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A study on the relationship between achievement and attitude towards local history by secondary school pupils in Singapore
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Type
Thesis
Author
Goh, Bian Koon
Supervisor
Seng, Alice Seok-Hoon
Abstract
This study was undertaken to examine the relationship between achievement and attitude in History, with reference to the new Lower Secondary History curriculum. The pupil sample consisted of 317 Secondary Two pupils who had almost completed a full cycle of the new History curriculum. These pupils, from both the Normal and Express course, were randomly selected from five schools, two high achieving schools and three low achieving schools, chosen on the basis of their results in the GCE 'O' level results for the past three years. Of the 317 pupils in the study, 200 were from the Express Course and 117 from the Normal Course, and in terms of sex, 198 boys and 119 girls. The number of pupils who were from high achieving schools were 127, while the number from low achieving schools was 190.
An achievement test was administered to the pupils at the end of ten weeks or a school term. The test comprised items based on Bloom's taxonomy of knowledge, comprehension and application. In addition, two attitude questionnaires were administered one week after the achievement test.
The results of the achievement test indicated that pupils from high achieving schools performed significantly better than pupils from low achieving schools. At the knowledge level, the achievement scores in History of pupils from high achieving schools and low achieving schools were not statistically significant. At the higher cognitive levels of comprehension and application, there was a significant difference in achievement between high and low achieving schools. Pupils in the Express Course achieved better overall results in History than pupils from the Normal Course, as well as in all the three taxonomic levels of knowledge, comprehension and application. Girls appeared to achieve better overall results than boys in History. Pupil attitude towards the four components of the Lower Secondary History curriculum -- Singapore History, the textbook, History lesson and History teacher was positive. There was a low but significant relationship between achievement and attitude in History for pupils in high achieving schools, for pupils in the Express Course and for both boys and girls. No correlation was found between achievement and attitude for pupils in low achieving schools and those in the Normal Course.
An achievement test was administered to the pupils at the end of ten weeks or a school term. The test comprised items based on Bloom's taxonomy of knowledge, comprehension and application. In addition, two attitude questionnaires were administered one week after the achievement test.
The results of the achievement test indicated that pupils from high achieving schools performed significantly better than pupils from low achieving schools. At the knowledge level, the achievement scores in History of pupils from high achieving schools and low achieving schools were not statistically significant. At the higher cognitive levels of comprehension and application, there was a significant difference in achievement between high and low achieving schools. Pupils in the Express Course achieved better overall results in History than pupils from the Normal Course, as well as in all the three taxonomic levels of knowledge, comprehension and application. Girls appeared to achieve better overall results than boys in History. Pupil attitude towards the four components of the Lower Secondary History curriculum -- Singapore History, the textbook, History lesson and History teacher was positive. There was a low but significant relationship between achievement and attitude in History for pupils in high achieving schools, for pupils in the Express Course and for both boys and girls. No correlation was found between achievement and attitude for pupils in low achieving schools and those in the Normal Course.
Date Issued
1986
Call Number
D16.4.S5 Goh
Date Submitted
1986