RELATIONSHIP AMONG EDUCATIONAL STRESS, MOTIVATION AND ACADEMIC ACCOMPLISHMENT OF NCE STUDENTS OF FCT COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, ZUBA, NIGERIA  

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the relationship among academic stress, motivation and academic achievement of NCE students of FCT College of Education in Abuja.  Related literature were reviewed to address conceptual and theoretical framework as well as empirical studies. Correlational design was adopted in the study. A total sample of 313 students were proportionately selected for the study. Academic Stress Scale adopted from Yumba (2008), Academic Motivation Scale adapted fromVallerand, Pelletier, Blais, Briere, Senecal, and Vallieres, (1992), were used as instruments for data collection andstudents‘ CGPA. Mean andStandard Deviation were used to answer the research questions while Pearson Product Moment Correlation was used to test the null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. Result of the study revealed that significant relationship exist between academic stress and intrinsic motivation among NCE students (r=-0.763, P=0.001). Academic stress was found to have significant relationship with extrinsic motivation (r=-0.631, P=0.002).Significant relationship was found between academic stress and academic achievement (r=-0.954, P=0.000).Significant relationship exist between intrinsic motivation and academic achievement (r=-0.945, P=0.011).Finally, significant relationship was found between extrinsic motivation and academic achievement among NCE students (r=0.996, P=0.000). It was recommended among others that lecturers should employ teaching styles that provides students with opportunities to make choices and have some degree of control over their learning; this would reduce stress and raise students‘ level of motivation for greater academic achievement.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1         Background to the Study

Stress is a common element in the lives of every individual,regardless of race or cultural background. Over the pastfew decades, there has been significant investigation on theissues of stress and management of stress. In addition,college students have been shown to possess a unique set ofstressors which can affect their daily experiences.Stress hasbeen defined as the adversereaction people have to excessive pressure or other type ofdemands placed on them (Campbell, 2006). Thus, Stress consists of any event in which environmental demands, internal demands or both tax or exceed the adaptive resources of the individual(Lazarus & Folkman 1986). In other words, stress arises when there are burden on the person which exceed his available assets. Stress occurs when an individual is confronted by a situationthat he perceive as overwhelming and cannot cope with.Academic Stress is the pressure and anxiety that come from schooling and education.

As a matter of fact, college students in their peculiar endeavors are exposed to various kinds of stressors including academic and psychological stress which could militate against their active participation in school activities, and this may block the possibilities of realizing their educational goals.It is considered to be a part of students‘ life and can impact the students coping strategies in accordance with the demands of academic life. This is so because academic work is always accomplished with stressful activities. Thus, tertiary institution students are very vulnerable to experience stress, which may be related to many educational outcomes.Lazarus and Folkman (2007) stated that person’s response towards stress depends on whether an event is appraised as a challenge or a threat.It is a necessary and inescapable concomitant of daily living-necessary because without some stress we would be listless and apathetic creatures. Erkutlu andChafra (2006) for instance opines that, when these events take place, an individual may becomedisorganized, disoriented and therefore less able to cope with, thus may result in stress relatedproblems. The pressure to perform well in the examination or test and time allocated mightmake academic environment very stressful. However, it is pertinent to note that if stressed students cannot effectively learn and consequently perform poorly in their academics,it would be very difficult to realize the Federal Government‘s objectives on Tertiary Education.

The incidence of stress especially among College of Education students has increased dramatically in recent years.There is often a lot of pressure that comes along with pursuing NCE Certificate and one’s education. There is studying, assignment, tests, labs, reading, and quizzes. Teachers expect work to be completed on time.There is the stress of doing all of the work, balancing the time and finding time for extra-curricular activities. There are several explanations forincreased stress levels in college students. First, students haveto make significant adjustments to college life. Second,because of the pressure of studies, there is strain placed oninterpersonal relationships. Third, housing arrangements andchanges in lifestyle contribute to stress experienced by collegestudents. In addition, students in college experience stressrelated to academic requirements, support systems, andineffective coping skills. Whereas these factors have beenfound to be responsible for stress, it is worth noting that inorder to minimize the stress among students, the Collegeadministrators must develop appropriate strategies that willenable them to detect in advance the symptoms and causes ofthe stress.According to Yumba (2009), possible sources of stress that can be faced in academic situations could be viewed in four areas: by relating with others, personal factors, academic factors,and environmental factors.

Motivation is a driving force for students‘ engagement in learning. Student engagement in learning is not only an end in itself but it is also a means to the end of students achieving sound academic outcome. This is important because authentic engagement may lead to higher academic achievement throughout student life (Zyngier, 2008).Satisfactory school learning and academic achievement are unlikely to take place in absence of sufficient motivation to learn. Psychologists have noted that motivation should be taken into account in education because of its effective relationship with new learning, abilities, strategies and behaviors. By motivation people are stimulated to successfully complete an assignment, achieve a goal or a degree of qualification in their professions. Accordingly motivation defines the reasons behind people‘s behavior and determines why they behave in a particular way. Motivated behaviors are energetic, oriented and permanent (Omidiyan, 2006).

Psychological experts have divided motivation into two major groups of intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation. While the individual influenced by the extrinsic motivation will independently undertake a specific activity in order to achieve a goal, the intrinsic motivation provides the sufficient incentive for doing a task (Mohamadi, 2006).Intrinsic motivation, occurs when the activity is done out of the free choice of the individual (Ryan & Deci 2000). Intrinsically motivated students perform activities simply for the enjoyment and satisfaction that comes from completing the activity. These students engage in behaviors such as working for a sustained period of time, taking more risks, and working out creative solutions to problems. Extrinsic motivation is a construct that is relevant whenever an activity is done in order to attain some reward.Extrinsically motivated behaviors‘ are those where the controlling mechanism is easily seen (Ryan & Deci (2000), An extrinsic orientation toward learning is characterized by a concern with external reasons for working, such as the judgment of others regarding one‘s performance, grades, or some anticipated reward. This form of motivation is relevant to academic achievement owing to the fact that intrinsic motivation is fast dying out among students especially in tertiary institution.

Getting students to learn and sustaining their interest in what they are learning therefore should be the sole objective of teachers in the classroom.

Academic achievement is a term which represents performance outcomes that indicate the extent to which a person has accomplished specific goals that were the focused of activities in instructional environment, specifically in schools, colleges and university. It is the attainment obtained by a student from a period of instruction and assessment which may include experiences, knowledge, skills and the likes. This knowledge and skills are measured in students CGPA.  However, academic achievement is depended more than what happens within the walls of the classroom. Where there is an internal motivated factor towards an important desire, an individual’s level of performance usually increases. More so, when interest is lost in some desirable goals, achievement is thwarted. It is because of this that educationists consider motivation as one of the important factors for any achievement vis a vis academic achievement,

The Colleges of education stage plays a significant role in the quest to develop the nation‘s future manpower for rapid development (Quist 2003). As a result, successive governments of Nigeria have made several efforts to improve the standards of learning through infrastructural development at the education sector among other policy initiatives (Ankomah, Koomson, Bosu, & Oduro,2005). Despite all these efforts, the standard still remains low at the higher school level. This has prompted several research into more effective ways of improving academic standards and have found out that inadequate motivation for students of higher learning among other factors as a disincentives to learning and academic achievement (Sikhwari, 2014). Brown, Armstrong and Thompson. (1998) have also acknowledged that stimulating motivation among students of higher learning still remains a challenge as some students‘ enthusiasm for learning is unpredictable. Looking at the number of students that graduate from colleges of education every year, one may say that the institution is trying to fulfill its obligations. But on the other hand, considering the quality of those students that graduate every year, it looks like the institution is not realizing the goals and objectives for which it is set up.This informed the researcher‘s decision to carry out

the study among the NCEII Students of FCT college of Education, Zuba.

Broadly, it can be concluded that although some amount of stress result in motivation which may enhance learning; high level may cause physical and mental health problems, reduce self-esteem and may affect academic achievement of students. This highlights the need for research to examine the relationship among academic stress, motivation and academic achievement. With such knowledge, educationists will be able to pay more attention to the sources of academic stress of students and the use of counseling measures as well as appropriate motivational strategies to assist students in the sound development of their bodies and mind for academic success.

1.1         Statement of the Problem

It was generally observed by the researcher that academic achievement among NCE students has been on the decline over the years. As a matter of fact, every student is in school to academically succeed, but a careful observation has shown that some students and graduate of Colleges of Education seems not to be living up to expectation. The situation where you find an NCE holder having difficulties in the use of English or teaching call for serious concern.

Students experience certain pressure in school such as having prerequisite credit units for graduation, passing prescribed examinations, complying with the rules and regulations of the institution among others. There is a parental expectation from students such as graduating with a good result and acquiring moral values from school. Also, community counts on the students to graduate and contribute to the development of such communities. Furthermore, an additional pressure to obtain financial support that is often limited for college students contributes to their stress.  At individual level, students battle within them with issues such as interest in their course of study vis-à-vis their aspirations after graduation, worry about their competence in their course of study, the relevance of their course of study in the labour market, finding life partner and a host of others. In the long run, these problems might lead to stress and later to delinquent behaviours. This stress can negatively influence their motivation to achieve as well as leading to adjustment problems.Academic stress is associated with many problems, such as school difficulties and dropout, unwanted pregnancies, health problems, drug and alcohol abuse and smoking among students, as well as anxiety.When stress takes over the whole person‘s emotions, bodily functions, behaviours and thoughts they will become so irritated and may not see reasons for doing anything. This situation renders the individual inactive and unhealthy.

Lack of intrinsic motivation was one of the most critical factors affecting learning in most Colleges. Most students are not intrinsically motivated to learn, and on the other hand parent and lecturers are not also doing their very best to encourage motivation in students. Many students are observed to have set back regarding their intrinsic motivation, which is evident by their non-challant attitude to learning such as absconding from lectures, not paying attention to lectures even when they are in class, some students do not even see the need to visit library for studies and research left alone patronizing library services in the college. The reason behind this was not farfetched, some students attend College of Education because they could not meet up with university requirement of five credits and cut off point in tertiary matriculation examination. Thus they find themselves there as a last resort. Some students are persuaded by their parents to attend particular academic institution and to a certain extent are made to study courses against their interest or aptitude.If the motivation to achieve is very slim the efficacy of such students may be tampered with, this may have negative consequences on academic achievement of students.

Generally, as children move from secondary level to the university and from one level to another they become more stressful due to lengthy syllabus, too much homework, and tight time schedule. This stress can negatively influence their motivation to achieve as well as leading to adjustment problems. From general observation, some students in the study area tend to be stressed, and lack the motivation to achieve, while some of them seem to have other problems in their academics.This will likely influence their academic outcomes.

Therefore,it is against this backdrop that the researcher investigated the relationship among

Academic stress, motivation and academicAchievement.

 

1.3         Objectives of the Study

The objectives of the study were as follows:

1. To determine the Relationship between Academic Stress and Intrinsic

Motivation among students of FCT College of Education, Zuba.

2. To determine the Relationship between Academic Stress and Extrinsic

Motivation among students of FCT College of Education, Zuba.

3. To determine the Relationship between Academic Stress and Academic

Achievement among students of FCT College of Education, Zuba.

4. To determine the Relationship between Intrinsic Motivation and Academic

Achievement among students of FCT College of Education, Zuba.

5. To determine the Relationship between Extrinsic Motivation and Academic

Achievement among students of FCT College of Education, Zuba.

 

1.4         Research Questions

For the purpose of this study, the following research questions were raised:

1. What is the Relationship between Academic Stress and Intrinsic Motivation among students of FCT College of Education, Zuba?
2. What is the Relationship between Academic Stress and Extrinsic Motivation among students of FCT College of Education, Zuba?
3. What is the Relationship between Academic Stress and Academic Achievement among students of FCT College of Education, Zuba?
4. What is         the       relationship     between           Intrinsic Motivationand Academic

Achievement among students of FCT College of Education, Zuba?

5. What is the relationship between Extrinsic Motivationand Academic

Achievement among students of FCT College of Education, Zuba?

1.5         Research Hypotheses

The following hypotheses were formulated:

1. There is no significant Relationship between Academic Stress and Intrinsic

Motivation among students of FCT College of Education, Zuba.

2. There is no significant Relationship between Academic Stress and Extrinsic

Motivation among students of FCT College of Education, Zuba.

3. There is no significant Relationship between Academic Stress and Academic

Achievement among students of FCT College of Education, Zuba.

4. There is no significant relationship between Intrinsic Motivation and

Academic Achievement among students of FCT College of Education, Zuba.

5. There is no significant relationship between Extrinsic Motivation and

Academic Achievement among students of FCT College of Education, Zuba.

1.6         Basic Assumptions

The study assumed that relationship may exist between:

1. Academic Stress and Intrinsic Motivation among students of FCT College of Education, Zuba
2. Academic Stress and Extrinsic Motivation among students of FCT College of Education, Zuba
3. Academic Stress and Academic Achievement among students of FCT College of Education, Zuba.
4. Intrinsic Motivation and Academic Achievement among students of FCT

College of Education, Zuba.

5. Extrinsic Motivation and Academic Achievement among students of FCT

College of Education, Zuba.

 

1.7         Significance of the Study

The findings of this study would be useful to the following: the students, teachers/lecturers,parents, school counselors, school psychologists,educational administrators, National commission for colleges of education (NCCE) and government authorities and the field of educational psychology. It is hoped that the findings of this study would be disseminated through seminar for teachers, conferences, workshops and online publication so that it will be properly circulated. 

This study would contribute to theory building in academic stress, motivation and academic achievement which will invariably enrich the concept of the stated variables in educational psychology.

Essentially, the students of tertiary institutions would find this study very important as it will give them insight on how to cope with stress and manage themselves in any stress related situation, so as to strengthen their academic performance in school. The knowledge and findings about motivation would help students to develop intrinsic motivation for their success in life.

The study would be of immense benefit to teachers in the sense that it will improve the quality of teaching and learning; it would enable them to develop appropriate motivational strategies in order to sustain students‘ interest in learningand to raise the level of their intrinsic motivation. The study would help lecturers to regulate learning environment in order to eliminate stress for better academic performance.

Educational/School psychologists and counselors would find this study as key players in stress management in schools, the study would help them to assist students with appropriate intervention strategies in managing stress and motivating them toward achieving success in school.

The study would be very important and useful to parents and guardians who are concerned with their children‘s education. It would help them understand what they should do to minimize stress among their children in school and to promote intrinsic as well as extrinsic motivation in them.

School administrators would find this study of great importance in planning school activities, regulating the academic activities to help students of tertiary institutions to cope with the various stress they encounter in school. The findings would reveal the causes of students stress to enable the administrators know how to monitor and control the stress factors that are responsible for students stress and develop appropriate strategies that will enable them to detect in advance the symptoms and causes of stress. The study would equally help administrators to identify the achievement level of their subjects so as to develop motivational strategies for dealing with under-achievement in students.

The study would provide government, National Commission for Colleges of

Education (NCCE) and other relevant authorities with evidence based data which will help in making appropriate educational decisions that would ensure reduction of stress on students at all levels of education and promote motivation, particularly at college of education level.

This study would serve as a reference material for the research community and students who may wish to carry out further research on similar problems in order to add to existing body of knowledge. Yet still, this study would be relevant to the general public who on daily basis face lots of stressful challenges.

1.8         Scope and Delimitation of the Study

The study investigated academic Stress, Motivation and Academic Achievement as the major variables of the research. The entire NCE II students of FCT College of Education, Zuba in Abuja was covered,involving both male and female students as they are observed to struggle with stressful events as well as lack of motivation for academic achievement.

The study was delimited to NCE II students of the College and does not include other categories of students as well as other variables other than Academic Stress, Intrinsic and

Extrinsic Motivation and Academic Achievement.

RELATIONSHIP AMONG EDUCATIONAL STRESS, MOTIVATION AND ACADEMIC ACCOMPLISHMENT OF NCE STUDENTS OF FCT COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, ZUBA, NIGERIA  

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