INFLUENCE OF MARITAL STATUS ON APPROACHES TO LEARNING AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AMONG TERTIARY INSTITUTION STUDENTS IN ZAMFARA STATE, NIGERIA (EDUCATION PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS)
ABSTRACT
This study examined the influence of marital status on approaches to learning and academic achievement of tertiary institutions students in Zamfara state, Nigeria. Five research objectives were postulated and five null research hypotheses in line with research questions were posed and tested. A sample of 379 students from three (3) institutions drawn from a population of 34,909 tertiary institutions students of the state. The expost facto design was adopted in carrying out the study. The revised two facto study process questionnaire and CGPA were used to collect data from students. The test-re-test and cronbach alpha method were used to estimate reliability of the research instruments. A coefficient of 0.73 and alpha value of 0.64 were obtained as reliability estimate for the instruments t – test and chi square was used to test null hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed no significant between married and unmarried in their academic achievement. (t = 0.279, p – 0.781). Significance difference does not exist between married and unmarried student in their approaches. (X2 = 3.841, p = 0.551). Significant difference exist between surface learners and deep learners in their academic achievement, (t = 1.96, p = 0.000). Significance difference exist between male and female students in the approaches to learning, (X2 = 3.841, p = 0.000). Significance difference does not exists between male and female students in their academic achievement, (t = 0.437, p = 0.662). It was recommended that school psychologist, teachers and counselors should be sensitized on the influence of marital status on approaches to learning in order to improve academic achievement in schools.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Background to the Study
Education is a dynamic force in the life of every individual in influencing their physical, mental, emotional, social and ethical development. It is obvious that, only through the forces of education (both formal and informal) human standards and ideas can be raised. The education values aid the social, political and personal adjustment of the married complex in any given society, Mimkolf (1965). Education is therefore vital for improved family life. Gerda and Dennis (1982) noted that the family depends largely on educational level and use of that education in day-to-day activities. An individual irrespective of their marital status or gender needs to be given the best education.
Marital status in this work refers to the state of being married or unmarried. The consequences of marital status on both male and female student on their education can be drawn from both negative and positive perspectives. It has become an issue of concern that the marital status of a students may influence their approaches to learning and that their approaches to learning also may influence their academic achievement either positively or negatively.Approaches to learningrefer to the foundation that affects how student learn in every other content area. It encompasses students‘engagement, motivation, and participation in the classroom. There is general agreement that there are two fundamental approaches to learning-deep and surface. In the early 1970s, Swedish researches identified two qualitatively different approaches to learning adopted by students in response to their perceived learning environment (Marton and Saljo, 1977), these are deep and surface approaches. Deep learning involves the critical analysis of new ideas, linking them to already known concepts so that they can be used…..
