Factors relating to achievement of high school students in Kuching City, Malaysia

Ridzuan, Abang Ahmad

Abstract

This study aims to contribute towards a greater understanding of high-school-student learning, with a view to determining remedial action to be taken to upgrade academic achievement, improving learning and teaching strategies and environment, and assisting in national curriculum development.

The research was of a non-experimental ex post facto survey type, following techniques such as those of Entwistle- Kozeki, Rotter and Carver-Scheier, and using a specially designed demographic questionnaire.

The sample studied consisted of 925 seventeen-year-old lower-sixth-formers in the eight high schools of Kuching City, Sarawak, Malaysia, differentiated according to a number of criteria: science vs. arts streams, rural vs. urban origin, day scholars vs. boarders, boys vs. girls, and the six major ethnic groups.

The data were analysed using t-tests, stepwise regression and correlation-statistical techniques to establish what correlation could be found between the educational achievements (SPM results) of the pupils in those groupings and the learning approaches, learning styles, school motivation and psychological attitudes (e.g. optimism, locus of control).

It was found that there were considerable correlations between predictors and the overall achievement in each of the classification groups. However, the best predictors of achievement varied significantly from group to group.

Achievement in individual subjects of the curriculum was also studied in relation to aspects of the teaching­ learning environment, student attitudes and demographic factors. This too provided evidence of significant correla­tion between achievement and certain factors for each disipline, but a wide range of variation between the pred­ictors for achievement in different disciplines.

On the basis of conclusions drawn from the analysis of the data, recommendations are made for remedial actions and strategic planning to be undertaken to improve students' achievement and enhance the institutional teaching-learning environment. Scope for further research comprising longitu­dinal studies, wider samples, and different methodologies is indicated, which could lead to a better understanding of high-school students' learning in this developing third- world country.

Citation

Ridzuan, A. A. Factors relating to achievement of high school students in Kuching City, Malaysia. (Thesis). University of Hull. https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/4222756

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Nov 16, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 23, 2023
• Keywords: Education
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/4222756
• Additional Information: Institute of Education, The University of Hull
• Award Date: Oct 1, 1991