CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND STUDENTS’LLEARNING OUTCOMES IN PUBLIC SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS

Abstract

Effective teaching and learning cannot take place in a poorly managed classroom, and keeping students engaged in their studies is the hallmark of a well managed classroom.  This study was undertaken to examine the relationship between classroom management practices and students’ learning outcomes in public senior secondary schools in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Rivers State, Nigeria. Four objectives guided the study with four corresponding research questions. The social learning theory was the theoritical foundation that guided the study. Concepts in the major variables of the study were clarified. The study adopted a correlational research design with the population of 1,220 teachers from 24 public senior secondary schools in Obio/Akpor Local Government. Percentage sampling was used to select 854 teachers as the sample of the study. A self structured questionnaire titled “Classroom management practices and students’ learning outcomes questionnaire“ (CMPSLOQ) was used for data collection. The instrument was validated by experts in the department of educational management and evaluation, and reliability was established using cronbach’s alpa coefficients. Data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) with the criterion mean of 2.50. The findings revealed a strong relationship between classroom management practices and students’ learning outcomes, specifically proper time management, classroom rules, involving students in classroom activities and effective classroom discipline. The study concluded that the effectiveness of classroom management practices plays a crucial role in determining students’ learning outcomes and recommended that school administrators should provide regular professional development workshop for teachers on effective classroom management practices, ensure adequate teaching resources are available and monitor teacher’s classroom management practices through regular observation.