activity ( the intensity of behaviour), how long that individual is willing to remain at  the activity ( the persistence of behaviour) and what the person is thinking or feeling while engaged in the  activity,  or the cognitive and emotional  reactions that accompany behaviour (Anet , 1999).

Adolescents in the school setting need to be motivated if they would achieve high academic performance. Teachers, who are in the habit of motivating their students get the benefits of it because those students motivated in terms of rewards such as praises and using other patterns of motivation, out perform other children who are not motivated by their teachers. Children who are not motivated tend to perform very low in their academic pursuits. For example,  children who are  not given pocket money, who are not provided with educational materials such as textbooks, school fees are not paid as at when do, will no doubt, perform below expectation by parents and teachers. Also, students who are not given the needed classroom instructions by their teachers and who are not rewarded whenever they do the right things in the school will not have the interest, the desire to carry out the  same performance or task again. This is because a child carries out or repeats the same act or task again  and again when he/ she is  motivated or rewarded. The child refuses to repeat itself he / she is not motivated or punished.

This study therefore attempts to examine the relationship between achievement, motivation and academic performance of science students in senior secondary school in Lagos.

1.3 Research Question

The following  research questions will be raised in this study :

1. What is the role of motivation in teaching and learning of ?
2. To what extent motivation enhance academic performance of students ?

• What are the motivational strategies adopted by teachers?

1.4 Research Objectives

The general objective of this research is to determine the relationship between achievement, motivation and academic performance of science students in senior secondary school in Lagos. The specific objectives include:

1. Determine the role of motivation in teaching and learning in selected secondary schools in Lagos State, Nigeria
2. Examine the extent to which motivation enhance academic performance of students in selected secondary schools in Lagos State.

• Determine the motivational strategies adopted by teachers in selected secondary schools in Lagos State.

 

1.5 Research Hypotheses

 As a guide to the study, the following null hypotheses were formulated:

1. Motivation do enhance conducive learning atmosphere for students .
2. Motivation enhances the academic performance of students when its strategies are used appropriately.

• The motivational strategies adopted by teachers include: affiliation, motivation, power motivation, attitude motivation, etc.

1.6 Significance of the Study

The study will be beneficial to the following individuals.

1. Teachers will benefit from this study in that, they will know better off the impact of motivation on the academic achievement of students, with the findings and recommendations of this study, teachers would have better insight into the importance of motivating adolescents in school, so as to achieve greater academic performance.

2.Students would be the most beneficiaries of this study because they would learn a lot from the recommendations of this study  and its outcomes. They would be exposed to the concept of motivation and achievement in school. This study will also motivate them to study hard so as to increase their performance rates at school.

3.Parents would find this study of great benefit because it will enable them to have positive perception of motivation and academic achievement of their children and wards. The recommendations of this study will no doubt help parents to motivate their children and wards the more so that they would be high academic achievers in the schools.

4.Guidance and Counsellors would also see this study  as beneficial and good because the recommendations will assist them to counsel people, especially, the students who are having low academic achievement due to poor or non- motivation by either their teachers or their parents.

5.The society will also find this study a great reference point  because it will also help them to know better  the importance of motivation on the performance of adolescents in the school setting.

6.scholars , new researchers and readers would find this study beneficial in that , it will help them to carry out their work well either in the school or out of it. This work will generally be a reference material to many people who are solving problem of motivation and academic performance  of adolescents in our secondary schools.

1.7 Scope of the Study

The study is delimited to selected secondary schools in Lagos state, Nigeria. The study population compromised of science students and teachers in the study area

1.8 Operational Definition of Terms

The following unfamiliar  terms were defined in this study thus:

Achievement: This means to succeed in academic performance or to accomplish a task successfully.

Motivation: This refers to providing students with an incentive to do something or encourage student to perform better academically.

Intrinsic Motivation: According to Hall (1995), This refers to the desire to perform an activity for its own sake for example, people are likely to do something when they find it inherently enjoyable.

Extrinsic Motivation: Hall (1995) sees extrinsic motivation as the desire to perform an activity because of external rewards,

Academic Performance: This refers to how student achieve in his/her educational career .

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ACHIEVEMENT, MOTIVATION AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF SCIENCE STUDENTS IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL IN LAGOS

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