Effects Of Environmental Factors On Students Academic Performance In Accounting

This study focused on the effects of environmental factors on students academic performance in accounting using Takum Local Government Area, Taraba state as a case study. Specifically the study evaluate the influence of school location on teaching and learning of accounting in secondary schools in Takum Local Government Area, Taraba state, evaluate the influence of insecurity in school environment on teaching and learning of accounting in secondary schools in Takum Local Government Area, Taraba state, evaluate the influence of inadequate educational infrastructural facilities on teaching and learning of accounting in secondary schools in Takum Local Government Area, Taraba state, and evaluate the influence of students overpopulation on teaching and learning of accounting in secondary schools in Takum Local Government Area, Taraba state . The survey design was adopted for the study, while the population size comprise of selected accounting teachers and students of public secondary schools in Takum Local Government Area, Taraba state. The simple random sampling techniques were employed in this study, while the questionnaire was the instrument employed for data collection. A total of 266 copies of the questionnaire were administered, while 259 responses were validated from the survey. The collected and validated questionnaires were analyzed using frequency tables and mean scores. While the hypotheses were tested using Chi-square statistical tool. From the responses obtained and analyzed, the findings revealed that the location of a school significantly influences the teaching and learning of accounting in secondary schools. However, the study also revealed that insecurity in the school environment severely disrupts the teaching and learning process in secondary schools in Takum Local Government Area, Taraba state. This creates fear and anxiety among students and teachers, leads to frequent interruptions of school activities, and causes high teacher turnover, all of which negatively impact academic performance. Therefore, it is recommended that government and stakeholders should prioritize investment in building and maintaining adequate educational facilities. Also, Employ security personnel and implement security protocols to protect students and staff, ensuring a safe learning environment. To mention a few

Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study

Education is the process through which a society perpetuates itself. It is a basic tool for the development and empowerment of members of the society. Education offers a platform for society to transmit its stock of knowledge, values and skills to future generations. Basically, education aims at promoting understanding and judgement, and enabling action. It equips the individual for decisions that improve the quality of life (George, Okoye, Efobi and Modebe, 2017); it also promotes literacy and awareness, and confers responsibility to make decisions which guarantee better life for individuals in particular and the economy in general (Okoye, Omankhanlen, Okoye, Urhie, Okoh and Ezeji, 2019)

At the early days of education, the primary goal was to educate the child, no matter the environment (Wagner, 2017). This goal derives from the philosophy that something was better than nothing, which implies that any learning environment was better than no learning environment. As learning cannot take place in vacuum, any available environment was acceptable. However, with the growth in literacy rates across the globe over the years, there has been a paradigm shift by educational administrators to improvement in the quality of education, with great attention attached to the environment of education.

The environment is critical to the development of individuals in the society. In the school system, for instance, environment determines whether a child will be happy and ready to learn or become a deviant. The physical, social and psychological or emotional environments must be such that every aspect of human behaviour is warmly accommodated. Education is an important industry for social, political and economic development and it is affected by the environment within which it is conducted (Adediran, Ojomo & Adeyanju, 2015). The physical environment can determine the comfort of students and thereby their learning ability (Falsario, Muyong and Neuvaespana, 2014). When students are uncomfortable, they are easily distracted and are not likely to learn faster than their peers whose environments are quite comfortable.

Wagner (2017) posits that students" behaviour towards academic performance can be influenced through provision of an environment that balances and controls stimulants to the five human sensory organs: sight (what learners see), hearing (do they hear their teacher or noise from outside?), touch (is the temperature too hot or too cold?), smell (does the scent from deodorant or cleaning liquid support or disrupt learning?), and taste (there should be provision for food and drinks because hunger can disrupt learning). Wagner further alludes to substantial evidence that educational objectives like reading comprehension, multiplication and reading speed can be influenced by the study environment.

The relationship between the school environment and students" academic performance has been a focal point of educational research for decades. Within this framework, environmental factors encompass a wide array of elements, including the physical, factors like location, building quality, structure, class size, student capacity, staff, teaching materials, and aids. Specifically, the academic performance of students in subjects such as accounting can be significantly influenced by these environmental factors. Accounting, a subject that requires not only cognitive engagement but also practical application, may be particularly sensitive to the nuances of the school environment.
Academic performance refers to the rate at which educational objectives are being achieved by those within the school system (Owan, 2012). This implies that students" academic performance measures the extent to which students" are achieving desired educational goals and objectives. According to Erum and Zahoor (2011), students" academic performance and graduation rates have been an area of concern, and investigation of factors relating to academic performance of secondary students has been a topic of much interest to scholars. This scenario may arise because since schools were established for the students, their performance can be used to judge the effectiveness of school system.

The effects of school environmental factors on students" academic performance in accounting are interdependent. Physical, social, and psychological elements collectively create the educational ecosystem in which students learn and develop their skills. As educators and stakeholders seek to enhance student outcomes, it is imperative to consider these factors holistically. Addressing the challenges presented by suboptimal school environments, investing in resources, and fostering positive social interactions will contribute significantly to improving students" performance in accounting and other academic subjects.

1.2 Statement of Problem

The academic performance of students in accounting is significantly influenced by various environmental factors, including classroom conditions, access to learning resources, socio-economic backgrounds, and home environments. Classroom conditions such as lighting, seating arrangements, and noise levels can directly impact students" concentration and engagement, affecting their ability to grasp complex accounting concepts (Ajayi & Ajayi, 2020). Inadequate facilities and resources hinder the learning process, leading to decreased academic performance. Moreover, access to essential learning materials like textbooks and calculators is vital for mastering accounting principles, particularly in regions where educational resources are limited (Agbasi & Bebenimibo, 2023).

Additionally, some studies have identified problems that could affect teaching and learning process in secondary schools specifically, public schools in Nigeria. One of this problems is poor school building quality in regards or respect to the physical school environment. This includes the classrooms, laboratories, workshops, reading room or teachers offices etc. While the safety and comfort of both teachers and students depends solely on the quality of the building which will determine the extent to which teaching activities can be affected. Most schools lack library services or well-equipped ones. Similarly, teachers and students are unable to expand their teaching and learning skills respectively (Ibiam, 2017).

According to Ikegbunam (2016) public secondary schools have poor locations due to poor school planning. Most of these schools are not situated in conducive surroundings, some are by the market side, mechanic workshops, busy road side, hospitals etc. The school environment is not safe in this immediate surroundings for effective interaction between teachers and students. Ayo (2015), states that public secondary schools funding are used for day to day running. Therefore it is of paramount importance to explore the specific effects of environmental factors on students" academic performance in accounting, addressing a gap in the literature. By identifying key environmental influences, the research aims to provide insights that can guide educational strategies and create conducive learning environments, ultimately enhancing students" comprehension and performance in accounting.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The study is to investigate on the effects of environmental factors on students academic performance in accounting using Takum Local Government Area, Taraba state as a case study. Specifically the study intends to:

Evaluate the influence of school location on teaching and learning of accounting in secondary schools in Takum Local Government Area, Taraba state .

Evaluate the influence of insecurity in school environment on teaching and learning of accounting in secondary schools in Takum Local Government Area, Taraba state .

Evaluate the influence of inadequate educational infrastructural facilities on teaching and learning of accounting in secondary schools in Takum Local Government Area, Taraba state .

Evaluate the influence of students overpopulation on teaching and learning of accounting in secondary schools in Takum Local Government Area, Taraba state .

1.4 Research Questions

The following research questions are based on the problems raised in the statement of the problem to guide the study.

Does the location of the school influence the teaching and learning of accounting in secondary schools in Takum Local Government Area, Taraba state ?

Does insecurity in the school environment affect the teaching and learning of accounting in secondary schools in Takum Local Government Area, Taraba state ?

What is the impact of inadequate educational infrastructural facilities on the teaching and learning of accounting in secondary schools in Takum Local Government Area, Taraba state ?

How does student overpopulation influence the teaching and learning of accounting in secondary schools in Takum Local Government Area, Taraba state ?

1.5 Research Hypothesis

Ho: Environmental factors do not significantly influence the teaching and learning of accounting in secondary schools in Takum Local Government Area, Taraba state .

Ha: Environmental factors significantly influence the teaching and learning of accounting in secondary schools in Takum Local Government Area, Taraba state .

Chapter One:

Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study

1.2 Statement of the Problem

1.3 Objective of the Study

1.4 Research Questions

1.5 Research Hypothesis

1.6 Significance of the Study

1.7 Scope of the Study

1.8 Definition of Terms

Chapter Two:

Review of Literature

2.1 Conceptual Framework

2.2 Theoretical Framework

2.3 Empirical Review

Chapter Three:

Research Methodology

3.1 Research Design

3.2 Population of the Study

3.3 Sample Size Determination

3.4 Sample Size Selection Technique and Procedure

3.5 Research Instrument and Administration

3.6 Method of Data Collection

3.7 Method of Data Analysis

3.8 Validity of the Study

3.9 Reliability of the Study

3.10 Ethical Consideration

Chapter Four:

Data Presentation and Analysis

4.1 Data Presentation

4.2 Analysis of Data

4.3 Answering Research Questions

4.4 Test of Hypothesis

4.5 Discussion of Findings

Chapter Five:

Summary, Conclusion and Recommendation

5.1 Summary

5.2 Conclusion

5.3 Limitation of the Study

5.3 Recommendation

References

APPENDIX

QUESTIONNAIRE

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