A Causal Model of Nigerian Teacher Characteristics and Their High School Students' Achievement in Some Ecological Concepts

Abstract

This study developed and validated a teacher-student model involving causal linkages between some teacher characteristics and students' achievement in Secondary School Ecology. The sample consisted of one hundred biology teachers and one thousand students. Eight validated instruments were used to collect the data while the path-analysis and multiple-regression analyses were employed for data analysis. The results indicated that the more parsimonious model is effective in predicting
students' achievement in Ecology. The results further indicated that six out of the eleven teacher characteristics had both direct and indirect causal linkages with the criterion variable whereas the remaining five characteristics had only indirect causal linkages. A major implication of the linkages shown in the P9rsimonious model is the fact that curriculum developers and science educators could employ them to develop a more effective theory and technique for efficient nation building through effective Science Education programme.