SECONDARY SCHOOL SCIENCE TEACHERS’ SELF-EFFICACY AS CORRELATE OF STUDENTS’ PERFORMANCE IN MINNA, NIGER STATE

Abstract

The study was conducted to determine the correlation between Secondary School Science Teachers’ Self-Efficacy and Students’ Performance in Minna, Niger State, Nigeria. Secondary school Science teachers and students used for this study are Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics teachers and students. The study was guided by one research question and also one corresponding hypothesis. Correlational research design was used for the study. A total of one hundred and twenty three (123) Science teachers and three hundred and eighty five (385) Science students made up the sample size of the study. Instrument used for data collection from Science teachers is a Likert type questionnaire designed by the researchers and titled “Questionnaire on Science Teachers’ Self-Efficacy (QUSTSE)” The instrument was validated by experts and its reliability coefficient was also determined to be 0.74 using Cranach Alpha statistical tool. Data collected from Science teachers was correlated with SSIII Science students’ Mock examination result conducted by Niger State Ministry of Education (NSMOE) during 2022/2023 academic session to establish a relationship. Mean, standard deviation and scattered plots were used to answer the research question while linear regression was used to test the hypothesis. Findings of the study revealed a positive relationship between Science teachers’ Self-Efficacy and students’ performance. Based on this finding, it was recommended that Science teachers’ Self-Efficacy should be one of the major criterions to be considered by the government during recruitment of Science teachers. In addition, Government should intermittently expose Science teachers to training and retraining programs through seminars, conferences and workshops so as to improve their mastery of their respective subject areas as well as motivating them to develop high level of Self-Efficacy