Classroom Climate and Students’ Academic Achievement in Social Studies in Cross River, Nigeria

Abstract

This research project examined “Classroom climate and its relationship with students’ academic achievement in Social Studies”. Ex post facto design was adopted. The population of the study comprised 14,297 JSS III students and the sample was 1,200 JSS III students selected through stratified random technique from the three Educational Zones in State Secondary Education Board, Cross River State. The instrument used was a structured six-point Likert scale questionnaire, the reliability estimate of which ranged from 0.7 to 0.8 and achievement test adapted from Junior Secondary School Certificate Examination, Ministry of Education, Cross River State (2004) were used to collect information used in the study. The data collected were analysed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation and Multiple Regression. The hypothesis was tested at .05 level of significance and 1198 and F (9,1190) degree of freedom. Based on the findings, it was concluded
that all the independent variables mentioned in this study jointly contribute to the variance in students’ academic achievement in Social Studies. It was recommended that Social Studies teachers should be trained to improve their skills on an encouraging classroom climate for students’ confidence and initiative through seminars, conferences and in-service programmes.