Motivational Predictors of Tenth Graders’ Academic Achievement in Harari Secondary Schools

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to examine the effects of intrinsic predictors, teaching style, and extrinsic predictors and challenges of male and female 10th graders’ academic achievement in Harari National Regional state. The population of the study were students from Abadir secondary school, Shakib secondary school, and Harari senior secondary schools. The samples (n = 104) were selected using cluster sampling technique from eight secondary schools in the region. Reliability tests indicated acceptable coefficients (0.72, 0.85 and 0.82) for the three domains of the questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. The findings show that student-centered teaching approach is the most robust predictor of academic success. Some of the variables in the study indicated poor predictive power, some indicated moderate, and others showed high predictive power over students’ academic achievement. The findings are insightful in that they reveal why some students succeed in tasks, why some give up easily, and why some other students persist. It is recommended that teachers adopt a learner/student-centered teaching method to enable their students to develop self-sustaining approach in order to maintain a lifelong enthusiasm for their future learning. The findings have implications for curriculum experts who can transform their routine approach to general education curricula in such a way as to inspire and change students’ personal, moral, emotional, psychological and behavioural adjustments towards academic success.