COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN THE ACHIEVEMENT MALE AND FEMALE STUDENTS IN COMPUTER .

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1  Background to the Study

Computer science is the study of the theory, experimentation, and engineering that form the basis for the design and use of computers. This requires knowing the computer itself, how it is operated, what it can do, how it can do it and the reason it is doing it; these form the basis of computer studies curriculum in secondary schools(Adigun, 2015). Computer studies, a subject that is added newly to the senior secondary school curriculum in Nigeria which exposes students to Information and Communications Technology (ICT) needs to be accepted as a result of its comparable importancein this jet age.

The  impediment to the lowachievement of students  in  secondary  schools  in  Nigeria  has  been  a  great debate in the issues of education. To overcome the impediment, it is important to know the root of such impediment. Many causes have been looked into as the origin for under-seeking the occurrence of failure or success in school. These causes are looked into from several views including the role of the students, teachers, parents or family, school environment, society, and government. Useful works among these are effects of: student’s study habits (Obasoro&Ayodele 2012; Ayodele&Adebiyi, 2013), school environment (Adesoji& Olatunbosun, 2008), teacher’s competencies (Akiri&Ugborugbo,   2009), parent’s economic status (Osonwa, 2013), continuous assessment (Okwu&Orum, 2012; Kolawole&Ala, 2014), educational funding (Ugwulashi, 2012). Thoughmost authors has to be in harmony to elaborate failure from several causes viewwhere the occurrence is resolved at several levels, and where multiple variables are involved.

Gender is one of such factors mentioned in literature to have considerable effects on student’s academic performance especially in science subjects. Gender is the range of physical, biological, mental and behavioural characteristics pertaining to and differentiating between the masculinity and femininity(male and female) population. The importance of examining performance in relation to gender is primarily based on the socio-cultural differences between boys and girls. Some vocations and professions such as engineering, arts and crafts, agriculture, etc. have been deemed as men’s exclusive reserve while others are considered women’s which include catering, typing, nursing etc.

COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN THE ACHIEVEMENT MALE AND FEMALE STUDENTS IN COMPUTER