ABSTRACT
This study was designed to find out the influence of school disciplinary styles on students’ self-esteem and interest in learning in Nsukka Education zone of Enugu state. The study adopted ex-post facto research design. The population for the study was all the senior secondary (SS2) students in public Secondary Schools in Nsukka Education Zone numbering 5,488 out of which 540 students were randomly sampled for the study. The sampled students were 227 in Nsukka Local Government Area; 240 in Igbo Etiti Local Government Area, and 73 in Uzo Uwani Local Government Area. Four research questions and four null hypotheses tested at 0.05 level of significance guided the study. The instrument used for data collection was school disciplinary styles questionnaire (SDSQ) students’ self-esteem questionnaire (SSSQ) and interest in learning questionnaire (IILQ). The instruments SDSQ, SSSQ and IILQ were given to experts who validated the items to ensure face validity. The instruments were trial-tested to determine the internal consistencies using Cronbach Alpha Statistic, the Alpha Coefficient values of the instruments yielded the following: ADS = 0.73, DDS = 0-74, LDS = 0.65, IDS = 0.78, SSE = 0.78 and IIL = 0.81. The data collected were analyzed using mean, standard deviation and t-test at 0.05 level of significance. Major findings of the study include: Students who adopted authoritarian and demonstrative disciplinary styles have a high self-esteem while students that adopted laissez-faire and indifferent disciplinary styles have a low self-esteem. The students who adopted authoritarian and demonstrative disciplinary styles had higher mean score in their interest in learning than students who adopted laissez-faire and indifferent disciplinary styles. The difference in mean response is seemly negligible, indicating that gender does not have some influence on students’ self-esteem. The difference in mean response is seemly negligible, indicating that gender does not have some influence on students interest in learning. There is no significant influence of gender on students’ self-esteem. There is no significant influence of male and female students’ in their disciplinary styles.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
School is an investment as well as an instrument that can be used to achieve rapid development in economic, social, political, technological, and scientific breakthrough in the country. Chauhan (2007) defined school as an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Igbokwe and Eze (2009) noted that any school that is properly equipped with the right kind of classroom, adequate teaching resources and highly qualified teachers is more likely to achieve the curriculum plan more than a school with poor economic environment where basic amenities are in very short supply. School helps in developing and cultivating good and higher values like truth, sympathy, love, co-operation and encouragement in individual through different social interactions and moral teachings. Chauhan (2007) stated that schools impart knowledge, intellectual and reasoning skills which enable children (students) to make adjustment in the society they live. The school is always concerned with appropriate behaviour that will protect the rights of the child. Conroy and William (2006) noted that large proportion of misbehaviour in school results from teachers’ inability to maintain discipline.
Discipline guides students behaviour and helps them to learn. Charles and Senter (2004) opined that discipline is the required action by a teacher towards a student or group of students after the students’ behaviour breaks a pre-established rule created by the teacher. Nkomo (2010) established that discipline involves the process of education, guidance and learning to help children develop self control that is characterized by mutual respect, trust and aims at development of internal control that helps the child relate to others in a positive and responsible way. School discipline is a form of discipline found in schools. The term refers to students complying with code of conduct that is appropriate to the regulation of students and maintaining of order in schools. Sugai and Horner (2001) noted that school discipline refers to instruction, rules, policies or practices that are intended to promote students’ behaviour at the classroom and school levels. School discipline emphasizes the importance of learning and conditions that inhibit learning. Rules, sanctions and procedures are clearly specified and made known to the students in the school. Dissemination of clearly stated rules and procedures, assures that students’ understand what acceptable behaviour is. Straford (2013) opined that students participation in the School discipline programmas create a sense of ownership and belongingness. The school discipline seems to teach students to differentiate between acceptable and unacceptable behaviour. Example, the breaking of school rules, examination malpractice, insubordination, aggression and truancy are negative action towards the school and interfere with learning activities in the classroom. Bear (2005) established that students need to be taught what constitutes appropriate behaviour, what the school discipline and classroom rules are and how to follow them.
In order to improve school discipline, school needs to develop clear behavioural rules, procedures and make these known to all students in the school. School needs to consider students interest when planning any activities. Straford (2013) noted that school needs to create opportunities for students at classroom level particularly those with behavioural problems to experience success in their learning. Through school, disciplined students learn to behave in a way that leads to being praised; students interpret it as indications of love and acceptance which is essential for successful adjustment and happiness. Conroy and William (2006) maintained that with a well disciplined class, teaching could be among the most wonderful jobs in the world. Skinner in Charles and Senter (2004) noted that theories on discipline in the classroom have helped to mould the way teachers instill discipline in the students for decades. These theories led teachers to use constant reinforcement as a form of discipline in the classroom. This type of discipline can be used each time a student does something correct. In this study, school discipline is defined as the externally imposed and self-generated conducts that produce efficiency in learning and enhance the attainment of educational goals. For the purpose of this study, four disciplinary styles - authoritarian, demonstrative, laissez-faire and indifferent disciplinary styles as used by Shankar (2006) are discussed.
Authoritarian disciplinary style is characterized as teacher-centered classroom. Elrol and Orth (2011) noted that students have little or no evolvement in problem-solving challenges. Teachers expect students to follow the rules all the time. Students are not usually given the reasons for the rules and there is little room for any negotiation. Stratford (2013) stated that the atmosphere is fearful and punitive as teacher exercises vigorous control but shows little interest in involvement. Yilmaz (2007) maintained that the teacher prefers vigorous discipline and expects swift obedience. Failure to obey the teacher usually results in detention or goes to the principal’s office. For the purpose of this study, authoritarian disciplinary style is a disciplinary style in which students are forced to follow instructions given by the teacher, with no freedom to express themselves freely.
The demonstrative disciplinary style is concerned about the worth of every student and allows some freedom of expression. Elrol and Orth (2011) opined that teacher always tries to explore the views and ideas of students and makes allowance for divergent thinking. Benassi and Buskist (2012) noted that democratic teachers care about their teaching and their students but reward academic success with praise and high grades. Teachers think carefully about their rules and standards, announce them in advance, explain why they are necessary and enforce them....
================================================================
Item Type: Project Material | Size: 91 pages | Chapters: 1-5
Format: MS Word | Delivery: Within 30Mins.
================================================================
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.