Relationship among Locus of Control, Academic Interest and Secondary School Students Academic Achievement in Anambra State, Nigeria

Abstract

Aims: To determine the relationship between locus of control and academic achievement in English language, the relationship between academic interest and academic achievement in English language, the relationship between locus of control and academic achievement in Mathematics, the relationship between academic interest and academic achievement in Mathematics. Study Design: The study adopted the correlational survey design Place and Duration of Study: Secondary schools in Anambra state, Nigeria. Methodology: Disproportionate stratified sampling technique was used to select a sample size of 2,160 students from a population of 18,297 SS2 students in Anambra state government owned secondary schools. The instruments adopted for data collection were standardized locus of control scale, student’s academic interest scale, these instruments were administered using the direct delivery approach. Data collected were tested using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient, while the hypotheses postulated was tested at 0.05 level of significance using t-test of correlation and multiple regression analysis. Results: the relationship between locus of control and academic achievement of secondary school students in English language is moderate and positive (r = 0.469/n = 2050), the relationship between academic interest and academic achievement of secondary school students in English language is high and positive (r = 0.731, n = 2050), the relationship between locus of control and academic achievement of secondary school students in Mathematics is high and positive (r = 0.613, n = 2050). The relationship between locus of control and academic achievement of secondary school students in English language is significant (t-cal. = 24.03 > t-cal. 1.960), the relationship between academic interest and academic achievement of secondary school students in English language is significant (t – cal. = 48.46 < t – crit. = 1.960), the relationship between locus of control and academic achievement in Mathematics is significant (t-cal. = 35.12 > t-crit. = 1.960), the relationship between academic interest and academic achievement of secondary school students in Mathematics is statistically significant (t-cal. = 28.32 > t-crit. = 1.960). Conclusion: locus of control and academic interest are variables associated with academic achievement of secondary school students in Anambra state. Nevertheless, secondary school students spend significant part of their time in the classroom (about 7 ½ hrs a day, 5 days a week, and 36 weeks a year) with teachers and peers, there is need to help them understand their locus of control, improve their interest in learning as well as develop belief in themselves to succeed academically.