ABSTRACT
This study sought to investigate the Influence of Environmental factors on wellness of secondary school students in uyo local education commitee. Three research objectives and three research questions were raised for the study. The research questions were converted into research hypotheses and were tested at P 0.05 level of Significance. Two hundred (200) JSS2 students were randomly selected from four (4) Secondary Schools in Uyo Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State and used for the study. A researcher constructed instrument titled Environmental factors and wellness of students questionnaire (EFWSQ), was used for data collection. The instrument was validated by three experts and a reliability coefficient of 0.73 proved the instrument was fit for use. Mean and Standard deviation were the statistical tools employed to analyze the research questions while Independent t-test was used to test the hypotheses. The results obtained indicated that environmental factorssuch as classroom size, use of instructional materials and availability of recreational facilities, had significant Influence on the wellness of students. Based on the findings of this work, it was recommended that, all relevant authorities including the ministry of education and the government at all levels should strive to provide adequate learning environment for students in order to enhance their academic attitude and performance.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title page – – – – – – – – i
Declaration – – – – – – – – iii
Certification – – – – – – – iv
Dedication – – – – – – – – v
Acknowledgement – – – – – – – vi
Abstract – – – – – – – – vii
Table of Contents – – – – – – – viii
List of Tables – – – – – – – xii
CHAPTER ONEINTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study – – – – – 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem – – – – – – 3
1.3 Purpose of the Study – – – – – – 3
1.4 Research Questions – – – – – – 4
1.5 Research Hypotheses – – – – – – 4
1.6 Significance of the Study – – – – – 4
1.7 Delimitation of the Study – – – – – 5
1.8 Definition of Terms – – – – – – 5
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Theoretical Framework – – – – – 6
2.1.1Abraham Maslow Theory of motivation – – – – 6
2.1.2 The Cognitive-information Theory – – – – 8
2.2 Conceptual Framework – – – – – 10
2.2.1 The Concept of environment – – – – – 10
2.2.2 Instructional materials and students’ wellness – – 12
2.2.3 Classroom size and students’ wellness- – – – 13
2.2.4 Recreational facilities and students’ wellness – – – 14
2.3 Review of Empirical Studies – – – – – 16
2.4 Summary of Literature review – – – – 17
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHOD
3.1 Research Design – – – – – – 18
3.2 Area of Study – – – – – – – 18
3.3 Population of the Study – – – – – 19
3.4 Sample and Sampling Technique – – – – 19
3.5 Instrument for Data Collection – – – – 19
3.6 Validation of Instrument – – – – – 20
3.7 Reliability of the Instrument – – – – – 20
3.8 Administration of Instrument – – – – – 20
3.9 Method of Data Analysis – – – – 20
CHAPTER FOUR: PRESENTATION, RESULTS AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS
4.1 General description of data – – – – – 22
4.1.1 Research Question 1 – – – – – – 22
4.1.2 Research Question 2 – – – – – – 23
4.1.3 Research Question 3 – – – – – – 24
4.2 Testing of Hypotheses – – – – – – 25
4.2.1 Hypothesis One – – – – – – 2
4.2.2 Hypothesis Two – – – – – – 26
4.2.3 Hypothesis Three – – – – – – 26
4.3 Discussion of Findings – – – – – – 27
4.3.1 Instructional materials and students’ wellness – – 27
4.3.2 Classroom size and students’ wellness – – – 28
4.3.3 Availability of recreational facilities – – – – 29
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
5.1 Summary of the Study – – – – – 30
5.3 Conclusion – – – – – – 31
5.4 Recommendations – – – – – – 31
5.4 Suggestion for Further Studies – – – – 32
REFERENCES – – – – – – 33
APPENDIX – – – – – – – 35
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Means and Standard deviation of Instructional materials and students’ wellness – 23
Table 2: Means and Standard deviation of Classroom size and students’ wellness
– 24
Table 3: Means and Standard deviation of Availability of recreational facilities and
students’ wellness. – 24
Table 4: Summary of Independent t-test Analysis of Instructional materials and students’ wellness – 42
Table 5: Summary of Independent t-test Analysis of Classroom size and students’ wellness – 43
Table 6: Summary of Independent t-test Analysis of Availability of recreational facilities and students’ wellness. – 44
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
The educational system is undoubtedly a system of production and could be viewed as a factory that requires men, money and material resources to aid production. Each factory has its peculiar environment that depicts or suggests the type of production that goes on there. The school plant, which refers to the physical facilities available in the school such as the school site, the buildings, equipment, machinery, furniture, electrical and water supply infrastructure, could simply be likened to the capital in an industrial setting. They are very necessary to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of the system. A simple aesthetic exterior suggestive of the purpose for which the buildings are used could be a pride to the students and could have an impressive influence on the school community as a whole.
The National policy on education (2004; section 4, subsection 8) stipulates that the school environment especially the physical environment should be made conducive to facilitate the learning process. The policy recommends that classroom should be well constructed and spacious and all types of physical facilities such as instructional materials, library, laboratory, playing ground, toilets and staff rooms should be provided for effective teaching and learning process. Good modern physical facilities in school could add significantly to the wellness of students.
The size of classrooms, play-grounds and availability of material resources relative to the number of students in a school could also affect learning. However schools must ensure that student are granted the greatest opportunity for learning to be possible. This implies to not only developing student’s academic capabilities but also providing support for their emotional, behavioral and mental health needs. Ajayi (2002) and Owoeye (2000) affirm positive relationships between school facilities and school effectiveness. Ghuman (2002) highlighted that the wellness of the student depends on the physical facilities. He further emphasized that the availability, relevance and adequacy of these facilities as a contributor to wellness of students and the unattractive school buildings, crowded classrooms, non availability of playground and flower beds and surroundings that have no aesthetic beauty can contribute to poor performance. Ahunanya and Ubabudu (2006) also reiterated the provision of adequate physical facilities for effective teaching and learning to take place.
Adams (2004) submitted that a quiet, cool, clean and beautiful physical environment makes the teacher and students happy and enhances their performance and productivity. Wilson (2003), Okunuga (2005) and Ijaduola (2008c) cautioned that with poor physical working condition, there are usually mental fatigue, truancy, frustration, discomfort, and poor health; all those consequently reduces students academic performance.
The school physical facilities in most secondary schools in Akwa Ibom State have not been in good shape based on the observation. In some cases, students sit on the ground to receive lessons, also many of the classrooms, laboratories, libraries, playing grounds are in a terrible state of despair. Ahmed (2003) showed that in most of the nation’s secondary schools, teaching and learning take place under a most uncomfortable environment, lacking basic materials. Physical conditions refer to those things that must be available in the working place for effective work to take place. In the context of the school system, they are those things that enable the teacher and students to be able to carry out the teaching/learning process effectively and contribute to the achievement of the school goals and objectives without fatigue and distraction (Ijaduola, 2007). As opined by Felix (2004), a good school organization must have appropriate physical conditions (aesthetic beauty, availability of instructional materials, location) necessary for effective teaching/learning. According to Subair and Awolere (2006), there should be maximum presence of physical conditions such as lighting, ventilation, good building constructions, location, instructional materials, sufficient windows, doors, vents and fans to cool the heat during hot season. All these improve work and health of both the teachers and the learners. Denga (2000) revealed that a significant number of secondary school physical environments are not conducive for learning. He states that to achieve the wellness of the student, there should be a conducive physical environment for students in the secondary schools. Unfortunately, some of the urban and rural schools lack adequate infrastructural facilities like classroom blocks, as some of the students learn under shade of trees (especially the newly established ones). And where the classroom blocks exist, one discovers that most of their roofs are blown off by rain storms. Other schools have pot-holes in the greater portions of their classroom begging for repairs or renovation. Worst still, a greater percentage of the students sit and write on the bare floor for insufficient classroom seats. He therefore recommended that there was need for all hands to be on deck to make sure that hindrances are removed so that a good solid foundation and conducive environment can be created for student wellness. It is against this backdrop that, this work intends to investigate the Environmental factors and wellness of secondary school students in Uyo local education committee.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
The environmental factors and wellness of secondary school student in uyo educational committee has been an issue of concern to all stakeholders in education. This is evident in the rate of mass failure of students in both internal and external examinations, as revealed by research studies. Despite the government’s effort towards the provision and renovation of infrastructures in secondary schools, students wellness is still very low. Several research studies have identified other factors such as school climate, instructional materials, discipline and physical facilities, teacher quality, type of location of school, class size and over population of students in classroom as being responsible for poor wellness of students. Other factors include recreational facilities, classroom size and instructional materials.
However, inadequate use of instructional materials and recreational facilities, inadequate classroom size and infrastructural condition tends to influence the wellness of students in schools.
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The main purpose of the study is to investigate the environmental factor affecting the wellness of secondary school students in Uyo local Education committee.
Specifically, the objectives sought to;
1. Determine if the use of instructional materials can lead to students wellness in Uyo local education committee.
2 . Examine if class room size can lead to students wellness in Uyo local education committee.
3. Determine if the availability of recreational facilities can lead to students wellness in Uyo local education committee.
