Factors influencing students’ performance in the computer fundamentals course in tertiary Institutions in Uganda: A case of YMCA Comprehensive Institute, Kampala.

Abstract

The study was about the factors influencing students’ performance in computer fundamentals course at YMCA Comprehensive Institute. The concern of the researcher was that according to the available UNEB computer results, the performance in Computer Fundamentals Course in UNEB business Education Examinations of 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 revealed great upward trend of failure rate thus, warranting an investigation into the causes of such poor performance. The study was based on three objectives, that is, to find out the relationship between students’ background and their performance, to assess the influence of the teaching- learning-facilities on the performance of students in the Computer Fundamentals course and also to analyze the influence of management styles on the performance of students in Computer fundamentals course at YMCA Comprehensive Institute. The study followed cross-sectional research design because it dealt with cross-cutting issues and an extended time frame. This study used both qualitative and quantitative methods. Qualitative methods was used to help the researcher to come up with conclusions on variables that could not be measured numerically while quantitative techniques helped in establishing values attached to numerical variables. The findings indicated that there was a weak positive relationship (0.148) between students’ background and performance of students in computer fundamentals and there was lack of adequate teaching-learning facilities and this had a negative impact on students’ academic performance. In addition, there was a highly negative relationship between autocratic management style and students performance in computer fundamentals (Pearson Correlation -0.810). The results showed that democratic and transactional management styles had a positive relationship on students’ performance in computer fundamentals course. In conclusion, performance of students in computer fundamentals was a result of many factors, some of which originated from the students background, some from the teaching-learning process and others from the management styles of the institution. It was therefore, recommended that YMCA Institute improves on the teaching –learning facilities in proportion to the increasing number of students. Democratic and transactional management styles should be used to enhance students, teachers and administrators to participate fully in decision making.