Missing of Class by Student in Terms of Gender - Research Paper Example

CHAPTER FOUR 4.0. DATA ANALYSIS, PRESENTATION AND INTERPRETATION 4.0. Introduction This chapter covers the analysis of data and presentation of the major findings from the study. The data is presented in three broad categories: the motivation behind student’s attendance to class; reasons behind the absence of students from class and the gander factors that influence the intension of the students regarding the compensation for the absence. Further recommendations are presented in the tabular form arranged by thematic areas. 4.1. Respondent Characteristics The sample composed of 100 students in the 3rd year economics department as the respondents. The sample was divided into two categories, where fifty (50) male and fifty (50) female were given questionnaires randomly, which they competed and handed in giving 100% response rate. 4.1.1. Distribution of respondents by Gender To establish the rate of missing class in relation to gender, the researcher presented students with the questions of whether they had missed classes or not. In a 100% return rate, 4% more female than men responded affirmatively. The findings confirmed the postulations of Woodfield, Jessop, and McMillan (2006) which concluded that men were more likely to be absent from classes than women. The findings of the study are presented in the table 1. Table 1: Missing of Class by student in terms of gender have they ever missed any class Total yes no Gender male Count 44 6 50 % within Gender 88.0% 12.0% 100.0% female Count 42 8 50 % within Gender 84.0% 16.0% 100.0% Total Count 86 14 100 % within Gender 86.0% 14.0% 100.0% 4.1.2. Grade attainment in relation to gender. Ask to state the grade they already obtained at this stage of their undergraduate study, a convincing percentage of male students compared to the female students reported better grades, with the female reporting slightly below 20% as compared to male, who obtained 20% in the category of the first class, slightly below 60% as compared to male who were slightly below 80% in the category of 2.1, 20% as compared to male who reported slightly below 10% at 2.2. These findings reflected the findings of the study conducted by Romer, (1993); Paisey& Paisey, (2004), which suggested that though there was direct difference between the academic abilities between male and female students, class attendance played a big role in improving the performance of students. The findings of the study were presented in Figure 1 below. Figure 1: Overall Grade by student s in terms of Gender 4.1.2. Feeling of the frequency of missing class in relation to Gender The researcher was also interested in understanding the feelings that students had, regardless of the reasons they had, on missing classes. Asked of the extent to which they felt that they could miss classes, the highest percentage of students who indicated that they rarely would miss classes were female. Those who indicated that they would miss class often than either rarely or sometimes were recorded to be more of male than female. Figure 2 below was the findings in a diagrammatic form. Figure 2: Feeling of the frequency of missing class in relation to Gender 4.1.3. What is the nature of reasons for not attending? Asked to state why they would not attend classes and presented with the option of avoidable or unavoidable reasons 62 0ut of 87 respondents indicated that their reasons were avoidable while 25 out of 87 noted that their reasons were unavoidable. Findings of the study were also represented in table 2 below. Gender * whats the nature reasons for not attending 4.1.3. Employment status during study The study sought to establish the frequency of the time the students miss the employment. Presented with the choices of: rarely; sometimes; and often, a significant 80% of the respondents working part-time indicated that they rarely missed employment. 6.7% and 13.3% reported to miss sometimes and often respectively. Those respondents, who were not working by the time of the study, reported 53.6%, 34.8% and 11.4% in the categories of; rarely, sometimes and often respectively. This finding enables the researcher to understand the motivation behind the absence of the students from the class. It was demonstrated that that whether currently working or not, the students who had the highest percentage of employment were those who rarely missed class attendance. Table 2 below illustrates the findings. Table 2: Employment status during study in relation to how they missed the classes how often do they miss Total rarely sometimes often employment status during study working part-time Count 12 1 2 15 % within employment status during study 80.0% 6.7% 13.3% 100.0% not currently working Count 37 24 8 69 % within employment status during study 53.6% 34.8% 11.6% 100.0% other Count 2 2 0 4 % within employment status during study 50.0% 50.0% 0.0% 100.0% Total Count 51 27 10 88 % within employment status during study 58.0% 30.7% 11.4% 100.0% 4.1.4. Distance of the students’ residence to the University The study sought to establish how the distance between where the students lived and the university influenced their attendance to class. The results indicated that the distance influenced whether students would rarely, sometimes or often miss the class. Asked to state whether distance out of campus determined whether they missed classes, there was insignificant variation among students who lived outside campus, regardless of the distance. The study revealed that students who lived outside campus were less likely to miss classes in regular basis as compared to those in campus. This indicated that there was more laxity among the students living closer to class than those that lived away. These findings confirmed the findings of Colby (2004), who reported that the distance from where students were learning had a significant influence on their attendance to class. The findings of the study were also presented in Table 3 below. Table 3: Distance of the students’ residence to the University How far do they live from university * how often do they miss how often do they miss Total rarely sometimes often how far do they live from university on campus Count 12 4 1 17 % within how far do they live from university 70.6% 23.5% 5.9% 100.0% within 2 miles Count 31 19 9 59 % within how far do they live from university 52.5% 32.2% 15.3% 100.0% within 5 miles Count 6 3 0 9 % within how far do they live from university 66.7% 33.3% 0.0% 100.0% above 5 miles Count 2 1 0 3 % within how far do they live from university 66.7% 33.3% 0.0% 100.0% Total Count 51 27 10 88 % within how far do they live from university 58.0% 30.7% 11.4% 100.0% 4.1.5 Influence of English as a first language on class attendance The study sought to establish the effect the language of communication had in the motivation of the students in class attendance. There was a significance bearing that showed that the English being the first language motivated students to attend school. It also revealed that the highest percentage of students, whom had English as their second language did not find motivation in attendance. This study confirmed the findings of Zeegers (2004), who noted that language has a significant positive relationship with the academic achievement. Table 4 below presents the findings. Table 4: Influence of English as a first language on class attendance If English is the first language * how often do they miss how often do they miss Total rarely sometimes often if english is the first language yes Count 31 15 9 55 % within if english is the first language 56.4% 27.3% 16.4% 100.0% % within how often do they miss 60.8% 55.6% 90.0% 62.5% % of Total 35.2% 17.0% 10.2% 62.5% no Count 20 12 1 33 % within if english is the first language 60.6% 36.4% 3.0% 100.0% % within how often do they miss 39.2% 44.4% 10.0% 37.5% % of Total 22.7% 13.6% 1.1% 37.5% Total Count 51 27 10 88 % within if english is the first language 58.0% 30.7% 11.4% 100.0% % within how often do they miss 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% % of Total 58.0% 30.7% 11.4% 100.0% 4.1.6. Motive behind going to classes. In order for the researcher to establish the real motivation behind the students’ class attendance, the researcher presented the respondents with the option of whether they were motivated by; learning, career, policy and leisure. Further, the study examined these variations in terms of the gender differences and how it influenced the noted motives. Figure 3, figure 4, figure 5 and figure 6 represented the findings of the study. From the findings, it was clear that when female students were compared to male students in terms of “learning” as a motive of attending their classes, more female respondent affirmatively compared to male, it was also clear that more male students did not consider leaning as the main motive compares to female. From the findings, it was evident that career motive was lesser motive among female students compared to male students. This further meant that female students appreciated class attendance as a means of learning more than as they did in regards to career. In the cases of policy and leisure, both the male and female students considered class attendance not to be influenced by the two concepts. However, a comparison of the degree of the influence of the two concepts revealed that more male students than female students regarded policy and leisure to be significant reasons to attend classes. 4.1.7. Time when the lessons missed occur The study was also interested in examining the time factor and how time period influenced the manner in which the students attended their classes. Asked whether the time in which they missed classes occurred in the morning, at noon or in the afternoon, there was overwhelming agreement across all genders, which agreed with the fact that the lessons mostly missed occurred in the morning. These findings revealed that there was much laxity among students in the morning. As pointed by Dabio (2009), factors such as morning traffic jam determined whether students would show up in school or not. Considering that students who lived in the campus were more likely to miss classes, as demonstrated in the previous findings, some other factors such as lethargy of waking up in the morning influenced whether one wanted to wake up and go to school in the morning or not. These findings are presented in figure 7, figure 8and figure 9. 4.1.8. Reasons behind failure of class attendance The study sought to establish reasons behind failure of the students to attend classes. Presented with the options of illness, peer group pressure and socialization, the study revealed that more students missed classes because of illness than any other reasons. The percentages of those students who responded affirmatively to illness as a reason to miss classes were 56.8% against those who responded negatively at 43.2%. Peer pressure was considered to be the least reason as to why students did not attend classes. Based on the findings of the study, it was clear that most of the students who missed classes associated the class absence with illness, while socialization was relative. Dabio (2009) reveals that socialization informed the personality of individuals and as such would determine whether people are motivated to attend classes or not. Table 5, 6 and 7 below indicates the findings of the study. Tables 5, 6, 7: Amongst the following options, what may be some of the reasons that you have not attended classes. illness Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Valid yes 50 50.0 56.8 56.8 no 38 38.0 43.2 100.0 Total 88 88.0 100.0 Missing 0 12 12.0 Total 100 100.0 Peer group pressure Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Valid yes 6 6.0 6.8 6.8 no 82 82.0 93.2 100.0 Total 88 88.0 100.0 Missing 0 12 12.0 Total 100 100.0 socialization Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Valid yes 25 25.0 28.4 28.4 no 63 63.0 71.6 100.0 Total 88 88.0 100.0 Missing 0 12 12.0 Total 100 100.0 Other aspects of reasons that have been identified in the study include prioritization of other educational work, transportation problem, and low academic gains, lack of the motivation and interests and poor preparation of the lessons as well as any other. The tables below reflect the results of the findings. poor preparation of the lessons Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Valid yes 26 26.0 29.5 29.5 no 62 62.0 70.5 100.0 Total 88 88.0 100.0 Missing 0 12 12.0 Total 100 100.0 Read More