EFFECT OF DEMONSTRATION TECHNIQUE ON ACHIEVEMENT OF STUDENTS IN KEYBOARDING IN POLYTECHNICS IN NASARAWA STATE

Amount: ₦5,000.00 |

Format: Ms Word |

1-5 chapters |




ABSTRACT

This  study  determined  the  effect  of  demonstration  technique  on  achievement  of students in keyboarding in polytechnics. The study used four research questions and four null hypotheses. The study adopted a quasi-experimental design, specifically non- equivalent control group design. The study was carried out in two polytechnics in Nasarawa State: Nasarawa State Polytechnic, Lafia and Federal Polytechnic, Nasarawa.   The  control   and   treatment  groups   were   taken   from   each   of  the polytechnics.  The  treatment  group  was  taught using  demonstration  method  lesson plan for their learning. The control group was taught using lecture method lesson plan, for their learning, which did not require demonstration technique application. The data used for the study was collected using a Keyboarding  Achievement  Test (KAT). The KAT was face-validated by experts in education. The reliability coefficient of 0.56 was obtained for the KAT. Mean was used to answer research questions, while ANCOVA was used to test the hypotheses at P < 0.05. From the result obtained, it was found that students in the treatment group had a higher achievement level than those in  the  control  group,  and  significantly  too.  In  addition,  male  students  had  a significantly  higher achievement  level  in  keyboarding  than  female  students  in  the treatment group when using lecture method and demonstration technique. The ability level of students which can be high or low had a significantly effect in keyboarding. Based on the findings, it was recommended that keyboarding lecturers in polytechnics should adopt demonstration technique for instructional purposes. Polytechnic administrators should support and mobilize funds needed to provide facilities that are for use in keyboarding instruction class. Ministries, Departments and Agencies that oversee education matters of polytechnics should improve the funding in their budget for  provision  of  training  and  learning  facilities  in  the  polytechnics.  Curriculum experts  in  the  Nigerian  Educational  Research  and  Development  Council  should review the Secretarial studies curriculum for polytechnics to include teaching techniques for instruction.

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Keyboarding is the gateway to all computer operations.  Keyboarding helps to get all inputs into the computer. Techniques have become the essential basis for the development of keyboarding speed and accuracy. Erthal (2003) defined keyboarding as the manipulation of the computer keyboard by touch.  Bartholomew (2003) explained keyboarding as the art of placing  information  into various types of equipment  through  the use of a typewriter-like keyboard.   Keyboarding  is a psychomotor  skill that  involves mental processes as well as finely coordinated  muscular movement.   Keyboarding requires stimuli to sensory receptors (eyes,  ears,  fingertips,  muscles,  tendons  and joints)  which are screened,  transformed  and organized by a neural process known as “selective perception” into modified mental images of the original  stimuli.   It  is this modified  images that are further  processed  mentally to trigger muscular responses (Ownby 2008).  This suggests that keyboarding is a complex skill made up of finely discriminated  movement patterns that depend upon interrelated sensory, perceptual, mental and motor inputs and outputs occurring together at the same time.

Keyboarding,  as a skill, is typically discussed in terms of working on a  computer. With the introduction of the personal computer (PC) in educational settings, interest in the area of keyboarding skills in secretarial studies programme increased significantly.  Whoever aspires to become a manager or teacher in the field of secretarial studies needs a thorough understanding  of the knowledge  of keyboarding.   It constitutes the most fundamental and indispensable  skill subject taught in higher  institutions including  polytechnics.   There are Federal,  State and private  polytechnics.    The polytechnics  are  staff  by male and  female lecturers,  technical and administrative  staff and support staff.   Students are admitted  into educational institutions to accomplish a particular purpose or achievement.

1

Achievement  is the act of accomplishing  a task successfully.   Brady, Showers  and Fullan   (2002)   stated   that   achievement   connote   final   accomplishment   of   something noteworthy after much effort. Enyi (2004) stated that achievement refers to  the degree of success reached or attained in some general or specific area of study.   It  is the extent of success reached  or attained  in some general or specific  area of  study. It is the extent of success attained by a student on a task he is exposed to.  Achievement in this study refers to students’  attainment  in  school  courses  or  subjects.    It  includes  students’  excellence  in academic  pursuit,  behaviour,  confidence,  communication  skill,  punctuality,  assertiveness, social skill and the likes.  Students’ achievement is commonly measured by their success in classroom assignment, exercise, continuous assessment test or examination

Unfortunately,  the results of students’ performance in keyboarding examinations  in polytechnics in Nasarawa State indicated that most of the students perform poorly.   This is supported by the Head of Department, Secretarial Studies, Nasarawa State Polytechnic, Lafia that the four years keyboarding  result  summary in the Department  of Secretarial  Studies indicates that 45% of the students performed above average while 55% performed below the average level (see appendix F).   It is evident, therefore,  from  the summary of results that majority of the students perform poorly in keyboarding which may have been caused by the teaching methods and techniques adopted by lecturers in instructional delivery.  These should cause teachers to adopt teaching methods and techniques to achieve instructional objectives. In carrying out instruction, keyboarding teachers mostly use traditional teaching methods and techniques.

Adamu in Fidelial (2012) defined teaching method as the procedure by which a goal is reached,  a purpose  accomplished  or result  achieved.    It is the practical  application  of teaching principles based on the nature of the learner, nature of subject and need of the

lecturer.     In  other  words,  teaching  method  is  a  medium  through  which  the   teacher disseminates the contents of instruction to the learners in order to achieve teaching objective. There are various methods of teaching students in schools and the choice of which depends largely  on the  information  or  skill to  be  taught,  learners  aptitudes  and  interest  and  the attainment of learning objectives.   According to Cantrell (2004), teaching methods are in a continuum  ranging  from  exposition  to  inquiry.    The  exposition  methods  include  lecture method which is the most predominantly used in teaching students in polytechnics and other higher institutions.

Lecture  method  affords  the  teacher  the  opportunity  to  cover  as much  ground  as possible  within  the  time  allocated  and  does  not  allow  learner  to  react  overtly  through questioning.   The  characteristics   of  lecture  method  are  teacher-centred,   teacher-active, learner’s-passive  and content emphasis (Cantrell, 2004).   Adunfe (2004)  reported  that the features of lecture method include: large class size, wide content of instruction, minimal use of chalkboard and low level of student-teacher interaction.  However, the lecture method also places students in a passive role rather than active role.   Passivity can hinder learning and students’ attention may be lost. Since it is a  one way communication,  the teacher should make a conscious effort to become aware  of student’s  problem  and understanding  of the content.   This may require a  considerable  amount of guided practice  in the classroom  to achieve understanding and long-term retention of content.

The search for more effective means of teaching and learning in schools has  been intensified over the years.  To enhance students achievement in school, teaching methods that emphasize students’ involvement and opportunity to communicate,  reason  to develop self- confidence  to  solve  academic  problems  are  required  and  should  be  effectively  utilized (Zakaria, Chin and Dauda 2010).  One of the means through which this can be achieved is through the use of demonstration technique to teach students especially keyboarding.

Demonstration is defined by Fleming (2002) as a physical display of the form, outline or a substance of object or events for the purpose of developing knowledge and skills of such objects or events.  Nieman (2006) stated that demonstration involves showing what or how. Demonstration is a relatively simplified process because it does not require extensive verbal elaborations.   Demonstrations are done to provide an opportunity to learn new exploration and visual learning tasks from different perspectives.  Demonstration is best used in teaching how  to  perform  manipulative  operations  (Odundo  2013).  Manipulative  skills  such  as keyboarding when taught through demonstration requires that the presenter should allow the learner to understand the logical step-by-step procedures in doing the job/task, the principles that are applied and the related information involved.  Exercises in keyboarding require skill practice involving real problems and comprehension of the principles underlying the practice. Most  times,  students  are  not adequately taught  the step-by –step  actions of  keyboarding because of overuse of the lecture method by teachers and instructors.

In order to enhance the teaching method, a teaching technique is applied.  A teaching technique  is  a  strategy  employed  by  the  teacher  to  enhance  his  teaching  (Obi,  2005). Technique seems to be a subset of a teaching method, and instructional technique is simply what can facilitate learning (Ogwo and Oranu, 2006). Teaching technique is the display of teacher’s disposition and professionalism in learning.  Techniques are adjuncts to methods to ensure their effectiveness.  Effective teaching  technique  entails the use of different  styles, methods and strategies. The technique utilized depends to a large extent on the subject matter to be taught. Therefore, a method of teaching like demonstration is used as a technique in keyboarding.

Demonstration technique according to Blandin and Proteau (2000) is used to identify the  details  of  specified  tasks,  including  the  required  dispositions,  knowledge  and  skills required for successful task performance.  Demonstration technique allows the teacher to

perform an experiment in the class and to go on explaining what he does to the students.   In the same vein, Decker (2006) stated that demonstration technique is generally understood as the observation by the learner of another person (teacher) performing the tasks, components of the tasks or characteristics of the task. Demonstration  technique  takes into account the active participation of students and is thus not a lopsided  process  like the lecture method. During demonstration process, students observe the actual equipment operations as utilized by the teacher  thereby increasing  the interest  of  the students.   Davidson  and Kochmann (1996) maintained that demonstration technique helps students to observe critically, to draw inferences on how to keyboard  with the computer.   Thus with the help of demonstration, students’  power of  observation,  reasoning and practice  is greatly developed.   Apart from teaching method  adopted by lecturers in teaching, gender is another important factor to be considered when discussing the effect of demonstration technique on achievement of students in keyboarding.

Gender, according to Erich in Abdul (2007), is the socially defined capabilities and attributes assigned to persons on the basis of their alleged sexual characteristics.  It comprises of all those social and cultural distinctions that differentiate men from women.   Lee (2002) defined gender as ascribed attributes that differentiate feminine from masculine.  The gender of person could influence his behaviour, learning, interest,  likes and dislikes.   In the same vein the gender of a student can affect his level of learning and achievement in keyboarding.

There  has been a general view supported  by research that male students  perform better than female in practical oriented courses.  For instance, Anigbogu (2002) pointed out that  some  cultures  see  males  to  be  more  superior  to  females  and  that  such  feeling  is manifested  in  every  aspect  of  their  lives  socially,  academically  etc.    Attesting  to  this, Kurumeh (1990) observed that boys perform better than girls in  keyboarding and sciences while girls excel in languages.  In view of this, gender sensitivity to instructional technique is key issue in teaching keyboarding.  The use of lecture and demonstration method of teaching

may have gender based implication and there is need to find out the extent to which gender affects student’s achievement in keyboarding.

Although  gender  may  have  influence  on  students’  achievement  in  keyboarding especially in lecture and demonstration class, the student’s ability level is another factor that may contribute to varied students achievement in keyboarding. According to Okoji (2008), ability level is the mental and physical power of an individual to achieve something.  Student ability level is the qualities that enable a  student to achieve or accomplish  his academic success.  It is the rate at which students accomplish their academic purpose. Adesoji (2008) stated that learners are qualitatively different in their ability level and in learning problem especially with the rate at which principles and facts of subjects are being assimilated. The method of instruction can influence the academic performance of students of different ability levels.   Similarly,  Okebukola (2002) posited that some findings show that achievement of high ability students was higher than that of low ability students because some methods of instructional delivery favour certain ability than the others.   More importantly, Apart from students’  high or low ability, secretarial  teachers need to have an in-depth  knowledge  of keyboarding skills.  The teachers should be able to inculcate in the students the competence to perform learned psychomotor activities which include manual or mental manipulation of data.

Dennee (2009) stressed that the expected outcomes of keyboarding skills is to be able to touch type. The emphasis with instruction should be on the position of the body and hands as well as keystroking techniques.    In many cases, keyboarding is not taught using proper techniques  and  methods  because  of the  teachers’  little understanding  of  how to develop keyboarding  skills (Davidson  and Kochmann  1996).   According  to  Nieman  (2006)  most teachers have been well trained in child development while only few have adequate training in psychomotor skill development.  In order to be trained efficiently, students must be guided

progressively through a series of movement of eye, arm, hand and finger sequences.   This will help students to develop the movement or motion patterns that are expected for effective and efficient keyboarding.   It is on this note that the researcher considered it necessary to examine  the  interaction  effect  of  gender,  ability  level  and  demonstration  technique  on achievement level of students in keyboarding exercises.   In addition, keyboarding teachers need to have proper understanding and use of demonstration learning technique in order to enhance student achievement in polytechnics.

Statement of the Problem

Computers  have become an integral part of people’s life all over the world.   The primary means for interacting with the computer is the keyboard.  Keyboarding skills are no longer vocational  in nature but necessary to be able to design,  communicate,  extract and disseminate information.  Manipulative/typing technique underlies and becomes the essential basis for the development of keyboarding speed and accuracy.  Experience has shown that the achievement  level  among  secretarial  students  in  keyboarding  is  generally  low.    This  is evident in students’ inability to correctly  type or produce mailable copies of information. Most students who perform fairly in keyboarding do so by looking at the keyboard and this has hampered their speed.  Keyboarding is a psychomotor skill that requires proper teaching and  guidance  by  a  qualified  instructor  who  is  knowledgeable  and  can  use  appropriate methods.      While   appropriate   instructional   methods   are   likely   to   enhance   learning achievement in keyboarding, inappropriate approaches would retard speed and accuracy.  The preliminary investigation carried out by the researcher through interactions and conversations with both lecturers and students in the polytechnics in Nasarawa State revealed that students are  rarely taught  with  demonstration  method.    The  result  of  the  preliminary  study also showed that the method mostly used by teachers is the  lecture method.   The students were exposed to some keyboarding instructions in which teachers do not often reinforce the typing

technique required as soon as the students begin to learn computer/typewriter keyboard.  The methods and techniques adopted by the teachers would to a great extent affect the learning and achievement of keyboarding by students. This study, therefore, seeks to  determine the effect of demonstration technique on achievement of students in keyboarding in polytechnics in Nasarawa State.

Purpose of the Study

The main purpose of this study is to determine the effect of demonstration technique on achievement of students in keyboarding in polytechnics in Nasarawa State.   Specifically, this study seeks to determine the:

1.   difference   between   achievement   levels   of   students   taught   keyboarding   with demonstration technique and those taught with lecture method.

2.   difference  between  the  achievement  levels  of  male  and  female  students  taught keyboarding with lecture method.

3.   difference  between  the  achievement  levels  of  male  and  female  students  taught keyboarding with demonstration technique.

4.   effect of ability level on achievement  of students taught keyboarding  with  lecture method and demonstration technique.

Significance of the Study

The findings of this study would be of immense benefit to lecturers and  instructors, students, curriculum planners, the ministries, Polytechnic administrators, National Board for Technical   Education   (NBTE),   National   Commission   for   Colleges   of  Education   and researchers.

The  findings  of  this  study  will  be  useful  to  lecturers  of  secretarial  studies  in polytechnics.    The  findings  would  provide  the  lecturers  with  the  information  on  what techniques and methods to adopt in their attempt to improve achievement levels of secretarial students in keyboarding.  The knowledge gained from the findings on the effect of lecture and demonstration  methods  would  help  the  lecturers  to  know  the  best  method  for  teaching keyboarding.   The lecturers would through the findings understand the effect of gender and ability level on students’ achievement in keyboarding.  This knowledge would assist them in the  choice  of  the  appropriate  method  and  technique  to  use  in  keyboarding  instructional delivering.

The findings of this study will be useful to students in secretarial studies department. This will help them to understand that when guided properly they will understand and master what they are taught.

The findings also will be of value to curriculum planners because they can use  the information  to  know  the  specific  areas  of  capacity  building  that  needed  to  be  in  the curriculum and the method of teaching to adopt.

Ministries,  departments  and agencies  of Federal and State governments  concerned with polytechnic education matters may see the need to provide adequate funding in annual budgets  for polytechnics.    This  shall enable  polytechnics  acquire,  maintain  and  upgrade computers and ICT facilities required for instructional purposes.   The acquisition and use of these  internet  facilities  can  facilitate  the  achievement  of  instructional  objectives  among keyboarding students who will use them for their keyboarding exercises.  This can facilitate students’ personal practice and improve their achievement levels in keyboarding.

National Board for Technical Education and National Commission  for Colleges  of

Education will benefit from this study as it will guide them to see a need to modify its

minimum  requirements  for  accreditation  and  approval  for  polytechnics  and  Colleges  of Education  programme.     They  can  include  the  availability  of  computer   and   internet laboratories as part of the requirements for accrediting secretarial courses.

Researchers  may  find  this  study  valuable  as  it  would  add  to  existing  body  of knowledge  in teaching and learning secretarial courses.   This can enable them to  identify areas  to  carry  out  further  research  to  provide  needed  solutions  to  the  problem  of  low achievement in secretarial courses, especially keyboarding.

Research Questions

This study will be guided by the following research questions:

1.   What is the difference  between achievement  levels of students taught  keyboarding with demonstration technique and those taught with lecture method?

2.   What is the difference between the achievement levels of male and female students taught keyboarding with demonstration technique?

3.   What is the difference between the achievement levels of male and female students taught keyboarding with lecture method?

4.   What is the effect of ability level on achievement of students taught keyboarding with lecture method and demonstration technique?

Hypotheses

The following hypotheses have been formulated for the study and will be tested  at

0.05 level of significance.

1.   There  is  no  significant  difference  between  the  mean  scores  of  students  taught keyboarding using lecture method and those taught using demonstration technique.

2.   There  is  no  significant  difference  between  the  mean  scores  of  male  and  female students taught keyboarding using lecture method.

3.   There  is  no  significant  difference  between  the  mean  scores  of  male  and  female students taught keyboarding using demonstration technique.

4.   There is no significant difference between the mean scores of low and high ability students when taught keyboarding with lecture method and demonstration technique.

5.   There  is no significant  difference  between the interaction effect of gender,  ability level and demonstration technique on students’ achievement in keyboarding.

Scope of the study The  study  focuses  on  the  effect  of  demonstration  technique  on  achievement  of students in keyboarding in polytechnics in Nasarawa State. The study will specifically cover the effect of demonstration technique, gender and ability level on achievement of students in keyboarding in polytechnics in Nasarawa state. The study is specifically concerned with the difference between achievement levels of students taught  keyboarding with lecture method and those taught with demonstration method and any difference that may exist between these achievement levels. In addition, the study focuses on the differences between achievement levels of male and female.    Only 144 Secretarial students who are in National Diploma II level  will  be  involved  because  most  of  the  courses  offered  are  tech-based  which  need keyboarding  knowledge  and  skills.  The study will be conducted  in the two government- owned polytechnics  in  Nasarawa  State.   They are Nasarawa  State Polytechnic,  Lafia and Federal Polytechnic, Nasarawa.



This material content is developed to serve as a GUIDE for students to conduct academic research


EFFECT OF DEMONSTRATION TECHNIQUE ON ACHIEVEMENT OF STUDENTS IN KEYBOARDING IN POLYTECHNICS IN NASARAWA STATE

NOT THE TOPIC YOU ARE LOOKING FOR?



A1Project Hub Support Team Are Always (24/7) Online To Help You With Your Project

Chat Us on WhatsApp » 09063590000

DO YOU NEED CLARIFICATION? CALL OUR HELP DESK:

  09063590000 (Country Code: +234)
 
YOU CAN REACH OUR SUPPORT TEAM VIA MAIL: [email protected]


Related Project Topics :

Choose Project Department