THE INFLUENCE OF RECREATIONAL FACILITIES ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF PRIMARY FOUR PUPILS TAUGHT SOCIAL STUDIES IN IBIONO IBOM LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF AKWA IBOM STATE
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The teaching – learning process involves a vast array of interactional processes at the center of which is the teachers’ duty to make it rotate in a conducive environment.
Recreation- enjoyable leisure acting is of great important in the teaching-learning process.
In modern times the expression of recreational facilities has been stimulated by growth of cities by the need to release tension resulting from the pressure of modern living and the specializing and mechanization of work; Ademuwogun (2008). Public and community playgrounds were intended at first to keep the children out of the streets but later served and are still serving as a strategy for the encouragement of adults and different ages and sexes to engage in various recreational activities.
It is generally acknowledge that’ if man eats, sleeps and goes to work without performing any activity in farm at exercise, the resultant physiological disorder that will occur is always devastating. This may be due to negligence of an aspect of life known as recreation.
Recreation serves many purposes but perhaps non is more important than the contribution it makes in educational programme Leslee (2003) clearly recognized the primary aims of recreation in teaching learning environment to include; enhanced brain function, body build/perception, self-esteem, improved brain attribute and improved academic performance.
However it is obvious that many positive relationships is attributed to recreation, thereby making recreational facility relevant in any educational environment. Perhaps is instead of decreasing recreational activity, schools administrators/officials should consider developing enhanced recreational activity programs.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Unfortunately, recreational facilities, the facilities that do make learning less bored have been neglected by many schools in recent time.
Recreation tend to improved learners attributes such as increased brain function/nourishment, higher energy/concentration levels, changes in body build affecting self-esteem, increase self-esteem and better behaviour which may all support cognitive learning (Cocke, 2002). But school and educational administrators still neglect recreation, thereby making learning a difficult task.
It may have been leave of recreation in school that causes poor performance of pupil in our primary school.
This study is undertaken to investigate the extent in which recreation facilities interferes with academic performance of the learners.
1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The study investigates the influence of recreational facilities on the academic performance of primary four pupils taught Social Sciences in Ibiono Ibom L. G. A of Akwa Ibom State.
Specifically the objectives of the study includes:
- To find out whether recreational facilities do affect primary four pupils.
- To determine the influence of recreation on the academic performance of the learners
1.4 SIGNIFICANT OF THE STUDY
This study would be an immense contribution towards the achievement in educational sectors. The result of this study would assist parents, government, teachers, school officials as well as our education experts in all ramifications. it would make available information for researchers in further study on recreation and its facilities.
It would help the learners to realize the importance of recreation as related to their performance in school.
The teachers/school officials would from this research structure their teaching strategies towards ensuring a successful education.
Government would know the need to post professional schools official to school as well as providing recreational facilities in school.
1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS:
The study seeks to answer the following questions:
- Does recreational facilities influence academic performance of primary four pupils.
- To what extent does recreation influence academic performance of primary four pupils in Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area?
1.6 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS:
The following research hypotheses are formulated to guide the investigation:
- Inadequate recreational facilities in schools influence negatively the academic performance of primary four pupils in Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area.
- There is no difference in the academic performance of primary four pupils that recreates and those that does not recreates
1.7 BASIC ASSUMPTION
- It was assumed that recreational facilities in school will enhance effective academic performance of primary four pupils taught social studies in the Local Government Area.
- Recreation enhances brain function, perception, improves brain attribute, therefore it was as well assumed that pupil that recreates perform well academically.
1.8 DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The study is delimited to selected number of primary four teachers/pupils in Ibiono Ibom L. G. A as well as the variables; recreation and on the course of carrying out the research work, the researcher encountered some problems and difficulties during its conduct. The study was faced with financial constraints as there was no money to cover a wide area than Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area. The administration of the questionnaire was cost intensive. Attitude of some respondents also adversely influenced the study.
1.9 OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS:
Recreation: Recreation is any enjoyable leisure activity engaged in voluntarily for the satisfaction it brings whether through relaxation, fun or the opportunity of self-expressing/self-satisfaction (Ademuwagun, 2002)
Recreational Facilities: These natural and artificial facilities that are present in school for learners to use and release tension resulting from the pressure in teaching-learning process.
Academic Performance: The totality of what the pupils gained from studies as assessed through tests and examinations. That is how they cope with or accomplish different task given to them by their teachers.
