Teacher Support and Students’ Academic Resilience in Universal Secondary Education Schools in Luwero District, Uganda
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53449/ije.v7i2.364Keywords:
academic resilience, accessibility, investment, positive regard, teacher supportAbstract
This study investigated the impact of teacher support on students' academic resilience in Universal Secondary Education schools in Luwero district, Uganda. Specifically, the study examined whether teacher investment of effort, positive regard, and accessibility significantly influenced students' academic resilience, defined as perseverance, help-seeking, and positive affect. Using a quantitative approach and correlational research design, the study surveyed 324 students selected through simple random sampling. Data collection employed a self-administered questionnaire, and analysis involved structural equation modelling (SEM) using SmartPLS. The results revealed that teacher investment of effort, positive regard, and accessibility had a positive and statistically significant impact on students' academic resilience. The findings suggest that teacher support, particularly positive regard, followed by investment of effort and accessibility, fosters students' academic resilience. The study recommends that head teachers sensitise teachers to provide comprehensive support by creating a supportive learning environment that involves being invested in students' academics, accessible, and showing positive regard. This study's practical contribution lies in demonstrating how teacher support can promote students' resilience, providing valuable insights for educators and policymakers.
Downloads
References
Agasisti, T., Avvisati, F., Borgonovi, F., & Longobardi, S. (2018). Academic resilience: What schools and countries do to help disadvantaged students succeed in PISA. OECD Education Working Papers No. 167. https://dx.doi.org/10.1787/e22490ac-en
Alt, D. (2015). Assessing the contribution of a constructivist learning environment to academic self-efficacy in higher education. Learning Environments Research, 18, 47-67. https:// doi.org/10.1007/s10984-015-9174-5
Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., & Anderson, R. E. (2010). Multivariate data analysis: A global perspective. Pearson.
Bouchrika, I. (2023, July 23). High school dropout rate is decreasing but race, income and disability issues persist. Research.com. https://research.com/education/high-school-drop out-rate
Bowlby, J. (1969). Attachment and loss. Attachment (Vol. 1). New York: Basic Books.
Cassidy, S. (2016). The Academic Resilience Scale (ARS-30): A new multidimensional construct measure. Frontiers in psychology, 7, 1787. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016. 01787
Chisholm-Burns, M. A., Spivey, C. A., Sherwin, E., Williams, J., & Phelps, S. (2019). Development of an instrument to measure academic resilience among pharmacy students. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 83(6). https://doi.org/10.568 8/ajpe6896
Dagar, V., & Yadav, A. (2016). Constructivism: A paradigm for teaching and learning. Arts and Social Sciences Journal, 7(4), 1-4. http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2151-6200.1000200
Duby, Z., Jonas, K., Bunce, B., Bergh, K., Maruping, K., Fowler, C., ... & Mathews, C. (2022, March). Navigating education in the context of COVID-19 lockdowns and school closures: challenges and resilience among adolescent girls and young women in South Africa. Frontiers in Education, 7, 856610. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2022.856610
Fathiyah, K. N., Alsa, A., & Setiyawati, D. (2019). Psychometric characteristic of positive affect scale within the academic setting. REID (Research and Evaluation in Education), 5(2), 120-129. https://doi.org/10.21831/reid.v5i2.25992
Fawole, O. I., Balogun, O. D., & Olaleye, O. (2018) Experience of gender-based violence to students in public and private secondary schools in Ilorin, Nigeria. Ghana Medical Journal, 52(2), 66-73. https://doi.org/10.4314/gmj.v52i2.1
Fru-Ngongban, A. C. (2023). The impact of resilience on students’ academic achievement: case study of secondary school students. Journal Transnational Universal Studies, 1(5), 206-213.
Hair Jr, J. F., Howard, M. C., & Nitzl, C. (2020). Assessing measurement model quality in PLS-SEM using confirmatory composite analysis. Journal of business research, 109, 101-110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.11.069
Hair, J., & Alamer, A. (2022). Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) in second language and education research: Guidelines using an applied example. Research Methods in Applied Linguistics, 1(3), 100027. https://doi.org/10.1016 /j.rmal.2022.100027
Idowu, A., Aremu, A. O., Olumide, A., & Ogunlaja, A. O. (2018). Substance abuse among students in selected secondary schools of an urban community of Oyo-state, South West Nigeria: Implication for policy action. African health sciences, 18(3), 776-785. https://doi.org/10.4314/ahs.v18i3.36
Kelly, A & Ireri, A. M. (2022). Academic resilience and self-efficacy as predictors of academic achievement among form three students in Trans-Nzoia County, Kenya. Journal of Popular Education in Africa, 6(6), 92-108.
King, A. L. (2014). Success against all odds lessons learned from successful, impoverished students (A PhD Thesis, Liberty University). https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/ viewcontent.cgi?article=1491&context=honors
Krejcie, R. V., & Morgan, D. W. (1970). Determining sample size for research activities. Educational and psychological measurement, 30(3), 607-610. https://doi.org /10.1177/001316447003000308
Kwarikunda, D., Gladys, N., Muwonge, C. M., SSenyonga, J., & Schiefele, U. (2023). Adjusting to and thriving in a new school: Role of students’ expectations, educational attitudes, and resilience during secondary school transition. International Journal of School & Educational Psychology, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1080/21683603.2023.2170939
Ma, Q. (2021). The role of teacher autonomy support on students’ academic engagement and resilience. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 778581. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.778581
Marcoulides, K. M., & Raykov, T. (2019). Evaluation of variance inflation factors in regression models using latent variable modelling methods. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 79(5), 874-882. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013164418817803
Martin, A. J., Burns, E. C., Collie, R. J., Cutmore, M., MacLeod, S., & Donlevy, V. (2022). The role of engagement in immigrant students’ academic resilience. Learning and Instruction, 82, 101650. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2022.101650
Metheny, J., McWhirter, E. H., & O'Neil, M. E. (2008). Measuring perceived teacher support and its influence on adolescent career development. Journal of Career Assessment, 16(2), 218-237. https://doi.org/10.1177/1069072707313198
Mu, G. M., Hu, Y., & Wang, Y. (2017). Building resilience of students with disabilities in China: The role of inclusive education teachers. Teaching and Teacher Education, 67, 125-134. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2017.06.004
Mugizi, W., Ampeire, K. H., & Kemeri, J., B. (2022). Headteachers' leadership practices and students’ discipline in government aided secondary schools in Bushenyi- Ishaka Municipality, Uganda. Interdisciplinary Journal of Education Research, 4, 44-59. https://doi.org/10.51986/ijer-2022.vol4.04
Mwangi, C. N., Ireri, A. M., & Mwaniki, E. W. (2017). Correlates of academic resilience among secondary school students in Kiambu County, Kenya. Interdisciplinary Education and Psychology, 1(1), 4. https://doi.org/10.31532/InterdiscipEducPsychol.1.1.004
Nabugoomu, J. (2019). School dropout in rural Uganda: Stakeholder perceptions on contributing factors and solutions. Education Journal, 8(8), 185-195. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.edu. 20190805. 13
Nagitta, D. (2024, January 12). Suubi packs first-class degree into trolled metallic suitcase, lands “juicy job”. Daily Monitor. https://www-monitor-co-ug.webpkgcache.com/doc/-/s/www. monitor.co.ug/uganda/news
Nečasová, L. (2021). The resilience of high school students, analysis of compensatory measures, and preferred strategies for coping with adverse situations. Sociální pedagogika| Social Education, 9(1), 54-65. https://doi.org/10.7441/soced.2021.09.01.04
Oketch, M. (2020, March 22). Survey on secondary school dropouts in Uganda launched. Daily Monitor. https://www.monitor.co.ug
Payakachat, N., Gubbins, P. O., Ragland, D., Norman, S. E., Flowers, S. K., Stowe, C. D., ... & Hastings, J. K. (2013). Academic help-seeking behavior among student pharmacists. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 77(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/ 10.5688/ajpe7717
Permatasari, N., Rahmatillah Ashari, F., & Ismail, N. (2021). Contribution of perceived social support (peer, family, and teacher) to academic resilience during covid-19. Golden Ratio of Social Science and Education, 1(1), 01–12. https://doi.org/10.52970/grSSe.v1i1.94
Radhamani, K., & Kalaivani, D. (2021). Academic resilience among students: A review of literature. International Journal of Research and Review, 8(6), 360-369. http://dx. doi.org/10.52403/ijrr.20210646
Romano, L., Angelini, G., Consiglio, P., & Fiorilli, C. (2021). Academic resilience and engagement in high school students: The mediating role of perceived teacher emotional support. European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education, 11(2), 334-344. https://doi.org/10.3390/ejihpe11020025
Rosenberg, H., Ophir, Y., & Asterhan, C. S. (2018). A virtual safe zone: Teachers supporting teenage student resilience through social media in times of war. Teaching and Teacher Education, 73, 35-42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2018.03.011
Rutter, M. (1964). Intelligence and childhood psychiatric disorder. British Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 3(2), 120-129. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2044-8260.1964.tb00414.x
Sandoval-Hernández, A., & Białowolski, P. (2016). Factors and conditions promoting academic resilience: A TIMSS-based analysis of five Asian education systems. Asia Pacific Education Review, 17(3), 511-520. https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12564-016-9447-4
Sattler, K., & Gershoff, E. (2019). Thresholds of resilience and within-and cross-domain academic achievement among children in poverty. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 46, 87-96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2018.04.003
Sefa-Nyarko, C., Kyei, P., & Mwambari, D. (2018). Transitions from primary to lower secondary school: A focus on equity. Paper submitted to Mastercard Foundation. https://mastercardfdn.org
Shrestha, N. (2021). Factor analysis as a tool for survey analysis. American Journal of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, 9(1), 4-11. doi:10.12691/ajams-9-1-2
Siedlecki, S. L. (2020). Understanding descriptive research designs and methods. Clinical Nurse Specialist, 34(1), 8-12. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/nur.0000000000000493
Stapleton, L., & Stefaniak, J. (2019). Cognitive constructivism: Revisiting Jerome Bruner’s influence on instructional design practices. TechTrends, 63, 4-5. https://doi.org/10.1007/ s11528-018-0356-8
Sürücü, L., & Maslakçı, A. (2020). Validity and reliability in quantitative research. Business & Management Studies: An International Journal, 8(3), 2694-2726. http://dx.doi.org/ 10.15295/bmij.v8i3.1540
Ulmanen, S., Rautanen, P., Soini, T., Pietarinen, J., & Pyhältö, K. (2023). How do teacher support trajectories influence primary and lower-secondary school students’ study well-being. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1142469. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1142469
Wang, M. C., & Gordon, E. W. [Eds.]. (1994). Educational resilience in inner-city America: Challenges and prospects. New York: Routledge Taylor and Francis Group.
Wang, W. L., & Kuo, C. Y. (2019). Relationships among teachers’ positive discipline, students’ well-being and teachers’ effective teaching: A study of special education teachers and adolescent students with learning disabilities in Taiwan. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 66(1), 82-98. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10349 12X.2018.1441978
Werner, E. E., & Smith, R. S. (1992). Overcoming the odds: High risk children from birth to adulthood. London: Cornell University Press.
Wong, T. K., Tao, X., & Konishi, C. (2018). Teacher support in learning: Instrumental and appraisal support in relation to math achievement. Issues in Educational Research, 28(1), 202-219.
Yu, R., & Singh, K. (2018). Teacher support, instructional practices, student motivation, and mathematics achievement in high school. The Journal of Educational Research, 111(1), 81-94. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220671.2016.1204260
Zheng, F. (2022). Fostering students’ well-being: The mediating role of teacher interpersonal behavior and student-teacher relationships. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 796728. https://doi.org/10.3389%2Ffpsyg.2021.796728
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Justine Nansamba, Wilson Mugizi, Joseph Rwothumio, Joshua Kimata Kato
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
