THE EFFECT OF TEACHING AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENT ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF THE PUPILS IN SELECTED PRIMARY SCHOOL

CHAPTER TWO

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

INTRODUCTION

Our focus in this chapter is to critically examine relevant literature that would assist in explaining the research problem and furthermore recognize the efforts of scholars who had previously contributed immensely to similar research. The chapter intends to deepen the understanding of the study and close the perceived gaps.

Precisely, the chapter will be considered in three sub-headings:

• Conceptual Framework
• Theoretical Framework

2.1 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

Concept of Learning Environment

According to (Study.com,2018) learning environment encompasses learning resources and technology, means of teaching, modes of learning, and connections to societal and global contexts. The term also includes human behavioral and cultural dimensions, including the vital role of emotion in learning. The learning environment is a composite of human practices and material systems, much as an ecology is the combination of living things and physical environment (Balog,2018).Contemporary learners deserve learning spaces that meet their individual and collective needs. To meet this challenge, educational leaders must provide physical and cultural environments that are empowering and engaging (Orlu,2013). Learning environments vary from classroom to classroom and context to context each with unique elements. According to study.com (2018) learning environments can be learner-centered; knowledge centered; assessment - centered; and community - centered. Learner-centred environments are designed for the active construction of knowledge by and for learners (Federation University, 2018). Knowledge-centred learning environments are those which support students' deep investigations of big ideas through generative learning activities. Assessment-centred learning environments provide frequent, ongoing, and varying opportunities for assessment, including opportunities for revision and self and peer assessment (Alvaro, 2010). Community-centred environments value collaboration, negotiation of meaning, respect for multiple perspectives around which knowledge is constructed, and connections to the local community and culture (Raccoon gang (2018). Learning environment is composed of some components that influence the student’s learning curve. These components according to Balog (2018) include; people; teaching materials, technical tools, and learning resources; curriculum, training, and instruction, and physical environment/learning space. The people are the individuals that affect the student directly or indirectly through connection or relationship which can contribute to students’ growth and success in their career aspect. The teaching materials, technical tools, and learning resources are the teaching materials, highly advanced tools or others instructional resources that are aligned with the curriculum as a part of student learning support. The curriculum, training, and instruction are the core foundations of the learning process; they influence one another and play vital roles to facilitate the flow of knowledge and delivery of instructional content/curriculum. The physical environment/learning space refers to the physical setting of the learner’s environment which should evoke positive responses and hold the interests of those who inhabit it (Balog,2018). Mondal (2012) identified some important factors that may affect learning process to include Intellectual factor which refers to the individual mental level. Learning factors are factors owing to faulty methods of work or study, and narrowness of experimental background which may affect the learning process. Physical factors include health, physical development, nutrition, visual and physical defects, and glandular abnormality. Mental factors are attitudes like interest, cheerfulness, and open mindedness etc that are important in the development of personality. Personal factors, such as instincts and emotions, and social factors, such as cooperation and rivalry, are directly related to a complex psychology of motivation. The teacher as an individual personality is an important factor in the learning environment. The way in which his personality interacts with the personalities of the pupils helps to determine the kind of behavior which emerges from the learning situation (Brown,2015).Environmental factors like classrooms, textbooks, equipment, school supplies, and other instructional materials etc. are the physical conditions needed for learning (Mondal, 2012). Waldman (2016) observed that before students can succeed academically, they must feel safe, both physically and mentally, and to have a safe learning environment, students must feel welcomed, supported, and respected. Personalizing learning helps students develop skills including thinking critically, using knowledge and information to solve complex problems, working collaboratively, communicating effectively, learning how to learn, and developing academic mindsets that would greatly increase students engagement (Raccoon gang ,2018).More so, students must feel connected to teachers, staff, and other students. Schools can nurture these connections by focusing on students’ social and emotional learning (SEL).Students must also feel supported by all those connected to their learning experience like teachers, classmates, administrators, family, and community members for a higher academic feat (Waldman, 2016) Productive learning environments are crucial to students' academic, emotional and social success in school. A conducive learning environment doesn’t just happen on their own or by chance. They should be created through conscious procedures like interacting with students in a positive manner, exhibiting positive behaviors etc that would promote learning activities in the learning environment (Becton, 2017).

Components Of LearningEnvironment

Learning environment characterizes the organization at the school building and classroom level. It refers to the “feel” of a school and can vary from school to school within same district. Several aspects of school‟s physical and social environment comprise its components.

Cotton, (2006) has identified components of learning environment as appearance and physical plants; faculty relations; leadership and decision making; environment that is welcoming and conducive for learning; environment that promotes communication and interactions; environment that promotes a sense of belonging and self-esteem and the environment that promotes learning andself-fulfilment.He characterized environment that is welcoming and conducive by school building as to contain normal class population, students should feel safe and comfortable everywhere on school properties, class orderliness should be maintained, classrooms and grounds are clean and well-maintained, noise free environment, classrooms are furnished and staff members have sufficient books. He further characterized environment that promotes interactions by good interactions among the occupants of the environment, teachers are collegial and students grouping are diverse, parents and teachers are partners in the education, teachers are opened to students‟ suggestions and students are offered the opportunity to participate in decision making and but staff and students are trained to prevent and resolve conflicts.

However, he characterized environment that a sense of belonging and self- esteem by interactions of teachers and other staff members with students‟ caring, responsiveness, supportive and respectful, students trust teachers and other staff members, moral is high among teachers and staff, school is opened to diversity and welcoming to all cultures, teachers, other staff members and students are respected and valued, also teachers, staff and students feel that they are contributing to the success of the school, there is a sense of community, the school is respected and valued by teachers, staff, students and families and parents perceive the school as warm, inviting andhelpful.

He also characterized environment that promotes learning and self-esteem by emphasis on academic, but all types of intelligence and competence are respected and supported, expectations are high for all students and all are encouraged to succeed, progress is motivated regularly, results and assignment are used to evaluate and redesigned teaching procedure and content, results and assessment are promptly communicated to students and parents, achievement and performance are awarded and praised, and teachers are confidently and knowledge.

However, the various aspects or components of learning environment do not operate independently of one another. For example, the physical environment can encourage or discourage social interaction. Similarly, social interaction facilitates a warm affective environment. Collectively, the physical, social, and affective environments contribute to, and are impacted by, the academic environment. Thus, for the purpose of this study only the physical learning environment was considered.

Learning environment includes all of the factors that can affect the learning within and outside the classroom (example, method of presentation, involvement of students, materials and resources, then outside the classroom example, sports, social clubs, social and cultural interaction (Cheter, 2008). Cotton, (2006) considered components of learning environment as learning space and its operational environment within its flexible and modifiable learning spaces and their learning environments which are formed through pairs of dimension. They are all interactive and totally supportive of one another.

Relevance Of LearningEnvironment

The totality of internal and external influences surrounding a school constitutes its environment. The appropriateness of a learning environment is a key both to safety and to effective learning and development (Liu & Zumbo,2006).

According to Teacharnet (2008), the surrounding in which students learn can greatly influence the academic performance and well-being of the learners.The architecture, layout, and facilities of the school play a vital role in shaping the learning environment and promotion of effective teaching and learning. Again, Michael (2007) argued that the learning environment can serveas a tool for influencing behaviour and as an aid to the teacher in the management tasks. Michael submitted that students learn better in a well-manage classroomenvironment. Rutter, Dukor & Fair (2009) and Adewuyi (2002) submitted in their various studies that conducive learning environment can have effect on boththe attitudes and achievement of students.

Positive learning environment is relevant for students to achieve their educational goals and teachers to meet their instructional objectives as indicated by Asiabaka (2008) who argued that the school physical facilities and other elements are the determinant factors in the attainment of educational goals. Also, Nwagwu (2006) and Ogusanu (2004) maintained that the quality of education that children receive bears direct relevance to the availability or lack of physical facilities and overall atmosphere in which learning takes place. The school facilities consists of all types of buildings for academic and non-academic activities, areas for sports and games, landscape, farms and gardens including trees, roads and parts. Others include furniture and toilet facilities and packing lot, security, transportation, ICT, cleaning materials, food storage facilities and social facilities for the physically challenged persons.

Positive learning environment needs to be actively created and sustained by members of the student, parent and school personnel groups in school, and supported by the community at large. When the school community works together to understand and improve learning environment, collective action powerfully supports positive youth development and learning and promotes the underlying 21st century skills and knowledge (James, 2005).

Learning environment promotes students learning. Positive learning environment powerfully affects students‟ motivation to learn. For example, activities like community service-learning and students‟ value, and students‟ engagement can enhance learning environment by providing students with opportunities to participate in the learning process and construct their own knowledge of social and government system.

Moreover, when such activities are presented in a supportive and collaborative learning environment, they encourage students to build upon one another‟s ideas in productive and engaging ways. Together, the experience realistically represents the social situation that they may find themselves part of the greater civil society (Bandele, 2002). In an overlapping manner, positive learning environment promotes cooperative learning, group cohesion, respect and mutual trust, (Bandura, 1991). These facilities play pivotal role in the actualization of the educational goals and objectives by satisfying the physical, emotional, cultural, social, educational and psychological needs of students as well as the general educational goals of the society. Bickel, (2007) emphasized that the physical needs are met through provision of safe structure, adequate sanitary facilities, a balanced visual environment, appropriate thermal environment, and sufficient shelter space for his work and play. Learners‟ emotional needs are met by creating pleasant surroundings, a friendly atmosphere, and a springenvironment.

In fact, schools exist to serve socio-economic and political needs of the ever-changing society. Consequently, they are in constant interaction with their external environment. They receive inputs from the external environment in the form of human and material resources processes them and empty same into the society as finished products and services. Learning environment is also relevance to its occupants and the society where it exists because of its multipurpose facilities which can be used for academic activities during school hours, and may be available for community use during or after school hours. Such facilities may be used for continuing educational programmes, social activities and recreation. Through appropriate scheduling multipurpose facilities may be available to the community during school hours. This will eliminate the burden of duplication of such facilities as conference halls, gymnasium, library, theatre and sporting facilities. Such integrated effort is effective and brings the community closer to theschool.

Again, decent facilities in our learning environment make additional contributions to teacher‟s work. Siegal (2004) asserted that there is a direct relationship between architecture and the collaboration of teachers. The availability of relevant and recent facilities and equipment in a conducive school climate can influence teacher‟s abilities and increase the formation of social and professional relationship and sharing of information and knowledge.

Learning environment reflects the shared ideas, assumptions, values, beliefs and practices that define its culture and standards for expected behaviour. A school climate that contributes to learning focuses on essential components, including safety and strong relationship between teaching and learning. A positive school climate means that students, staff, and visitors all feel safe. Threats to their physical and emotional safety (example, building) can take a great toll on students, leading some to be fearful of attending school and ultimately impacting negativelyonstudents‟learning.Aschoolclimatethatbuildsacultureofmutual trust and respect, engage participants, and supports a relationship between teaching and learning that can improve childhood health and academic performance. Ensuring that a school learning environment is sensitive to its culturally and linguistically diverse student body, result in stronger connections between each student and teacher.

Finally, from the foregoing contributions of different authorities on the relevance of learning environment we can sum up that, positive learning environment promotes student learning, academic achievement, school success and healthy development, as well as effective risk prevention, positive youth development and increase teachers relation.

Environmental Factors Affecting Academic Performance

In addition, as earlier stated, the environment affects a pupil’s academic performance in variousways. The influence of environment begins since the time of conception of the child in the wombof the mother. Foetus in the womb is influenced by mother’s mental, physical and environmentalconditions. The external condition starts from the time of birth of the child. This externalcondition refers to the surrounding which prevails in the home, school and locality. At theseplaces the child interacts with other members of the family, teachers, classmates or peers andneighbors’. He or she establishes relationship with them. Some of the environmental factors areas discussed below

Natural Surroundings

Natural surroundings covers the climatic conditions for a limited time, humidity and high temperatures can be tolerated but prolonged humidity and high temperatures become unbearable.They decrease mental efficiency. The intellectual productivity and creativeness of the people

living in hot regions are much low. Social surrounding includes especially the environment ofhome, school and locality. Learning is affected by physical conditions at home such as largefamily, small family, insufficient ventilation, improper lighting, uncomfortable temperature, noisy home environment due to use of radios, television etc. the social emotional factors such aschild rearing practices, rewards and punishment, scope for freedom in activities and decisionmaking, play and study facilities. Disorganization and discord among birth positions such aseldest or youngest child has his definite influence on learning (Hall, R 1982).

A healthy peer group also plays an important role in learning. Pupil- pupil relationships in theclassroom, school, society etcetera create a particular type of emotional climate. The climatesolely depends on their relationships. A sound relationship provides a tension free environmentto the pupils enabling him or her to learn more and compete in class. If the relationship amongpeers is not good it affects their learning ( Hall, R 1982).

Social Environment and Learning

There are some cultural demands and social expectations that also influence learning display.That is the spirit of culture which is reflected in its social and educational institutions. Forinstance in industrialized culture, the emphasis mostly centers mechanical sciences and preparingchildren for highly mechanized vocations. Relationship with teachers, parents and peers can beexplained under the set-up of learning is an important constituent in the instructional process.The way a teacher teaches and manages the pupils has an effect on the learning. The democraticenvironment leads pupils to constructive and cooperative behavior. Generally pupils learn betterin a democratic set up because they like democratic procedures (Hall, R 1982). Relationship with parents plays vital role in the learning process of the pupils. If the child-parentrelationship is based on mutual respect and faith it can facilitate his or her learning. On thecontrary, a distorted and unhealthy environment adversely affects the learning of the pupils.

Physical Environment and Learning

Our environment is our habitation in the fullest sense. Not only our physical surrounding but alsothe people around our social customs and traditions, cultures, education and training constituteour environment. A number of studies conducted show that environment has remarkableinfluence on the learning of an individual. The physical environment of school presents aneducative atmosphere. The modern school site, buildings and equipment are adequate andattractive. However this is not the case in my area of study which is Kaiti division in MakueniCounty, where many schools are lacking the basic necessities. It is only in the bestenvironmental setting that the most effective learning takes place. The improvement of theenvironment no doubt lies in the hands of the teachers. The teachers can suggest about lightingenvironment in the classroom, as defective lighting, poor ventilation, arrangements and crowdedenvironment lead to overheated conditions which reduce working capacity and encourage thespread of respiratory infection (Hall, R 1982).

It is well known fact that individuals work better in a room with an attractive atmosphere. Ateacher cannot completely recondition a dull dilapidated room yet a better planning and effortscan work wonders in the improvement of its condition. Actually it all depends on the up keep ofthe room. Careless disorder of the room, waste papers on the floor and the untidy storage space,book shelves, teachers tables and pupils desk definitely give a shabby look to a room. Thus theroom should be attractively decorated. Neatness, cleanliness, orderliness and suitable decorationsin a room will encourage pupils to take pride in their room and should largely eliminatescrubbing on the walls and desks. This will prove to be a boosting environment for learning(Hall,R 1982).

Environment in an education setting refers to the atmosphere, tone, ambience setting.Consequently studies in the field of classroom environment focused on psychological behavior of human mind. (Dorman 2008) states that successful teachers monitor the behavior in theclassroom. They make each pupil responsible for some work during the learning activity andthen monitor to see that it was actually accomplished. The teachers are strong pupils motivation,(Wood 2000). The inside classroom environment is concerned with the feelings, experience andperception of the pupils. (Dunn and Harries, 1998) pupils achievement is interdependent onpsycho-social interaction that happens in the classroom. These interactions that happensometimes make a difference with reference to pupils achievement and their academic goals (McRobbie et al,1997).

With the growing trend and focus on the field of classroom learning environment it becomes arich area of interest for the researches. The availability of instrument made it easier and possibleto investigate into learning environment in specific context. The pupils-teacher interaction andrelationship were investigated and perceived in different context indicating interesting results(Frases, 1998).

Limo (1993) conducted a study in secondary school environment which attempted to comparedifferent types of learning environment and educational streams. Koo and Frazer (1997) exploredthe learning environment in adult’s education computer education in secondary and primaryclasses. The whole process of teaching and learning contributed towards the psychological socialdimensions of the classroom environment. However various scholars have specifically focusedon school location, classroom ventilation, poor lighting and inconsistent temperature as factorsthat affect pupils health, behavior, and achievement (Crandell and Smaldino 2000; Tanner,2000;Davis, 2000; Johnson 2000;Moore 2000 and Strichers 2000).

School Environment and Learning

According to Yarrow, A, Millerwaters, J and Frases, J.B. (1997), school environment is ofparamount importance to promote learning process. This type of atmosphere prevailing in theschool is a perpetual inspiration for the children to learn more and more. The reason is that thechild receives an intellectual type of frame of mind from the academic atmosphere and that typecan be created by providing a separate room for the study, by providing books and journals and discussions. Classroom environment is the total of all the social, emotional, mental and physicalfactors that makes overall contribution to the total teaching learning process within theclassroom. A democratic classroom might be one that gives more sense of freedom and largedegree of permissiveness to foster healthy teacher pupil relationship and where pupils areallowed to work independently.

On the other hand, an autocratic environment may be described as controlled by the teacher inwhich teacher decides the goal and the learning activities to be taught. The pupils do notparticipate in the selection of learning activities.

Yarrow, A, Millerwaters, J and Frases, J.B. (1997) conducted a study by administering collegeand university classroom environment inventory (CUCEI) to improve the classroom learningclimate of pre service secondary teachers ultimately of the pupils. In another study pupils viewedtheir actual environment less favorable than the preferred environment.

The school environment which includes the classrooms, libraries, workshops, teacher quality,school management, teaching methods, peers and many other variable, that affect pupil’sacademic achievement (Ajayi 2001 and Oluchukwu 2000). Hence the school environmentremains an important area that should be studied and well managed to enhance pupil’s academicperformance.

The issue of poor academic performance of pupils in Nigeria has been of much concern to thegovernment, parents, teacher and even pupils themselves. The quality of education not onlydepends on the teacher as reflected in the performance of their duties but also in the effectivecoordination of the school environment (Ajao, 2001).

Relating this study to international occurrence are the assertion of William, Persaud and Turner2008 quoting Marsden (2005) which reported that safe and orderly classroom environment(aspect of instructional space) school facilities (accessories) were significantly related to pupils’academic performance in schools. The three researchers also quoted Glassman (1994) assertingthat among other treatment helped to contribute to pupil’s academic performance.

School Environment And Learning

School environment refers to the set of relationships that occur among members of a school community that are determined by structural, personal, and functional factors of the educational institution, which provide distinctiveness to schools. The school environment is an important factor when evaluating student well-being. The study of the physical, social, and academic (curricular) conditions of the environment and the administrative organization of schools have been related to school environments and the well-being of students (Corral-Verdugo et al., 2015). Nowadays, it has become more common to find empirical studies that identify the impact of school environments on student well-being. For example, safe school environments and student well-being have been found to be significantly and strongly interrelated variables on research of various kinds of students’ needs (Kutsyuruba et al., 2015). The school environment is the totality of the learning environment both physical, social, and natural environment. It includes both classroom, libraries and school yard.

Classroom

Space for the delivery of materials that correspond to the areas of basic knowledge where students and teachers interact with furniture that enables individual or group work. Recently it has been mentioned that specific characteristics of the classroom’s physical environment are related to student satisfaction, attitudes, and evaluation of the quality of the course .

School yard

Spaces in which students perform educational, civic, recreational, and food-related activities. In a recent study, Dilbil and Basaran (2017) argue that playgrounds positively affected cognitive development and levels of attachment of children to school.

Libraries

Space that is well-conditioned to read, learn, and consult a bibliographic collection belonging to the school community where students can interact and work. Schultz-Jones (2011) conducted a study to explain how an evaluation of the learning environment of the school library can be used to demonstrate a positive impact on student performance.

Student-Teacher Relations

Teachers carry the whole duty for education; while learners or students are supposed to listen and often do not even have any idea at first of what occurs in the classroom. However, this practice is changing owing to educational and social reforms that need to be developed. Nugent (2009) suggests that to create a strong relationship, teachers need to motivate during the learning process. Relationships are formed in the social groups of both teachers and students, and especially in educational contexts. As a result, teachers and students need to play more of an active role towards achieving academic success; they have to establish a more positive and professional relationship.A good and professional relationship is required to create safe contexts and give students confidence in their capability to work without pressure and become motivated to learn (O’Connor, Dearing and Collins, 2011).

This especially happens when students are guided by positive emotional stimuli, they are better able to recall newly learned information (Nelson & Lorber, 2009). Here, it should be emphasized that students feel motivated, influenced and stimulated to actively participate with their teachers when the teaching and learning environment is safe and supportive. That is the teacher– student’s relationship is vital to learning and academic performance. According to Soerjaningsih (2010), teachers should establish a professional relationship with their students, because the creation and maintenance of a positive classroom climate plays an important role in rendering the teaching and learning process more effective and efficiency. Hence, students in quality relationships with their teachers are helped in improving and fostering knowledge, attitude, skills and social development. Also, students with higher quality relationships take part more often and are more engaged in the learning perspectives than the students with a lower quality relationship. O’Connor (2008) states that personal relationships with students gives teachers internal rewards and gives meaning to their work. Based on this viewpoint, teacher - student relationship helps teachers create a sense of trust and increase the number of opportunities to sustain a meaningful role in the learning context.

Teacher – Student’s relationships play a very important role in developing a mental picture of an individual. Ewnetu and Fisseha (2008) postulate that teachers have the basic needs for relatedness among the students in their class which can play an important role in students’ s self-concepts, the expectation towards scholastic achievements as well as how to make a meaningful life after school. Hence, a student’s self-esteem development is the overall sense of support a student feels from the important people around them. Myers and Pianta (2008) confirm that teacher – students relationship is fundamental to healthy development of students in school especially with regard to the student’s self esteem. Lee (2007) notes that the trust developed in teacher - student relationships can contribute to students’ academic performance. Student – teacher relationship can influence students’ future paths towards academic excellence (Lee, 2007). Hence, as noted by Lee (2007), a good and professional relationship between teachers and students is essential in creating a safe context and gives confidence to learners to work without pressure and become motivated to learning.

Stipek and Miles (2008) propose that the type of relationship between the teacher and the student can greatly influence the behaviour of the student’s sense of social acceptance in the learning contexts and academic performance. This means that teacher student relationship has long-term inferences for social and academic excellence. These relationships may reduce the risk of negative behavioural outcomes. Positive relationships have similar benefits for students. The student –teacher relationships play an important role of reducing the chances of future bad outcomes such like dropping out of school. Lastly, the effective teacher – students’ relationships encourage greater confidence and classroom engagement in much the same manner as sensitive parenting creates an environment of safety and confidence.

Concept Of Academic Performance

Academic performance really means three things; the ability to study and remember facts, being able to study effectively and see how facts fit together and form larger patterns of knowledge and being able to think for yourself in relation to facts and thirdly, to be able to communicate (Coulson, 2008). According to Pruett (2010) is the level of achievement attain via the combination of inputs from student motivation and conduct. In views of Adediwura and Tayo (2007) academic performance is generally referred to how well a student is accomplishing his or her tasks and studies, but there are quite a number of factors that determine the level and quality of students‟ academic performance. This no doubt supports the view of Nicholas (2004) that the most current information on improving academic performance shows that there are three environmental influences linked to levels of academic performance among schoolstudents.

These influences according to the information includes high quality parenting (the degree to which a young star is provided with an enriched, warm and responsive learning environment which includes appropriate control and discipline over children, and are closely associated with both higher grade reading and mathematics skills); high quality child-care environments (stimulating activity and nurturing as reflected in high quality parenting) and high quality first- grade classrooms (with a focus on literacy instruction, evaluative feedback, instructional conversation, and encouraging child responsibilities). Academic Performance Index (2010) revealed that academic performance is how students deal with their studies and responsibilities given to them by their teachers. Louis (2012) academic performance is the ability of students to obtain high grades and standard test scores in school courses, especially courses that are part of the core academiccurriculum.

Effect of Learning Environment on Student’s Academic Performance. There is no misgiving that student’s high-quality academic performance and outcomes is connected to the nature of learning environment and the available useful facilities. Various experiential studies have established that learning environment is a critical necessity for student’s academic achievement in Nigeria. The educational process of development occurs in physical, social, cultural and psychological environment which implies that a proper and adequate environment is very much necessary for a fruitful learning (Mudassir and Norsuhaily, 2015). High academic achieving learners are likely to have been exposed to curriculum content under an ideal learning environment. Hence the affirmation of the opinion of Shamaki,(2015) that “educational attainment/achievement is likely to be determined by the idealness of the learning environment”. Shamaki, (2015) conducted a study to determine the influence of learning environment on students’ academic achievement at senior secondary school level in Yobe state, Nigeria and found a significant difference between the mean performance of students taught in an ideal learning environment and that of students taught in a dull learning environment.Adamu (2015) examined the impact of learning environment on the Performance of Students in public secondary schools in Taraba State, Nigeria and the findings revealed a significant difference in the performances of the two groups (Experimental and Control) implying that a classroom building; class with adequate furniture; class with small class population and the use of instructional materials has positive impact on the performance of students in junior Secondary schools. In a related development, Mudassir and Norsuhaily, (2015) conducted a study to examine how school environment influence students’ academic performance in selected secondary schools within Kuala Terengganu. The result of the study indicated that students from a school with adequate facilities, good teachers and favorable environment perform better than those from schools with fewer facilities, unqualified teachers and less enabling environment. In another research by Duruji,Azuh and Oviasogie,(2014),which examines the impact of learning environment on students’ performance in external examination in secondary schools in Ota,Nigeria considering factors such as school facilities, class size, school location and school plant planning, aesthetics, maintenance culture, sanitation, conveniences. The study established that” the state of learning environment and quality of infrastructure, together with the extent to which they are being maintained has a strong bearing to academic performance among students”. Further more,Ezike,(2018) investigated classroom environment and students’ academic interest as correlates of achievement in Senior Secondary Chemistry students in selected Public Secondary Schools in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. The result showed significant relationships between classroom environment and academic achievement, while combined contribution of classroom environment and academic interest was equally significant. Gilavand (2016) in a study whose aim is to investigate the impact of environmental factors (schools' open space, noise, lighting and paintings in educational institutions) on learning and academic achievement of elementary students, found that environmental factors (appropriate coloring, lighting of educational environment and schools' open space) has impact on learning and academic achievement of elementary school students. Eimuhi and Ogedegbe (2016) in a research titled the effect of environmental factors in teaching and l earning in primary and secondary schools in Edo state of Nigeria examined environmental factors to determine the outcome of teaching and learning at all times and in all places and concludes that the more enriched the learning environments is, the greater and more widespread are the benefits for academic performance and other student outcomes. Similarly, Odeh, Oguche, and Ivagher, (2015) conducted a research whose main thrust is to investigate the influence of school environment on academic achievement of students in secondary schools. The results of the study indicate that school climate, discipline and physical facilities have significant influence on academic achievement of secondary school students in Benue State, Nigeria. This implies that schools that fail to provide the necessary learning facilities and create a conducive atmosphere for teaching and learning may hardly put in the best in their students especially in the area of academic achievement.

2.2 Theoretical Framework

Motivation Theory

Motivation is the force that initiates, guides and maintains goal-oriented behaviors. The forcesthat lie beneath motivation can be biological, social, emotional or cognitive in nature. There areseveral aspects of motivation theory such as instinct theory of motivation in which people aremotivated to behave in certain ways because they are evolutionarily programmed to do so. Anexample of this is the seasonal migration of animals; a behavior pattern that is inborn. There isalso the incentive theory of motivation that suggests that people are motivated to do things

because of external rewards such as monetary rewards. The drive theory of motivation also statesthat people are motivated to take certain actions in order to reduce the internal tension that iscaused by unmet needs. This theory is useful in explaining behaviors that have a strongbiological component, such as hunger or thirst. The problem with the drive theory of motivationis that these behaviors are not always motivated purely by physiological needs. For example,people often eat even when they are not really hungry. The humanistic theory of motivation isbased on the idea that people also have strong cognitive reasons to perform various actions(Winslow, 2012). The current study will apply humanistic and incentive aspects to determine the extent to which the two variables have a significant impact of pupils’ academic performance.

Hierarchy of Needs Theory

The motivation theory integrates well with Abraham Maslow’s of the hierarchy of needs.Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs presents different motivations at different levels. First,people are motivated to fulfill basic biological needs for food and shelter, as well as those ofsafety, love and esteem. Once the lower level needs have been met, the primary motivatorbecomes the need for self-actualization, or the desire to fulfill one's individual potentialThe hierarchy of needs theory posts that the needs at the bottom are the most urgent and need tobe satisfied before attention can be paid to the others. The following table shows Maslow'shierarchy of need categories:According to Maslow, lower needs such as physiological need take priority. They must befulfilled before the others are activated. It is pointless to worry about education if one is dying ofstarvation, or if life is threatened. There are some basic things that take precedence over all else.In the context of Kaiti Division it appears that physiological needs of pupils are unmet and thishas a negative impact on their academic performance because of their pre occupation with basicneeds such as shelter and food (Maslow,1943).

The Social Learning Theory

The social learning theory is a perspective that states that people learn within a social contextthat is facilitated through modeling and observation. People, especially children, learn from theenvironment and seek acceptance from society by learning through influential models. The socialbehaviour is also influenced by being rewarded and /or punished for these actions. This takes livemodel in which an actual person demonstrates the desired behaviour, verbal instruction in whichan individual describes the desired behaviour in detail and instructs the participant to engage inthe behavior, and symbolic modeling which occurs by means of the media, including movies,television, internet, literature, and radio.The most critical element of the social learning theory is that for pupils to learn they must payattention, retain what they have learnt; reproduce what they have learnt; and be well motivated.The theory will be applied to the area of study to determine these critical elements of successfullearning are operationalized and the extent to which parents and teachers are good models to thelearners (Bandura, 1977).