Relationship between Teachers’ Adversity Quotient and Students’ Academic Performance in Public Secondary Schools in Kiambu and Nairobi Counties, Kenya
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Date
2021
Authors
Mwivanda, Marycasta
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
Studies in business and profit-making organisations indicate that Adversity Quotient has a positive influence on employee work performance. Few studies have been conducted to examine the role of Adversity Quotient in the field of education. The aim of this study was to determine teachers’ response to adversity and the influence that response has on students’ academic performance in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE). The objective of the study was to establish relationships between teachers’ adversity quotient, its dimensions and students’ academic performance. A correlation design was applied. Independent variables in this study were teachers Adversity Quotient and its dimensions while the dependent variable was students’ academic performance in KCSE, for each particular teacher in the subjects they teach. The locale of the study was Kiambu and Nairobi counties, in Kenya. The target population of this study was all secondary school teachers in the two aforementioned counties, with a total of 4470 teachers. The sample size was drawn through stratified random sampling for schools and systematic random sampling to select 447 teachers. The tools for data collection were adversity response profile questionnaire for teachers and KCSE results registered by the same teachers, in the subjects that they teach, for two years – 2015 and 2016. Data analysis was done quantitatively using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Descriptive statistics of frequencies mean and percentages were used. Inferential statistics of Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient were used to test for relationships and regression analysis to test for the most significant dimension of Adversity Quotient. The results revealed that all the four dimensions of Adversity Quotient had positive and significant influence on students’ academic performance: control (r=.483, P<0.01), ownership (r=.392, P<0.01), reach (r=.407, P<0.01) and endurance (r=.341, P<0.01). The overall teacher’s AQ was also significant to students’ academic performance (r=.530, P<0.01). Three groups emerged from the teachers overall Adversity Quotient: climbers, campers and quitters. To establish the most significant dimension, two-way regression analyses revealed that in the absence of experience and qualification, the dimensions of control, ownership and endurance were most significant in students’ academic performance but in the presence of experience and qualification the dimensions of control, endurance and reach were more significant. The conclusion was that teachers’ Adversity Quotient was significant, influencing students’ academic performance positively. This study recommended that there was need to incorporate AQ in teacher training programmes, recruitment and teacher career development programmes in order to improve students’ academic performance and enhance teacher efficiency in schools. Recommendations for further study include: comparing AQ of newly recruited teachers with seasoned teachers, correlating teachers AQ with their students’ AQ, comparing teacher AQ with the principal’s adversity, studying teachers AQ in relation to other teacher characteristics.
Description
A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfilment for the Requirements of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of Educational Management, Policy and Curiculum Studies, School of Education, Kenyatta University, October, 2021
Keywords
Relationship, Teachers’, Adversity Quotient, Students’, Academic Performance, Public Secondary Schools, Kiambu County, Nairobi County, Kenya