Abstract

This work was carried out to investigate the effects of teachers’ expectations on the social development of students in the Buea municipality.

The work started by laying a foundation or background as to what was to be covered. Some literature relating to the subject was review and a research method was developed.

The research continued by sampling forty teachers from the following Government and Private Secondary Schools: Government High School Buea Rural Bokova, Government Bilingual High School Muea, Frankfils Comprehensive High School Buea, and Inter Comprehensive High School Buea to complete 40 questionnaires. The questionnaire items when analyzed were used to answer the research questions. The research questions were aimed at finding out if the teachers’ expectations have an effect on the students’ social development.

Summarily, it was concluded based on the findings that the teachers’ expectations have an effect on the social development of the student.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the study

This study is meant to bring out the effects of teacher’s expectations on the social development of students in Buea municipality in the South West Region. The study will be carried out by looking at the main aspects that are immediately concerned with the teachers’ expectations and even those which are not of immediate importance but are also worth taking into consideration with the teachers’ expectations.

Expectation will anticipate and trigger the expected academic and social development achievements which are expected from the students and which is the goal, objective and desire of who has willingly sought the path of education in any school.

However, the effects of the teachers’ expectation on the social development of students are not easily obtained. The route of this can be brazed down to the teachers and students thus bringing to the surface the main idea behind this study.

Education is very important and this can be seen in the increase in enrolment into the various schools (nursery, primary, secondary and universities) around us. Students have a role to play as well as teachers if each of them has to achieve his/her objectives each year. The role of the student is to attend classes, take notes, do more research (for those students who are at a high level of education) to supplement notes, read, take exams and pass them in brief.

There are factors that increase student learning and studying habits as well as those that act as obstacles to both students and teachers. All these issues and more make up the center of interest of this study.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

It has been observed over the years of an increase in enrolment in schools due to the desire portrayed by parents sending their children to school to be educated. However, not all or many students reach the expected standard of academic success that has been set. With facilities like the classroom, libraries, computer information technology center (I.T.C.), canteens, and many other facilities which are put at the disposal of the students to see to it that the students meet the expected standards, which have been set by the government or better still the school authorities and the nation as a whole but we discover that the students still lack in many areas. As declared by many scholars, social development plays a very important role as the fulfillment of the students’ destiny is concerned.

It is very clear that a positive social development culture and the right teacher’s expectation is of prime importance in achieving good social development. It is therefore important to investigate the prevailing effects of teachers’ expectations on the social development of the student.

Purpose of the Study

Main Research objective

The main purpose or objective of this study is to find out the effects of teachers’ expectations on the social development of students in the Buea municipality, in the light of three complementary hypotheses.

Student achievement may confirm teacher expectations because these expectations create self-fulfilling prophecies, create perceptual biases, or accurately predict,  without influencing student achievement  (Jussim,  1989).

Major Research Question

How do teachers’ expectations have an effect on the students’ social development?

Specific Research Questions

1. To investigate the extent to which the self-fulfilling prophecy affects the students’ social development?
2. To find out the extent to which perceptual biases affect students’ social development?
3. To find out how do interpersonal skills affect students’ social development?