Influence Of Large Class Size On Students Performance In Financial Accounting In Senior Secondary Schools In Onitsha South Local Government Area Of Anambra State

Abstract

This study examined the influence of large class size on students’ performance in financial accounting in senior secondary schools in Onitsha South Local Government Area of Anambra State. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The population of the study comprised of fifteen (15) public senior secondary school financial accounting teachers in Onitsha South Local Government Area of Anambra State. Due to the manageable size of the population, there was no sampling. The instrument used for data collection was a structured questionnaire, which was structured by the researcher and validated a lecturer in Business Education and one lecturer in Educational Measurement and Evaluation. To ensure that the instrument is valid, a pilot study was carried out on five (5) financial accounting teachers in Idemmili South local government area of Anambra state. Fifteen (15) copies of the questionnaires were administered on the financial accounting teachers in the selected public secondary schools in Onitsha South Local Government Area of Anambra State by the researcher with the help of 2 research assistance and same were retrieved and analyzed using mean and standard deviation. Findings from the study indicates that large class has a negative influence on classroom organization, classroom control and the rate of class participation which adversely affects students’ performance in financial accounting in senior secondary schools. Based on the findings, the study recommended among others that government should as the matter of necessity build more class rooms in public secondary schools in order to tackle the problem of overpopulation, classroom environment should be made conducive to enhance students’ performance in financial accounting and teachers should ensure that all the students participate actively when teaching financial accounting in a large class.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background to the Study

Teaching and learning at any level cannot be effective without a learner friendly environment. That means that the classroom environment plays a significant role in the effective teaching and learning especially at the senior secondary school level of education.

Teaching is regarded as one of the oldest human activities or occupation. Some see it as an activity, a profession or occupation. Teaching is the process of developing the cognitive, affective and psychomotor domains of or power of the learner through giving the learner knowledge of facts about subject matter, reinforcing or developing in the learner certain physical or manipulative skills (Akende, 2015). Nkeje (2016), opined that teaching is the process of guidance by which the learner is made to tranfer ideas, facts and develops skills. It is the process of transmitting knowledge and skills to the learner. Imogie (2014) defined teaching as an interpersonal influence aimed at changing the way in which other persons can or will behave. Awotua (2017) defined teaching as an interaction between a teacher and the students in order to bring about an expected change in the students’ behavior.

Financial accounting is part of the business studies curriculum in the group of business studies subjects. Financial accounting is very important to the Nigerian economy as it provides the basis for preparing future managers, entrepreneurs, accountants and financial controllers whose contribution cannot be overemphasized (Francis, 2014). The importance of financial accounting cannot be over-emphasized. For effective teaching and learning of financial accounting in secondary schools, conducive-environment, instructional facilities and effective method of teaching are needed.

Generally, financial accounting aims at providing specialized instruction to prepare students for career in financial accounting, fundamental instruction to help students assume their economic roles as consumers, workers and citizens, background instruction to assist students in preparing for other professional careers requiring advanced studies in financial accounting; and financial accounting skills for personal use in future.

Francis (2014) reported that there has been public outcry about students’ poor performance in financial accounting at the senior secondary school level which many attributed it to lack of instructional materials, overpopulation, teachers’ method of teaching and students’ attitude towards the subject.

Teaching requires a conducive environment for learning to take place. Classroom is one of the factors that either affect or promote learning. The quality of teaching, learning, and research is adversely affected by the high student-teacher ratio. The issue of large class size has risen because of increase in the population, the quest for secondary education and better living conditions of life.

It is against the light of the above that this study is carried out to ascertain the influence of large class size on students’ performance in financial accounting in senior secondary schools in Onitsha South Local Government Area of Anambra State.

Statement of the Problem

Performance of students in any school subject is determined by several factors which large class size is one. Beside other factors that influence students’ academic performance, the nature of classroom in which subjects are been taught has been recognized as a factor that affect students’ performance in financial accounting.

Effah (2013) noted the financial and accommodation challenges that students and management have to contend with. Besides these challenges, large class size in recent times has become a necessary evil for students’ performance in financial accounting in senior secondary schools in the state. The seriousness of the problem is directly linked to the quality of teaching and learning, but also affects their stress levels. Large class size makes it hard to deal with behavioral problem and give individual support to students. This situation has resulted in one teacher handling over 100 students in one lesson. The large class size makes it impossible for the teachers to manage and teach effectively, since some students neither pay attention to nor participate in class activities, but only add to the number (Ruben, 2016). This does not augur well for the training of high class manpower for the development of the

country, and therefore, should be a source of worry to all well-meaning educators. The reason is that, secondary education is to produce and make more available the needed critical social knowledge, attitude and skills towards a just society.

Students’ performance in financial accounting especially at the senior secondary school level has been a matter of concern to parents and educationists alike (Robert, 2018). This is because many students seem to perform below average in financial accounting which many feel it could be as a result of inadequate teaching aids, overpopulation, poor class control, poor class management, and others. This was shown in a study carried out by Austin (2017) in Idemmili South Local Government Area of Anambra State.

Although, there are known empirical studies carried out in other parts of Anambra State, but there is none known to the researcher that was carried out in Onitsha South Local Government Area.

It is against this backdrop that this study is carried out to ascertain the influence of large class size on students’ performance in financial accounting in senior secondary schools in Onitsha South Local Government Area of Anambra State.

Research Questions

The following questions were formulated to guide the study:

1. To what extent does large classroom size influence class organization in teaching financial accounting in senior secondary schools in Onitsha South?
2. To what extent does large classroom size influence class control in teaching financial accounting in senior secondary schools in Onitsha South?

• To what extent does large classroom size influence the rate of class participation in teaching financial accounting in senior secondary schools in Onitsha South?

Purpose of the Study

The main purpose of this study is to determine the influence of large class size on students’ performance in financial accounting in senior secondary schools in Onitsha South Local Government Area of Anambra State. Specifically, the study sought to:

1. find out the influence of large classroom size on classroom organization in teaching financial in senior secondary schools in Onitsha South.
2. ascertain the influence of large classroom size on class control in teaching financial accounting in senior secondary schools in Onitsha South.

• examine the influence of large classroom size on the rate of class participation in teaching financial accounting in senior secondary schools in Onitsha South.

Significance of the Study

This study would be useful to teachers, students, government, and educational system as a whole.

The study would help the teachers to understand different ways in which large classroom size affect students’ performance and apply appropriate strategies to improve on their usage of instructional materials and apply effective method of teaching in teaching financial accounting.

The findings of the study would also enable the students to understand how their attitude in large class affect their performance in financial accounting and develop positive attitude for better academic performance.

Findings and recommendations of this study would go a long way in calling the attention of government on the need to build more sizeable classrooms in senior secondary schools and create a conducive environment for teaching and learning.

Finally, the study would contribute to the body of knowledge by adding to the existing literature in the field of financial accounting and education as a whole.

Scope of the Study

This study focused on the influence of large class size on students’ performance in financial accounting in senior secondary schools in Onitsha South Local Government Area of Anambra State. With particular emphasis on classroom organization, classroom control and class participation.

Limitation of the Study

The study cannot be used to generalized in the entire nation in the entire nation because it was limited to the influence of large class size on students’ performance in financial accounting in senior secondary schools in Onitsha South local government area of Anambra state. Similar study can be carried out in a different local government or state and different result could be obtained. The study used structured questionnaire in collecting data from the respondents; other instruments can be used in a similar study and different result could be obtained. The study used only teachers as respondents; however, a similar study can be carried out to use both teachers and students in which different result could be obtained. Mean and standard deviation were used in analyzing the data collected; other statistical tools can be used in another study which may result to different result.

Pages:  55

Category: Project

Format:  Word & PDF               

Chapters: 1-5                                          

Source: Imsuinfo

Material contains Table of Content, Abstract and References.