CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND
TO THE STUDY
Like
economics that is a social science, it is not easy to come up with one
definition of business study because of diverse economic activities of human
beings. A careful look at the society will show that human beings of all and
different age groups and continuously involved in one economic struggle or
another or another aimed at earning a living in order to guarantee their
continued existence.
This
chapter will explain the importance of business study to develop a man intelligently as an essential tool
needed for his life- long sustenance. It will also reveals the historical
background of business study with the problems encountered by learners.
It
probes inefficiency of teaching of business study and make attempts to find a
possible solution to the research questions.
Business
study has been designed to give pupils an overview of the world of business and
enables them develop a better understanding of the individual relationship with
business and the place of business in a developed economy.
The
curriculum has incorporated certain topics which are not often considered in
teaching business study in the past. Such topics include the history of
business study in Nigeria and career
opportunities. The curriculum also taking cognizance of the fact that pupils
will proceed directly to the university. It has incorporated some relevant
topics that are traditional taught in business management. Such topics include
introduction to business Management, structure of Business law and introduction
to marketing.
Latest
development in the Nigerian business study sphere have also been taken care of
e.g the second tier securities market and data transmission.
For
a major country like Nigeria to provide generations of skilled and competent
business study educational educationalists, it is imperative to form a sound
basis for business study education in our youths by strengthening the teaching
of business study primarily at the secondary level.
The
curriculum content of Business study is the original work of the comparative
Education study and Adaption centre (CESAC). It is derived from the need to
provide a curriculum suitable to the new National policy on education (NPE).
According to the NPE, education at the secondary level is expected to be both
academics and vocational at the senior secondary school (SSS). (CESAC) under
the mandate of the federal Government developed an introducing course in
Business studies for (JSS) junior secondary school which will had office
practice, commerce, book keeping, typewriting and shorthand as components. In
order to build on this, separate and more comprehensive course has been
developed for each of these various components at the level.
The
conceptual approach to structuring syllabus and the concentric approach to sequencing
content have been employed in this curriculum seven units of study were
identified and topics of higher complexity from each of the relevant units
should be taught in each higher class.
The
general objectives of education in business study at the secondary school level
are to:
1. Enable pupils have a broader understanding of the
importance of commercial activities.
2. Enable pupils cultivate the right attitudes to
commercial activities.
3. Provide useful general nations and commercial skills
necessary for pupils who will immediately enter into the world of work.
4. Provide commercial knowledge for personal use and
for further education.
5. Develop a habit of wise use of services offered by
commercial institutions.
The
importance of business study can be highlighted to the country with the
slogan.”Business study is the life blood of any Nation”. This is because of the
vital economics role that business study plays to a nations economy that
brought about the comparison of business study with blood. It is a clear fact
that blood in any human being to be extracted out, that person will definitely
die. Similarly a nation cannot exist without business study.
The
functions of business study to the society at large cannot be over emphasized
hence, it includes the following:
1. Business study helps to move people and goods from
one place to another
2. It facilitates specialization
3. Business studies provides employment for the people.
4. It makes storage to be possible.
5. Business study finances business.
6. It provides protection against insurable risks
7. It helps producer to sell their various products.
8. It makes mass production possible.
9. Business studies links the world together and
closely united e.g international trade.
10. It makes exchange of goods and services to be
possible.
Unfortunately,
evidence continues to accumulate to prove that here in Nigeria, business study
education is facing a very serious problem. To support this assertion one can
see that there is a dwindling number of youths in both secondary and
post-secondary levels willing to make the study of business study their major
pre-occupation. This can be attributes to quite a few factors among them are
the scarcity of the necessary instructional aids required and the improper use
of lack of use of the few aids available, qualified educationalists in relevant
fields have been looking for and finding the best ways to make learning more
stimulating.
Interesting
provisions have been made by technologists, in term of audio-visuals materials (teaching
aids) in which have helped to enhance teaching learning situations.
There
are however, still some problems such as materials not being used by the
teachers or being totally absent from schools. For example, teaching aids that
stimulate the sense of learning are called audio aids and examples of kinds of
aids include:
a.
The radio
b.
The voice of the
teacher
c.
Tape recorders.
The
success of instructional aids requires is hinged on proper planning efficient
administration, financing and availability of necessary materials used by the
teachers in the secondary schools had dwindled and the alternative is for the Ogun
state Government to re-activate the schools.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
This study is exclusively set out to
investigate the extent to which these affects are towards the study of business
study by the students and how they can be tackled. It is therefore necessary to
investigate these identified problems that beset the use of teaching materials
in business study teaching in secondary schools in Abeokuta in Ogun state.
1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The
purpose of this study is to examine the use of teaching materials in secondary
schools in Abeokuta in Ogun State.
a. Establish how much and to what extent teaching
materials are available in our secondary schools.
b. Highlights how the teachers in the sampled schools
make use of the available teaching materials they have.
c. Determine the effectiveness of which the teachers
make use of these teaching materials.
d. Examine the extent teachers improvise the teaching materials.
e. Suggest types of teaching materials needed to
effectively teach the subject “business study”.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
This study will attempt to provide
answers to these questions:
1. Are the numbers of instructional materials available
in secondary schools adequate for teaching business study?
2. Do many teachers use in instructional materials for
teaching business study?
3. Can the teachers improvise teaching aids?
4. Do many attitudes of business study teachers affect
the use of teaching materials?
5. How often are the teachers use the teaching
materials?
1.5 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
This study is survey research and it
focuses on the use of teaching materials in teaching Business Study in Secondary
Schools in Abeokuta, Ogun State. This study
is delimited to (12) twelve secondary schools teachers in some randomly
selected schools within Abeokuta south local government of Ogun State.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study focuses on the impact of
the use of teaching materials in business study teaching in secondary schools
in enhancing the quality of teaching and learning activities in schools. It
would equally look into the multi various organs associated with the provision
and administering of instructional materials in secondary schools. The ministry
of education, teaching service commission, the principles and teachers will
know the importance of instructional materials in improving the quality of
teaching and learning of business study in secondary schools.
1.7 OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS
1. Business study: buying and selling and
distribution of goods and services in order to satisfy human needs and wants.
2. Availability:
readiness to be used to make materials ready for use.
3. Utilization:
making use of something thus to make use of resources.
4. Teachingaids: devices used to aid and
enhance the teaching learning process.
5. Visualaids: these are controlled visual
experiences which are presented to the learners to provide a true and accurate
picture or impression.
6. Instructionalmaterials: materials used in
teaching- learning process.