The role of environmental quality and time perspective on the academic performance of grade 12 learners

Abstract

English: The aim of this study was to determine to what extent time perspective and environmental quality can account for the variance in the academic performance of Grade 12 learners. This research was of non-experimental nature and a prospective design was used. The dependent variable was considered to be academic performance, while the independent variables were time perspective and environmental quality. Time perspective was defined as the multidimensional cognitive structure that influences the individual’s motives and personality and determines the way in which he or she views time, and was assessed by using the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (ZTPI). Five types of time perspectives were identified which were past negative, past positive, present hedonistic, present fatalistic and future time. Environmental quality was defined as the quality of the environment as determined by the subjective assessment regarding the degree to which it supports the individual’s psychosocial and physical needs. A total of 413 Grade 12 learners from four English medium-schools in the Mangaung area were involved in the study. It was found that time perspective together with environmental quality accounts for approximately 14% of the variance found in the academic performance of Grade 12 learners. Although statistically significant relationships were found between time perspective and academic performance these relationships were concluded to be of little practical importance.

Afrikaans: Die doel van die studie was om te bepaal watter bydrae tydsperspektief en omgewingskwaliteit tot die variansie in die akademiese prestasie van graad 12-leerders lewer. Die navorsing was van ’n nie- eksperimentele aard en ’n prospektiewe ontwerp was ter sprake. Die afhanklike veranderlike was akademiese prestasie terwyl omgewingskwaliteit en tydsperspektief as die onafhanklike veranderlikes beskou is. Tydsperspektief is omskryf as die multidimensionele kognitiewe konstruk wat die individu se motiewe en persoonlikheid beïnvloed en bepaal hoe hy of sy tyd beskou. Verlede-negatiewe, verlede- positiewe, hedonisties-huidige, fatalisties-huidige en toekomstydsperspektief was die vyf tipes tydsperspektiewe wat geïdentifiseer is. Omgewingskwaliteit is omskryf as die kwaliteit van die omgewing soos bepaal deur subjektiewe assessering rakende die graad waarin die omgewing die individu se psigososiale en fisiese behoeftes ondersteun. ’n Totaal van 413 graad 12-leerders van vier Engelsmedium skole in die Mangaung-omgewing is in die studie betrek. Daar is was bevind dat tydsperspektief tesame met omgewingskwaliteit ongeveer 14% van die variansie in die akademiese prestasie van graad 12-leerders verklaar. Alhoewel statisties beduidende verhoudings tussen tydsperspektief en akademiese prestasie gevind is, is hierdie verhoudings bevind om van min praktiese waarde te wees.