INFLUENCE OF STUDENTS SELF-CONCEPT ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN MATHEMATICS IN MERU SOUTH SUB-COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

Mathematics is the backbone for prosperity in almost all fields of Life. Secondary school mathematics education lays a strong foundation for all types of learning at the secondary school level and more so at higher levels of learning. Thus, mathematics is a prerequisite for better achievement at higher stages. Developing individuals with strong self-concept does contribute significantly to their performance. Studies on self-concept and their impacts on academic performance have predominantly focused on teachers specific instructional methods. Students believe that knowing mathematics is about remembering and applying certain rules correctly in a problem and that the only correct answer is the one given by the teacher. Most research into factors that influence academic performance mainly focus on cognitive domains but less on affective domains of learning. Students’ self-concept has been linked to academic achievement, social adjustment, healthy behaviour and positive employment outcomes. Thus, there is comparatively little self-concepts research examining influence of aspects - concept construct (academic effort, family background, students’ perception and number of contact hours of the teacher) on academic performance. The researcher used a quantitative approach using correlational design. All the aspect of self-concept were hypothesized to influence academic performance. This design allows the understanding of important phenomena through the identification of relationship among variables. Simple random sampling was used to draw Coeducational schools. The study population was all Form two students in Meru South Sub-County. The sample size was 277 Form two students in Meru South Sub-County, Kenya. The instrument for data collection was self-descriptive questionnaire. Students completed self-concepts scales. Students’ scores in mathematics at the end of term were collected. The marks were analyzed to establish whether there was a trend between high self-concept and higher academic performance. Quantitative data collected was analyzed using mean, standard deviation, a one-way ANOVA with the help of Statistical Package of Social Scientists (SPSS) version 25.0. Cronbach alpha was used to test reliability of the research instrument. The reliability was 0.84. The study revealed a strong relationship between students’ aspects of self-concept and academic performance. On students’ effort and students’ family background, girls had higher variability on interest in learning, self-concept is perceived positively by students; however this does not affect directly students’ mathematical performance but does so when students put less efforts in solving problems on what has been taught to them previously. The researcher recommends that teachers and all stakeholders should take it as their responsibility to develop students’ positive self-concept when interacting with them.