FACTORS AFFECTING THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

OF GRADE 11 STUDENTS IN THEIR SUBJECT

PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND HEALTH 1

KENNETH C. APITA

Researcher

September 2022
 CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Academic achievement is an apparent phenomenon in many developing countries

like Tanzania since is measured in final examination (Form Four National Examination),

whereby success is measured by academic performance or how well students meet

standards set out by the National Examination Council (NECTA) and the institute itself.

Students’ performance at the level of secondary has the strong impact on other levels of

higher and tertiary education.

Success, in an educational institution is measured by academic performance. Over

the years, the importance of students doing well in school has become the common

concern of parent, legislators, teachers, counselors and psychologist. According to Bell

(2002), parents devote a lot of resources to their children's education because they believe

that good academic performance will provide a stable future for them. Also, Wilkins

(2001) opined that many educational authorities have sought to find out reasons for the

downward trend in the academic performance of students. College life can be stressful,

although it is undoubtedly one of the most memorable experiences in one's life. It

represents a critical developmental period for both late adolescents and young adults

(Chickering, 1969).
 Schools, colleges and universities have no worth without students. Students are

most essential asset for any educational institute. The social and economic development

of the country is directly linked with students’ performance. The students’ performance

(academic achievement) plays an important role in producing the best quality graduates

who will become great leader and manpower for the country thus responsible for the

country’s economic and social development (Ali et al, 2009).

Performance measurement is an essential part of the performance management.

By measuring, people transform complex reality into simplified numerical concepts that

can be easily communicated and acted upon (Lebas, 1995). According to Lebas, the

simplification of reality by measuring is the prerequisite of successful management.

Similarly, Bititci et al., 1997 argue that performance measurement is at the heart of the

performance management process and it is of critical importance to the effective and

efficient functioning of performance management. Performance measurement (PM) can

be defined from different perspectives. These perspectives are: processual perspective

(e.g. Neely, Gregory & Platts, 1995; Neely, Gregory & Platts, 2005); technological

perspective (e.g. Chenhall & Langfield-Smith, 2007; Grafton, Lillis & Widener, 2010);

business perspective (e.g. Bourne, Neely, Mills & Platts, 2003; Henri, 2004).

There is also a term - ´intellectual tool´ - generally attributed to Vygotsky

(Wertsch, 1985). He noted that nature contributes humans with certain elementary

mental functions such as memory, attention and the capacity to make associations based

on contiguity. We use these basic functions to make sense of our environment. One of
the most important tasks to an educational system is to authorize the young with the

intellectual tools of the culture. Children are quite capable of incidental learning based on

the natural mental functions. The acquisition of more advanced forms of the tool use,

however it must be deliberate and must proceed in the full understanding of the power of

the tool, of its generative potential and of the demands made on the user during the period

of learning (Davis, N., et al.1997).

In that way, factors of environment will be there. Some students are affected by

the factors of environment in their subject which give great impact to the students’

academic performance. And in this study, Factors Affecting Grade 11 Students in their

Subject Physical Education and Health 1 will be identified and determined.

Statement of the Problem

This study, entitled Factors Affecting the Academic Performance of Grade 11

Students in their Subject Physical Education and Health 1, seek to answer the following

questions:

1. What are the factors that affect the academic performance of the students?

a. Socio-Cultural

b. Political

c. Economical

d. Technological

e. Ecological
2. How does factors of environment affect the academic performance of Grade 11

students in their subject Physical Education and Health 1?

3. Does factors of environment affect the academic performance of the students?

Objectives of the Study

This study, entitled Factors Affecting the Academic Performance of Grade 11

Students in their Subject Physical Education and Health 1, will answer the following

objectives:

1. Identify the factors that affect the academic performance of the students;

a. Socio-Cultural

b. Political

c. Economical

d. Technological

e. Ecological

2. Determine the factors of environment that affect the academic performance of Grade

11 students in their subject Physical Education and Health 1; and

3. Find the significance of the factors of environment that affect the academic

performance of the students.

Significance of the Study

 The result of the study will benefit the people who are concerned with the

academic performance of the Grade 11 students. Here as follows:

 The Students – Results will give information to the factors that affect the academic

performance of the students in their subject Physical Education and Health 1. And

this will provide them guidance on what aspects they should devote more time and

effort.

 The Teachers – Help students determine the factors that affect their academic

performance in Physical Education and Health 1.

 The Researcher – This will serve as a basis in gaining knowledge in developing his

whole being to the task given to him. It will serve as a reminder in looking forward

the factors that affect the academic performance of the students.

Definition of Terms

For better understanding of this study, the following terms are defined according

to how they are used in this study:

a. Socio-cultural – used to describe the differences between groups of people relating to

the social class and culture in which they live;

b. Political – associated with the governance of an area, especially conflict among

individuals;

c. Economical – directed at the satisfaction of needs and wants through the allocation of

scarce resources which have alternative uses;

d. Technological – application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes;

e. Ecological – relating to the environments of living things; and

f. Academic Performance – involves factors such as the intellectual level, personality,

motivation, skills, interests, study habits and self-esteem.

Scope and Delimitation

This study is concerned with identifying the Factors Affecting the Academic

Performance of Grade 11 Students in their Subject Physical Education and Health 1.

The researcher selected the Grade 11 students as subject of the study because of

their subject Physical Education and Health 1. At this level, students will be carried out

on the Factors Affecting their Academic Performance.

The respondents are from Sta. Fe National High School. These include the

sections and strands of Masipag (AFA), Marangal (GA), Masinop (GA), Maagap (ICT),

Mapamaraan (ICT), and Maalam (STEM).

This study is limited only to the Grade 11 students in Sta. Fe National High

School since the researcher based on the school and focuses on the factors affecting the

academic performance of students.

 CHAPTER II

LITERATURE REVIEW

Vygotsky (Wertsch, 1985) noted that nature contributes humans with certain

elementary mental functions such as memory, attention and the capacity to make

associations based on contiguity

Neil Kokemuller, in his entry from Demand Media, cited Top Issues Affecting

Student Academic Performance - Poor study habits, lack of motivation and poor

preparation negatively impact student performance. However, students also face more

indirect conflicts with high academic achievement from areas like finances and family

support.

The complexity of classroom life is important to be considered because students

and teachers are expected to collaborate on every aspect of classroom life involving

teachers relating to students and students relating to each other through various ways

such as discussion, debating, and communicating ideas. The complex interaction between

teacher and students and among students constitutes the social context of classroom

environment where teachers and students are engaged in a collective process of learning
that produces shared understanding and generates new knowledge or perspectives and

helps students take responsibility of their own learning (e.g., Brown & Campione, 1996;

Tahir & Treagust, 1999).

Graetz (1995) conducted a study on study on socio- economic status of the

parents of students and concluded that the socio economic background has a great impact

on student’s academic performance. Pedrosa et. al (2006) in their study on social and

educational background pointed out those students who mostly come from deprived

socio-economic and educational background performed relatively better than others

coming from higher social-economic and educational area. Eamon (2005) “Those

students usually come out from low socio-economic status or area show low performance

in studies and obtained low scores as compared to the other students or their counter

parts”.

Van Thompson, in his entry from Demand Media, cited ‘How Can Behavior

Affect Academics for Students?’ Academic achievement isn't always an absolute measure

of a student's intelligence. Instead, a variety of factors, such as teacher involvement,

parental investment, school quality and student motivation, can affect academic life.

Student behavior also plays a major role in academic achievement. A student's behavior

can affect her ability to learn as well as other students' learning environment.

The acquisition of more advanced forms of the tool use, however it must be

deliberate and must proceed in the full understanding of the power of the tool, of its
generative potential and of the demands made on the user during the period of learning

(Davis, N., et al.1997).

Mosha, (2014) said that, students’ performance was affected by shortage of

English teachers and absence of teaching and learning materials. However, her findings

showed that, the presence of untrained, under-qualified and trained teachers who are

incompetent resulted to skip teaching some difficult topics in the syllabus and students’

infrequent use of English language at school and home, large class size, teachers’

responsibilities, poor conducive teaching and learning environment in the classrooms,

limited home support environment and poverty are among the factors that affecting

students’ academic performance in English Language. Students’ effort, previous

schooling (Siegfried &Fels, 1976; Anderson & Benjamin, 1994), parents’ education,

family income (Devadoss& Foltz, 1996), self motivation, age of student, learning

preferences (Aripin, Mahmood, Rohaizad, Yeop, & Anuar, 2008), class attendance

(Romer, 1993), and entry qualifications as factors that have a significant effect on the

students’ academic performance in various settings. Ali Shoukat at el, said that the

factors affecting academic performance are gender, age, schooling, father/guardian social

economic status, residential area, medium of schooling, tuition trend, daily study hours

and accommodation trend are the factors affecting academic performance.

Conceptual Framework
 Performance measurement is an essential part of the performance management.

By measuring, people transform complex reality into simplified numerical concepts that

can be easily communicated and acted upon (Lebas, 1995). Performance measurement

(PM) can be defined from different perspectives. These perspectives are: processual

perspective (e.g. Neely, Gregory & Platts, 1995; Neely, Gregory & Platts, 2005);

technological perspective (e.g. Chenhall & Langfield-Smith, 2007; Grafton, Lillis &

Widener, 2010); business perspective (e.g. Bourne, Neely, Mills & Platts, 2003; Henri,

2004).

Null Hypothesis

On the basis of the problems for this study, the following null hypothesis is tested:

Factors Affecting Grade 11 Students in their Subject Physical Education and Health 1 at

Sta. Fe National High School are not significantly related to Academic Performance.

INDEPENDENT VARIABLE DEPENDENT VARIABLE

Factors Affecting Grade 11 Students

in their Subject Physical Education

and Health 1: Socio-Cultural, Academic Performance

Political, Economical, Technological

and Ecological

Age, Sex/Gender
 MODERATOR VARIABLE

Figure 1. A schematic diagram shows the Factors Affecting Grade 11 Students in their

Subject Physical Education and Health 1 at Sta. Fe National High School.

CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

This chapter describes how the study is undertaken. It discusses the main topics to be

covered in this chapter namely the Research Design, Locale of the study, Research

Respondent, Research Instrument, Data Gathering Procedure, and Data Analysis.

Research Design

The researcher will focus on the Factors Affecting the Academic Performance of

Grade 11 Students in their Subject Physical Education and Health 1. The descriptive

method is used in the study. Grade 11 students in the school year 2022-2023 are selected

as respondents. This is to identify the Factors Affecting the Academic Performance of

Grade 11 Students in Sta. Fe National High School.

Locale of the Study

 The locale of the study will be conducted in Sta. Fe National High School that

include Masipag (AFA), Marangal (GA), Masinop (GA), Maagap (ICT), Mapamaraan

(ICT), and Maalam (STEM) in relation to the respondents’ sections and strands.

Research Respondent

This study will focus on 120 Grade 11 students using Simple Random Sampling

Method. 20 students for Masipag (AFA), 20 for Marangal (GA), 20 for Masinop (GA),

20 for Maagap (ICT), 20 for Mapamaraan (ICT), and 20 for Maalam (STEM). The

researcher will use the above respondents for the reason on the researcher’s thought could

give reliable answers on his research finding.

Research Instrument

The researcher will use a questionnaire as a means of collecting data, because it is

simple wherein items are easily constructed. Questionnaire can be easily distributed and

less time in consumed during data gathering. Answers are kept confidential and data from

closed ended items are easy to tabulate. The terms are comprehensive and in direct

manner to avoid confusion. The respondents were asked to answer the said questionnaire

by checking the box of which would correspond to their most appropriate answer.
Data Gathering Procedure

Since this study will be conducted at Sta. Fe National High School, there are

many legal procedures needed by the researchers. First, the researcher will approach the

mentor as regards to the problem identified. Before conducting the study, preparation of

the necessary requirements will be made. The researcher will write a letter of permission

to the selected school to conduct the study. The researcher will gather related literature

from various sources. After the approval of the School Principal, the validation of the

questionnaire is done.

The researcher will conduct the study by orienting the respondents on the purpose

of the study and by informing them of their importance to the success of the study. Then,

they will be retrieving the questionnaires and the tallying of the data gathered by the

researcher. After the tabulation and computation, the data will be ready for presentation,

analysis and interpretation.

Data Analysis

When all questions are retrieved, these will be inspected to assure the

completeness of responses. All data collected will be tabulated, analyzed and interpreted.

Descriptive statistics, (frequencies, percentages and mean) will be computed and used to

describe and summarize the data collected for the Factors Affecting the Academic

Performance of Students.
 To test the hypothesis, Pearson’s r will be used to determine the Factors Affecting

the Academic Performance of Grade 11 Students in their Subject Physical Education and

Health 1 at Sta. Fe National High School.