CHAPTER ONE
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The factors affecting the performance of business education students are those things that causes or influences the grade of students in their area of studies. The performance of students is the extent in which they have succeeded in their test, assignment and examination. In educational system, students’ performance is measured by academic grade or how well students meet standard set out by government and the institution itself.
Business education is the process of teaching the theories, fundamental and process of business to students seeking a business educational degree. The majority of students who end in a business education programmes has a preparation for business occupation. Some students however complete this course work in pursuit of a teaching career in academic. Business education degree should be prepare courses like computerized accounting, business management, business law, word processing, global society, emerging technology, etc.
Determinants of students’ performance have received considerable attention in the education literature and continue to be a challenge theme. Students’ performance is generally viewed as product of socio-economic, psychological and environmental factors. Hence, the factors are expected to vary from one country to another, the attempt was made in the literature to identify the factors that affect business education students’ performance and those that lead to students’ success. Empirical studies in traditional learning of determinants of students’ performance appointed to issues such as students’ aptitude class attendance, gender differences, study effort, instructor’s teaching style, computer experience, academic environment, family background, financial constraint, etc.
According to Graetz (2005), students’ educational success depends very strongly on social economic status of the parents. Considence and Zappala (2008) argued that families where the parents are advantaged socially, educationally and economically foster a high level of achievement in their children and the researcher agrees with Considence and Zappala (2008) because students from high social economic background are well exposed to scholastic materials that will develop their intelligence.
Karemera (2006) found that students’ performance is significantly correlated with satisfaction with academic environment and service received. He also stated that existence of professional development programs and internship opportunities are associated with better academic performance.
1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Business education students’ performance which is measured by test, assignment and examination result is one of the major goals of a school. However, the academic deans and the head of the departments have noted that some students perform highly while some perform woefully. They are concerned about those who do not perform well because if this poor performance goes unchecked, the college may lose its reputation which may result in loss of confidence in F.C.E Osiele graduates. Therefore, the following are factor that affects the performance of Business education students’ in their course of study which include:
- The Students aptitude
- The Students’ class attendance
- The Instructor’s teaching style
- Computer experience
- Academic environment
- Poor family background
- Financial constraint
- Student’s competence in English Language
- Gender differences
- Student’s effort in studying
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The study is aimed at achieving the following aims:
- To focuses on factors affecting the performance of business education students’ in their course of studies in F.C.E Osiele, Abeokuta.
- To investigate the effect of gender on students’ performance especially in F.C.E Osiele that has the same campus for male and female students.
- To examine determinants of business education student performance.
- To find out how the problem affecting business education students’ performance could be tackled.
- To design and implement policies to improve students’ performance on one hand and to improve the efficiency of education on the other hand.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Some of the questions this research intends to answer include:
- What is the relationship between students’ mode of admission and academic performance of business education students’ of F.C.E Osiele?
- What is the relationship between parents’ social –economic status and academic performance of business education students’ of F.C.E Osiele, Abeokuta?
- What is the relationship between students’ former school background and academic performance of business education students’ of F.C.E Osiele?
- Does living on campus has any role to determine student’s performance?
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
Since the basic assumptions underlying any educational research is to understand better and improve business education students’ performance. The finding of this study would be of immense benefit to business education students’ and policy makers.
It would help policy makers to design programme that would take into account, those factors associated with the good performance and for the lecturers. It will also provide a guide to quality teaching and hopefully to improve students’ performance.
Thus it is hoped as well that the result of this study will help in enlightening business education students’ more on their attitude towards their courses and also help in identifying the factors and hence achievement in business education.
1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The researcher limit the scope of the study to F.C.E Osiele, Abeokuta using correlation design and a sample of first-year, second and final year students’ selected from business education department of F.C.E Osiele. The content covered factors such as mode of admission, socio economics status and school background and others which affect academic performance of students’. The study covered the period of academic year 2012/2013.
1.7 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS
I. There is a positive relationship between students’ mode of admission and academic performance of students.
II. There is a positive relationship between parents’ social economic status and academic performance of students.
III. There is a positive relationship between student’s former school background and academic performance of students.
IV. There is a significant difference between the attitudes of female lecturers and attitude of male lecturers towards lecturing.