scholarly journals Relationship between Cognitive Engagement and Academic Achievement among Kenyan Secondary School Students

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 61-72
Author(s):  
Erick Wara ◽  
Peter Jo Aloka ◽  
Benson Charles Odongo

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between student cognitive engagement and academic achievement of secondary school students of Manga Sub County, Nyamira County, Kenya. The study was hinged on the Self Determination theoretical perspective. The mixed methods approach was employed, and within it, the concurrent triangulation design was adopted. From the target population of 1750 form four students, 35 Principals and 35 Guidance and Counselling teachers, 312 students (out of 316 expected), 11 Principals and 11 Guidance and counselling teachers were randomly sampled for the study. Questionnaires were used to collect data from the students, while interview schedules were used to collect data from Principals and Guidance and Counselling teachers. The validity of the research instruments was determined by experts from the department of Psychology and Educational Foundations of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology. Reliability was ascertained by the internal consistency method using Cronbach’s alpha, and a reliability coefficient of r above 0.7 was obtained for the questionnaire. Inferential statistics from quantitative data were analyzed using Pearson’s Product correlation and regression analysis with the aid of the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 22. Qualitative data from interviews were analyzed thematically. The study revealed that cognitive engagement was a significant predictor of academic achievement among secondary school students studied (r=.376, N=312, p =.01. The study recommended that school based teacher counsellors should utilize cognitive behavioural therapy techniques during counselling sessions with students in school in order to enhance cognitive engagement.

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 107-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erick Wara ◽  
Peter J. O. Aloka ◽  
Benson Charles Odongo

Abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between emotional engagement and academic achievement among secondary school students of Manga Sub County, Nyamira County, Kenya. The study was hinged on the Self Determination theoretical perspective. The concurrent triangulation design of the mixed methods approach was employed. From the target population of 1750 form four students, 35 Principals and 35 Guidance and Counselling teachers, 316 students, 11 Principals and 11 Guidance and counselling teachers, and 11 student leaders were randomly sampled for the study. Questionnaires were used to collect data from the students, while interview schedules were used to collect data from Principals, Guidance and Counselling teachers and student leaders. The face validity of the research instruments was determined by experts from the department of Psychology and Educational Foundations of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology. Reliability was ascertained by the internal consistency method using Cronbach’s alpha, and a reliability coefficient of 0.849 was obtained for the questionnaire. Inferential statistics from quantitative data were analyzed using Pearson’s Product correlation and regression analysis with the aid of the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 22. Qualitative data from interviews were analyzed thematically. The study revealed that there was a statistically significant moderate positive correlation(r=.354, N=312, p<.05) between emotional engagement and academic achievement among the students, with an increase in emotional engagement occasioning an improvement in academic achievement. The study recommended that teacher counsellors should adopt appropriate therapy techniques geared towards the enhancement of emotional engagement of all students in the schools of their jurisdiction in order to boost their chances of doing better in their studies.


2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Roya Sherafat ◽  
C. G. Venkatesha Murthy

The authors of this study have attempted to understand whether study habits affect academic achievement among secondary and senior secondary school students of Mysore. It is also attempted to know whether students at secondary level differ from senior secondary level on their study habits. The study was conducted on the sample of 625 students of Mysore City in India using stratified random sampling technique. Results indicated that the study habits facilitate higher academic achievement. Further, it was also found that secondary school students are significantly better than senior secondary students on study habits. The findings are analyzed and explained. Thus, study habit is found to be an important correlate of academic achievement.


2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (35) ◽  
pp. 58-64
Author(s):  
Lucy Gachenia ◽  
Margaret Mwenje

The school counseling program is meant to assist students to deal with psycho-social and behavioral challenges, which normally affect their academic performance. In order to achieve this goal, the Kenyan government has previously committed resources towards establishing counseling programs in schools. The aim of this study was to establish how effective these counseling programs are in assisting secondary school learners in Kiambu County to achieve academically. Primary data was derived from 80 high school adolescents, 8 counselors, and 8 academic Dean of Students who were purposively sampled from 8 schools that were randomly selected. The study was qualitatively done, and self-determination theory was used to guide the study. Data were analyzed for the identification of counseling program characteristics and student improvement indices. These were presented in tables, charts, frequencies, and percentages based on the responses from the respondents. Further, a correlation between the two variables of the study was examined. Findings depicted that 65.7% of the students sampled said that counseling services offered at school satisfied their needs, 74.3% reported an improvement in their academic performance as a result of those counseling services and 87% felt more positive about school life after receiving counseling services. The study concluded that comprehensive counseling programs improved academic performance among high school students. The study intended to inform education planners, principals, and administrators on the role counseling would play in enhancing academic achievement among secondary school students.


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