Journal of Research in Education and Society (JRES)
Journal of Research in Education and Society (JRES) ISSN: 2141-6753(Print) 2795-3033(Online) Journal of Research in Education and Society (JRES) is an international journal of high quality committed to publishing original, educational, and problem-solving-oriented research papers on Education with emphasis on all areas of Educational philosophies, applications, and practices within society. The articles are written in scholarly, acceptable English and uniquely focused on the problems confronting the emerging global society. The findings are described in terms intelligible to professional and non-professional as well as expert and non-expert readers. The papers in this journal are innovative. They have pooled and integrated required information from personal experiences, research, professional publications, and academic sources, contributing meaningfully to the development and advancement of knowledge of the people of the Third World Nations as well as the Developed Nations.
International Centre for Integrated Development Research
Development and Validation of Mathematics Diagnostic Test for Basic Six Pupils based on School Locations in Akwa Ibom State
The study is on the development and validation of a mathematics diagnostic test in the middle basic schools in Akwa Ibom State. It aims to estimate the item parameters (content validity (CVI), difficulty indices, discrimination indices and the reliability index) of the Mathematics Diagnostic Test (MDT) for basic 6 pupils and ascertain the conceptual understanding of mathematics in urban and rural schools in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The study sample comprised 200 basic 6th-grade pupils selected using a multistage sampling technique. Two hypotheses formulated for the study were tested at a 0.05 level of significance. The instrument for data collection was a researcher-developed, 50-item, 4-option, multiple-choice, structured diagnostic test titled: Mathematics Diagnostic Test (MDT), with a reliability coefficient of 0.79, determined using the Kuder Richardson 20 formula. Data were analysed using mean, standard deviation and t-test for the test of hypotheses. The findings indicate no significant difference between the mean achievement scores of urban and rural pupils. Consequently, teachers should always establish the psychometric properties of any instrument they develop for measuring the mathematics achievements of basic 6 pupils in Akwa Ibom State.
Copyright (c) 2026 Journal of Research in Education and Society (JRES) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Technopreneurial Readiness Skills of Blocklaying and Concreting Students in Technical Colleges in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria
This study investigated the technopreneurial readiness skills of blocklaying and concreting students in technical colleges, examining ten core competency areas, such as technical skills, ICT proficiency, digital collaboration, financial literacy, business planning, innovation skills, problem-solving, communication, entrepreneurial mindset, and self-management. A descriptive survey design was adopted, and data were collected from a sample of 80 students using a structured questionnaire. The study addressed two hypotheses: whether gender differences exist in technopreneurial readiness skills and whether the ten competencies significantly predict readiness. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, independent samples t-test, and multiple regression analysis. The findings indicated that students demonstrated moderate to high readiness levels across the ten competencies. No significant gender differences were found, suggesting equitable development of technopreneurial capabilities among male and female students. Regression results showed that the competency variables jointly made a significant contribution to predicting technopreneurial readiness, with ICT proficiency, financial literacy, innovation skills, and entrepreneurial mindset emerging as strong predictors. The study concludes that technopreneurial readiness is multidimensional and influenced by both technical and psychological competencies. The study recommended curriculum improvements that emphasise digital skills, financial education, innovation-driven learning, and entrepreneurship-oriented training to enhance students’ transition into sustainable self-employment within the construction sector.
Instructional Materials, Students’ Achievement and Retention in Physics in Abak Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria
The study investigates the instructional materials and students’ achievement and retention in Physics in Abak Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. A quasi-experimental research design was adopted; the population for the study comprised all the Senior Secondary two Physics students for the 2025/2026 academic session in the 11 public co-educational Secondary Schools. A sample of 68 SSII students drawn from two schools in their intact classes through a purposive sampling technique was used for the study. The Physics Practical Test was used as an instrument for data collection. It was validated and subjected to reliability analysis with KR21 statistics. The result showed a reliability coefficient of 0.89 and was deemed appropriate for the main study. Mean and standard deviation were used in analysing the data, while ANCOVA was used in testing the hypotheses at 0.05 alpha level. The results showed that students taught using locally produced instructional materials showed significant achievement in their Physics scores compared to the standard instructional materials. Students taught using locally produced instructional materials showed significant retention in their Physics scores compared to the standard instructional materials. It was recommended that teachers should locally produce instructional materials to improve student achievement and retention in Physics.
Development and Validation of Mathematics Achievement Test based on Gender of Middle Basic Pupils in Akwa Ibom State
The development and validation of a mathematics achievement test in the middle basic schools in Akwa Ibom State aims to estimate the item parameters (content validity (CVI), difficulty indices, discrimination indices and the reliability index) of the Mathematics Achievement Test (MAT) for basic 6 pupils and ascertain the conceptual understanding of male and female basic 6 pupils in mathematics using MAT in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The study sample comprised 200 basic 6 pupils (102 females and 98 males), selected using a multistage sampling technique. Two research hypotheses were formulated and tested at a 0.05 level of significance. The instrument for data collection was a researcher-developed, 50-item, 4-option, multiple-choice, structured diagnostic test titled: Mathematics Achievement Test (MAT), with a reliability coefficient of 0.79, determined using the Kuder Richardson 20 formula. Data were analysed using mean, standard deviation and t-test to test the hypotheses. The findings showed that with a content validity index (CVI) of 0.80, difficulty indices of the items ranging from 38.0% to 67.0%, discrimination indices of the items ranging between 0.35 and 0.64 and distractor indices ranging between 0.00 and 0.08, the MAT is a valid and reliable instrument for measuring achievements in mathematics. Hence, it was recommended, among other things, that teachers should always measure the educational achievements of pupils and ensure that the items are valid and relevant to the course objectives.
Students’ Psychological Variables and Academic Achievement in Biology in Abak Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria
This study examined self-efficacy and self-confidence as correlates of academic achievements among Biology students in public secondary schools in Abak Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The study adopted the correlational research design. The study population consisted of all SSII Biology students drawn from 11 public secondary schools for the 2025/2026 session. The sample of the study was 225 SSII intact class students chosen from five schools in the population. The schools were chosen using stratified sampling techniques. The instruments used were the Terminal Continuous Assessment Result in Biology (TCARB) and the Biology Psychological Variable Questionnaire (BPVQ). The reliability of BPVQ was found to be 0.72. Data were collected and analysed using correlation coefficients (R) from simple linear regression for research questions and ANOVA at a 0.05 level of significance for hypotheses. Findings revealed no significant relationship between students’ psychological variables (self-efficacy and self-confidence) and academic achievement in Biology; there is a low relationship between the constructs. Based on these results, it was concluded that there is a low relationship between students’ psychological variables and academic achievement in Biology. It was recommended that students should use their self-efficacy and self-confidence to promote their achievement in Biology.
Teaching Methods, Students’ Performance and Interest in Physics in Secondary Schools in Abak, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria
This study investigates the effect of teaching methods on students’ performance and interest in Physics in secondary schools in Abak, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Two research hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The study adopted a quasi-experimental research design. The population for the study comprised all 3691 senior secondary one Physics students of the 2025/2026 academic session in the 11 public secondary schools in the area. The sample size was 272 SS1 Physics students (146 students in experimental group one and 126 in experimental group two). Using a simple random sampling technique, one intact class was sampled from two schools. The Physics Performance Test on Projectiles (PPTP) was used for data collection with a reliability index of 0.87. Three validators from the Department of Science Education, Akwa Ibom State University, validated the instrument. The data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics and ANCOVA to test the hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study revealed that there was a significant difference between the mean performance scores of Physics students when taught Projectiles using a field trip compared with those taught using a demonstration method; students’ interest was higher with the field trip than the demonstration method in Physics. It was concluded that students’ academic performance could be improved with a field trip rather than demonstration methods. Based on these findings, it was recommended that the field trip method should be used in teaching projectiles and other concepts in Physics.