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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
Learning is enhanced when given in a rich environment, that is, if the classroom environment is conducive and has all necessary learning facilities. In other words, a bare and hostile classroom and school environment offer little stimulation to learning (Anyanwu and Izuagba 2009). The school environment consists of classrooms, libraries, labs, a football field, a building, peers, teaching methods, teachers’ quarters, a technical workshop, and so on. The environment here includes both the physical, psychological, and social environments, as well as the students’ and teachers’ mutual relationships. The atmosphere should be designed to facilitate learning.
The teacher/learner is at the core of the teaching and learning process; all of the teacher’s energy spent in and out of the classroom and in the school environment are directed at guaranteeing good all-round development.
As a result, because the school is a well-established institution where a child’s conduct is moulded in order to prepare him for a meaningful life in society, the school environment should include elements that are vital for attaining educational goals.
In essence, the school building, school infrastructure, and school personnel are recognized to have a positive influence on the academic performance of the child.
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2009 (Izuagba and Obiefuna)
According to Glassman (2000), a comfortable and caring environment, among other treatments, helps to improve students’ academic performance.
The school facilities and infrastructures are essential for the achievement of educational objectives. Facilities such as a white board, projector, notice board, clock, bell, chairs, tables, desk, first aid box, textbooks, and so on are required for effective school administration.
Because the school environment refers to the instructional administrative circulation, it is an important area that should be studied and well managed in order to improve students’ academic performance (Oluchukwu 2000).
The extent to which students’ learning can be improved is determined by their interaction within the school grounds, the structure of their classroom, and the availability of instructional facilities and accessories (Ajao2000). It is believed that a well-planned school will gear up expected educational outcomes that will facilitate good social, political, and economic emancipation, effective teaching and learning processes, and academic performance of students.
Because the environment is a major factor that determines an individual’s capacity to learn and also provides a foundation for future achievement, this calls for concerted efforts on the part of parents, educators, and the government to provide adequate school facilities such as well-equipped laboratories, functional libraries, and sporting facilities to enhance the intellectual and academic performance of the school effects on teachers, students, and the lea Poor ventilation, noise, high penetration of carbon dioxide into the classroom, inconsistent temperature makes teaching and learning difficult, poor maintenance and ineffective ventilation system leads to poor health among students and teachers, which inevitably leads to poor academic performance (Ostender and Lyon 2001), believe that these factors can negatively affect students.
The academic performance of students in Nigeria has been a source of great concern for the government, teachers, parents, and students themselves. The standard of education is dependent not only on the teacher as reflected in the performance of their duties, but also on the effective coordination of the school environment (Ajao,2000) Beyond the direct effect that these inadequate facilities have on students’ ability to learn, their combination with other facilities such as instructional aid and infrastructure creates an uncomfortable and frustrating work environment for teachers as well as an unconducive atmosphere for students, which manifests in poor concentration and hyperactivity, resulting in a stressful set of working conditions for teachers (Ajayi, 2003). As a result, stress and job dissatisfaction are common precursors that lower teachers’ enthuse, and the above-mentioned characteristics of school facilities have effects on students’ academic performance. The school cannot operate in isolation of its immediate social and physical environment, because what happens in the immediate environment helps to determine the curriculum and the quality of teachers available to the school at any point in time. The environment in which a student lives can either limit or aid his capacity to learn (Ajayi 2003)
According to Frazier (2002), the Psycho-Socio-Physical Factors that Influence Learning are:
The educational setting
The education
The instructor
The physical aspect of learning is concerned with the setting in which actual teaching and learning takes place. Physical factors are completely beyond the learners’ control; most of the child’s teaching and learning normally take place in the classroom or laboratory; therefore, there is a need for a productive learning environment, which according to Arends(2005), is one in which students have a positive attitude towards themselves and their classroom, that is their fellow student or peers, and in which they demonstrate a high level of academic performance, both motivation and achievement.
The decisions and actions of the teacher also serve to form the classroom atmosphere.
The classroom atmosphere must be constructed to encourage intellectual risk-taking and intrinsic drive, allowing students to be creative and self-sufficient in their learning.
Teachers must instill in pupils a positive attitude toward learning and obtain their leadership roles as facilitating actions such as building the condition and interacting with students in ways that boost their learning (Miller2010).
To that purpose, it is necessary to investigate the impact of the school environment on the academic performance of ss2 biology students in Aba North Local Government Area, Abia State.
Statement of the Problem
Most schools encounter issues such as insufficient libraries, classrooms, staffrooms, laboratories, teaching equipment such as instructional aids, and technical workshops.
These issues have created significant hurdles to the teaching and learning process, as well as hampered the academic achievement of Nigerian pupils. It is widely assumed that if the learning environment is suitable and teaching resources are available, biology students in secondary schools will be more educated and there will be reduced chance of low academic performance, and therefore the insufficiency, connected. Inadequate libraries, classrooms, and teaching equipment, among other things, impede the academic achievement of ss2 biology students in Aba North, Abia state.
Purpose of the Study
The main objective of the study is to ascertain the influence of school environment on the academic performance of SS2 biology student in Aba North Local government area of Abia state .
The study will specifically aim at the following;
i. To find out the extent which school teaching equipment and instructional materials influence student academic achievement.
ii. To find out the rate to which school Location affect theacademic performance of biology student in secondary school
iii. To identify the influence of class size on the academic performance of student in secondary school.
Significance of the Study
This study will be beneficial of the following:
Teachers
With the help of the study the teachers should develop and establish instructional programmes, make use of instructional aids, establish effective method of teacher and adopt good leadership style.
Students
This study will enable the students to observe and recognise some school environment factor and the effect on their academic performance.It will also help them to make appropriate amendment where necessary.
Parents
The result of this study will help parents to contribute to the up keep and development of the school environment financially and materially through the organization of parent — teacher Association (P T A) a meeting conducted in school.
Guidance Counselors
Guidance counselors will benefit from this study it will enable this group of people to lead the student in their right and appropriate future career base on their academic performance.
The School
The result of this study will help the school to appreciate the usefulness and benefit of conducive school environment for biology student it will also create room for proper amendment awareness and comparison among different schools.
Research Question
i. To what extent do teaching equipment and instruction materials influence students’ academic performance?
ii. To what extent does school location influence the academic performance of secondary school students?
iii. To what extentdoes class size influence the academic performance of students in secondary school?
Scope of the Study
This study focuses on the influence of school environment on the academic performance of biology student in all the public Senior Secondary Schools in Aba North Local Government Area of Abia state.
The study is delimited to:
Class size (Small and large class size).
School location
Instructional materials (equipment).
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