S Hool Related Factors Affecting Students' Map Reading Skills In Amhara Region Secondary Schools: The Case of West Gojjam, East Gojjam, A Wi And Bahir Dar Zones
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Date
2006-06
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Addis Ababauniversity
Abstract
There have been growing concerns on improving the map reading skill performance of students
since map are central in the study of Geography in schools. The main purpose of this study is to
investigate the chool related factors that affect map reading performance of students and to
forward the finding with possible recommendations to concerned stakeholders so that they
would take mea ures in improving at various levels .
A de cripfive urvey method was employed. For this purpose, the dependent and independent
variable were identified. The dependent variables was map reading performance of secondalY
chool student and the independent variables are the school related factors particularly quality
of the teaching force, availability of physical facilities,ยท efficient use of instructional time,"
characteri tic of pupils and teaching learning process. The target population was the school
community found in 28 general secondary schools situated in the East Gojjam, East Gojjam,
Bahi,. Dar and Awi Administrative Zones. A total of 894 samples that specifically consisted of
810 students, 50 geography teachers, 17 department heads and 17 principals were involved in
the study. Questionnaires, interviews, classroom observations, performance tests and school and
clas room inventOlY checklists were employed to collect the data. Descriptive statistics like
percentile, mean, standard deviation, and univariate correlation were preferred in analyzing the
data.
The major findings of the study include: students readiness for learning map reading which is
explained through tudents academic background, attitude towards map reading and age were
appropriate. However, for various reasons map reading performance of students is generally
low (their score was below 50% in map reading performance) with significant variations across
gender and City Categorization. The level of teachers' qualifications and teaching experience
particularly those who do not have specialization in Geography were not adequate to teach map
reading. The contents in the syllabus are difficult to understand due to problems related to
presentation of map reading. The contents in the syllabus are difficult to understand due to
problems related to presentation of map reading. School physical facilities {library service ,
instructional materials were inadequate. The total periods allottedfor map reading teaching wa
not sufficient enough to cover the topic which in turn affected the frequency of teaching learning
process. On top of this wastage of instructional time was observed. The teaching learning
process related variables (quality of instructional planning, effectiveness of implementation and
effectiveness of as essment) had differential effect on map reading performance of student.
The study has implication for educational policy and practice as well as further studie in the
field
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Keywords
Amhara Region Secondary Schools