ACADEMIC SELF-CONCEPT AND ATTITUDE TOWARDS CHEMISTRY AS PREDICTORS OF SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN CHEMISTRY IN ANAMBRA STATE

Chinwendu Blessing Ndubuisi and Prof. Josephine Nwanneka Okoli
Department of Science Education, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria

Abstract

Chemistry is considered a key foundation for scientific knowledge required for problem solving in an environment. This study was necessitated by the persistent poor students’ achievement in chemistry in Nigeria. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which academic self-concept and attitude towards chemistry predict academic achievement in chemistry by senior secondary school students in Awka Educational Zone of Anambra State. Three research questions and three null hypotheses guided the study. Predictive correlational research design was used. The population of the study comprised of 13,767 senior secondary school students in 2020/2021 academic session in public secondary schools in Awka Education Zone of Anambra State. The sample size of 400 students were statistically determined using the Taro Yamane formula. Two instruments were used to collect data for this study, namely; Attitude towards Chemistry Scale (ATCS) and Academic Self-Concept Questionnaire (ASCQ). Also the participants’ chemistry achievement scores used was the cumulative average score of three terms. Cronbach alpha reliability coefficient for ATCS and ASCQ yielded 0.816 and 0.799 respectively. Data were collected through face to face contact with the students with the help of five research assistants. A simple linear regressions model via SPSS version 23 was used to analyse the data. The findings revealed that Academic self-concept and Attitude towards Chemistry significantly predicted academic achievement scores of secondary school students in Awka Education Zone. It was also found that Academic self-concept and Attitude towards chemistry jointly predicted the chemistry academic achievement of secondary school students in Awka Education Zone. The study thus recommended among others that teachers should help students with poor self-concept by recommending them for counselling as it will encourage students to open up and share their academic challenges with them for necessary assistance, and that students should adopt positive attitude towards chemistry if they desire to have significant academic achievement in chemistry.

Keywords: Academic Self-Concept, Attitude towards Chemistry, Academic Achievements