EFFECTS OF MOTIVATION ON STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFOMANCE IN MATHEMATICS IN LAGOS METROPOLIS

Abstract

This study examined the effects of motivation on students’ academic performance in Mathematics among selected 
secondary school students in Kosofe Local Government Area of Lagos State. The study sample comprised 100 
Senior Secondary School two (SSS2) students drawn from four secondary schools in the study area, through 
stratified random sampling technique. The study was guided by three hypotheses while it adopted a descriptive 
survey design. A 21-item self-designed questionnaire titled: Effect of Motivation on Academic Performance 
Questionnaire (EMAPQ) and Students’ Achievement Test (SAT) were used in the data collection. The instruments 
were validated and the reliability established through a pilot study with reliability coefficients of 0.76 and 0.74,
respectively. The formulated hypotheses were tested using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient, and 
t- test statistical tools at 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed motivation had a significant effect on 
students’ academic performance, there was a gender difference leading to motivation among secondary school 
students. Age was found not to have a significant effect in the motivation of academic performance among 
secondary school students. Based on the findings, it was recommended, among others, that both intrinsic and 
extrinsic motivation should be encouraged and be a part of the pedagogical practices in schools to serve as model 
of positive ways to motivate students to boost their performance in Mathematics. Students should be encouraged 
and showed all the necessary measures to ensure they stay motivated, monitored and assisted by teachers and 
parents towards good academic achievements and performance. There is need to design appropriate teaching 
and learning materials that will educate adolescents and parents about the potential benefits and draw backs on 
the need to motivate students in their studies.