EXTERNAL EXAMINATION RESULTS AS PREDICTORS OF DEGREE PERFORMANCE AMONG PHYSICS EDUCATION STUDENTS IN UNIVERSITIES IN SOUTH-EAST NIGERIA

Abstract

The study investigated external examination results as predictors of degree performance among Physics Education students in universities in South-East Nigeria. The study was guidedby two research questions and two hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. Correlational research design was adopted for the study. Simple random and purposive sampling techniques were used to select 84 graduated Physics students selected from a population of 254 Physics education students from Departments of Science Education in Public Universities in South-East Nigeria during 2023/2024 session. The instruments for data collection were students' SSCE Physics scores and Final Cumulative Grade Point Average (FCGPA) obtained from academic records in the offices of directors of examinations and records of the sampled institutions. Standardized instruments were used. Data were analysed using simple linear regression analysis. To answer the research questions, R², which is the coefficient of determination was used. The hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that there is a moderate predictive value of external examination results on Physics graduates’ degree performance. Also, male students showed slightly stronger predictive relationships compared to female students. It was concluded that students’ external examination results in Physics are important predictors of graduates’ degree results in Physics education programmes. It was recommended amongst others that Universities offering Physics education programmes in the South-East should continue to give considerable weight to SSCE Physics results during admission and student placement, as these results have been shown to be significant predictors of their graduates’ degree performance.