“Every human experience is an effect. You laugh, you weep, you joy… Each of these is an effect, the cause of which can be easily traced” – Robert Collier
Not too long ago, my friend and fellow education enthusiast, the brilliant architect-turned-author, Michael Omisore wrote an ingenious and timely article, published by one of the leading Nigerian newspapers, with the titled, ‘Why Students Fail Exams.’ Like many readers who were drawn to this compelling piece, I read and reflected on the salient points in the article.
Before the publication of the article, I have been researching on something similar, with the title, ‘Education: Why Nations and Students Fail.’ It became necessary to pen down additional ideas regarding the foregoing when I finished reading a book titled ‘Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity and Poverty,’ by two leading experts and authors (Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson), and I intuitively saw some basic similarities between the failure of nations and academic failure, among students. As a result, this article was birthed.
Be that as it may, with the evolution of Omisore’s instructive essay and our subsequent discussions on issues thereafter; especially those concerning education in Nigeria and the speed of decay and poor academic performances we increasingly witness; as soon as a major examination results are released, I decided to delve into an informal academic inquiry in order to unearth the fundamental reasons behind ‘Why Students Fail Exams’; with a view to adding new and below-the-surface causes (Foundational and Root Causes) of examination failures in the Nigerian education ecosystem.
In one of his brilliant and thought-inspiring books, titled ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow, Nobel Prize winner in Economics, Daniel Kahneman wrote ‘System 1 (note: the intuitive mind) is highly adept in one form of thinking – it automatically and effortlessly identifies causal connections between events, sometimes even when connection is spurious.”
In the global education market place, there is a universe of theories and hypotheses attributable to academic failures and poor educational outcomes that students reap frequently. Education experts explain various root causes of these unfortunate academic problems and challenges i.e. poor performance which this writer labelled – ‘Edupathologies.’ Academic data and evidence are marshalled to support these assertions and theories, universally.
In this article, the central focus will solely hinge on analysis and arguments based onscientific observation, empirical and experiential evidence (birthed by almost two decades of practical teaching!), both in private and public academic institutions in Nigeria.
In a Harvard Business Review article, Dan Pallotta interestingly wrote, ‘If you can ask ‘Why’ you can change the world.’ Similarly, Tony Robbins, world’s leading expert, in the field of‘Performance Improvements’ wrote in one his latest books, titled ‘Money: Master the Game’ that ‘Questions are the answer.’
Therefore, the million-dollar questions, at this juncture are as follows: Why do students fail examinations? What are the primary or root causes of academic failure, or examination failure? Is there only a causal factor behind academic failure or are there associations of causality? Can academic failure be treated or reduced drastically if we diagnose the actual cause and apply the right therapy?
Why are we susceptible to the ‘mere exposure syndrome’ when it comes to issues relating to poor academic performances, instead of digging deep and looking beyond the surface data when diagnosing, as seen frequently in the entire Nigerian education landscape?
In my personal investigation into finding out the core factors responsible for examination failure in particular and poor academic performances in general, this writer discovered that there is what is referred to as – Causal Network and Narrative (CNN), to every issue relating to examination failure or poor academic performance.
Take for instance, in my pedagogic experience, coupled with my independent inquiry into fields such as, genetics, epigenetics, neuroscience, cognition, educational psychology, nutrigenetics, IQ (Intelligence Quotient), neuroeducation, memory, and the likes, I have come to conclude, based on research findings that there are multiple causal factors responsible for academic failures and challenges in the education ecosystem.
Recently, one of my colleagues (a tutor), shared a related story that happened at one of the private schools where this writer consults for academically. He told me about the academic challengea family which I would like to refer to as the Akinsojis’ (not real name).
This colleague is one of those whom I share ideas with and luckily, I recently told him about my inquiry into the realm of genetics; and by extension, the role of genetics in determining high or low IQ among students in the educational system.
He told me that the Akinsojis’ have two children in the school and both of them are doing poorly! In fact, he said that the girl (one of the Akinsojis’ daughter), presently a junior student, is at the bottom of her class; and her elder brother, who is in senior section, is below average in his class too!
In order to help these students by trying to search for the causal factor behind this educational challenge, the school authority decided to invite their parents. When they arrived, the school’s Director began asking the Akinsojis questions regarding the rather sad academic situation.
My colleague, whom I have been discussing the theory of PAP (Poor Academic Performance) and multiple causation theory with said: “As soon as I heard the responses of both parents, I immediately concluded that the problem is not about the children, their teachers, the school, and environment etc.; the causal factor, based on observed data and growing knowledge, is genetics!’ He confidently told me.
Curiously, however, it became clear that the majority of people, parents, teachers, education leaders, administrators and other education stakeholders externalize causal factors responsible for the edupathologies (academic problems and challenges) that confront students and learners, daily.
As a matter of fact, there are other core casual components of academic failure and PAP, based on study findings and these include: behaviour–induced causation (i.e. ADD, Attention Deficit Disorder!), cognitively–induced causation (i.e. wrong thinking!), culture-induced causation (i.e. America pop culture!), environment-induced causation (i.e. absentia parents that are not available to complement the school’s efforts!), ecosystem-induced causation (i.e. lack of ‘enriched’ setting for learning!) and others. I shall hazard an in-depth analysis of these in future articles.
One major challenge this writer has continuously found out, is what is termed – ‘Causation Blindness.’ We are all guilty of this! We, most times think that the students alone are responsible for their failures and discouraging academic performances. In short, this attitude is almost universal!
In addition to the above, one of the central aims of this article is to identify the various causal factors behind‘Why Students Fail Exams’ and by extension, poor academic performances; in one hand, and to immensely hazard educational solutions and treatments, for the academic benefits of students in particular and the nation as a whole: think about the economic benefits of an increase in the nation’s IQ basecum human capital growth? Psychologists argue that IQ determines socio-economic success in life for the people and the nation, at large (Richard Lynn’s book, ‘The Global Bell Curve: Race, IQ and Inequality Worldwide’) is a testimony to this assertion!
Broadly speaking, studies have repeatedly shown that the Jewish race possess high IQ, especially the Ashkenazi’s. Experts in the realm of race differences in IQ, such as Prof. J. Philippe Rushton, Dr. Charles Murray, Dr. Richard Lynn and a galaxy of others argue that the Jews IQ score is the highest if compared to other races in the universe! They put it at 110 and above. Also, the Jews, have a disproportional amount of Nobel Laureates per capita in the world. Take for instance, Prof. Stephen Pinker said in a lecture on: ‘Jews, Genes, and Intelligence’ that: Their average IQ has been measured at ‘108–115’.
In similar light, this writer has been observing the East Asian students and their amazing academic attainments in the world today, especially with regard to PISA (Programme for International Students Assessment). I shall refrain from delving into an in-depth analysis here. Kindly Google and read one of my articles on this, titled ‘Education: Secrets of Chinese and Asian Students’ published by ‘The Punch’ newspaper.
More so, according to Global Cognitive Skills Index and Educational Attainments, it asked ‘Why are Asian nations such strong education performers?’ Shanghai grabbed headlines in 2009 when its 15 year olds attained the first in the programme for International Students Assessment (PISA).
Other parts of Asia weren’t far behind, with South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan ranking at the top. More so, these Asian ‘Academic’ lions repeated the same academic feat in 2012 when the results were published in December, 2013, by OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) headquartered in France.
Empirically speaking, this writer has been following developments in the global education system, but with an intentional bias for the East Asian Students. They are, today, the 21st century academic sensation and phenomenon!Again, the course of my extensive and long-term inquiry into the behavioural factors that improve cognitive and intellectual aptitude, CIA, I developed a theory which could be used to tackle and reduce the rapidly growing rate of educational problems and challenges, especially as it relates to exam failures and overall poor academic performances among Nigerian students and global students as a whole.
The theory is simply:IQ=E3. Let me hazard an explanation, at this critical paragraph. Note that IQ stands for Intelligence, or academic aptitude. To reduce exams failure and\ or factors that cause PAP in our education system, we need to explore our students’ innate intellectual gifts, also known as – Endowment, the 1st E.
Endowment subscribes to evolutionary theory of IQ. Geneticists, especially those whose specialty is in the field of Intelligence, believe that IQ level is genetically determined; it is fixed and cannot be changed! This school consists of evolutionists and biologists, whoclaim that genetics contributes up to 40% to 60% of a person’s IQ.
The second E, therefore, is Environment. One of the leading advocates of this hypothesis is Prof. James Lynn and the apostle of the famous ‘Lynn Effect’ theory. Environmentalists believe that IQ level is environmentally influenced. With the right and enriched educational environment, a learner’s or student’s IQ can be improved on. Studies upon studies have consistently proven this. For example,the study of the ex –U.S. servicemen in Germany after the Second World War, Dr. Ben Carson’s story, Emmanuel Ohuabunwa’s(the Nigerian who broke academic records at Johns Hopkins University, U.S.) story, the adoption studies and lots more have proven the infallibility of the ‘Flynn Effect’ in IQ growth.
The third E, of course, stands for Exertion, hard work or diligence and its role in IQ growth. One example this writer would like to use as an exemplar (of the correlation between IQ growth and Exertion!) is Amy Chua, the Yale Law School Professor, who has consistently told the world about the causal link between Chinese Intellectual Aptitude and Exertion.
She has written about the Asian phenomenon in one of her books i.e. ‘The Triple Package’ which she co-authored with her husband – Prof. JedRubenfeld. She also wrote in a controversial ‘Wall Street Journal’ article titled ‘Why Chinese Mothers are Superior’ thus ‘What Chinese parents understand is that nothing is fun until you’re good at it.To get good at anything you have to work…’ Most Academic failure and PAP can be solved with – E, that is Exertion. The Chinese and other East Asian Students have continuously shown this!
Furthermore, since high IQ, reduces the probability of exams failure, PAP and other edupathologies, I have resolved that, all of those enumerated causes of failure in the education system can be addressed scientifically and systematically by the exploration of the Theory of – IQ = E3.
Ideally, recall the academic problembeing experienced by the Akinsojis’, which is genetically caused, to solve such problem, the right approach is to exploit and use treatments associated with the other two Es,( Environment and Exertion!). This brings us to the realm of epigenetics (the impact of environment and lifestyle in solving genetically-induced challenges).
In summary, on the other hand, however, if the academic problem assuminglyis behaviourally induced, the first step is to find out the root cause of the problem, i.e. the influence of cognition: resulting in wrong thinking and thereby making the student to be lackadaisical to education and learning.
By using this academic approach to solving the myriads of academic problems and challenges (Root-cause Diagnosis + Right Therapy), we would have stopped our susceptibility to ‘Causal Blindness and SolutionsMyth’ that sorry to say, pervade our school system, today, resulting in the prescription paracetamol to a patient diagnosed with cancer!
Adedayo A. Olumuyiwa, an academic consultant, edupathologist and author of ‘Education: China and India Advantage.’08167518756 and fadeksf@gmail.com