Academic achievement and time concept of the learner

Abstract

The time concept and academic achievement of a group of high school learners were investigated and the results are described in this article. The focus was on: the differences between the time concept of high achievers and the time concept of low achievers; the differences in the time concept of high achievers and low achievers according to their mother tongue; and the educational implications of the findings with respect to the learners. These learners' time concept was measured by the application of a structured questionnaire. A group of 1 436 learners were involved in this research. Their academic achievements were rated on a scale of 0 to 100. Two groups were identified: high achievers and low achievers. A difference was found in the time concept of these two groups. Furthermore, the learners were divided into their various mother tongue groups that would give an indication of their time concept with which they grew up. The Afrikaans- and English speaking high achievers were more future directed, more conscientious in their time management, experience less anxiety about the future, were less focussed on the present and were more content with the present and the past than the low achievers. Among the learners with an African language no statistical significant difference were found between the high and low achievers, only 15,3% of them were high achievers. The learners with an African language need to be assisted to develop a linear and integrated time concept. Only then these learners will be able to actualise their full potential.


Health SA Gesondheid Vol.6(1) 2001: 3-11