Development of a Causal Model of Variables Affecting Secondary School Students’ Achievement in Physics in Plateau State

Abstract

The study examines the development of a Causal Model of Variables affecting Secondary School Students’ achievement in Physics in Plateau State. An ex-post facto research design with the use of questionnaire as instrument for data collection was employed. A disproportionate stratified random sampling technique was used in selecting a total of 50 Physics teachers and 150 Senior Secondary two from three Local Government Areas in the three Senatorial Districts of Plateau State. Three hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance. The study used three instruments namely: – students’ variable Questionnaire (SVQ), Teachers’ Variable Questionnaire (TVQ) and School Environment Variable Questionnaire (EVQ) to develop the Causal Model to determine the achievement of Physics students’. Reliability indices of SVQ and TVQ were estimated and found to be 0.83, and 0.84 using Cronbach Alpha. This shows that the instruments were reliable. Data generated from these instruments were analyzed using the Path Analysis technique and multiple regression analysis. The finding shows that Default Model and the Saturated Model shows that the chi (19) =0.826 < 0.03, since the p-value of 0.03 is less than the significant level of 0.05. The implication of this finding is that Physics teachers, students and the environment determine students’ achievement in Physics, also the default Model has more variables to be explored than the Saturated Model. It is recommended that Government should motivate the teachers in every way possible, so that the reflection is seen in the commitment and quality of teaching and also students’ passing their Examinations with excellent grades.