Project Abstract

Abstract
This research study investigates the impact of gender orientation on achievement behavior, academic self-concept, and school achievement among in-school adolescents in Enugu State, Nigeria. The study aims to explore how gender orientation influences students' attitudes towards academic success, their perceptions of their own academic abilities, and ultimately their actual academic performance in school settings. The research will employ a mixed-methods approach, incorporating both quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews to gather comprehensive data on the experiences of male and female students in relation to their achievement behavior, academic self-concept, and school achievement. A sample of in-school adolescents from various schools in Enugu State will be selected to participate in the study. Quantitative data will be collected using standardized questionnaires to assess students' achievement behavior, academic self-concept, and academic performance. These surveys will provide quantitative indicators of how gender orientation may influence these variables. Additionally, qualitative interviews will be conducted to gain deeper insights into the personal experiences and perspectives of students regarding their achievement behavior and academic self-concept. The analysis of the data will involve both quantitative statistical methods and qualitative thematic analysis. Quantitative analysis will include statistical tests to examine the relationships between gender orientation, achievement behavior, academic self-concept, and school achievement. Qualitative analysis will involve coding and thematic analysis of interview data to identify key themes and patterns related to gender orientation and academic outcomes. The findings of this study are expected to contribute to the existing literature on gender and academic achievement by providing insights into how gender orientation shapes students' attitudes towards academic success and their perceptions of their academic abilities. The results may have implications for educational policy and practices aimed at promoting gender equality and improving academic outcomes for all students. Overall, this research seeks to deepen our understanding of the complex interplay between gender orientation and academic achievement among in-school adolescents in Enugu State, Nigeria. By shedding light on these dynamics, the study aims to inform interventions and strategies that support the academic success and well-being of all students, regardless of gender.

Project Overview

This study investigated the impact of gender orientation on achievement behaviour, academic self-concept and school achievement of in-school adolescents. Nine research questions and nine hypotheses guided the study. The design of the study was causal comparative ex-post facto design. The target population was 22,296 in-school adolescents, comprising 11,198 JSSII and 11,098 SSII in-school adolescents in Obollo-Afor and Nsukka Education Zones of Enugu State, Nigeria. The sample for this study consisted of 816 masculine and feminine (determined from their scores on the Gender Orientation Scale-GOS) in-school adolescents randomly drawn through random sampling from 12 public secondary schools in Obollo Afor and Nsukka Education Zones in Enugu State, Nigeria. Three instruments namely: Gender Orientation Scale, Achievement Behaviour Questionnaire and Academic Self-Concept Scale were developed, validated and used for the study. The internal consistency reliability co-efficient of the instruments obtained through Cronbach alpha method were 0.87, 0.96, and 0.76 for Gender Orientation Scale, Achievement Behaviour Questionnaire and Academic Self-Concept Scale respectively. The instruments were administered to the respondents through direct delivery, by the researcher and 3 research assistants. Mean and Standard Deviation scores were used to answer the research questions. The hypotheses were tested at 0.05 probability level using Analysis of Variance Statistic. Results showed that gender orientation significantly impacts on the achievement behaviour, academic self-concepts and school achievements of in-school adolescents. There were no significant interactions of gender orientation and school location on achievement behaviour, academic self-concept and school achievement of in-school adolescents. It was concluded that gender orientation significantly impacts on the achievement behaviour, academic self-concept and school achievement of in-school adolescents. Therefore, gender orientation is a critical factor that shape the level of achievement, aspiration and goals attained by in-school adolescents. Among the educational implications is included that gender orientation is a major determining factor in the learning process, the in-school adolescents would aspire higher and achieve their full potentials if their gender orientation is definitive. Based on the findings it was recommended that the school authorities, teachers and stakeholders in the education sector should help in increasing the campaign of gender sensitivity in the contemporary learning environments. By so doing, instructional designers and textbook writers might adopt gender sensitive illustrations in pictorial representations in the learning materials to minimize gender stereotyping in learning environments.