Academic Self-Efficacy and Locus of Control as Predictors of Secondary School Students’ Academic Achievement in Physics in Agbani Education Zone in Enugu State

Abstract

The study investigated academic self-efficacy and locus of control as predictors of secondary school students’ academic achievement in Physics in Agbani Education Zone in Enugu State. Three research questions guided the study. Correlation research design was employed for the study. The population includes all the 1439 senior secondary SSII Physics students in all the Government Secondary School in Agbani Education Zone. The sample for the study comprised 313 senior secondary SS2 Physics Students drawn from the education zone using multi-stage sampling techniques. Three instruments were used for data collection namely Modified Abdul Gafoor and Muhammed (2006) academic self-efficacy scale and Modified Trice (1985) academic locus of control scale and students achievement score retrieved from their promotion examinations. The instrument were validated by 3 experts and the internal consistency and students achievement scores retrieved from their promotion exam the reliability index of 0.75 and 0.76 were obtained using Cronbach Alpha and Kuder Richardson formula (KR-20) respectively. Data collected were analyzed using moderated multiple regression analysis. The findings of the study among others revealed that both academic self- efficacy and locus of control independently and jointly predicted academic achievement of secondary school Physics students. Recommendations such as the Physics teachers should assist the students in developing and improving these identified psychological factors for improvement of their academic achievement and that Physics educators need to spend more time in implementing curriculum, instructional and management techniques that reinforce students' belief and internal tendencies in order to foster growth towards a more efficacy and perceived sense of control for students with external tendencies.