Correlations among Six Learner Variables and the Performance of a Sample of Jamaican Eleventh-Graders on an Achievement Test on Respiration

Abstract

This study aimed at establishing if the level of performance of 500 Jamaican Grade 11 students on an achievement test on the concept of respiration was satisfactory (mean=28 or 70% and above) or not (<70%); if there were statistically significant differences in their performance on the concept linked to their gender, cognitive abilities in biology, self-esteem, school location, socioeconomic background (SEB), school-type and school location; and if there were significant relationships among the six variables and the students’ performance. The sample (n=500) consisted of 212 boys and 288 girls selected from five all-boys’ schools (119 students), five all-girls’ schools (159 students), and six coeducational schools (222 students). The students were from six rural schools (137 students) and ten urban schools (363 students), out of which 291 were from a high SEB and 209 were from a low SEB. A 40-item multiple choice test on respiration and a self-esteem questionnaire were used to collect data. The results revealed that the students’ level of performance (mean=23.44 or 58.60%, SD=6.86) was regarded as fairly satisfactory; there were statistically significant differences in the students’ performance on respiration based on their cognitive abilities, and school-type in favour of students with high cognitive ability in biology and all-boys’ schools respectively. There was a positive statistically significant but weak relationship between the students’ (a) cognitive abilities, and (b) school-type and their performance on respiration.