DOI: [Link]

GLOBAL JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH VOL 17, 2018: 61-71

COPYRIGHT© BACHUDO SCIENCE CO. LTD PRINTED IN NIGERIA. ISSN 1596-6224 61
[Link]; Info@[Link]

CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT AND ACADEMIC INTEREST

AS CORRELATES OF ACHIEVEMENT IN SENIOR
SECONDARY SCHOOL CHEMISTRY IN IBADAN SOUTH
WEST LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, OYO STATE, NIGERIA
BONIFACE UGWUMADUKA EZIKE
(Received 1, February 2018; Revision Accepted 19, April 2018)

ABSTRACT

This study investigated classroom environment and students’ academic interest as correlates of
achievement in Senior Secondary Chemistry.
Correlational design was adopted. 208 SS II students from ten randomly selected Public
Secondary Schools in Ibadan Oyo State, Nigeria participated. Instruments include Classroom
Environment Students’ Questionnaire (r = 0.76), Students’ Academic Interest Scale (r = 0.81) and
Chemistry Achievement test (r = 0.85). Four null hypotheses were tested at.05 alpha level of
significance. Pearson Product Moment Correlation and Multiple Regression Analysis were used for data
analysis.
Result showed significant relationships between classroom environment and academic
achievement, students’ academic interest and achievement in Chemistry. Composite contribution of
classroom environment and academic interest was significant. However, classroom environment better
predicted achievement than students’ academic interest.
Conclusion was that the predictor variables are active correlates of achievement in Chemistry.
Therefore it was recommended that all hands should be on deck in providing conducive school and
classroom environments for learning, teachers and parents should create activities that will help develop
and sustain interest of students.

KEY WORDS: Classroom environment, Academic Interest, Achievement

WORD COUNT: 170

INTRODUCTION measured or determined and this expectation

becomes more worrisome when children’s
Parents both educated and illiterates academic achievement is below expectation at
send their wards to school for a variety of the Secondary School level.
reasons. These parents commit so much This is so because the Secondary School
resources towards the education of these system in Nigeria is the link between the Primary
children at different levels. To whom much is School and tertiary institutions. It receives its
given the adage says much is expected. This population from the Primary school and prepares
expectation from the parents is concretized in the them for entry into the University. According to
form of academic achievement which comes in Suleman, Aslam and Hussain (2014) in
the form of results to parents. This becomes the determining the effectiveness of a national
yardstick with which academic success is system of Education, Secondary education is
Boniface Ugwumaduka Ezike, Department of Educational Foundations and Instructional Technology,
College of Specialized and Professional Education, Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun,
Ogun State, Nigeria.

© 2018 Bachudo Science Co. Ltd. This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.
62 BONIFACE UGWUMADUKA EZIKE
universally acknowledged as a fundamental on school and student factors but specifically on
stage. Since the quality of Higher Education classroom environment and students’ academic
depends upon the quality achieved at this level, interest.
many countries of the world focus their attention Nigeria, regarded as a third world nation
on exploring better solutions to the escalating is richly blessed with abundant and superb
and emerging problems encountered by natural resources from the coastal States in the
adolescents at this level of education. It is South to the fringes of the Northern Sahel States.
therefore imperative to study academic This vast wealth has not translated into better life
achievement at the Secondary School and piece for the masses of Nigeria in all aspects including
out factors affecting it. Academic achievement education. In Nigeria as the study was ongoing,
represents performance outcomes that indicate recent development shows that most States are
the extent to which a person has accomplished indebted to their teachers at both Secondary and
specific goals that were the focus of activities in Tertiary levels for at least six months. Some
instructional environments (Steinmay et al, States have even resorted to payment of half
2014)) specifically in School, College and salaries to their teachers. As a result of this, the
University. As the field of academic achievement Secondary Schools are now in total reckless
depends on the indicators used to measure it, in abandon which on its own is a major factor
this discourse, more curricular-based criteria prevailing against Secondary School academic
such as grades or performance on an achievement.
educational achievement test are the main focus. Every classroom plays host to different
Because of the importance attached to personality types of learners who come into the
achievement at the Secondary School level of classroom differently prepared with a uniquely set
Education, Suleman, Aslam and Hussain (2014), characteristics that determine their levels of
Kpolovie, Joe & Okoto (2014) conclude that aspirations within the same classroom
Secondary Education is the foundation stone for environment. The classroom environment is
further studies and also for the development of a therefore a common playground hosting all these
nation. This conclusion is very true of Nigeria personalities at the same time. The problem of
where academic achievement in Secondary organizing these into a reasonable, identifiable
School Certificate Examination determines who and useful whole falls on the teacher who is the
proceeds to higher institutions. Many prospective second living component in the classroom
graduands of Secondary Education have been environment and a chief facilitator of learning.
frustrated out of further education for the simple What features do the classroom possess which
reason of not being able to acquire the much are able to synchronize the differences in
needed grades to qualify them for the almighty individuals in the class to enable them benefit
Unified Tertiary Matriculation from the academic activities? The answer to this
Examination,(UTME). One therefore begins to question can be found within the classroom
wonder why the desired optimum academic environment. Classroom environment
achievement has become very elusive. encompasses a broad range of educational
This has led many educators and concepts including the physical setting, the
academic researchers to investigate into what psychological environment created through social
has been responsible for this. Factors identified contexts and numerous instructional components
are indecisive with multiple variables. For related to the characteristics and behaviours
instance Farooq, Chaudhry, Shafia & Berhann (Miller & Cunningham, nd).
(2011), Ezike and Bamiro (2015) found that Falsario, Muyong & Neuvaespana
socioeconomic status and parents’ education (2014)) identified two aspects of classroom
have a significant effect on students’ overall namely physical and social environment.
academic achievement. Others include study According to them physical classroom
habit, attitude, self-efficacy, teacher quality, environment refers to the arrangement of chairs,
English Language proficiency, academic interest, tables, fixtures and pieces of furniture, painting,
personality factors, class attendance, age, lighting and ventilation while the social
learning styles, class size etc. Crosnoe, Johnson environment refers to the leadership exhibited by
and Elder (2004) classified the factors of the teacher and the mode of students’
achievement into student factors, family factors, participation and interaction. Suleman et al
school factors and peer factors. Thinking along (2014) citing Fisher (2008) refers to physical
the line of this classification, this study is focusing environment as the physical room in which the
CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT AND ACADEMIC INTEREST AS CORRELATES OF ACHIEVEMENT 63
teacher and the learners are the main elements Suleman et al (2014), Ekpo, Akpan, Essien &
including its spatial elements like the floor, Imo-obot (2009) found that classroom favourable
windows, walls as well as other classroom environment has a significant positive effect on
equipments. According to them physical the academic achievement scores of Secondary
environment can affect students’ comfort and School students.
also their ability to learn. Students who are Sang (2013) working with pre-school
comfortable are likely to get much information children in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya found that
compared to those who are uncomfortable. preschool children with favourable classroom
Unfavourable classroom can discourage the environment had better performance in
learners and they become less willing to learn Mathematics when compared to preschools with
invariably affecting their interest in the whole unfavourable classroom. However the findings of
academic process and space. Arul-Lawrence & Vimala (2012) showed that
Classroom environment provides there was no significant relationship between
students’ with effective instruction and promotes school environment which includes the classroom
smooth teaching-learning process and affect and academic achievement. Falsario et al (2014),
academic achievement positively. The power of in their study using two groups of students
the classroom environment is expressed in the (Bachelor of Elementary Education (BEED) and
formulation of situational interest as key factor in Bachelor of Secondary Education, BSED) found
the enhancement of student engagement. that classroom climate could not influence
According to Kpolovie, Joe and Okoto (2014), academic performance of BEED students but for
situational interest is the affective reaction the BSED students there was a moderately low
triggered by specific or appealing stimuli in the positive correlation between their academic
environment. It can be enhanced through the achievement and classroom climate.
manipulation or modification of certain aspects of As noted earlier, unfavourable classroom
the learning environment and contextual factors environment can discourage learners and they
such as teaching strategies, task presentation become less willing to learn invariably affecting
and structuring of learning experiences. their interest in classroom activities. Interest as a
Mushtaq & Khan (2012) identified psychological construct plays a major role in
internal and external classroom factors as factors various life activities including academic. The
strongly affecting students’ academic decision to engage or not to engage in an
performance. The internal factors among others activity, desire to persist or even to re-engage
include class schedules, class size, textbooks, after disengagement and the degree of effort and
test results, learning facilities, teacher’s role, time put into an activity are mainly dictated by the
environment of the class etc. Interpreting the level of interest in the individual. This agrees with
findings of Taylor & Vlastos (2009 in Falsario et Frick’s (1992) argument that interest influences
al 2014), Falsario et al (2014) wrote that what people attend to, think about, discuss and
classroom environmental design can facilitate learn more about. In an academic activity,
and improve the learning process like the overt interest is a driving force behind students’
curriculum. It is unfortunate that in Nigeria, the participation. In this light, interest is referred to as
situation is not much different as what obtains in an intrinsic motivation, that is, when individuals
Pakistan as reported in Falsario et al (2014)and are intrinsically motivated, they engage in
in Kenya (Sang, 2013). The classrooms are activities for their own sake and out of interest in
overcrowded, inadequate facilities, lack of the activity (Wigfield et al, 1998 in Goulart & Bedi,
qualified teachers, lack of chairs and benches 2011). This implies that there would be no need
and in some schools students sit on windows for a teacher to force or compel learners into
while the teacher barely have enough space to engaging in an activity and participation therefore
move about. In some schools roof tops have becomes a natural thing for the learners because
been blown off by rain storms and the right within them there is a self conviction to
government practically feels unconcerned. In this engage. Geiger and Cooper (1995) in Lawanto,
type of scenario, there is nothing attractive to lure Santoso & Liu (2012) added the extrinsic goal
the students to the school and they prefer to play orientation aspect of motivation that lead
away their time rather than coming into individual not only to participate in a task but also
dilapidating classrooms. Classrooms have to evaluate how interesting, important and useful
collapsed killing learners in the process in some the task is.
schools. Some empirical studies such as those of
64 BONIFACE UGWUMADUKA EZIKE
One common challenge facing teachers to achieve a good grade and prevents them from
is how to introduce and teach in a manner that being enthusiastic and taking the class seriously.
would generate interest in their students. Dewey Adeyemi and Adeyemi (2014) noted that when
much earlier in 1913 argued that if interest can students lose interest in their studies, failure rate
be secured in a given set of facts or ideas, it will will be higher. Adding anti-social dimension to it,
be perfectly sure that the pupils will direct their they wrote that students may engage in very
attention or energies towards mastering them. He many unlawful activities like cultism, robbery,
further claimed that a strong interest will sustain prostitution and tyranny among other vices.
an individual’s attention and lead to sustained Teachers are therefore enjoined to apply the
effort in accomplishing an academic goal. Hence, suggested strategies in order to achieve the goal
Renninger and Hidi (2002) in Kpolovie et al of generating interest in learners.
(2014) defined interest as a psychological state Relationship between interest and
of having an affective reaction to and focus academic achievement has been studied
attention for particular content and or the empirically but according to Silvia (2006) in
relatively enduring predisposition to engage Kpolovie et al (2014), psychologists have
repeatedly in particular classes of objects, events characteristically disregarded close examination
or ideas. According to Adeyemi and Adeyemi of interest as an overwhelming construct in the
(2014) interest has to do with a learner’s determination of human learning, motivation and
predisposition to react positively in certain ways emotion. This implies that much attention have
towards certain aspects of the environment and not been paid to the effect of interest on students’
is usually developed in relation to and remains academic achievement until very recently. All the
allied to more basic motives. same, Jayanthi, Balakrishnan, Ching,
Kpolovie et al (2014) reported that Abdullateef, and Nasirudeen (2014) working with
situational interest which could be generated by 144 tertiary institution students in Singapore on
the classroom environment is a potent medium factors contributing to academic performance
that can be harnessed by teachers to motivate found that among others, interest affected
students’ interest in learning even by the academic scores, Tella, Tella and Adeniyi (2011)
disengaged and unmotivated students to more working with 500 JSS students on locus of
effectively learn for probable better performance. control, interest in schooling and self-efficacy as
Eberly Centre (2014) saddled with teaching predictors of academic achievement in Osun
excellence and educational motivation wrote that State Nigeria, found that interest jointly and
regardless of the objective value of an activity or independently significantly predicted
topic, if students do not recognize its value, they achievement, Lawanto, Santoso and Liu (2012)
may not be motivated to expend effort. However, in their own work on understanding of the
if students clearly see how course work connects relationship between interest and expectancy for
to their goals, interest and concerns, they will be success in engineering design activity with
more likely to value it and thus, more motivated grades 9-12 students found that there was a
to invest time and effort. To achieve this, the significant relationship between students’ interest
Centre proposed seven strategies which if and expectancy for success. Also Kpolovie et al
adopted by the teacher might capture and sustain (2014) using a sample of 518 SSCE students in
students’ interest in any given class activity and Port-Harcourt, Nigeria, worked on “Academic
lead to excellent achievement. The strategies achievement Prediction: Role of interest in
are: learning and attitude towards school”. They found
1. Clearly articulate learning goals, a significant correlation and multiple prediction of
2. Show relevance to students’ academic lives, students’ academic achievement with the
3. Demonstrate relevance to students’ explanation variables accounting for 21.60% of
professional lives, the variance in students’ academic achievement.
4. Highlight real-world applications of knowledge Also, Rotgans and Schmidt (2011), in their study
and skills, with 69 Republic Polytechnic students,
5. Connects to students’ personal interest, Singapore, in a one-day problem-based session,
6. Allow students’ some degree of choice and partly found that situational interest was highly
7. Show your own passion and enthusiasm. predictive for observed classroom-related
behaviours which in turn proved to be a
Lack of interest in a subject discourages significant predictor of academic achievement.
students from staying in class and working hard
CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT AND ACADEMIC INTEREST AS CORRELATES OF ACHIEVEMENT 65
On the contrary, some other researchers achievement of students in Senior
have equally found that interest was not Secondary School Chemistry,
necessarily important in educational success. For • examine the joint contribution of
example, Goulart and Bedi (2011) working on the classroom environment and academic
impact of interest on educational success in interest to academic achievement of
Portugal, noted that after controlling for time- students in Chemistry and
invariant unobservable traits for the simultaneous • examine the relative contributions of
determination of interest and achievement, there classroom environment and academic
is little support for the idea that prior interest in interest to academic achievement of
school has a bearing on future educational students in Chemistry.
success.
Research hypotheses
Statement of the problem The following null hypotheses were raised and
The prevalence of underachievement in most tested at 0.05 alpha level of significance
Secondary School subjects has dimmed the
hopes and aspirations of many students in HO1: There is no significant relationship
progressing into higher institutions. The direct between classroom environment and
fallout of this is dashing the great expectations of students’ academic achievement in
parents and other stakeholders in education. Senior Secondary School Chemistry.
Accusing fingers have been pointed at the school
system for being responsible while the school HO2: There is no significant relationship
shifts the blame to the learners, government and between students’ academic interest and
parents. Literature reviewed in this study academic achievement in Senior
implicated so many other factors beyond the Secondary School Chemistry.
ones identified above. In a country where the
annual budgetary allocation for education is HO3: There is no significant composite
abysmally low (UNESCO bench mark 26%)with contribution of classroom environment
the leaders displaying a gross nonchalant and academic interest to students’
attitude, the state of our schools especially the academic achievement in Senior
public Secondary Schools is in total shambles. Secondary School Chemistry.
The classrooms are in a terrible deplorable
conditions precipitating and provoking an acrid HO4: There are no significant relative
apathy among students and their teachers contributions of classroom environment
leading to truancy on the part of the learners and and academic interest to students’
skipping of classes by the teachers. This academic achievement in Senior
identified state of disrepair in the school Secondary School Chemistry.
environment and waning interest in the learners
make this study imperative at this time of severe Significance
belt-tightening occasioned by nose-diving
economy in Nigeria. Environment is very important in the development
of all living organisms be it home, school,
Purpose of the Study workplace or even the market environment. In the
school, environment determines whether a child
The main purpose of this study is to investigate will be happy and ready to learn or turn into a
the predictive powers of classroom environment truant. Classroom environments are extremely
and students’ academic interest on Senior important for both students and teachers. The
Secondary School students’ academic physical, social and psychological or emotional
achievement in Chemistry. Other specific environments must be such that every aspect of
objectives of the study are to: human behaviour is warmly accommodated. It is
• examine the relationship between therefore important for teachers to understand
classroom environment and academic this in order to understand how to organize their
achievement of students in Senior classrooms to create a better learning
Secondary School Chemistry, environment. This study will assist teachers to
• examine the relationship between organize and control their classes in order to
academic interest and academic
66 BONIFACE UGWUMADUKA EZIKE
yield more positive consequences for their four–point adapted Likert scale type of SA, A, D
students than negative. and SD. The re-validated CESQ was then
administered to a parallel sample of a school that
METHODOLOGY was not part of the study sample. Data generated
were used for the calculation of reliability using
Research design: The study adopted a Cronbach alpha and the coefficient obtained was
descriptive survey research method with a 0.76.
correlational approach.
Students’ Academic Interest Scale (SAIS): The
Target Population: The target population for this Students’ Academic Interest Scale is adapted
study was SS II Chemistry students in the twenty from the Academic Interest Scale, a self-report
nine (29) Senior Secondary Schools in Ibadan 101-item inventory developed by Addison, Althoff
South West Local Government Area of Oyo & Pezold (2009) and used by Althoff (2010). The
State, Nigeria. scale consists of four subscales of motivation,
organization, responsibility and self-awareness.
Sample and Sampling Procedure: Two The items used for the SAIS were generated
hundred and eight (208) Senior Secondary Two from the original Academic Interest Scale. The
(SS II) students drawn from ten randomly SAIS consists of sections A and B. Section A
selected Secondary Schools in Ibadan South deals with the biodata of the respondents while
West Local Government Area were used for the section B contains 30 item statements arranged
study. SS II students were selected because of on a four-point adapted Likert scale type of SA,
the level of academic knowledge area covered A, D and SD. The instrument was re-validated
and also were not being prepared for any for local use and then administered to a parallel
immediate external examination. sample. Data collected were used for the
calculation of reliability coefficient using
Instruments: Three instruments were used. Cronbach Alpha and the index obtained was
They are: Classroom Environment Students’ 0.81.
Questionnaire (CESQ), Students’ Academic
Interest Scale (SAIS) and Chemistry Chemistry Achievement Test (CAT): This
Achievement Test (CAT). instrument was developed by the researcher and
was used for SSII Chemistry students. It consists
Classroom Environment Students’ of thirty items taken from the first term topics of
Questionnaire SS II Scheme of work already treated by the
The Classroom Environment Students’ entire population. The CAT is a multiple choice
Questionnaire is an adapted participant- objective test with four options. For validation, the
completed questionnaire developed by Kelly instrument was administered to a parallel sample
(2010) and used for the collection of data for his of SS II Chemistry students who did not
doctoral theses in Australia. The earlier participate in the main study. The result of this
validations notwithstanding, the CESQ was administration was used to calculate the reliability
slightly modified in terms of language use, using KR–20 and the index obtained was 0.85.
sentence structure and vocabulary to reflect the
local academic environment and culture of the RESULTS
Nigerian educational system. Also items that
repeated themselves were deleted and as all HO1: There is no significant relationship
items were positively stated; twenty items were between classroom environment and
reversed to negative items. This reversal was students’ academic achievement in
taken into consideration while scoring. Items 8 & Senior Secondary School Chemistry.
9 in the original instrument evoked the same
response and item 9 was deleted. The CESQ has This hypothesis was tested using Pearson
two sections A and B. Section A deals with the Product Moment Correlation Coefficient and the
biodata of the respondents while section B result is presented in table 1.
contains the 49 item statements arranged on a
CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT AND ACADEMIC INTEREST AS CORRELATES OF ACHIEVEMENT 67
Table 1: Summary of Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient showing relationship between
classroom environment and students’ academic achievement in Senior Secondary School Chemistry.
Variable Number Mean Std dev. r Sig Remark
Classroom environment 208 67.8 7.31

Achievement in Chem 208 8.10 2.96 .191 .006* Significant

*P < 0.01

Results of analysis presented in table 1 show that HO2: There is no significant relationship
the correlation coefficient(r) is significant at P < between students’ academic interest and
.05 (r = .191, P < .05). This Implies that the null students’ academic achievement in
hypothesis of no significant relationship is Senior Secondary School Chemistry.
rejected indicating a relationship between school This hypothesis was tested with Pearson
environment and students’ academic Product Moment Correlation Coefficient
achievement in Senior Secondary School and the result is presented in table 2.
Chemistry.

Table 2: Summary of Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient showing the relationship
between students’ academic interest and academic achievement in Senior Secondary School
Chemistry.
Variable Number Mean Std dev. r Sig Remark
Academic Interest 208 1.37 .483

Achievement in Chem 208 8.10 2.96 .14 .037* Significan

4 t

*P < 0.05

Result of analysis shown in table 2 reveals that Hypothesis three (HO3): There is no significant
the correlation (r) is significant at P <. 05 (r =.144, composite contribution of classroom environment
P <. 05). This implies that the null hypothesis of and academic interest to students’ academic
no significant relationship is rejected indicating a achievement in Senior Secondary School
significant relationship between students’ Chemistry.
academic interest and academic achievement in This hypothesis was tested with Multiple
Senior Secondary School Chemistry. Regression Analysis and the results are
presented in the following tables.
68 BONIFACE UGWUMADUKA EZIKE
Table 3: Model summary of the R, R square and adjusted R square in the Multiple Regression Analysis.
Model R R square Adjusted SE of the
R square Estimate
a
1 .241 .058 .049 2.88
a. predictors: (constant), classroom environment and academic interest

2
From table 3, the R is .058, which indicates that academic achievement to the extent of 5.8%. The
5.8 percent of the variance in the dependent remaining unexplained 94.2% may be as a result
variable is explained by the independent of several other variables not covered by this
variables. This means that classroom study.
environment and academic interest influenced

Table 4: ANOVA summary of significance level in the multiple regression analysis

Model Sum of squares df Mean Square F Sig
a
1 Regression 105.434 2 52.717 6.340 .002

Residual 1704.603 205 8.315

Total 1810.077 207

a. predictors: (constant), Classroom environment and Academic Interest.

2
Though the R is low (Table 3), the Analysis of academic achievement in Senior Secondary
Variance is very significant (0.002, F (2,207) = School Chemistry.
6.340 < 0.05). This further indicates that there is
a statistically significant relationship between the
independent variables (classroom environment Hypothesis four (HO4): There are no significant
and academic interest) and the dependent relative contributions of classroom environment
variable (academic achievement in Chemistry) and academic interestto students’ academic
and that their composite contribution is achievement in Senior Secondary School
significant. Therefore it can be assumed that the Chemistry.
independent variables could reasonably predict
 CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT AND ACADEMIC INTEREST AS CORRELATES OF ACHIEVEMENT 69
Table 5: The beta (β) coefficients in the Multiple Regression Analysis showing the relative contributions
of classroom environment and academic interest to students’ academic achievement in Senior
Secondary School Chemistry.
a
Coefficients

Unstandardized coefficients Standardized coefficients

Model B SE Beta t Sig

1 (Constant) 1.563 1.961 .797 .426

Clrm environment .078 .027 .193 2.852 .005

Academic Interest .903 .415 .147 2.175 .031

a. Dependent Variable: Achievement levels

From table 5; the Beta (β) weightings of the two achievement. This finding is consonance with
predictor variables are given in the standardized those of Taylor and Vlastos (2009) in Suleman
coefficient column. The constant is 1.563. and Hussain (2014) who wrote that classroom
Relative to each other, classroom environment physical environment acts as a ‘silent
has a positive effect on academic achievement curriculum’, Ekpo et al (2009) found that
(β = .193) and this is statistically significant at classroom climate had a significant relationship
(0.005, P < 0.05),students’ academic interest with academic achievement in Social Studies,
has a positive effect on level of academic Sang (2013) working with preschool children in
achievement (β = .147) and this is statistically Uasin Gishu county Kenya found that preschool
significant at (.031, P < 0.05). From the result children in favourable classroom environment
presented, it can be concluded that classroom had better performance in Mathematics (with a
environment had a statistically significant effect mean score 94.85) than their counterparts in
on academic achievement of students in Senior unfavourable classroom environment (mean
Secondary School Chemistry while academic 48.03). Also Suleman et al (2014) in an
interest had a positive contribution which was experimental study with Senior Secondary
also statistically significant. Their different beta students in Kohat Division, in Pakistan
values represent their relative contributions to concluded that classroom favourable
academic achievement. Classroom environment environment has a significant positive effect on
made a contribution of 19.3% while students’ the academic achievement scores of Senior
academic interest made a contribution of 14.7%. Secondary students. The reason for this is that
Therefore, classroom environment predicts when a classroom environment is favourable,
academic achievement in Senior Secondary the students are comfortable and likely to get
School Chemistry more than students’ Academic much information compared to those who are
Interest. uncomfortable. When a classroom is well
furnished with physical facilities coupled with an
DISCUSSION appealing social and psychological climate,
learners become attracted to and interested in
This study was embarked on to seek if a the activities going on in such a classroom
relationship exists between the two independent environment. The result is however in
variables (classroom environment and academic dissonance with Arul-Lawrence and Vimala
interest) and the dependent variables (academic (2012) who found that there was no significant
achievement in Chemistry) and also to relationship between school environment and
determine the contributions if any of the academic achievement of standard IX students
independent variables both jointly and and Falsario et al (2014) found that for a certain
independently (relatively) to academic category of students (Bachelor of Elementary
achievement in Chemistry. Results show that Education, BEED) there was a low positive
there was a positive significant relationship correlation between classroom climate and
between classroom environment and academic academic performance.
70 BONIFACE UGWUMADUKA EZIKE
Result also showed that significant activities that will help to develop and sustain the
relationship exists between academic interest of interest of students.
students and achievement in Senior Secondary
School Chemistry. This result is tenable REFERENCE
because of the role interest plays in various life
activities including academics. It is a well- Adeyemi, A. M and Adeyemi, S. B., 2014.
known/established fact that the decision to exert Institutional factors as predictors of
extra effort or even to engage in an activity is students’ academic achievement in
dictated by the level or degree of interest in an Colleges of Education in South Western
individual. This agrees with Frick’s (1992) Nigeria. International Journal of
submission that interest influences what people Educational Administration and Policy
attend to, think about, discuss and learn more Studies. 6(8), 141-153.
about. The outcome of this study is in harmony [Link]
with the empirical findings of Tella et al (2011), S Retrieved 21/06/2016.
Lawanto et al (2012), Sang (2013), Kpolovie et
al (2014) and Jayanthi et al (2014). However, Addison, W. E., Althoff, R. W and Pezold, R.,
some empirical findings such as Goulart and 2009. Academic maturity, critical thinking and
Bedi (2011) are at dissonance with this result. academic performance in College
This study equally found that the students. Presented at the annual
combination of classroom environment and meeting of the American Psychological
academic interest of students predicted Association, Toronto.
achievement in Senior Secondary School
Chemistry. This is so because unfavourable Arul-Lawrence, A. S and Vimala, A., 2012.
classroom environment can discourage learners School environment and academic
and they become less willing to learn invariably achievement of standard IX students.
affecting their interest in classroom activities. As Journal of Educational and Instructional
a corollary, it follows that classroom environment Studies in the World. 2(3), 210-215.
when favourably linked with interest will predict
achievement in all subjects not only in Althoff, R. W., 2010. The big five personality
Chemistry. This accounts for the result obtained traits as predictors of academic maturity,
when the independent variables were unpublished Master’s Thesis Eastern
compositely yoked. Illinois University U.S.A.
http//[Link]/graduate/forms/thesis
CONCLUSION [Link]

From the result of the study, it could be Crosnoe, R., Johnson, M. K and Elder, G. H.,
concluded that classroom environment is a vital 2004. School size and the interpersonal side of
factor that can affect academic achievement of education: An examination of
learners. It has the potential to dictate the level race/ethnicity and organizational
of interest, motivation and subsequent context. Social Science Quarterly, 85(5),
commitment in any activity. Students’ academic 1259-1274.
interest is also crucial since it was found to have
positively affected achievement in Chemistry. Eberly Centre., 2014. Explore potential
strategies: Teaching excellence and
RECOMMENDATION educational innovation. Students lack
It is therefore recommended that all hands interest or motivation. Carnegie Mellon
should be on deck in providing a conducive and University.[Link]
vibrant school and classroom environments for solveproblem/strat-
the students. Towards this direction, lackmotivation/[Link]
governments at all levels should make funds Ret. 21/06/2016,12.36pm
available for this purpose and ensure that
befitting classrooms, laboratories and Ekpo, K., Akpan, O. E., Essien, E. E and Imo-
workshops are constructed. Since the success Obot, M. M., 2009. Classroom climate and
of the students is linked with the students’ students’ academic achievement Social
homes, parents and teachers should create Studies Cross River, Nigeria. African
CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT AND ACADEMIC INTEREST AS CORRELATES OF ACHIEVEMENT 71
Research Review: An International 463/centricity/domain/326/purpose/rese
Multi-Disciplinary Journal, Ethiopia. 3(4), arch/[Link][Link]
413-428 [Link] [Link]/reference/article/classroom
-environment/ Retrieved 23/06/2016
Falsario, H. N., Muyong, R. F and
Nuevaespang, J. S., 2014. Classroom climate Paul Kelly., 2010. School and classroom
and academic performance of education environment of a small Catholic
students. Research report presented at secondary school. Unpublished PhD
DLSU Research Congress De La Salle Thesis, Australian Catholic University
University, Manilla, Philippines, March McAnley Campus, Virginia, Qld 4014.
6-8. Australia.

Frick, R. W., 1992. Interestingness. British Rotgans, J. I and Schmidt, H. G., 2011.
Journal of Psychology, 83, 113-128. Situational interest and academic
achievement in the active-learning
Goulart, P and Bedi, A. S., 2011. The impact of classroom. Learning and Instruction 21
interest in school on educational (1), 58-67.
success in Portugal. Discussion Paper [Link]/science/article/p
No 5462, Institute for the Study of ii/s095947520900111X Ret. 25/05/2016.
Labour (IZA) Bonn in Association with
University of Bonn. Sang, C. J., 2013. Effect of classroom
environment on academic performance
Jayanthi, S. V., Balakrishnan, S., Ching, A. L. S., mathematics of preschool children. In
Abdul-Latiff, N. A and Nasirudeen, A. M. A., pioneer zone, Uasin Gishu County.
2014. Factors contributing to academic Unpolished Med dissertation in Early
performance of students in Tertiary Childhood Department of educational
Institutions in Singapore. African Journal Communication and Technology,
of Educational Research 2 (9), 752-758 University Nairobi.

Kpolovie, P. J., Joe, A. I and Okoto, T., 2014. Steinmayer, R., Meibner, A., Weidinger, A. F
Academic achievement prediction: Role and Wirthwein, L., (Undated). Academic
of interest in learning and attitude achievement. DOI:10.1093/030/978019
towards school. International Journal of 975681-0108 [Link].
Humanities, Social Science and com/view/document/050-
Education.1(11), 73-100. 9780199756810/0609780199756810-
[Link] Retrieved 21/06/2016
Lawanto, O., Santoso, H. B and Liu, Y., 2012.
Understanding the relationship between Suleman, Q., Aslam, H. D and Hussain, I., 2014.
interest and expectancy for success in Effect of classroom physical
engineering design activity in grades 9- environment on the academic
12. Educational Technology and achievement scores of Senior
Society, 15 (1), 152-161. Secondary students in Kohat Division,
[Link] Pakistan. International Journal of
Ret. 21/06/2016. Learning and Development. 4(1), 71-82.
[Link]/ijld Retrieved
Mushtaq, I and Khan, S., 2012. Factors affecting 17/06/2016.
students’ academic performance. Global
Journal of Management and Business Tella, A., Tella, A and Adeniyi, S. O., 2011.
Research.12(9), version 1.0.[Link] Locus of control, interest in schooling
[Link]/licenses/by- and self efficacy as predictors of
nc/3.01 Retrieved19/06/2016 academic achievement among Junior
Secondary Schools students in Osun
Miller, A and Cunningham, K., (nd). Classroom State, Nigeria. New Horizon in
environment: The Gale Group. Https// Education, 59 (1), 25-37.
[Link]/cms/lib/WA01919