STUDY OF ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF ADOLSCENTS IN RELATION
TO THEIR EDUCATIONAL ASPIRATIONS
Varinder Kaur M.Ed (Student) B.C.M. College of Education, Ludhiana
Manminder Kaur (Lecturer)B.C.M. College of Education, Ludhiana
Abstract
The present study was aimed to study the educational aspiration of adolescents in relation to their academic achievement. The sample for the study consisted of 200 students of 9th grade of Ludhiana District. Level of Educational Aspiration Test was used to measure the educational aspiration. The data was analyzed in term of Pearson’s Coefficient of Correlation. The t-test was used to find out the significance of difference between two means. The study revealed positive and significant relationship between academic achievement and educational aspiration of adolescent boys and girls. The students of higher and lower level of educational aspiration differ significantly on their academic achievement.
Keywords: - Adolescents, Educational aspiration, Academic achievement.
Introduction:-
Education plays a key role in the development of a country. Education disciplines the mind, sharpens the intellect and refines the spirit. There is no denying the fact that future of nations lies in the hands of students. Students are the harbingers of new era. Consequently, it becomes necessary to build the students strong and firm so that they can learn efficiently and effectively. The society’s progress and development depends upon how its children are transformed and trained in different branches of knowledge.
Adolescence :-Adolescence is the phase of development and adjustment being the transitional period between childhood and adulthood. This period emerges from childhood and enters into adulthood. Biologically adolescence is the age when puberty draws. Chronologically this is a span of life ranging from twelve to nineteen years.
Academic Achievement :-Academic + Achievement implies ‘scholarly accomplishment’. The ‘Academic’ has been derived from the term ‘academy’ the meaning of the term academy is a school where special type’s instructions are imparted. Achievement means one’s learning attainment, accomplishment and proficiency of performance. Academic achievement is the core of wider term ‘educational growth’ which means growth in all aspects. Panday, and Ahmad (2008) found no significant difference between male and female adolescent on the academic achievement, achievement motivation, intelligence and socio-economic status.
Educational Aspiration: It is comprised of two words: EDUCATION + ASPIRATION.
Education: Education makes a man a complete man and fit for the society. Education is an ever-widening concept. It is necessary for the overall development of the child. Education means to draw out the best in child and man.
Aspiration: It means ‘to wish or ‘to desire’. The word aspiration refers to ambition or desire which has yet not been full filled. Aspiration is the diving force in the personalities. The aspirations are more important than the abilities with which one is born or acquires through environment and education.
Educational Aspiration:. Educational aspiration is a psychological construct, which reflects a cognitive type of motivation of the individual. Educational aspiration plays an important role in human’s life to set their educational goals and to achieve them successfully. Kumar, S. and Sharma, S.K. (2009) found positive correlation between educational aspiration and academic achievement of senior secondary students. No significant difference was found in educational aspiration of boys and girls.
Talwar,M. and Kumar,P.(2010) found negative correlation between teacher absenteeism and educational aspiration of primary school students. They also found no significant difference in the educational aspiration of boys and girls of government primary schools.
Objectives:
- To study and compare the academic achievement of adolescent boys and girls.
- To study and compare the educational aspiration of adolescent boys and girls.
- To study the relationship of academic achievement with the various aspects of educational aspiration of adolescent boys and girls.
Hypotheses
- There exists no significant difference in academic achievement of adolescent boys and girls.
- There exists no significant difference in the educational aspiration of adolescent boys and girls.
- A significant relationship exists between academic achievement and various aspects of educational aspiration of adolescent boys and girls.
Sample: - In the present study, sample of 200 adolescent students (100 boys and 100 girls) of IXth class were conveniently selected from five schools of Ludhiana
Tools used: Following tools were used for collecting data.
· Level of Educational Aspiration Test by Yasmin Ghani Khan, (2009).
· Academic achievement is total marks achieved in VIIIth class examination from their respective school records.
.Design:The present study was descriptive in nature. The data were analysed by using descriptive techniques like mean, median, mode and S.D. To find out the correlation between variables Pearsons Coefficient of Correlation was used and for finding significant differences between means, t-ratio was employed.
Analysis and interpretation of data
Table-1
Significance of difference between mean scores of academic achievement of adolescent boys and girls [N=200]
| Academic Achievement | N | Mean | S.D | t-ratio |
| Boys | 100 | 574.28 | 81.02 | 3.061* |
| Girls | 100 | 615.49 | 82.50 |
*Significant at 0.01 level of significance
Table-1 shows the values of mean scores and S.D of academic achievement of boys and girls. The mean value of academic achievement of boys is 574.28 and that of girls is 615.49 whereas S.D of boys and girls is 81.02 and 82.50 respectively. Further t-ratio calculated from difference of mean is 3.061, which is above the table value 2.60 at 0.01 level of significance. This revealed that there exists significant difference in academic achievement of adolescent boys and girls. The mean score of boys and girls also reveals that academic achievement of girls is higher than that of boys.
Thus the hypothesis which states, “There exists no significant difference in academic achievement of adolescent boys and girls” is rejected .
Table-2
Significance of difference between mean scores of educational aspiration of adolescent boys and girls [N=200]
| Educational Aspiration(Total) | | N | Mean | S.D | t-ratio |
| Male | 100 | 23.86 | 2.429 | 4.361* | |
| Female | 100 | 25.63 | 2.596 |
*Significant at 0.01 level of significance
Table-2 reveals that the total mean value of educational aspiration of boys and girls is 23.86 and 25.63 respectively while S.D is 2.429 and 2.596 respectively. Further t-ratio is 4.361which is more than the table value 2.60at 0.01 level of significance. Thus it is concluded that there exists significant difference in the educational aspiration of adolescent of boys and girls. Thus the hypothesis, “There exists no significant difference in the educational aspiration of adolescent boys and girls” is rejected.
Table-3
Coefficient of Correlation between academic achievement and various aspects of educational aspiration of adolescent boys and girls [N=200]
| Aspects of Educational Aspiration | N | Correlation |
| Educational Aspiration (Total) | 200 | 0.519* |
| Family Support | 200 | 0.111(NS) |
| Pupil’s View. | 200 | 0.388* |
| Pupil’s Effort. | 200 | 0.412* |
| Reality of Aspired Goals. | 200 | 0.266* |
*Significant at 0.01 level of significance.
Table-3 shows the Coefficient of Correlation between academic achievement and educational aspiration of adolescent boys and girls. Total Coefficient of Correlation between academic achievement and educational aspiration is 0.519 which is more than the table value 0.181 at 0.01 level of significance. Thus, it is concluded that there exists significant relationship between academic achievement and educational aspiration of adolescent boys and girls.
Table-3 also shows the Coefficient of Correlation between academic achievement and various aspects of educational aspirations (family support, pupil’s view, pupil’s effort and reality of aspired goals), the r value is 0. The Coefficient of Correlation between academic achievement and family support aspect of educational aspiration is 0.111(NS), which is not significant at 0.05 level of significance. Thus, it is concluded that there exists no significant relationship between academic achievement and family support aspect of educational aspiration of adolescent boys and girls. The r values of academic achievement and other three aspects (pupil’s view, pupil’s effort and reality of aspired goals) are 0.388, 0.412 and 0.266 respectively, which are significant at 0.01 level of significance. Thus, it is concluded that there exists significant relationship between academic achievement and different aspects (pupil’s view, pupil’s effort and reality of aspired goals) of educational aspiration of adolescent boys and girls.
Therefore, hypothesis “A significant relationship exists between academic achievement and various aspects of educational aspiration of adolescent boys and girls” is not rejected.
CONCLUSIONS :
v There exists significant difference in academic achievement of adolescent boys and girls. Further, it has been found that the academic achievement of girls is significantly higher than that of boys.
v There exists significant difference in the educational aspiration of adolescent boys and girls. Further, it has been found that the educational aspiration of girls is significantly higher than that of boys.
v There exists positive and significant relationship between academic achievement and different aspects (pupil’s view, pupil’s effort and reality of aspired goals) of educational aspiration of adolescent boys and girls. No significant relationship is found between academic achievement and family support aspect of educational aspiration of adolescent boys and girls.
REFERENCES :
Kumar, S. and Sharma, S.K. (2009). Educational aspiration and academic achievement of senior secondary students. Indian Journal of Psychometry and Education, 40, 222-224.
Talwar M.S. and Kumar T.P (2010). Correlation between teacher absenteeism and educational aspiration. Edutracks ,9, (6), 29-31.
Panday and Ahmad(2008). A study of academic performance , achievement motivation and intelligence in relation to socio-economic status of adolescents. Journal of community guidance and research 25(I)34.
