COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE STUDENTS PERFORMANCE IN MASSED AND SPACED LEARNING OF ECONOMICS IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title page – – – – – – – – – i
Declaration – – – – – – – – – ii
Dedication – – – – – – – – – iii
Acknowledgement – – – – – – – iv
Certification – – – – – – – – v
Table of contents – – – – – – – – vi
Abstract – – – – – – – – – vii
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study – – – – – – 1
1.2 Statement of the problem – – – – – 3
1.3 Objective of the study – – – – – – 4
1.4 Significance of the study – – – – – – 5
1.5 Research Questions – – – – – – 6
1.6 Basic Assumption – – – – – – 7
1.7 Scope of the study – – – – – – 7
1.8 Definition of terms – – – – – – 8
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
2.1 Introduction – – – – – – – 10
2.2 Literature review – – – – – – – 11
2.3 Causes of massed and spaced learning in senior
Secondary schools – – – – – – 16
2.4 Consequence of massed and spaced learning of
Economics in Senior Secondary Schools – – – 19
2.5 Summary of literature reviews – – – – – 20
CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY
3.1 Introduction – – – – – – – 21
3.2 Research Design – – – – – – – 21
3.3 Population of the Study – – – – – – 21
3.4 Sample of the study – – – – – – 22
3.5 Instruments used in the study – – – – – 22
3.6 Method of Data Collection – – – – – 23
3.7 Method of Data Analysis – – – – – 24
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
4.1 Presentation of data – – – – – – 25
4.2 Analysis of Research Questions – – – – 25
4.3 Testing of Hypothesis – – – – – – 34
4.4 Discussion of results – – – – – – 37
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
5.1 Summary – – – – – – – – 40
5.2 Conclusion – – – – – – – – 41
5.3 Recommendation – – – – – – – 43
5.4 Limitation of the study – – – – – 44
5.5 Suggestions for further studies – – – – 46
References – – – – – – – – 47 Appendix – – – – – – – – 48

ABSTRACT
This projects a Comparative Study of the Students Performance in Massed and Spaced Learning of Economic in Senior Secondary School in Jema’a Local Government Area in Kaduna State. This was made up of four secondary schools with total population of 200 SSII students consisting of 100 males and females students each. The sample of this study consisted of 160 SSII students consisting of 80 males and females students each. The method of selection was by simple random sampling techniques the instrument used to generate the data was questionnaire, one hypothesis were tested while the data collected were analyzed using t-test for independent sample or unrelated sample. The result of analysis shows that massed learning in teaching economics makes the students involves in the teaching, discussion fully and the teacher will be a guide. The result also shows that space learning enable the teacher to known the ability of the students in subject area. The findings revealed that time dependence of comprehension is strongly related to the spacing effects. This is due to the fact that the level of comprehension also depends on factors influencing achievements. There was every indication that the spacing of learning is a dominant factor for both comprehension and achievement in economics. It was recommended that most of the teachers that practice massed learning do so with the impression of making quick money, because of the poor and only survival salaries and wages they received, the point here is that there is need for good salaries structures which would do away with such sharp practice. It was also recommended that, teachers who teach in Senior Secondary Schools should re-double the effort in teaching the subject by adhering to the teaching using the periods allocated to them sequentially and obtained from massed learning which bring about low performance in our Senior Secondary Schools.

CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Teachers who teach economics in senior secondary school are often confronted with challenges of student’s performance.
There had been controversy as to which of the learning process is more and yield good result between the comparative study of students performance in massed and spaced learning in senior secondary schools some Educationists are of the idea that massed learning makes students to perform better than spaced learning while others scholars advanced that spaced learning yield the best result.
The senior secondary education in Nigeria is the pivot of the entire educational system. It is the bridge between primary education and tertiary institutions. It is the most critical period of any individuals, so that whatever one is today is the off shut of the secondary school education. That is why the federal government and state the broad aims of secondary education in the National Policy on education preparation as for useful living within the society and for education that is the (FGN 2004)
According to Abbass (1989) Education means more than just kids into schools. It involves training with morality that can be transmitted as well of the subject matter they are going to teach, for effective and conducive leaning in the senior secondary school for students to achieve academically; factors such as environment, classroom condition, and social interaction and so on.
Fafunwa (1974) opined that the type of school of a child attain would invariably have effect on his/her academic achievement.
Learning as we can see the background of an developed nation of the world, is the fundamental key to the growth a country without a good learning process can be as good as dead in other words have no perspective or no potentialities of development learning therefore, is the process of gaining knowledge skills by studies experience it is though people being taught and also observation.
Comparative is judging between two happenings it is again this background that, there is need for research on the topic comparative study of student’s performance in spaced and massed learning in senior secondary schools in order to find out which out of the two yields the best result.
Supporters of massed learning are of view that massed students perform better academically more than spaced learning students and back up with the following point as:
i. Some students like crowed environment when learning is taking place.
ii. There is motivation in massed learning; it made learners to develop the spirit of competition.
iii. Students like situation in which they are mixed while, supporters of spaced learning are also on the bases and assumption that:
a. Learning is an individual activity
b. Learning only takes place in a good environment and only happens at a fixed time.
Study on student’s performance in massed and spaced learning in some selected senor secondary school in Jema’a Local Government Area in Kaduna State. In order to find out which learning process yield the best result.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
There are many factors responsible for the failing standard of performance of students in massed and spaced learning of Economics in senior secondary schools. It is very important to highlight some of the factors responsible for learning ineffectiveness in massed and spaced learning.
In Nigeria, Ore emphasis is on wealth the volume of wealth determines who you are in the society. Much more, some people want to be recaptures, be classified in the class of wealthy millionaires in the society, even though, they have not worked had to accumulate.
In massed learning the teacher only try to see that the task of teaching is accomplish proper consideration of student to benefit from his lecture is not taking care of. But instead, such teacher will go to their computer centers, trading stores buying and selling centers.
There is low rate of supervision of such staffs. This lead to poor performance in senior secondary school certificate (SSCE) and also NECO Examination.
1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The main objective of embarking on this research is in relation to which of the methods between massed and spaced learning will yield better result in student performance in senior secondary school. Not only this but also the determine the learning errors discrepancies and possible provide solution to such sharp practice.
i. Are the staff who engaged in such sharp practices salaries too poor to earn them a living?
ii. Do they only want to have time for their business centers?
iii. Do they only want to have more pleasure time and made funs with their friends?
It is also the desire and intention of the researcher that the funding of his research work should use by the education sector which of the method will come out with better performance is it massed or spaced learning.
However, it is my sincere believe that two methods will not be the same. The educational sector needs to choose one which will be better than the other after research finding.
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
In every research there are some significance importance why the research work is being carried out it is to bring out a clear picture of the research.
This research when completed will help:
i. To control ineffectiveness of teaching process.
ii. The competency of the learning process.
iii. Period supervision of staffs of the two methods.
iv. It will also serve as a means of evaluating students of massed and spaced learning.
v. The outcome of the project is to serve as an eye opener to those that use the two method of learning.
vi. It will also help students to dismiss fear and anxieties who feel that both, spaced and massed learning have too much negative in the learning process.
1.5 RESEARH QUESTIONS
The researcher raises the following research questions to guide the study:
1. What is the significant of the students performance in massed learning of Economics in Senior Secondary Schools?
2. What is the significant of the students performance in spaced learning of Economics in senior secondary schools?
3. What are the effects of the students performance in massed learning of Economics in senior secondary schools?
4. What are the effects of the students performance in spaced learning of Economics in senior secondary schools?
1.6 BASIC ASSUMPTIONS
There are some of the basic assumptions for the research.
i. All students of massed and spaced learning operate the same syllabus.
ii. Both students on massed and spaced learning come from a similar socio – economic background.
iii. Both learn in a similar condition.
iv. The teachers and resources are evenly distributed among all schools.
v. Students achieve equally when exposed to the same learning environment.
vi. All students sit for the same examination at a particular period within a specific time.
vii. All examinations are supervised and any malpractice is discouraged.
1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The scope of this research is to identify the comparative study of massed and spaced learning of economic in senior secondary school.

1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS
All the terms used in this study have conventional implication that should be read and understood below:
i. Comparative: Is to judge between happening or connecting with studying things to fine out how similar or difference they are; that is comparing of two aspects.
ii. Learning: Is the process of gaining knowledge, skill by all studies experience through people or being taught to something through observation or information and accidentally.
iii. Performance: Is how well or badly one or a group does or the act or a process that involve effort or trouble example of the children in the school.
iv. Massed Learning: Is the study or learning of a lot of information over one big period of time or the aspect of teaching a large crowed of people in a class or hall. It could also be the grouping learners into groups so that the teacher fines the instruction within specific time.
v. Spaced learning: Is learning or studying information in intervals in time or it is aspect of instruction in which the teacher observed proper time in teaching students. Gab is given to learners to learn.
vi. Economics: Different experts define economic as:
a. Economics can be defined as “A study of mankind in the ordinary business of life”
b. Economics define as “Inquiry into the nature and cause of wealth of nations”
c. Economics looked as “The science that treats phenomena from the stand point of price”
d. Economics can be defined as “The science which studies human behavior as a relationship between ends and scarce means which have alternative uses”

CHA