TEACHERS’ DIGITAL ASSESSMENT COMPETENCE, PARENTAL EXPECTATIONS, AND CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION AS PREDICTORS OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENT IN MATHEMATICAL CONCEPTS IN PHYSICS IN ENUGU STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study investigated teachers’ digital assessment competence, parental expectations, and curriculum implementation as predictors of students’ achievement in mathematical concepts in Physics in Enugu State. The study adopted a predictive correlational research design. The population comprised 12,879 Senior Secondary II Physics students in public secondary schools in Enugu State. The sample size of 389 was used for the study. Data were collected using the Teachers’ Digital Assessment Competence Questionnaire (TDACQ), Parental Expectations Questionnaire (PEQ), Curriculum Implementation Questionnaire (CIQ), and Mathematical Concepts in Physics Achievement Test (MCPAT). The reliability coefficients of .91, .89, .87, and .93 were obtained for TDACQ, PEQ, CIQ, and MCPAT respectively. Data were analysed using simple and multiple linear regression. The findings revealed that teachers’ digital assessment competence significantly and positively predicted students’ achievement in mathematical concepts in Physics, accounting for 38.3% of the variance. Parental expectations also significantly and positively predicted students’ achievement, accounting for 28.0% of the variance. Curriculum implementation significantly and positively predicted students’ achievement, accounting for 40.0% of the variance. Furthermore, teachers’ digital assessment competence, parental expectations and curriculum implementation jointly significantly predicted students’ achievement, accounting for 60.7% of the variance. The study concluded that teachers’ digital assessment competence, parental expectations and curriculum implementation were important predictors of students’ achievement in mathematical concepts in Physics. It was recommended that education authorities should strengthen teachers’ digital assessment competence, promote supportive parental academic expectations and improve the effective implementation of the Physics curriculum to enhance students’ achievement.