MODERATED-MEDIATION PATH ANALYSIS ON THE INFLUENCE OF STUDENTS’ VARIABLES ON ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN BIOLOGY IN ONITSHA EDUCATION ZONE OF ANAMBRA STATE
Keywords:
Academic Achievement of Students, Anxiety, Attitude, Biology, Moderated-Mediation Path Analysis, Self-Efficacy, Self-Esteem, Student Variables, Study Habit, Senior Secondary Schools.Abstract
The aim of the study was to determine moderated-mediation path analysis on influence of student variables (for example, students’ self-esteem and self-efficacy, attitude, anxiety and study habit) on academic achievement of students in Biology at Senior Secondary Schools (SSS) level in Onitsha Education Zone of Anambra State. Three research questions guided the study and three hypotheses were tested at a 0.05 level of significance. A correlational survey research design was adopted for the study. The sample comprised of 357 students who offered Biology at SSS level in Onitsha Education Zone of Anambra State. Five instruments were used for data collection, titled: Biology Attitude Questionnaire (BAQ), Rosenberg self-esteem scale (RSES), Biology self-efficacy Scale (BSEQ), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and Study Habit Inventory (SHI). Cronbach’s alpha was used in calculating the internal consistency of the items in the instruments, which yielded coefficient values of .79 for BAQ, .89 for RSES, .82 for BSEQ, .89 for BAI and .88 for SHI. The annual results (2022/2023 session) of SSS 2 students who offered Biology from the sampled schools were used to obtain academic achievement of students in Biology at SSS level in Onitsha Education Zone of Anambra State. The SPSS version 27 and MPLUS version 7 software were used in analyzing the data collected from the respondents. Research questions analyzed using mean, standard deviation, correlation and regression statistics. Hypotheses were analyzed using Chi-square statistic. The findings revealed that all the assumptions of the hypothesized causal model were upheld. Also, the models were fit and statistically significant and meaningful. The variables directly and indirectly through mediation variables in the model predicted academic achievement of students in Biology at SSS level in Onitsha Education Zone of Anambra State. The findings also revealed that an increase in any of the variables in the equations result in an increase in academic achievement of students in Biology at SSS level in Onitsha Education Zone of Anambra State while holding constant influence of other variables. Students’ gender also has significant moderation effect in all the variables.
References
Beck, A. T., Epistein, N., Brown, G., and Steer, R.A. (1988), An inventory for measuring clinical anxiety: Psychometric properties. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 56 (6), 893–897.
Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences (2nd Ed.). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers.
Ejelue, I. V. (2022). Test anxiety, academic resilience and study habit as predictors of secondary school students’ achievement in Biology in Onitsha Education Zone. Unpublished PhD Dissertation, Department of Science Education, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, xvi + 403.
Fosu, M., Arthur, Y. D., Boateng, F. O., &Adu-Obeng, B. (2023). Mediation and moderation effect of mathematics interest and teaching quality between self-concept and mathematics achievement. Journal of Mathematics and Science Teacher, 3(1).
Ioannis, T., & Mohammed, H. A. (2022). Examining academic performance across gender differently: Measurement invariance and latent mean differences using bias-corrected bootstrap confidence intervals. Frontiers Psychology Research Article.
Jhoselle, T., Rayo, F., Lubo, R., & Cruz, A. M. (2020). The learners’ study habit and its relation on their academic performance. International Journal of All Research Writings, 2 (6), 1-20.
Kline, R. B. (2015). Principles and practice of structural equation modeling. Guilford publications.
Nja, C. O., Idiege, K. J., & Obi, J. J. (2017). Effect of the use of ICT on the on Chemistry performance. Education for Today, 13(1), 148-153.
Nworgu, B. G. (2015), Educational research: Basic issues and methodology. Ibadan: Wisdom Publishers Limited.
Nwuba, I. S. (2021). Effect of experiential learning approach on secondary school students’ critical thinking ability and academic achievement in Biology in Awka Education, Zone. Unpublished masters’ thesis, Department of Science Education, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. X+76.
Ogbuogu, E. (2023). Relationship between secondary school students’ level of science process skills acquisition and their academic achievement in Biology in Anambra State. Unpublished masters’ thesis, Department of Science Education, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. X+76.
Okafor, E. O. (2019). Secondary school students’ self-concept and gender as correlates of academic achievement in Biology in Imo State. Journal of CUDIMAC, 8(1), 151-162.
Pavol, P., Gaye, T., & Julia, C. (2007). Slovakian students’ attitude towards Biology. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science & Technology Education. 3(4), 287-29. E- ISSN: 1305-8223.
Rosenberg, M. (1965). Using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Department of Sociology.
Schwarzer, R., & Matthias, J. (1979). General self-efficacy scale (GSE). Freie University Berlin Psychology, Germany.
Umar, G., Yagana, W. S. B., Hajja, K. A., & Mohammed, W. B. (2015) Gender difference in students’ academic performance in Colleges of Education in Borno State, Nigeria: Implications for counselling. Journal of Education and Practice 6(32) 107-114.
Waldeyer, J., Dicke, T., Fleischer J, Guo J, Trentepohl, S., Wirth, J., & Leutner, D. (2022). A moderated mediation analysis of conscientiousness, time management strategies, effort regulation strategies, and university students' performance.
Downloads
Published
Versions
- 2024-07-17 (2)
- 2024-07-17 (1)
