Interest and Learning Approaches as Discriminating Factors in the Performance of Senior Secondary School Students in Economics

Abstract

The study utilized the ex-post facto research design to investigate how interest and learning approaches utilized in Economics discriminates the academic performance of students in the subject area. The population comprised senior secondary school two students in Ife Central Local Government of Osun State while the sample comprised 94 students in five secondary schools in the area. Three research instruments viz: Individual Interest Questionnaire (IIQ), Revised Two Factor Study Process Questionnaire (R-SPQ-2F) and Economics Achievement Test (EAT) were used to collect appropriate data. The Discriminant Function Analysis was utilized to analyse data collected. Findings revealed a function with coefficients in order of magnitude as revealed by structure matrix as follows: Interest in Economics (1.06), Surface Approach (0.41) and Deep Approach (-1.14). None of coefficients was significant at 0.05 significance level. The function was maximized for: 47.1% of students who scored above 50% and 57.1% of those who scored below 50%. The conclusion that was reached was that adequate cognizance should be given to the improvement of the process of teaching the subject including assessment practices.   Key words: Discriminant Function Analysis; Interest; Learning Approaches; Performance; Senior Secondary School.