INTRODUCTION

There is no gain saying about the fact that chemistry occupies a very sensitive position in
medical science and related discipline. This informs several efforts geared toward studying
chemistry at a secondary level of education. Hence, it is one of the science subjects one must
pass so as to qualify to offer some science courses at tertiary level of education. It is however,
very disheartening and heartbreaking that despite the key role and much emphasis, being laid on
chemistry, students at secondary school level of education are still performing woefully in this
subject has being an issue of great concern to stake holders in education, most especially those in
the field of science. This has been attributed to myriad of factors such as poor parenting, poor
attitude of students towards their studies.

1.1 BACKGROUNG OF THE STUDY

The excellence of a teacher determines the success of a school and the quality in knowledge and
experience of students that it produces (Jussim & Harber 2005). Teachers must have dedication
and spirit in performing tasks designed to impart valuable knowledge for students. Most superior
teachers started humbly by first mastering their knowledge, which, in this context, refers to
resources and curriculum content that are disseminated to students. Chu, Loyalka, Chu, Qu, Shi,
Li, and Rozelle (2015) found that highly professional teachers have a profound effect on student
achievement. A superior chemistry teacher should master the entire curriculum and be capable of
choosing important aspects that should be focused on. Darling-Hammond (2006) claimed that
teacher readiness and credentials directly affect academic achievements. An ideal chemistry
teacher can also provide clear explanations and descriptions through a variety of teaching aids
and instructional media. Teaching media can be in the form of technology utilisation in teaching
and learning. Othman (2007) even reported that technology-assisted teaching methods had a
positive impact on student achievement. Teachers should implement changes to enhance
education quality. They need to consider establishing communication through various elements
and mingling with members of the scholastic community. Fullan (2011) found that teachers need
educational innovation to execute improved teaching concepts and to help them become
knowledgeable in delivering classroom instructions. According to Mulyasa (2007) and Brundrett
and Silcock (2002), developing student creativity provides students with additional opportunities
to explore and explain their learning materials. In addition, teachers should refer continuously to
theories or teaching models when designing and planning lessons. Theories in teaching and
teaching models will help teachers accelerate the process of developing materials by assisting
them in teamwork communication and covering all phases of teaching design (Shariffudin,
2007). Abdullah et al. (2014) stated ineffective communication can hinder effective teaching and
achievement of learning objectives and can cause discomfort, disappointment, psychological
stress, physical health, loneliness and loss of affection among others. Finally, Liu and Tsai
(2017) revealed that initiatives to reform education should encourage school teachers to be
innovative in teaching strategies to improve teaching quality.

Continuous training to improve learning quality among chemistry teachers should be

implemented particularly to develop the Academic Online Community and to improve the
quality of chemistry learning continuously. Teachers must also have a mindset to provide
valuable experience in facilitating the mastery of chemistry by using appropriate and skilled
methodologies, such as conducting laboratory experiments. Cullingford (1995) and Muijs and
Reynolds (2010) reported that direct and simultaneous interactions of students who used all of
their senses while working or performing an experiment are necessary; such interactions help
them function well, resulting in improved understanding. Everybody experiences new and
different things daily, which requires a process for understanding (Tovey & Lawlor, 2008).
Training is required when a gap between what teachers have and what are expected of them
exists with regard to competencies, skills, knowledge and attitudes. According to Dafou (2009),
academic qualification is a fundamental factor that demonstrates the marketability of new
employees who are novices or with zero working experience.

1.2 Statement of the problem

The prevalence of underachievement in most Secondary School subjects has dimmed the hopes
and aspirations of many students in progressing into higher institutions. The direct fallout of this
is dashing the great expectations of parents and other stakeholders in education. Accusing fingers
have been pointed at the school system for being responsible while the school shifts the blame to
the learners, government and parents. Literature reviewed in this study implicated so many other
factors beyond the ones identified above. In a country where the annual budgetary allocation for
education is abysmally low (UNESCO bench mark 26%)with the leaders displaying a gross
nonchalant attitude, the state of our schools especially the public Secondary Schools is in total
shambles. The classrooms are in a terrible deplorable conditions precipitating and provoking an
acrid apathy among students and their teachers leading to truancy on the part of the learners and
skipping of classes by the teachers. This identified state of disrepair in the school environment
and waning interest in the learners make this study imperative at this time of severe belt-
tightening occasioned by nose-diving economy in Nigeria.

1.3 Objective of the Study

The main objectiv of this study is to investigate the predictive powers of classroom environment
and students’ academic interest on Senior Secondary School students’ academic achievement in
Chemistry. Other specific objectives of the study are to:

 Examine the relationship between classroom environment and academic achievement of

students in Senior Secondary School Chemistry,
 Examine the relationship between academic interest and academic students in Chemistry
and
 Examine the relative contributions of classroom environment and academic interest to
academic achievement of students in Chemistry

1.4 Significance of the Study

Environment is very important in the development of all living organisms be it home, school, or
even the market environment. In the school, environment determines whether a child will be
happy and ready to learn or turn into a truant. Classroom environments are extremely important
for both students and teachers. The physical, social and psychological or emotional environments
must be such that every aspect of human behaviour is warmly accommodated. It is therefore
important for teachers to understand this in order to understand how to organize their classrooms
to create a better learning environment. This study will assist teachers to organize and control
their classes in order to yield more positive consequences for their students than negative.
1.5 Research Questions

To effectively carry out this research, the following questions were raised:

(i) Do students perform better when taught by professionally trained teachers than when
taught by nonprofessional teachers?

(ii) Does teachers’ experience enhance better performance of students in Chemistry?

(iii) Does a teacher’s use of appropriate instructional material improve students’ academic
performance?

1.6 Scope of the Study

This study examined the correlates of teachers’ continuing professional development on

universal basic education programme in Bayelsa state; Nigeria. The study was restricted to those
programmes organized by National Teachers Institute (NTI) training centres and those provided
during the 2016/2017 and 2018/2019 universal Basic education commission special intervention
on professional development.

1.7 Definitions terms

The following terms and their definitions will help to bring clarity to the main areas of focus in
this study.

1. Andragogy: A set of the following six adult learning principles: the learner’s need to know,
self-concept, prior experience of learning, readiness to learn, orientation to learning, and
motivation to learn (Knowles et al., 2015).

2. Pedagogy: The art and science of teaching children (Knowles et al., 2015).

3. Professional development (PD): Professional development (PD) can be defined as the teaching
and learning experiences designed to improve skills, knowledge, and dispositions in an effort to
better provide high-quality educational experiences for the students one works with (Snyder et
al., 2012).
 CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Theoretical Framework

2.2 Gender and academic achievement

2.3 Gender and Sciences

2.4 Family background (Classification)

2.5 Family background and academic achievement.

 CHAPTER THREE

METHODOLOGY

RESEARCH DESIGN

The study adopted a descriptive survey research method with a correlational approach.

POPULATION OF THE STUDY

The population comprises of Nine (9) local governments area in Bayelsa State and two schools
were selected from each LGAs together with random selection of twenty (20) students per school
making two hundred (200) students as respondent for this study.

SAMPLE AND SAMPLING PROCEDURE

Two hundred and eight (200) Senior Secondary Two (SS II) students drawn from ten randomly
selected Secondary Schools in Bayelsa State were used for the study. SS II students were
selected because of the level of academic knowledge area covered and also were not being
prepared for any immediate external examination.

VARIABLES FOR THE STUDY

The dependent variable for this study is;

- Academic achievement

The independent variable for this study is;

- Teachers Development (self-skills)

INSTRUMENT FOR DATA ANALYSIS

Oral interview and questionnaire was used for analyzing data and the questionnaire used was
self-skills questionnaire (SSQ) which was administered to the students and responses was taken.
RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY OF INSTRUMENT

The data obtained were subjected to statistical analysis. The use of percentage, mean, and
standard deviation was employed to test.
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