Female students' attributions for academic achievement in secondary schools in Papua New Guinea

Female students' attributions for academic achievement in secondary schools in Papua New Guinea

This study into female students’ attributions for academic achievement in secondary schools in Papua New Guinea (PNG) examined the factors that inhibited school leavers from gaining access to and/or completing secondary education and their academic achievement. It also examined the factors which facilitated the academic achievement of Grade 12 female students. Hence, academic achievement in the context of this study is defined as access to and completion of secondary school grades and results in tests and examinations.

The research methodology and design employed in this study was chosen in response to the unique and complex geographical and sociocultural context in which it was conducted. It employed a triangulation mixed methods design embedded within the theoretical underpinnings of the transformative and pragmatic research paradigms. Hence, quantitative data was collected through two sets of survey questionnaires and qualitative data were collected through interviews and focus group meetings. Data for this study was collected from three main groups comprising two groups of female school leavers and one group of Grade 12 students at each of the two research sites.

The quantitative data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 14 to conduct descriptive analyses, Analysis of Variances (ANOVA) and T-Tests. Descriptive analyses provided demographic information of the participants. Analysis of Variances (ANOVA) was conducted to examine the differences between the three groups. T-Tests were conducted to examine the differences between the participants at the two research sites. The findings are presented in Chapter 4. The qualitative data from the interviews and focus groups were transcribed and analysed using NVivo Version 8. The results are presented in Chapters 5. The findings are elaborated on in a triangulated discussion presented in Chapter 6.

The findings of this study indicate that inherent (psychological and emotional) factors inhibit and/or facilitate academic achievement of female students in secondary schools at the two research sites. Academic achievement of female students at the two sites were also impeded and/or facilitated by external factors. The
key impediments and/or incitements for academic achievement were categorized along the lines of the locus of control: internal and external. Internal impediments comprised three major factors: psychological and emotional distress, the nature of motivational goal orientations and the learning strategies. The external impediments comprised three key factors: factors relating to the national education policy frameworks, school factors and non-school factors. The internal incitements for academic achievement comprised three key factors: the power of resilience, the nature of motivational goal orientations, and learning strategies. The external incitements for academic achievement consisted of two key factors: school and non-school factors.

Fifteen conclusions were drawn from the study’s findings and these could be categorised under two broad headings. The findings of the study concluded with two major conclusions being drawn and fifteen more specific conclusions within the two broad conclusions. As a result of these conclusions, nine recommendations were provided to address the research problem with limitations and opportunities for future research being identified.