COMPLETE SCHOOL PROJECT TOPICS & MATERIALS :
CHAPTERS: Chapter 1-5
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Abstract
This study sought to find out the effect of moral indiscipline on students’ performance in computer science education at University of Jos. Using a cross sectional survey design, data was collected through questionnaires, interviews and documentary reviews, using a study sample of 36 respondents and data was analyzed using the Pearson correlation coefficient and regressions with sampling techniques of simple random sampling and purposive sampling. The study findings revealed that: disrespect of school rules and regulations is at a positive value of .609** using the Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient. Also, the findings confirmed that absenteeism is positively associated with students’ performance in computer science education at University of Jos with a Pearson correlation coefficient of .652. Findings further revealed that time management does significantly influence students’ performance in computer science education at University of Jos with positive value of .682 using a Pearson correlation coefficient. The regression results revealed only 52.4% meaning that the explanatory power of the model study was moderately positive since a unit change in disrespect of school rules and regulations, absenteeism, and time management can only cause variability in academic performance by 52.4%. In a conclusion, indiscipline affects academic performance by only 52.4% and other factors affect academic performance by 47.6% and the researcher did not look at these factors. The recommendations therefore are that lecturers in particular and all stake holders need to create awareness about the importance of obeying school rules, sensitize students against absenteeism and encourage good time management, so as to improve academically
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study
Historically, all kinds of societies have regarded human beings as moral creatures. Within the State, some behaviors are unacceptable while standards differ from place to place. No society is without moral standards. Each has its codes, rules, laws, & ethical understandings. When individuals choose to live immoral lives, they do so to their own detriment & not only to the harm of the society. Laolu (2015) defined school in sociological context as the place where the culture of the people is transferred from one generation to another. Members of the wider society, including the operations of the educational system are governed by norms & laws that direct the affairs of an individual member. It goes to say that such laws are meant to compel the entire members of the society to exhibit character that will conform to the societal laws & order.
School and classroom rules exist in every school & function like miniature constitutions or codes of law (Jackson, 2020). Thornberge (2018) defines classroom rules as “dos & don’ts of the classroom, all those guidelines for action for the evaluation of action that the teacher expresses or implies through word or deed”. School rules are a wider concept than classroom rules & are here defined as prescriptions, legitimized by teachers, about how to behave in school situations. Such desirable character include, honesty, obedience to school rules and regulations, loyalty, simple courtesies, consideration for others, respect for elders & constituted authorities, habits of cleanliness, self-discipline & so on. In order to ensure peaceful coexistence in schools, the authorities often make rules & regulations that guide and control the behavior of their students with a view of setting high standards of discipline. The infringement by any student on such established rules & regulation constitute offences which are subject to appropriate punishment. Schools are social system established by law to impact desirable & acceptable social values. They exist in order to make the individual a useful & functional member of the society. The school like other social organizations has laid down rules & regulations guiding the conduct of its members. Schools had features of both rational & natural systems & also have strong relationships with their external environment that stems from the dependence on resources & accountability (Hoy & Miskel as cited in Bozkus 2014). Therefore school indiscipline is often seen as an important impediment in the process in which children are enabled to function in the society. Living in a society entitles living in association with certain agreed rules, which govern one’s behavior.
According to Sidhu, (1996) good discipline at school plays a vital role in the achievement of expectations and goals. Discipline also plays a vital role in instilling responsibility in learners as well as educators. Educator’s ability to exercise effective discipline as suggested by Dunham (1984:66) is essential. Good discipline creates a good image of the school and prepares learners for the future. Disruptive behavior (indiscipline) amongst learners is eliminated if there is good discipline at school. The implementation of effective discipline at school is a key for the learner in his journey to adulthood. Parents always look for schools with good discipline to enroll their children so as to achieve good academic performances.
According to Ssekamwa (2010) many higher institutions experience ineffective discipline/discipline problems, which affect the learner’s academic performance and their progress in school. He goes on to say that if a school lacks effective discipline, the achievement academically will be poor. Criminal activities result because of dropouts caused by failure to cope with school discipline.
Mafabi (2015) points out that in our higher institutions today, some learners are habitual late comers; contrary to the school rules and regulations. They leave school premises without permission; do not bring their books to school; refuse to do their homework; reject any kind of authority and resist any disciplinary measures taken against them. Bieketty (2014) asserts that lack of discipline and disrespect of teachers cause a severe barrier to effective teaching and learning in the classroom. Discipline has been underestimated by over actualizing freedom and rights, an understatement of responsibilities and obligations, marginalization of the authority of a lecturer, poor role models by some teachers, lack of punctuality, abscondiment from classes by both learners and teachers.
According to the Ministry of Education and Sports Report (2015), the number of school going students was recorded increasing from 1986 as a result of the good governance, new education policies and political stability in the country. The education system had a double shift mode of studying where Senior One, Senior Two and Senior Five students used to study during the afternoon while Senior Three, Senior Four and Senior Six students studied in the morning. This assisted to create a balance between teacher to students ratio of 1:45, as required by the Ministry of Education and Sports. The level of discipline in classes and schools at large could easily be managed then and the level of indiscipline though existed, was not so strange (Ministry of Education and Sports, 2015 report). The only existing schools by then were government funded schools where admissions were centralized and thus dismissed students could not easily access other schools without recommendations from previous schools. Students therefore had to maintain discipline for fear of not easily accessing new schools. Most of these schools were day schools where parents could also participate in keeping a watch over their children’s behaviors at home. Many Nigerians have been going through this education system for a number of decades.
According to Nakabugo, Opolot, Ssebbung and Manni (2017), the reality is that in many classrooms in various schools across the country, there are over 70 pupils in one class. This creates more challenges to teachers for effective teaching and learning that involves enforcing discipline. With the ever increasing number of students in schools, the student to teacher ratio has increased making it hard for teachers to effectively and efficiently manage students’ discipline and thus the increasing number of students’ aggressive behaviors, loitering of students during class time, an indication of indiscipline.
Nakabugo et al., (2017), goes on to say that dismissed students from one school can easily be admitted in another school no matter whether he/she has a recommendation from the previous school or not. This does not necessitate students to maintain discipline while at school. Marshall (2016), points out that some schools have changed to boarding section as a way of coping up with the increasing stiff competition among students and schools as well as for national level exams. This has also resulted in students spending more time in schools than with parents where they are suspected to get adapted to all various kinds of behaviors such as homosexuality, smoking, abuse of substances, and use of nasty words among other things.
1.2 Statement of the problem
There is no doubt that students‟ indiscipline generally militate against quality teaching & learning & the production of useful & acceptable members of the society. Indiscipline behavior brings about disorder, destruction & anxiety among the students. Indiscipline behaviors therefore do not create conducive environment for learning but leads to poor academic work. The abolishment of the old system of corporal punishment & control by school authorities caused principals & teachers to lose grip of students‟ discipline. As a result, indiscipline among school children has become a universal challenge facing the society.
Good academic achievement is the target of every school as accountability to stake holders, (Namuganza, 2020). Lecturers, teachers, learners, the parents and even the Government, all play their various roles, to ensure good academic performance. At University of Jos specifically, the school governing board ensures good structures are in place, facilities are in good condition to promote learning. School administrators continue to maintain conducive learning environment by ensuring the operation of discipline in school for academic performance, through cancelling, peer talk, suspension and others. Teachers on the other hand, do their best to complete the syllabus in time, carry out assessments to help learners to perform better by subjecting them to continuous tests, career guidance and counseling. The learners are expected to do the tests, be present in school daily, obey school rules and regulations and generally be disciplined. Despite the efforts the academic performance, measured in grades in University of Jos is still poor. (Institutional Performance Report, 2014).
According to Mafabi (2015) symptoms of indiscipline in schools include late coming, habitual absenteeism, telling lies, inattentiveness, disruption in classes, evading school activities, bulling, indecent dressing, misuse of mobile phones, rudeness, vandalism, aggressiveness, smocking, alcoholism, and disrespect of authority, which leads to total chaos, a situation that makes realization of school goals a night mare, especially academic performance. This is not different from the situation at University of Jos (Institutional Performance Report, 2014). This research therefore sets to investigate the effect of indiscipline on students’ performance in computer science education at University of Jos in Nigeria.