WHAT FACTORS AFFECT SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS' PERFORMANCE IN SCIENCE IN THE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES? A CONCEPTUAL MODEL FOR AN EXPLORATION

This paper develops a conceptual framework to explore the factors affecting secondary school students’ performance in science in the developing countries. While the various factors are related to the increased academic performance, the specific mechanisms through which those factors exert their influence on a child's academic performance are not yet fully understood. Based on both sociological and psychological theories and empirical studies, socioeconomic status, parental involvement, school resources and teacher quality as independent variables and motivation towards learning science as a mediating variable were incorporated into the proposed framework. Appropriate instruments for the exploration are suggested. While the conceptual framework developed in the present study lessening the knowledge gap pertaining to the factors affecting students’ performance in science, especially in the developing countries, it paves a path to explore the effect of those factors on students’ performance