ACADEMIC SELF-CONCEPT AND LOCUS OF CONTROL AS PREDICTORS OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENT IN BIOLOGY IN AGUATA EDUCATION ZONE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22708891Keywords:
Academic Self-Concept, Locus of Control, Biology Achievement, Biology, PredictionAbstract
The extent to which academic self-concept and locus of control predict secondary school students’ academic achievement in Biology in Aguata Education Zone of Anambra State was investigated. Five research questions and five hypotheses guided the study. The study adopted a predictive correlational research design. The population of the study comprised 1,321 Senior Secondary School Two (SS2) students from the 24 government-owned secondary schools in Aguata Education Zone, Anambra State who registered for the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) Biology examinations in 2025/2026 academic session, with a sample of 437 SS2 Biology students estimated using a multistage sampling procedure. The instruments for data collection were Students’ Academic Self-Concept in Biology Questionnaire (SASCBQ) and Students’ Academic Locus of Control Questionnaire (SALCQ). The instruments were face-validated by three experts, and their reliability indices were 0.82 for SASCBQ and .86 for SALCQ, estimated using the Cronbach's Alpha Method. The data collected were analyzed using Ordinary Least Squares in the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The data collected were analyzed using simple and multiple regression analysis. Specifically, the null hypotheses were tested using regression t-test of significance and regression Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) at 0.05 alpha level. Findings, among others, revealed that academic self-concept and locus of control had positive predictive power for students’ academic achievement in Biology; academic self-concept and academic locus of control jointly and significantly predicted students’ academic achievement in Biology. Based on the findings, it was recommended, among other things, that Biology teachers adopt teaching methods and classroom practices to help students develop a positive academic self-concept in Biology. Also, teachers should encourage students, provide positive reinforcement, and create supportive learning environments that build students’ confidence and interest in Biology learning.
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