CHAPTER ONE
1.0
INTRODUCTION
1.1
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Teacher competence and qualities are
concepts that are often referred to as frequently applied to different
educational context. Whitty (2006) identifies professional competence, which
includes knowledge and understanding of children and their learning subject
knowledge, curriculum, the education system and the teachers role. Professional
competence also necessitates skills such as subject application, classroom
methodology, classroom management, assessment and recording and undertaking a
wider role.Teacher with high competence is one of the most significant factors
that manipulate the student learning as well as serving the schools to meet its
objectives and missions. The importance of teachers cannot be over stressed.
This is because teachers play a number of role specifically, teachers has been
referred to be Oyedeji (1998) as an agent of innovation. For meaningful
innovations, teachers’ academic qualification is very important.
This is because teacher education is
a very complex enterprise. The complicity arises as a result of several factors
which include determination of what effective teachers are, teachers are
expected to fulfill a verity of roles, some common to all teachers, others
uniquely related to certain kinds of environments of students or subject
matter. Added to this is the fact that teacher education involves the raining
of professionals who will educate students in future. Despite the complexity in
the field of teacher education, one cannot over emphasize the importance of
academic training of teachers of all categories. This is because the efficiency
of any institution depends on the academic competence of the teaching staff
since no educational system can rise above the quality of its teachers (FGN
2005).
A number of studies carried out had
indicated the need for teacher’s academic qualification in their various
teaching subject. Such studies include those of swan and Jones (2004), Rubba
(2005), Ivowi (1985, 1986) Skintola (1999). Soyibo (2009), Abimbola (2010) and
Otuka (2000), Swan and Jones (2004) finding was that teachers should receive
appropriate training in the subject matter area so that their classroom
instruction could be above board. Rubba’s (2007) study indicated that teachers
have needs according to the science discipline taught Ivowi, Akintola, Soyinbo,
Abimbola and Otuka found out misconception is in students which they traced to
misconceptions held by their teachers. All the above studies prove that
training of prospective teachers in the subject matter areas should not be
taken lightly by science educators.
There
has been growing concern throughout the country over the years about
thediscouraging state of teaching and learning of Integrated Science. This has
arisen mainly as a result of a failure within teaching-learning contexts to
illustrate the connections betweenclassrooms Integrated Science and the
environment learners come from. It has been argued that secondary school (SSS)
students must be well grounded in Integrated Science at this levelfor them to
be able to study the core science subjects (Biology, Chemistry, Physics etc).
This hasresulted in a call by the West African Examination Council (WAEC) for
setting up a committee to look into Integrated Science as a subject (Olarewaju,
2006). The committee recommended the following specific methods for teaching
Integrated Science:
a)
Use of discovery
teaching tactics
b)
The inclusion of
problem solving activities
c)
The involvement
of students in open ended field or laboratory exercise (Olarewaju,2006).
Furthermore,
in order to improve the quality of learning, an important fact is to
adoptdeeper approaches to study through the creation of a context involving
good teaching, clear goals and some independence rather than to focus on
discouraging surface approaches (Trigwell andProsser, 2005; Trigwell and
Prosser, 2009). Moreover, teachers‟ views of Integrated Sciencetogether with
the teaching context will play an influential role and impact on
instructionaldecisions.
Psychologically,
teacher behaviours in the classroom are shaped by internal principlesbased upon
views on Integrated Science teaching. Inexperienced teachers are more likely to
pass their past Integrated Science learning experiences to learners; irrespective
of the view they hold. In view of this, the purpose of this study was to
determine pre-service teachers‟ views of Integrated Science.
1.2
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
(Soyinbo,
2009) and (Abimbola, 2010) established that nearly all secondary schools in
Nigeria has no qualified teacher for the teaching and learning of integrated
science. Research also carryout that as a result of lack of qualification,
student academic performance are at stalk.
Lack
of qualified teachers, problems such as poor school infrastructure poorly
equipped science workshops and laboratories affect the teaching of integrated
science.
Over
the years, Educational researchers have investigated the assessment of teachers
qualification in teaching and learning of integrated in schools. At the heart
of the inquiry, studies have established relationship between teacher’s achievement
in school (Olatoye, 2006) and (Adekola, 2006) and their qualifications have
impact on the student academic performances.
1.3
PURPOSE OF STUDY
The
purpose of this study is to investigation the effect of teachers quality and
methodology on student performance in
integrated science. And also to examine this following:
1. To examine the academic qualifications of teachers
teaching Integrated Science in the Secondary Schools.
2. To evaluate the level of competence and
professionalism among teacher at all levels.
3. To examine the instructional materials available for
effective teaching of Integrated Science.
4. To measure the degree of students knowledge and
understanding of Integrated Science as a result of teachers professional
competence.
5. To determine the assessment of teacher’s
qualification in teaching and learning of Integrated Science.
1.4
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1. What are the academic qualifications of teachers
teaching Integrated Science inthe Secondary Schools?
2. What are the teaching experiences of the teachers
teaching Integrated Science?
3. Are instructional materials available for effective
teaching of IntegratedScience?
4. What are the teaching method(s) employed by teachers
for effective teaching of Integrated Science?
5. What are the assessment of teacher’s qualification
in teaching and learning of Integrated Science?
1.5 RESEARCH
HYPOTHESIS
Ho1: There is no significant difference between
qualifications of teachers of integrated science and student academic
performance.
Ho2: There is no significant difference between
the student taught by qualified integrated science teachers and teachers by other related science qualifications.
Ho3: There is no significant difference between
teaching strategies of integrated science teachers and teachers qualified
related science qualifications.
1.6
SIGNIFICANCE
OF STUDY
This research work which is on the assessment
of the effect of teachers quality and methodology on student performance in integrated science. Integrated
Science teachers are expected to employ the use of teaching aids to supplement
other methods and manage and control their classes for effective learning
ofIntegrated Science. The use of inappropriate methods could affect
students’performance in Integrated Science. Many of the Integrated Science
teachers do not havea clear insight about the appropriate pedagogies to enhance
Integrated Science teaching and learning. Most of the teachers resort to
teaching with only one major teachingmethod which is the lecture or “chalk and
talk” method in our Integrated Scienceclassroom. Sometimes, classes are too
large for teachers to manage for effectiveteaching and learning. This has
greatly affected Integrated Science teaching rangingfrom methodology and
techniques of teaching (Okoye, 2004).This is an important and interesting topic
which will contribute immensely to the body of knowledge to education students,
secondary schools students, management students, teachers, lecturers, and as
well as the entire public.
1.7
SCOPE OF STUDY
This research work is on the effect
of teachers quality and methodology on student
performance in integrated science, using some selected secondary schools
in Karu LGA of Nasarawa State as a case
study.
1.8
DEFINITION
OF TERM
This definition of term may be
useful for this study:
ASSESSMENT:
This
involves the use of empirical data on student learning to refine programs and
improve student learning (Allen, 2004).
Assessment
is the process of gathering and discussing information from multiple and
diverse sources in order to develop a deep understanding of what students know,
understand, and can do with their knowledge as a result of their educational
experiences; the process culminates when assessment results are used to improve
subsequent learning. (Huba and Freed 2000).
TEACHERS:
These
are persons who impact knowledge skills, moral values into an individual(s) for
a positive change in behaviour
Rosemary Redferm (2008) says teacher
is a person who can inspire someone else to be interested in a subject. Teacher
is someone who is enthusiastic about something themselves teaches the pleasure
one can get from learning and achieving.
QUALIFICATION: A pass of an examination or an official completion
of a course especially one conferring status as a recognized practitioner or a
profession o activity.
A condition that must be fulfilled
before a right can be acquired official requirement. It is also capacity,
knowledge or skill that matches or suits an occasion or makes someone eligible
for a duty, office, position, privileged or status.
Qualification denotes fitness or
purpose through fulfillment of necessary conditions such as attainment of
certain in age, taking an oath, completion of required schooling or training or
acquisition of a degree or diploma. Qualification does not necessarily imply
competence.
TEACHING:
(Edmund Amidon) define teaching as interactive process primarily involving
classroom talk which takes place between teacher and pupil and occurs during
certain definable activity.
Teaching is an arrangement and
manipulation of a situation in which an individual will seek to overcome and
from which he will learn in the course of doing so (Brubacher)
Teaching
is concerned with the activities which are concerned with the guidance or
direction of the learning of others (Ryans).
Teaching
is a process that improves students level of knowledge more easily and it might
be overcome situation as an easy way (Oluwayemisi).
LEARNING: is actually a specific term, in educational
psychology learning is a step by step process in which an individual experience
permanent, lastingchanges in knowledge, behaviours, or ways of processing the
world.
Observational learning is not by our
own experience, but by watching someone else behave and noting the consequence
of the behaviour (children learn to speak by watching and listening to the
people around them).
Educational psychology define
cooperative learning to enhance cooperative learning such as giving students
group projects, some student will enjoy the social sharing of knowledge.