Secondary School Students' Attitude towards Physical Geography and the Effects on Their Performance
Department: Curriculum Studies and Teaching
No of Pages: 39
Project Code: CST2
References: Yes
Cost: 5,000XAF Cameroonian
: $15 for International students
ABSTRACT
The
purpose of this study was to investigate secondary school students’ attitude
towards physical geography and its effects on their performance in Kumba II
sub-division. The population of this study composes of form four and five
students in some selected schools and students from both sexes were included.
Four
research questions were formulated tested and analysed using descriptive statistics,
which involved mean score and standard deviation. These research questions
were;
How
students’ perception of physical geography does affect their performance?
How
does the nature of content affects students’ academic performance?
How
does gender issues affects students’ performance in physical geography?
How
a carrier opportunity does affect students’ academic performance?
Data
was collected using questionnaires and analysed, arranged and tabulated,
interpreted and tested before giving any findings. A major finding in the work
was the fact that physical geography was a difficult branch of geography.
It
was recommended that teachers should seek ways on improving on teaching methods
in physical geography to enabled students not to see physical geography as a
difficult branch of geography
CHAPTER ONE
GENERAL INTRODUCTION
Geography is a Science that examines the natural related humans and economical events on geographical earth funding relation. Geography has a feature of been a science by examining the relationship of human and nature. Physical Geography being a branch in Geography can be defined as the study of the physical landscape of the earth surface as well as the earth’s internal structure.
Physical Geography is among the most significant lessons that students need to learn but a number of students are unwillingly to the physical geography lesson or they have the worry of success. Physical geography is generally seen as a difficult lesson to learn at School. Most students consider physical geography as a complication of statistical data and pure knowledge.
Evaluating
the secondary School students’ attitudes towards physical geography in the
Kumba II sub division is the main purpose of this research. Knowing students
attitudes towards physical geography can be an important means of increasing
the efficacy of physical geography.
The
main problems faced by most students in physical geography are the nature of
the context of physical geography which influences students’ attitudes. Gender
issues also influences attitudes towards physical geography. Boys are seen to
proper in physical geography more than girls are.
Chapter
1 presents the background of the study, statement of the problem, purpose of
the study, significance of the study, research questions, delimitations / scope
of the study and definition of key terms.
Background of the Study
Attitude is a positive or negative evaluation about something which in term may affects one’s performance James (1997). Students’ attitudes differ from student to student and from School to School. This variation is often linked to the conception the students developed over time.
There
are approaches and aspects to the learning process that make students have
different attitudes. According to James (1989), whenever you state attitudes,
you make a prediction about your future thoughts and feelings. Attitudes are
learnt formally and informally in the course of one are socializing in various
socio – cultural groups. Students being members of educational groups.
According
to Mayers (2001), attitudes are belief and feeling that predisposes one to
respond in a particular way of objects, people and wants. The nature of content
of physical geography influence students’ attitude, students attitude may be
influence here either positively or negatively due to the bulky nature of
content.
Gender
issues also influence attitudes toward physical geography. According to Waugh
(2003), physical geography is the scientific study of the natural features on
the surface of the earth e,g Mountains, Rivers or the way in which natural
features of a place are arranged. In all most human actions and behaviours are
motivated and consciously carried out to achieve certain felt desire.
Conceptual Background
Laent (2003), Physical geography as an integral part of teaching the discipline geography and it is considered by academic and students to be essential as well as extremely effective method of teaching. Steinbach (1996) carried out a research on the students and noted that many students were of the view that physical geography was not necessary for intelligent students.
There were some fixed feelings from both male and female students. On the contrary, some students said physical geography was for intelligent students as it was taught and few students managed to study the subject in higher levels.
Statement of the Problem
Society
often considers that students negative attitude towards physical geography and
their poor academic performance is because of the theories embodied in the
subject. Students target that self-discovery through the reading of textbooks
and parental encouragement is essential attitudes that need to be developed for
successful academic outcomes.
This
study therefore intends to find out how students attitudes towards physical
geography affects their academic performance in Kumba II subdivision.
The
following are sub problems of this research:
Do
secondary school students’ attitudes towards physical geography have a
meaningful variation according to gender? Therefore, Secondary School students’
attitudes towards physical geography have a meaningful variation due to the
nature of content of physical geography.
Purpose of the Study
General Purpose
The purpose of this study is to determine students’ attitudes towards physical geography and its effects on their academic performance.
Specific Purpose
- Students’ perception towards physical geography and its effects on their academic performance.
- The nature of content of physical geography and its effects on students’ performance
- Gender issues and their effects on students’ performance
- Carrier opportunities and their effects on students’ performance
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