European Journal of Education Studies ISSN: 2501 - 1111 ISSN-L: 2501 - 1111 Available on-line at: www.oapub.org/edu Volume 3 │Issue 11 │2017 doi: 10.5281/zenodo.1112292 EFFECT OF CLASS CLASSIFICATION, CLASS SIZE AND GENDER ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AMONG FATIMA HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN IREWOLE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF OSUN STATE, NIGERIA Aransi, Waliyi Olayemii Teaching Staff, Fatima College, Ikire, Osun State, Nigeria Abstract: The study investigated the effect of class classification, class size and gender on academic performance. Specifically, the objectives of the study was to evaluate the effect of class classification, class size and gender on academic performance of senior secondary school students in Mathematics and English Language. However, three research questions and hypothesis were designed to guide the study. The study employed expo-facto research design and purposeful sampling technique which is stratified in nature in selecting all one-hundred and eighty nine (189) Grade II (SSS II) students participated in the Unified Promotion Examination (UPE) conducted by Osun State Ministry of Education in May, . In this regards, Grade II students’ scores in Mathematics and English Language was used to proxy academic performance which are disaggregated into three strata such as class stream (Science, Art and Commercial), gender (female and male) and class size (large class size and small class size). Inferential statistics such as t-statistics was used to analyse the generated data. The findings of the study revealed that there was no significant difference between the academic performance of students in Science and Art stream, Science and Commercial stream and Art and Commercial stream while significant difference existed in the academic performance of students in English Language between Science and Commercial stream as well as Art and Commercial stream respectively but in favour of Science class and Art class. The study also indicated that there was no significant difference in the performance of students in both Mathematics and English Language not only on the basis of the number of the students allocated into a class (Class size) but also gender Copyright © The Author(s). All Rights Reserved. © 2015 2017 Open Access Publishing Group 756 Aransi, Waliyi Olayemi EFFECT OF CLASS CLASSIFICATION, CLASS SIZE AND GENDER ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AMONG FATIMA HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN IREWOLE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF OSUN STATE, NIGERIA quality (female or male). It was concluded that the explanatory variables such as class classification, class size and gender are not only the necessary condition in determining academic performance among students but also work hand-in-hand with other factors in order to guarantee favourable academic performance. The study recommended intensification of efforts by school authority towards monitoring of students in doing class work, assignment, punctuality in school and re-visitation of the classroom instructional practice by the teachers among others. Keywords: class classification, class size, gender, academic performance 1. Introduction The school is a social and learning agent that provides the environment upon which a child is formally educated in order to attain educational goals. It seems that human beings have unlimited capacity to learn, which may be limited by the factors such as behavioural patterns, personal attribute of the learner and facilities that the immediate environment offers for such an individual. This corroborates the submission made by Umoh, (2006) that nature only provides the raw materials in form of potentials, but the environment determines its level of development among users. However, in a formal school setting, the classroom and classroom discussion play essential role not only to students but also to teachers. Osim, Chika and Isaac (2012) submitted that the classroom environment may be a great challenge to teaching-learning situation. This is because according to them, a teacher may need to maintain his or her position in front of the classroom throughout the lesson period without being able to move around from time to time to supervise what the students are doing due to fact that there is hardly a space between one row of lockers and another. As a result, the teachers may employ the evaluation techniques which involve questions that require yes/no or true/false answers or objective tests to ease marking and give no room for writing as well as creative skills among students (Wosyanju, 2005). A classroom can be seen as a room in which all students in a particular grade or in a division of a grade meet at certain times and under the supervision of a teacher who does academic and non-academic assignments. While, classroom discussion is a sustained exchange between and among teachers and their students with the purpose of developing understanding students’ capabilities or both shared and individual skills and/or expanding students’ of a specific concept or instructional goal (Witherspoon, Sykes, and Bell 2016). However, some of the yardsticks commonly employ by the authority and management of senior secondary schools in the placement European Journal of Education Studies - Volume 3 │ Issue 11│ 2017 757 Aransi, Waliyi Olayemi EFFECT OF CLASS CLASSIFICATION, CLASS SIZE AND GENDER ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AMONG FATIMA HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN IREWOLE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF OSUN STATE, NIGERIA of students into a classroom which stimulates classroom discussion depend on three key factors which are previous academic achievement (i.e. students grade in Junior School examination results), interest of the students and guidance towards the class, and the availability of the class of interest in the school in which a student applies to. These factors when taking into cognizance form the basis upon which students seeking admission into any grade at Senior Secondary Schools level are categorised into different classes Science, Art and Commercial classes. However, one of a pressing concern facing majority of students as they pass out of the grade 10 (Junior Secondary School III) is what stream to choose that will enable them to pursue a career of their choice which will be in synchronicity with their aptitudes. Confusion usually emanate on whether to go into Arts, Science or Commercial class after grade 10. While arriving at a conclusion over what stream to choose, students are faced with dilemmas regarding what stream is better than the other, be easier for them to pursue, enable them to achieve their dreams and aspirations and allow them to have a profession that would give them monetary as well as job satisfaction. It should be noted, no stream, whether it is Science, Commerce or Humanities, is better or worse than the other. Sometimes, gender may need to be taken in to consideration when determining and deciding the stream suitable for a student. As a consequent, Anagbogu (2002) opined that boys are superior to girls in terms of cognitive and logical reasoning. Agboola (2006) reported that male students experience and exhibit less anxiety about science subjects than their female counterparts. Okoye postulated that students’ academic performance in the school subjects is predicated more on personal effort of the leaners involved irrespective of his/her gender kind. For viewing / downloading the full article, please access the following link: https://oapub.org/edu/index.php/ejes/article/view/1271 European Journal of Education Studies - Volume 3 │ Issue 11│ 2017 758