COMPARISON OF ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS IN COMPUTER SCIENCE IN THE TERTIARY INSTITUTION FROM 2016-2019
Chapter one
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Students’ academic achievement is determined by the results of final examinations, quizzes, assignments, attendance, and other graded course-related activities.
Each postsecondary institution in computers and information technology has a major objective of providing high-quality, relevant education in order to generate skilled and competent graduates.
To do this, a variety of practical and instructional tactics were developed to help pupils enhance their academic performance.
Most computing and information technology academic programmes involve a computer science course as part of the degree programme.
Computer science is widely regarded as one of the most challenging courses in tertiary institutions due to its abstract nature and the need for advanced analytical and problem-solving skills.
To improve the performance of difficult students in computer science classes, improvement strategies are required. Aside from that, a large proportion of graduates are unemployed or underemployed because their courses did not provide them with practical and employable skills.
As a result, there is a need to evaluate and recommend improvement measures for computer science students’ academic performance. The goal of educational improvement strategies is to uncover all aspects that can help kids perform better academically.
Lecturers have usually established techniques for classroom strategies that will reach out and aid pupils improve their performance.
1.2 Statement of the Problem.
Learning computer science is a difficult undertaking since it involves new ways of thinking and creative problem-solving skills. The average academic performance of students in computer science courses in undergraduate computing and information technology programmes at various universities and polytechnics over the years has been dismal when compared to other courses in the field.
However, the percentage of students with poor academic performance every semester is undeniable and contradicts the aim of many academic programmes.
This has an impact on the educational quality that academic programmes strive to maintain. Improving students’ academic performance is part of the ongoing endeavour to raise educational standards in computing and information technology.
1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The study’s aims are:
To identify students’ behaviours in a computer science course.
To assess the academic performance of students in computer science.
To offer ways for improving students’ performance in computer science courses.
1.4 Research Hypotheses
To ensure the study’s success, the researcher developed the following research hypotheses:
H0: There are no poor behaviours among students in the computer science course.
H1: There is bad behaviour among students in computer science courses.
H02: Students are not performing well in computer science courses.
H2: Students are performing well in computer science courses.
1.5 Significance of the Study
The work will be extremely valuable to computer science students and policymakers. The study will provide a thorough insight into the comparability of academic performance of computer science students at tertiary institutions between 2016 and 2019. The study will also act as a reference for other researchers who would engage on the similar issue.
1.6 Scope and Limitations of the Study
The study’s scope includes a comparison of academic achievement in computer science among students at postsecondary institutions between 2016 and 2019. The researcher faces various constraints that limit the scope of the investigation;
a) AVAILABILITY OF RESEARCH MATERIAL: The researcher has insufficient research material, which limits the investigation.
b) TIME: The study’s time frame does not allow for broader coverage because the researcher must balance other academic activities and examinations with the study.
1.7 Definition of Terms
Academic performance, sometimes known as “academic achievement,” refers to how far a student, instructor, or institution has progressed towards their short or long-term educational goals. Completing educational milestones such as secondary school diplomas and bachelor’s degrees demonstrates academic achievement.
Computer science is the study of processes that interact with data and can be expressed as data in the form of programmes. It permits the employment of algorithms to alter, store, and communicate digital data.
1.8 Organisation of the Study
This research study is organised into five chapters for simple understanding, as follows:
The first chapter is concerned with the introduction, which includes the (overview of the study), historical background, statement of problem, objectives of the study, research hypotheses, significance of the study, scope and limitation of the study, definition of terms, and the study’s historical context.
The second chapter focuses on the theoretical framework that underpins the study, as well as a review of relevant literature. Chapter three discusses the research design and technique used in the study.
Chapter four focuses on data gathering, analysis, and presenting of findings. Chapter 5 provides a summary, conclusion, and suggestions from the study.