Effect of Study Habit on Academic Performance of Adult Learners

Effect of Study Habit on Academic Performance of Adult Learners

ABSTRACT

The study investigated study habit and academic performance of Adult learners in Etim Ekpo Local Government Area. The population for the study was 213 adult learners in the 2015/2016 academic session. One hundred adult learners were randomly selected in Etim Ekpo Local Government Area for the study. Two hypotheses were formulated and tested. A survey research design was adopted for the study. Questionnaire on Study Habit and Academic Performance of Adult Learners was used as instrument for data collection. Data analysis was done using independent t-test.

Findings showed that there is a significant difference in academic performance of adult learners who adopted personal timetable and those who did not adopt personal timetable, and also that there is a significant difference in academic performance of adult learners who adopted note-taking study habit and those who did not adopt note-taking study habit in Etim Ekpo local Government Area. Based on these findings, it is recommended that adult learners should adopt good study habits in studying so as to improve their academic performance.It was therefore concluded that adult learners should always adopt personal timetable and should also write note in the class.�

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1   Background to the Study

Learning is a purposeful, conscious and complex process. An important feature of learning is that it involves a complex interaction between the learner and the learning concepts. According to Ekwe (2005) the learners occupy the central role for learning to occur as learning cannot be forceful and as such the learners must be ready to learn before they can learn However, due to the important position occupy by learners in the teaching learning process, their approach or approaches to learning becomes necessary7 to be investigated upon. Clerk and Rumbold (2006) Bamin, Kazi and Hasan (2013) observed that in addition to personal and mental developments, study is critical for ensuring ones access to social, economic and civic life. Studying is considered to be crucial for people from all cross sections of life for successfully coping with the complexities and challenges of the 21^st century.

Studying for an examination can be one of the most stressful events in a learner’s life. In recent time, secondary school graduates attending higher institutions, coping with the transition from secondary schools to College and University is very difficult. For brilliant learners to maintain their grade level from secondary school until graduation is always taskful  and may seem energy-sapping for the learners. Also for the dull learners for them to improve in their studying level demands a great task likewise in both instance, studying for examination has been a challenge as some learners may “cram” in order to pass while other study in advance.

However, Salami and Aremu (2006) are of the opinion that through the internationalization of good study habits, both failing and passing learners will raise their grades. Ineffective study habits on the other hand erode self-confidence among adult learners which leads to poor academic performance as well as poor self-esteem (Ekwe 2005) and cheating in examination to pass. Asagwara (2009) described study habits as strategies which learners append for acquiring knowledge, skills, idea and competence. He further observed that some learner who have good study habits do not spend a lot of time studying before they can achieve success and that learners who study very hard without utilizing good habits make little or o progress in their academics.

Onyejiaku (2010) further opined that majority of adult learners who find it difficult to concentrate and ignore distraction while studying lack self-discipline, intrinsic motivation or goal orientation. It is pertinent to note that time management is to be recognized as the control idea of the concepts of study habit. It is therefore against this background that this study has deemed it necessary to investigate the effect of study habit on academic performance of adult learners in Etim Ekpo Local Government Area.

Effect of Study Habit on Academic Performance of Adult Learners

1.2   Statement of the Problem   �

Education is an instrument par excellence for the development of any nation according to National Policy on Education (NPE) (2013). Therefore, the focus of the educational enterprise in Nigeria is the development of human capital required to meet present and future challenges of globalization.  Researchers such as Cernal and Kseria (2015) sustain that all thing being equal, what remain different in a classroom of adult learners is the cultural background of the learners and teachers and environmental variables. Class observations and interview made by Umoetor (2015) showed that some learners’ exhibit different study habits as some learners prefer listening to lectures without taking note into their exercise books while others take note while the lesson is going on. Correspondingly, Baquiran (2011) provide evidence that study habits and study attitudes are both significant variables which determines the academic performance of learners.

Similarly, statistics abound to show that mass failure among adult learners is real and the trend of adult learners academic performance has been on the decline Akinboye (2009.) Oftentimes, the teachers are blamed for the poor academic performance, some people blame Government for not providing sufficient fund to the school and even when the adult learners are blamed explanation is proffered only in terms of the peer group influence. Little or no consideration is given to the fact the adult learners study habit can affect his or her academic performance in school. This motivated the researcher to ask “could the study habit adopted by the adult learners affect their academic performance in Etim Ekpo Local Government Area”.

1.3   Purpose of the Study

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of study habit on academic performance of adult learners in Etim Ekpo Local Government Area. Specifically, the main objectives of this study are to:

(i)     Examine the influence of time allocation to studies on Academic Performance of adult learners in Etim Ekpo Local Government Area

(ii)    Investigate the effect of note taking habit on  Academic Performance of adult learners in Etim Ekpo Local Government Area

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1.4   Significance of the Study�

The finding of this study will be useful in the following ways:

1. The study is designed toward helping adult learners to improve in their study habits
2. To the instructors, it is believed that this study will help them to understand the different study habits adopted by adult learners and therefore will adopt teaching methods that will enhance effective learning irrespective of the learners’ study habits.
3. To the counselors, it will help in yielding a good basis for adult learners counseling on self-discipline and the right attitude towards studies.
4. To the policy makers and planners in education, it will furnish them with a sound basis for effective supervision of adult education centers.
5. As a data bank, it is envisaged that this research work will serve as a store of information for future researchers who may wish to research further into the same topic on related topic

1.5   Research Hypotheses    �

The following null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study:

1. There is no significant difference in academic performance of adult learners who adopt time allocation to their studies and those that do not
2. There is no significant difference in academic performance of adult learners who adopt note taking study habit and those who do not

1.6   Limitation of the Study

Lack of adequate funding and poor rural roads networks limited the extent of this research work as well as lack of sufficient time due to other academic work of the researcher.

1.8   Operational Definition of Terms�

The following were defined as used in the study:

Study Habit:This is the strategies adopted by learners to acquire knowledge, skills ideas and competence in school. It encompassed rime allocation to studies and note taking as used in the study.

Academic Performance: This is the grade or score of a student obtain in a performance test.

Time Allocation Studies: This is the preparation of personal time table by adult learners to guide them on their daily activities of which study time is included as well as other duties.

Note Taking Habits:This is the act of taking note in the class during lesson presentation by the teacher.

CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY, RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION

This chapter deals with the summary, conclusion and some recommendations made by the researcher.

5.1   Summary

The study aimed at investigating study habit and academic performance of adult learners in adult education centers in Etim Ekpo local Government Area. To achieve this, two research hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The population of the study was 614 adult learners in 2015/2016 session in all the Adult Education centers in Etim Ekpo Local Government Area.

100 adult learners were selected as a sample size using simple random sampling technique. The instrument for data collection was a ten (10) itemed questionnaire entitled “Questionnaire on Study Habits and Academic Performance of Adult Learners (QSHAPAL)”. The independent t-test was the statistical method adopted in analyzing the data collected for the study. Findings showed that there is a significant difference in academic performance of adult learners who adopted personal study timetable and note-taking study habits and those who do not adopt personal study timetable and note-taking in Adult Learners in Adult Education Centers in Etim Ekpo Local Government Area.

5.2   Recommendations

Based on the findings of this study, the following recommendations were:

1. Adult learners should be hard working while studying by adopting good study habits so as to achieve effective result in the teaching learning process.
2. Government should provide a conducive study environment at the Adult Education Centers for the learners so as to improve their academic performance.
3. Instructors/facilitators as stakeholders in education should be serious in their duties of interacting healthfully to know their abilities so as to be able to adopt effective teaching method/strategies that will promote and motivate all the adult learners irrespective of the study habit they adopted in the studying.
4. School counselors should help in counseling the adult learners on self-discipline and the right attitude towards achieving academic success.
5. The policy makers and educational planners should carryout effective supervision during external examinations to curb examination malpractice menace as this will motivate Adult Learners to develop good study habit in schools.

5.3   Conclusion

Study habit is the strategies adopted by Adult Learners to acquire knowledge, skills, ideas and competence in learning. Some Adult Learners who have good study habits do not spend a lot of time studying before they can achieve examination success and that adult learners who study very hard without utilizing good study habits make little or no progress in their academics. Based on the findings, it can be concluded that study habit such as usage of personal study timetable and note-taking affect the academic performance of Adult Learners in Adult Education Centers in Etim Ekpo local Local Government Area as Adult learners who adopt these study habits performed academically better than those who neglect this study habit in studying in Adult Education Centers in Etim Ekpo Local Government Area.

5.4   Suggestion for further Study

There is need to solve the problem of poor academic performance among adult learners if possible. In this regard, however, the following suggestions are made:

1. Further research work should be conducted on the topic to cover the large scope and even beyond secondary level of education and should be across the entire state for more enlightenment.
2. Research work should also be conducted on effects of learning styles and academic performance of adult learners in related fields.