Relationship Between Students’ Personality types and their Academic Achievement in Colleges of Teachers’ Education

This study sought to investigate the relationship between students’ personality types and their academic achievement in Colleges of Teachers’ Education, Western Ethiopia. Three colleges of teachers’ education, namely DambiDollo, Shambu, and Nekemte, were selected by purposive sampling technique. The study employed correlation research design. The sample size was 351 trainees. A standard questionnaire was used as the instrument for collecting data from the students, while interviews were conducted with the teachers. Validity of the instruments was checked through experts in research and piloting. Quantitative data analysis was carried out using descriptive and inferential statistics such as percentages, mean, standard deviation, Pearson correlation, regression, and one-way ANOVA test. The study established that neuroticism and extroversion were negatively related to academic achievement, whereas conscientiousness, agreeableness, and openness have a positive association with academic achievement. Conscientiousness personality type was the best and strongest individual predictor of academic achievement at the colleges of teachers’ training. Therefore, it is important to institutionalise the trait of conscientious during the initial years of education, by presenting appropriate conscientious role models or encouraging conscientious people. Findings of this study emphasise the necessity of informing curriculum developers of the personality traits and individual differences of learners, to help them take such differences into account and be more flexible while developing educational curriculums.