Influence Of Teachers’ Characteristics On Students’ Academic Performance In Biology
[SELECTED SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN ILORIN METROPOLIS]

Achievement is defined as measurable behaviour in a standardized series of tests (Simpson & Weiner, 2009). Achievement test is usually constructed and standardised to measure proficiency in school subjects. In most cases, according to them, "accomplishment" is sometimes used in place of "achievement".  According to Bruce and Neville (2009), educational achievement is measured by standardized achievement test developed for school subjects. What this means is that academic achievement is measured in relation to what is attained at the end of a course, since it is the accomplishment of medium or long term objective of education. What is important is that the test should be a standardised test to meet national norm. For a test to be standardised, it must be valid for over a period of time.
Achievement is regarded as action of completing or attaining by exertion. It subsumes anything won by exertion, a feat, a distinguished and successful action. Simpson and Weiner (2009) contended that achievement test intends to measure systematic education and training in school occupation towards a conventionally accepted pattern of skills or knowledge. Several subjects may be combined into an achievement battery for measuring general school proficiency either in point score or achievement age and perhaps achievement quotient. Studies have shown that outcome is a generic word which can be used for both performance and attitude or achievement and attitude. In other words, outcome measures the general statement which provides for both academic performance/achievement and attitude Learning outcome also provides for measurement of specific actions designed to achieve some future behaviour.
However, learning outcome is more of curriculum content than measurement. Researchers have confusedly used these terms and this is not restricted to any particular group. This is due to the fact that literature has not provided a definite clarification on the difference existing among the terms. For instance, Richard (2000) and Tony (2000) used the three terms: academic performance, achievement and outcomes interchangeably in their studies. However, Mark and Ainley (1999) were careful in the use of the terms. They distinguished among academic performance achievement and outcomes in their words. In fact, academic achievement and labour market outcome were clearly differentiated. They observed that achieving well in school had significant influence on employment and learning outcome for young people many years after leaving school what this suggests is that academic achievement improves or brings about outcome.
Lawrence (2008) distinguished achievement from performance when he stated that academic is a long-term ('end") while academic performance is measurable at any point in time (continual). In other words, achievement can be measured as stagnating, falling or improving over a long period. Lawrence (2008) further classified activities that occur in performance as academic performance index. According to him, satisfactory academic achievement award is given to recipient who maintains satisfactory academic performance and progress towards, the attainment of a degree or certificate in line with the United States Department of Education regulations. This is to suggest that academic achievement is cumulative and progressive. It means that academic achievement cannot be attained within a short period or at a slot. The implication is that academic performance culminates and influences academic achievement. In addition, we can talk of academic performance or academic achievement in a subject. Shin-Yin and James (2001) while comparing Chinese, Japanese and American children academic achievement in mathematics' measured performance in perceptual speed, coding skill, spatial abilities vocabulary, verbal memory and general information discovered that Japanese and Chinese performed than their American counterpart. The results in these different aspects of performance affect academic achievement in Mathematics.
In what may look like further clarification, Illinois School Report CardKingsley Elementary School (1999) observes that when interpreting the achievement data of small schools or districts, it should be noted that performance of a small school number of students can substantially affect schools achievement data. Thus, changes from one year to the next may be due to changes in the performance of a small group of students. Eventually, students' academic performance influences students' academic achievement. Learning outcome can be measured by academic achievement and accountability (Steve, 2000). Mission and goals of the education system usually determine learning outcome. This suggests that learning outcome transcends cognitive assessment. It includes attitude and values. In research, learning outcome dwells on academic achievement and attitude of the students.