Locus Of Control As Correlates Of Mathematics Achievement Among Senior Secondary School High Ability Students In Calabar Metropolis Of Cross River State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study adopted correlational survey design to established     the relationship between   the locus of control    and Mathematics academic   achievement     of senior secondary school high   ability students in Calabar   Metropolis of Cross River State, Nigeria.  Two research questions    were posed which were translated into two null hypotheses. Multiple   sampling   approaches   including stratified, and purposive sampling    approaches, teacher nomination check list, school record    were used to select   a sample of 100 students for the study.   Two     instruments titled “Locus   of Control   questionnaire (LCQ) and Mathematics Achievement Test (MAT) were   developed by the researcher and validated by experts and used for data collection. Then reliability of the   questionnaire   using  Cronbach  Alpha  reliability   estimate    ranges   from  .84   for   internal locus of control    to     .86  for  external locus of control while the reliability estimate of the high ability   Students’ Mathematics achievement test was established through Kuder Richardson formula K-R20 which gives .85.  This therefore     imply   that     both     internal and  external   locus of   control    influence     Mathematics   achievement of high ability   students. The hypotheses were tested using   Pearson Product Moment. Correlation Coefficient.  All   hypotheses   were   tested at -05 level of significance. The findings of the study revealed that   internal   locus of control  and external  locus of control  individually   relate   to academic   achievement  in   Mathematics   of high   ability   students in Calabar   Metropolis      of  Cross River State, Nigeria.  It was  therefore concluded that Mathematics  achievement  of  high ability  students     depends   on    their internal   and external   locus  control. Based on finding and conclusion of the study, it was  recommended amongst   others that  educational institutions should integrate  programs that promote an internal locus of control among high ability students. This  should  include training in goal-setting, self-reflection, and self-regulation strategies to help students recognize the impact of their efforts on their academic outcomes.