An Investigation of the Relationship between Psychosocial Classroom Environment and Academic Performance among Senior Secondary Chemistry Students in Zaria, Kaduna State

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between psychosocial factors of classroom environment and academic performance in chemistry among secondary school students in Zaria, Kaduna, Nigeria. The study employed a correlational survey design. A total of 223 students were sampled, constituting 73 males, 82 females, and 68 students (39 males and 29 females) from coeducational schools, out of 1,872 senior secondary chemistry students. Three schools comprising boys-only, girls-only, and coeducational settings were selected using stratified random sampling from fifteen senior secondary schools in Zaria local government. Data collection instruments included the Psychosocial Classroom Inventory (PSCI) with a reliability coefficient of 0.75 and the Chemistry Performance Test (CPT) with a reliability coefficient of  0.89, both validated by experts in science education and chemistry from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. One research question was formulated and one null hypothesis was tested using Pearson's Product Moment Correlation Coefficient at 0.01 level of significance. Major findings revealed a significant positive relationship between classroom satisfaction and academic performance across all three school settings. Conversely, friction, competition, and difficulty were negatively related to academic performance. Cohesion showed an insignificant relationship with performance in boys-only schools but was positively related to performance in girls-only schools. The study demonstrated that classroom satisfaction enables students to perform better academically, with 60% of students in single-sex schools perceiving their classroom environment as more satisfying than those in coeducational schools. Friction and competitive classroom environments negatively impacted academic performance, particularly in boys-only schools. The study recommends that science teachers should consistently provide pleasant and friendly atmospheres for teaching and learning to optimize student achievement in science subjects.

Key words: Psychosocial, Classroom Environment, Academic Performance