THE IMPACT OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF OTM STUDENT IN POLYTECHNICS

1.1 Introduction

Environmental teaching and learning experiences are those relatively permanent changes that are expected to be acquired by the learners as result of adequate interactions with designed or undersigned environment so as to enable the learner(s) fit into the society. They are also employable, marketable and managerial experiences expected to be acquired by the learners as a result of interaction from the teaching and learning environments that will translate in meaningful business skills. Office Technology and Management (OTM) programme is one of the programme designed for polytechnics with teaching and learning environments.

As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.

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1.2 Background of Study

Over the year, it has been observed that environmental forces pose a great influence on the performance of students. The provision of adequate physical learning environmental like light, ventilation, flooring, noise reduction device to a great extent influence the performance of students if the classroom is not comfortable, it makes the students unhappy and induces mental strain, affect the mood, performance and productivity, which also affects the institutions adversely. Effective use of the windows, door an skylight will sore eye.

The availability of material resources for learning to a great extent influences the student's performance. Since the role of secretary has shifted from typing of documents and writing of shorthand and to that of managers and administrators in modern times. According to Ohakwe, Idih and Chukwumezie (2002), the secretarial profession has been revolution as a result of the as a result of the advancement in computer technology computer, according to Biglon and Holmes (1992), are designed to enable secretaries to speedily create, manipulate and produce text. This is one part of the wider field of information processing of which entails taking information doing something with it (that is processing it) and then presenting it in a suitable from at the right time, so that decision can be made through it by the relevant individual. The introduction computer in some schools especially in federal polytechnic Nekede, Owerri has posed a great challenge to every student not only secretarial students.

Specially, the school management has a great role in the performance of the learning of secretarial student by making the academic calendar convenient for student's provision of adequate learning material for students to facilities their performance. The management should have exact number of students to be admitted in over to have adequate and proper materials for learning. If students were over populated in class and there were no enough materials for learning. It will have effect over their performance.

However, it has been notice that some lecturers are not being fixed at the appropriate time. In arranging for lecturers time table, human resources should be considered by knowing that human beings at any point in time gets to their saturated point when some lecturers are being fixed at the time. Definitely the students can never comprehend and it would have effect over their performance.

Therefore, in Imo State where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Impact of Environmental Resources on Academic Performance of Office Technology and Management Student in Polytechnics.

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1.3 Statement of Problems

The down turn of the national economy, has affected all areas of public and private establishments both in service they rendered to humanity and profit made the organization. Employers demand productivity from workers but the necessary materials needed for effective performance is lacking. That is why the out put level expected from workers drop day in day out. Furthermore, employers should also work into the logistics and welfare of workers if actually the need for greater productivity should be attained.

The rate at which we experience deterioration of study environment is so alarming. This has become a major problem to students, staffs and management of the institution. It has been noted that most secretarial students study in an environment that lack the necessary amenities and conditions such as good lighting systems proper ventilations, comfortable furniture, good human relation and good leadership style. These identities problems constitute the physical, social and management provokes and student learning environment, which if not adequate provided for, affect the performance of secretarial students.

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1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study

The aim of the study is to scrutinize the Impact of Environmental Resources on Academic Performance of Office Technology and Management Student in Polytechnics in Imo State. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:

1. To examine the impact of environmental resources on student academic performance.
2. To evaluate the extent to which the average students responds to good working environmental resource.
3. To measure or determine what constitutes good work environmental resource
4. To analyze true effect imposed by poor environmental resources on Academic Performance of Office Technology and Management Student.

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1.5 Research Questions

The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:

• What is the impact of environmental resources on student academic performance?
• To what extent does the average worker respond to good working environmental resources?
• What in your opinion constitutes good work environmental resources?
• What are the dangers imposed by poor work environmental resources on Academic Performance of Office Technology and Management Student?
• Is there any relationship between school environmental resources and the student academic performance?

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1.6 Research Hypothesis

In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.

Hypothesis One

• H0: There is no significant difference between the mean responses of group A students and group B students on the level of solutions to challenges of environmental resources on OTM student academic performance
• H1: There is significant difference between the mean responses of group A students and group B students on the level of solutions to challenges of environmental resources on OTM student academic performance

Hypothesis Two

• H0: Environmental Resources does not a significant impact Office Technology and Management Student Academic Performance in Polytechnics in Imo State
• H1: Environmental Resources has a significant impact Office Technology and Management Student Academic Performance in Polytechnics in Imo State

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1.7 Significance of Study

This research work intends to help organizations know how to make secretaries easy to handle by providing them with all the necessary materials and good work environment to be able to be commutated to its organization and all same time satisfy their individual needs. This research will also be of immense value to future researchers conducting similar studies on work environment effects on secretary productivity on other closely related subjects.

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1.8 Scope of Study

The study focuses on the Impact of Environmental Resources on Academic Performance of Office Technology and Management Student in Polytechnics in Imo State.

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1.9 Limitations of the Study

During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:

1. Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
2. Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
3. Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
4. Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

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1.10 Definition of Terms

Academy: A school or college for special training.

Student: The word “Student” means any person who is ready to learn and engage in learning activities.

Environment: Environment can be seen as the totality of the natural and artificial (manmade) phenomenon having direct and

Learning: Learning is basically a process of adapting to and improving the environment. What is learned can be measured either by those things that we observe in the behaviour of the individual.

Performance: Is the act of performing a play, concert or some other form of entertainment.