Environmental Factors And Students’ Learning Experiences In Schools Of Midwifery, Akwa Ibom State.

Environmental Factors And Students’ Learning Experiences In Schools Of Midwifery, Akwa Ibom State. 

Chapter One

Background of the Study

Learning experiences refers to any interaction, course, program or any activities in which learning takes place whether it occurs in traditional academic setting (schools, classrooms) or non-traditional setting (outside of school locations, outdoor environments) or whether it includes traditional educational interactions (students learning from teachers and professors) or non traditional interactions (students learning through games and interactive software applications) (McGuffey, 2013). Learning experience in midwifery is a series of planned activities that would prepare the student midwives technically and professionally. Generally, at the core of every form of learning process, the perceptual field of he learner and his environment remains the determining factor of his/her learning experience in either her performance or achievement or both. The central truth of a learner’s perceptual field therefore indicates a system of attitude, feeling and perception vis-à-vis and his school environment (Rohwer & B-Hower, 2012).

Environment refers to anything external to the perceiver which influences the perception and cognitive process of an individual. Benson (2010), described environment as the physical, biological, psychological and social surrounding of an individual. Zimbardo (2009), stated that the importance of an appropriate visual environment for learning task deserves consideration and that the visual environment affects a learner’s ability to perceive visual stimuli and his or her mental attitude and performance.

The tone of any educational institution depends largely on the level of motivation of students and teacher’s teaching styles. Edem (2009) explained that “intelligent is not the only determinant of academic achievement and that high level of motivation of students have consistently been linked to reduce dropout rate and increase level of student success. He also added that, development of academic motivation in student is an important goal for educators because of its inherent important for future motivation as well as for student’s effective school functioning.

Environmental factors such as the classroom, libraries laboratories, teacher’s quality, school management, teaching methods, Basic social amenities, peers etc. are essential in teaching and learning process. The extent to which students’ learning could be enhanced depends on the structure and size of their classroom, availability of instructional materials, adequate lighting and staff-student ratio it is believe that a well planned school will gear up expected outcome of education that will facilitates good social, political and economic emancipation effective teaching and learning process. William (2008), reported that “safe and orderly classroom and school facilities where significantly related to students’ performance in school”. Therefore a comfortable school environment contributes to students’ academic performance. Beyond the direct influence of school facilities, ability to learn, frustrating behaviour by students including poor concentration, lethargy or apathy and uninviting workplace create a stressful set of working conditions for teachers and because stress and job dissatisfaction are common precursors, it reduces the teacher’s enthusiasm.

The foregoing discussion had established the factors such as:- instructional materials, class size, adequate lighting, Accommodation, water supply, standard library etc influencing students’ learning experiences. It is against this background that this work is being undertaken to investigate the possible effect of these environmental factors on students’ learning experiences in schools of midwifery in Akwa Ibom State.

Statement of Problem

A clean, quiet, safe, comfortable, fully equipped and healthy school environment are important component to achieve a positive learning experience which result in excellent academic performance. A situation where these components are absent or not adequate influences the learning processes which in turn affect the performance of student adversely.

Oluchukwu (2009), asserted that school environment is an essential aspect of educational planning, he further explained that unless schools are well sited, buildings properly structured, library well equipped good light supply, adequate hostel accommodation and they are maintained learning may not take place.

In Schools of Midwifery in Akwa Ibom State, environmental factors such as adequate water supply hostel accommodation, availability of instructional material and a conducive school environment influence learning and learning process. Like in School of Midwifery, Anua where the researcher studies the classroom and the students hostel is almost taken over by a ravine, more so, there is no constant power and water supply in the school, making the school environment unconducive for learning to occur. These also cause the students to lack concentration in academic activities resulting in poor academic performance.

This gave the researcher concern to engage in the study to ascertain the relationship between Environmental factors and students’ learning Experiences in Schools of Midwifery in Akwa Ibom State.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between Environmental factors and students’ learning experiences in Schools of Midwifery, Akwa Ibom State.

Specific Objective of the Study

To ascertain the relationship between constant electricity supply and students learning experiences in schools of midwifery in Akwa Ibom State.

To assess the relationship between adequate water supply and students’ learning experience in schools of midwifery in Akwa Ibom State.

To determine the relationship between a conducive hostel accommodation and students learning experience in schools of midwifery in Akwa Ibom State.

Research Questions

What is the relationship between constant electricity supply and students learning experiences in schools of midwifery in Akwa Ibom State.

What is the relationship between adequate water supply and students learning experience in schools of midwifery in Akwa Ibom State.

What is the relationship between a conducive hostel accommodation and students’ learning experience in schools of midwifery in Akwa Ibom State.

Significance of the Study

This study will be of benefits to the following people:-

The School Authority: It will help the authority in providing a conducive environment that will aid in learning and learning process.

The Government: It will enlighten the government on the need to provide school with basic facilities to enhance learning process.

Future Researchers: It will serve as a reference point in the future for other researcher.

Scope of the Study

This study covers all student midwives from part one to part three currently studying in School of Midwifery Anua and Ituk Mbang in Akwa Ibom State.

Operational Definitions of Terms

Environmental Factors: They are those things which contribute to the students learning process and academic performance e.g adequate water supply, power supply, hostel accommodation etc.

Students: Individuals trained to acquire knowledge and skill in caring for pregnant women and her family in a standardized School of Midwifery.

Learning Experience: These are events that a student encounter during learning process which may alter or contribute to the students’ knowledge or skills acauisition.

School of Midwifery: It is a health institution where student midwives are trained to develop skills in the care of a woman from the period of conception till delivery, care of the baby and the family.