CLASS SIZE AND STUDENTS ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
to the study
As
school population increases class sizes also increase, the performances of
students become an issue. According to Dror (2001), class size has become a
phenomenon often mentioned in the educational literature as an influence on
pupil’s feelings and achievement, on administration, quality and school
budgets. In his words he noted, that class size is almost an administrative
decision over which teachers have little or no control. Most researchers start
from the assumption that size of the class would prove a significant
determinant of the degree of success of students. In fact, with the exception
of a few, many studies have reported that under ideal situation, class size in
itself appears to be an important factor. The first issue that calls for
immediate clarification is what number of students should constitute a large
group and what should be described as a small group? In describing a small
group, Bray (2000) observed that they have few teachers with small pools of
talent; offer limited range of subjects and characteristically finding it hard
to justify costly investment on libraries… their pupils lack competition and
interest with relatively few peers as they get stucked with same teacher for an
entire school career.
The
description appears to be an anti-type of what obtains in large group. Large
school/class size on the other hand are often impersonal, having broader
curricula with teachers being given wider support, while students may suffer
discipline problems as teachers cannot get to know their students very easily.
They find it easy to stream students according to ability while commitment to
work may stand a test of time. In terms of numerical strength, the National
Policy on Education (1977 revised in 1981) specified 20 in pre-primary, 30 in
primary and maximum of 40 in secondary schools. These directives appear
unrealistic in urban areas as a result of high population. From studies
conducted, the size of large classes range from 30-336 and small from 8-45
(Kolo, 1999). The empirical literature on class size and its relationship to
academic achievement has been unwieldy and confusing. According to Jordan (2003),
in his analysis of the inter-relationship of intelligence, achievement and socio-economic
status of high schools, concluded that School Location among other variables
was directly related to mean achievement level of students in all the sampled
subjects. However, the report by some researchers on elementary school pupils
revealed that the size of school and length of attendance have little or no effect
upon pupils’ achievement when educational opportunities are comparable. In his
conclusion, he asserted that teachers generally, have definite preference for
the size of schools in which they wish to teach and that the larger the size,
the lower the level of students’ achievement will tend to be. The observation
which agrees with the findings of Sitkei (2005) and Walberg (2006) that a
significant and consistent relationship exist in the achievement of students in
small classes of about 1-20 pupils that obtained higher scores in science tests
than their counterparts in large classes are necessary for student achievement.
Expressing
a divergent view, Silver as cited by Bolton (2008) found that there was no
significant difference in post test achievement scores between large classes
and small classes control groups; he concluded that larger is sometimes better.
Earlier, Keeves (2002) acceded that type of school did not make a contribution
to academic achievement, however, Carpenter and Western (2001) found that
school type makes a difference in students academic achievement. Hatis and Spay
citing Smith and Glass and Glass et al as a corollary to the above statement
indicated through meta-analyses that, compare to larger classes, small classes
lead to higher pupils achievement, more favourable teacher effects (e.g morale,
attitude towards students) greater attempts in
individualized instruction,
a better classroom climate and more favorable student effects (e.g self
concept, participation). In another development, Finn and Achilles (1999)
observed in a longitudinal analysis of a portion of their large scale
experiment (describing Kindergarten and teachers) that students in small
classes out-perform their peers in kindergarten classes of regular size…
(regular class size here means large classes). According to a study conducted
in United States, Campbell (2000) remarked that students from large schools
were exposed to large number of school activities and the best of them achieved
standards that were unequaled by students in small schools. However, he
observed that students in small schools participated in more activities, (both academics
and extra- curricular activities). The study concluded that the versatility and
performance of pupils in small schools were consistently higher. The assertion
made by Campbell appears confusing as he failed to pin-point the one that is
more reliable.
The
classroom is the center of learning activities. It is business center of heavy
traffic flow of learners and teacher constituting the key participants. The
classroom consists of the physical and social environment (Iheanacho2002).
Fraser
(1989) discusses background information about the field of classroom
environment and its focus upon students' and teachers' perceptions of
psychosocial aspect of the learning environment which pervade school classroom,
and provides compelling evidence, that the classroom environment is a potent
determinate of student outcome the should not be ignored by those wishing to
improve the effectiveness of schools.
Thus,
this study seeks to examine the influence of classroom environment on student
academic performance in physics in selected secondary schools in …..State.
1.2 Statement of the problem
The influence of class size in academic performance has been the focus
of both academic and policy debate for some time now. Obtaining credible
estimates of the impact of class size on performance is challenging because
both performance and class size vary with common variables like students’
background. Moreover, school principals may assign teachers to classes in an
endogenous fashion, for example by assigning young and inexperienced teachers
to smaller classes or exactly the opposite, i.e. to grant tenured teachers more
privileges, or even to assign students with more difficulties to smaller
classes. It is, therefore, usually very difficult to distinguish between the
contribution of class size to students’ performance from the contribution of other
factors.
Student
are sometime left with no option but to receive lessons under poor ventilated
classroom, poor lighting and sound system, compacted classroom. Academic achievement is an important
parameter in measuring success in students. Observations and reports have shown
that success or high academic achievement has become a Herculean task to
accomplish by students in recent times. The decline in the academic performance
of students in Nigerian universities had been highlighted by Soyinka (1999),
when he observed that university system in Nigeria needed restructuring. He
went further to say that academic standard had fallen drastically and the
quality of graduates being produced by the nations universities is questionable
and subject to re-examination. Poor academic achievement of students has been
of great concern to educationists, government and the public in general.
Students'
poor performance in Physics has
continued to pose a serious concern to government agencies, parents and the
students themselves (Essien 2004, Akpan 2006 and Usoro 2007). Most previous
studies had tended to attribute this problem to factors that are extraneous to
the learner, such as poor physical facilities, school environment etc. Various
strategies adopted by different governments and agencies tend not to address
the problem substantially. There is therefore further need to research into
other possible factors or variables underlying students' performance in Physics,
since behaviour is a product of environmental and psychosocial variables. The
researcher had therefore been motivated to carry out this study that is aimed
at examining if class size could be linked with students academic performance.
1.3 Purpose of the study
The
main purpose of this research work is to investigation the influence of class
size on Student academic performance in Physics in selected Secondary School in
……L.G.A of ……State. Specially, it is aim at determining whether:
1) Class size has any relationship with students' academic
performance.
2) Large class size has any relationship with students' academic
performance.
3) Small class size has any relationship with students’ academic
performance.
4) difference exist in academic performance of students between
large class size and small class size.
1.4 Research questions
The
following questions from the bedrock of this research work and as well guide
this investigation.
1) Dose classroom size relate with students' academic performance?
2) How does large class size influence students' academic
performance?
3) To what extent does small class size improve students' academic
performance?
4) What is the difference in performance of students in large
class and their counterparts in small
class?
1.5 Statement of hypotheses
this
study is based on the following specific hypotheses which are formulated from
above research questions to guide the study.
1) There is no significant relationship between class size and students'
academic performance.
2) There is no significant relationship between large class and
students' academic performance.
3) There is no significant relationship between small class and students’
academic performance.
4) There is no significant difference in academic performance
between students of large class and their counterparts in small class.
1.6 Assumption
of the study
Several
assumptions guide this study:
1) It was assumed that the sample is a true representative of the
entire population
2) It was also assumed that the questionnaire administered was
expressed that in a language simple enough to avoid ambiguity by the
respondent.
3) It was assumed that the variables were controlled in order to
create an unbiased sample.
4) There is validity, reliability and consistency in the method
that students’ academic performances are evaluated.
5) It was assumed that the variables under study are measurable.
1.7 Significance of the study
It
is justifiable to conduct the research work because the findings from the study
will be beneficial to the following group of persons.
1) The school administrators will benefit from the finding because
the result will help them to effectively, manage and utilize the school
facilities.
2) Teachers will also use the result of the study to create and
enabling classroom environment that will aid teaching and learning processes.
3) The government will also find the result of this research work
very relevant, because it will bring to their door step those facilities that are
lacking within the classroom as to make appropriate policies to cover up their
objectives.
1.8 Delimitation
of the study
The
research work is delimited to the dominant classroom factor that may influence
the academic performance of student in physics . These factors may include
class size, small class size, large class size research work covers some
secondary school within …….. State and consider only physics as a subject.
1.9 Limitation of the study
The
researcher would have loved to cover all schools in ……L..G.A beyond if the
means was available. The researcher is however constrain by the time factor
because the period given and research work is always short and resources such
as money to work because the research is sponsored by individual students.
1.10 Definition of terms
Classroom:
This is the
centre of learning activities centre of heavy
traffic flow of learners and teachers constituting the key participants.
Class size:
Large class:
Small class:
Performance: This refers to those academic works that someone
has done successfully, especially using his own effort and skills.
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