IMPACT OF CLASSROOM CLIMATE ON ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN ECONOMICS IN JOS NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, PLATEAU STATE
Abstract
This study investigated the impact of classroom climate on the academic achievement of secondary school students in Economics in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State. The research adopted a descriptive survey design. The population comprised all 1,237 Senior Secondary Two (SSII) students offering Economics in public schools within the area. A sample of 302 students was selected from ten schools using a multi-stage sampling technique that involved purposive selection of schools and simple random sampling of students. The main instrument for data collection was the Classroom Climate and Academic Achievement Questionnaire (CCAAQ), complemented by students' most recent school-based Economics examination scores. The CCAAQ was validated by experts and demonstrated high reliability with a Cronbach's Alpha coefficient of 0.86. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) to answer the research questions and inferential statistics (independent samples t-test) to test the hypotheses at a 0.05 significance level. The findings revealed that teacher-student relationships, peer interactions, classroom management practices, and physical classroom conditions all had a significant positive impact on students' academic achievement in Economics. However, no significant gender difference was found in students' experiences of classroom climate in relation to their academic achievement. Based on these findings, the study recommends that Economics teachers should prioritize building supportive relationships with students and employ interactive, student-centered instructional strategies. School administrators should provide training for teachers on effective classroom management and ensure classrooms are equipped with adequate physical resources to create a conducive learning environment. These measures are essential for enhancing academic achievement in Economics and similar subjects.
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