The Relationship between Students’ Attitudes towards Social Studies and Their Academic Performance in Colleges of Education in Benue State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study investigated the relationship between students’ attitudes towards Social Studies and their academic performance in colleges of education in Benue State, Nigeria. Guided by two specific purposes and two research questions, employed a correlational research design with a population of 900 students, from which 300 students were selected using stratified random sampling across three colleges. Data were obtained through the Students’ Attitude towards Social Studies Questionnaire (SATSSQ) and Students' Academic Performance Scores (SAPS). The instruments were validated by experts in Social Studies, and Measurement and Evaluation. The reliability of the SATSSQ was determined using Cronbach's Alpha reliability coefficient method. The Findings reveal among others that there was a significant negative correlation (r = -0.62, p < 0.05) between students’ attitudes and their academic performance. Also, Students’ attitudes account for 38% of the variation in their performance, suggesting that attitude plays a critical role in learning outcomes. The study recommends implementing learner-centered teaching, strengthening guidance and counseling, providing academic support, revising the curriculum for relevance, enhancing lecturer professional development, and establishing institutional reward systems to improve students’ attitudes and performance in Social Studies.