Effect of Teacher's Pedagogical Competence on Students’ Academic Achievement in Science Subjects at Secondary Level

Abstract

This research investigates the effect of pedagogical competence on students' academic achievement in science subjects at the secondary level in Lahore, Punjab. Employing a quantitative causal comparative study design. The study employed a self-developed questionnaire to gather data on teachers' pedagogical competence, with responses collected from 250 teachers across 60 public schools in Lahore district, selected through simple random sampling. The correlation was conducted between teachers’ pedagogical competence and students’ marks that were obtained in science subjects in 9th class Lahore Board exam. The average marks for each class were derived from the teachers who participated in the pedagogical competence questionnaire. Utilizing SPSS version 25, the collected data underwent analysis. The findings revealed a statistically significant correlation between teachers' pedagogical competence and students' academic achievement in science subjects. Pearson’s correlation showed r = 0.631 for pedagogical competence and students achievement in physics, r = 0.677 for chemistry, r = 0.539 for biology and r = 0.617 for overall these three science subjects and pedagogical competence. The regression analysis, a key statistical tool, demonstrated that pedagogical competence accounted for 39.9% of the variance in students’ achievement in physics, 45.8% in chemistry and 28.9% in biology, moreover pedagogical competence accounted for 38% of the variance in students' academic achievement collectively in all 3 science subjects. The study underscores the pivotal role of teachers’ pedagogical competence in shaping students' achievement in science subjects. As educational stakeholders strive to improve science subjects’ outcomes, the insights from this research contribute valuable evidence supporting the importance of enhancing pedagogical competence among secondary level science teachers in Lahore, Punjab.