FACTORS AFFECTING SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS' REASONING ABILITY

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of  the study

            The urge to increase pupils' academic achievements is a regular source of worry in education. A substantial body of research on student achievement attests to this worry (Babalola, 1979; Fakunle, 1986; Okoye and Okecha, 2008). This is due not only to the fact that higher achievement, particularly in the field of science, is the foundation for technical skills that are in short supply, but also to the fact that higher achievement is particularly valued in a society that places a high value on academic success as a stepping stone to entry into more prestigious occupations. Students must, however, be able to reason well in order to score well in science disciplines. "As scientific literacy is currently considered the central goal for the formation of 21st century citizens, scientific reasoning ability is determined as an important aspect for encouraging student performance in science learning," write Piraksa, Srisawasdi, and Koul (2014). (p. 486). Scientific thinking ability is thus a vital talent for students aspiring to become professional scientists.

The accumulation of new knowledge and its inventive uses results in the ongoing transformation of our cultural, social, and political settings. Existing knowledge is rapidly being reviewed and, in some cases, rendered outdated. As a result, it is evident that the methods and processes by which new knowledge is obtained are critical to properly dealing with the glut of knowledge and its resulting technological applications (Valanides, 1997). This viewpoint assumes that learning objectives should be broadened beyond those linked to subject matter and discipline-specific concepts. He went on to suggest that the only suitable response to the current exponential expansion in knowledge is to emphasize the development of students' reasoning abilities and the attainment of procedural/operative knowledge. Thus, one of the primary goals of education is to create settings that promote the development of students' reasoning abilities. As a result, schools must do more than simply teach collections of discipline-specific information and concepts.

The Nigerian Ministry of Education in general, and the Enugu State Ministry of Education in particular, have gradually implemented, among other improvements, a new science curriculum that emphasizes laboratory work and scientific processes. The new curriculum and teaching methodologies are expected to improve students' reasoning ability. This expectation is consistent with research on strategies to increase pupils' cognitive growth. Some studies on reasoning ability found demographic, attitude and belief, and environmental characteristics as determining factors (see for example, Jindal-Snape, Davies, Collier, Howe, Digby and Hay, 2013; Hyde and Mertz, 2009; Okoye and Okecha, 2008; Tempelaar, Schim van der Loeff and Gijselaers, 2007; Valanides, 1997). Regardless of the outcomes of these research endeavors and the resulting theoretical discussions, interest in the exploration of students' reasoning abilities and the process of their growth will continue. These efforts have the potential to generate evidence that will improve our understanding of how reasoning abilities develop and how curricula and teaching interventions can promote their development, particularly in a grossly underdeveloped educational system like the one found in the majority of Nigerian schools (especially in the rural areas). Studying the factors that influence the reasoning ability of science students from underdeveloped academic backgrounds, such as Ezeagu Local Government Area in Enugu State, will provide the state's Ministry of Education, as well as teachers, with a blueprint of what to emphasize to enable the students to improve their reasoning ability.

1.2 Statement of the problem

Education does not exist in a vacuum without e development of human beings in the cognitive, affective, psychomotor and psyco-productive domains. While the cognitive aspect refers to intellectual development and the knowledge of subject matter, affective domain refers to the development of desirable behaviours and psycho-motor and psyco-productive domains refers to skill acquisition and its application for purposeful activities. It has been observed that different people learn the same things in different ways – increasing their knowledge of the subject/domain uniquely. One plausible reason for this disparity in learning is the difference in the existing personal knowledge held in the particular area in which the knowledge increase happens.

Importantly, to learn science, it is expected that a student understands not just what a phenomenon is, but also how it relates to other events and knowing any of these aspects separately misses the idea entirely. As a result, when learning science, students must be given the opportunity to learn about science's epistemology, practices and methodologies (Driver, Newton and Osborne, 2000, p. 297). Students who choose a science major need and expect the courses and laboratory work that will prepare them to become scientists. This work involves the knowledge and abilities required to design a solid experiment, analyze the results, and apply the findings to future work within and beyond disciplines. Students will struggle to create a successful career in science if they do not have strong thinking skills. According to Coletta, Philips, and Steinert (2007), student reasoning ability can be utilized to identify students who are likely to fail their tests. Furthermore, Lawson (2004) asserted that scientific thinking is critical to scientific literacy hence this can be influenced by the  Nutritional value, Environmental factors, level of Intelligent Quotient and Family upbringing. Nnaka and Anaekwe, 2004) added that  it is currently unknown whether demographic, attitude and belief, and environmental factors influence the reasoning ability of science students in secondary schools thus requiring further research on this topic.

Although there are several literature on critical thinking as a prerequisite for learning science subject in secondary school, none has focused on factors that influences reasoning ability of secondary school students.

1.3 Objective of the Study

The broad objective of this study is to examine critically factors that  that influences reasoning ability of secondary school students. Specifically the study seeks:

1.        To ascertain if a student exposure to adequate nutrition will affect their sense of reasoning.

2.        To determine whether  environmental factors will affect student sense of reasoning.

3.        To investigate whether attitude and belief will affect student sense of reasoning.

4.        To examine whether Intelligent Quotient and Family upbringing  affect student sense of reasoning.

1.4 Research Question

The research will be guided by the following research questions:

1.        Does student exposure to adequate nutrition will affect their sense of reasoning?

2.        Does  environmental factors will affect student sense of reasoning?

3.        Doer attitude and belief will affect student sense of reasoning?

4.        Does level  Intelligent Quotient and Family upbringing  affect student sense of reasoning?

1.5  SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Scientific literacy is currently considered as a central goal and critical learning outcome for science education standard in several countries (Dani, 2009). This is because the teaching of science offers students the ability to access a wealth of knowledge and information which will contribute to an overall understanding of how and why things work like they do because science is able to explain the mechanics and reasons behind the daily functioning of complex systems, which range from the human body to sophisticated modern methods of transport.  Hence, the study of the factors that influence the reasoning ability of science majors in secondary schools in  is significant to teachers, school administrator, stakeholders in education and parents as all the factors listed would enlighten them on the need to help student improve on critical thinking and improvement on their sense of reasoning. Secondly, solutions will be proffered to the problems facing the educational sectors in designing appropriate study curriculum that will enhance students’ reasoning abilities of science majors in secondary schools in Obinze Local Government Area of Imo State.  Additionally, this study will also provide a first-hand guide to science teachers on what to emphasis in their teaching techniques to enable the students improve their reasoning ability. The study will also contribute to general body of knowledge and serve as reference material to scholars and student who wishes to conduct further studies in related field.

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The scope of this study  borders on factors that  that influences reasoning ability of secondary school students.  The study will ascertain if  adequate nutrition,  environmental factors, attitude and belief will affect student sense of reasoning. Intelligent Quotient and Family upbringing  affect student sense of reasoning. The study however delimited to Obinze Local Government Area of Imo State. 

1.7 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

Like in every human endeavour, the researchers encountered slight constraints while carrying out the study. The significant constraint was the scanty literature on the subject owing that it is a new discourse thus the researcher incurred more financial expenses and much time was required in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature, or information and in the process of data collection, which is why the researcher resorted to a limited choice of sample size covering only  secondary schools in Obinze Local Government Area of Imo State. Thus findings of this study cannot be generalized for other  secondary schools in other states within Nigeria. Additionally, the researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. Despite the constraint  encountered during the  research, all factors were downplayed in other to give the best and make the research successful.

1.8 Definition of terms

Reasoning Ability: Reason is the capacity of consciously applying logic by drawing conclusions from new or existing information, with the aim of seeking the truth.

Critical Thinking : Critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action.

Learning  ability: Learning ability is the capacity of the person to understand and comprehend something.

Teaching: Teaching can be defined as engagement with learners to enable their understanding and application of knowledge, concepts and processes. It includes design, content selection, delivery, assessment and reflection.

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