THE EFFECTS OF TEACHING METHODS ON STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN SOCIAL STUDIES IN SELECTED SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN UYO METROPOLIS, AKWA IBOM STATE

Abstract

This study was on the effects of teaching methods on students’ academic performance in social studies. Three objectives were raised which included: analyze the influence of teaching methods on students’ academic performance in social studies, determine if there is any relationship between teaching methods and students attitude to learning and ascertain if the teacher’s level of experience significantly affects students’ performance in social studies. The study adopted a survey research design and conveniently enrolled 80 participants in the study. A total of 77 responses were received and validated from the enrolled participants where all respondents were drawn from staffs of selected secondary schools in Uyo. Hypothesis was tested using Chi-Square statistical tool (SPSS).

Chapter one

Introduction

1.1Background of the study

The primary purpose of teaching at any level of education is to bring a fundamental change in the learner (Tebabal and Kahssay, 2011). To facilitate the process of knowledge transfer, teachers need to apply appropriate teaching methods that best suit specific objective and level of the pupils or students. The principles underlying methods of teaching are: understanding the theory and practice of methodology in order to be able to teach according to the nature of the topic; consideration for individuality of the pupils and flexibility in methods; the utilization of child and adolescence studies and the development of good relationship with others in the school.

One of the most important areas of education which had attracted the attention of educationists through the ages is the process of making the teaching-learning situation easy for both the teacher and the learners. This has led to the evolvement of various types of methods of teaching. In schools, according to Gutek (1988), teaching methods are the means or procedures that teachers use to aid students in having an experience, mastering skills or process, or in acquiring an area of knowledge.

In traditional epoch, many teaching practitioners widely apply teacher-centered approach to impart knowledge to learners other than students-centered methods. Until today, questions about effectiveness of teaching methods on students indicate that quality of teaching often brings out desirable changes in learners so as to achieve specific goal. Adenola (2011) maintains that teachers need to be conversant with numerous teaching strategies that they take recognition of the magnitude of complexities of concepts to be covered.

Social studies is the integrated study of the social sciences, humanities, and history. Within the school programme, social studies provides coordinated, systematic study drawing upon such disciplines as anthropology, archeology, economies, geography, history, jurisprudence, philosophy, political service, psychology, religion and sociology as well as appropriate contact from the humanities, mathematics and natural sciences.

The primary purpose of social studies is to help young people develop the ability to make informed and reasoned decisions for the public good as citizens of a culturally diverse, democratic society in an independent world. Normally social studies is divided into History and Geography when the pupils have reached sixth grade or near (M. Lybarger, 1976).

Individuals and societies reflect their humanity through culture transmitted in the course of a multitude of artistic endeavours that often inspire and inflame emotion (Akenson, 1991). Connecting students to the social studies through the acts bring similar inspiration and emotion in the classroom.

The importance of social studies has often been debated. Due to this, researchers have found out that students often have a negative attitude towards the subject area (Carroll and Leander, 2011). They generally consider the negative attitudes to be a result of curriculum content, teaching methods and classroom environment (Zhoa and Hoge, 2005). Motivated teachers have tried to boost excitement in the classroom by using variety of teaching methods, including primary as well as secondary resources, and exposing students to simulations and re-enactment. Teachers greatly influence the extent to which their students have a negative or positive outlook upon the subject of social studies (French and McMahan, 1998).

If the teacher is an active speaker and persistently using traditional methods, learning takes backseat and in the process, some faulty ideas can also form and lead to several learning gaps (Igbal, 2004). According to Igbal (2004), these learning gaps need to be identified, questioned and corrected before they result into misconceptions. These misconceptions lead to low-self efficacy among students resulting in low performance in the subject of social studies. Therefore, here is the need for good strategy for teaching social studies so to improve the result and performance of the children.

Statement of the problem

Evidence of poor performance in social studies by secondary school students point to the fact that the most desired technological, scientific and art application of social studies cannot be sustained. This makes it paramount to seek for a strategy for teaching social studies that aims at improving its understanding and performance by students. This study essentially sets out to inquire into perceived difficulties of some teachers in the course of imparting knowledge in the students, their commitment and the students’ ability and readiness to learning and to examine whether such factors, behavior interest, teaching experience, attitude to teaching etc. have any significant impact on the students’ academic performance in social studies.

1.3       Purpose of the Study  

The purpose of this study is to:

1. analyze the influence of teaching methods on students’ academic performance in social studies.
2. determine if there is any relationship between teaching methods and students attitude to learning.

iii.  ascertain if the teacher’s level of experience significantly affects students’ performance in social studies.

1.4       Significance of the Study

The study will be considered significant in a number of ways which are:

1. It will help increase teachers’ level of awareness and understanding of the use of most of the instructional techniques.
2. Findings may also provide the teachers with a feedback on teaching competencies in most commonly used teaching methods as basis for improvement in their instructional practice so as to enhance performance.

iii.  Curriculum planners and educators as well as government and educational administrators need empirical data on the overall government teachers in secondary schools to facilitate proper curricula policies and programmes for effective teaching and learning.

1.6       Research Hypotheses

The following research hypotheses are formulated to be tested:

1. There is no significant different of lecture, discussion and problem-solving methods on students’ academic performance in social studies.
2. There is no significant different between teaching methods and students’ attitude to learning social studies.

iii. The teacher’s level of experience in his choice of teaching methods does not significantly affect the performance of students in social studies.

1.7       Assumption of the Study

The school needs for the study were representative of secondary schools in Uyo metropolis where the study was carried out. Lecture, discussion and problem-solving methods of teaching are appropriate for teaching the topic selected. The selected topic is appropriate for junior secondary one (JSS 2) used in the study.

1.8       Scope or Delimitation of the Study

The focus of this research is on the effects of activity techniques (that is, discussion, lecture and problem solving approaches) of teaching of social studies and academic performance of students in Uyo Local Government Area.

The educational level of focus is junior secondary two (JSS 2). The research is also limited to some selected secondary schools in Uyo metropolis.

1.9       Limitation of the Study

This study was constraint by a number of factors. These include amongst others the hoarding of information by State Secondary Education Board, inadequate finances, time constraint and the stress of going around gathering information for the study.

1.10    Operational Definition of Terms

In this study, it is imperative to define the terms that will be appearing during the course of this write-up as they are used within the context of the study for clarity purposes.

Teaching Methods: In this study, it implies the principles and methods of instruction.

Methods: This refers to a way or pattern of doing something, especially in a systematic way. It implies an orderly/logical arrangement usually in steps.

Academic Performance: This refers to a student’s success in meeting short or long-term goals in education. It is the extent to which a student, teacher or institution has achieved their educational goals.

Transfer of Knowledge: Transfer of learning (or transfer of training as it is sometimes called) is the influence that a person’s learning in one situation has on his learning and performance in other situations (Gleitman H, 1976).

• Teaching techniques: Meaning and its Importance in Teaching and Learning Process

Since the early 1990s, educators have proposed a number of framework to guide the design and learning environments. One of these framework was the teaching instructional techniques. Teaching techniques which constitute the programme as independent are: Modelling technique (MT), Coaching technique (CT), Scaffolding technique (ST).which is the treatment techniques to be used in this study to determine the effectiveness on the dependent variables which are achievement, interest and retention. These instructional techniques will help the subjects develop an appropriate understanding and knowledge of Radio and Television (RTV) Trade. Learning techniques are use by individuals to improve their comprehension, learning, retention and retrieval of information (Weistem andMayer, 1999 in Onabanjo, 2000).Techniques are typically described as mental procedures that facilitate the acquisition of knowledge and skill, or the re-organization of one’s knowledge base. Techniques are used in order to help students become strategic learner, that is, learners who are willing and able to take significant responsibility for their learning. Teaching according to Onabanjo (2000) is a deliberate effort by mature or experienced person to impart information, knowledge, skills and so on to an immature or less experienced person through a process that is morally and pedagogically acceptable. Moore (2002) defined teaching as the action of a person imparting skills or knowledge or giving instruction. Weston and Cranton (1998) in Onabanjo (2000) viewed teaching as the technique for instructor – student communication and categorized it into instructor-centred, interactive, individualized and experimental. According to Clark and Star (2000), teaching is an attempt to assist students in acquiring or changing some skills, knowledge, idea, attitudes. Thus, teaching involves the setting up on activities to enable somebody learn something which can improve the person’s knowledge, skills, attitudes and values. Therefore, the aim of teaching is to facilitate learning. For teaching to facilitate, Onabanjo emphasized that the content to be taught has to be worthwhile and the procedure has to be educationally acceptable for the activity to be classified as teaching. In this context, teaching can, therefore, be defined as a systematic activity deliberately engaged in by somebody to facilitate the learning of the intended worthwhile knowledge, skills and value by another person. Central to the process of teaching is the concept of effective teaching. Effective teaching is one that produces demonstrable result in terms of cognitive, affective and psychomotor development of the students. Effective teaching depends on the teacher’s use of appropriate instructional methods and techniques (Uwaselye and Aduwa-ogiegbean, 2006). In technical education, teaching methods and techniques are aimed at developing in the learner the ability to acquire the knowledge and skills useful for work. These methods and techniques can vary in department and times, depending on the level of students and the materials available for instruction. The task of organizing for effective teaching is crucial in any educational setting (Nwachukwu, 2001). The crucial decisions at all instructional levels of an organization will be centred on such factors as what to teach, when to teach and how to teach it. These decisions are made by the teachers and a good insight and understanding of these decisions will assist the teacher greatly in developing a good plan for teaching. At the classroom level, Nwachukwu maintained that how to teach the selected elements depends on the teacher, and further stated that teaching methods and techniques aim at developing in the learner the ability to acquire the knowledge and skills useful for work. Teaching methods are used by all teachers to present skills, knowledge and appreciations to the learners in the classroom and to engage learners in the task involved. While teaching techniques are processes adopted by experienced teachers to inject variety in their teaching, stimulate it and maintain the learners’ interest in it (Ogwo, 2005; Ukoha and Enogwe, 1999). Ogwo, Ukoha and Eneogwe maintained that instructional techniques are subsumed in teaching methods as ancillaries or adjuncts to ensure the effectiveness of a given method. Finding in technical education reveals extensive listings of teaching methods as conceived. However, the lecture method, project method (Oranu, 2003), field trip/work visit (Uwamelye and Onyewadume, 1999) and demonstration method are mostly used in teaching curriculum content of technical education. The traditional method of teaching is teacher rather oriented than learner-oriented. The study looks at the learning methods, which stress students’ active involvement in the teachinglearning process. Teachers in general and special education classroom are continually faced with instructional challenges as the diversity of students in classroom widens. Researchers are interested in implementing best practices that improve educational outcomes for all learners. In the teaching and learning process, teaching methods refer to methods which are actives pursued by teachers and pupils together in discussion group work, survey demonstration and viewing. Awotua-Efebo (2003) stated that the mediocre teacher tells, good teacher explain, the superior teacher demonstrates and the great teacher inspires. In the words of Oyedeji (1998), teaching methods were described as specific instructional devices employed by a teacher to teach their lessons. Oyinloye (1999) suggested that the method or approach used by teachers in practicing their lesson is very important because it can make the students’ like or dislike their subjects. It can generate in students love for or alienate them from school. He concluded that teachers must take keen interest in the various methods of teaching various subjects. In selecting a teaching method, the factors to be considered will include: the instructional objectives, the learners (students), the group size, and the classroom environment. The teacher must be resourceful in the selection of materials to be presented and the methods and techniques used in presenting them. He/she must also combine telling and doing in a pattern that will result in learning. Toby (2000) asserted that it is much more important that students should meet and achieve the learning objectives themselves with the help of the teacher. The method employed by the teacher depends on the situation of the class, age of the students, size of the class and maturity. That is why it is often said that psychology influences the choice of method. Ubdaneiye (1998) reported that teaching methods are very important in the teaching and learning proves. He further explained that methods help to make the teacher and that the quality of a teacher depends on his/her ability to use the various methods to bring the subject matter to the understanding of the students. Ojikutu (2005) stated that teaching method is the strategy or plan that outlines the approach that a teacher intends to take in order to achieve the desirable objectives. It involves the way teachers organize and use techniques of teaching subject-matter and teaching objectives. The essence of teaching is to achieve learning in the learner. Any outside this will make teaching a wasteful exercise. For any lesson to succeed, the teacher needs to plan for the lesson and his/her preparation should include choice of appropriate topic, appropriate teaching materials, intensive research on the topic to be taught, determination of the objectives for the lesson, choice of appropriate teaching methods, arrangement of how the lesson will be presented and predetermination of assessment instrument (Prawat, 1998). The general assumption is that the application of only one method would be less justified, but using variety of methods in teaching is to arouse the students’ interest and to prolong their concentration. The variety of teaching methods heightens the effectiveness of learning and the students who are experiencing learning difficulty. Ndagana and Onifade (2000) reported that difficult skills and concepts are easily acquired and understand when students are exposed to them practically. McCornick and Cox (1997) in Ojikutu (2005) stated that learner retains 10 per cent of what they read, 20 per cent of what they hear; 30 per cent of what the use, 40 per cent of what they say while using the tools or performing a task with tools confirms the importance of practical work in the teaching/learning process

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