Influence of Physics Teachers’ Characteristics on Students’ Physics Performance in Senior Secondary Schools in Ogun and Oyo States, Nigeria

Abstract

In this paper, the author examined the relationships between teacher
qualification and teaching experience and teacher teaching skills and the
effects of the relationships on senior secondary school students’ performance
in Physics. Teachers who studied Physics and education in university and
demonstrate appropriate teaching skills would encourage students to do
well in Physics. To test these hypotheses, forty senior secondary school
Physics teachers and 1560 senior secondary school Physics students were
randomly selected in Ogun and Oyo States in Nigeria. Each teacher was
observed for 10 lessons and rated using Teacher-students Interaction
Observation Schedule (r=0.78). Physics Performance Test was administered
to students after the classroom observation (r=0.88). The result of Pearson
Product Moment Correlation Coefficient among teacher qualifications
(r=.29, p<0.05), teaching experience (r=.07, p<0.05) have significant
relation; 74% have a direct causal effect while 26% of the variables have
an indirect effect on students’ performance in Physics. Adjusted Goodness
of Fit Index (AGFI), normed fit index (NFI), and comparative Fit Index
(CFI) is 1.00. All these are perfect fits that reflect a good model fit. Results
showed that there was a significant relationship between teacher factors
and teaching skills on students’ performance in Physics. Therefore, it was
recommended that the most qualified and experienced teachers should
teach physics at the senior secondary school level.
Keywords: students’ performance, teacher qualification, teaching experience,
teaching skills, performance in physics