Cognitive Styles as A Correlate of Pupils’ academic Achievement in South-East, Nigeria

Abstract

The study sought to investigate cognitive styles as determinants of academic achievement of pupils in South-East, Nigeria. Four research questions guided the study in line with the specific purposes of the study. The study was also guided by three null hypotheses. Correlation survey research design was adopted for the study. A population of 357,115 primary five (5) pupils in all the 5,378 public primary schools in South-East, Nigeria was used for the study. The sample for the study comprised four hundred (400) primary 5 pupils using Yaro Yamane’s formula. A multistage sampling technique was used to draw the respondents. Two instruments were used for data collection, namely: Group Embedded Figure Test (GEFT) for cognitive style and pupils’ academic achievement proforma which was used to collect achievement scores of the pupils in Mathematics for three terms. The average score of each pupil for the three terms was determined. The instrument was validated by three experts from University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Group Embedded Figure Test as a standardized instrument has a reliability estimate of 0.82. Scores from respondents were analysed using Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient and regression analysis. Specifically, Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient and Coefficient of Determination were used to answer research questions. In addition, regression ANOVA was used to test all the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study revealed, among others, that there is a significant correlation between field dependent cognitive styles and academic achievement of primary school pupils in Mathematics. It was recommended, among others, that The Federal and State Ministries of Education should organize and sponsor periodic workshops, conferences and seminars for teachers and head-teachers on the different cognitive styles and how they affect learning in order to actualize high academic achievement of primary school pupils especially in Mathematics.